Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
** Guests
Great, we are all set. Today, my guests will be the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza. In a short while, they will join us virtually from Lebanon to brief on the situation in the country.
And tomorrow, we will be joined virtually from Jerusalem by Nestor Owomuhangi, the UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund] Palestine Representative. He will brief you on his recent visit to Gaza.
** Lebanon
Of course, they will brief you on the political and humanitarian situations, but we have an update from our peacekeeping colleagues in southern Lebanon. Over the past 24 hours, the exchanges of fire between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hizbullah have continued to intensify. Peacekeepers observe large-scale air strikes by Israel, mainly across southern Lebanon, concurrent with its ground activities in the areas of Marun ar Ras, Bint Jbeil, Aytarun, Kafr Kila and Labbouneh. They have also continued to observe fire by Hizbullah towards Israel.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has confirmed that yesterday [8 October] IDF personnel vacated their position in the vicinity of UNIFIL post UNP 6‑52, although movement of IDF personnel and vehicles continues on a nearby road. Some UN positions have been impacted, sustaining damage from numerous incidents, including to a security camera at UNP 1‑31, damage to perimeter walls, gunshots on a vehicle and shrapnel damage to prefab accommodation. Fortunately, there are no reports of peacekeepers wounded.
As we have been saying repeatedly, the safety and security of our peacekeepers is a paramount priority and is a shared responsibility of all parties. All parties must abide by their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. We also reiterate our call, both for immediate de-escalation and for the parties to return to a cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of resolution 1701.
** Senior Personnel Appointment
I have an announcement that you have been waiting for for a while. The Secretary-General has announced the appointment of Tom Fletcher of the United Kingdom as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He succeeds Martin Griffiths of the United Kingdom, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for his outstanding work, dedicated service and long-standing commitment to the Organization.
The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who will continue to serve as Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator until Mr. Fletcher assumes his position. Mr. Fletcher is currently the Principal of Hertford College, Oxford, since 2020 and the Vice-Chair of Oxford University’s Conference of Colleges since 2022. He has strong experience of leading and transforming organizations and bringing an understanding of diplomacy at the highest levels. He previously served as Global Strategy Director, Global Business Coalition for Education, and led work for former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on refugee education. Lots more online.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has an update on the situation in the northern areas. You will recall that in recent days, Israeli authorities once again ordered more than 400,000 people who remain north of Wadi Gaza to move south, while at the same time tightening access restrictions and expanding military operations in the north. Crossing points into northern Gaza have been largely closed for both humanitarian and commercial supplies. Checkpoints inside Gaza are only permitting civilians to move south — and allowing just a trickle of humanitarian movement into the north.
OCHA warns that these developments are forcing services critical for people’s survival to shut down one by one. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), seven schools sheltering displaced people are being evacuated, and only two of eight water wells in the Jabalya refugee camp remain functional. The north is also facing severe shortages of bread and food supplies. Explosive munitions burned down the only bakery supported by the World Food Programme in Jabalya refugee camp.
Today, OCHA and the World Health Organization (WHO) tried to reach northern Gaza to support the Kamal Adwan hospital after Israeli authorities ordered its immediate evacuation. After receiving a green light from the Israeli authorities for the mission, the team was forced to wait at a holding point for many hours. Ultimately, the mission had to be aborted.
Despite these challenges, aid workers are seizing any opportunity to support people in northern Gaza. UNRWA is utilizing limited stocks already in the north to distribute high-energy biscuits from WFP [World Food Programme] to children in designated shelters and delivering bread bundles to families in certain areas. Hot meals are being distributed by our partners to newly displaced families, some of whom are also receiving tents. And water is being delivered using trucks. The Security Council will hear from UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini and OCHA’s Lisa Doughten about Gaza at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
**Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The Secretary-General is on his way to Vientiane, in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, to attend the fourteenth ASEAN–UN Summit. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In his remarks at the Summit, the Secretary-General is expected to underscore the importance of the ASEAN–UN partnership, which is growing stronger. He will also address the ASEAN countries’ critical role in continuing to pursue peaceful means of resolving disputes in the region. The Secretary-General will, in addition, speak on the issue of climate change, as the ASEAN countries represent one of the most climate-vulnerable regions on earth. He will also address the implementation of the Pact for the Future. During his visit, the Secretary-General will hold bilateral meetings with the President and the Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, as well as with other leaders present in Vientiane. He will return to New York on Saturday.
**Deputy Secretary-General
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan for the Pre-COP [Conference of Parties] 29 meeting, which focuses on climate financing. This morning, she delivered remarks at the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, calling for a historic step change on climate finance and securing a just, fair transition for all countries. The Deputy Secretary-General met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukhtar Babayev, as well as the President-Designate of COP29 and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov. In all these meetings, she spoke of the importance of getting a tangible outcome at COP29 and reiterated our support.
** Libya
Stephanie Koury, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Libya, briefed the Security Council on the recent crisis over the Central Bank and its resolution. She told Council members that, if unilateral actions continue, they will only undermine Libya’s sovereignty, plunge the country into further crisis and distract from the task at hand — paving the way to a comprehensive political solution. Ms. Koury said that the resolution of the Central Bank crisis signals hope for progress on an inclusive political process facilitated by the United Nations, which can take the country to general elections. The UN Support Mission in Libya is actively working to advance such a process, for which international support remains crucial. She said that it is time to dispel a perception that the UN and international community are only working to manage the crisis in Libya but not address it. She intends to build on recent positive achievements and advance an inclusive political process in the coming weeks aimed at breaking the political deadlock and moving towards national elections.
** Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 183 aid trucks have entered the country from Chad via the Adre border crossing, which was reopened by the Sudanese authorities in August. These trucks have transported more than 5,600 metric tons of food, shelter, medical, nutrition and other support, sufficient for more than 561,000 people, including those in areas facing famine. With the rainy season ending, we and our partners are rushing to scale up deliveries of life-saving assistance via cross-border and crossline routes. But to do that, we need unimpeded access, for both relief items and humanitarian personnel, and stepped-up funding.
** South Sudan
Moving to South Sudan, where Nicholas Haysom, the Head of our UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] peacekeeping operation, briefed the press today. Mr. Haysom focused on the extension of the country’s ongoing transitional period to February 2027, urging leaders to arrive at compromises and make progress on outstanding benchmarks. He warned that both the international community and the South Sudanese are running out of patience with the current political stagnation. Mr. Haysom said that the UN continues to use its expertise to help galvanize momentum in creating an enabling environment for elections. But, he said, vital decisions need to be taken now by South Sudan’s political leaders to prevent further extensions or, worse, a relapse into violence.
**Zambia
Turning to Zambia, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are concerned about a surge in the number of people experiencing high levels of food insecurity in the country. That’s according to a new analysis this month by the IPC — the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification — which says the number of people in crisis levels of hunger nearly tripled. Some 5.8 million people — or nearly 30 per cent of Zambia’s population — are in IPC 3 or higher from this month through March, compared to more than 2 million during the same period last year.
We and our partners continue to support the Government-led response, including by providing food assistance, nutrition treatment, cash transfers, and drilling boreholes to supply drinking water. Additional funding is critical to support humanitarian response efforts in Zambia. Of the $228 million required for the Drought Flash Appeal, just over 15 per cent has been received, or some $35 million.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say intense attacks in the south and east of the country this week have killed and injured dozens of civilians and damaged homes, a hospital and schools. Authorities and partners on the ground in the southern city of Kherson report that about 20 civilians — including children — were injured in attacks on Monday. At least 280 apartments in 10 buildings were also damaged. NGOs [non-governmental organizations] have mobilized emergency assistance — including first aid, food kits and shelter materials — to help families cover the damage to their homes as winter approaches.
Aid workers continue to provide emergency support, including in Chornomorsk town in the Odesa Region, where attacks yesterday and today injured five civilians and damaged multiple homes and a hospital. Those affected received emergency shelter kits and psychosocial support as well as child protection and case management services. Our OCHA colleagues tell us that inter-agency convoys also reached war-affected communities in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions this week, delivering essential hygiene supplies, winter clothes, blankets and charging stations.
** Nepal
In Nepal, we and our humanitarian partners have launched a $17.5 million Floods Response Plan in the wake of the floods and landslides which struck the country 10 days ago. The new plan aims to complement the Government-led response and recovery efforts to support more than 190,000 of the most vulnerable people, including women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
The plan supports the Government's "build back better" strategy, focusing on urgent food, water, shelter and protection needs. It also seeks to address disease, protection issues and food insecurity, among other risks. The floods have caused widespread devastation, with nearly 250 deaths and others still missing, as well as hundreds of injuries. Thousands of families have been displaced, with more than 10,000 families sheltering in overcrowded temporary camps, struggling to access basic needs like clean water, sanitation and healthcare.
**Haiti
We have an update from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on our efforts to provide assistance to those impacted by last week’s attack in Pont-Sondé. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 6,000 people have also been displaced as a result of the violence. Most of them are seeking refuge with relatives or host families, with some having gathered in makeshift sites. We and our humanitarian partners are mobilized and supporting local authorities in the response.
IOM is helping to set up temporary shelter sites and provide emergency assistance, including mattresses, kitchen and shelter kits. The World Food Programme is distributing hot meals to people uprooted by the violence, while UN Women is providing cash transfers. On 5 October, the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) dispatched 1.3 tons of medical supplies to local health facilities, enough to support 50 surgical interventions and treat 1,000 injured people. For its part, the UN Population Fund is also delivering more than 1,800 dignity kits and essential medicine to St. Nicolas Hospital in Saint-Marc. This includes maternal and reproductive health supplies such as delivery kits, Caesarean kits, and post-violence care kits.
** Resident Coordinators
I’d like to read into the record an announcement that went out yesterday about a newly appointed Resident Coordinator. The Secretary-General has appointed Coumba D. Sow of Senegal as the UN Resident Coordinator in Togo, with the host Government’s approval. She started on 5 October.
** Nansen Award
This year, five trail-blazing women will be honoured as winners of the “2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award” from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This year’s global laureate, Sister Rosita Milesi, is a Brazilian nun, lawyer, social worker and movement builder. The four others have been named regional winners, and they are Maimouna Ba, an activist from Burkina Faso who helped displaced children return to classes; Jin Davod, a social entrepreneur who helped trauma survivors; Nada Fadol, a Sudanese refugee who worked with hundreds of refugee families fleeing to Egypt; and finally, Deepti Gurung, who campaigned to reform Nepal’s citizenship laws. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Geneva on Monday, 14 October.
** Post Day
And last, today is International Post Day. In his message, the Secretary-General says that today we mark the 150th anniversary of the Universal Postal Union. He calls to honour and celebrate the work of the Universal Postal Union to bridge distances and unite the world. And do we have any questions before we turn to our guests? Yes, Noureen?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thanks, Farhan. About Tom Fletcher. Can you tell us when he will assume his position?
Deputy Spokesperson: We don't have a start date yet. We just made the announcement now. What I can tell you is that until he does, Joyce Msuya will be the Acting Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. And that will give us a smooth transition until he takes up his post.
Question: All right, noted. Thanks.
Deputy Spokesperson: Thanks. Yes, Michelle?
Question: I’ll pass.
Deputy Spokesperson: Okay. Yes, Evelyn, you had a question?
Question: Just a brief one. Did you say Mr. Lazzarini was speaking at 3 o’clock?
Deputy Spokesperson: Yes, he's going to brief the Security Council on Gaza, along with Lisa Doughten, from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Question: Okay. Because they didn't say they were talking about UNRWA.
Deputy Spokesperson: Yeah, they're talking about the situation in Gaza. He'll give a briefing.
Question: Okay.
Deputy Spokesperson: Thanks. Online, we have a question from Elizabeth from Prensa Latina.
Question: Thank you. Can you hear me, Farhan?
Deputy Spokesperson: Yeah, I can hear you.
Question: Thank you. I would like to ask you about Cuba. During the recently concluded general debate, dozens of head of state and other world leaders called for the removal of Cuba of the US State of Department list of countries [that are] sponsors of terrorists. I would like to know what reading could the Secretary-General make of the position of the general community on this?
Deputy Spokesperson: Well, on that, I just want to point out that the General Assembly is going to debate the report of the Secretary-General on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. And they'll do that at a plenary meeting that's scheduled for 29 October. And they expect to vote on a draft resolution following the end of that debate. And if I have no other question...
Correspondent: Thank you, Farhan.
Deputy Spokesperson: Thank you. And if I have no other questions, I'm going to turn over now to our guests. If we can please bring them up on-screen.