Amid formidable challenges, including an uptick in terrorist attacks in the Sahel, unconstitutional changes of Government, increasing recourse to use of force to resolve disputes, and a dire humanitarian situation in several regions, all of it exacerbated by climate change, the unique partnership between the United Nations and the African Union remains a cornerstone of multilateralism, which must be adapted to local contexts, with the support of the international community, including the Security Council, the Secretary-General told the 15-member organ today.

The General Assembly today elected 14 Member States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Interparliamentary Union’s 145th Assembly, in Kigali, Rwanda, today:

On 30 September 2022, the Coordinator and members of the Panel of Experts briefed the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic on the Panel's workplan in pursuance of resolution 2648 (2022).

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for World Health Day, observed today:

As the Sixth Committee (Legal) commenced its consideration of crimes against humanity, speakers argued over the need to elaborate a convention based on the International Law Commission’s draft articles, with some pointing to three years of stalled progress, calling for an ad hoc committee that could facilitate a constructive exchange on the matter.

The Russian Federation, by launching an “unprovoked and barbaric invasion” of its neighbour, had trampled the fundamental principles of prohibiting the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of a State and cast a long shadow over disarmament, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard as it continued its general debate.

As part of its ongoing emergency special session on Ukraine, the General Assembly met today to consider a draft resolution introduced by Ukraine that, if approved, would condemn the Russian Federation’s annexation of several territories in eastern Ukraine in late September.

The world is facing the worst hunger crisis, with an estimate of 149 million children — nearly one in five — chronically malnourished, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as delegates continued their general discussion on the rights of children.

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) tackled the issue of sustainable development today, with Csaba Kőrösi (Hungary), President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly, setting the tone by calling for reversing the trend of increasing inequalities and citing a massive financing gap for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.