The Security Council met this morning to continue its open debate that began on 21 May concerning the protection of civilians in armed conflict.  The debate was held in connection with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1265 (1999), which first established the protection of civilians as a crucial issue of international peace and security, and the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

In Burkina Faso, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator has allocated $5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the emergency response there. The funds will support 150,000 people in the Sahel, Centre-Nord and Est regions with life-saving assistance.

On 21 May 2024, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2713 (2023) concerning Al-Shabaab approved the addition of the entries specified below to its Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the measures imposed by the Security Council and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Seoul Summit, in Seoul and online today:

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert of the Netherlands as his new Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Kristèle Younès of Lebanon as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guinea, with the host Government’s approval. Her start date is 20 May.

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

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on the occasion of the tenth World Water Forum high-level meeting, in Bali today:

Amid ongoing armed conflicts across the globe that killed at least 33,000 civilians in 2023, the international community must not only ensure compliance with international law but “full” protection for civilians, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today during its annual open debate on the matter.

In Myanmar, the United Nations continues to follow closely the situation in Rakhine State, which is worsening the vulnerabilities of all communities in one of the country’s poorest regions.