UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

New Report on the Hidden Risks of Digital System Failures

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), posed the question: what if our digital systems failed? She warned that there would be no streaming of the press briefing and lights would likely turn out in the room. Outside the Palais, payment systems would eventually stall; emergency calls would struggle to get through; and reliable information on what to do would become harder to access. 

Such a breakdown was more probable than one might think. Digital systems had become so embedded in our lives that they were barely noticed until they failed. Failures could escalate into major crises, with the most vulnerable experiencing the worst impacts.

It was time to start preparing for critical digital risks more intentionally. Ms. Bogdan-Martin said she was today launching a report titled, “When Digital Systems Fail: The Hidden Risks of Our Digital World.” In this collaborative effort by ITU, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and Sciences Po, 12 senior experts from around the world showed how hidden digital failures translate into real world disruptions.

Far from science fiction, the report detailed real risks that had already been observed on Earth and in space, from solar storms to submarine cable disruptions. The common denominator of these unintentional disruptions was their tendency to cascade, with impacts spreading across sectors like finance, healthcare, transport, energy, and communications, often simultaneously.

The solution was not to do away with digital. Technology remained an essential driver of economic growth and innovation. However, sustained progress demanded better preparedness        to identify and map critical digital risks; to recognise unintentional disruptions as core priorities in risk management frameworks; to strengthen international standards and engage in joint scenario planning across sectors and regions; to enable communities to better absorb and recover from digital disruption; to build trust and shared situational awareness; and to translate early warnings into collective action at scale. ITU, as the UN agency for digital technologies, would continue raising awareness on critical risks so that disruptions did not result in disaster. 

The report built on ITU work on submarine cable resilience with its international advisory body, which was about to conclude its work. It also built on ITU’s work in the field of space sustainability, with ITU hosting its third annual forum on the subject in October, and its work on early warnings for all, together with the World Meteorological Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and UNDRR.  ITU’s goal was ensuring that digital systems were built on a solid foundation of safety, resilience, and trust.

Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), said this report was an example of how the United Nations could bring together complementary strengths and reach out to academia to convene the best possible expertise from around the world to address common issues.

The notion of “systemic risk” - that risk was not limited to one location in a sector - was something that UNDRR had been talking about for more than a decade. The report discussed systemic risk and the associated challenges that came with managing it, as well as the challenge of modelling the cascading effects of a new risk.

When it came to risks to digital systems, there were unique challenges and hidden risks, many of which were invisible. Digital interdependencies were often not fully recognised. There was an assumption that when digital systems failed, there would be analogue systems to fall back on. But those were no longer there and analogue expertise and equipment was getting outdated.

Close to 90 per cent of the impact of natural hazards were not first order impacts, but impacts with ripple effects. These affected all systems and all people, in both the Global North and the Global South. For example, when power systems went down, telecom towers started to fail after draining their backup power. When the telecom system failed, ATM machines stopped working, and people could not access their own cash, which forced small markets in far-flung areas to stop working.  Another example was natural disasters, which, depending on their location, could affect hundreds of millions of people.

The report was a page-turner that presented three very real worst-case scenarios, which led to recommendations that spanned across multiple areas, including the need to address the resilience of power systems, undersea cabling, space-based systems, satellites and data centres. UNDRR would follow up on the report’s recommendations.

It was not a matter of “if” but “when” for digital disasters. This was why the world needed to start preparing for them now.

In response to questions, Ms. Bogdan-Martin said the focus of the report was on non-intentional digital disruptions rather than intentional disruptions caused by bad actors. We were not as prepared as we should be for non-malevolent threats, including natural hazards. The repot highlighted what countries, communities and the private sector could do in response. No single actor could solve this problem alone.

Ms. Bogdan-Martin said ITU was approaching its anniversary on 17 May, and the theme of the anniversary this year was “digital lifelines”, a topic that was linked to the report. ITU had study groups focusing on resilience and reliability, security and science services that were looking into risks posed by space weather and solar storms.

Also responding to questions, Mr. Kishore said we were not adequately prepared for the cascading aspects of threats to the world’s digital infrastructure. These risks had not been assessed fully until now. The report addressed these through three case studies, including one on a solar storm and one on extreme heat. To mitigate these risks, analogue skills and systems needed to be strengthened. We also needed to raise awareness about each person’s role in responding to the risk. The report called for building of trust through a people-centred approach, he said.

New Global Report on Skills and Lifelong Learning

Zeina Awad for the International Labour Organization (ILO) said ILO was launching a global report on skills and lifelong learning called “Lifelong Learning and Skills for the Future”, which addressed digitisation, transition and demographic changes and how this was shaping the labour markets and skills.

Caroline Fredrickson, Director of Research at the International Labour Organization (ILO), said learning did not stop when we left school and today, it could not afford to. The world of work was undergoing profound change. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence were reshaping how tasks were performed. The green transition was transforming entire sectors and creating new types of jobs. Demographic shifts were changing the structure of our labour markets. Taken together, these forces were redefining what it meant to work and to be prepared for work.

Skills were becoming a defining factor of how people accessed opportunities. Workers were increasingly expected to update their skills, learn new ones, and adapt continuously throughout their careers. At the same time, institutions and economies needed to evolve to support them to do so.

This was why ILO had developed this flagship report on lifelong learning and skills for the future. ILO’s mandate was to promote decent work and social justice, and skills were central to that mission. Without the right skills, people struggled to access quality jobs, businesses could not grow or innovate, and inequalities risked becoming more entrenched.

Until now, we lacked a clear comprehensive global picture of how people acquired skills throughout their lives. The report aimed to fill that gap. It brought together a wide body of international evidence to provide a more complete understanding of lifelong learning. The conclusion of the report was clear – lifelong learning needed to become a strategic policy priority.

The report found that access to quality training remained limited and highly unequal across the world of work. Globally, only 16 per cent of adults reported participating in training each year. Among workers in stable, full-time jobs in formal enterprises, about half, 51 per cent, received training from their employers, but for workers in informal employment or with lower levels of education, opportunities were limited or simply did not exist. This imbalance was deeply problematic, because those who would benefit the most from training were often the least likely to receive it.

Today, there was a strong and understandable focus on digital skills and artificial intelligence. However, the report showed that, in many countries, socio-emotional skills accounted for 40 to 50 per cent of skills demand, and that success in the labour market increasingly depended on a balanced combination of skills, rather than on any single capability. These combinations were associated with better wages, more stable employment, and improved working conditions.

Drawing on a large body of global evidence, the report showed that training programmes were most effective when they were well designed and closely connected to labour market realities. Training worked best when it developed a mix of technical, cognitive and social skills, combined classroom-based learning with hands-on work experience, and led to qualifications that were recognised and valued by employers. When these conditions were met, training not only improves employment outcomes but also helped reduce inequalities, including for women and other disadvantaged groups.

The report’s findings showed that we needed to move away from seeing education as a one-time phase early in life and instead build systems that supported learning across the entire life course. In many countries today, lifelong learning systems remained fragmented, under-resourced, and difficult to navigate. To address this, the report highlighted the need for stronger governance and coordination, sustainable and equitable financing, and meaningful social dialogue between governments, employers and workers.

The transformations shaping the future of work were already happening, and they carried both risks and opportunities. If we failed to act, these changes were likely to widen existing inequalities, leaving many workers behind. But if we invested in skills and built inclusive and effective lifelong learning systems, we had an opportunity to make labour markets more resilient, more dynamic, and fairer.

Hannah Liepmann, International Labour Organization (ILO) Economist, said an interactive web portal would soon be launched that brought together the report in three languages and its accompanying materials, including new big data analytics.

The report used contemporary labour markets and online vacancy data, going beyond the United States and European countries, to study skills demand, focusing on cognitive, social, emotional and manual skills, in addition to green skills. It found that demand for artificial intelligence was surprisingly low currently, as many workers used readily available artificial intelligence tools that did not require programming knowledge. What these workers needed were social skills and other foundational skills, combined with more expert knowledge.

Quality training was out of reach for most adults, with access being highly unequal. If people did not have the ability to improve their skills and acquire new ones, green and digital transformations would leave many workers behind. The report identified building blocks for policies to improve the situation.

In response to questions on the impact of artificial intelligence on work, Ms. Fredrickson said ILO conducted research on artificial intelligence and how it was transforming the labour market in terms of occupational structure and the tasks that were performed by humans. It had found that many occupations were being transformed rather than being completely abolished.

Ms. Liepmann said that artificial intelligence was changing the type of work that workers were performing. It could be beneficial for workers in some instances, but not in cases where it led to a loss of autonomy. Foundational skills such as socio-emotional intelligence would be extremely important in the future, as these skills could not be replaced by artificial intelligence and were highly valued in business. It was important for businesses to consider the impact of artificial intelligence on low-level positions, as these were commonly held by young people, who would hold mid- and high-level positions in the future. Hiring and training of these people was a joint investment in the future of workers and enterprises.

Humanitarian Needs Rise as More People are Forced to Flee in Lebanon

Karolina Lindholm Billing, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Lebanon, said that despite the announced ceasefire, the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon was far from over. It was marked by ongoing air strikes, shelling, demolitions, evacuation orders, bans on return to certain areas and movement restrictions that continued to drive displacement and rapidly growing humanitarian needs.

Even though the capital Beirut had not been struck in recent weeks and the situation in Lebanon was featuring less in the media, civilians in the south of Lebanon and parts of Bekaa were living with the same fear for their lives as before the ceasefire, and more were being forced to flee.

Since 17 April, at least 380 people had been killed despite the ceasefire and widespread destruction continued across large parts of the country, affecting homes, the belongings of hundreds of thousands of people as well as civilian infrastructure. According to the National Council of Scientific Research in Lebanon, 428 housing units had been destroyed and another 50 damaged in just the first three days of the ceasefire.

Civilians continued to be directly affected, and insecurity continued to affect people’s decisions about whether to return to their home villages or stay put in relative safety for now. Many of the displaced were not allowed to return by the Israeli army in areas it controlled in the south. Although thousands of families had tried to return since the ceasefire, these movements were very tentative and were often reversed, leading to an exhausting cycle of uncertainty.

Many people who returned were finding their homes destroyed, their neighbourhoods unsafe, basic services not available, and ongoing risks from unexploded ordinance. Ms. Lindholm Billing said that last week, she met with families who had tried to return to their homes in the south only to find them destroyed. They were now back inside a sleeping on the floor in a classroom that served as a collective shelter with nothing to return to and a very uncertain future.

Simultaneously, cross-border movements into Syria continued. Following the renewed escalation of conflict, over 310,000 Syrians had crossed from Syria into Syria from Lebanon, reporting that they had no viable alternative but to leave. This was still continuing.

The Lebanon Flash Appeal remained critically underfunded, with only 30 of the funds needed received so far, which was limiting the ability of humanitarian partners to scale and continue life-saving assistance. Despite these challenges, UNHCR, together with others, continued to support the Government-led response, working closely with the national authorities and partners to provide protection services, emergency shelter, cash assistance, and core relief items. The very fragile ceasefire, which was not a ceasefire on the ground, needed to be upheld to enable safe returns for displaced families and be also matched by sustained international support.

Read the full press release here.

Tommaso Della Longa for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said last Saturday, he returned from a very intense mission in Lebanon, where he met with IFRC volunteers and the communities they served, and visited operations in Beirut, as well as in the south, in Tyre and Saida.

He said that the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon was deepening and in Beirut, it was impossible to ignore. Families were living in makeshift tents, struggling every day without reliable access to clean water or basic services. Today, one in five people in Lebanon - around 1.1 million people - were affected by displacement. Families forced from their homes spoke not only of loss but also of their dignity being taken away.

Mr. Della Longa said that he had met people living on the streets and others sheltering in the Sport City Stadium in Beirut, where the Lebanese Red Cross, with the support of IFRC, was hosting around 1,300 people and expecting more arrivals.

Dignity was central to the response. It was not only about delivering aid, but about listening, involving people, and enabling them to support one another. Even those displaced, including Lebanese Red Cross volunteers who lost their homes, were already helping others.

The ceasefire remained fragile. It has not restored homes or livelihoods, nor did it guarantee basic needs such as water, food, or healthcare. People did not know what would happen tomorrow, and this uncertainty was taking a heavy toll on mental health.

The IFRC emergency appeal for Lebanon was only 12.5% funded. This meant critical support could soon be reduced when it was needed most. IFRC called on the international community to show urgent support and solidarity for communities already facing crisis after crisis.

Lebanese Red Cross volunteers were asking for protection. Every time they went on an ambulance mission, they hugged each other and said goodbye to one another, unsure if they would return safely. While he was in Tyre, Mr. Della Longa said, three strikes happened in the area. He said it was heartbreaking to see volunteers going out. In a normal world, Red Cross volunteers would not need flak jackets or helmets in ambulances. The emblem should protect them. But this was not a normal world. In Lebanon, Youssef and Hassan were killed while saving lives. The emblem did not protect them.

From Beirut to Tyre, every volunteer called for protection. The IFRC would continue to demand what should never have to be asked: respect and protection for humanitarian personnel.

In response to questions, Ms. Lindholm Billing said there were thousands of people still in the controlled area of Lebanon. UNHCR continued to deliver convoys with humanitarian assistance to people in hard-to-reach areas, but access was difficult and the ability of the people remaining there to have their basic needs met was extremely challenging.

The Government, when the crisis started, launched a “shock responsive safety net”, which provided cash assistance to displaced Lebanese families affected by the conflict. UNHCR also provided emergency cash assistance to refugees who were impacted by hostilities and displacement. These funds were helping to pay for rent and other basic needs for people who had been left behind.

The number of internally displaced reported by the Government was around one million, but the situation was very fluid, with people trying to return to their homes. The Government had not reported an updated figure as a result. Over 310,000 Syrians had crossed into Syria and almost 66,000 Lebanese had crossed into Syria since 2 March.

Mr. Della Longa said IFRC’s appeal was for 100 million Swiss francs. The focus of the appeal was to support the life-saving work of the Lebanese Red Cross, which was running ambulance services and emergency medical services across the country, with most services carried out by volunteers. These activities had running costs, as did relief items such as shelters and tents. As the appeal was only 12.5 per cent funded, people could be put in front of this impossible choice of deciding which of these activities to put on hold. IFRC was working hard with partner donors to get these funds as soon as possible.

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, said that the UN Lebanon flash appeal also remained significantly underfunded, having received, up to yesterday, only 38 per cent or 117 million United States dollars of the 308 million that was required. This was limiting the UN’s ability to support the most vulnerable people in the country.

Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Travel

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Director (a.i.), Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, World Health Organization (WHO), reporting on the situation involving hantavirus on a cruise ship that was currently stationed off the coast of Cabo Verde in the Atlantic Ocean, said that as of today, seven of 147 passengers had been reported ill. Sadly, three had died. One patient was in intensive care in South Africa, although this patient was improving. Two patients were still on board the ship and were being prepared for medical evacuation to the Netherlands for treatment. There was also another suspected case who had reported a mild fever, which would make a total of seven cases, with two confirmed and five suspected. This person was currently doing well and was asymptomatic. WHO would continue to update on case numbers. 

Currently, there were no additional symptomatic people on board. The situation was being closely monitored and, as a precaution, passengers had been asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection and other public health measures were carried out. Medical teams from Cabo Verde were providing support on board the ship.

Hantavirus infection was confirmed by laboratory tests in two of the patients by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa, and further tests, including sequencing of the virus, was being conducted, as well as testing of the two symptomatic individuals, with the support from Institute Pasteur of Dakar in Senegal.

Hantaviruses were viruses that are carried by some types of rodents. They could cause severe illness in humans, and they could be fatal. While they were rarely reported, there were thousands of infections that were estimated to occur globally each year. People were usually infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, their droppings, or their saliva. Human-to-human transmission was uncommon. Limited spread among close contacts had been observed in some previous outbreaks of the Andes virus.

WHO was working closely with authorities in Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the ship's operators to coordinate actions to ensure the safety and health of all people on board, while also limiting further spread. WHO had informed all Member States through international health regulation channels and was supporting the medical evacuation of the two sick patients who were stable, on board, in coordination with the Dutch and Cabo Verde authorities and the ship's operators.

Epidemiologic investigations were also underway to better understand the source of exposures of the suspected cases. Contact tracing was ongoing and further laboratory testing continued. WHO was also coordinating information exchanges and actions across all of the Member States that were involved. There were more than 20 nationalities represented by people that are on board. WHO was ensuring appropriate public health measures were in place on board and conducting risk assessments. It had released emergency funds from its contingency fund to support immediate actions. Dr Van Kerkhove thanked all involved in these efforts for their collaboration.

Based on current information and what was known from previous outbreaks, WHO assessed the overall risk to the public as low. It would continue to monitor the situation. It was actively engaged in working with countries and would provide any updates as necessary.

In response to questions, Dr Van Kerkhove said contact tracing had been initiated on the flight from St. Helena to Johannesburg. Authorities in the relevant countries would contact persons on board the plane. Being on a plane did not necessarily mean a high risk of exposure. WHO would report on the progress of this.

WHO was concerned about the people who were on the ship. It was working with authorities to trace anyone who had left the ship in different ports along the cruise. There were plans to medically evacuate the two suspected cases to make sure that they had necessary care. The plan now was for the ship to continue to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities would do a full epidemiologic investigation, a full disinfection of the ship and assess the risk to passengers on board.

PCR and serology tests could be performed to detect hantavirus. This could take a day or a couple of days depending on what was done. Given the timeline of the cases and the incubation period of hantavirus, which could be anywhere from one to six weeks, WHO was assuming that these people were infected off the ship. This was an expedition boat and many of the people on board had been doing bird watching and interacting with wildlife. There could have been some sources of infection on the islands where the ship stopped. However, WHO assumed that there might have been some human-to-human transmission among very close contacts, including the husband and wife who were initially infected and people who had shared cabins. This was why authorities was working to make sure that anyone who was symptomatic was wearing full personal protective equipment. Outbreaks were uncommon, but more likely in enclosed spaces.

One of the persons who had died had not been tested. Right now, there were no specific treatments for hantavirus other than supportive care. Typically, people developed respiratory symptoms. Respiratory support was very important, particularly oxygen. Some patients required mechanical ventilation. WHO sought to ensure that if patients were deteriorating, they received appropriate care and respiratory support.

WHO heard the people affect by the infection. It knew that they were scared and was trying to make sure that they had as much information as possible, which was being communicated through the captain, and a plan to ensure that they were cared for and returned home safely, Dr Van Kerkhove said.

Civilians Impacted Amid Clashes in Mali

Seif Magango for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said OHCHR was deeply troubled by the worsening human rights situation across Mali, following coordinated large-scale attacks by armed groups on several cities and towns on 25 and 26 April, which resulted in heavy casualties reported among civilians, and forced many more to flee their homes.

Subsequent clashes between the Malian security forces and Touareg-led “Azawad Liberation Front”, on one hand, and Al-Qa’idah-linked “Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin” (JNIM) militants, on the other, were reported in Hombori and Gourma Rharous over the weekend – with yet more disastrous consequences for civilians.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk called for an immediate end to the fighting and urged all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including by ensuring protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

There had been gravely concerning reports of extrajudicial killings and abductions, allegedly carried out by members of the security forces following the 25 and 26 April attacks. On 2 May, lawyer and politician Mountaga Tall was abducted from his house by two hooded men and taken to an unidentified location. His wife was physically assaulted as she tried to record the abduction on her mobile phone and her phone confiscated. Three relatives of the exiled politician Oumar Mariko were also reportedly abducted a day earlier. Their whereabouts remained unknown.

The Malian authorities had announced an investigation into the 25-26 April attacks, saying they were committed to bring those responsible to justice. OHCHR called for investigations into the attacks to be comprehensive and address all allegations of related violations and abuses -- undertaken in full compliance with international human rights law and norms. Arrest and detention of suspects needed to be in line with rule of due process, and without discrimination.

There had also been worrying reports of hunger. On 3 May, the mayor of Diafarabe village, in the Mopti region, called on the authorities to act within 48 hours or people would start dying of hunger, as the village had run out of food. Diafarabe and the capital Bamako were currently under a JNIM blockade. Such blockades had unacceptable consequences for civilians and needed to end immediately.

The High Commissioner urged the Malian authorities and all non-State armed groups to allow and facilitate safe, sustainable and unfettered humanitarian access to all those in need.

Call for Water Cooperation in Central Africa

Thomas Croll-Knight for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE) said that, with Central Africa warming faster than the global average and extreme floods and droughts becoming increasingly frequent, representatives from 11 countries had affirmed their commitment to reinforcing cross-border water cooperation in the “Yaoundé Call”, a political declaration that set a roadmap for the region. It urged the 11 member states of the Economic Community of Central African States to accelerate accession to the UN Water Convention, integrate water cooperation into national climate policies, and mobilise innovative financing for shared basin management. It also aimed to reinforce Central Africa’s collective voice ahead of the UN Water Conference in December 2026.

Accession to and implementation of the UN Water Convention – a global legal framework for managing shared waters serviced by UNECE – helped countries strengthen cooperation agreements and advance joint basin management. Since 2018, 14 African countries had acceded to the Convention.

Of the 11 member states of the Economic Community of Central African States, only Chad and Cameroon were so far Parties to the UN Water Convention. However, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Burundi actively engaged in the access process, the Call was expected to spur other countries in the region towards joining this treaty to strengthen the management of shared waters.

Central Africa, which had contributed minimally to global emissions, was disproportionately affected by rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and the degradation of critical freshwater resources such as the Congo Basin - the second largest river basin in the world.

Despite hosting 16 major transboundary rivers, five transboundary lakes, and 17 aquifer systems, much of Central Africa still lacked solid cooperative frameworks for managing shared waters. The Call encouraged countries without cooperation agreements to establish them and engage in inclusive and transparent negotiation processes, supported by the UN Water Convention.

Mr. Croll-Knight also announced that this week in the Palais des Nations, experts from around the world were sharing experiences on the use of new technologies for monitoring, assessment and data sharing in shared basins. The UN Water Convention’s bureau would also meet on 8 May.

Call for Protection of Humanitarian Personnel on the Anniversary of the Founding of IFRC

Tommaso Della Longa for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said today was the 107th anniversary of the founding of the IFRC and it was World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day later this week. However, on this day, we were confronted with a stark reality: humanitarian work was increasingly a death sentence. 

Thirteen volunteers and staff from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies had lost their lives in the first four months of 2026 while carrying out their humanitarian work. Nine of them were killed in violent attacks and four died in accidents while on duty, while many others had faced attacks, injuries and threats. Four members of the Iranian Red Crescent and two volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross were killed on duty since the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East in 2026.

From 2023 to today, almost 100 volunteers and staff from the IFRC network had died or been killed while serving their communities. This was part of a broader global trend, with 2024 marking the deadliest year on record for humanitarians worldwide. 

Since 2023, three National Red Crescent Societies had been particularly hard hit, accounting for more than 70 per cent of deaths in the IFRC network: Palestine Red Crescent (32), Sudanese Red Crescent (23) and Iranian Red Crescent (15). 

What was also particularly striking was that this violence was affecting those closest to communities, and that a greater proportion of humanitarians were dying in violent incidents. In 2025, 99 per cent of humanitarian personnel killed globally were local personnel. Within the IFRC network, the proportion of those killed in violent incidents had also risen sharply in recent years, reaching as high as 92 per cent in 2024.

When a humanitarian worker was killed, it was not only a personal tragedy. It also meant fewer services, less access to care, and greater vulnerability for entire communities. This was not a one-off spike caused by a single incident or context, but a dangerous trend that threatened the security of humanitarian workers.

International humanitarian law was clear: humanitarian personnel, facilities and assets needed to be respected and protected. The emblems of the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal were symbols of protection. Attacks on humanitarian workers were unacceptable and should not be allowed to become normalised.

IFRC called for concrete steps to support measures such as the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. It stood ready to work with governments, the United Nations, and all partners to turn this Declaration into concrete action for real and lasting protection. It was time that this message was heard and acted on; time to stop the cycle of violence.

Announcements

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, said today was World Hand Hygiene Dayand World Portuguese Language Day. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had released a statement for the day, saying that 265 million people spoke Portuguese, a language spoken across four continents. He said that the community of Portuguese language countries reflected the spirit of dialogue and partnership, and the United Nations deeply valued its contribution. Mr. Guterres saluted Portuguese language speakers around the world and called for the Portuguese language to continue to enrich our common humanity and health and help build a more just, peaceful and united world.

Yesterday, the 52^nd session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) began, which would last until 15 May. In the session, which would be held in the Assembly Hall of the Palais des Nations, 14 States would be reviewed by the Working Group for the session: Namibia, Niger, Mozambique, Estonia, Paraguay, Belgium, Denmark, Palau, Somalia, Seychelles, the Solomon Islands, Latvia, Sierra Leone and Singapore. This would be the fourth time these 14 States had undergone a UPR review.

Tomorrow, 6 May, 600 children aged from four to 19 would visit the Palais des Nations to attend the awards ceremony for the Eduki National Competition, which encouraged young people to explore global issues through creative, media-based and action-oriented projects. The purpose of this initiative was to connect Swiss students with the work of international Geneva, with the support of the Swiss Confederation, the Canton and the City of Geneva, and the Eduki Foundation. Ahead of the 2 p.m awards ceremony in Tempus, students would take part in a series of activity in the Palais des Nations, including a mock press briefing and a demonstration by the UN Geneva Security Service K-9 Unit. Selected artworks created for the competition would also be on display.

The third United Nations Virtual Worlds Day would be held on 11–12 May 2026 at ITU Headquarters in Geneva, convening global leaders, ministers and innovators to advance artificial intelligence (AI), spatial intelligence and the “citiverse”. Co-organised by over 20 UN entities, the event would culminate in a Global Call to Action and showcase how frontier technologies could translate the Global Digital Compact into inclusive, people-centred outcomes for cities worldwide. For general information, please contact virtualworlds@itu.int, or contact Karima Cherif of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development at karima.cherif@un.org.

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