Statements and speeches
Statement
Young people, their choices, and the conditions they need to shape their futures
08 July 2026
We are living through a time of profound demographic change. Some countries have historically large numbers of young people. Others are experiencing rapid population ageing. And many are navigating both. Societies and economies are being reshaped by intersecting crises, rising inequalities and disruptive technologies. At the same time, information and misinformation are redefining how we perceive the world around us.
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Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Venezuela
26 June 2026
The people of Venezuela need solidarity now. The international community must not allow this emergency to deepen into a larger human tragedy.
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Remarks by Ms. Diene Keita, Executive Director, UNFPA at the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS
22 June 2026
Investing in HIV prevention is not just a public health decision. It is a deliberate political choice. It takes courage to remove barriers and protect the rights of those most often left behind.
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UNFPA Statement on Activation of Level 3 Emergency for the DRC and Uganda in Response to the Ebola Outbreak
11 June 2026
In response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has activated a Level 3 Emergency designation - the highest level of humanitarian response.
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Statement by Ms. Diene Keita Executive Director, UNFPA at the Annual Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS
11 June 2026
We meet at a time of profound transformation. Financial pressures, geopolitical tensions, demographic change, artificial intelligence and the climate crisis are reshaping our world. At the same time, progress on reproductive rights and choices remains uneven, with hard-won gains coming under challenge in some settings.
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Statement on the outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda by UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita
01 June 2026
As an outbreak of Ebola takes hold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, women and girls cannot be left to bear the burden of this growing crisis.
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In Celebration of Mothers
10 May 2026
Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita As dozens of countries around the world – from Peru to Japan – mark Mother’s Day this month, these moments invite us to honour and celebrate the…
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One million more midwives, four million lives saved
01 May 2026
One million: That’s how many more midwives the world needs by 2035 to save over 4 million lives every year.
Midwives are essential health workers, and they offer a solution to one of the most urgent challenges in global health: preventing women and newborns from dying needlessly from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
Speech
Closing Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita at the 59th Session of the Commission on Population and Development
20 April 2026
The challenges we face today and the issues we discussed this week – technological transformation, demographic shifts, climate change and more – do not respect borders. Our fates are intertwined. Our responses must be, too.
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Opening Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita at the Commission on Population and Development (CPD 59)
17 April 2026
At a time of profound global transformation, this Commission remains indispensable. It is the only global forum where population, human rights and sustainable development converge—anchored in the enduring vision of the Cairo Programme of Action.
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Three Years of conflict in Sudan, Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita
15 April 2026
Today marks three years of conflict in Sudan. Three years on, women and girls in Sudan continue to pay an unbearable price.
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Standing with science for progress and empowerment
07 April 2026
Today, on World Health Day, UNFPA joins the international community in standing with science for a healthier future.
