I condemn Thursday’s incident in northern Gaza in which more than 100 people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid. The desperate civilians in Gaza need urgent help, including those in the north where the @unitednations has not been able to deliver aid in more than a week. The tragic human toll of the conflict in Gaza, in which more than 30,000 people have now reportedly been killed and over 70,000 injured, is appalling. I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages, and call for urgent steps so that critical humanitarian aid can get into and across Gaza to all those in need.
I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities. I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East. I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war.
Disarmament and non-proliferation are critical not only to a peaceful future, but to our very existence. This International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness comes at a perilous moment, marked by rising levels of military spending, deepening geopolitical tensions and growing violent conflicts across the globe. Global leaders must invest in peace by strengthening the systems and tools that prevent the proliferation and use of deadly weapons, and by developing disarmament solutions. We must speak with one loud, clear voice. It’s time to stop the madness. We need disarmament now.
My warmest wishes as millions of Muslims around the world begin observing Ramadan. In these trying times, the spirit of Ramadan is a beacon of hope, a reminder of our shared humanity. May this Holy Month bring peace and guide us towards a more just and compassionate world. Ramadan Kareem.
Around the world, violence is increasing. We must not become numb to appalling & repeated violations of international humanitarian & human rights law. Violations by one party do not absolve the other from compliance. All allegations demand urgent investigation & accountability.
Every year, I express my best wishes for #EidAlFitr to the Muslim community around the world. My heart is broken knowing that in Gaza, Sudan and many other places – because of conflict and hunger – so many Muslims will not be able to celebrate properly.
I was deeply moved by the horrifying testimonies I heard of family members of victims of the war in Gaza today. Some lost over a hundred relatives. This horror must stop now. A humanitarian ceasefire cannot wait. 📷: UN Photo/Manuel Elias
I was deeply moved by the horrifying testimonies I heard of family members of victims of the war in Gaza today. Some lost over a hundred relatives. This horror must stop now. A humanitarian ceasefire cannot wait. 📷: UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Today marks the start of Ramadan, yet the bloodshed continues in Gaza. My strongest appeal today is to honour the spirit of the holy month by silencing the guns & removing all obstacles to the delivery of lifesaving aid. At the same time – and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion – I call for the immediate release of all hostages. The eyes of the world are watching. The eyes of history are watching. We cannot look away. We must act to avoid more preventable deaths.
Women and girls have made great gains in the fight for equality. But progress is under attack, with a fierce backlash against women’s rights. At our current rate, legal equality is some three hundred years away. This rate of change is frankly insulting. We must accelerate progress. On #InternationalWomensDay, I stand with women and girls fighting for their rights. Women’s rights are a proven path to fair, peaceful, prosperous societies. Together, let’s take urgent action to make equality a reality.
Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: my generation has been careless with that responsibility. I salute young people around the world for standing up, speaking out and working for real change. I am fully committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them. Together, let’s deliver justice. Let’s deliver solutions. And let’s create a world of peace and prosperity for all. 📷: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas; UN DESA/P. Vasić
Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: my generation has been careless with that responsibility. I salute young people around the world for standing up, speaking out and working for real change. I am fully committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them. Together, let’s deliver justice. Let’s deliver solutions. And let’s create a world of peace and prosperity for all. 📷: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas; UN DESA/P. Vasić
Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: my generation has been careless with that responsibility. I salute young people around the world for standing up, speaking out and working for real change. I am fully committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them. Together, let’s deliver justice. Let’s deliver solutions. And let’s create a world of peace and prosperity for all. 📷: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas; UN DESA/P. Vasić
Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: my generation has been careless with that responsibility. I salute young people around the world for standing up, speaking out and working for real change. I am fully committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them. Together, let’s deliver justice. Let’s deliver solutions. And let’s create a world of peace and prosperity for all. 📷: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas; UN DESA/P. Vasić
Many women and girls are facing a war on their fundamental rights at home and in their communities. We cannot accept a world in which grandmothers fear their granddaughters will enjoy fewer rights than they had. We must speak out, loud and clear: Not on our watch.
The genocide in Rwanda was fuelled by decades of hate speech targeting the Tutsi. Three decades later, the verbal violence of hate speech is still all around us. Racism, misogyny, lies, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, stigmatization, discrimination and the outright denial — or even glorification — of past genocides, including the Holocaust. The global community must stand as one against this torrent of hate speech, and denounce it wherever it’s found.
The nuclear shadow that loomed over humanity last century has returned with a vengeance. Some leaders regularly imply that they are fully prepared to unleash nuclear hell — an outrageous threat that the world must condemn with clarity and force. And the vital norms and standards against the proliferation, testing and use of nuclear weapons are being eroded. This week I reiterated my call to accelerate the implementation of all nuclear disarmament commitments, including under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force. The world must no longer be held hostage by these devices of death.
The Middle East is on a knife-edge. Recent days have seen a dangerous escalation – in words and deeds. One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable – a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved – and for the rest of the world. This moment of maximum peril must be a time for maximum restraint. The international community must work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire region over the edge, with a devastating impact on civilians. It is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation. It is high time to stop.
I was deeply moved by the searing accounts I heard from a released hostage and families of others kidnapped by Hamas. I reiterate my strong appeal for the unconditional release of all hostages. NOW. 📷: UN Photo
I was deeply moved by the searing accounts I heard from a released hostage and families of others kidnapped by Hamas. I reiterate my strong appeal for the unconditional release of all hostages. NOW. 📷: UN Photo
The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East. Regional – and indeed global – peace and security are being undermined by the hour. The world cannot afford more war. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint. Now is the time to step back from the brink.
The conflict in Sudan has taken a devastating toll on its people, imperilling the unity of the country. In just a few days, the holy month of Ramadan will begin. Today, during a Security Council meeting on Sudan, I made an appeal to all actors involved in the conflict to honour a Ramadan cessation of hostilities. This cessation of hostilities must lead to a definitive silencing of the guns across the country, and set out a firm path towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people. The values of Ramadan must prevail.
The world is forgetting about the people of Sudan. Monday marks one year since the start of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. This is more than a conflict between two warring parties. It is a war being waged on the Sudanese people. Half of the country’s population needs lifesaving assistance. All actors involved in this conflict must ensure full humanitarian access – across borders and battle lines. The Sudanese people also desperately need the support and generosity of the global community to help them through this nightmare. But the Sudanese people need more than humanitarian support. They need an end to the bloodshed. They need peace. The only path out of this horror is a political solution. I will not relent in my calls to silence the guns, and meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a peaceful and secure future.
Last week I had the opportunity to meet with senior women leaders from across the @unitednations. I am particularly proud that since early in my tenure as Secretary-General, the UN system has had an equal number of women and men in senior management positions – a first for our organisation. We did not achieve gender parity at senior levels by accident. We did it with a determined effort to change our culture and welcome women into leadership roles. And that effort produced results. Across the UN system, the representation of women in the Professional and higher categories is at a historic high. We are pursuing full gender parity at all levels, and in each and every entity, prioritizing areas where progress is slow – especially our field missions. If the United Nations can do it, governments can do it, banks can do it, and everyone must do it. Equality is overdue. We must invest in women and girls, turbocharge progress, and build a better world for all. 📷: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
