Meetings coverage, press releases, press conferences, committees
Meetings Coverage
Summaries of official meetings and events at UN Headquarters and overseas conferences.
27 March 2020
Rapid Suppression of COVID-19 Transmission ‘Must Be Our Common Strategy’, Secretary-General Stresses in Virtual Briefing to Member States
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...
12 March 2020
Concluding Annual Session, Special Peacekeeping Operations Committee Approves Draft Report Outlining Proposals, Conclusions on Range of Substantive Items
Concluding its work today, the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations approved, as orally revised, the draft report of its 2020 substantive session (document A/AC.121/2020/L.3).
12 March 2020
Escalating Violence Threatens Quest for Political Resolution of Conflict in Yemen, Senior Officials Warn Security Council
The recent escalation of violence in Yemen is jeopardizing the quest for a political solution to the conflict in that country and inflicting significant harm on civilians, senior United Nations...
12 March 2020
Security Council Renews Mandate of United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2514 (2020)
The Security Council decided to renew the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today amid encouraging developments in that country’s peace process, including the beginning of...
11 March 2020
Security Council Issues Presidential Statement Calling for Greater Efforts to Help Africa Fight Terrorism, as Delegates Denounce ‘Insufficient’ Current Approaches
Terrorism and violent extremism pose a significant and growing threat to peace and security in Africa and the international community must redouble its efforts to strengthen the continent’s ability...
11 March 2020
Speakers Seek More Details on Improving Staff Performance, Organizational Culture, as Fifth Committee Reviews Roll-Out of Accountability Framework across Secretariat
Speakers praised and called for more details about the roll-out of a new framework for assigning senior managers greater authority to make decisions and hold their staff accountable for results, as...
11 March 2020
General Assembly Postpones Fourth Session of Intergovernmental Conference to Draft Marine Biodiversity Treaty in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction
The General Assembly today decided to postpone the fourth session of the intergovernmental conference to draft a new global instrument on biodiversity in ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction,...
10 March 2020
Security Council Welcomes Significant Steps towards Ending War in Afghanistan, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2513 (2020)
The Security Council welcomed the significant steps taken towards ending the war in Afghanistan and opening the door to intra-Afghan negotiations enabled by the recent peace agreement signed by the...
Press Releases
Press releases from the main United Nations bodies, as well as offices and departments of the Secretariat.
27 March 2020
Deputy Secretary-General Cites Strength of Newly Reformed Development System, Outlines Tailored Regional Approaches, at Final Repositioning Meeting
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the third plenary on the remaining mandates of the repositioning of the United Nations Development System, in New York today:
27 March 2020
Secretary-General Briefs Delegations, Main Organ Heads on Broad COVID-19 Response, Stresses ‘We have Never Worked So Closely’ Despite Remote Conditions
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:
26 March 2020
Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Kabul, Afghanistan
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Wu Haitao (China):
26 March 2020
Secretary-General Urges G20 Countries to Suppress COVID-19 Transmission, Keep Households Afloat, amid Pandemic’s ‘Human Crisis’
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Group of 20 (G20) virtual summit on the COVID-19 pandemic, in New York today:
26 March 2020
Weaponizing Disease Repugnant, Secretary-General Says, Urging States to Improve Biosecurity on Anniversary of Biological Weapons Convention
The following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the forty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological Weapons Convention:
25 March 2020
Secretary-General Calls for Urgent De-Escalation in Yemen, Efforts to Combat Possible COVID-19 Outbreak
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
25 March 2020
Secretary-General Announces $2 Billion Humanitarian Response Plan to Help ‘Ultra-Vulnerable’ Combat COVID-19 Pandemic
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the launch of the global humanitarian response plan for COVID-19, in New York today:
25 March 2020
Secretary-General Condemns Deadly Attack on Afghanistan Temple
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: