The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending equipment to more than 40 countries to help them use nuclear-derived technology to rapidly detect COVID‑19.  Dozens of labs will receive diagnostic machines to speed up national testing, biosafety supplies and personal protection equipment.

At least 28 United Nations personnel — 23 peacekeepers and 5 civilians — were killed in deliberate attacks in the line of duty in 2019, according to the United Nations Staff Union Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service.  This brings the death toll to at least 424 United Nations and associated personnel who were killed in deliberate attacks in the last 10 years from improvised explosive devices, rocket and artillery fire, mortar rounds, landmines, grenades, suicide attacks, targeted assassinations and armed ambushes.

The Secretary-General and top UN officials held a virtual briefing for Member States to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as his call for global ceasefires saw positive gains in Colombia, Syria and Yemen and UNICEF continued to procure and ship protective equipment and other vital supplies to affected countries.

Solidarity is “the first line of defence” against the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to wipe out years of development gains and throw millions of people back into poverty, the highest-ranking United Nations officials warned today as they briefed Member States on the Organization’s response to the crisis.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at a joint briefing to Member States on the Organization’s response to COVID-19, in New York today:

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations (IAAC) held its forty-ninth session from 19 to 21 February 2020 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The United Nations Intranet, “iSeek,” on 6 January received the “gold standard” recognition in Intranet Design, from industry leader Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g), as one of the world’s 10 best intranets in 2020.

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations held its forty-eighth session from 10 to 13 December at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The sixtieth meeting of the Panel of External Auditors, chaired by Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General of the United Kingdom, was held from 2‑3 December 2019 at the United Nations Campus in Bonn, Germany.  The Panel consists of the Heads of 11 Supreme Audit Institutions who are either elected or selected to conduct the external audit of the United Nations Secretariat, funds and programmes and specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  The meeting was attended by representatives from Canada, Chile, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Ghana, Philippines, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United Republic of Tanzania as an observer.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the United Nations Day Concert, in New York today: