Press Releases and Statements

The Secretary-General takes note of today’s delivery by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon of the sentencing decision of Mr. Salim Jamil Ayyash to five concurrent sentences of life imprisonment. On 18 August 2020, Mr. Ayyash was convicted in relation to the 14 February 2005 attack in Beirut that…

On 17 November, Mr. Ján Kubiš, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, and Mr. Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific briefed the United Nations Security Council virtually on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701…

UN Day Message UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Mr. Ján Kubiš UN Deputy Special Coordinator/Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Ms. Najat Rochdi October 24 -the UN Day- this year marks the 75 th Anniversary of the United Nations, and 75 years of steadfast partnership between the UN…

Statement of United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Ján Kubiš on the occasion of the 1st Anniversary of the start of popular protests in Lebanon 16 October 2020 A year ago, a massive wave of national protests started, that at some point brought to the streets hundreds of thousands, even…

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcements of an agreement to launch talks on the delineation of land and maritime boundaries between Lebanon and Israel, to be hosted by the United Nations at the premises of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura. The Secretary-General…

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL -- ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 22 September 2020 Mr. President, Excellencies, In a world turned upside down, this General Assembly Hall is among the strangest sights of all. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our annual meeting beyond recognition. But it has made it more…

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL -- REMARKS AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY CEREMONY MARKING THE 75 TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS 21 September 2020 The ideals of the United Nations – peace, justice, equality and dignity — are beacons to a better world. But the Organization we celebrate today emerged only after…

The Secretary-General Remarks on Opening of the First Plenary Meeting of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly New York, 15 September 2020 It is a pleasure to be with you again for the opening of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Let me begin by warmly…

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has commenced disbursement of US$8.5 million from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) to provide rapid support to families affected by the devastating Beirut Port explosions, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for…

The Secretary-General takes note of today’s delivery by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) of the judgement in which Mr. Salim Jamil Ayyash was convicted in relation to the 14 February 2005 attack in Beirut that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others, and injured 226…