Category: The Civic Circle

On 12 July, tensions between Bedouin tribes and Druze communities flared into armed clashes, following a series of mutual kidnappings. Syrian authorities deployed security forces to the area, but those forces were “attacked, killed and abducted by Druze groups,” Pedersen said, adding that “there were extremely grave reports of serious violations by security forces against Druze civilians.”

As fighting intensified, Israeli airstrikes targeted Syrian security personnel and armed Bedouin groups in and around Suweida. Israel also struck a Ministry of Defense building and conducted airstrikes near the Presidential Palace in Damascus. “Israel’s strikes caused casualties among civilians and security forces,” Pedersen said.

“I condemn the appalling violations against civilians and combatants in Suweida,” he added. “I also condemn Israel’s intervention and dangerous airstrikes in Suweida and in Damascus.”

The humanitarian fallout has been severe. Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA), said the violence displaced an estimated 175,000 people, roughly a third of Suweida’s population, in an area where “two-thirds of people were already in need of assistance.”

Compounding the crisis, wildfires in the coastal governorate of Lattakia displaced more than 1,100 people and destroyed vital farmland, Wosornu said. She warned that “the fires were exacerbated by the worst drought-like conditions Syria has seen in 36 years,” with key reservoirs now at historically low levels.

Syria’s UN Ambassador, Qusay al-Dahhak, said the country is confronting “multifaceted, complex and serious challenges,” and urged the international community to maintain positive engagement and support.

Guterres today (28 Jul) spoke at the opening segment of the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

In his remarks, the UN chief warned, time is running out. “With every passing day, trust is slipping. Institutions are weakened. And hopes are dashed.”

He implored the international community not only to keep the two-State solution alive – “but to take the urgent, concrete, irreversible steps necessary to make it real.”

Guterres stressed, “Nothing can justify the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas. And nothing can justify the scale of death and destruction in Gaza since then – a level without precedent in recent times.”

The Secretary-General said, “Let us reject the false choice between Palestinian statehood and Israeli security. There is no security in occupation.”

“Let us affirm,” he said, “Israel’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed. And so must the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

“We must speak with one voice. To condemn all acts of terror. To denounce all targeting of civilians and taking of hostages. To reject incitement to hatred and violence,” Guterres added.

He continued, “We must call on Israel to recommit – clearly and unequivocally — to the two-State solution, and to cease all actions that undermine it. And we must support Palestinian unity around a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive vision of statehood.”

“Let us lay the groundwork for: Unified Palestinian governance. Credible security arrangements. And a Palestinian Authority that carries out reforms and that can deliver for its people,” he concluded.

France and Saudi Arabia are the Co-chair of the Conference.

For his part, French diplomat Jean-Noël Barrot said that his government is “ready to fully recognize the State of Palestine, and will do so in the month of September next.”

“This recognition, which is a major decision by France, is an expression of both a rejection and it is an appeal. It is a rejection of the idea that the war camp is winning over the peace camp,” Barrot reiterated.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, called on Member States to join the final outcome document and to participate in its implementation.

“Our collective responsibility requires us today to work urgently to end the humanitarian disaster that is threatening the credibility of the international law, and to enable the Palestinian people to achieve self-determination in order to achieve peace and security for all people in the region, opening the way towards stability, prosperity and development,” the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

Philemon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly also spoke at the opening session.

He said, “The focus of this conference must therefore be concrete and action-oriented, identifying steps the international community must take to realise the two-State solution.”

“We must restore both hope and trust: Hope that a better future is possible,” he reiterated.

Prime Minister of State of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa, said, “This international conference must constitute a turning point in which positions and decisions are translated into immediate and unprecedented practical steps to stop the genocide and end the Israeli occupation.”

“Uphold the Palestinian rights and help an independent Palestinian State on the basis of a two-state solution that takes shape in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, which opens the way towards peace, security, stability and prosperity in our region for the benefit of all peoples and States,” Prime Minister Mustafa said.

He affirmed “the readiness of the State of Palestine to assume full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza with Arab and international support.”

“We also stress that the State of Palestine is the only holder of the right to rule the entire Gaza Strip, and it is the holder of the exclusive right to maintain security. Israel must withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip, and Hamas must relinquish its control over the Strip and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the Prime Minister added.

He also reaffirmed Palestine’s position, “rejecting violence and terrorism in all its forms, including targeting and attacking civilians.”

Highlights:
Secretary-General/Palestine
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Food Systems Summit
Deputy Secretary-General
Security Council/Syria
Syria/Humanitarian
Lebanon/Israel
Ukraine
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sudan
World Hepatitis Day

SECRETARY-GENERAL/PALESTINE
The Secretary-General will speak this afternoon at the opening session of the international conference on the implementation of the two-State solution.
He will say that the only realistic, just and sustainable solution for Israelis and Palestinians is two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both.
But he will warn that time is running out, with trust slipping every passing day while institutions are weakened and hopes are dashed.
At an earlier meeting this morning, he said that the wholesale destruction of Gaza is intolerable and must stop and that unilateral actions that would forever undermine the two-state solution are unacceptable.
The Secretary-General said that today’s conference is a rare and indispensable opportunity. We must ensure that it does not become another exercise in well-meaning rhetoric, Mr. Guterres added. It can and must serve as a decisive turning point – one that catalyzes irreversible progress towards ending the occupation and realizing our shared aspiration for a viable two-State solution.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, yesterday welcomed Israel’s decision to support a one-week scale-up of aid, including lifting customs barriers on food, medicine and fuel from Egypt and the reported designation of secure routes for UN humanitarian convoys. Some movement restrictions appear to have been eased on Sunday, he said, with initial reports indicating that over 100 truckloads were collected.
This is progress, Mr. Fletcher said, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis. He said that we need sustained action, and fast, including quicker clearances for convoys going to the crossing and dispatching into Gaza; multiple trips per day to the crossings so we and our partners can pick up the cargo; safe routes that avoid crowded areas; and no more attacks on people gathering for food.
UN agencies and our partners have welcomed these measures. Yesterday, the World Food Programme(WFP) said that it has enough food in the region or on the way there to feed the starving population for about three months. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) says that some 6,000 trucks in Jordan and Egypt are waiting for the green light to enter.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that July was the worst month of deaths linked to malnutrition, with more than 85 per cent of malnutrition related deaths recorded in 2025. Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished.
UN partners say that in July, more than 5,000 children under five have already been admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition. The only four specialized treatment centres in Gaza are overwhelmed, pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse.
The UN and its partners stress the need for unimpeded access of humanitarian aid through all crossings and corridors to allow large-scale delivery of aid to the starving and exhausted population.
Yesterday, the Israeli authorities announced simplified movement procedures both from the crossings and within Gaza. Out of 17 missions requiring coordination with the Israeli authorities, eight were facilitated, including the collection of fuel and supplies from Kerem Shalom, while three have been denied, and two cancelled. Four missions, including the uplift of food cargo, were impeded but accomplished.
The long-standing restrictions on the entry of aid have created an unpredictable environment with a lack of confidence by communities that aid will reach them. This has resulted in many of our convoys being offloaded directly by starving, desperate people. Yesterday, hungry people offloaded food supplies before they could reach their intended destination.
As we have said before, the only way to mitigate for this situation is by having a sustained flow of aid over a period of time. This was evident during the ceasefire, when such incidents did not occur.
Meanwhile, airdrops have resumed in Gaza yesterday. While the UN welcomes all efforts to provide aid to the people who desperately need it, UN agencies and partners remind that airdrops are the last resort measure and carry risks for people on the ground. Injuries were reported yesterday when packages fell on tents.

“Excellencies, Dear friends,

I thank the Government and people of Ethiopia and the Italian Government for co-hosting this important gathering.

I regret that circumstances have kept me from joining you in person.

Four years ago, the world came together for the first UN Food Systems Summit – anchored in the understanding that food systems are about more than food.

They are about health, nutrition, climate, decent work, justice – and the right to a better future.

Since then, we have seen progress.

Two-thirds of countries have integrated food systems transformation into national development plans.

Over 100 have aligned food strategies with climate and biodiversity goals.

And 155 countries are advancing efforts with National Convenors and strong engagement from businesses, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth and farmers.

The UN System, including through the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, is their partner every step of the way.

Last year’s Pact for the Future reaffirmed our shared commitment to food systems that are inclusive, sustainable, equitable, resilient – and rooted in human rights.

But progress is not fast or fair enough.

Global hunger is rising.

Trade shocks are pushing food prices out of reach.

One-third of the world’s people cannot afford a healthy diet – while one-third of the world’s food is lost or wasted.

The hidden costs of our food systems – on health, nature, and human suffering – exceed $10 trillion a year.

That’s more than three times the GDP of the African continent.

This is not just a crisis of scarcity.

It is a crisis of justice, equity, and climate.

Nearly 40 percent of the global workforce is linked to food systems – yet many remain trapped in poverty.

Climate change is disrupting harvests, supply chains and humanitarian response.

Conflict continues to drive hunger – from Gaza to Sudan and beyond.

Hunger feeds further instability – and undermines peace.

We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war.

Dear friends,

We know what works.

Every dollar invested in nutrition can return up to twenty-three.

Sustainable food systems can advance all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

And transformation is underway.

Governments are leading the way – integrating food systems into climate strategies, biodiversity frameworks, and national budgets.

They are empowering women and youth, scaling up nutritious school meals, and investing in agroecology.

Look no further than Ethiopia – where investments in local wheat production and climate-aligned food policy are reducing import dependence and creating jobs.

But governments cannot do it alone.

The private sector must play a vital role – from innovation and logistics to finance and investment.

We need responsible business practices aligned with the public good.

We need bold leadership – and enforceable guidelines for corporate accountability.

We must build on new partnerships like the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and scale up action across sectors.

Looking ahead, I see three urgent priorities:

First, break down silos.

Food systems are everyone’s business.

We need integrated policies and a global framework that connects agriculture to people – their health, climate, trade, and finance.

We must also harness new technologies – including Artificial Intelligence – to boost production, reduce waste, and create decent jobs across the value chain.

Second, address power imbalances.

We must govern food systems fairly, tackle inequality and deliver on the right to food for all.

That means elevating the voices of women, youth, farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and local actors.

Third, unlock and connect finance at scale.

Transformation requires investment.

We need debt relief, greater access to concessional finance, and reform of the global financial system to give developing countries representation that reflects the realities of today’s global economy.

We need climate action – including at COP30 – to close the adaptation gap, align climate funding with food systems, and accelerate a just transition.

And above all, we need peace – so that investments can take root and farmers can look to the future with confidence.

Excellencies, Dear friends,

The future of food is the future of humanity.

Let us work together to build food systems that nourish every person, restore our planet, and grow prosperity from the ground up.

This ministerial high-level session brings together the outcomes of the thematic roundtables and working groups convened under the auspices of the High-Level Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

It provides a platform to consolidate key insights, highlight consensus across political, legal, economic, and humanitarian tracks, and articulate concrete next steps. The session is both a culmination of months of coordinated diplomatic work and a launchpad for action, and laying the groundwork for sustained international engagement, accountability, and implementation in support of a just and lasting peace.

Msuya said, “Cash assistance, mental health support, and services to respond to gender-based violence have been slashed due to funding shortfalls.” She added, “Without an immediate influx of resources, even prioritized programmes will be at risk – just as the people of Ukraine approach a fourth wartime winter.”

U.S. Acting Representative Dorothy Shea called on countries, including China, to halt exports of dual-use goods to Russia. “Beijing’s claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese produced components in the drones, weapons and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine.” Shea said.

China’s envoy, Geng Shuang, said, “China has never provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict, and has always strictly controlled dual use materials, including the export of drones.” He also said, “We urge the US to stop shifting blames on the Ukraine issue all creating confrontation, and instead, playing a more constructive role in promoting ceasefire and peace talks.”

Russia’s ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said, Ukraine’s leadership moved to dismantle independent anti-corruption bodies after they had prepared compromising materials and criminal cases against the president and his inner circle. He said a law was pushed through “his puppet parliament” to place those bodies under the control of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Polyanskiy said, “Right now, at this very moment, his [Zelensky] loyalists are busy destroying documents exposing corruption at the highest levels of power documents implicating the Kyiv usurper and his allies in the embezzlement of billions of dollars in budget funds and Western aid.” Polyanskiy added that after obtaining the incriminating materials, authorities appeared to backtrack in response to public backlash. He said the targeted institutions were created under Western pressure and were once seen as a “cure for corruption,” yet, he said, “today, we didn’t hear any of it here.”

Ukraine’s delegate Khrystyna Hayovyshyn touched upon some claims made by Russia at a recent Security Council meeting regarding the issue of abducted children. She said the list of 339 names of children to be returned from Russia, submitted by Ukraine, was not a complete count, as Moscow previously claimed, but a preliminary confidence-building measure. While Ukraine maintains that thousands of children have been unlawfully taken, the limited list was shared to encourage cooperation.

The moderator will be Franz Zubieta (Minister Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the United Nations).

Briefing the Security Council today (Jul 25) he cited intensifying violence across the country, including attacks near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

“On 11 July, a drone attack reportedly hit the city hall in Enerhodar, where most of the staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, located only about five kilometres from the Plant,” Jenča said.

The conflict’s reach has extended beyond Ukraine. “Moscow and St. Petersburg have also been targeted with dozens of drones, reportedly causing severe disruptions to air traffic,” Jenča noted, adding that over 2,000 flights were disrupted between 5 and 7 July. However, he stressed that the UN could not independently verify those incidents or any related civilian casualties in Russia.

Despite these escalations, Jenča welcomed diplomatic efforts, “On Wednesday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Istanbul for the third time this year. We welcome the continuation of these direct contacts between the sides and urge Ukraine and the Russian Federation to make further progress towards a ceasefire and a lasting settlement.”

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate amid severe funding shortages. Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya warned that only 34 percent of the $2.6 billion required for the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been received.

Msuya said, “Cash assistance, mental health support, and services to respond to gender-based violence have been slashed due to funding shortfalls.” She added, “Without an immediate influx of resources, even prioritized programmes will be at risk – just as the people of Ukraine approach a fourth wartime winter.”

U.S. Acting Representative Dorothy Shea called on countries, including China, to halt exports of dual-use goods to Russia. “Beijing’s claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese produced components in the drones, weapons and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine.” Shea said.

China’s envoy, Geng Shuang, said, “China has never provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict, and has always strictly controlled dual use materials, including the export of drones.” He also said, “We urge the US to stop shifting blames on the Ukraine issue all creating confrontation, and instead, playing a more constructive role in promoting ceasefire and peace talks.”

Russia’s ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said, Ukraine’s leadership moved to dismantle independent anti-corruption bodies after they had prepared compromising materials and criminal cases against the president and his inner circle. He said a law was pushed through “his puppet parliament” to place those bodies under the control of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Polyanskiy said, “Right now, at this very moment, his [Zelensky] loyalists are busy destroying documents exposing corruption at the highest levels of power documents implicating the Kyiv usurper and his allies in the embezzlement of billions of dollars in budget funds and Western aid.” Polyanskiy added that after obtaining the incriminating materials, authorities appeared to backtrack in response to public backlash. He said the targeted institutions were created under Western pressure and were once seen as a “cure for corruption,” yet, he said, “today, we didn’t hear any of it here.”

Ukraine’s delegate Khrystyna Hayovyshyn touched upon some claims made by Russia at a recent Security Council meeting regarding the issue of abducted children. She said the list of 339 names of children to be returned from Russia, submitted by Ukraine, was not a complete count, as Moscow previously claimed, but a preliminary confidence-building measure. While Ukraine maintains that thousands of children have been unlawfully taken, the limited list was shared to encourage cooperation.

Speaking at a Security Council briefing today (Jul 24), Khiari said such cooperation is a priority for the Secretary-General and central to implementing the Pact for the Future, in line with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.

The session, chaired by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is one of the key events of Pakistan’s July presidency of the Council.

Khiari outlined areas of close collaboration between the two organizations, noting shared goals in conflict resolution and humanitarian support across the Middle East and beyond. “In the Middle East, the United Nations and the OIC have long shared common objectives in seeking a lasting and comprehensive resolution to the question of Palestine,” he said.

He highlighted the recent joint Conference on Jerusalem, held in Dakar on 9 July, and welcomed the endorsement of Gaza’s Recovery and Reconstruction Plan by both the OIC and the League of Arab States through their Joint Ministerial Committee.

Turning to Lebanon, Khiari said the OIC’s “consistent political backing” amid regional tensions has proven particularly valuable. He also underscored the OIC’s central role in Afghanistan through its engagement with the de facto authorities and efforts to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls, “drawing on its unique position as the collective and credible voice of the Muslim world.”

In Sudan, where more than two years of conflict have devastated the country, Khiari said, “The OIC’s support to international mediation efforts, including those of Personal Envoy Lamamra, remains highly valuable as efforts continue to find a resolution that will prevent further disaster and return Sudan to a path of peace.”

He also noted recent progress in counter-terrorism cooperation following the 2024 signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and the OIC. The two sides have worked together on “rights-based approaches through technical assistance, parliamentary engagement, and strategic dialogue.”

Yousef M. Al-Dobeay, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the OIC said, “We need to bolster our cooperation to promote tolerance and human understanding. It is incumbent upon us to fight together to counter hate speech and to strengthen a culture of coexistence. Mr. President, we need to work together to protect international peace and security in line with the UN Charter.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar warned of “wars waged with impunity, occupations sustained without accountability, humanitarian crises multiplying, and ideologies of hatred fast becoming normalized.”

“Amidst prevailing flux and deepening uncertainty, the urgency for coordinated and principled action has never been greater,” Dar said.

A presidential statement on UN-OIC cooperation, initiated by Pakistan, was adopted at the meeting.

Guterres today (25 Jul) addressed the Global Assembly via a video link to the event in Prague. He is the first United Nations Secretary-General to address the Assembly – the charity’s highest decision-making body.

He commended the Amnesty International for being at the forefront of the global struggle for human rights – “fearless, principled and relentless.”

Guterres described a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing starving aid workers and traumatized children. He said, “Our own heroic staff continue to serve in unimaginable conditions. Many are so numb and depleted that they say they feel neither dead nor alive. Children speak of wanting to go to heaven, because at least, they say, there is food there. We hold video calls with our own humanitarians who are starving before our eyes.”

“This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience,” the UN chief stressed.

Guterres once again called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostage, and urgent steps toward a two-State solution.

He said, “The United Nations stands ready to make the most of a possible ceasefire to dramatically scale up humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip, as we successfully did during the previous pause in fighting. Our plans are ready, and they are finalized. We know what works – and we know what does not.”

The Secretary-General also commended Amnesty International’s “indispensable” role in a global battle for human dignity. For human rights. For justice. For the multilateral system itself.

He said, “We need your movements – rooted in communities and rising from the ground up – making it clear that leaders cannot turn a blind eye to their obligations. And, yes, we need what you’ve called ‘troublemaking’. The kind that challenges complacency and inaction. That exposes injustice. That drives lasting change.”

The UN chief spoke about this year’s focus of the Global Assembly: confronting the rise of authoritarian practices – and advancing climate justice.

Guterres noted that the world is witnessing a surge in repressive tactics aiming at corroding respect for human rights. And these are contaminating some democracies.

“We must right these wrongs,” the UN chief stressed.

He said, “Many countries we must recognize stand firm with human rights. And we must push all countries to defend them – consistently, and universally, even – or especially – when inconvenient.”

He continued, “We must urge them to protect and strengthen the international human rights system. We must demand accountability for human rights violations – without fear or favour. And insist that countries honour commitments in the Pact of the Future – to protect civic space, and uphold human rights and gender equality. We must also demand action to confront the flood of lies and hate polluting our digital spaces.”

On climate justice, the UN chief called for “real finance” to support developing nations grappling with climate disasters. He urged nations to fulfill pledges and explore new sources of finance – “including putting an effective price on carbon, and establishing solidarity levies on polluting sectors and industries.”

Highlights:
Amnesty International
Deputy Secretary-General
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
U.N.I.F.I.L.
Climate/China–EU Summit
Security Council/Ukraine
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Financial Contribution 
Briefing Today
Briefing on Monday

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
This morning, António Guterres became the first United Nations Secretary-General to address Amnesty International’s Global Assembly. He told the Assembly that powerful forces are ranged against human rights – and against the international system built to protect and uphold them.
The Secretary-General said that the scale and scope of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is beyond anything we have seen in recent times. And he spoke about the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community.
The Secretary-General said that the UN’s heroic staff continue to serve in unimaginable conditions, while many are so numb and depleted that they say they feel neither dead nor alive.
He said that the United Nations stands ready to make the most of a ceasefire to dramatically scale-up humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip, as we successfully did during the previous pause in fighting. Our plans are ready, and they are finalized, he said. He once more called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access and urgent, concrete and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will travel later today, on behalf of the Secretary-General, to attend the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+4), taking place from 27 -29 July, in Addis Ababa, co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy. Four years since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, UNFSS+4 will serve as a platform to reflect on progress, strengthen collaboration, and unlock finance and investments to accelerate the transformation of food systems.
While at the Summit, Ms. Mohammed will meet with senior government officials, the private sector, civil society, youth and other stakeholders, to discuss priority actions to support food systems transformation and accelerate progress on the SDGs.
The Deputy Secretary-General will then go on to Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to chair the annual regional retreat with UN Resident Coordinators from across the Arab region, with a focus on advancing sustainable development in these countries.
Ms. Mohammed will also meet with senior government officials to strengthen the UN-Jordan partnership and discuss priority actions to support the SDGs.
The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on 2 August.

Yuriko was diagnosed with Distal Myopathy in 2002 and became a wheelchair user in 2006 after giving birth to her son. A wish to take her son to the beach led to her realizing how better information on accessibility could change the lives of wheelchair users. By 2017, she had launched an accessibility map app that now has more than 100,000 users globally.