The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Jerry Matthews Matjila (South Africa):

The Security Council decided today to renew until 15 November the support provided by the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism of Sudan and South Sudan.

The new Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations, Sofiane Mimouni, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Carlos Daniel Amorín Tenconi, the new Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

The Secretary-General is following with increasing concern the situation in Guinea, where demonstrations have been called against a Government proposal to review the Constitution.  The United Nations continues to monitor the situation and remains in contact with key stakeholders with a view towards de-escalating tensions.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the 141^st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Belgrade from 13 to 17 October:

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Helen Meagher La Lime of the United States as his Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) opened its debate on human rights today, holding a series of dialogues with United Nations experts — on topics ranging from the rights of migrants and safety of journalists, to the prevention of torture — and assessing the work of treaty bodies tasked with monitoring State behaviour.

Cautioning against the start of a new worldwide arms race, on Earth and in outer space, delegates called for urgent, renewed efforts to move beyond the decades‑long stalemate in the disarmament machinery, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its general debate today.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the Girls Speak Out commemoration event marking the International Day of the Girl Child, observed on 11 October: