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.
Good afternoon, everyone.
**BRICS
I can confirm that the Secretary-General is once again attending the BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) summit, which this year takes place in Kazan, in the Russian Federation.
**Iraq
And I have a statement for you on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq parliamentary elections. The Secretary-General congratulates the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and its people on the holding of parliamentary elections on 20 October, which took place in a calm and peaceful manner. He further commends the efforts of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), supported by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in the preparations and conduct of these elections.
As the Kurdistan Region of Iraq awaits the final results, the Secretary-General encourages all political leaders and segments of society to continue to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and urges political actors to resolve any electoral disputes through established legal channels and to complete the electoral process by forming an inclusive government as soon as possible. He reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support Iraq’s efforts to consolidate democratic gains and build a prosperous future for the people of Iraq.
**Gaza
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, visited Gaza today, where he saw firsthand the continued immense destruction and profound suffering of the people.
He said he met with UN staff and Palestinian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Gaza, whose tireless efforts are admirable. He heard directly from them about the alarming security and humanitarian situation across the Strip, particularly in northern Gaza. The challenges faced by the people of Gaza, including serious violations of international humanitarian law, are enormous, with urgent needs for food, medical supplies, and protection.
Mr. Wennesland said that a significant increase in the entry of humanitarian assistance and an improvement in security is urgently required. He reiterated the Secretary-General’s repeated call for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. He calls on all relevant parties to urgently pursue these goals.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Our colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that people suffering under the ongoing Israeli siege in North Gaza governorate are rapidly exhausting all available means for their survival. OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected whether they move or stay, and they must be able to receive the humanitarian assistance they need. This is what international humanitarian law requires.
Israeli authorities continue to deny OCHA’s requests to help rescue civilians under rubble. We are still waiting for the green light to help dozens of people trapped under their collapsed homes in the Falouja area of Jabalya.
OCHA says our requests to bring desperately needed humanitarian assistance to northern Gaza have also been denied. This includes planned missions by UN agencies and our partners to deliver life-saving supplies — including blood, essential medications, food parcels, and fuel to hospitals and water facilities.
The director of Kamal Adwan, one of the last functioning hospitals in North Gaza, reported yesterday that blood units have run out, and medical crews have been working nonstop with no food. The emergency department is seeing a constant influx of casualties.
Yesterday, OCHA supported a complex mission led by the World Health Organization (WHO) — alongside the UN Mine Action Service and the Palestine Red Crescent Society — to evacuate 14 critical patients from Kamal Adwan southward to Al Shifa Hospital. That mission, which departed Deir al Balah on Sunday, had to spend the night at Kamal Adwan due to intense fighting in the area. The team was only able to proceed the following day.
Meanwhile, our health partners say that communications challenges are hampering efforts to gather information on conditions at the other medical facilities in North Gaza — the Indonesian and Al Awda hospitals.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that none of the agency’s medical points in North Gaza are operational. UNRWA says its medical teams are ready but urgently need medical supplies to be able to provide care.
As the Israeli siege continues, the UN and our partners estimate that more than 60,000 people have been displaced from North Gaza to Gaza City. Within North Gaza, about 4,000 people have fled from Jabalya to Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahya, [with others fleeing to Beit Lahya, or displaced within Jabalia itself].
OCHA reports that the health situation in central and southern Gaza also remains difficult. A team of health monitors in Gaza say that as of late last month, more than three quarters of hospitals still functioning across Gaza lack enough water, and 94 per cent have insufficient sanitation facilities.
**UN Development Programme
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) says that one year into the Gaza war, the humanitarian crisis has reached a catastrophic level — with unprecedented casualties, widespread destruction and severe food insecurity.
The war has had a severe impact on critical sectors such as education, healthcare, social services, the economy and the environment, UNDP says in a new report. Educational institutions have suffered significant losses, with numerous casualties among students and educators and the widespread destruction of schools. The healthcare system is nearing collapse, facing critical shortages in medical supplies and widespread malnutrition, particularly among children.
Economic projections indicate that the gross domestic product (GDP) of the State of Palestine contracted by 35.1 per cent in 2024 compared with a no-war scenario, with unemployment potentially rising to 49.9 per cent. By the end of 2024, the Human Development Index (HDI) in the State of Palestine may fall to 0.643, a level not seen since human development calculations began in 2004.
Poverty in the State of Palestine is projected to rise to 74.3 per cent in 2024, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million people who are newly impoverished. The full report is online.
**UN Interim Force in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) notes that intense strikes by Hezbollah into Israel and by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) into Lebanon have continued over the last 24 hours.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck various locations in Beirut as well as Bekaa, Sidon, Nabatiyeh, and in the UNIFIL area of operations.
Hezbollah reportedly targeted IDF military bases near Tel Aviv last night and this morning, as well as an IDF naval base northwest of Haifa.
We condemn the ever-increasing toll on civilians and civilian infrastructure. We remind all actors on the ground of their obligations under international law to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Over the past 24 hours, UNIFIL detected 1,417 projectiles, with the majority being launched from south of the Blue Line, striking Al Matmurah, Al Qawzah, Aytarun, Ett Taibe, Majdal Silim, and Khiam, while 169 projectiles were recorded from north of the Blue Line. The Mission also continued to record a high level of violations of Lebanese airspace.
The Mission reports that the ongoing hostilities in its area of operations are continuing to impact the safety and security of peacekeepers and their ability to implement UNIFIL’s mandate. Yesterday, one of its positions in Sector West sustained minor infrastructure damage due to a nearby air strike, with no injuries reported. Additionally, logistics convoys belonging to the Mission also faced restrictions by IDF personnel in both Sector East and Sector West.
Once more, we remind the parties of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.
As we noted yesterday, peacekeepers remain in their positions despite the very challenging situation.
Yesterday, they facilitated the movement of Lebanese Armed Forces personnel by helping to reopen blocked roads. The Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, Aroldo Lázaro, visited peacekeepers in two Irish positions, which have seen intense fighting nearby. He said he is deeply proud of their high morale and commitment to UNIFIL’s mandate.
Support was also provided to the Lebanese Red Cross, with the coordination of over two dozen activities, primarily focused on evacuating casualties.
In addition, peacekeepers donated essential medicines to the Lebanese Red Cross and Tyre municipality to be distributed to displaced civilians.
**Lebanon/Humanitarian
Staying in Lebanon: Today, an inter-agency convoy by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), OCHA, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reached Nabatieh Governorate in south Lebanon.
The team delivered essential supplies to Hasbaya town to support some 31,000 people across 20 villages. This assistance included food, mattresses, blankets, hygiene supplies, and items for the coming winter.
And in the southern city of Tyre, UNRWA reopened its health centre in the Burj Shemali camp. The team there is providing primary healthcare services to almost 380 patients.
As hostilities continue in areas across the country, more people are being displaced from their homes. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 809,000 people have been displaced inside Lebanon over the past year. Hundreds of thousands more have crossed into neighbouring countries.
WFP is working in Syria to provide food assistance to people — both Lebanese and Syrians — who have fled Lebanon. WFP has already reached nearly 150,000 individuals but is appealing for additional funds to scale up its efforts.
For its part, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is alarmed at the toll that escalating hostilities are having on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Across Lebanon, the number of people killed and injured — including health workers on duty — continues to rise, amid ongoing strikes in different parts of the country. In Nabatieh, three paramedics with the Lebanese Red Cross were wounded by shrapnel today during an operation to rescue people injured by an airstrike.
Yesterday, an airstrike in the vicinity of Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut killed more than a dozen people — including a child — and injured more than 50 others, according to the Lebanese health authorities. The strike also caused significant damage to the facility. You will have seen that Volker Türk, the Human Rights Chief, also commented on this incident, saying that any incidents which affect hospitals must be subject to a prompt and thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, administrators at the Sahel Hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs reported that the facility was evacuated following warnings issued by Israeli forces, impacting access to the hospital.
OCHA underscores that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
**Yemen
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, today concluded a two-day visit to Cairo where he met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atty and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
The Special Envoy expressed growing concern over the impact of the regional escalation on Yemen’s prospects of peace. Discussions also covered the importance of preserving the progress made through the parties’ commitments to a nationwide ceasefire, economic improvements, and the resumption of a comprehensive political process, and ways that Egypt could support those efforts.
Furthermore, the Special Envoy raised the issue of arbitrary detentions by Ansar Allah, which have affected dozens of personnel from the UN, NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is gravely concerned by the impact that ongoing armed conflict is having on civilians in many parts of the country.
Fighting continues to rage in the states of North Darfur, West Darfur, Khartoum, North Kordofan and Aj Jazirah, despite repeated calls for the parties to de-escalate, ensure the protection of civilians, and facilitate humanitarian access.
In North Darfur alone, the International Organization for Migration reports that in just six months, some 410,000 people have been displaced in the locality of El Fasher. Many of them had already been displaced at least once over the course of this conflict.
We continue to receive reports of civilian casualties and indiscriminate attacks impacting public infrastructure and residential areas — both in North Darfur and elsewhere — with many areas effectively cut off from humanitarian assistance.
Once again, OCHA calls on the parties to stop the fighting and allow humanitarian organizations to reach people in need of assistance wherever they are.
Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners and Sudanese health authorities continue to scale up the response to the ongoing cholera outbreak. Late last week, the latest phase of the cholera vaccination campaign got underway, with the goal of reaching some 1.4 million people in the states of Kassala, Gedaref and River Nile.
Since July, Sudan’s cholera outbreak has spread to 11 states, with nearly 26,000 cases reported and 722 related deaths.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that attacks in eastern and southern Ukraine today and yesterday caused 45 civilian casualties, including children and medical workers. Scores of homes were also damaged in the Donetsk, Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions. This is according to local authorities.
Our humanitarian colleagues also noted that in the Kharkiv Region, intense hostilities have displaced nearly 1,000 civilians from the city of Kupiansk over the last four days. We, along with our humanitarian partners, are assisting residents arriving at the transit centre in Kharkiv, offering food, psychological support, legal assistance, and winter items, such as blankets and warm clothes.
**Security Council/Ukraine
And as you know, yesterday afternoon, the Security Council held a meeting on Ukraine.
Briefing Council members, Miroslav Jenča, the Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, said that Russia’s relentless, systematic attacks have continued to bring immense suffering to the people of Ukraine. He noted that civilian casualties and extensive damage to critical civilian infrastructure are reported daily, with the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Sumy regions of Ukraine bearing the brunt.
Mr. Jenča added that the UN is also concerned about the impact of continuing fighting across the Russian-Ukrainian border, particularly in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, following Ukraine’s August incursion. He reiterated that all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law, wherever they occur.
**Cuba
Turning to Cuba, we have an update on Hurricane Oscar, which struck the east of the country over the weekend, amid an ongoing power outage.
The UN team there remains in close contact with the Government and stands ready to rapidly provide support to national authorities if needed.
Hurricane Oscar has brought as much as 300 millimetres of rain — that’s almost a foot of rain — and has caused flooding, damaged infrastructure, and blocked roads.
**Haiti
In Haiti, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that repeated attacks by armed groups targeting the neighbourhoods of Solino, Fort National, and Delmas 24 in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area are having a devastating impact on civilians. Since 17 October, several people have reportedly been killed in these areas, including a child who was shot. Others have been injured in the attacks, but limited access means that it is extremely difficult to evacuate those who need medical care. In addition, houses have been looted or set on fire and the violence has forced more than 4,200 people to flee in search of safety.
Aid organizations are assessing the situation and coordinating efforts to respond once access allows. Humanitarian partners say that in addition to medical care, people affected by the attacks urgently need food, infant formula, water, blankets, clothes and hygiene kits.
OCHA is deeply concerned about the risk of violence spreading to other neighbourhoods in the capital, including the Petionville residential area, which would only deepen the humanitarian crisis in Port-au-Prince.
And, as a reminder, this afternoon we expect that Security Council members will be briefed on the situation in Haiti by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, María Isabel Salvador, and UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell.
**Questions and Answers
Deputy Spokesman: That’s it from me. Any questions before we hear from Sharon Birch? Yes.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. First, on the Secretary-General’s trip to Kazan for the BRICS summit, is he going to be delivering an address there? Is he planning to meet with President Xi [Jinping] of China and President [Vladimir] Putin of Russia and India’s President (sic) [Narendra] Modi?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding the schedule, yes, he does intend to meet with a large number of the leaders attending the summit. That, of course, will depend upon what can be arranged, but certainly that’s one of the main reasons why he’s attending the BRICS summit. As for remarks, yes, he will deliver remarks and we’ll share them with you once he’s delivered those.
Question: And a second question. Can you get us an update on the number of trucks that are actually getting into Gaza? We all know that the United States has called on Israel to have 350 trucks a day get into Gaza. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who’d like to know how many trucks are actually getting in.
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, well, I can assure you that we are well short of that goal. As you know, the numbers we’ve been giving in the past have shown that the figures have been, in fact, way down. And part of the issue was not just trucks getting into Gaza through checkpoints such as Erez West, but also the problems moving any aid from the south to the north because of the closure of the checkpoint in between those areas. So it’s a small amount, but I’ll try to get you more of a figure on the trucks. Yes, Volodymyr?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. The question is about Secretary-General’s trip to Kazan, as well. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated the following: “The UN Secretary-General rejected Ukraine’s invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. He has, however, accepted an invitation to Kazan from war criminal Putin. This is a wrong choice. That doesn’t contribute to the cause of peace. It only damages the reputation of the UN.” So what does Mr. [António] Guterres want to convey to Putin during the meeting in Kazan?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, let me take the two bits separately — the part about his attendance and the part about his meeting with President Putin. First of all, with attendance, the Secretary-General is attending the BRICS summit, as he did previously in South Africa, and as he does as a standard practice in attending meetings of organizations with large numbers of important Member States, such as the G7 and the G20. There’s a meeting with great importance for the work of the United Nations, with the BRICS countries representing about half the world’s population. And the Secretary-General will take the opportunity to hold a number of bilateral meetings with the leaders attending the summit, as I had mentioned to Edie. And regarding Ukraine and visits there, the Secretary-General does look forward to visiting Ukraine at a mutually convenient time, as previously discussed with President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy in September when they met.
Now, regarding what you said about the meeting with President Putin, the Secretary-General will reaffirm his well-known positions on the war in Ukraine and the conditions for just peace based on the UN Charter, international law, and the resolutions of the United Nations. He will continue to pursue his efforts to re-establish safe navigation in the Black Sea, which is critically important for global food and energy security, especially for the most vulnerable countries around the world. Dezhi?
Question: First, a quick follow-up. Will Secretary-General in BRICS summit only discuss Ukrainian crisis or other issues? What kind of issues is he going to talk there?
Deputy Spokesman: No, this is a regional meeting. And as you know, in the context of regional meetings, he was in one of those just a day or so ago when he was at the African Union-UN meeting in Addis Ababa. And there’s always a large number of issues to discuss, including overarching issues. You saw that when he was at the African Union-UN conference, he also brought up the implementation of the Pact for the Future. He also brought up reforms for international financial institutions and other overarching topics. And those are the sort of issues that he will bring up here, as he does in the G7 or the G20 or the other meetings.
Question: Okay, two quick questions. First, you said the OCHA’s request to get into northern Gaza has been denied again. Any excuse or reasons?
Deputy Spokesman: I’m not here to give the reasoning from any of the other parties.
Correspondent: But you’ve got the reasons, but you prefer not to say that.
Deputy Spokesman: There are security considerations that Israel is citing. But for our part, like I said, we coordinate these missions very carefully, and we do them on the basis of the need to provide critical humanitarian aid.
Question: What security concerns?
Deputy Spokesman: That’s for them to describe, not me.
Correspondent: Okay, and sorry I have one last question.
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah, let’s go around. Okay, one last. And then we go around.
Question: Yeah. Any comments from the Secretary-General on the claim by the Hizbullah that their drones attacked the residency of Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu?
Deputy Spokesman: We have no way of confirming that. Yes, Maggie?
Question: Farhan, how come you didn’t announce or Steph [Dujarric] didn’t announce the Secretary-General’s trip to the BRICS in advance? I mean, it’s as you said, he’s gone previously. You always announce when he’s going to the G7, the G20. You were both asked about it in previous days by reporters in this room. So why the secrecy around this if it’s a standard thing?
Deputy Spokesman: Meetings are in flux until they’re not. And in this case, we were able to announce it now. Jordan?
Question: So was he not planning to go until now?
Deputy Spokesman: There were a lot of balls in the air. Jordan?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Nice to see you all the time. On the BRICS. Do you think the SG will also discuss with the leaders the situation in Gaza?
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, yes, certainly.
Question: And question on UNIFIL. Some countries that contribute to troops, namely Italy, said we have to empower UNIFIL mandate. Does the SG also support their changing the mandate from Chapter VI to Chapter VII, then they will be able to defend?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, these are discussions that are going on among the troop contributing countries and we take all of their interests and their considerations seriously. I believe Jean-Pierre Lacroix has spoken at some length about this in various interviews. But the basic point is any changes to the mandate would have to be agreed by the members of the Security Council.
Question: One more on Somaliland. What is the relationship between the organization United Nations and Somaliland? You know, there is trouble, because I think the Somaliland signed an agreement with Ethiopia to have access to the sea. Also, there is lately news that Israel will have a military base in Somaliland. Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Our dealings with all of the entities in Somalia are with respect for the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Somalia. Yes, Serife, and then Gabriel.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Just today, within the short span of your briefing, you gave us information about two restrictions that the United Nations has faced from Israel. One was the denying of OCHA’s requests to help people under rubble in northern Gaza. And the other one was in Lebanon, where UN logistics convoys belonging to UNIFIL were restricted by IDF personnel. And we also know that a record number of UN personnel have been killed by Israel and your premises have been attacked in Gaza and now in Lebanon. So when I look at it from here, there seems to be a pattern emerging. But I would like to know if you think Israel is systematically and deliberately attacking the UN and what kind of consequences do you think this would have in the long term? Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: For us, the main consequences are to ensure that there are no further breaches of international humanitarian law. Many of the things we’ve been talking about involve violating the tenets of international humanitarian law. And all of that has to stop. As for whether this is a pattern or not, the simple point is what we are focusing on is getting our job done. And we want to remove any obstacles in the way to accomplishing tasks that are vital for the saving of human life. All of these things, delays in removing rubble, delays in getting food and water to people who are starving, those can cost human life. And that has to end. Gabriel?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Two questions. The first one is the Financial Times has an article out about a UNIFIL troop contributing country that leaked to the Financial Times a confidential report about Israel’s attacks on UNIFIL. My question to you is, in this report, there’s photographs of what appear to be Israeli tanks on UNIFIL bases. Has the UN released those photos? Do they have access to them? And would you release these photos?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, on that, all I’m going to point out is that we’ve been telling you in these daily briefings about any incursions on our facilities, including by the Merkava tanks. And so we are reporting those to you, we report those to the Council, and we’ll continue to provide any information as relevant.
Question: Sure, I understand. Thank you. But a troop contributing country has photographs. My question is, does the UN have these photographs as well?
Deputy Spokesman: I can’t confirm that. And as you know, we don’t really comment on information that are part of leaked reports, but that’s really an issue for the relevant country to provide.
Question: Okay, I’ll move on to one other one, please. Drop Site News has an article about how Israel is actively considering using “private security in Gaza under the auspices of delivering humanitarian aid”. And a private security company based in the US has confirmed that they’re talking to Israel about this. My question to you is, would the UN ever consider outside private security ever being used in any capacity under the auspices of humanitarian aid in Gaza, working with the UN at all?
Deputy Spokesman: I think for now our focus is on the established mechanisms that we have in place to get aid in. And so, we’re trying to work with those. And then so…
Correspondent: One last follow-up.
Deputy Spokesman: Okay, one last, and then we’ll move around.
Question: One last follow-up on that question is the CEO of that private security company, in a press release yesterday, said they plan to reach out to the UN to try to coordinate with you. Would the UN or the Secretary-General’s office for that matter, even take a meeting along those lines?
Deputy Spokesman: I’m not going to respond to that hypothetical. We’ll see what happens. Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I have few questions. First, on the visit of Mr. Wennesland to Gaza, did he go to Jabalia refugee camp and to Beit Lahia, where the ethnic cleansing and destruction and killing is going on for the last few days?
Deputy Spokesman: No, I don’t believe he was able to have access into those areas given the fighting. He did put out some detailed information following his travels. So we’ll leave that with you.
Question: Yeah, if you can just share with us where did he go in Gaza. And my second question about Sigrid Kaag. Is she still involved with the humanitarian aid to Gaza or she’s at the time being…?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. No, she’s been doing…
Correspondent: We haven’t heard from her for a long time, if you may.
Deputy Spokesman: No, I mean, obviously we’ve had a lot of focus on other aspects of the work that we’ve been doing. So we haven’t been able to say as much about her. But last week, for example, Sigrid Kaag visited Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where she met with Israeli ministers and pushed on the opening of the crossings in the north, which were then opened up in some aspects last week after those discussions. She then also went to Gaza to focus on preparations for the winter, as well as hospitals and care for people with disabilities. Okay, Evelyn?
Question: Okay, thank you. My last question is about settlers’ activities in the olive picking season. As you know, they are attacking villages right and left. They established a settlement outpost today, this morning in the village of Fara near Salfit. And they attacked the village of Burqa and the olive pickers right and left, and the army was protecting them. Do you receive reports about these settlers’ activities and why you don’t share it with us in the noon briefing?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we’ve repeatedly pointed out our issues with any settlement activity. As you know, the UN stands against the activities and expansions of the settlements, and we do report both to you and to the Security Council. Evelyn?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Back to the BRICS, many of its members, but certainly not all of them, frown or reject human rights. Is this an issue the Secretary-General might bring up?
Deputy Spokesman: That’s the case with many different meetings of different groupings of Member States and he does bring up human rights concerns at his meetings. Ibtisam?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Two follow-ups. First, on Sigrid Kaag, if I remember that correctly, I mean, the resolution is for a year, was adopted for twelve months, but her mandate was for nine months. So, it was supposed to end. I’m just trying to understand the logistics. So her mandate ended end of September.
Deputy Spokesman: No, it was extended past then. So she is continuing with her work.
Question: Extended where? At the Security Council?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe so, yes.
Question: Okay. And I have a follow-up on Serife and to extend also Gabriel’s question regarding the issue of pattern and deliberate intent regarding attacking your facilities, attacking UN facilities and also peacekeeping. I mean, aren’t you supposed to report on these issues in order to go back to the Security Council and ask for more protection?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. Yes, we do that.
Question: So are you able to see that there is a pattern and there is more than just accidental attacks?
Deputy Spokesman: I’m not going to conjecture behind what the trend of these actions are. What I am going to do is suggest that we have alerted the council, Member States, the troop contributors and you in the media about the number of instances that have happened. And we’ve raised concerns each and every time, and we want all of this to stop. Dezhi?
Question: Yes, for the past two days, both China and India have been confirmed that after communication within the military and diplomatic channels, both countries concerning the border issues, they have reached a solution. What’s the reaction from the Secretary-General on this?
Deputy Spokesman: We certainly welcome any positive engagement between the nations of China and India, and we hope that that process of good neighbourly relations will be strengthened. Yes, Jordan?
Question: Yesterday, Israel hit Damascus. What is the reaction of the SG?
Deputy Spokesman: We have expressed our concerns about all of the attacks on the various neighbouring countries, including against Syria. And with that, let me cede the floor to Sharon Birch, the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly.