/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/2025-03-11/secretary-generals-video-message-the-children-and-armed-conflict-campaign-prove-it-matters Download the video: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/vi...   Children caught in the grip of war represent one of the most heartbreaking and shameful tragedies of our time. Forced to flee … subjected to violence … often losing their families … seeing things no child should see … many are left with invisible scars of trauma and loss that can last a lifetime. 11/03/2025 - 13:18 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-11/secretary-generals-video-message-the-children-and-armed-conflict-campaign-prove-it-matters /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-11/secretary-generals-remarks-the-town-hall-meeting-civil-society-the-occasion-of-the-69th-session-of-the-commission-the-status-of-women-delivered Friends, Let me begin with two simple words: thank you. In these difficult times, civil society is on the frontlines – putting it all on the line – to power progress, deliver gender equality, and build a better world for us all. I stand with you – now and always. And it is my privilege to be with you today: to hear your solutions, your innovations and your ideas on how we can advance our shared aims.  Dear Friends, This year’s Townhall is a celebration – of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action… 11/03/2025 - 10:49 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-11/secretary-generals-remarks-the-town-hall-meeting-civil-society-the-occasion-of-the-69th-session-of-the-commission-the-status-of-women-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-opening-of-the-69th-session-of-the-commission-the-status-of-women-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french-versions Mr. Chair, Excellencies, dear friends, Allow me a particular word of welcome to our friends from civil society – you drive gender equality forward... In the face of immense obstacles, you strive to make our societies more just, more fair, more representative – and as a result more resilient and more prosperous for everyone.  I salute you and I thank you.  Excellencies, dear Friends, We gather as the world marks thirty years since countries convened in Beijing… Reaffirmed women’s rights as human rights… 10/03/2025 - 10:34 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-opening-of-the-69th-session-of-the-commission-the-status-of-women-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french-versions /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-08/secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-international-womens-day-scroll-down-for-french-version Download the video:  03/03/2025 - 16:15 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-08/secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-international-womens-day-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2025-03-07/deputy-secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-international-womens-day-2025 Excellencies, Dear Sisters,  As we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day. We do so standing on the shoulders of generations of women who have fought for the rights we enjoy today.  Women rights activists, feminist movements, and civil society organizations who have paved the way, often at great personal cost, for the progress that we see today. Every hard-won gain is a testament to their relentless efforts.  This fight is not a battle against windmills. It is real..  07/03/2025 - 13:54 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2025-03-07/deputy-secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-international-womens-day-2025 /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2025-03-07/note-correspondents-united-nations-african-union-joint-task-force-peace-and-security-holds-its-twenty-fourth-consultative-meeting Joint Communiqué: United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security Holds its Twenty Fourth Consultative Meeting Addis Ababa, 07 March 2025 — The United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security held its Twenty Fourth consultative meeting on 17 February 2025, in Addis Ababa. 07/03/2025 - 16:40 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2025-03-07/note-correspondents-united-nations-african-union-joint-task-force-peace-and-security-holds-its-twenty-fourth-consultative-meeting /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-07/secretary-generals-remarks-the-group-of-friends-gender-parity-and-the-circle-of-women-permanent-representatives-delivered Excellencies, Dear Friends, I am very pleased to join you today and with the permission of the distinguished Ministers of Social Development of Qatar and of Education of Rwanda, I want to express my deep gratitude to Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, and His Excellency Ernest Rwamucyo, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, for what has been their remarkable leadership and their continued support and commitment to gender equality – at the United Nations and beyond. 07/03/2025 - 12:15 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-07/secretary-generals-remarks-the-group-of-friends-gender-parity-and-the-circle-of-women-permanent-representatives-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-07/secretary-generals-remarks-the-un-observance-of-international-womens-day-2025-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french-versions Excellencies, Dear friends, Thank you for the invitation – and for the moving performance. We gather today not just to celebrate the International Women’s Day, but to move forward – resilient, united, and unwavering in our pursuit of “equality, development and peace for all women everywhere in the interest of humanity.” Those are the first words of the Beijing Declaration – and this year marks the 30th anniversary of that landmark conference and its reaffirmation that women’s rights are human rights. 07/03/2025 - 09:25 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-07/secretary-generals-remarks-the-un-observance-of-international-womens-day-2025-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french-versions /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2025-03-05/deputy-secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-the-world-sustainable-development-summit-%28wsds%29-2025 Excellencies,  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Ten years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reports show we are gravely off track. Intensifying, interconnected challenges continue to endanger the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 07/03/2025 - 13:48 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2025-03-05/deputy-secretary-generals-video-message-the-occasion-of-the-world-sustainable-development-summit-%28wsds%29-2025 /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-05/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-for-disarmament-and-non-proliferation-awareness-scroll-down-for-french-version Humanity’s future depends on investing in the machinery of peace, not the machinery of war. Yet global tensions are increasing, the nuclear threat is rising, and guardrails are eroding. Meanwhile, small arms and light weapons are proliferating, and rapidly evolving technologies like Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing are deepening the dangers. 28/02/2025 - 10:32 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-05/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-for-disarmament-and-non-proliferation-awareness-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-04/secretary-generals-remarks-the-extraordinary-arab-summit-the-situation-the-middle-eastgaza-scroll-down-for-arabic Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, Excellencies, all protocols observed. President El-Sisi, thank you for convening leaders from across the Arab world to unite at this Extraordinary Arab Summit dedicated to Palestine. Since the horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7, the ensuing Israeli military operations have unleashed an unprecedented level of death and destruction in Gaza, generating an immense trauma. Palestinians in Gaza have suffered beyond measure. And the risk of even greater devastation looms.  04/03/2025 - 10:14 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-04/secretary-generals-remarks-the-extraordinary-arab-summit-the-situation-the-middle-eastgaza-scroll-down-for-arabic /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-ant%C3%B3nio-costa-president-of-the-european-council The Secretary-General met on Monday, 3 March with H.E. Mr. António Costa, President of the European Council.  They discussed cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union on various issues of global importance.  The Secretary-General and the President of the European Council also exchanged views on the situations in the Middle East, in Africa and in Ukraine.   04/03/2025 - 12:44 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-ant%C3%B3nio-costa-president-of-the-european-council /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-jo%C3%A3o-manuel-gon%C3%A7alves-louren%C3%A7o-president-of-the-republic-of-angola The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and Chair of the African Union. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the excellent collaboration between the United Nations and Angola and exchanged views with the President on peace and security issues and developments across the continent.   04/03/2025 - 12:48 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-mr-jo%C3%A3o-manuel-gon%C3%A7alves-louren%C3%A7o-president-of-the-republic-of-angola /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-mr-ahmad-hussein-al-sharaa-of-syria The Secretary-General met with Mr. Ahmad Hussein al-Sharaa of Syria. They exchanged views about the historic opportunity to chart a new course for Syria as well as the challenges facing the country. The Secretary-General took note of the important steps taken on the path of a political transition in Syria. He stressed the need for an inclusive transition, in the spirit of the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). The Secretary-General pledged UN support to the country's recovery and to the people of Syria to meet their humanitarian needs. 04/03/2025 - 09:07 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-mr-ahmad-hussein-al-sharaa-of-syria /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-general-joseph-aoun-president-of-the-republic-of-lebanon The Secretary-General met with H.E. General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon. They discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, the situation in the region and the importance of the full implementation of Security Council resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) to strengthen peace and security. They reiterated the significance of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in maintaining stability and the need to respect the safety and security of peacekeepers. 04/03/2025 - 11:44 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2025-03-04/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-he-general-joseph-aoun-president-of-the-republic-of-lebanon