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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
** Briefings today and tomorrow
Just a couple of programming notes. At 1:15 p.m., after we are done here, there will be a briefing here by Ben Saul, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. Then, tomorrow at 11 a.m., there will be an embargoed briefing by Mariana Katzarova, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. That embargo will be lifted at 4 p.m. [New York time] the same day. For more information, you can contact our colleagues in the UN Human Rights office, here in New York.
**Secretary-General’s Travels
A little bit of travel to share with you. The Secretary-General will travel to Cali, in Colombia, to attend the high-level segment of the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16). And he is heading out this afternoon. On Tuesday, in Cali, he will deliver remarks at the opening of the plenary session of the COP. In his remarks, he is expected to highlight that nature is life, and yet we are waging a war against it — a war where there can be no winner. He is expected to stress that biodiversity is humanity's ally, and that we must move from plundering to preserving. He will also call for the promises made at the Framework adopted two years ago in Montreal to be turned into actions.
While attending COP16, the Secretary-General will also meet and engage in discussions with Indigenous People and local communities, as well as other representatives of society, including youth groups and women’s groups. He will also meet with President Gustavo Petro of Colombia. On the sidelines of the COP, the Secretary-General will speak at an event on plastic pollution organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). And we expect the Secretary-General back in New York on Wednesday evening.
** Sudan
In an open session this morning, the Secretary-General briefed the Security Council on the situation in Sudan. As you know, Security Council resolution 2736 (2024) that was adopted in June requested that the Secretary-General make recommendations to protect civilians in Sudan. He submitted that to the Security Council last week. In his remarks, Mr. [António] Guterres outlined three key priorities from his recommendations: First, both sides must immediately agree to a cessation of hostilities; secondly, that civilians must be protected; and his third priority is related to the flow of humanitarian aid. Mr. Guterres added that, at present, the conditions do not exist for the successful deployment of a UN force to protect civilians in Sudan.
However, he said, he stands ready to engage with the Council and others on the range of operational modalities that can meaningfully contribute to the reduction in violence and the protection of civilians. Moreover, he urged the Council to continue supporting his Special Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, in his diplomatic efforts. Mr. Guterres spoke at length about the humanitarian situation and the suffering in Sudan, which is growing by the day. He also spoke of the shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in Aj Jazirah State in the eastern part of the country.
On that note, our humanitarian colleagues are expressing their concerns at escalating armed violence in Aj Jazirah State. Joyce Msuya, our Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, says that we received horrific reports of entire villages being attacked, with civilians killed, detained and displaced in huge numbers, and those reports talk about actions between 20 and 25 October. During that time, the Rapid Support Forces reportedly launched a major assault across 30 towns and villages and towns in Aj Jazirah State.
An estimated 47,000 people have fled the fighting, including to other parts of Aj Jazirah State. We and our partners are continuing to provide assistance to nearly 40,000 people who have sought shelter in Gedaref and Kassala States. Those displaced by the violence urgently need food, shelter, healthcare and protection support. Many of the wounded also need medical attention. We and our partners are concerned about civilians who remain trapped in those areas and are unable to escape due to insecurity and fear of abduction, as well as those on the move in search of safety, protection and urgent assistance.
Also, to flag that the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, began today a three-day visit to assess the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and the increasing displacement crisis. The visit in Sudan will focus on rallying international support for the humanitarian response, ensuring that the ongoing crisis in Sudan remains at the forefront of global attention. The Director General will visit various displacement sites to engage directly with impacted communities.
**Middle East
And just to go back to the [Security] Council: As you know, at 3 p.m. this afternoon, the Security Council will reconvene in an open session on the Middle East, following a letter received by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following the attacks on Friday night by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on targets in Iran, the Secretary-General expressed his deep alarm at the continued escalation in the Middle East. All acts of escalation are condemnable, he said, and must stop. The Secretary-General urgently reiterates his appeal to all parties to cease all military actions, including in Gaza and Lebanon, and exert maximum efforts to prevent an all-out regional war and return to the path of diplomacy. And I believe our colleague, Assistant Secretary-General [for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific], Mr. [Khaled] Khiari, will brief the Council at 3 p.m.
**Deputy Secretary-General
Our Deputy Secretary-General arrived in Manila, in the Philippines, today, where she participated in the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security, where she highlighted the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes. She held meetings with Enrique Manalo, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, and other Government officials.
The Deputy Secretary-General will proceed to Doha tomorrow [29 October] to participate in the thirtieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family Conference on Family and Contemporary Megatrends. She will deliver a lecture at the Qatar Foundation on the theme "Towards the Second World Social Development Summit: Reinforcing Global Efforts to Achieve the 2030 Agenda". While there, she will meet with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and senior Government officials to advance cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Nations. She will return to New York on 1 November.
**Lebanon/Israel
Moving on to Lebanon and to Israel, in the context of high regional tensions, hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued during the weekend, leading to several fatalities. The Israel Defense Forces continued air strikes across Lebanon, including in Tyre, Sidon, the area of Bekaa and Beirut, while Hizbullah continued to target IDF troops in southern Lebanon as well as attacking targets near Haifa and Tel Aviv. Again, we underline the urgency for an immediate ceasefire and finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The exchanges of fire continue to endanger UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] troops on the ground. Saturday morning, a UNIFIL position near Markaba, in Sector East, was damaged by indirect fire. We reiterate that all actors must ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and peacekeepers.
We remind all on the ground of their obligations under international law to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. On the humanitarian end, as tensions run high on both sides of the Blue Line — in Israel and in Lebanon — civilians on both sides must be protected. In Lebanon, our humanitarian colleagues are warning that the security situation is impacting our capacity to support the ongoing response. For instance, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) says that while it continues to provide support, several of the projects that they are supporting, their facilities have had to close due to the deteriorating security situation, including six primary healthcare centres, one mobile unit and five safe spaces that were created for women and girls.
Despite these challenges, we and our partners are continuing to do whatever we can to support the response. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) — in close coordination with the Ministry of Public Health — supported the activation of mobile medical units to provide health services to displaced people in shelters, communities and displacement hotspots. The medical support included check-ups, immediate medical assistance, and immunization services. Since 23 September, more than 25,000 people have been supported by these mobile health teams.
For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has provided food and cash assistance to more than 400,000 people in shelters and affected communities. That was as of 25 October. Our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that hostilities and displacement orders continue to impact civilians across Lebanon. According to Lebanese authorities, for the second time in five days, residents of Tyre, in the south of the country, were urged to evacuate by Israeli forces ahead of air strikes. Health workers are heavily impacted by the current crisis and local authorities report that yesterday four paramedics were killed in an air strike on a relief centre in An-Baal town, near Tyre, in the south of the country.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Moving to Gaza: Our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that people in North Gaza are in desperate need of life-saving assistance. OCHA says Israeli authorities denied additional requests over the weekend to bring in food and fuel for water facilities in the Jabalya area. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that people in northern Gaza are being deprived of life-saving care amid intensive military operations unfolding around and within healthcare facilities — as well as severely limited access and critical shortages of medical supplies. The agency’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus], said on Saturday that the Health Ministry had informed the World Health Organization that the siege at Kamal Adwan Hospital had ended. After 44 male staff members were detained, only female staff, one male doctor and the hospital director were left to care for nearly 200 patients in desperate need of help. WHO stresses that hospitals must be shielded from conflict at all times.
Our humanitarian colleagues also report that the number of people displaced from North Gaza Governorate into Gaza City this month is now estimated at more than 70,000, with very few families crossing south of Wadi Gaza. Humanitarian partners are doing everything they can to respond to the people’s needs in that area — particularly those who are newly displaced — but warn that ongoing impediments are making it impossible for aid organizations to operate at anywhere near the scale that this crisis demands.
In southern Gaza yesterday, an OCHA team — supported by the UN Mine Action Service — visited an area of Khan Younis, where an Israeli military operation on Saturday reportedly killed more than three dozen people and injured scores of others, including women and children. Many families were displaced during the operation but returned afterward, having failed to find another shelter. The team said people in the area urgently need tents, tarpaulins to cover damaged shelters, hot meals, clean water, baby milk and diapers.
You will have seen that, over the weekend, the Secretary-General issued a statement in which he said that the plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in North Gaza is unbearable. He warned that the widespread devastation and deprivation resulting from Israeli operations in North Gaza are making the conditions of life untenable for the Palestinian population there. This conflict continues to be waged with little regard for international humanitarian law, he said. And also, over the weekend, Joyce Msuya, the acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, also issued a statement on northern Gaza, saying that hundreds of Palestinians there have reportedly been killed and many thousands forced to flee again. She underscored that such blatant disregard for basic humanity and the laws of war must stop.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that, over the weekend, attacks were reported in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson. Local authorities also reported civilian casualties, including among children, and damage to civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian organizations quickly mobilized after the strikes to provide emergency aid, including hot meals, psychological and legal support, and assistance for repairs.
**Philippines
A couple of other notes, so please bear with me. Turning to the Philippines, following the passage of Tropical Storm Trami, we and our NGO [non-governmental organization] partners are supporting assessments of damages and needs, and also closely coordinating with the Government of the Philippines on their response. Communities impacted by the storm need food, water, shelter and medical support, among other things. Roads also need to be repaired so access can be had. The National Government of the Philippines has requested international support due to challenges in accessing flood-impacted areas. More than 6.7 million people were impacted, and some 980,000 people have been displaced — that is what national authorities are telling us. Adding to these difficulties, another tropical storm called Kong-rey is forecasted to travel towards Batanes in the north of the island of Luzon.
**Abyei
Our peacekeepers in Abyei are telling us that efforts to support flood response in the region are ongoing. The peacekeepers say that they airlifted medical supplies from Agok airstrip in the southern part of Abyei to other parts of the region to ensure adequate medical stocks. Weekly flights by the Mission to multiple areas in Abyei are helping provide humanitarian assistance to communities that are cut off because of flooding. Peacekeepers are also conducting repairs, including installation of drains, in various parts of northern Abyei. Similar repairs are being undertaken along the Abyei–Agok Main Supply Route.
**Sahel and Lake Chad region
Over the weekend, the Secretary-General addressed — by pre-recorded video message — the Donor conference to support internally displaced people and refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad region. The conference was convened by Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He reminded participants that the UN is on the ground, supporting governments and communities to provide healthcare, education and shelter. But, he added, we need more support, as our humanitarian response plans are around 40 per cent funded. That video is available to you. I've spoken enough. Dezhi, welcome back. Or at least I haven't seen you.
**Questions and Answers
Correspondent: Welcome back to you.
Spokesman: Yeah, exactly.
Question: Steph, two questions. First, there are reports that President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy of Ukraine rejected the planned visit of Secretary-General to Ukraine. Can you confirm that?
Spokesman: What I can tell you is that discussions were under way for a visit by the Secretary-General to Ukraine, and we continue to be in touch with Ukrainian authorities.
Question: Do you have a previous date, let's say, previous schedule?
Spokesman: No.
Question: Because if he rejected it, that means, you know, there's…?
Spokesman: No. There was no…
Question: So it's still continuing the discussion?
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: Okay. Second, today, NATO confirmed there are DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] troops in Kursk region deployment. How would the UN see this? Would this be like participation in the conflict? And is it against the Security Council resolution?
Spokesman: Look, I mean, we don't have confirmation of the statements. Obviously, we wanted to see a situation where the conflict ends, right, where we see, as the Secretary-General said, I think, very clearly when he was in the Russian Federation, a peace in line with international law, in line with the General Assembly resolutions. So that's our aim. Obviously, whether or not it's a violation, that will be up for the Security Council to decide.
Question: I'm a little bit curious because the rumours of the DPRK troops deployment actually has been there for quite some time even during the meeting between Secretary-General and President [Vladimir] Putin. Has he raised this issue with President Putin?
Spokesman: I don't think he raised specifically the issue of troops from the DPRK, but I think his readout of the meeting was very clear.
Correspondent: Okay. I might have some other questions next round.
Spokesman: Okay. Volodymyr?
Question: Thank you so much. I have a question. The question about this Secretary-General's voyage to Kazan, as well. And over 20 years ago, the UN entered into a relationship agreement between the UN and International Criminal Court (ICC), which was approved by the General Assembly. Following this agreement in 2013, the UN Secretary-General issued the guidance on contacts with persons who are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the ICC. Was this guidance followed by the Secretariat when planning the Secretary-General's meetings, receptions and photo opportunities with Putin?
Spokesman: The short answer is yes. The guidance was followed to the letter. Gabriel, then Serife.
Question: Thank you, Steph. This evening in Israel, we expect that the Parliament is going to be voting upon two bills that I'm sure you know about. Both of them essentially would ban the work of UNRWA. Your response?
Spokesman: Well, obviously, we're very much aware, as you'll recall, a few weeks ago the Secretary-General wrote to the Prime Minister of Israel expressing his profound concern about those bills, about the impact they would have and how in our view they would be diametrically opposed to the Charter and the Israeli Government's responsibility under international law.
Question: Any idea what the UN's response will be if the bills go through?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, it's more of what… I mean, I think you can expect our response to be in line with our warnings, so to speak, as outlined in the letter. Obviously, we will have to see what the operational impact will be, and we expect it to be rather negative. Serife?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. After Israel withdrew from Shifa and Nasser hospitals, mass graves were discovered, as you may recall. And now reports from northern Gaza and photos circulating in social media — I mean, they depict images that are unfortunately very reminiscent of the deportation of Jews to concentration camps back in the time, whereby men and children are lined up.
Spokesman: Let’s… let’s…
Correspondent: My comparison…
Spokesman: Yes. Okay. What’s the question?
Question: Let me get to my question… and there's no information on their whereabouts. So, now that Israel has withdrawn from Kamal Adwan Hospital, will the UN carry out a mission there, and do you fear that you may find mass graves there?
Spokesman: Well, obviously, we don't know what we will find. Our focus right now is on trying to figure out how we can best help those patients that remain. But it is clear that there will need to be accountability — and I think the Secretary-General said it very clearly — for the crimes that have been committed during this conflict.
Question: But have you asked for the permission to carry out the mission?
Spokesman: Well, as you know, access is extremely difficult. If we're able to go and investigate, we will. Okay. Yes, hold on. Let's go to the screen. I can see Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Steph. I have two questions. First on five Palestinian journalists killed in the last 24 hours, and this important development had been missing from your briefing, and I should mention their names because they deserve to be mentioned. And there are two female and three journalists. Nadia Ahmed, Abdulrahman Sameer were killed on the evening of Sunday, and Saed Radwan and Hamza Abu Salmiya and Haneen Mahmoud were killed on the Sunday afternoon — five journalists, bringing the total of journalists killed in Gaza 182. Yet why this development did not appear in the noon briefing?
Spokesman: Well, I personally had not seen those reports. It doesn't mean that others had not seen them. And I think we've been very clear in underscoring and condemning the death of the media workers that we have seen since the beginning of this conflict and also the lack of access for journalists in this conflict.
Question: My second question. On two statements issued by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, one on Israeli attack on Iran and one on northern Gaza. Both statements did not include the word “condemned”. When the SG issued a statement when Iran attacked Israel and he didn't mention the word Iran, the Israeli protested and declared the SG as a persona non grata. So, he repeated his condemnation in the Security Council on 3 October, mentioning Iran by name. Why in his statement on the attack by Israel, he did not condemn Israel?
Spokesman: Abdelhamid, you and I were having circular conversations on these things. I think the Secretary-General's statement is very clear. You are free to analyse it, take it apart and express your opinion on it. I think in my reading, his words are very clear. Dezhi?
Question: Very quick question. Given the situation in northern Gaza, can we say that the polio campaign in northern Gaza has been suspended?
Spokesman: As far as I know, it has not resumed. Yeah. Okay. Thank you all. See you tomorrow. Why not, right?