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.
Alright, good afternoon.
**United States
You will have seen that this morning we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General commended the people of the United States of America for their active participation in the democratic process. The Secretary-General also congratulated President-elect Donald J. Trump and reaffirmed his belief that the cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is an essential pillar of international relations. The United Nations stands ready to work constructively with the incoming Administration to address the dramatic challenges our world is facing, the Secretary-General said. And that is in a statement shared with you.
**UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination
This evening, the Secretary-General will head out to the Greentree state where tomorrow and Friday he will chair the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), which brings together the heads of the UN system organizations. As you can imagine, this meeting of the CEB is scheduled to discuss current affairs as they impacted and are related to the UN system. Also on the programme are sessions on Multilateralism and Priorities for the Next Two Years as well as the Future of Humanitarian Action.
**Polio/Gaza
Our colleagues at the World Health Organization (WHO) confirm that the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed on yesterday. An overall 556,774 children under the age of ten are vaccinated now with a second dose of the polio vaccine. WHO and the other agencies that participated in this, notably the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), say that this is a remarkable achievement given the extremely difficult circumstances the campaign was executed under. The campaign, we were told, achieved in central Gaza 103 per cent coverage, which means that they reached more children than they expected, and 91 per cent coverage in southern Gaza. However, in northern Gaza, where the campaign was compromised due to lack of access, there was approximately 88 per cent of coverage. That is what our preliminary data is telling us.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
On the ground, our colleague Muhannad Hadi, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, concluded his two-day visit to the Gaza Strip. In the Khan Younis governorate, in southern Gaza, he visited a site holding about 700 internally displaced people in Al Mawasi, where he met with community representatives who shared with him some of their concerns. Mr. Hadi also saw firsthand how the community worked with our humanitarian partners to install shared latrines and handwashing stations, as well as organize water trucking and cleaning services for and by the community. This was despite a range of challenges, including an electricity blackout and a scarcity of supplies.
Meanwhile, for her part, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, said in a social media post yesterday that the Israeli ground operations have left Palestinians without the essentials to survive, forcing them to flee for safety multiple times and cut off their escape and supply routes. She said that living conditions in North Gaza are deadly, and civilians are starving while the world watches on.
For their part, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also tell us that as of Monday this week, we, along with our partners, estimated that about 100,000 people had now been displaced from North Gaza governorate to Gaza City over a period of four weeks. Between 75,000 and 95,000 people were estimated to remain in North Gaza. The death toll there over the past month is thought to have been in the hundreds.
Our humanitarian colleagues warn that in central and southern Gaza, more than 100 kitchens producing 400,000 meals a day are at risk of shutting down due to supply shortages. All eight bakeries supported by the United Nations in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis were operating at just 70 per cent capacity as of Sunday. They are at risk of shutting down unless additional flour is received immediately.
And turning to the West Bank, yesterday, an OCHA team visited the Al Bustan area of Silwan, in East Jerusalem. The Israeli authorities had demolished nine Palestinian homes in that neighbourhood, displacing about 42 people, nearly half of those people were children. During their visit, the team heard from residents, assessed their humanitarian needs, surveyed the damage and worked with our partners to mobilize assistance for those affected.
OCHA reminds us that this area near the Old City, home to more than 1,500 Palestinians, is the focus of an Israeli settlement-related plan to demolish dozens of housing units. So far this year, our humanitarian colleagues have recorded the destruction of about 1,000 Palestinian homes and other structures across the West Bank for lacking building permits, displacing more than 1,100 people and undermining livelihoods and access to essential services for many others. Nearly 40 per cent of those displaced were in East Jerusalem.
**UNRWA
Speaking at an informal meeting of the General Assembly today, Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, asked Member States to act to prevent the implementation of the Israeli Knesset legislation against UNRWA. Without intervention by Member States, he warned, UNRWA will collapse, plunging millions of Palestinians into chaos. He also briefed on the situation in Gaza, reminding the General Assembly that UNRWA has been a lifeline for the people of Gaza, especially in the last year. His staff, he said, has worked for 13 months without pause, amid immense personal hardship and loss. He reminded Member States of the 239 UNRWA personnel that have been killed. More than two‑thirds of UNRWA premises have been damaged or destroyed. He called for independent investigations into these violations. Finally, he asked that Member States maintain funding to UNRWA, and not to withhold or divert funds on the assumption that the Agency can no longer operate.
**Lebanon/Humanitarian
Moving to Lebanon. Our Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, was in the Bekaa, in the east of the country. He met with the Governor and with displaced families sheltering in a building at Lebanese University. The region currently hosts more than 110,000 displaced people. Meanwhile, the UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also warns of escalating protection risks, with thousands of displaced people forced to sleep in unsafe open spaces. For its part, the International Organization for Migration has recorded 30,000 people as being newly displaced in just four days, bringing the total number of people uprooted since October 2023 to 870,000. And UNRWA colleagues in Lebanon also delivered medical supplies and fuel for generators in a displacement camp in Tyre.
**Afghanistan
Turning to Afghanistan. In its annual report, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said today that opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2024 increased by an estimated 19 per cent year-on-year to cover 12,800 hectares. UNODC said that the increase follows on a 95 per cent decrease in cultivation during the 2023 crop season, when the de facto authorities in Afghanistan enforced a ban that virtually eliminated poppy cultivation across much of the country.
The survey pointed out that, despite the increase in 2024, opium poppy cultivation remains far below 2022, when an estimated 232,000 hectares were cultivated. According to our colleagues in Vienna, dry opium prices have stabilized to around $730 per kilogram in the first half of 2024, up from a pre-ban average of $100 per kilogram. UNODC noted that the high prices and dwindling opium stocks may encourage farmers to flout the ban, particularly in areas outside of traditional cultivation centres, including in countries neighbouring Afghanistan.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our humanitarian colleagues there are expressing their concern by the continued violence and deteriorating security conditions in North Kivu Province, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The humanitarian situation there continues to be dire, with civilians caught in the crossfire and humanitarian access severely restricted. Since 20 October, according to local partners, armed clashes in the territory of Walikale have resulted in the deaths of at least 34 civilians, with hundreds more injured and more than 34,000 men, women and children displaced in the area.
The General Reference Hospital in the Pinga health zone, which plays a vital role in delivering emergency healthcare is experiencing a shortage of essential medical supplies. Still in North Kivu, humanitarian organizations have expressed their concerns about the increased frequency of violent attacks on displacement sites in Goma. Our partners have reported that there have been killings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, forced labour, extortions and looting. Women, children and vulnerable adults are particularly impacted.
Between June and October of this year, our partners have documented more than 100 attacks against people in displacement sites in Goma, Nyiragongo and Masisi, resulting in at least 18 displaced people being killed. Despite the challenges, our humanitarian partners continue to deliver food, water and healthcare assistance to more than 650,000 displaced people in and around Goma. However, the presence of armed groups near the sites hinders the delivery of aid. We call on the authorities to take action to restore security and ensure that these sites are safe for both displaced people and humanitarian organizations.
**International Day
Today is the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. It serves as a reminder of the devastating impact that war and conflict can have on our environment.
**Briefing today
At 1:30 p.m. here, there will be a briefing here by the Chair of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination, and that person is Jovana [Jezdimirovic] Ranito. Edie?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Steph. With Mr. Lazzarini here, and UNRWA front and centre, is the United Nations preparing any legal action to try to stop the Israeli ban on its operations?
Spokesman: From the Secretariat point of view, we're not preparing legal actions. We have written to the Israeli Foreign Ministry in response to the letter reminding them of their obligations under international law and also making it clear to them that it is not our responsibility to replace UNRWA nor would we have the capacity to do so. Gabby, then Benny and then Margaret.
Question: Thanks, Steph. Has Israel's Government responded to the Secretary-General's letter on UNRWA?
Spokesman: No, our letter that was sent out yesterday was a response to an earlier letter.
Question: I got you. And another one on UNRWA. In Mr. Lazzarini's remarks, I was a little struck by something that he said. As part of his remarks, he said, the agency must progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political solution. It was part of a wider remark but what struck me is that he's talking about a transition and the possibility of UNRWA having to conclude its work.
Spokesman: No. My interpretation of that is a reminder of what we and UNRWA have said all the time which is it exists until there is a political solution, until there is a two-State solution. It should not be seen as him saying that they're winding down their mandate.
Question: Okay, thank you for that clarification. If I could just switch to one more if you don't mind. On the US elections, it's no secret that Republican administrations over the years have cut funding to various UN agencies. Is the UN or the Secretary-General prepared for the potential cuts that could come with the new US Administration?
Spokesman: Look, first of all, I don't want to pre-empt whatever decision may be made by the next Administration. I would say that over the last few years the Secretary-General I think has been very frugal in managing the money because we've been over the last few years living in a liquidity crisis which has forced us to be very responsible with how money is spent. The Secretary-General will work with the next Administration. I think his statement on that is fairly clear. Benny, Maggie and then we'll go to the screen.
Question: Actually, I'll follow up on that. When you say it's part of the obligation as a Member State about Israel and UNRWA...
Spokesman: Oh, okay, on that [inaudible].
Question: No. But is funding UNRWA, is that part of an obligation of a Member State?
Spokesman: Well, first of all, part of the funding from UNRWA comes from the core budget of the UN, right, which Member States who signed on, members of the UN participate in the budget. The vast majority of the funding of UNRWA is voluntary. Voluntary, in my legal interpretation, does not imply an obligation. Voluntary is voluntary. And I think that's why...
Question: I think I can speak English.
Spokesman: What?
Question: I think I know some words in the English language. Yeah.
Spokesman: I know you're Benny. Between the two of us, we'll make it through. Yeah.
Question: Yeah. But Steph, the reason I'm asking, obviously, is that there was a bunch of States that cut off funding to UNRWA, and one of them is the United States. I think it's the only State that hasn't resumed its funding.
Spokesman: Right. A bunch of States did. I think most of them renewed their funding.
Question: But not the U.S.?
Spokesman: And not the U.S. Correct.
Question: Now, when the Secretary-General is saying that he hopes that the new Administration will continue to have good relations with the United Nations and how important it is, does he include ideas like that that the U.S. will...?
Spokesman: Look, let’s not...
Question: I mean, even Biden has [inaudible].
Spokesman: No, no, Benny, let's not get into granularity of policies that we don't know about, right? What I can tell you is under the Administration of President Trump four years ago, the Secretary-General had very good relations with the President. The fact that they had different opinions about a number of issues was clear to all. I think the Secretary-General stated his opinions. The US Administration had its policies. It did not stop the Secretary-General from engaging with the United States Government, just as all of the previous Secretary-Generals have.
Question: But in the context of UNRWA, the Trump Administration cut off all funding to UNRWA. Biden Administration renewed it. But now that it's cut off, do you expect Trump to renew it?
Spokesman: I don't. I'm not in the expectation business, right?
Question: Alright.
Spokesman: So I'll leave it at that.
Question: But, I mean, since Lazzarini brought it up, is it realistic to think that the United States, which I think is a quarter of the budget of UNRWA, do you believe it's realistic to believe that it will renew it?
Spokesman: I'm not going to start to predict what the policies of an Administration that has yet to be sworn in is going to be. Margaret Besheer?
Question: Thank you. Just one housekeeping item. I saw Dr. Tedros in the corridor this morning because he was briefing the Security Council consultations. He said he's here for a couple of days. Do you think your office could reach out and see if you could get a briefing?
Spokesman: I think my office could.
Question: Okay, thank you. And then back to the election results in the United States. One of the first things President Trump did in his previous Administration was to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Next week, COP29 [the twenty-ninth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] starts. Will this kind of put a chill on it, the concerns about how his Administration may approach climate?
Spokesman: Look...
Question: And that anything they decide next week could be reversed come January?
Spokesman: Look, I don't want to... Again, just like Benny's question, I don't want to speculate. Our position remains unchanged and that the climate crisis transcends borders. Solving it is going to require unprecedented international cooperation. We are focused on building trust, strengthening multinational cooperation, re-energizing action to deliver promises made in Paris. We will work with all countries to secure these aims. The UN, the Secretary-General in this regard are conveners and bridge builders. We're trying to bring all countries to the table. And I think COP, you know, in a sense, a key purpose of this COP is to enable more nations to share in the vast economic benefits of stronger climate action, to protect their peoples from worsening climate impact. Ambitious goals in Baku remain essential. Okay, let me go to the screen in the order I saw, which is Dezhi, Iftikhar and then Michelle.
Question: Hi, Steph. A follow-up. Obviously, we saw the statement from the Secretary-General on congratulating President Trump for his re-election. Has he conveyed this message to any of his campaign team or it's just a public statement?
Spokesman: At this point, it is a public statement.
Question: Will he reach out to the campaign team?
Spokesman: As soon as I have something to share with you on that, I shall.
Question: In that statement, he mentioned about the dramatic challenges in the world they are going to cooperate with. We know that President-elect Trump used to say that he's going to solve the crisis in Ukraine before his inauguration. Will the UN reach out for this kind of conversation before his inauguration? Is that a standard process?
Spokesman: Look, I think the statement talked about addressing the dramatic challenges our world faces, which I think all of us in this room know what they are because we talk about them and you write about them. And I talk to you about them every single day. Just as in any country there is, we deal with the representation of the country at the UN until there's a change of representation.
Question: So it's after inauguration?
Spokesman: I answered your question to the best of my ability.
Question: Okay. Thank you.
Spokesman: Iftikhar, and then Michelle.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Dezhi partly asked my question, but following up on President Trump, among many elements in his victory speech, he said he will stop wars around the world. Any comments on that?
Spokesman: No. The short answer is no. I mean, I think our comment, the result of the elections is the statement that went out from the Secretary-General this morning. Ms. Nichols?
Question: Hi, Steph. A couple of follow-up questions on the election of President Trump. As my colleagues have noted, he cut a lot of funding last time around. Does the UN have a contingency plan ready for various scenarios when he takes office? And then just following up on your remark that replacing UNRWA is not the UN's responsibility. Whose responsibility is it? Thank you.
Spokesman: If UNRWA is no longer able to operate, it would be the responsibility of the Israeli authorities to replace its services that it delivers to civilians in education, in health and all sorts of other areas. Your first question? Oh, I mean, I think I addressed it a little bit earlier in the briefing. I mean, I think what I said was that we don't want to guess as to, or sorry, we're having a long day today. I don't want to pre-empt or speak about policies that may or may not happen, but we work with Member States in the way we've always worked with Member States. Dulcie?
Question: Danny Danon, the Israeli envoy, last night tweeted a video complaining about some Palestinian children's artwork in the lobby of the UN and said he was going to ask to have the Palestinian children's artwork removed. Has it been removed?
Spokesman: I don't know if it was Palestinian children's artwork. I know there was an issue with an exhibit that some of the panels had been covered in cooperation with the exhibit organizers. Someone took those covers down. It is being dealt with and we're answering the Israeli Ambassador.
Question: But what panels were taken down?
Spokesman: Well, I think you should go take a look.
Question: I'm like, if they're not there, how will I know what's not there?
Spokesman: Okay. Well, I can give you more details.
Question: Thanks.
Spokesman: Okay, thank you all.