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

Describing decolonization as a complex issue spanning multiple interests, a delegate emphasized today that the United Nations must support the rights of indigenous populations over those of colonizers, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general debate on the issue.

Three priorities — the terrorist threat in the Sahel, peacekeeping and the ongoing crises in Myanmar and the Middle East — would be the focus of the Security Council’s work in the coming weeks, François Delattre (France), Council President for the month, said at a press briefing today at Headquarters.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) closing award ceremony of the Tech for Integrity, in Washington, D.C., today:

The World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it would cut food rations by 30 per cent for the 420,000 refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps in northern Kenya due to insufficient funding.  WFP urgently needs $28.5 million to adequately cover the food assistance needs for the refugees over the next six months.

The United Nations Department of Public Information will partner with Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York, to present the exhibition A Legacy of Black Achievement.

The fight against international terrorism must take into account its root causes as well as its new forms, and that efforts, including newly established initiatives that challenged the threat in all its permeations, must be coordinated throughout the Organization’s work, the Sixth Committee (Legal) heard today during its first meeting of the seventy‑second General Assembly session.

The importance of inclusiveness in efforts to achieve the social advancement of young people, families, persons with disabilities, those mired in extreme poverty and other vulnerable groups was stressed today as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) began the work of its seventy-second session.

Eradication of poverty and adherence to financial commitments were crucial in improving the global economic infrastructure, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today, as it began its general debate.

Redoubled efforts to take concrete steps forward in all disarmament processes were needed to build upon progress achieved with the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today at the opening its general debate.