Warning that 116 religious sites in Ukraine have been damaged since the Russian Federation’s invasion of that country began in February 2022, a senior United Nations official urged the warring parties today to respect and uphold fundamental human rights, including freedom of religion or belief and the right to manifest and practice one’s religion freely and safely.

Deliberately targeting infrastructure that facilitates the export of food to the rest of the world could be life-threatening to millions of people who need access to affordable food, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as speakers condemned the Russian Federation’s air strikes against ports and grain-storage facilities in Odesa.

The Economic and Social Council concluded its management segment today, adopting five resolutions and six decisions from its subsidiary bodies that addressed strengthening development planning for Haiti, support for Non-Self-Governing Territories and the rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, as well as the protection of Palestinian women.

The General Assembly today adopted three consensus decisions on global health and foreign policy and three consensus resolutions on strengthening of the United Nations system, the impact of rapid technological change on the Sustainable Development Goals, and culture of peace — with the latter surviving an attempt to alter its language and sparking a heated debate on whether acts against religious symbols or books constitute a violation of international law.

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations (IAAC) held its sixty-third session from 19 to 21 July, via hybrid format at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session was presided over by the Chair, Imran Vanker.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the United Nations Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment, in Rome today:

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

A senior United Nations official today told the Security Council that the situation in West Africa and the Sahel has deteriorated against a backdrop of shrinking civic and political space.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) have provided support to the Central African and Ugandan Governments as they carried out the voluntary repatriation of 61 Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) ex-combatants and their families to Entebbe, Uganda.

Resuming its two-day Management Segment today, which began on 7 June, the Economic and Social Council considered 16 reports of its subsidiary bodies and other United Nations entities and adopted 30 draft texts, including a decision granting 174 non-governmental organizations consultative status.