/sg/en/content/ossg/latest-statements Latest Statements, Off-the-Cuff and Readouts from Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General of the United Nations en /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-gaza The Secretary-General condemns the death of at least 18 people, including children, women, and six UNRWA staff, in Israeli airstrikes that hit a school serving as a shelter in Nuseirat on 11 September.  This incident raises the number of UNRWA staff killed in this conflict to 220.  The IDF stated that they had targeted a command-and-control centre in the compound.  This incident must be independently and thoroughly investigated to ensure accountability.  12/09/2024 - 11:41 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-gaza /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/secretary-generals-remarks-the-global-call-the-summit-of-the-future-delivered President Nangolo Mbumba, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Excellencies, Thank you for bringing us together today for this Global Call on the Summit of the Future. The Summit is just days away, but getting to this point has taken years of effort. I want to thank you and your governments for your commitment, every step of the way. Member States are now in the final stages of negotiating the three agreements to be adopted at the Summit of the Future: the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.  12/09/2024 - 10:40 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/secretary-generals-remarks-the-global-call-the-summit-of-the-future-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/secretary-generals-message-the-united-nations-day-for-south-south-cooperation-scroll-down-for-french-version Download the vídeo:  03/09/2024 - 14:34 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-12/secretary-generals-message-the-united-nations-day-for-south-south-cooperation-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-09-11/note-correspondents-usg-rosemary-dicarlo-concludes-her-visit-libya Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, ended her visit to Libya today, underlining the United Nations’ commitment to assisting the Libyan people in their efforts to achieve unity and durable peace. 11/09/2024 - 14:33 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-09-11/note-correspondents-usg-rosemary-dicarlo-concludes-her-visit-libya /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-11/secretary-generals-message-the-launch-of-the-panel-critical-energy-transition-minerals-report Today’s report from the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals is a how-to guide to help generate prosperity and equality alongside clean power. The report makes recommendations on critical minerals, at a crucial time. We established the Panel in response to calls from developing countries, amid signs that the energy transition could reproduce and amplify inequalities of the past – banishing developing countries to the bottom of value chains to watch others grow rich by exploiting their people and putting their environment in jeopardy. 11/09/2024 - 10:22 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-11/secretary-generals-message-the-launch-of-the-panel-critical-energy-transition-minerals-report /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general%C2%A0%E2%80%93%C2%A0-gaza The Secretary-General strongly condemns today's Israeli air strikes in a densely populated Israeli-designated zone in Khan Younis and the killing of civilians, including women and children.  The use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is unconscionable.  Displaced Palestinians had moved to this area in Khan Younis in search for shelter and safety after being repeatedly instructed to do so by the Israeli authorities - but there is no safe place in Gaza. 10/09/2024 - 17:49 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general%C2%A0%E2%80%93%C2%A0-gaza /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-opening-of-the-seventy-ninth-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-delivered Mr. President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, Your Excellency Philemon Yang of Cameroon — congratulations.  You bring to this vital task a wealth of experience, including your years as Prime Minister of Cameroon that I had the privilege to meet in your country, but also as a diplomat and public servant, and as a proud African. I commend your vision statement’s focus on key priorities such as finance and science and technology which are all critical to global progress. 10/09/2024 - 13:38 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-opening-of-the-seventy-ninth-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-closing-of-the-seventy-eight-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-delivered Mr. President, Excellencies, We close this 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly after a tumultuous year. A year of continued poverty, inequality and injustice. A year of division, violence, and conflict. A year that was the hottest on record — again. But this session also closes at a time of growing hope and inspiration in what we can achieve if we work as one. This spirit of solidarity shone through this Assembly’s accomplishments over the last year. 10/09/2024 - 10:13 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-closing-of-the-seventy-eight-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-wreath-laying-ceremony-commemorating-the-63rd-anniversary-of-the-death-of-former-secretary-general-dag-hammarskj%C3%B6ld-delivered Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, friends, On the 63rd anniversary of Dag Hammarskjöld’s death, we come together, to remember: A man of integrity, humility, courage and skill; A man committed to the United Nations, dedicated to the Charter, and devoted to peace.  We pay tribute to him today, and to all those United Nations staff who died with him. Their families deserve answers. Pursuing the full truth is our solemn duty. 10/09/2024 - 09:48 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-10/secretary-generals-remarks-wreath-laying-ceremony-commemorating-the-63rd-anniversary-of-the-death-of-former-secretary-general-dag-hammarskj%C3%B6ld-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-09/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-protect-education-attack-scroll-down-for-french-version Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in attacks on students, teachers, educational personnel and schools around the world — from Gaza, to Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere. Every conflict exacts a cruel human toll. But for the children and young people caught up in the hell of conflict, the cost is incalculable. 03/09/2024 - 14:32 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-09/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-protect-education-attack-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-07/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-of-clean-air-for-blue-skies-%E2%80%9Cinvest-cleanairnow%E2%80%9D-scroll-down-for-french-version Ninety-nine per cent of humanity breathes polluted air – leading to an estimated 8 million premature deaths – including more than 700,000 children under five. Pollution is also choking economies and heating up our planet, adding fuel to the fire of the climate crisis. And it disproportionally affects those most vulnerable in society, including women, children, and older persons. 03/09/2024 - 14:29 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-07/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-of-clean-air-for-blue-skies-%E2%80%9Cinvest-cleanairnow%E2%80%9D-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-09-06/deputy-secretary-generals-remarks-the-high-level-presidential-summit-of-the-africa-food-systems-forum-2024-prepared-for-delivery Let me start by thanking H.E. Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the AGRA Board for the invitation to join you here today for this Africa Food Systems Forum 2024.  I am also grateful for the opportunity to be reunited with Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, and the former special Envoy for the Food Systems Summit. She has been an incredible champion for Africa, for food systems, and for the women and men whose livelihoods depend on these systems.  06/09/2024 - 20:22 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-09-06/deputy-secretary-generals-remarks-the-high-level-presidential-summit-of-the-africa-food-systems-forum-2024-prepared-for-delivery /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2024-09-05/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-xi-jinping-president-of-the-people%E2%80%99s-republic-of-china The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China. The Secretary-General recognized China’s valuable contributions to the United Nations and congratulated President Xi for the organization of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The Secretary-General and President Xi discussed topics of mutual interest, including the Summit of the Future. The Secretary-General expressed his readiness to strengthen cooperation with China in all pillars of the United Nations’ work. 05/09/2024 - 01:38 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2024-09-05/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-xi-jinping-president-of-the-people%E2%80%99s-republic-of-china /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-05/secretary-generals-remarks-forum-china-africa-cooperation-summit-delivered President Xi Jinping, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, I want to express my deep gratitude to the people and Government of the People's Republic of China, for the impeccable organization of this summit. We meet as geopolitical tensions are rising; conflicts are raging; and poverty and hunger are growing. The war in Ukraine is grinding on with global impacts – death and destruction reign in Gaza – and the people of Sudan are enduring untold suffering.  05/09/2024 - 00:51 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-05/secretary-generals-remarks-forum-china-africa-cooperation-summit-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-02/secretary-generals-remarks-workshop-artificial-intelligence-and-capacity-building-delivered Excellencies, Distinguished guests, dear friends,   I thank the Government of China for organizing this workshop on Artificial Intelligence and capacity building.   We stand at a pivotal moment.   Artificial Intelligence is developing at warp speed, transforming our world in ways we are only beginning to comprehend.   It has the potential to help rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and usher in a more durable and equitable future.   Recent research estimates that AI can help accelerate nearly 80 per cent of the SDGs. 02/09/2024 - 21:42 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-02/secretary-generals-remarks-workshop-artificial-intelligence-and-capacity-building-delivered