Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary general, speaking during a press stake-out, Human Rights Council 55th Session, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, on 26 Feb 2024. (UN Photo /Pierre Albouy)

🌍 UN’s secretary general warns the world is becoming ‘less safe by the day’. Opening the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Antonio Guterres said made a plea for greater respect for human rights and peace around the world as combatants in places such as Congo, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine and Sudan turn a “blind eye” to international law.

➖In Geneva, a ‘summit’ calls for the elimination of UNRWA. The pro-Israeli NGO UN Watch held a discreet conference in a restaurant near the UN. The organisation, which invited a range of personalities including the American Dennis Ross, believes that UN Palestinian refugee agency perpetuates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

🛠️ WTO in ‘damage control’ mode as Abu Dhabi agenda unravels. The failure of WTO member countries to produce anything meaningful at the group’s 13th Ministerial Conference could further erode the Geneva-based organization’s ability to create new global trade rules.

🇮🇳 India minister no-show on WTO conference opening day. The country’s trade minister, seen as the main holdout in global trade talks in Abu Dhabi, missed the start of the four-day talks, sparking concerns that his absence could hamper progress on key discussions.