This afternoon, the Secretary-General will convene a meeting on migration. In his remarks to the event, he is expected to emphasize how we must step up our work to prevent and stop wars and persecution.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
Speaking today at the Leaders’ Summit organized by the United States, the Secretary-General said that violent extremist groups pose a direct threat to international security, and addressing that challenge goes to the heart of the mission of the United Nations and requires a unified response.
The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of more than 700 Hajj pilgrims and injuries to many more resulting from the deadly incident in the Mina Valley in Saudi Arabia. This tragedy is all the more distressing as it took place on the first day of the Holy Eid Al-Adha marking the end of the Hajj season.
Meeting with the Head of Joint Investigative Mechanism on Chemical Weapons Use in Syria, the Secretary-General reiterated his condemnation of any use of those weapons and expressed concern at ongoing allegations. The Mechanism’s unique mandate, he said, demonstrated determination to hold perpetrators accountable.
The UN refugee agency is helping survivors of two incidents over the weekend involving boats carrying refugees and migrants between Turkey and Greece that left some 40 people dead or missing. Europe has seen more than 442,400 arrivals by sea so far this year – 82 per cent from the top 10 refugee-producing countries, led by Syria.
The UN refugee agency says this week’s dramatic situation on the Hungarian border and on the Serbian border with Croatia demonstrates the chaos resulting from the lack of a coherent and united response to Europe’s refugee situation. More than 440,000 refugees and migrants have arrived via the Mediterranean so far this year.
The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the coup d’état in Burkina Faso. He reiterates the call for the release of all Burkinabé officials under detention and demands the resumption of the country's political transition. He deplores the violence and calls on the defence and security forces for restraint.
The Secretary-General laid a wreath today in memory of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, who died 54 years ago. Speaking at the ceremony, he said that the Organization remains inspired every day by Mr. Hammarskjöld’s integrity, intelligence and idealism.
The Secretary-General, speaking at the award ceremony for the United Nations Energy Grant, said that energy underpins common efforts to achieve development objectives — from reducing extreme poverty to enhancing food security, powering essential health services and providing electricity for education.
The United Nations Refugee Agency welcomed European Commission proposals to address the current crisis, urging their full and swift implementation. The proposed scheme to relocate 160,000 refugees could only succeed if accompanied by a large-scale emergency response in most-affected States, such as Greece, Hungary and Italy.