UN secretary-general marks Ramadan, highlights conflicts and will attend African Union summit

The United Nations on Friday marked the start of Ramadan with the secretary-general urging reflection and renewed efforts to "bridge divides, deliver help and hope" for people affected by conflicts, hunger and discrimination from Afghanistan to Yemen, Gaza and Sudan. The secretary-general underscored the month as "a sacred period of reflection and prayer" and called for safeguarding the rights and dignity of all.

At a press briefing, UN spokesperson Steph said the secretary-general was in Addis Ababa for bilateral talks and meetings with African Union leaders, including a meeting with African Union Commission chair Mahmud Ali Youssef and the incoming AU chair, the president of Angola. Steph said the secretary-general will address the opening session of the 39th African Union Summit and hold a press conference there.

The remarks tied the Ramadan message to ongoing diplomatic work: "Throughout the day, he'll continue to have bilateral meetings, and he'll also have a press conference," Steph said. The office provided embargoed copies of the secretary-general's remarks to the press in advance.

The statement also connected moral appeals to operational priorities, noting that humanitarian partners need increased funding to respond to crises in regions such as Kordofan and elsewhere in Sudan. The briefing said further readouts of the secretary-general's meetings in Addis Ababa would be shared with the press.

The press briefing continued with questions on other topics; the secretary-general's travel schedule and the exact text of any further statements were to be provided by the UN press office in subsequent readouts.