Migration routes are changing, but they are not becoming any less dangerous. Top news of the day | Tuesday: elections of the Secretary General, Strait of Hormuz, Colombia, migrants UN
The main news of the day in the UN and the world: interviews with candidates for the post of Secretary General are taking place at the UN headquarters in New York, about 20 thousand seafarers are still on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the Security Council discussed the situation in Colombia, in 2025, 8 thousand migrants died or went missing in the world.
Elections of the UN Secretary General
The four candidates for the post of UN Secretary-General are taking part in an interactive dialogue at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are given the opportunity to present their case and explain why they are the best candidates for this position. At the moment, the former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, representing Argentina, the head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebekah Greenspan, representing Costa Rica, and the former President of Senegal Macky Sall have put forward their candidacies for the post of Secretary General. The new leader will take office in January 2027.
Sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz
With shipping in the Strait of Hormuz almost completely stopped, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recalled the plight of trapped seafarers. Arsenio Dominguez stressed that they are under severe stress and fatigue. Some 20,000 sailors and approximately 2,000 ships remain blocked in the strait, one of the world’s most important maritime arteries. Dominguez called for free internet access for seafarers so they can keep in touch with their loved ones.
Security Council on Colombia
The Security Council held a briefing on Colombia. Ahead of the country’s presidential elections on May 31, the head of the UN Mission in Colombia, Miroslav Jenca, called on the authorities and all stakeholders to ensure a safe and peaceful environment free from violence. Encha noted that some rural areas of Colombia continue to be plagued by the presence of illegal armed groups, and ongoing clashes between them are resulting in violence and hardship for entire communities. Almost 8 thousand migrants died or went missing around the world this year. Since 2014, this figure has reached 82 thousand people. The IOM noted that on some routes migration flows are declining, but new routes are emerging and they are no less dangerous than the previous ones. The organization calls for doing everything possible to prevent deaths, as well as to provide support to affected families.