Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the seventeenth plenary of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, in Rabat today:

The earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in recent weeks have only compounded suffering for the latter’s war-weary population — already plagued by 12 years of unrelenting armed conflict — senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, calling on all parties to facilitate unimpeded access for urgent humanitarian relief.

In Iraq, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair reports that is has launched a humanitarian transition overview to encapsulate critical residual humanitarian needs and help donors and agencies prioritize support in 2023.

The Intergovernmental Conference to draft a new maritime biodiversity treaty continued its resumed fifth session today, as the President of the Conference, underscoring that “the time is ticking”, urged delegations to focus on the “must-dos” and “must-haves” to close on the text.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the ninth African Regional Forum for Sustainable Development 2023, in Niamey, Niger, today:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Wildlife Day, observed on 3 March:

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is in Niger for the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Government of Niger. As Africa Regional Coordination Platform Chair, she will also meet with United Nations regional directors and coordinators.

The Security Council entity overseeing sanctions on Somalia recently met twice to consider issues including weapons smuggling between that country and Yemen and investigations into Al-Shabaab’s finances, its Chair reported today, also noting that the entity’s name had been changed to reflect its focus on that terrorist group.

Marking the twelfth anniversary of their 2011 revolt against Libya’s longstanding leader, Muammar Gadhafi, the country’s people remain frustrated by a lack of political progress and impatient for change, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, proposing a new mechanism to support the holding of crucial elections in 2023.

On 17 February 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan held a briefing to Member States during which the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts briefed participants on the Panel’s interim report dated 1 December 2022 (document S/2022/884).