United Nations in Bahrain

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. With 21 United Nations Entities represented in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the work of the United Nations encompasses all 17 SDGs.

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13 December 2024

On Human Rights Day, a UN-facilitated Workshop Highlights Human Rights in Artificial Intelligence

"Human rights must be placed at the core of AI", Acting Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Bahrain Ahmed Ben Lassoued said during a symposium on "Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights" organised Thursday by Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark Human Rights Day (10 December), in cooperation with the United Nations International Telecommunication Union Middle East Office.Ben Lassoued affirmed that globally coordinated AI governance is the only way to harness AI for humanity's benefit while addressing the associated risks and challenges, stressing the role of the United Nations, including fostering digital collaboration, supporting the global exchange of best practices, building capacity in AI, and safeguarding human rights within and through AI."The United Nations Charter and international law serve as valuable foundations for the United Nations' work in promoting cooperation in artificial intelligence, including adjusting frameworks and leading global discussions on this vital issue."The new United Nations Strategic Cooperation Framework between the United Nations and the Government of Bahrain for 2025-2029 highlights the country's advancements in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and financial inclusion as pivotal opportunities to drive progress across multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).By strategically leveraging these key enablers, the framework will seek to accelerate SDG implementation, strongly emphasising integrating youth as active contributors to the development process.The symposium was organised in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union's Regional Office for the Arab States. It enabled a productive exchange with partners from the Government of Bahrain, the United Nations, and the Civil Society to develop frameworks and guidelines safeguarding human rights within and through AI.Mr Adel Darwish, ITU Regional Director for the Arab States, addressed opportunities and risks related to artificial intelligence, highlighting the efforts of the ITU and the United Nations in increasing awareness of artificial intelligence and how to use it optimally, in addition to shedding light on the ethical and legal frameworks in this regard.

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02 December 2024

The UN in Bahrain Holds a Leadership Engagement Session on Disability Inclusion

On the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed on 3rd December, the United Nations Country Team in Bahrain conducted an internal leadership engagement session on Monday dedicated to streamlining disability inclusion in the work of the United Nations in Bahrain. "At the United Nations in Bahrain, we recognise the need for participation, representation and inclusion of persons with disabilities at all levels, and their right to shape the conditions of their lives actively," said the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Khaled El Mekwad. "The need to include persons with disabilities is more apparent now than ever. The complete realisation of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms," he said, highlighting the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy.The strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations. The session underscored the importance of inclusion not only in policies affecting persons with disabilities but in all areas of the United Nations. Representatives from UN entities in Bahrain, attending virtually and in person, reflected on the various initiatives undertaken to strengthen the participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, including training programmes and forging partnerships to integrate and promote disability inclusion.The session also emphasized Bahrain's pioneering role in including persons with disabilities, underscoring that the Kingdom was one of the first countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 (acceded in 2011). The United Nations and Bahrain have a long-standing cooperation in disability inclusion, including designing and implementing the Action Plan of the National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2022-2026), launched by the Government in 2023.The theme of the 2024 celebration is Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future. The leadership of persons with disabilities is epitomised by the global disability rights movement's slogan, "Nothing About Us Without Us". It connotes the basic requirements of participation, representation, and inclusion and calls for persons with disabilities to shape their living conditions actively."Persons with disabilities already disproportionately bear the brunt of the crises scarring our world — from conflicts and climate disasters to poverty and inequalities — because of persistent discrimination, stigma, and barriers to basic rights and services. But they are also often denied their right to contribute to solutions to these crises," the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.He recalled that at the recently adopted Pact for the Future, held in September at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the world's countries committed to correcting this injustice for persons with disabilities of all ages, for present and future generations."On this important day, and every day, let's work with persons with disabilities to achieve an inclusive and sustainable future for all people," Mr Guterres said.

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24 November 2024

Bahrain UN Country Team Gender Theme Group Strategises Advancing Gender Equality in 2025

Since its establishment in 2023, the Gender Theme Group (GTG) of the Bahrain UN Country Team (UNCT) has been driving efforts to enhance gender mainstreaming efforts across the UN’s work in Bahrain. With a commitment to achieving tangible results for women and girls, the GTG recently held a two-day strategic retreat to review achievements and set ambitious priorities for 2025.UN Women and United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) as co-chairs of the GTG, led the retreat with the participation of UN-Habitat, OHCHR, IOM, UN Information Center (UNIC) and WHO and with the support of the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO).The retreat kicked off with a review of the GTG workplan 2024 implementation and progress on the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard (GES). The group assessed the annual workplan to identify advancements in integrating a gender perspective into the UNCT joint work. Based on this progress, the GTG drafted the Scorecard annual report, selecting five performance indicators to demonstrate improvements in the UNCT’s collective efforts on gender equality . During the retreat, UN Women introduced the GTG study conducted this year to calculate members’ staff time contribution to the GTG, and which offered key recommendations to strengthen GTG capacity to drive gender results for the UNCT’s joint work. Drawing on the results of the study and other insights, the GTG developed key actions to include in the team’s 2025 workplan.On the second day, UN Women facilitated capacity building sessions to support the GTG in implementing its workplan in line with the global standard and procedures for Gender Theme Groups. The training included a refresher on the Gender Equality Marker (GEM), a tool to assess resource allocation in activities in the UN Country Team Joint Workplan that promote gender equality. An introductory session on Gender Mainstreaming followed, providing guidance on how UN agencies can more effectively integrate gender equality perspectives in their programming. Additionally, a session on gender-based results monitoring and reporting was conducted to examine gender-responsive monitoring structure and explore practical methods for including measurement for gender-related changes to the indicators.The retreat reinforced the GTG’s role in driving accountability and building capacity for UN gender-responsive programming within the UNCT. As Bahrain continues to advance gender equality in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, the GTG remains committed to achieving cohesive, transformative results for women and girls, contributing to the broader realization of the SDGs.“Building on this year’s achievements, the GTG will ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment remain central to the UNCT’s joint work in Bahrain bolstered by the technical training conducted during the retreat. The GTG’s collective efforts will ensure that the UN Country Team is able to collaborate effectively with our national partners and contribute to the national development priorities of the Kingdom of Bahrain around women’s empowerment and the Beijing Platform for Action” said Josephine Moss, GTG co-chair and Regional Coordination Specialist from UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States.With a clear roadmap for 2025, the GTG is poised to strengthen its impact on gender equality, ensuring that the UN’s work in Bahrain remains inclusive, effective, and aligned with global standards.

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18 November 2024

Assistant-Secretary General for Youth Affairs Visits Bahrain

Dr Felipe Paullier, Assistant-Secretary General for Youth Affairs and Head of the UN Youth Office, visited Bahrain from 3 to 8 November to participate in launching the “Hope Network”, a global youth support network initiated by the Kingdom of Bahrain."My visit to Bahrain has been an incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring young leaders and support the launch of the Hope Network, a platform that brings together governments to exchange best practices and strengthen initiatives with and for youth," said Dr Paullier, highlighting Bahrain's crucial role in hosting this initiative.He also emphasised the role of such a platform during a time of global momentum in youth empowerment, which requires maximising cooperation and collective efforts. Dr Paulier explored with Bahraini officials, including His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, H.E Ms Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi, Minister of Youth Affairs, and H.E. Ramzan bin Abdulla Al Noaimi, Minister of Information, impactful opportunities to empower youth."Every moment has been focused on amplifying youth voices and building impactful partnerships. We look forward to scaling up our collaboration to support young people in Bahrain and beyond," he said.Dr Paullier also met the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Bahrain, discussing how empowering young people by providing spaces for their meaningful engagement can deliver on the UN's Youth2030 strategy. "Mainstreaming youth issues is our best chance to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030", he told the UNCT.
"The UNCT will build on the outcomes of this visit to continue working with partners to engage and empower Bahraini youth," said the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Mr Khaled El Mekwad. The Hope Network’s mission is to advance youth affairs through global policy exchange and strategic national planning to fully leverage the potential of youth as a vital human capital resource. The network also has initiatives to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), allowing youth to launch their own initiatives and creating a helpful environment to support such efforts.This aligns with the UN Youth Office, which leads system-wide collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs, balancing how the United Nations works with and for young people in all their diversity. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the UN Youth Office was created “to advance efforts towards stronger advocacy, coordination, and accountability for and with young people.”

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20 August 2025

World Humanitarian Day 2025: Aid workers mull record toll of their own

With the news on Tuesday that a record 383 aid workers were confirmed killed in the line of duty last year, one veteran UN aid worker based in Gaza reaffirmed the resolve of humanitarians everywhere to save lives and relieve suffering, no matter how challenging the situation. Speaking to UN News from the wartorn enclave to mark World Humanitarian Day, Olga Cherevko from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that exhausted aid workers continue to show up for work “day in and day out”.Approaching two years since the start of the war in Gaza, Ms. Cherevko emphasized the commitment of her Palestinian colleagues, “the doctors, the nurses, aid workers who many of them have, lost everything and several times over”.Red lines crossedIn comments in support of aid workers everywhere, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that humanitarian teams “are the last lifeline for over 300 million people” impacted by conflict or disaster.Despite their lifesaving role, funding cuts are having a serious and negative impact on the world’s most vulnerable people, Mr. Guterres warned, while those who provide aid are increasingly under attack as “red lines are crossed with impunity”.This is despite the fact that such attacks are prohibited under international law, the UN chief continued, noting that although governments have pledged action to protect them, “what is missing is political will – and moral courage…Humanitarians must be respected and protected. They can never be targeted.”Powerless to helpFrom her base in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, Ms. Cherevko reflected on the nature of humanitarian work today and the frustration that aid teams often face when their lifesaving missions are delayed, preventing them from delivering assistance at scale.“I think as a humanitarian, I feel powerless sometimes in Gaza because I know what it is that we can do as humanitarians when we're enabled to do so, both here in Gaza and in any other humanitarian crisis,” she explained.“The fact that we continue to face massive impediments for delivering aid at scale, when our missions are delayed, when our missions lasted 12, 14, 18 hours; the routes that we're given are dangerous, impassible or inaccessible.”Surge in killingsLatest data indicates a 31 per cent surge in aid worker deaths compared to 2023, driven by the relentless conflict in Gaza.The Strip saw 181 humanitarian workers killed in 2024, with 60 more fatalities in Sudan. More widely, violence against aid workers increased in 21 countries in 2024 compared to the previous year, with State actors the most common perpetrators.Worryingly, there is no sign that the trend is slowing this year, with 265 aid workers killed as of 14 August this year, according to provisional data from the Aid Worker Security Database.Amid early reports that Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and ongoing uncertainty about the Israeli plan to pursue a complete military takeover of the enclave, OCHA’s Ms. Cherevko highlighted the need for a permanent end to the conflict.Aid teams are exhausted and “everyone's still showing up (to work), but courage alone and commitment alone isn't going to feed people, isn't going to save people”, she insisted. “What we need is, again, a permanent ceasefire. We need political solutions to this conflict and a resolution to this crisis.”According to OCHA, most of the aid workers killed last year were national staff serving their communities, attacked in the line of duty or in their homes.An additional 308 aid workers were wounded, with 125 kidnapped and 45 detained in 2024.“Even one attack against a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us and on the people we serve,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy...Violence against aid workers is not inevitable. It must end.”Why do we mark World Humanitarian Day?On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Five years later, the General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day.Each year, the international day brings together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.The theme of this year’s commemoration overseen by OCHA is an end to the attacks on humanitarians and civilians and impunity under International Humanitarian Law. “We urge those in power to #ActForHumanity,” the UN agency said.

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19 August 2025

The orange economy: Where creativity fuels prosperity

Up pops the vibrant world of an orange economy, also known as the creative economy.But, what exactly is it, and how does it foster peace, accelerate sustainable development and empower communities?UN News/Hisae KawamoriThe former Colombian culture minister Felipe Buitrago, co-coined the term orange economy with the former President Iván Duque Márquez.What is the orange economy?The term “orange economy” was first coined by former Colombian former President Iván Duque Márquez and former culture minister Felipe Buitrago, a colour which resonates across cultures in creative, religious and cultural spheres.In an exclusive interview with UN News during the fourth UN-backed World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum (WEIF) held recently in Manama, Bahrain, Mr. Buitrago explained why.“When you think about activities such as audiovisual, filmmaking, television, video games, music in all its forms as well as crafts, visual arts, theater and also, activities like design, fashion, and increasingly other digital expressions of communication, you are talking about something that represents us, our identity in various forms,” he said.“Those creative expressions live together in a very rich ecosystem where you have creators, you have dreamers, but you also have doers, entrepreneurs and policymakers, and that’s a very powerful sector of the economy,” he addedThe power of creativity in BahrainUN News/Hisae KawamoriAmmar Bashir, a Sudanese interior designer who currently resides in Bahrain.In the heart of Bahrain, Ammar Basheir, a Sudanese interior designer, found himself at a crossroads after returning from his studies in the United Kingdom. Faced with a job market that demanded experience he didn’t have, he took a leap of faith, unknowingly pioneering a path in the burgeoning orange economy.“I was rejected from all the jobs I applied for because I had just graduated,” he recalled.The orange economy, as he puts it, is “the new kid on the block”, gaining recognition as a powerful engine for creativity, economic growth and cultural preservation, and a sector where collaboration and mutual support are key, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.“The beautiful thing about the orange economy is that the capital is the person’s idea,” said Mr. Bashir, whose company's capital exceeded $10 million in three years, a testament to the power of creativity in generating wealth and employment. “We discovered that creativity brings money and creates jobs for people,” he said.© UN-Habitat/Julius MweluComuna 13 is a hillside community in Medellín, Colombia.Promoting peace and understandingThe orange economy plays an important role in promoting peace and understanding between peoples, former culture minister Mr Buitrago said, spotlighting an example of feuding gangs in Comuna 13 in Medellín, Colombia.“We had two gangs that were actually brought together by a government and the mayor’s office, which created a joint festival of rap and reggaeton,” he explained.With one gang being pro-rap and the other pro-reggaeton, organisers erected a stage that alternated between music styles. By sharing the spotlight, the gangs realised their mutual passion for music, that reggaeton and rap were not so different and that they could co-exist, he said.“That actually reduced violence and helped them actually to start finding different ways to promote the development of the communities,” he added, “instead of trying to just control them by fear.”Connecting culture to commerce in MoroccoUN News/Hisae KawamoriFatima Zouhra and her family own Yatto, which specialises in making dolls dressed in traditional Moroccan clothing.Fatima Zouhra, a young artist from Morocco she and her family own a family business called Yatto, which specialises in making dolls dressed in traditional Moroccan clothing. The word yatto, as Fatima explained to UN News, is a Moroccan Berber name that is easy for everyone to pronounce.“During the lockdown, we just stayed at home, nothing to do,” she said. “My sister, my mother and I made a lot of dolls because my mom sells a lot of dolls. We found that we had a lot of dolls, so we dressed them up.”After the lockdown, they took part in an exhibition in Morocco and sold the dolls.“People really liked the dolls, being very Moroccan because the little children play with American Barbies,” she said. “We would like to give the idea to the children to play with Moroccan dolls, with Moroccan clothes.”Accelerating SDGsBut, how is the orange economy helping to accelerate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is considered a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet? Mr. Buitrago explained.“If you examine the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), you’ll notice that none of them explicitly mention the words culture, arts or creativity,” he said. “However, if you delve deeper, you will find that creativity, culture and art serve both as means and ends of the SDGs. This is very powerful because culture is an excellent and important tool that brings people together to achieve many of the SDGs.”He said culture facilitates employment, inclusion, ecological sustainability of cities, better education and cooperation.“When we gather, when we converse, when we share our perspectives of the world, we are engaging in a cultural exchange,” he added. “This is crucial for achieving the SDGs."Empowering women in EthiopiaUN News/Hisae KawamoriSamrawit Mersiehazen, a visionary creative designer from Ethiopia.Samrawit Mersiehazen, a visionary creative designer from Ethiopia and the creative director of Samra Leathers, is using fashion to challenge economic imbalances and empower women in her country.“In the fashion industry, we give lots of job opportunities, especially for women, and we add value for women and society,” she told UN News, underlining the significance of the orange economy in addressing pressing issues in Ethiopia and across Africa.Highlighting a gap in educational support for creative industries, Ms. Mersiehazen that although the Ethiopian Government has established over 20 major universities in the last two decades, none focus on nurturing talents in creative fields.“We produce lots of doctors, engineers, which after they graduate, they’re looking for a job for lots of years,” she said. “These big facilities didn’t help with job creation. So, this kind of the orange economy with the creative industry people like me, provide lots of job opportunities, especially for women.”Ms. Mersiehazen’s enterprise demonstrates how the creative sector can lead to substantial employment opportunities. Samra Leather, known for its products ranging from bags to clothing for both men and women, stands as a beacon of what can be achieved when creativity is leveraged as an economic force.A call to cherish cultural artifactsWhen contemplating the dynamic world of the orange economy, the phrase’s co-founder Mr. Buitrago voiced a reminder to not overlook the cultural artifacts that shape people’s identity.“The message is sometimes we take for granted that there’s a craft or that there’s a painting or that there’s a melody from our heritage, and that’s dumb,” he said.“We need to take it seriously because that’s a message from the past that is being told to us by somebody that is alive today and that is willing to engage with us in dreaming about the future.”

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17 August 2025

From dough to dough: Bahraini chefs rise with sweet, spicy success

What started as a simple joy of making cookies for family and friends soon blossomed into Brown Sugar, a brand that embodies both her love for desserts and her journey towards independence.“I used to love eating sweets,” Eman Fareed, a mother and retired civil servant, told UN News while baking in her kitchen.“At first, I baked biscuits just for my family. They loved the taste, and soon, my friends started encouraging me to sell them. That’s when I realised I could turn this into something bigger.” Part of a grassroots modelShe is among the beneficiaries of Kaaf Humanitarian, a non-profit organization (NGO) launched in Bahrain in 2021 that has become a grassroots model for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by empowering individuals and communities for self-reliance.Kaaf displayed the fruit of its efforts, including spices and cookies made by Ms. Fareed and others at an exhibit during the fifth World Entrepreneurship Investment Forum (WEIF), held in Manama, Bahrain, in 2024 and facilitated by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in Bahrain.As for the forum, members endorsed the Manama Declaration, calling on the international community to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to achieve the SDGs, with a strong emphasis on including productive families.What’s a ‘productive family’?Saud Al Mahmood, a public relations specialist with Kaaf Humanitarian, said productive families are those “that rely on the skills of their members to provide for the family and improve their standards of living”.“Helping productive families is very important because it’s not just about helping individuals; it’s about helping the whole family,” he said, noting that Kaaf provides families with the training and tools they need to improve their products and compete in the market.“Our work addresses many SDGs, including those related to water, food and shelter, as well as improving the economy. We are always encouraged to collaborate with the United Nations and other organizations.”UN News/Hisae KawamoriAfter baking her cookies, Eman Fareed packages them in an attractive box branded with her business name.A passion for spicesNoora Khalid Musaifer, another Kaaf beneficiary, said she was inspired by her mother’s love for cooking and roasting coffee.After getting married, she began blending Bahraini spices and, over time, expanded to include different spice grades, daqoos pepper and coffee roasting, all made with high-quality ingredients and under the brand name Mallawal.She processes the spices – washing, drying, roasting and packaging – at home. While she initially sold them under her brand from home, participation in exhibitions and opportunities emerging through the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine helped her business flourish.From investment to brandingA key factor in Ms. Fareed and Ms. Musaifer’s successful journey was the support of Kaaf Humanitarian, which provided them with financial backing, packaging materials and branding assistance.Ms. Musaifer is the breadwinner for her family, having been making spices for 20 years and joining Kaaf a decade ago.“Their financial support has enabled me to procure high-quality spices,” she said, adding that some of the spices she gets from the market or Bahraini companies that import them come from India and are very expensive.UN News/Abdelmonem MakkiNoora Khalid Musaifer received trainings to become a successful entrepreneur.Social media as a marketing toolMs. Fareed said Kaaf Humanitarian has been a pillar of her success in the baking field.“Technology is crucial in today’s world, and they helped me adapt.”She started her business after retiring in 2014, but initially lacked guidance on how to expand it.“When I joined Kaaf Humanitarian, they trained me in business management, social skills and digital marketing,” she said, underscoring that the NGO gave her both financial and moral support. “They taught me how to take professional photos of my products and maximise online sales.”Women’s capacity buildingOne afternoon, 15 women entrepreneurs gathered for a training session at Kaaf Humanitarian House in the suburbs of Manama, each bringing their products to share with others, showcasing their mastery of skills.“They are housewives. Some used to work, but now they work from home,” said Budoor Buhijji, a university lecturer who led the session.“They run small entrepreneurial projects: food, sweets, spices, chocolates, pens and handicraft products they can sell in their communities. And they hope to expand beyond their community and go international.”Challenges and dreams for the futureAs a female entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated business environment, Ms. Musaifer sees her success as a testament to the strength of Bahraini women, being able to balance work and family responsibilities.UN News/Hisae KawamoriKaaf Humanitarian empowers women through entrepreneurship training and provides them with opportunities to market and sell their products.“I dream of opening a shop under my name, where I can continue making handmade spices and traditional foods,” she said,For Ms. Fareed, being a businesswoman in Bahrain is already an achievement as business has traditionally been male dominated.“In my family, women were not encouraged to work alongside men or manage businesses, but over time, my father saw my strength and supported me,” she said. “Now, I feel confident and empowered.”Looking ahead, she dreams of expanding her business into a factory.“I want to build something big, have my own team, and leave behind a legacy for my children. One day, I will tell them the story of how I became a strong, independent woman.”

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06 August 2025

The world is demanding action over plastic pollution: UN environment chief

“The world wants and indeed needs a plastic conventional treaty because the crisis is getting out of hand – and people are frankly outraged,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN agency leading the talks.“We know that plastic is in our nature, in our oceans, and yes, even in our bodies…What is sure is that no one wants to live with the plastic pollution.”Out of controlUnless an international accord is inked, plastic production and waste is projected to triple by 2060, causing significant damage – including to our health – according to UNEP.Switzerland’s top environment official Katrin Schneeberger echoed the call for a legally binding treaty, insisting that plastic waste “is choking our lakes, harming wildlife and threatening human health. This is more than just an environmental issue, it is a global challenge that demands urgent and collective action.”Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the treaty negotiations, Ms. Schneeberger underscored that there was “no call for a production cap” by producing countries.Spirit of compromise?“Reaching a shared understanding that measures are needed on both the production and consumption sides can help unlock the negotiations,” she said in her capacity as Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.Supporters of a deal have compared it to the Paris Climate Accord in terms of its significance. They have also pointed to the pressure allegedly being brought to bear against a deal by petrostates, whose crude oil and natural gas provide the building blocks of plastics.“We will not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis: we need a systemic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy,” UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has insisted in previous comments on the need for global regulations on plastics.Virtuous circleWith 10 days of talks scheduled on the treaty at the UN in Geneva, supporters of an accord hope that the deal will cover the full life cycle of plastics, from design to production and disposal.The treaty should “promote plastic circularity and prevent leakage of plastics in the environment”, according to the text now guiding negotiations led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC).At 22 pages, the INC document contains 32 draft articles which will be discussed line by line. The text is designed to shape the future instrument and serves as a starting point for negotiations by countries meeting in Geneva.“Some [countries] will have to deal with reduction, others will have to deal with mechanical recycling and others will deal with alternatives,” Ms. Andersen said. “Let’s see how we can get to this through the negotiations. I think there's a lot of good faith in the working group right now.”The UNEP-led talks follow a decision in 2022 by Member States to meet and develop an international legally binding instrument to end the plastic pollution crisis, including in the marine environment, within two years.The scale of the problem is massive, with straws, cups and stirrers, carrier bags and cosmetics containing microbeads just a few of the single-use products ending up in our oceans and landfill sites.In comments to journalists, Ms. Andersen recalled touring Pakistan after deadly flooding killed more than 1,000 people in 2022 and seeing that debris and plastic were “a big part of the problem and so this is why we’re here, to find a solution while not leaving anyone behind and while ensuring that the economic wheels would keep turning”.Disabling effectCampaigners gathering on the sidelines of the negotiations expressed their hopes for as ambitious a treaty as possible.They included Shellan Saling, from California, who’s the interim chair of the Youth Plastic Action Network (YPAN). “Plastic affects everything from climate change to health to fertility to even birth defects; it affects physical disabilities, as well as invisible disabilities,” she told UN News on Monday.Any treaty inked in Geneva will have to be sufficiently robust to accommodate the needs of all countries of the world whose approach differs regarding plastic design, production, waste and recycling. It will also have to stand the test of time, Ms. Andersen said.

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27 July 2025

UN’s Guterres declares fossil fuel era fading; presses nations for new climate plans before COP30 summit

UN Secretary‑General António Guterres declared the world has “passed the point of no return” on the shift to renewables and implored governments to file sweeping new climate plans before November’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil, saying the fossil fuel era is nearing its end. In a special address at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres cited surging clean energy investment and plunging solar and wind costs that now outcompete fossil fuels.“The energy transition is unstoppable, but the transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough,” he said.The speech, A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age – a follow‑up to last year’s Moment of Truth – was delivered alongside a new UN technical report drawing on global energy and finance bodies.“Just follow the money,” Mr. Guterres said, noting that $2 trillion flowed into clean energy last year, $800 billion more than fossil fuels and up almost 70 per cent in a decade. A shift in possibilityHe noted new data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showing solar, once four times costlier, is now 41 per cent cheaper than fossil fuels.Similarly, offshore wind is 53 per cent cheaper, with more than 90 per cent of new renewables worldwide beating the cheapest new fossil alternative.“This is not just a shift in power. It is a shift in possibility,” he said.Renewables nearly match fossil fuels in global installed power capacity, and “almost all the new power capacity built” last year came from renewables, he said, noting that every continent added more clean power than fossil fuels.Clean energy is unstoppableMr. Guterres underscored that a clean energy future “is no longer a promise, it is a fact”. No government, no industry and no special interest can stop it.“Of course, the fossil fuel lobby will try, and we know the lengths to which they will go. But, I have never been more confident that they will fail because we have passed the point of no return.”He urged countries to lock ambition into the next round of national climate plans, or NDCs, due within months. Mr. Guterres called on the G20 countries, which are responsible for 80 per cent of emissions, to submit new plans aligned with the 1.5°C limit and present them at a high‑level event in September.Targets, he added, must “double energy efficiency and triple renewables capacity by 2030” while accelerating “the transition away from fossil fuels”. Caption: Secretary-General António Guterres delivers a special address on Climate Action “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the New Energy Era”.Photo: © UN Photo/Mark GartenReal energy sovereigntyThe Secretary-General also highlighted the geopolitical risks of fossil fuel dependence.“The greatest threat to energy security today is fossil fuels,” he said, citing price shocks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“There are no price spikes for sunlight, no embargoes on wind. Renewables mean real energy security, real energy sovereignty and real freedom from fossil-fuel volatility.”Six opportunity areasMr. Guterres mapped six “opportunity areas” to speed the transition: ambitious NDCs, modern grids and storage, meeting soaring demand sustainably, a just transition for workers and communities, trade reforms to broaden clean‑tech supply chains, and mobilising finance to emerging markets.Financing, however, is the choke point. Africa, home to 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources, received just 2 per cent of global clean energy investment last year, he said.Only one in five clean energy dollars over the past decade went to emerging and developing economies outside China. Flows must rise more than five-fold by 2030 to keep the 1.5-degree limit alive and deliver universal access.Mr. Guterres urged reform of global finance, stronger multilateral development banks and debt relief, including debt‑for‑climate swaps.“The fossil fuel age is flailing and failing. We are in the dawn of a new energy era,” he said in closing.“That world is within reach, but it won’t happen on its own. Not fast enough. Not fair enough. It is up to us. This is our moment of opportunity.”

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Press Release

12 August 2025

Message from the United Nations Secretary-General for International Youth Day

On International Youth Day, we celebrate the determination, creativity and leadership of young people everywhere.This year's theme – Local Youth Action for the SDGs and Beyond – reminds us that global progress begins in communities. And in every corner of the world young people are leading the way.They are driving sustainable development, building more inclusive communities, forging peace, and demanding a fairer, greener and more just future.Young people are bold innovators, resilient organizers, and essential partners in in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.This year also marks a renewed commitment to the World Programme of Action for Youth – a recognition that when young people lead, societies thrive.To every young person: your voice, ideas and leadership matter.Let us work together to support youth-led solutions and build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world, from the ground up.

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Press Release

12 March 2025

The Secretary-General Press Encounter on the UN80 Initiative

Our world is facing challenges on every front. Since the United Nations reflects that world in all its aspects, we feel it in all our work. These are times of intense uncertainty and unpredictability. And yet certain truths have [never] been more clear: The United Nations has never been more needed. Our values have never been more relevant. And the needs have never been greater. At the same time, we know the more the UN does together to address big challenges around the world, the less the burden on individual countries to do it alone. The United Nations stands out as the essential one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights. But resources are shrinking across the board – and they have been for a long time. For example, for at least the past seven years, the United Nations has faced a liquidity crisis because not all Member States pay in full, and many also do not pay on time. From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to strengthen how we work and deliver. To be more effective and cost-effective. To simplify procedures and decentralize decisions. To enhance transparency and accountability. To shift capacities to areas such as data and digital. And, significantly, the Pact for the Future and UN 2.0 are exactly about updating the UN for the 21st century. These efforts are not ends in themselves. They are about better serving people whose very lives depend on us. They are about hardworking taxpayers around the world who underwrite everything we do. And they are about ensuring the right conditions for everyone serving under the UN flag as they undertake their critical work. For all these reasons, it is essential that an organizational system as complex and crucial as the United Nations – subjects itself to rigorous and regular scrutiny to assess its fitness for purpose in carrying out its goals efficiently. And this 80th anniversary year of the United Nations is a prime moment to expand all our efforts, recognizing the need for even greater urgency and ambition. That is why I have informed yesterday UN Member States that I am officially launching what we call the UN80 Initiative. I have appointed a dedicated internal Task Force led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder – and composed of principals representing the entire UN system. The objective will be to present to Member States proposals in three areas: First, rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way we work. Second, thoroughly reviewing the implementation of all mandates given to us by Member States, which have significantly increased in recent years. Third, a strategic review of deeper, more structural changes and programme realignment in the UN System. Under the leadership of the President of the General Assembly, I will consult closely and regularly with all Member States on the progress made, seeking guidance on the way forward and presenting concrete decisions for discussion and decision-making when appropriate. My objective is to move as soon as possible in areas where I have the authority – and to urge Member States to consider the many decisions that rest with them. This goes far beyond the technical. Budgets at the United Nations are not just numbers on a balance sheet – they are a matter of life and death for millions around the world. We must ensure value for money while advancing shared values. The need is great and the goal is clear: an even stronger and more effective United Nations that delivers for people and is tuned to the 21st century. And I thank you. *** Q: Secretary-General, on Ukraine – Ukraine has agreed in principle to the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. What’s your message to Russia at this time? And can we also get your reaction to the growing global trade war? SG: First of all, in relation to the ceasefire, we of course will welcome a ceasefire in Ukraine. Too many people have died. A ceasefire is indeed a positive thing, and we hope that it will materialize. And we hope that it will pave the way for peace, a just peace. And you know what are the parameters that we consider relevant for a just peace: the Charter, international law and the resolutions of the General Assembly. Q: And on the trade war? SG: I think we live in a global economy. Everything is interlinked. And obviously, one of the great advantages of having a situation of free trade is to create the conditions for all countries to benefit. When we enter into a trade war, I believe all will lose. Q: Secretary-General, good morning. Is this UN80 initiative a UN version of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency we are seeing in Washington? Do you anticipate significant UN staff cuts? SG: First of all, nothing to do with that kind of initiative. We are talking about completely different processes, methodologies and objectives. This is a continuation and an intensification of work that we have always been doing. I’ll give you just an example: We have been investing in Nairobi, creating the conditions for Nairobi to receive services that are now in more expensive locations. And UNICEF will be transferring soon some of the functions to Nairobi. And UNFPA will be essentially moving to Nairobi. And I can give you many other examples of things that are being done and correspond to the idea that we must be effective and cost-effective. Now, the recent cuts that were made in relation to humanitarian aid and development cooperation – and not only by the United States, there were other cuts by other countries, even if in a smaller dimension – naturally have led to the need by the agencies that deliver those services to reduce staff, to shrink their dimension and to eliminate many activities. But again, this is not a problem for the United Nations. I mean, agencies are resilient and so, when necessary, they adjust to the circumstances. And indeed, thousands of staff have been laid off by several agencies. But the problem is not for the UN; the UN is resilient. The UN can adapt itself to the circumstances. The problem is for the people – I mean, if more people will die with HIV/AIDS or malaria or with TB. If [the cutoff of] humanitarian aid to fragile communities will make their life even more difficult and will have dramatic consequences, not only from a life-saving perspective but from the perspective of the most basic forms of well-being, that is something we cannot correct. We can adapt the UN, consolidate the UN, make the UN more effective and more cost-effective. What we cannot do is solve the problems of the people that we no longer are able to assist, for lack of resources. Q: Secretary-General, to quote you: The United Nations has faced a liquidity crisis because not all Member States pay in full and many do not also pay on time. What is your message to these bad offenders against the United Nations? And you’re welcome to name and shame a few. SG: Pay in full and pay on time. Thank you very much. *****

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Press Release

09 March 2025

The Secretary-General Message for International Women's Day

When the doors of equal opportunity are open for women and girls, everyone wins. Equal societies are more prosperous and peaceful – and the foundation of sustainable development. On this International Women’s Day, we recognize thirty years of progress and achievement since the landmark United Nations conference in Beijing. This transformed the rights of women – and reaffirmed those rights as human rights. Since then, women and girls have shattered barriers, defied stereotypes, and demanded their rightful place. But we must be clear-eyed about the challenge. From pushback to rollback, women’s human rights are under attack. Age-old horrors – violence, discrimination and economic inequality – still plague societies. And newer threats such as biased algorithms are programming inequalities into online spaces, opening-up new arenas of harassment and abuse. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny. We must fight these outrages. And keep working to level the playing field for women and girls. We need action to unlock finance so countries can invest in equality – and to prioritize those investments. Action to open-up equal opportunities for decent work, close the gender pay gap, and tackle challenges around care work. Action to strengthen and implement laws to end all forms of violence against women and girls. Action to secure women’s full participation in decision-making, including in peacebuilding. And action to remove the obstacles to women and girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The United Nations Pact for the Future, and the Global Digital Compact offer blueprints to guide these actions. When women and girls can rise, we all thrive. Together, let’s stand firm in making rights, equality and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere.

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