Acting Special Representative for Somalia James Swan at a meeting of the UN Security Council. Top news of the day | Monday: Dagestan, information integrity, Somalia, tuberculosis UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: The UN Secretary General condemned the terrorist attacks in Dagestan, the new UN Global Principles on Information Integrity, the Security Council meeting on Somalia, the High-Level Regional Meeting on Tuberculosis.
Terrorist attacks in Dagestan
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks on Sunday against Jewish and Christian religious sites and security forces in the Republic of Dagestan of the Russian Federation, which reportedly killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more, according to a statement issued by his spokesman on behalf of the UN chief. The Secretary-General expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, the people and the Government of Russia, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Integrity of Information
The world must respond to the spread of hate and lies online, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said today at the launch of the UN Global Principles on Information Integrity. Presenting the new Global Principles, the UN chief proposed a framework for coordinated international action that will help make information spaces safer. According to the Secretary General, the five principles he identified are public trust and sustainability; independent, free and pluralistic media; healthy incentives; transparency and research; public empowerment—based on a vision of a more humane “information ecosystem.”
The situation in Somalia
Acting Special Representative for Somalia James Swan said the country’s election to the Security Council for 2025-2026 “demonstrates the progress Somalia has made over the past three decades.” However, speaking at the Security Council today, Swan expressed concern over the Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and “Somaliland”, which has created tension in the Horn of Africa at a time when the region is facing other crises. He recalled that the Security Council had repeatedly reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Somalia and called on Somalia and Ethiopia to resolve the issue peacefully.
Tuberculosis epidemic
100 representatives from Eastern Europe and Central Asia participate in a high-level regional meeting to discuss the tuberculosis pandemic, high incidence of drug-related -resistant tuberculosis and the challenges facing the elimination of this disease. The event, taking place over two days in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is organized by the Stop TB Partnership and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The meeting brings together representatives from 13 countries with high incidence of tuberculosis, as well as international organizations, with the goal of increasing political commitment and funding, and creating regional movements to eliminate tuberculosis.