Environmental issues and sustainable development

In Lebanon, over 900,000 people have begun returning to their areas of origin since the cessation of hostilities was announced on 27 November, the International Organization for Migration reports. Nearly 179,000 people remain displaced. The UN and its partners continue supporting the response across the country.

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that he United Nations and its partners continue to support the response there as the security situation permits. Health care across the country continues to be disrupted against the backdrop of a fluid security situation.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to Parliament of Lesotho, in Maseru today:

In Haiti, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the activities of armed gangs in Port-au-Prince continue to disrupt people’s lives. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that between 6 and 8 December, more than 4,500 people have become newly displaced due to ongoing insecurity.

Today, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is appointing a group of prominent experts to promote actionable policy solutions and galvanize political and public support required to resolve the debt crisis. This work will inform the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, an intergovernmental process facilitated by the United Nations, which will take place from 30 June to 3 July 2025, in Sevilla, Spain.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s opening remarks at the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, in New York today:

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s remarks at the opening of the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), held in Riyadh today:

In Lebanon, the UN is focusing on the needs of displaced people who have begun returning home, those still displaced, host communities and those who never left impacted areas. The International Organization for Migration reports that in the first 24 hours of the ceasefire, nearly 580,000 people have begun returning home.

In Haiti, as the security situation deteriorates, essential UN personnel from agencies and its political mission remain in Port-au-Prince, ensuring continued delivery of critical humanitarian programmes and assistance and political support to assist Haitian-led efforts to successfully carry out the political transition.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, today: