Guterres urges support for the Middle East amid current ‘turbulent period’
António Guterres addressed the Council’s first quarterly debate on the Middle East for the year, held against the backdrop of Sunday’s temporary ceasefire in Gaza, the end of hostilities in Lebanon sparked by the war, and the fall of the…
Middle East crisis: Updates for 20 January; Guterres calls for ‘immediate action’ to protect civilians, release of all hostages
Following the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the UN Security Council is meeting in New York to hear from the Secretary-General and foreign ministers from the Middle East and beyond. UN chief António Guterres told the…
Guterres welcomes start of ceasefire in Gaza as UN ramps up food deliveries
“We stand ready to support this implementation and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer,” the UN chief said in a social media post. He added: “It is imperative that…
‘Lebanon is on the cusp of a more hopeful future’, says UN chief Guterres
“A window has opened paving the way for a new era of institutional stability, a State fully able to protect its citizens, and a system that would allow the tremendous potential of the Lebanese people to flourish,” Mr. Guterres told…
Will those responsible for atrocities in Syria finally face justice?
For years, UN human rights bodies have been documenting, monitoring and publishing reports on abuses, and bringing Syria’s dire human rights record to the world’s attention. The fall of Bashar al Assad in December 2024 was largely greeted with euphoria…
UNRWA chief: Ceasefire is the start, not the solution
Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Lazzarini emphasised that the agreement is only the first step in addressing the region’s overwhelming humanitarian challenges. He joined UN Secretary-General António Guterres in urging all parties to fully implement…
Security Council briefed on challenges to peacekeeping in Lebanon, Syria
Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix was joined by Major General Patrick Gauchat, Head of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) who is temporarily in charge of the UN force in the Golan, UNDOF. Mr. Lacroix is currently in Lebanon,…
In Lebanon, Guterres highlights challenges and support for peacekeepers
His itinerary included a trip to Naqoura in the south – where the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is headquartered – and he expressed his gratitude for the courage and determination of peacekeepers operating in one of the most…
Gaza ceasefire could boost aid deliveries to 600 trucks per day: WHO
“The target is to get between 500 and 600 trucks in per day over the coming weeks,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT). This would represent “a huge increase” from the 40 to 50…
WHO appeals for $1.5 billion to tackle ‘unprecedented’ global health crisis
GENEVA — The World Health Organization appealed Thursday for $1.5 billion for emergency operations this year, warning that conflict, climate change, epidemics and displacement had converged to create an “unprecedented global health crisis.” The U.N. health agency estimated that health…