Refugee Convention, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (28 July 2026) | United Nations

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-general António Guterres. Highlights: Secretary-General/Cyprus Refugee Convention Security Council Occupied Palestinian Territory UN Relief and Works Agency Lebanon Sudan Afghanistan World Heritage Sites Trafficking Victims World Hepatitis Day SECRETARY-GENERAL/CYPRUS The Secretary-General is currently in Cyprus. His visit comes as part of his good offices mission and to show his strong commitment to the Cyprus issue. Earlier today, he met separately with Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, Leader of the Greek Cypriot Community, and with Mr. Tufan Erhürman, Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community. Following his meetings, the Secretary-General emphasized that this is a visit of solidarity with the people of Cyprus and that he will do everything he can to support the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in this very important moment. The Secretary-General held a number of meetings today, including the co-chairs of the Technical Committees and civil society representatives. The Secretary-General also visited the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, which is the island's oldest bi-communal institution, as well as the Committee's Anthropological Laboratory. The Secretary-General visited the UN Buffer Zone, where he laid a wreath at the permanent monument dedicated to the service and sacrifice of all the peacekeepers who have served on the island since 1964. The monument honours the memory of the 187 peacekeepers from 11 countries who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace in Cyprus. He then toured the Buffer Zone. Later today, the Secretary-General will have a joint dinner with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders. He will continue his engagements in Cyprus tomorrow. REFUGEE CONVENTION Today is the 75th anniversary of the entry into force of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and the Secretary-General said that the Convention has saved millions of lives and stands among the clearest expressions of our common humanity. Today, he warned, that promise is under strain. Conflicts are multiplying, persecution persists, and growing numbers are forced to flee. Meanwhile, the right to seek asylum is too often questioned, restricted, or denied. The Refugee Convention is not a relic of another era, Mr. Guterres said.  It remains as necessary today as when it was adopted. It is not an obstacle to be circumvented, but a foundation to be upheld - through access to protection, fair and humane asylum procedures, and full respect for the principle of non-refoulement, all without discrimination. It also means rejecting policies that externalize protection responsibilities, or penalize people for seeking safety, or make protection conditional on nationality, religion, ethnicity, or route of arrival. He calls on every Member State to renew its commitment to the letter and spirit of the Convention, and to choose solidarity over indifference, and humanity over fear. Also, on the anniversary of the Refugee Convention, 75 leading figures from across society have today joined the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in launching, The Promise, a global statement of solidarity with refugees. Convened by UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, the initiative aims to build a global coalition in support of refugee protection at a time when the international system faces growing challenges. Among the signatories are actor-filmmakers Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie and Ben Stiller; Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad and others. Their participation reflects broad support from across society for protecting the right to seek asylum and standing in solidarity with refugees.