Development

The last United Nations staff member detained by the Ethiopian authorities has been released.  However, humanitarian challenges in the country remain, with thousands of Eritrean refugees in need of emergency aid after they fled fighting in the Afar region.  UNHCR remains extremely worried about their safety and well-being.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the informal briefing on the Secretary-General’s Transforming Education Summit, held virtually today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the high-level partner event of the Joint United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention, in New York today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message at the launch of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the high-level inaugural session at the Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Community Conference at the World Expo Dubai, in Dubai today:

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the Al Wasl Dome show for the Global Goals Week Kick Off, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the handover ceremony of the Chairmanship of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, held today:

World Braille Day, on 4 January, aims to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people.  COVID-19 has revealed how critically important it is to produce essential information in accessible formats.

The intergovernmental Preparatory Committee for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries voted to endorse a draft Programme of Action ahead of the January gathering in Qatar, concluding its third session today.

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message to the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit, in Budapest today: