This role contributes to a better understanding of the transformative potential of space technology to address global challenges, including climate change, disaster management and sustainable development.

Professor Cox said UN News that “we must operate in certain areas as one planet; space is one of the best examples,” adding that it “does not respect international borders, which is why you need organizations like the United Nations.”

The United Nations Space Champion is designated by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the United Nations entity based in Vienna responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of outer space.

“Professor Cox has inspired millions of people around the world with his passion for science and his ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible and engaging way,” said Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of UNOOSA.

“His commitment to public understanding of science and his deep belief in the power of space to improve life on Earth align perfectly with our mission at UNOOSA.” »

This honorary position follows the tradition of enlisting the support of eminent individuals to draw attention to UN activities and highlight priority issues. Previous space champions have included astronaut Scott Kelly, named in 2016.

“I am proud and honored to support the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in raising awareness of how space solutions can advance progress for all of us,” said Professor Cox.

“Their work is a powerful reminder that space is about more than curiosity-driven exploration of the cosmos; it’s about creating a stronger, more sustainable global economy for everyone on Earth and moving humanity forward, together.”

Listen to the full interview here:

Nicolas Koumjian, head of Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), told the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly that “the frequency and severity of international crimes in Myanmar have intensified.”

Warning that civilians of all ethnicities are bearing the brunt, he said: “We have gathered evidence that those detained by military authorities have been tortured and subjected to various forms of sexual violence. »

“We have evidence of the identity of the perpetrators and their commanders.”

Koumjian added that his team also documented summary executions and attacks on schools, hospitals and places of worship, with the army increasingly relying on airstrikes.

He noted that in Rakhine State, where the Arakan Army (an armed ethnic group fighting against Myanmar’s military junta) has seized most of the territory, the military’s brutal response has left civilians destitute and hungry.

“[We are] “to gather evidence of several alleged atrocities, including drone attacks targeting civilians, executions, rapes, torture and the obstruction of humanitarian aid to a population facing starvation,” he said.

An invisible crisis

Tom Andrews, UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, said the situation has worsened significantly, with almost 22 million people now in need of assistance and 16.7 million facing acute food insecurity.

The March earthquakes in central Myanmar left around 200,000 people homeless, damaged 157,000 buildings and caused losses estimated at $11 billion.

“The military junta has turned this natural disaster into a humanitarian catastrophe,” Mr Andrews said. “They systematically blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid, harassed and threatened aid workers, looted homes and medical supplies, and forcibly conscripted young people into the army. »

Airstrikes against civilian targets increased in the aftermath, surpassing pre-earthquake levels. The health system has also been targeted, with 169 attacks on medical facilities and personnel in the first eight months of 2025, while food shortages in central Rakhine state have sharply worsened, leaving 58 percent of families unable to meet their basic needs.

“The crisis is getting worse every day,” he warned. “This is not just a national tragedy; it affects the entire region and beyond. »

Lack of funds jeopardizes efforts

Mr. Koumjian also warned that a funding gap could soon force the Mechanism to lose a third of its staff – including experts on gender-based crimes and crimes against children – undermining accountability efforts.

“Securing justice for crimes committed in Myanmar sends an important message,” he said, “that the international community will not stand idly by when civilians are targeted and international law is ignored.”

“Time passes”

Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Myanmar, echoed these concerns, calling for renewed diplomatic engagement as “time passes.”

She described a “deeply worrying trend of indiscriminate attacks on civilians” and said planned elections in Myanmar risk “escalating violence and instability,” with opposition groups viewing them as illegitimate.

She warned that those supporting these elections “should consider the potential consequences…no election should put human lives at risk.”

Independent experts

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country are both mandated by the UN. Human Rights Council to monitor abuse and demand accountability.

The IIMM is responsible for collecting and preserving evidence of international crimes for future legal proceedings.

The Special Rapporteur is an independent expert, not a UN staff member, who reports impartially on the human rights situation.

Presenting the International Atomic Energy Agency’s annual report to the General Assembly, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the past year had highlighted the importance of “knowing exactly the situation regarding nuclear materials and activities” in countries of concern.

THE IAEA “is working very determinedly to try to re-establish the essential dialogue” with Iran on inspection regimes and uranium enrichment, in order to facilitate a diplomatic solution.

“Inspections continue in Iran,” he noted, but “there is still some way to go” before the Agency’s monitoring and verification activities can be fully restored.

He highlighted a “technical agreement” reached in Cairo in July aimed at reestablishing inspections, stressing that “it is now up to us – Iran and ourselves – to continue» to guarantee the integrity of the non-proliferation regime in a region which has “experienced sufficient suffering”.

Syria

Regarding Syria, Grossi said his visit to Damascus earlier this year sparked “positive conversations” and that the IAEA was “reestablishing our inspection work there” to clarify unresolved questions about past nuclear activities.

Successful engagement, he said, could help reintegrate Syria “in a positive and constructive way” into the international community.

Ukraine

The IAEA chief also highlighted the agency’s continued presence on site at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – where “external forces” [electrical] the power supply had been interrupted,” posing a dangerous risk to the reactor’s cooling systems.

The IAEA is monitoring the situation in collaboration with Ukraine and Russia, which has helped “address a very dangerous situation”, while warning that conditions at the Russian-occupied site remain precarious.

Defending the non-proliferation regime

Mr. Grossi called for a renewed international commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which he described as an anchor of “stability and certainty in a world that sorely needs it.”

He also highlighted the rapid growth in the peaceful use of nuclear energy technology and the work of the IAEA to ensure public safety.

The Agency’s initiatives include training female nuclear industry workers through Marie Curie and Lise Meitner scholarships and deploying nuclear technology for health, food safety and environmental protection.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the South Sudan Human Rights Commission highlighted the escalation of armed clashes, political detentions and widespread human rights violations, calling for coordinated efforts to protect civilians and uphold justice.

“South Sudan’s political transition collapses“, Commissioner Barney Afako declared to the Assembly. “The ceasefire does not hold, political detentions have become a tool of repression, key provisions of the peace agreement are systematically violated, and government forces resort to aerial bombardments of civilian areas.. All indicators point to a return to another deadly war.”

The fighting intensifies

The Commission noted that fighting has intensified since March, displacing more than 370,000 civilians within the country and pushing many more into neighboring countries.

In South Sudan, nearly 2.6 million people remain displaced, in addition to some 600,000 refugees, mainly from Sudan.

“The suffering of the South Sudanese people is not collateral damage: it is the direct consequence of a political failure,” said commission chair Yasmin Sooka.

“Once again, civilians are being bombed, women are being raped, children are being displaced and forcibly conscripted into combat roles.and entire communities live in fear – all of this is a tragic repeat of South Sudan’s painful past. This war against the people of South Sudan is man-made and preventable.

Investigators highlighted the growing complexity of the conflict, with political power struggles mixed with ethnic tensions and local grievances.

Government reshuffles and partisan appointments have increased distrust among signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Accord, while localized fighting is being exploited for political and military purposes.

Billions extracted, “while the population dies of hunger”

Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández linked the crisis to corruption: “Billions in oil revenues siphoned off as people starve. Hospitals have no medicine, schools have no teachers and soldiers go unpaid while the elites enrich themselves through opaque contracts and off-budget deals. Corruption is not a side effect of conflict, it is one of its drivers,” he said.

The Commission’s report also details persistent sexual violence, forced recruitment of children and extrajudicial killings, with the complicity of national authorities in some cases.

Rule of law institutions remain underfunded and promises to reform detention powers have largely gone unfulfilled.

Investigators called on the UN, African Union and regional partners to ensure accountability, accelerate the creation of the hybrid court for South Sudan and engage the political class in an inclusive process.

Handshakes are not enough

“Peace will not come through words or handshakes“, said Sooka. “This will happen through concrete actions: ending impunity, protecting civilians and building institutions that serve people, not power. Justice and accountability must not remain promises deferred. The international community must move beyond expressions of concern and adopt concrete and coordinated action. Otherwise, the suffering will only intensify.

The South Sudan Human Rights Commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2016, is an independent body responsible for investigating human rights violations in the country. Its mandate is renewed each year and its members serve without receiving any salary.

Yet the idea that development must be people-centered, inclusive and fair is far from new. It’s a vision the world committed to 30 years ago at a United Nations summit in Copenhagen and one that still resonates today.

Next week, world leaders will gather in Doha, Qatar, for a high-level United Nations conference aimed at reviving that vision. From November 4 to 6, the Second World Summit for Social Development will bring together heads of state, ministers, civil society and experts to assess progress, address persistent gaps and chart a new way forward.

At the heart of this crisis lies a simple but powerful question: how can we ensure that no one is left behind?

“The summit comes at a critical time,” said Li Junhua, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs.

He explained: “Inequalities are growing. Trust is eroding. Communities are grappling with conflict, climate shocks and rapid technological change. And yet we also see extraordinary innovation, resilience and solidarity. This is our chance to rebuild trust between governments and their people – and between nations. »

A global call to action

Bjørg Sandkjær, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said the Summit represents a “global call to action” at a time when more than a billion people still live in complex poverty and 40 percent of the world’s population lacks access to social protection.

The meeting, she said UN Newsit’s about renewing confidence in collective progress – “have confidence that we can make a difference. »

This meeting follows months of intergovernmental negotiations in New York which resulted in an agreement on the Doha Political Declarationwhich should be formally adopted during the opening session.

The Declaration is at the heart of the Summit, underlined Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN.

“It is a global call to action reiterating the commitment of governments to create an economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment conducive to social development for all.” she said.

A pivotal moment

With only five years left to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030, the world will lag behind on many fronts. Progress in reducing poverty has slowed, gender equality has stalled, and many young people face a precarious future.

Last year, when member states convened this summit, they sent a clear message: social development must once again take center stageexplained ASG Sandkjær.

It is about reaffirming its commitment to the heart of 2030 Agenda and ensure that no one is left behind.

Dynamic and inclusive

Alongside the official plenaries, a parallel program will add a participatory and forward-looking dimension to the Summit.

A Civil Society Forum, Private Sector Forum and the interactive Solutions Square will highlight innovations in employment, social protection and community resilience. Youth and academic networks will take center stage, embodying a spirit of co-creation and shared responsibility.

A new Doha Solutions Platform for Social Developmentlaunched jointly by host country Qatar with France, will highlight concrete commitments and new initiatives – from policy reforms to partnerships tackling poverty, work and inclusion.

“Doha once again stands as a symbol of global solidarity, where commitments inspire actions, partnerships and drive progress. and the shared vision of an inclusive, sustainable and peaceful future for all comes to life,” Ambassador Al-Thani said.

The circle is closed

For Ms Sandkjær, who attended the first World Summit in Copenhagen in 1995 as a young activist, Doha represents both continuity and change. At the time, she recalls, there was great optimism – a belief that multilateralism and cooperation would continue to advance.

“Young people today face tougher challenges: misinformation, climate anxiety, mistrust,” she said. “But my message to them is simple: your commitment matters. Raise your voice, form partnerships, push for action.”

From words to actions

The success of the Summit will not be measured by speeches but by implementation, she stressed.

With a strong statement and partnerships already in place, “the real test, she said, is translate commitments into real improvements in people’s lives – decent jobs, social protection, inclusion. This is how we will know we have succeeded.»

A live UN Info report!

As world leaders gather in Doha, expectations are high – and so is the sense of urgency. Thirty years after Copenhagen, the task remains the same: to build a world where progress is measured not only in terms of wealth, but also well-being, equality and human dignity.

UN News will report live from Doha throughout the Summit, bringing stories, interviews and insights from world leaders, young activists, civil society and innovators driving change.

Follow our coverage across digital and social platforms for real-time updates and human stories from this landmark gathering for social development.