Organization matters

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

A Kenyan peacekeeper, who recently completed her assignment in Darfur, Sudan, is selected to receive the 2020 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

Following are UN Secretary General António Guterres’ remarks at the annual memorial service to honour United Nations personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty from 1 January to 31 December 2020, today:

The Organization released today $65 million for the humanitarian response in Ethiopia, comprising $45 million from the United Nations-managed Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund and $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund, as the security situation in Tigray remains volatile.

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations (IAAC) held its fifty-fourth session from 21 to 23 April.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, observed on 25 March:

Schools for more than 168 million children around the world have been closed for an entire year due to lockdowns, a report from UNICEF says, noting that around 214 million children globally, or one in seven, have missed more than three quarters of their in-person learning.  The most vulnerable may never return, it warns.

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations (IAAC) held its fifty-third session from 17 to 19 February.

Amid growing concerns over unilateral coercive measures and their unintended humanitarian consequences, several delegations stressed today that sanctions remain a relevant tool for the maintenance of international peace and security, as the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization opened its 2021 session.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today launched the Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative, with 15 leading airlines supporting the prioritization of the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and other critical supplies.