https://www.un.org/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 https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-09/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-scroll-down-for-french-version Download the video:  07/08/2024 - 08:42 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-09/secretary-generals-message-the-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-scroll-down-for-french-version https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-09/secretary-generals-message-the-nagasaki-peace-memorial-the-79th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-nagasaki Nearly eighty years have passed since Nagasaki was incinerated by an atomic weapon.  Sadly the memories are still fresh for those that endured this horrific catastrophe. At the United Nations Headquarters in New York, you can find a tangible example of those memories — a statue of Saint Agnes that was found in the ruins of a Roman Catholic cathedral in Nagasaki after the bomb exploded. The back of the statue is charred and mottled from the unimaginable heat and radiation of the explosion — a terrifying reminder of the brutal power of these weapons. 07/08/2024 - 08:47 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-09/secretary-generals-message-the-nagasaki-peace-memorial-the-79th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-nagasaki https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-06/secretary-generals-message-the-hiroshima-peace-memorial-the-79th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-hiroshima The world joins together to mark the day that a nuclear weapon devastated this city — and we resolve to spare no effort to ensure the horrors of that day are never  repeated. Indeed, this ceremony is a reminder that we must do even more to end the scourge of nuclear weapons, once and for all. Nuclear weapons, and the threat of their use, are not confined to history books. They have once again appeared in the daily rhetoric of international relations. They represent a real and present danger that remains with us today. The message is clear. 05/08/2024 - 11:39 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-06/secretary-generals-message-the-hiroshima-peace-memorial-the-79th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-hiroshima https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-05/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-bangladesh The Secretary-General deplores the further loss of life during protests in Bangladesh over the weekend. He continues to closely follow developments in the country, including the Chief of Army Staff’s announcement regarding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and plans for the formation of an Interim Government.   He urges calm and restraint by all sides and emphasizes the importance of a peaceful, orderly and democratic transition.    05/08/2024 - 13:41 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-05/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-bangladesh https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-08-05/note-correspondents-%E2%80%93-the-un-office-of-internal-oversight-services-%28oios%29-investigation-of-the-un-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-the-near-east The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has completed its investigation into 19 area staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), regarding allegations of their involvement in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023 in southern Israel. OIOS made findings in relation to each of the 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks.   05/08/2024 - 12:33 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-08-05/note-correspondents-%E2%80%93-the-un-office-of-internal-oversight-services-%28oios%29-investigation-of-the-un-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-the-near-east https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-03/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-somalia The Secretary-General strongly condemns Friday’s attack at Lido Beach in Mogadishu, which resulted in multiple casualties. He expresses his condolences to the families of the bereaved and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. The Secretary-General is saddened that the people of Somalia continue to be victims of such heinous acts of terrorism. He reiterates that the United Nations stands firmly with the Government and people of Somalia against terrorism and violent extremism. 03/08/2024 - 16:09 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-03/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-somalia https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-08-03/note-correspondents-second-meeting-of-the-african-union-and-united-nations-joint-task-team-the-operationalization-of-security-council-resolution-2719-%282023%29 The Joint African Union (AU) – United Nations (UN) Task Team on the Operationalisation of Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2719 (2023) establishing the framework for financing of AU-led peace support operations (PSOs) through UN assessed contributions held its second consultative meeting from the 29th to the 31st of July 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York.  03/08/2024 - 12:01 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-08-03/note-correspondents-second-meeting-of-the-african-union-and-united-nations-joint-task-team-the-operationalization-of-security-council-resolution-2719-%282023%29 https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-08-02/deputy-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-message-the-occasion-of-the-african-caucus-meeting-%E2%80%9Cfacilitating-intra-african-trade-catalyst-for-sustainable-economic H.E. Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Dr. Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of Rwanda, H.E. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chair of the African Caucus, H.E. Amb Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, H.E. Patrick Achi, Former Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, H.E. Lord Boateng, Member of the House of Lords, UK Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 02/08/2024 - 20:42 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-08-02/deputy-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-message-the-occasion-of-the-african-caucus-meeting-%E2%80%9Cfacilitating-intra-african-trade-catalyst-for-sustainable-economic https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-02/secretary-generals-video-message-the-holocaust-memorial-day-for-roma-and-sinti Download the video: 01/08/2024 - 09:51 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-02/secretary-generals-video-message-the-holocaust-memorial-day-for-roma-and-sinti https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-31/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-the-situation-the-middle-east The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Teheran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, a massive increase of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and a return to calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line. 31/07/2024 - 12:34 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-31/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-the-situation-the-middle-east https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-30/secretary-generals-message-the-world-day-against-trafficking-persons-%E2%80%9Cleave-no-child-behind-the-fight-against-human-trafficking%E2%80%9D-scroll-down-for-french-version Human trafficking is a horrific crime that targets the most vulnerable in our societies. On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we focus on the most vulnerable among us – children. 22/07/2024 - 13:06 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-30/secretary-generals-message-the-world-day-against-trafficking-persons-%E2%80%9Cleave-no-child-behind-the-fight-against-human-trafficking%E2%80%9D-scroll-down-for-french-version https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-07-30/note-correspondents-the-strikes-the-southern-suburbs-of-beirut-lebanon In response to questions about the strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, the Spokesperson has the following to say: We express grave concern over the strikes by the Israel Defense Forces on the densely populated southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, in the evening of 30 July, which resulted in scores of civilian casualties. As we await further clarity on the circumstances, we again urge the parties to exercise maximum restraint and call on all concerned to avoid any further escalation. 30/07/2024 - 21:47 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-07-30/note-correspondents-the-strikes-the-southern-suburbs-of-beirut-lebanon https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-07-28/note-correspondents-response-questions-the-attack-the-israeli-occupied-golan In response to questions regarding the rocket attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan, the Spokesperson has the following to say:   28/07/2024 - 13:10 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2024-07-28/note-correspondents-response-questions-the-attack-the-israeli-occupied-golan https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-26/secretary-generals-video-message-for-the-opening-ceremony-of-the-2024-summer-olympic-games-scroll-down-for-french-version Please note that this video will be played during the Olympics Ceremony on Friday, July 26th, at 7:20 p.m. (Paris Time). Download the video: https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+19+Jun+24/3222405_MSG+SG+OLYMPIC+OPENING+CEREMONY+19+JUN+24.mp4 Bonjour and welcome to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. 22/07/2024 - 12:32 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-07-26/secretary-generals-video-message-for-the-opening-ceremony-of-the-2024-summer-olympic-games-scroll-down-for-french-version https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-07-26/secretary-generals-joint-press-encounter-thomas-bach-president-of-the-international-olympic-committee Thank you very much. I want to express the deep support - the total support- of the United Nations to the International Olympic Committee. We live in a divided world, where conflicts are proliferating in a dramatic way. The horrendous suffering in Gaza, the seemingly endless war in Ukraine, terrible suffering from Sudan to the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], from the Sahel to Myanmar. And in a moment like this, it's important to say that the first recorded in history real peace initiative was the Olympic Truce. 26/07/2024 - 09:00 United Nations Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-07-26/secretary-generals-joint-press-encounter-thomas-bach-president-of-the-international-olympic-committee