"SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS"

Opening of the annual handover ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 (from Guyana to Guinea).

COVID-19 has disrupted all forms of human mobility through the closing of national borders and halting of travel worldwide. Preliminary estimates suggest that the pandemic may have slowed the growth in the stock of international migrants by around two million by mid- 2020, 27 per cent less than the growth expected since mid-2019, according to a report by the United Nations released today. UNIFEED

A virtual roundtable attended by the UN Secretary General, COP President and Foreign Secretary, and representatives from countries that are key to the success of the Energy Transitions Council, which aims to accelerate the transition from coal to clean power. The focus was on the need to rapidly shift to green, affordable and resilient power systems, a priority of the COP26 Presidency, as well as the importance of a just transition and green job opportunities. Investors and multilateral development banks (MDBs) were also invited to talk about financing the clean power transition and the policy environment needed.

The UN Secretary-General delivers his first major speech of the year at a virtual event that offers a powerful opportunity to communicate why the UN remains the best global forum to find solutions to the challenges we face – from the climate emergency to COVID-19, conflict – to a broad and diverse global audience. The event will also serve as a global commemoration of the UN’s 75th anniversary, with the UN returning – virtually – to London, where it held its first meetings in 1946.

With extreme poverty rising amid Covid-19 pandemic, more action key to ending vicious cycle in conflict-affected, fragile countries, top officials tell Security Council.

Secretary-General António Guterres said fragility and conflict “are among the greatest obstacles to implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,” and even before the COVID-19 pandemic, “the conflict landscape was deteriorating.” UNIFEED

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said “this virus has exposed our societies, exposed us, exposed the problems that we have. The level of inequity, the level of poverty, the level of exclusion,” adding that “health alone will not be a solution. We have to address the root cause of the problem too: the inequity in our society.” WHO

Briefing by Brenden Varma, Spokesperson for the President of the 75th Session of the General Assembly.

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Economic and Social Council adopts 3 non-governmental organization committee texts, postpones action on decision to re-open 2020 Session.