Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, Republic…

This morning, the Secretary-General addressed the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, convened by the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry. 

The Secretary-General had a phone call last night with H.E. Mr. Yoon Suk-yeol, President of the Republic of Korea.  
He congratulated President Yoon on his election and thanked the Republic of Korea for its support and generous contribution to the work of the United Nations.  
 
Today is World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This year’s theme is "Rising up from drought together" and emphasizes the need for early action to avoid disastrous consequences for humanity and the planetary ecosystems. 

As the world marks Desertification and Drought Day, our humanitarian colleagues say this is a reminder that the Horn of Africa continues to face a devastating and historic drought. 

Turning to Burkina Faso. The UN Refugee Agency said that in the past week, almost 16,000 people, mostly women and children, have arrived in Dori, in the country’s northeast, after fleeing the brutal attack in Seytenga. UNHCR expects more people to arrive there in the coming days.  

The head of our Mission in Haiti, Helen La Lime, briefed the Security Council yesterday afternoon. She said the grip with which gangs are controlling swaths of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has grown increasingly tighter as their zones of influence expand.  

In Timor-Leste, our team - led by Resident Coordinator Roy Trivedy - continues to support the national pandemic response and recovery. 

The World Health Organization today released a report on world mental health, showing that in 2019, nearly a billion people – including 14 per cent of the world’s adolescents - were living with a mental disorder. 

Next week, the first Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development, as well as the annual Humanitarian Affairs Segment of the Economic and Social Council, will both take place here at UN Headquarters. 

Tomorrow is the first International Day for Countering Hate Speech. Tomorrow is also Sustainable Gastronomy Day and Sunday is International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. 

Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Markus Potzel of Germany as his new Deputy Special Representative, Political, for Afghanistan in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA.  

The Secretary-General was very saddened to learn of the passing of Yury Fedotov.  He fondly recalls Mr. Fedotov’s decade of service as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.