Finland

The new Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, Elina Kalkku, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Jukka Salovaara, the new Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Helsinki from New York on Monday, 18 June.  In the morning, he attended the second meeting of his High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation.  He then took part in the Kultaranta Talks, an annual debate on foreign and security policy.  He also met with President Sauli Niinistö of Finland.

The Chef de Cabinet to UN Secretary-General António Guterres read out a message on his behalf to the third Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms, telling the delegates that every year, over half a million people are killed violently around the world, mostly through small arms fire.

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message to the event commemorating the 100‑year jubilee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, in Helsinki today:

In Afghanistan, the United Nations Mission there has verified allegations that Taliban and local self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Daesh fighters killed at least 36 people, including civilians, during an attack on 5 August in the Mirza Olang village of Sari Pul province.  The Mission’s findings were released as part of its human rights report.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: