The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’ Group of Governmental Experts on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems will meet in Geneva from 25 to 29 March 2019. The Fifth Review Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional…

As the conflict enters its ninth year, Syrians continue to suffer from one of the worst conflicts of our time. Hundreds of thousands have been killed, many more maimed physically and psychologically, millions remain displaced, tens of thousands are detained and missing, hundreds of thousands have…

The crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 on 10 March 2019 that claimed the lives of 157 people, including UN staff, delegates and others, many of whom were on their way to the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, has come as a profound shock to all of us in International Geneva. The UN…

Adopts Concluding Observations on the Reports of Colombia, Antigua and Barbuda, Ethiopia, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Angola, Serbia, and Botswana The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women concluded today its seventy-second session, during which it reviewed the reports of…

Adopts Concluding Observations on the Reports of Estonia, Cameroon, Bulgaria, Mauritius, and Kazakhstan The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon closed its sixty-fifth session during which it reviewed the reports of Estonia, Cameroon, Bulgaria, Mauritius, and…

The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold its fortieth regular session from 25 February to 22 March 2019 in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The session will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, 25 February under the presidency of Ambassador Coly…

Adopts Concluding Observations on Reports of Bahrain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Guinea, Italy, Japan and Syria The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its eightieth session after adopting its concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Bahrain,…

The United Nations Compensation Commission today made available US $100 million to the Government of the State of Kuwait towards the Commission’s remaining claim with an outstanding award balance. The United Nations Compensation Commission was established in 1991 in accordance with Security…

The Conference on Disarmament, the world's single multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations, will hold the first public plenary of its 2019 session on Monday, 21 January at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The session will open under the presidency of Ukraine. The presidency of the…

Mr. President, Thank you for this opportunity to deliver my monthly briefing for the final time of this mandate. I am circulating this full written statement to you – because it is a little bit longer and there is a lot to say. I have served as Special Envoy for four years and four months – almost…