Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Monday that nine UN trucks were cleared to enter the southern Kerem Shalom crossing earlier in the day. “But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed…We have been reassured that our work will be facilitated through existing, proven...
No aid has entered the enclave since Israel implemented a ban on 2 March and the entire population, more than two million people, is at risk of famine. “As we demonstrated during the ceasefire this year – and every time we’ve been granted access – the United Nations and our...
António Guterres issued the warning in a video message to the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad, or “Everest Dialogue,” convened by the Government of Nepal in Kathmandu. “Record temperatures have meant record glacier melt,” he said. “Nepal today is on thin ice – losing close to one-third of its ice in just...
“There is no place for lethal autonomous weapon systems in our world,” Mr. Guterres said on Monday, during an informal UN meeting in New York focused on the use and impact of such weapons. “Machines that have the power and discretion to take human lives without human control should be...
Addressing the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 in the German capital, the Secretary-General told dozens of ministers from more than 130 countries that peacekeepers remain key to “help countries move from conflict to peace.” “In trouble spots around the world, blue helmets can mean the difference between life and death,” he insisted. “They...
The UN chief warned that any further escalation of the conflict could result in massive civilian casualties and worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation across the country. “The expansion of the conflict into an area that has served as a place of refuge for a large number of displaced people...
“We are living through the greatest disruption to global health financing in memory,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He cautioned that abrupt withdrawals of funding are jeopardising hard-won medical progress, including efforts to combat tropical diseases, which are now re-emerging in some regions. “This is just the tip...
In a powerful statement on Thursday, Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, condemned Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian assistance as a “cruel collective punishment” of the Palestinian population. “Two months ago, the Israeli authorities took a deliberate decision to block all aid to Gaza and halt our efforts to...
“The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” Volker Türk said in a statement calling for an end to the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former ally the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its third year. He noted that three days ago, the RSF launched coordinated...
Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina was elected to the papacy in March 2013. He was the first priest from the Americas region to lead the Catholic Church worldwide and a strong voice for social justice globally. Mr. Guterres described the pontiff as a messenger of hope, humility and humanity. Legacy...
At least five humanitarian workers were said to be among those injured, and significant damage was reported to port infrastructure. There are also fears of oil leaks into the Red Sea, raising environmental concerns. In a statement issued on Saturday by his spokesperson, António Guterres emphasised that international law, including...
“Palestinian journalists continue to do heroic work, paying a heavy price; 170 have been killed to date,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. “The free flow of information and independent reporting are key to facts and accountability during conflicts.” In his appeal, Mr. Lazzarini noted that in the more than 18 months...