With Syria at a potentially important juncture due to renewed diplomatic attention to the strife-torn country in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes, unlocking progress on a political solution requires multiple stakeholders who hold different keys to work together, the Organization’s senior official on the ground said today during his briefing to the Security Council.

Despite heightened tensions, the “Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia”, reached in Ohrid, North Macedonia in March, marks a historic milestone, the Security Council heard today, as senior representatives from Pristina and Belgrade offered countering perspectives on the drivers of regional insecurity.

On 24 March 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2048 (2012) concerning Guinea-Bissau held informal consultations to consider issues pertinent to the sanctions regime established by resolution 2048 (2012).

Youth-led and youth-focused initiatives and organizations must be fully supported by Governments, the private sector, and other key partners, with financing, mentorship, skills training, capacity-building, and safe spaces to ensure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, speakers told the Economic and Social Council’s annual Youth Forum today, spotlighting the power of youth in designing solutions to address global challenges.

Prior to adopting three draft resolutions tackling infrastructure connectivity, voluntary national reviews and cooperation with the Council of Europe, the General Assembly held its first ever formal debate on the use of the veto in the Security Council, with speakers deliberating the impact of the new transparency and accountability mechanism — enabled by resolution 76/262 — and its role in enhancing the General Assembly’s functions while achieving legitimacy in the use of the veto.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Press Freedom Day, observed on 3 May:

In Zambia, the United Nations team, led by Resident Coordinator Beatrice Mutali, reports it is helping authorities to tackle the droughts and floods which have affected over 373,000 people. Various United Nations agencies are providing cash transfers, health services and other relief to more than 1 million households.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the sixth Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, in Santiago today:

With Haiti descending into a catastrophic spiral of violence, the head of the United Nations office there warned the Security Council in her briefing today that the country’s people need help now.

On 26 April 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al‑Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities approved the addition of the entries specified below to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610 (2021) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.