The Special Envoy for Yemen welcomed statements by the Houthis reaffirming their acceptance of Security Council resolution 2216 (2015). This is an important step as that text and others, along with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and the outcomes of the National Dialogue are at the core of the United Nations-led peace process.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General says he was shocked and deeply troubled to learn of bribery-related allegations against John Ashe, former President of the General Assembly, which “go to the heart” of the integrity of the United Nations.
The Secretary-General strongly condemned the airstrikes in Kunduz, Afghanistan, that resulted in the death and injury of medical workers and patients at a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital and called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the attack in order to ensure accountability.
The Secretary-General welcomes the ratification by Somalia of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and encourages the United States, the only State yet to ratify the 1989 treaty, to do so.
The Secretary-General, addressing the General Assembly as it marked the United Nations seventieth anniversary, focused on peace and security, noting the deployment worldwide of 128,000 people in peacekeeping operations and special political missions. Major reviews are under way, he said, to improve performance.
This afternoon, the Secretary-General will convene a meeting on migration. In his remarks to the event, he is expected to emphasize how we must step up our work to prevent and stop wars and persecution.
Speaking today at the Leaders’ Summit organized by the United States, the Secretary-General said that violent extremist groups pose a direct threat to international security, and addressing that challenge goes to the heart of the mission of the United Nations and requires a unified response.
The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of more than 700 Hajj pilgrims and injuries to many more resulting from the deadly incident in the Mina Valley in Saudi Arabia. This tragedy is all the more distressing as it took place on the first day of the Holy Eid Al-Adha marking the end of the Hajj season.
Meeting with the Head of Joint Investigative Mechanism on Chemical Weapons Use in Syria, the Secretary-General reiterated his condemnation of any use of those weapons and expressed concern at ongoing allegations. The Mechanism’s unique mandate, he said, demonstrated determination to hold perpetrators accountable.
The UN refugee agency is helping survivors of two incidents over the weekend involving boats carrying refugees and migrants between Turkey and Greece that left some 40 people dead or missing. Europe has seen more than 442,400 arrivals by sea so far this year – 82 per cent from the top 10 refugee-producing countries, led by Syria.