Following is the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki‑moon to the Appeal of Conscience Foundation World Statesman Award Ceremony in New York today:

The situation of the United Nations Disengagement Force on the Syrian side and the area of separation has deteriorated severely as armed groups have made advances in the area of UNDOF positions, posing a direct threat to the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers along the Bravo line and in Camp Faouar.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, reaffirming its commitment to cooperate with the government of national unity, welcomed the inauguration of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani as the new President today, as well as the pledges made by President Ghani and the Chief Executive Officer, Abdullah Abdullah, to work together to serve all Afghans.

Reiterating that there is no military solution to the crisis in Ukraine, the Secretary-General welcomes both the news of a ceasefire agreement between the Contact Group and representatives of armed groups, and the recent discussions between the Presidents of Ukraine and the Russian Federation which played a part in today’s breakthrough.

The Secretary-General has warmly welcomed the announcement by the United States Government to provide assistance in the global response to Ebola. Calling for more such aid, he stressed that Ebola is not just a health crisis, but had grave humanitarian, economic and social consequences.

During the Security Council’s meeting this afternoon on Ebola, the Secretary-General announced the creation of a UN mission to respond to the epidemic and its consequences. The situation remains extremely serious, as per the latest estimates, the total number of cases in West Africa exceeds 5,000.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern over Afghanistan’s Supreme Court decision to affirm the death sentence given to five people. The Office said that although the crimes are horrible, it remains concerned about that lack of due process and the failure to comply with national and international fair trial standards.

The World Health Organization reports that the total number of cases in the Ebola outbreak is at 6,263 and 2,917 deaths. World leaders are meeting today to contain and stop the spread of the virus, treat the infected, ensure essential services, preserve stability and prevent outbreaks in other countries.

The Secretary-General has asked the General Assembly for its support in defeating Ebola, having confirmed that $1 billion would be needed over the next six months. He also announced the establishment of a UN mission, combining the World Health Organization’s strategic perspective with strong logistics and operational capacity.