Briefing the Security Council today, the Chair of the committee concerning the sanctions regime for Somalia gave an overview of its activities, including concerns regarding the confidentiality of its proceedings and follow-up actions on the Panel of Expert’s recommendations on humanitarian matters.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Seventh Annual Brussels Conference “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region”, today:

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Kaha Imnadze of Georgia as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).

The declaration “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” — co-authored by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb — is a model for compassion and human solidarity, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council today, as speakers warned against a groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, anti-Muslim hatred, virulent antisemitism and attacks on minority Christian communities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ flagship annual report, Global Trends in Forced Displacement, noted that by the end of 2022, the number of people displaced by war, persecution, violence and human rights abuses stood at a record 108 million people, up 19.1 million people from 2021, the biggest increase ever.

Recognizing that hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance, gender discrimination and acts of extremism can contribute to conflict, the Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution that, among other things, urged Member States to publicly condemn violence, hate speech and extremism and encouraged them to prevent the spread of intolerant ideology and incitement to hatred.

Stressing the growing threat of conflicts and wars worldwide, the General Assembly today adopted resolutions on promoting a culture of peace and honouring fallen peacekeepers through establishment of a memorial wall.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council on “The Values of Human Fraternity in Promoting and Sustaining Peace”, in New York today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the World of Work Summit, in Geneva today:

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Lana Zaki Nusseibeh (United Arab Emirates):