Press Release

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Dinh Quy Dang (Viet Nam):

With the number of new COVID-19 cases around the world nearly doubling over the past two months — approaching the highest infection rate observed during the pandemic — the unequal distribution of vaccines is not only a moral outrage, but economically and epidemiologically self-defeating, the head of the United Nations health agency told a special ministerial meeting of the Economic and Social Council today.

The Security Council, adopting two resolutions through its written silence procedure today, extended the authorization of measures against the illicit export of crude oil and other petroleum products from Libya as well as the mandate of the panel of experts helping to oversee them, while also approving modalities for a new, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned ceasefire monitoring mechanism.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks to his meeting with leading mayors supported by C40 Cities:  “Advancing a Carbon-Neutral, Resilient Recovery for Cities and Nations”, in New York today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the General Assembly tribute to the memory of John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, the late President of the United Republic of Tanzania, today:

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the World Circular Economy Forum + Climate event today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment event today:

On 15 April 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1518 (2003) removed the following entries from its Sanctions List of individuals and entities:

With a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping over Yemen, and as Houthi rebels pursue their offensive in the oil-rich Marib region, more must be done — urgently and with greater international funding — to ease what is still the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today as the 15-member organ, meeting via videoconference, conducted its monthly debate on the conflict in that Middle East country.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2021 the “International Year of Peace and Trust”.  It is also the first year of the Decade of Action to usher in ambitious steps to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  Against that backdrop, the Office for Disarmament Affairs will launch the “What if — Spesterra" Youth Video Challenge to stimulate young people’s interest and knowledge about the vital way disarmament contributes to a safer, more secure and sustainable world for all.