The United Nations welcomes the agreement signed by the leaderships of the caretaker authorities in Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 10 March. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen hopes that the agreement can feed into a broader, credible and inclusive political transition process.
The European Union remains the United Nations’ reliable partner of choice and a cornerstone of its financing, even amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, the Security Council heard today during its annual briefing on cooperation between the two entities.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the town hall meeting with civil society on the occasion of the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, in New York today:
The Commission on the Status of Women continued its sixty-ninth session today holding a ministerial roundtable discussion, with speakers sharing best practices and challenges in regard to their national strategies aiming to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on the International Day of Nowruz, observed on 21 March:
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the launch of the Children and Armed Conflict Campaign “Prove It Matters” in Geneva, Switzerland, today:
The Commission on the Status of Women opened its sixty-ninth session today in the General Assembly, marking 30 years since the landmark 1995 Beijing Conference on Women, which pledged to achieve gender equality and uphold women’s rights. Speakers emphasized the critical work still needed to advance these goals “in the face of immense obstacles”.
In South Sudan, the UN peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) there is intensifying efforts alongside international peace partners to de-escalate the tensions following clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and armed youth in Upper Nile, as well as conflict between organized forces in Western Equatoria state.
Pointing to growing frustration over the lack of progress in political engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities — compounded by cuts to humanitarian-aid funding that are placing additional pressure on the Afghan people — the top UN official there told the Security Council today that the Taliban must clearly demonstrate their commitment to Afghanistan’s international reintegration.
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, observed on 15 March:
