/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/2024-12-25/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-plane-crash-kazakhstan The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the news of a plane crash in western Kazakhstan, which has claimed the lives of many, including citizens of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Russian Federation. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his profound sympathy to the affected nations. The Secretary-General also wishes a swift and full recovery to those injured in this tragic incident. 25/12/2024 - 23:09 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-25/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-plane-crash-kazakhstan /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-adoption-of-the-united-nations-convention-against-cybercrime The Secretary-General welcomes the adoption of the “United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes”, which is the first international criminal justice treaty to have been negotiated in over 20 years.   24/12/2024 - 17:36 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-adoption-of-the-united-nations-convention-against-cybercrime /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-the-un-disengagement-observer-force-%28undof%29 The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Brigadier General Amitabh Jha of India, who served as Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) from April 2023. He recently served as acting Force Commander of UNDOF in complex circumstances, following the fall of the Assad government in Syria. He will be remembered for his leadership and unwavering commitment to United Nations peacekeeping, including in MONUSCO as a Military Observer from 2005 to 2006. 24/12/2024 - 16:09 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-the-un-disengagement-observer-force-%28undof%29 /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-sudan The Secretary-General is alarmed by the rapidly worsening food security situation in Sudan, as access to food and nutrition for millions of people across the country continues to deteriorate according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).   The latest report by the IPC’s Famine Review Committee indicates that famine conditions are present in at least five locations in Sudan, including displacement camps in North Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan. Five other areas are identified as being at risk in the coming months.    24/12/2024 - 15:25 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-24/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-sudan /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-20/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-of-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-sudan The Secretary-General is outraged by the killing of three World Food Programme staff members in Sudan on 19 December, when the agency’s field office in Yabus, in Blue Nile State, was hit by aerial bombardment.  He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and their WFP colleagues.   The Secretary-General condemns all attacks on UN and aid personnel and facilities. He calls for a thorough investigation.   20/12/2024 - 09:41 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-20/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-of-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-sudan /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-message-the-11th-summit-of-the-d-8-organization-for-economic-cooperation Download the video: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+16+Dec+24/3323305_MSG+SG+SUMMIT+OF+THE+D-8+ORGANIZATION+16+DEC+24.mp4 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 18/12/2024 - 09:30 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-message-the-11th-summit-of-the-d-8-organization-for-economic-cooperation /sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-press-encounter-syria The Middle East is being consumed by many fires.    But today there is a flame of hope in Syria.    That flame must not be extinguished.   The people of Syria stand at a moment of history – and a moment of opportunity.    That opportunity cannot be missed.   The end of more than five decades of brutal, dictatorial rule has given rise to much hope.   We share that hope with the Syrian people and we stand with them.    19/12/2024 - 09:49 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-press-encounter-syria /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-artificial-intelligence-bilingual-delivered Mr. President, Excellencies, I thank the United States for convening the meeting on Artificial Intelligence and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security. I briefed this Council about AI in July 2023.  As I said then, those that feel like technology is moving very fast must understand a simple fact: Technology will never move in the future as slowly as today. In the short time since, Artificial Intelligence has moved at breakneck speed. 19/12/2024 - 10:01 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-artificial-intelligence-bilingual-delivered /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-of-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-yemen-scroll-down-for-arabic The Secretary-General is following with grave concern reports of Israeli airstrikes earlier today in and around the ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ra’s Isa and on power stations in Sana’a in Yemen. He is also deeply concerned over the concurrent launch of ballistic missiles by the Houthis toward Israel that hit and badly damaged a school in central Israel. Initial reports indicate civilian casualties, including nine reportedly killed and three injured, and considerable damage to the Red Sea ports that will lead to the immediate and significant reduction in port capacity. 19/12/2024 - 16:43 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-19/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-of-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-yemen-scroll-down-for-arabic /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-18/secretary-generals-message-international-migrants-day-scroll-down-for-french-version On International Migrants Day, we celebrate the contributions millions of migrants make to communities, economies and countries around the world. But today is also a day to remind ourselves of the challenges migrants can face — from prejudice and discrimination, to outright violence and abuse, to the unimaginable cruelty of human trafficking. These challenges are made worse by the rising tide of mis and disinformation and hate speech which sows division and distorts the valuable contributions migrants are making each and every day.  06/12/2024 - 13:24 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-18/secretary-generals-message-international-migrants-day-scroll-down-for-french-version /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-12-18/note-correspondents-third-consultative-meeting-sudan-convenes-nouakchott-mauritania-scroll-down-for-arabic-version The "Third Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for the Sudan" concluded its work by adopting the enclosed final communique. The meeting, which convened at the invitation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in its current capacity as Chair of the African Union, brought together high-level representatives from multilateral organizations as well as countries sponsoring peace initiatives on Sudan. 19/12/2024 - 10:49 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-12-18/note-correspondents-third-consultative-meeting-sudan-convenes-nouakchott-mauritania-scroll-down-for-arabic-version /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-16/secretary-generals-video-message-the-internet-governance-forum Download the video: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+9+Dec+24/3320792_MSG+SG+INTERNET+GOVERNANCE+09+DEC+24.mp4 Excellencies, I am pleased to greet the Internet Governance Forum and thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting this gathering. 13/12/2024 - 10:28 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-16/secretary-generals-video-message-the-internet-governance-forum /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-16/secretary-generals-statement-syria-scroll-down-for-arabic-version In response to recent developments in Syria, I dispatched my Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, to Damascus to engage with the Caretaker Government on scaling up humanitarian assistance in Syria. Mr. Fletcher met today, Monday, with the Commander of the New Administration, Mr. Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the Prime Minister of the Caretaker Government, Mr. Mohammed al-Bashir. 16/12/2024 - 16:50 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-12-16/secretary-generals-statement-syria-scroll-down-for-arabic-version /sg/en/content/note-correspondents/2024-12-16/statement-attributable-the-office-of-the-special-envoy-for-syria-scroll-down-for-arabic-version United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Mr Geir O. Pedersen is in Damascus. He has so far met with Commander of the New Administration Mr Ahmed al-Sharaa and Prime Minister of the Caretaker Government Mr Mohammed al-Bashir. The Special Envoy briefed on the outcome of the Aqaba International Meeting on Syria on 14 December 2024, stressing the need for a credible and inclusive Syrian-owned and led political transition based on the principles of United Nations Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). 16/12/2024 - 08:43 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/note-correspondents/2024-12-16/statement-attributable-the-office-of-the-special-envoy-for-syria-scroll-down-for-arabic-version /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2024-12-12/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-his-majesty-king-letsie-iii-king-of-the-kingdom-of-lesotho The Secretary-General met with His Majesty King Letsie III, King of the Kingdom of Lesotho.  The Secretary-General commended the Government of His Majesty King Letsie III for the continued collaboration and partnership with the United Nations, including on the 2030 Agenda, climate change and gender equality. The Secretary General expressed his solidarity and support to the people and government of Lesotho, reaffirming his commitment to helping ensure that obstacles, including access to affordable finance and the challenges arising from being landlocked, are addressed. 12/12/2024 - 16:26 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General /sg/en/content/sg/readout/2024-12-12/readout-of-the-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-meeting-his-majesty-king-letsie-iii-king-of-the-kingdom-of-lesotho