All parties must exercise maximum restraint and immediately de-escalate to break the dangerous cycle of retaliation and prevent a full-blown war in the Middle East, speakers told the Security Council today during yet another emergency meeting on the escalating crisis in the region, following Israel’s 25 October air strikes against Iran, which earlier in the month launched missile strikes against Israel.

“It is sad but true that no region around the globe has been spared from crisis or insecurity this year,” the representative of the United States told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today in its thematic debate on regional disarmament and security, which was followed by the start of debate on the United Nations disarmament machinery.

Peacekeepers, supporting flood response, have airlifted medical supplies from Agok airstrip in the southern part of Abyei to other parts of the region, to ensure medical stocks, and the Mission is doing weekly flights to multiple areas in Abyei helping to provide humanitarian assistance to communities that are cut off because of flooding.

At an emergency meeting held at the Security Council, on the heels of reported mass casualty incidents in villages in eastern Sudan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres voiced alarm over the “utter humanitarian catastrophe” engulfing the country, underscoring the urgent need for “decisive action”, including an immediate cessation of hostilities and unfettered humanitarian access.

Speaking before the General Assembly for the first time since her election in March, Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the past year has been marked by an unparalleled increase in demand for the Court’s work, along with unprecedented levels of threats, pressures and coercive measures which pose a serious threat to administering justice.

On 17 October 2024, members of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan were briefed by the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on South Sudan in connection with the Panel’s workplan for its mandate in pursuance of Security Council resolution 2731 (2024) of 30 May 2024.

On 11 October 2024, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2713 (2023) concerning Al-Shabaab held informal consultations to consider the final report of the Panel of Experts pursuant to resolution 2713 (2023), submitted pursuant to paragraph 29(c) of resolution 2713 (2023), and the recommendations contained therein.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security, in Manila today:

Continued killings based on sexual orientation or gender identity are “inadmissible” and require urgent action from Member States, a human rights expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it heard from other experts on issues ranging from counter-terrorism, unilateral coercive measures and foreign debt.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Donor Conference to Support Internally Displaced People and Refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Region, in Jeddah today: