Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the opening ceremony of the World Youth Forum, held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, today:
The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
In the Philippines, the World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that nutrition and food security are at risk in communities hit by Super Typhoon Odette three weeks ago. Odette has made landfall nine times over an area the size of Austria over two days, affecting 7 million people. WFP requires $25.8 million to provide food to 250,000 survivors.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Daniela Kroslak of Germany as his new Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
Fifty-five journalists and media workers were killed around the world in 2021, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – the lowest annual death toll in over a decade. However, two thirds of those killings took place in countries not experiencing armed conflict and impunity for those crimes remains widespread.
Due to persisting gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies that remain unresolved, Syria’s declaration of its chemical weapons programme still cannot be considered accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, the United Nations disarmament chief told the Security Council today, urging that country to cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) without delay.
More than 3 million doses arrived in Venezuela on 4 January, bringing the total received through the COVAX facility to nearly 9 million, while Bolivia recently received nearly 2 million doses through COVAX. Thanks to a massive logistical effort led by the Pan-American Health Organization, nearly 90 million doses have landed in 33 countries in Latin America.
The Security Council will address threats against women peacebuilders and explore ways to better protect civilians from conflict in urban settings, its President for January told a Headquarters press conference today.
World Braille Day, on 4 January, aims to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people. COVID-19 has revealed how critically important it is to produce essential information in accessible formats.
On 17 December 2021, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) was briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten on the situation of sexual violence in conflict in Yemen.
