‘When finance flows, ambition grows’: COP30’s call for action

At every negotiation table and in every diplomatic statement lies a stark truth shared by nations on the front lines of the climate crisis: without funding, there is no path to safety, justice, or survival. Many urgent actions are required to secure a livable planet and protect millions of lives. But all of them – […]

Sinking islands, vanishing forests: World leaders call for urgent climate action

Sinking islands, vanishing forests: World leaders call for urgent climate action

Their appeals, sharpened by rising seas, failed harvests and disappearing ecosystems, echoed Secretary-General António Guterres’s warning at a climate summit that the world is already in the “dawn of a new energy era” – one where clean energy must replace fossil fuels, and where finance and justice remain at the heart of the global response. […]

Israeli strike in Doha marks ‘alarming escalation’, warns top UN official, in call to uphold diplomatic norms

Israeli strike in Doha marks ‘alarming escalation’, warns top UN official, in call to uphold diplomatic norms

Rosemary DiCarlo described Tuesday’s strike in a residential area of the Qatari capital – which targeted Hamas’s political leadership killing several affiliates along with a Qatari security officer – as potentially opening a “new and perilous chapter in this devastating conflict, seriously threatening regional peace and stability.” The attack occurred on 9 September in residential […]

Amid massive destruction of Gaza City, UN chief renews ceasefire call

Amid massive destruction of Gaza City, UN chief renews ceasefire call

“It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza,” the Secretary-General told reporters on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), “and the unconditional release of all hostages and to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause.” Around one million people still […]

UN official reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire as ‘nightmare of historic proportions’ unfolds

UN official reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire as ‘nightmare of historic proportions’ unfolds

Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, told ministers and ambassadors that ongoing talks must lead to a permanent end to hostilities, the release of all hostages, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and for recovery and reconstruction to begin. He painted a grim picture of conditions on the ground, citing expanded Israeli military operations, […]

Guterres renews call for Israel-Iran ceasefire

Guterres renews call for Israel-Iran ceasefire

“I reiterate my call for immediate de-escalation leading to a ceasefire,” Mr. Guterres said in a statement in which he strongly appealled against any further internationalization of the conflict.  “Any additional military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved but for the whole region and for international peace and security at large,” […]

At Arab League Summit, Guterres reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire

At Arab League Summit, Guterres reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire

António Guterres told leaders meeting in the Iraqi capital that “the region and the world face trials and tests on all fronts,” starting with the situation in Gaza. He reiterated that neither the atrocious 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas nor the collective punishment of the Palestinian people can be justified. Permanent ceasefire now […]

Gaza: Guterres hails hostage release, renews ceasefire call

Gaza: Guterres hails hostage release, renews ceasefire call

Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old American-Israeli national and soldier with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), had been held by Hamas since the brutal 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage. He is believed to be the last living American held by militants in Gaza, according […]

Port Sudan: Aid officials call for greater protection as drone attacks continue

Port Sudan: Aid officials call for greater protection as drone attacks continue

The escalation is occurring as war grinds on between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who appear to be targeting airports in each other’s areas of control. “Very concerned by ongoing drone strikes on Port Sudan,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher tweeted on Wednesday.  “International humanitarian law must […]