The COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of variant viral strains underscore the importance of science, technology and innovation for the recovery and development of global populations, speakers said today as the Economic and Social Council opened its two-day forum on the topic amid calls to urgently address the widening digital gulf between developed and developing countries.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the high-level thematic debate of the General Assembly on “Putting sustainable and resilient tourism at the heart of an inclusive recovery”, in New York today:

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which chairs the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, presented this year’s Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award to activist Cécile Ndjebet of Cameroon.

The Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the fifth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Yemen (S/2021/761), agreed to convey the following messages through a public statement by the Chair of the Working Group:

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

Denouncing the epidemic of misinformation and disinformation proliferating during the coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis and the rising geopolitical tensions, delegates welcomed today an initiative by the Department of Global Communications to draft a code of conduct to promote integrity in public information while urging it to mainstream multilingualism into its activities.

The United Nations-Energy Plan of Action Towards 2025 was launched today, presenting collective action by 30 United Nations entities and international organizations aiming to enable 500 million more people to gain access to electricity, and to create 30 million jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency, among other targets.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the wreath‑laying ceremony at the United Nations House, in Abuja, Nigeria, today

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Robert Andrew Piper of Australia as his Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the General Assembly virtual event in observance of World Press Freedom Day:  “Journalism under Digital Siege”, in New York today: