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Full daily schedule: http://webtv.un.org/en/schedule

08/22/2026

Latvia on Georgia - Joint Media Stakeout | United Nations

Latvian ambassador Olegs Ilgis addressed the press on behalf of his own country, Denmark, France, Greece, the United Kingdom, Austria and Portugal, and condemned “Russia's brutal invasion and continued illegal military presence, in contravention of the UN Charter, and exercising of effective control and taking steps towards annexation of the two Georgian regions.”

Olegs Ilgis, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Latvia to the United Nations said, “The Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008 demonstrated the start of Russia's more aggressive stance towards its neighbors. Russia has continued down this path with its unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and reckless and dangerous actions against its neighbors.”

He also said, “We welcome the decision by the Republic of Nauru to withdraw its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia regions. We call on all states that have recognized or established relations with these entities to follow this example and to respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”

He highlighted, “We remain deeply concerned by the fact that Russia has not upheld its obligations under the EU-mediated 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to the lines held prior to the outbreak of hostilities, nor met its commitments to allow unhindered access for international human rights monitoring mechanisms, such as the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.”

08/22/2026

Russia on Georgia & other topics - Media Stakeout | United Nations

“The Russian leadership, acting in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, decided to launch an operation to compel the Georgian side to make peace,” the Russian envoy said, referring to the events of August 2008 in Georgia.

Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, said this while presenting what he called an objective assessment of the 2008 war in Georgia, speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York today (20 Aug), on the anniversary of the five-day conflict.

Nebenzya called the stakeout ahead of a separate appearance by Security Council colleagues on the same events, saying Western members “persist in requesting discussions of an issue that has nothing to do with the Security Council's mandate and brings no added value to its work.”

He said that in August 2008 “the residents of Tskhinval were attacked when the Georgian military of the madman Saakashvili regime unleashed an assault against South Ossetia, cynically violating international agreements on the peaceful settlement of the conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia.”

The Russian ambassador said the city “came under massive artillery fire,” after which Georgian ground forces and Interior Ministry special forces entered, while an attack was launched against the positions of Russian peacekeepers.

He noted that Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 26 August 2008, calling the move “fully in line with the aspirations of their people.”

Nebenzya said factors remain that affect the Geneva International Discussions launched in October 2008 and pose “a genuine threat to security in the entire South Caucasus region," pointing to “the confrontational course pursued by the Georgian side, which seeks to use the platforms of various international organizations to discredit Russia and isolate Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

The Permanent Representative also warned against European Union attempts “to interfere in the country's domestic political situation, as well as to drag Tbilisi into NATO,” saying these “will not lead to anything good.”

08/21/2026

Secretary-General Candidates: Olara Otunnu - Media Stakeout | United Nations

Comments to the media by Olara Otunnu, candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, following his interactive dialogue for the position of the next Secretary-General. Mr. Otunnu was nominated on 24 July 2026 by Uganda.

08/21/2026

Olara Otunnu (Candidate for UN Secretary-General) at the Interactive dialogue for the position of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations

Opening statement by Olara Otunnu, Candidate for UN Secretary-General, at the Interactive dialogue for the position of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. Mr. Otunnu was nominated on 24 July 2026 by Uganda.

08/21/2026

International Day Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism: UN Chief's Message | United Nations

Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

Today, we pay tribute to the victims and survivors of terrorism.
We honour their courage;
Amplify their voices;
And reaffirm our commitment to their dignity and rights.

This year’s theme, “Healing through Memory,” reminds us that remembrance is a pathway to recovery and renewal.

But how we remember matters.
Victims’ stories must never be exploited or used to sow more hate, including on digital platforms.
When we commemorate responsibly, we protect victims from further trauma, and counter the harmful narratives terrorism seeks to spread.
Instead of letting terror divide us, we can and must stay united.

Today and every day, let us stand in solidarity with victims and survivors.
And build a future free from violence and fear.
Thank you.

08/20/2026

World Humanitarian Day: 'An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us' - Presser | United Nations

Addressing the press from Kherson, Ukraine, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, Fletcher said, “This day was born from tragedy-the Canal hotel bombing 23 years ago-but those tragedies are now continuing day to day, and we're seeing them increasingly powered by a chilling alliance between Technological ingenuity and modern warfare, and the victims are civilians and they are humanitarians.”

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2025 set another grim record for violence against aid workers, with 907 colleagues killed, injured or kidnapped.

While the death toll decreased slightly to 350 last year, the overall level of violence did not ease: 322 aid workers survived attacks that left them injured while 235 were kidnapped, according to Humanitarian Outcomes’ Aid Worker Security Database.

With 186 humanitarians killed, Gaza remained the deadliest context for the third-year running, followed by Sudan with 71 killed.

So far in 2026, 82 aid workers have been killed, 97 injured and 39 kidnapped across the world.

In Sudan, armed drones caused 80 percent of civilian deaths in the first four months of 2026, hitting markets and health facilities.

In Ukraine, drones killed 80 civilians in April this year alone, while in the Russian Federation, civilians have been killed and civilian infrastructure damaged because of drone attacks.

In Colombia, attacks using weaponized drones quadrupled between 2024 and 2025.

Humanitarians are increasingly in the crosshairs of armed drones.

In March this year, an aid worker was killed in a drone strike on a residential building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In just one week in May, four humanitarian convoys were hit in Ukraine.

"From Sudan to Colombia to Gaza to Lebanon, these cheap armed drones are extending the reach of war and allowing people to kill at greater distance. 1000 civilians killed in Sudan in the first five months of the year. These numbers aren't static; they are going up, including the numbers of kids killed. So, we need States to uphold the law, and we need the companies who are manufacturing and supplying these weapons to understand international humanitarian law, to understand how these weapons are being used, and to understand their obligations and responsibilities,” Fletcher said.

08/20/2026

Remembering a Champion of Humanitarian Action | United Nations

For World Humanitarian Day, we look back at the legacy of Sadako Ogata, the first woman to serve as UN High Commissioner for Refugees. From the crises of Iraq and the Balkans to the Great Lakes region, Ogata put the protection, dignity and safety of people fleeing conflict at the heart of humanitarian action. Her pioneering work continues to resonate with humanitarian workers serving people in crisis today.

08/19/2026

Libya: Women call for full, equal, safe participation in public life - Briefing | United Nations

UN Special Representative for Libya Hanna Serwaa Tetteh said that critical infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to pressures that the country cannot ignore due to its impact on people across all three regions of the country.

Addressing the Security Council, Tetteh said, “The need to move Libya’s political process forward remains crucial. The recent widespread electricity outages and public discontent, exacerbated by a prolonged heatwave, have exposed the consequences of institutional fragmentation, large-scale diversion of public resources, underinvestment and uncoordinated decision-making, all of which are essentially failures of governance.”

She said, “The crisis highlights a striking paradox. According to National Oil Corporation (NOC) data, approximately USD 1 billion is spent monthly on fuel imports, yet electricity systems remain vulnerable to fuel shortages. Evidence of large-scale diversion of subsidised fuel in the electricity and security sectors, as I have highlighted in previous briefings and has also been reported by the panel of experts, underscores the need for stronger oversight, accountability and coordination to ensure public resources are used to deliver the essential services Libyans depend on. The diversion of subsidised fuel is an unacceptable abuse of public resources and those responsible must be investigated and held accountable.”

She reported, “On 9 August the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya submitted a letter to the two chambers requesting to be relieved of his position. The move is an indication of the mounting pressure on the Central Bank - precisely the pressure the Unified Development Programme spending framework was intended to contain. The concerns raised by the Governor should be treated with seriousness and a sense of urgency. We encourage the Central Bank to resume publication of its monthly revenue and expenditure bulletins as previously announced in an effort to promote greater transparency and accountability.”

She also noted that Benghazi experienced a violent incident with the assassination of Major General Fawzi Mansuri, Director of the Military Intelligence Department for the LNA, on 10 August, in a reported car bombing.

08/19/2026

World Humanitarian Day: UN Chief's Message | United Nations

Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on World Humanitarian Day (19 August).

On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the dedicated workers who provide life-saving aid to millions in need.

We also confront an appalling truth:
Serving others has become more dangerous than ever.
More than a thousand humanitarians have been killed in the last three years.
Most were local staff supporting their own communities.

Countless others narrowly survived being shot at, shelled, bombed, kidnapped, or r***d.
Schools and hospitals are coming under fire.
And new tools of war – including armed drones – are posing fresh risks.

At the same time, disinformation is eroding trust.
Humanitarian funding is being cut.
And humanitarian access is being restricted.
We see aid convoys blocked.
Aid workers threatened, arrested, and detained.
And people in desperate need left without support.

Attacks on humanitarian workers are illegal.
And the consequences are devastating.
For families struggling to survive.
Children waiting for food.
Patients seeking urgent care.
And so many more.

The world has made commitments.
Now it must act:
To respect the rules of war;
Ensure safe access;
Hold perpetrators accountable;
And provide sufficient resources.

Humanitarian workers stand up for people in need.
We must stand up for them.
We must act for humanity – now.

08/18/2026

Libya: Stakeout by Signatories of Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security | United Nations

Speaking on behalf of the Security Council signatories of the Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi welcomed Libya's adoption in July of its first strategic climate framework under the Paris Agreement and encouraged Libyan authorities “to integrate climate risks into national planning by strengthening coordination and institutional capacity.”

Sandra Jensen Landi said this “ensures that climate adaptation, conflict sensitive early warning and disaster governance are managed through a unified approach rather than fragmented across rival authorities.”

She also called for accelerated support to the implementation of its National Water Security Strategy 2026 to 2050, launched in April, and said, “the strategy offers a concrete roadmap to address aquifer depletion and infrastructure gaps while meeting and managing demand.”

The Ambassador called for “stronger, more inclusive local governance of shared water resources,” including the shared Nubian Sandstone Aquifer system, and encouraged “continued regional cooperation and water diplomacy with neighbouring countries to manage the resources cooperatively, rather than as a source of tension.”

Finally, she called for “targeted support for resilient livelihoods for communities most exposed to climate driven instability, in particular in areas where climate pressures, including drought, intersect with cross-border mobility, pastoralism and trafficking networks.”

Landi said, “this support can improve livelihoods and reduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by armed access, criminal networks and traffickers.”

She was joined by representatives from Colombia, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Panama, and the United Kingdom.

Libya continues to face converging climate and security risks, compounded by over a decade of political fragmentation. Acute water scarcity has driven heavy reliance on fossil groundwater, while ageing infrastructure undermines the great Man-Made River system.

Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall strain on the agricultural sector that occupies less than 2 percent of the land, while consuming the vast majority of Libya's water.

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