Counter-terrorism, Venezuela & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (29 June 2026) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: High-level Conference on Counter-terrorism Deputy Secretary-General Venezuela Afghanistan/Pakistan Lebanon/Israel Security Council Occupied Palestinian Territory Security Council/Afternoon Sudan UNDP Report Day of the Tropics Financial Contribution Guest today High-level conference on Counter-terrorism This morning, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at the 4th High-level conference on Counter-terrorism. He told participants that this year’s meeting takes place at a moment of acute instability. This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and an opportunity to assess progress and to strengthen our resolve. Looking ahead, the Secretary-General highlighted four priorities. He highlighted prevention, cooperation, technology and values. He told Member States that our response must be rooted in the very principles that terror seeks to destroy, adding that our efforts must be firmly grounded in the rule of law and in human rights. Terrorism is evolving, the Secretary-General said and so must we. Through prevention, through cooperation, and through unwavering commitment to human rights, we can build a safer world, where people everywhere live free from fear. Venezuela In Venezuela, we, along with our humanitarian partners are rapidly scaling up life‑saving assistance, as the Government continues to lead the response. Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us international search and rescue operations are fully mobilized, with more than 70 search and rescue teams and other specialized teams, and more than 2,300 personnel working side by side with national authorities. Several people have already been rescued alive from the rubble, even as the death toll continues to rise and many remain unaccounted for. As the critical window to save lives narrows, humanitarian partners are expanding emergency support across health, shelter, water and sanitation, and logistics, including through multisectoral assistance sites in La Guaira and other affected municipalities. Our colleagues from the World Food Programme are on the ground, providing logistics, food and other assistance as part of the broader humanitarian response. The UN Refugee Agency prepositioned core relief items are already being actively utilized in the emergency response by partners and authorities. Caritas Venezuela is supporting the establishment of shelters for affected persons in Caracas and La Guaira, including through the use of 400 tents previously donated by UNHCR. The Fundación para el Desarrollo del Servicio Eléctrico (Fundelec), attached to the Ministry of Electric Energy, reported that it will install 182 solar powered streetlights previously donated by UNHCR in affected areas of La Guaira. For its part, working alongside the Government of Venezuela, the United Nations system and other humanitarian partners, UNICEF has activated a scaled-up emergency response, deploying additional staff and mobilizing supplies to reach an estimated 650,000 people, including 234,000 children, with assistance across health, nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection and education. A first UNICEF air shipment of 20 metric tons of medical supplies, water and sanitation items arrived in Valencia from UNICEF’s regional warehouse in Panama on 27 June. A second shipment from UNICEF’s global supply hub in Copenhagen is planned in the days ahead. Together, the two shipments are expected to support more than 100,000 people. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...