UN INFORMATION SERVICE GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING

21 April 2026

Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance

Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations, Co-Chair of the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, said that the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance had been established by UN Member States. This was the first universal forum to discuss AI governance, in which all Member States and various stakeholders could be involved, with a tangible outcome. On 6-7 July, the first meeting of the Global Dialogue would take place in Geneva, along with the AI for Good Summit, to be followed by another Global Dialogue in New York in May 2027. The two Co-Chairs had been engaging with different Member States and stakeholders to ensure that the format be as inclusive as possible, and a process was now underway to put forward a proposal on how to structure the first meeting of the Global Dialogue this July. One cluster would be on AI opportunities and implications, while another would cover AI divide, informed Ambassador López.

Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations, Co-Chair of the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, underlined that the Global Dialogue would be a place where different initiatives and best practices would be brought together, with the objective of creating synergies. There were many good initiatives on AI around the world, so the goal was to ensure that the Global Dialogue give a chance for all these initiatives to come together and create an added value. He stressed the importance of interoperability and working together, which would be at the core of the Global Dialogue meeting in Geneva on 6-7 July. One cluster would look exactly into such interoperability, while another would focus on respecting, protecting and promoting human rights. The safety cluster, he informed, would look into what worked and identify the areas which needed further development and protection. While human rights were a cross-cutting issue, many stakeholders felt strongly that this should be a stand-alone theme as well, said Ambassador Tammsaar.

Amandeep Gill, Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, stated that the Global Dialogue was part of a comprehensive approach towards using AI for the whole of humanity. The process allowed various stakeholders to learn from each other in a very fast-paced environment. He informed that the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI would be having its first in-person meeting in Madrid this week, and its report would be presented at the Global Dialogue in Geneva in July. Capacity to use AI for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to govern AI effectively remained uneven, and there was a need to bridge this existing divide. Mr. Gill stressed that the Global Dialogue was a “dialogue of dialogues” and that its objective was not to centralize the process, but to make it as inclusive and comprehensive as possible.

More information about the Global Dialogue is available here, and all details about the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI can be found here.

Responding to questions from the media, Ambassador López said that their mandate did not include non-military uses of AI. She acknowledged that there were various initiatives on AI already underway; the Global Dialogue aimed to provide an inclusive, comprehensive space for discussions, as mandated by the UN General Assembly. The Co-Chairs were working with various parts of the UN to ensure that the topic be addressed in the most comprehensive way possible. Ambassador Tammsaar said that there was enthusiasm and hope that the UN could indeed provide a suitable place where best practices could be shared, leading to synergies and an action-oriented approach. USG Gill stressed that we were still in early stages of these powerful technologies. He informed that the Panel and the Dialogue were happening in parallel. He further stated that while the Dialogue would not go into military domains, it would consider general safety and human rights aspects of these technologies.

Threat of fragile conditions on growing returns in Sudan

Sung Ah Lee, Deputy Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for Management and Reforms, speaking from Khartoum, stated that nearly four million people had voluntarily returned to their places of origin, particularly to Aj Jazirah and Khartoum. Many were returning because they believed security had improved. Others returned because life in displacement had become unbearable, because of economic pressures, to reunite with families, or because conditions in neighbouring countries were increasingly hard. These movements spoke to the resilience and determination of Sudanese communities. People wanted to rebuild, they wanted to return to their land, their homes, and their livelihoods, but the reality many encountered upon arrival was stark. Returning home should mark the beginning of recovery but in Sudan today, it was often the beginning of another struggle for survival. Across the country, the impacts of conflict remained severe.

Ms. Ah Lee informed that at the height of the crisis, nearly 12 million people had fled heavily affected areas, while more than four million had crossed into neighbouring countries. Today, almost nine million people remained internally displaced. Through partnerships with Sudanese authorities and local actors, IOM was working to support communities beyond emergency relief, toward recovery, resilience and stability. However, the scale of needs remained immense. IOM had been able to reach four million people in Sudan alone with lifesaving humanitarian aid since 2023. IOM had released its 2026 Sudan Crisis Response Plan that seeks USD 170 million to respond to the rising needs even as more than two million additional people were expected to return to Khartoum alone in 2026. This was a pivotal moment for Sudan. Ms. Ah Lee concluded by stressing that with sustained partnership, coordinated action and adequate resources, return movements could become a pathway toward recovery and stability not the beginning of another crisis.

Full briefing note is available here.

29^th Annual Meeting of Mine Action Directors and UN Advisers

Lee Woodyear, for the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), said that the 29^th Annual Meeting of Mine Action Directors and UN Advisers in Geneva this week would bring together 800 mine action specialists from more than 80 countries, including some 60 mine-contaminated countries. On 23 April at noon, he informed, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, would hold a press conference at the Palais des Nations, while the following day, 24 April at 9:30 am, another press conference would be held to provide updates on mine action work, specifically ridding the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Ukraine of explosive hazards and landmines; the devastating impact of explosive weapons on children 2020–2025; and legacy contamination in the Solomons Islands.

Kazumi Ogawa, Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), informed that she had started as UNMAS Director in February 2026. The 29th Annual Meeting of Mine Action Directors and UN Advisers would commence in Geneva on 22 April at 10 am, to be opened by USG Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the keynote address would be delivered by Maryam Bukar Hassan, the first UN Global Advocate for Peace, and a poetess from the Borno State, Nigeria, a region heavily affected by unexploded ordnance. Ms. Ogawa said that this year’s theme “One Humanity” stressed that we were all dealing with this challenge together, and it was our responsibility to rid the world of landmines and UXOs before civilians, often children, became victims. Twenty-nine years ago, she reminded, Lady Diana had walked through the minefields of Angola, bringing visibility to the danger of landmines. The Anti-Personnel Landmine Convention, known as the Ottawa Treaty, was one of the most successful disarmament treaties, but regrettably some States were now withdrawing from the Treaty, noted Ms. Ogawa. The upcoming meeting was an opportunity for practitioners to share their best practices and know-how. Various mine experts and advisers were available for interviews and in-depth briefings, she said.

Tobias Privitelli, Director of the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining, said that this year’s meeting was taking place in a particularly difficult environment, with international humanitarian law under pressure and increasing mine contamination. More than 100 million people in over 60 countries lived with threats of landmines and other unexploded ordnance. In 2024, over 6,200 casualties had been caused by landmines, cluster munitions and other UXOs. More than half of the victims had been children, and over 90 percent had been civilians. In Syria, for example, there were incidents every day, with over 1,200 people killed in 2025. Ukraine had the largest contaminated territory in the world, with 38 percent of agricultural lands in frontline areas reported to be contaminated. In Gaza, the use of explosive weapons in heavily populated areas would make decontamination technically very complex. This week in Geneva, on the agenda, among other topics, would be protection of civilians in active conflicts; climate impacts of contamination; and innovation and data. The problem was growing, and the response would need to evolve too, stressed Mr. Privitelli.

Answering questions, Mr. Privitelli said that this was a global gathering and not limited to the countries that who had signed the Ottawa Convention. In 2024, there had been 6,200 confirmed casualties, which included injured and killed people, 90 percent of whom civilians.

Global Overview of Migration Routes and Missing Migrants Project Families Report

Maria Moita, Director of the Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that the IOM was releasing today new data showing that nearly 8,000 migrants had been reported dead or missing worldwide in 2025, bringing the total since 2014 to more than 82,000. These figures reflected a collective failure to save lives. IOM estimated that since 2014, 340,000 family members had been directly affected by migrant deaths. Pressures had not eased, and routes kept changing, said Ms. Moita. Journeys had become longer, more fragmented, and increasingly dangerous. The data was clear: a decrease in arrivals in one location did not mean fewer people were moving; the risks were simply becoming less visible, she stressed. Despite declines in arrivals in some regions, the data showed migration routes are shifting rather than easing, with risks remaining high along increasingly dangerous journeys. This data was critical because it made it possible to identify where risks were increasing and where action was needed. These findings served as a clear reminder that saving lives had to remain at the core of migration governance. Ahead of the International Migration Review Forum 2026, Ms. Moita stressed that migration had to be made safer; behind every number was a human life, and behind every missing migrant was a family searching for answers.

IOM’s press release is available here.

Responding to a question, Andrea Garcia, also for IOM, said that the number for 2025 – about 8,000 - was lower than the number for 2024, which had stood at over 9,000. However, it had to be considered that in 2025, there had been a growing trend of missing information, which made it harder for the IOM to confirm deaths. The deadliest routes were the Central Mediterranean, the Bay of Bengal, and the land route used by Afghans leaving their country. IOM data came from many different sources, including governments, informed Ms. Garcia. IOM was trying its best to utilize the information available to have more precise estimates. This was the first time IOM had released estimates of numbers of family members affected, which was still conservative. 2025 had seen the lowest number of deaths in the Americas, since the records had begun in 2014, due to the decreased movements northward and the lack of capacity to record numbers. Ms. Moita added that the US Government’s change of migration policy had led to a 98 percent decrease in migration in the Darian. While this was a huge decrease, more people were going southbound from Mexico, as the situation for them there remained dire.

“People and nature in UNESCO-designated sites: Global and local contributions”

Tales Carvalho Resende, Natural Heritage Specialist at the World Heritage Centre of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), speaking from Paris, said that UNESCO-designated sites were places recognised for their exceptional value to humanity. They spanned a diverse range of landscapes and approaches, including World Heritage sites that safeguarded places of outstanding universal value, Biosphere Reserves that promoted balanced relationships between conservation and sustainable development, and UNESCO Global Geoparks that integrated the protection of geological heritage with education and local development. Now, the first global assessment of UNESO-designated sites brought encouraging news: UNESCO-designated sites were bringing positive results for both people and nature. Some 20 leading research institutions worldwide had contributed to the study, which delivered the first global assessment of over 2,260 World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks, a network covering an area larger than China and India combined and supporting around ten percent of the world’s population in over 175 countries. Generations of interactions between people and nature these sites were proving very resilient, supporting communities and regulating climate.

Wildlife populations in these sites had remained stable, while globally they had significantly decreased. These sites also played an essential role in mitigating climate change. These sites proved that people and nature could go together and did not need to be seen as competing priorities. Behind the positive story, however, we needed to be aware that the pressure was intensifying, especially coming from climate change. Every fraction of a degree mattered, and the resilience of these sites was strong, but it was not unlimited or guaranteed. Mr. Carvalho Resende concluded by stating that we now had solid global evidence that investing in these sites had multiple benefits, for people, nature and the planet. The message was clear: these sites were not just heritage from the past, but also a foundation for the future.

UNESCO’s report can be accessed here.

Announcements

Thomas Croll-Knight, for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), announced that the UNECE Resource Management Week 2026 would take place from 27 April to 1 May. Resource availability and energy security were increasingly high on the political agenda, of particular note were critical minerals, recently discussed at the UN Security Council, and a priority of the French Presidency of the G7. The Resource Management Week would highlight tools and strategies for resource management in the energy transition, supporting energy security, affordability and sustainability. This week would gather a number of UNECE bodies, including the Expert Group on Resource Management and the Group of Experts on Gas. On 23 April at 10:30 am, Dario Liguti, Director of the Sustainable Energy Division at UNECE, would hold a press conference on critical minerals: myths and realities.

This week also, a UNECE delegation led by the UNECE Executive Secretary would contribute to the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Central Asia in Astana. A high-level session on the Common Environmental Agenda for Central Asia would mark the start of the Regional Environmental Performance Review process, which aimed to strengthen political commitment to a coordinated regional approach to ecological priorities and support a just, inclusive and resilient green transition.

Clare Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that 22 April would be Mother Earth Day, on which occasion a new joint report by WMO and the Food and Agricultural Organization would be released on the impact of extreme heat on agriculture. It was expected that both the report and the press release would be shared later today. Ms. Nullis said that on 23 April a WMO information note on El Niño was expected. The State of Europe Climate Report was expected to be released on 29 April by the WMO and the Copernicus Climate Change Service, informed Ms. Nullis. An embargoed press conference would take place on 27 April at 1 pm.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that today and the following day, the four candidates for the UN Secretary-General would take part in interactive dialogues, which would be webcast live at this schedule: today, at 4 pm Geneva time – Michelle Bachelet; today at 9 pm – Rafael Mariano Gross; 22 April, at 4 pm – Rebeca Grynspan; 22 April at 9 pm – Macky Sall. The dialogues would be chaired by the President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock.

Finally, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination would begin this afternoon its review of the report of Uzbekistan, while the Committee against Torture had begun this morning its review of the report of Gabon.

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TOPICS

IOM Zoe Brennan (PR) with Sung Ah Lee, IOM Deputy Director General for Management and Reforms (From Khartoum)

• The threat of fragile conditions on growing returns in Sudan

UNMAS Lee Woodyear (PR) with Kazumi Ogawa, Director UN Mine Action Service and

Ambassador Tobias Privitelli, Director, Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining

• The 29th Annual Meeting of Mine Action Directors and UN Advisers will take place at the Geneva International Conference Center from 22 to 24 April 2026.

IOM Zoe Brennan (PR) with Maria Moita, IOM Director of the Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery (PR)

• Launch of the Global Overview of Migration Routes and Missing Migrants Project families report

UNESCO Tales Carvalho Resende, Co-author of the report, Natural Heritage Specialist, UNESCO World Heritage Centre (From Paris)

• Launch of UNESCO’s first data-driven report across all 2,260 sites, showing wildlife remains stable in protected areas despite global collapse