Bolstering relations between the League of Arab States and the United Nations will help overcome political impasse and find lasting solutions to crises and conflicts in Gaza, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan and Somalia, top officials from those organizations told the Security Council today.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed on 6 February:

Despite several positive political developments in Haiti, a worsening security situation — compounded by organized crime — has resulted in death, displacement and crisis in the country, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, urging international support to make progress on these intertwined fronts. Meanwhile, delegates discussed the country's request for a UN peacekeeping operation to replace the newly deployed Kenyan-led security mission.

Amid one of the deadliest waves of violence in Colombia since the signing of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, speakers in the Security Council today underscored the urgency of implementing the accord’s security guarantees.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the M23 armed group reportedly seized Minova in North Kivu province yesterday. Minova is a critical hub along the supply route to Goma. Since Saturday, the armed group has captured other localities in South Kivu, where UN peacekeepers are no longer present, resulting in casualties and the displacement of over 250,000 people.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ special address at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, today:

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

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks to the Security Council open debate on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Countering Terrorism in Africa”, in New York today:

In Mali, the UN and its partners, together with the country’s transitional authorities, today launched a $770 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to support millions across Mali. The Plan aims to address the needs of 4.7 million people affected by conflict, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks.

Africa remains the epicentre of global terrorism, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 59 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide, the Security Council heard today, as speakers engaged in a day-long open debate to outline counter-terrorism initiatives that address the interconnected relationship among security, development and human rights.