Millions of Yemenis in need of aid as conflict widens. Top stories of the day | Wednesday: Gaza, UN priorities, Yemen, Syria UN
Top stories of the day in the UN and around the world: UN chief welcomes agreement on ceasefire in Gaza and release of hostages, UN priorities for 2025, Security Council discusses conflict involving Yemen, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visits Syria.
Gaza Ceasefire Agreement
Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement to secure a ceasefire and free hostages in Gaza. He thanked the mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the United States – for their efforts to reach the agreement. The UN chief said there was a need to increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. He also called ending the occupation and achieving a two-state solution a priority.
UN Chief’s Priorities for 2025
Our actions – or inactions – have opened a “modern Pandora’s box.” This was stated by UN Chief Antonio Guterres, speaking to the General Assembly on Wednesday. He outlined his priorities for 2025. According to the Secretary-General, the main challenges of our time are conflicts, inequality, the climate crisis and threats associated with the development of new technologies. And it is on solving these problems that the United Nations must focus.
Security Council on Yemen
The conflict in the Middle East involving Yemen is expanding: the Ansar Allah group is intensifying strikes on Israel and continuing attacks in the Red Sea, which is causing retaliatory actions from the United States, Great Britain and Israel. This was stated by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, speaking via video link at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday. He called for immediate de-escalation.
Türk’s Visit to Syria
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has completed a historic visit to Syria. Never before has the High Commissioner visited Syria, and the UN Human Rights Office has had to monitor and document abuses in the country remotely for decades. During the visit, Türk met with victims of crimes committed by the Assad regime, including a former inmate of the infamous Sednaya prison.