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.
**Guest Tomorrow
Just a programming note. Tomorrow, I will have a guest, Haoliang Xu, the Assistant Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
He will be here to talk to you about his recent visit to the West Bank and to Gaza.
**Secretary-General’s Travels
This morning, the Secretary-General left early to head to South Africa where, as we had told you, he will begin discussions on Wednesday with President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as other senior officials.
Conversations with the leadership in Pretoria will include several topics pertaining to the region and to the African continent. He will also be discussing Financing for Development, Climate Action and the G20 agenda for 2025. As you know, South Africa is now presiding over the G20 for the next year.
On Thursday, he will head to Lesotho, where he will meet His Majesty King Letsie III. The solidarity trip to this landlocked country will be an opportunity to shed light on the resilience of this nation. It will also be an opportunity to reaffirm the UN’s continued support to Lesotho and the African continent.
**Central Emergency Response Fund
This morning, here in New York, the High-Level Pledging conference for the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) got underway.
In a video message for the event, the Secretary-General said that the Emergency Response Fund, known to all of us as CERF, is a United Nations success story.
It is a first responder in crisis, he said, rooted in rapid analysis, rapid decision and rapid implementation.
And it is centred around putting people first — and kick-starting relief as soon as possible.
The Secretary-General stressed that the need for a fully funded CERF — at 1 billion dollars — has never been greater.
He also thanked those who have already contributed to the Fund while asking those countries to dig deeper and new donors to step forward.
Help CERF is to help others, he said.
For his part, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, thanked all those who have supported the CERF this year and over the years, and he echoed Mr. [António] Guterres’ call for others to step forward.
And our colleagues at OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) will provide you with the total funding announced at the conference as soon as the bean counters have finished counting.
**Syria
Turning to Syria, I have a bit of a humanitarian update to share with you from our colleagues at the Humanitarian Affairs department. They tell us that, of course, the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.
There are also reports of returns by people who had fled hostilities in the past two weeks, including in the north-west, where the situation is now relatively calm. All 11 reception centres that had been opened in Idlib to host newly displaced families were empty as of yesterday.
In the north-east, our partners say that people are continuing to arrive. As of today, authorities report that 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate.
Our partners tell us that reception centres in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites — including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums — are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.
We have continued to receive reports of the looting of aid warehouses, including those of UN agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, in a number of areas, including around Damascus. Agencies and our partners are working to identify the extent of the impact of this looting.
Despite the challenges and volatile environment, the UN and our partners are continuing activities as the security situation permits.
The cross-border operation from Türkiye is also continuing without any impediment.
Today, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that 25 trucks carrying UN aid crossed to north-west Syria. Nine trucks carrying more than 200 tons of food crossed through Bab Al-Salam, while 16 trucks crossed through Bab Al-Hawa.
Our partners have deployed 16 mobile medical teams to support the response in underserved areas, as well as displacement camps. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), for its part, and the World Health Organization (WHO) are distributing health, surgical and trauma kits to support hospitals wherever they can.
Meanwhile, food prices in markets across the country are increasing sharply. In the past two weeks, more than 20 partners have delivered food to more than 590,000 people in north-west Syria. WFP and its partners have also provided meals to more than 40,000 people in Aleppo, in Hama, Homs, Latakia, Deir El Zor, Raqqa and Hasaka.
For its part, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in collaboration with its partners, is distributing cash assistance for winter support to more than 6,000 households in Idlib and northern Aleppo and transporting 1,500 core relief item [kits] to Idlib.
This morning, Geir Pedersen, the Special Envoy for Syria, spoke to your colleagues in Geneva. He highlighted three priorities for the way ahead: the protection of civilians, de-escalation, and credible transitional arrangements. This means that there needs to be orderly arrangements, and they need to be inclusive, he said.
The Envoy said we need to stop the Israeli attacks, and we need to make sure that the conflict in the north-east stops. And we need to make sure that there are no conflicts developing between the different armed groups in Syria.
Najat Rochdi, for her part, his Deputy [Special Envoy for Syria], convened the Humanitarian Task Force, also in Geneva this morning. She urged stakeholders and Member States with leverage to prioritize the protection of civilians, safeguard critical infrastructure, and ensure that Syrian institutions continue to function within the framework of international law.
Ms. Rochdi emphasized the need for scaled-up protection and monitoring capacity and called on Member States to ensure the safe passage of civilians fleeing hostilities. Essential infrastructure, including schools and healthcare facilities, must be preserved, and pathways for civilians to flee violence safely and return home, when possible, must remain open.
Despite the ever-growing needs, however, the humanitarian response continues to face a severe funding shortfall, with less than one-third of the $4.1 billion required for 2024 — which, as you well know, is coming to an end — has been secured.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
This afternoon, Sigrid Kaag, the humanitarian coordinator for the Gaza crisis, will brief the Security Council in a closed meeting. She will speak to reporters at the Security Council stakeout afterward, so that is probably around 4:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. or a bit later, or a bit earlier. We will keep you posted.
In Gaza [Governorate], our partners report that on 6 and 8 December, additional fuel was delivered to bakeries, allowing all four bakeries to resume full capacity. Bread distributions to shelters and community kitchens — along with cooked meals — have also restarted. However, in North Gaza and Rafah governorates, seven bakeries remain shut down due to the ongoing hostilities. And in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, all eight bakeries are closed, due to flour shortages and safety concerns caused by overcrowding.
Our partners in the southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip are prioritizing the distribution of flour to households, providing each family with a 25-kilogram bag of wheat flour, as stocks become available.
Our partners working to fight hunger in Gaza say that on 1 December in Deir al Balah, the price of one 25-kilogram bag of flour spiked to the equivalent of at least $280, and this is obviously due to severe supply shortages. In Khan Younis, it cost the equivalent of $245. The immediate entry of more food supplies in Gaza is crucial to address the deepening hunger crisis across the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that severe access challenges continue to prevent our partners from being able to screen regularly enough to detect malnutrition cases that require treatment. So far in the fourth quarter of 2024, they have completed just over 151,000 such screenings — out of 346,000 children under 5 that currently live in Gaza.
In November, we and our partners distributed different types of supplementary feeding for children, despite delays in the first half of the month due to logistical challenges. In total, they reached 146,000 children under the age of 5 in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza governorates.
**Lebanon
And heading back north to Lebanon. Our humanitarian colleagues say that we and our partners continue to support the Government-led response in Lebanon. Today, we delivered aid in South Lebanon and Nabatieh governorates, including food and water.
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, was today in Dahieh, Beirut’s southern suburb, as part of the ongoing efforts to assess the humanitarian situation and needs across Lebanon.
He met with municipal leaders and local stakeholders to discuss recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts, emphasizing the role of the Lebanese Government and the support from the UN and the humanitarian community.
**South Sudan
A quick note from our Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), where today, in a press encounter, Nicholas Haysom, the Head of that Mission, spoke on the progress in technical preparations for the forthcoming elections and security sector reform. He urged political parties, stakeholders, and the Government to make critical political and financial decisions necessary for credible elections to be held.
Mr. Haysom highlighted the importance of finalizing transitional security arrangements and initiating voter registration as key priorities. He also called on the country’s leaders to intensify efforts to implement the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
The UN Mission notes that South Sudan is approaching the fourth extension of its transitional period, set for February 2025.
The country’s first sovereign elections, originally scheduled for this month, have now been postponed to December 2026.
**Sudan/South Sudan
Our UNHCR colleagues tell us that they are alarmed by the recent surge of people arriving in South Sudan in need of protection and assistance, with tens of thousands of people fleeing fresh violence in the border areas of Sudan. UNHCR and partners are scaling up efforts to support new arrivals and strengthen basic services, but severe underfunding remains.
Inside Sudan, UNHCR warned that hostilities around refugee camps and areas hosting displaced Sudanese pose grave and worrying risks to civilians, including obviously the refugees and displaced people themselves.
The continuation of violence threatens the ability of the agency and its partners to deliver life-saving assistance to those in need.
**Haiti
And coming back to this hemisphere and to a country just off the coast of Florida, and that is Haiti. OCHA tells us that the activities of armed gangs in the capital, Port-au-Prince, continue to disrupt people’s lives, especially the most vulnerable.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that between 6 and 8 December, more than 4,500 people have become newly displaced due to ongoing insecurity. This is in addition to the more than 700,000 people already uprooted from their homes.
Despite the challenges, we and our partners continue to respond.
During the first week of December, World Food Programme (WFP) distributed more than 100,000 hot meals to some 24,000 people across four displacement sites in the capital.
In the past few days, IOM delivered water to some 14,000 displaced people at 6 different sites.
IOM also reports that medical, mental health and psychosocial support services were made available to more than 12,000 displaced people.
And to conclude on a positive note, the Isaie Jeanty maternity ward, which is located in Cité Soleil, was able to reopen after being closed for nine months due to insecurity. UNFPA is providing support, including medicines and medical equipment.
**Champions of the Earth
Today, our friends at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the recipients of this year’s Champions of the Earth award. These are individuals honoured for their outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification. This year’s laureates include a minister of Indigenous Peoples, an environmental defender, a sustainable agriculture initiative, an Indigenous rights advocate, a scientist focused on afforestation and a pioneering ecologist.
All their details are on UNEP’s website. We congratulate them.
**Human Rights Day
What was adopted in 1948 today by the General Assembly?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Exactly, thank you for paying attention.
And this is why it is Human Rights Day today.
The theme this year is our rights, our future, right now.
And in his message to mark the Day, the Secretary-General said that we face a harsh truth.
Human rights are under assault and as such, Mr. Guterres said this year’s theme reminds us that human rights are about building the future — right now.
He added that the Pact for the Future reinforced the world’s commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and called on all of us to protect, defend and uphold human rights for all people.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Dezhi?
Question: Well, first, the Israeli Prime Minister, [Benjamin] Netanyahu, I think two days ago said that the Golan will be part of the State of Israel for… excuse me, I have the same issue. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Golan Heights will be part of State of Israel for eternity. What is the reaction of the Secretary-General for his words?
Spokesman: We continue to consider Golan Heights occupied territory. I think we were very clear about the violation of the disengagement agreement following the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] occupation of the buffer zone. So, I mean, I think our reaction was very clear yesterday and remains the same today.
Question: So the Israeli media reported that during the last couple of days, they actually targeted 320 Syrian military targets which included this whole Syrian Navy fleet. What is the Secretary-General’s position on this kind of action?
Spokesman: I think, first of all, Mr. Pedersen addressed that this morning. It is very clear that we stand against any violation of the territorial integrity of Syria. We are against these types of attacks. I think this is a turning point for Syria. It should not be used by its neighbours to encroach on the territory of Syria. It should be used by all those in the region and beyond to support the Syrian people so they can choose their own path, so they can work on a transition that is Syrian-led, that is Syrian-owned, that is inclusive, where all the minorities, the myriads of minorities that are in Syria feel safe and feel they are part of the Syrian nation.
Question: Does this Israeli operation look like self-defence or tackling national security?
Spokesman: I think I will leave that analysis to you. Serife? Sorry.
Question: I am going to go on with the Golan Heights. And you’ve been emphasizing that this is a violation of the 1974 agreement since yesterday. I think it would be an understatement to say that the relationship between the UN and Israel is complex, to say the least, because most of the Secretary-General and his officials, including yourself calls to Israel have actually fallen on deaf ears even before 7 October [2023]. So, do you believe Israel will take your words as a warning? And how preoccupied is the Secretary-General that Israel’s military engagement in Syria is not temporary and it will move on to, you know, violate international law, as it did in Gaza and Lebanon?
Spokesman: Look, we can’t predict the future. We can only appeal to all to ensure the safety and the stability of Syria and the respect for international law and the respect for the territorial integrity of Syria. Yes, the relationship, I think, is complex, and that’s a word that I’ve often used. But the relationship is on many levels. It’s on a political, it’s on humanitarian, it’s also on peacekeeping. And the channels of communications remain open. Edie, and then Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Can you first tell us who the Secretary-General has been talking to about Syria and the rest of the situation?
Spokesman: Yeah. He spoke just before leaving this morning. He spoke with the new EU Commissioner for External Relations, Ms. [Kaja] Kallas. They discussed Syria. They also talked a bit about Ukraine and talked in more general terms about the UN-EU relationship, as this was their first call. I have no doubt he’ll be making more calls. And Mr. Pedersen, who we were in touch with a bit earlier today, him and his team have also been in touch with a whole host of interlocutors.
Correspondent: Not having read the entire transcript of Mr. Pedersen’s briefing…
Spokesman: I’m sure your colleagues in Geneva did.
Question: I’m sure they did. Did he give any indication of when he might be heading back to Syria?
Spokesman: No, he did not. I think, you know, obviously, there are a number of UN officials that have a legitimate need to go to Syria soon. I think as soon as the security situation allows it, we will see some travels, in that sense.
Question: And on Gaza, is any food at all getting into northern Gaza? And it sounds like the number of convoys getting in anywhere in Gaza is going down dramatically.
Spokesman: No, I have no information on any convoys getting into the north today. Abdelhamid, and then Sylviane, and then Stefano.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. The Israelis has moved beyond the buffer zone in the Golan Heights. They ordered five Syrian villages this morning to stay home. Isn’t that a classic case of aggression according to international law? And why it is not flagrantly condemned?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, I think I’ve spoken out about it pretty clearly yesterday and again today.
Question: But why the language becomes hazy when it comes to Israel and a little cloudy?
Spokesman: I don’t think so. I mean, listen, again, Abdelhamid, that’s our semi-permanent dialogue. We use language which you are free to analyse and dissect and write about. Your next question?
Question: Okay. My next question, this morning, five families from Kahlout family. The Kahlout is a famous Gaza family. They were eliminated completely — 25 of them killed by an Israeli air raid, 25 in one house, all eliminated. Why did not show in your briefing? Why you don’t have…?
Spokesman: I don’t have that info. I mean, there’s a lot of things going on in Gaza. I think we’ve been very clear about condemning the loss of civilian life. I just was not given that information and that has not come up to here today. Sylviane?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Yesterday, I sent an email asking this question. I’ll ask it now. Downing Street has suggested that the Islamic group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which has taken control of Damascus, could potentially be removed from the UK’s list of proscribed terrorist organizations. Is it likely that the UN will take similar action? If it’s yes, do we need to have a resolution for that?
Spokesman: It needs to go through the Security Council. For any group to be removed from a Security Council sanctions list or any sort of list, there’s a process through the Ombudsman of the Security Council and that involves the Council. It does not involve the Secretary-General. So I would encourage you to ask members of the Security Council.
Question: Another question?
Spokesman: Your microphone a little closer, please.
Question: Okay. Given the new context in Syria, how likely is the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) can be implemented? What role is the UN expected to play in this new scenario?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, you know, I think the headline in what you asked is a new scenario, right? The Security Council resolution is still very much on the books. And I think the spirit of that resolution, which calls for Syrian-owned and a Syrian-led process, remains valid to this day. Obviously, a lot of things have changed, notably who holds the power in Syria. But I can tell you that through the leadership of Mr. Pedersen, we are committed to doing whatever we can to help the Syrian people. We continue to discuss with different parties. As someone once said, there’s still a lot of unknown unknowns, right? And I think we’re all still looking for a bit of clarity. But what is anchoring our work is that this transition needs to be Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, it needs to be inclusive, and minorities need to be protected in the new Syria. Stefano, and then Sinan.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Yesterday, during the meeting of the Security Council, when they came out, the [United States] Ambassador, Robert Wood, told us that actually they talk about the danger of chemical weapons in Syria. So does the Secretary-General think that, you know, that this is an actual danger, that there are chemical weapons still in Syria? And in that case, does the Secretary-General think there can be like, I don’t know, a UN mission to try to look…?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, there’s a framework through the OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons], through the regular briefings that you would hear from Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu. We remain very much in contact with our counterparts in the technical secretariat of the OPCW, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. I mean, there have always been serious concerns that remain about the completeness of the initial declaration by the Syrian Government and the fate of the significant amounts of chemical weapons unaccounted for, as reported by the OPCW. It’s important that all parties active in Syria do whatever they can to ensure that whatever chemical weapons remain are safe, stowed away, and of course, never, ever, ever used.
Question: Just a quick follow-up, but I think it’s the first time that at this point that there is a former Al-Qaida leader, though he’s not any more a part of Al-Qaida, that basically is in charge there in Damascus. And so, whatever has to be done to find this chemical weapon, should it done as soon as possible before the…
Spokesman: I’m not disagreeing with you. I think, as I said, there are mechanisms. It is important that all those who can, including those who control different parts of Syria, cooperate with the OPCW in identifying the locations of these chemical weapons and securing them. Ibtisam?
Question: Thank you, Steph. On Syria, is there a role that the UN can play regarding recovering looted funds or money of the Syrian people, whether by the [Bashar al-] Assad family or other regime or people who were part of the regime? Thank you.
Spokesman: You know, I think that’s a question that will need to be addressed, because it is very likely that there’s a lot of money from the Syrian people that is no longer in Syria. I think once things are a little clearer in Damascus, this is one of the many issues that we will be willing to support the Syrian people in any way we can. And it is also important, on that note, that those countries where financial institutions may be holding money that belongs to the Syrian people also be active in returning those funds. Gabriel?
Question: Thanks, Steph. How would the Secretary-General characterize how HTS [Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham] has been conducting themselves so far in Damascus?
Spokesman: Look, I don’t think we’re ready to issue a report card. There’s some, you know, things are still very murky in Damascus. We have seen some things, one could say, that make us feel better. There’s still been a lot of… we’ve seen also a lot of violence in certain parts. What is important is that there be discipline and that there be respect for human rights, no retaliation and the protection of minorities.
Question: And it was announced that Mohammed al-Bashir has become the caretaker prime minister until March of next year. The Secretary-General’s reaction?
Spokesman: I mean, we’ve seen those reports. Yes, sir?
Question: Thanks, Steph. There was a report in the Times over the weekend that alleged 24 UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency] employees had possible links to militant groups. Have you seen that report?
Spokesman: Yeah, I mean, we’ve seen the report, and I can tell you that our colleagues at UNRWA were contacted by the New York Times. I think what’s interesting is that those reports were shared by the Israeli security apparatus with the New York Times as opposed to UNRWA, which, whenever they have received information, have taken action. I think, whether it’s UNRWA or the Secretary-General, we’re committed to do whatever we can to ensure the continued neutrality of UNRWA and its operations and its staff.
Question: And also on that. So regarding those employees, are there like any new actions that you’ve taken with respect to that?
Spokesman: As soon as UNRWA is actually given information, action and investigations are done. But doing it through the media is probably not the most efficient way to do it. Madame?
Question: Thank you. So we know that Assad is in Moscow. Other figures from the regime, including his brother and other people who have been involved in what has been happening in Syria over the past few decade or so. And you know, what also has been taking place at the prisons. They fled the country. Is this something that the UN is following to keep tabs on their whereabouts, in case there is some sort of accountability going forward?
Spokesman: I mean, I think on the release of prisoners, it is very important that the authorities currently in control of Damascus make sure that all the documentation is kept safe, right? We want to make sure that our human rights colleagues are able to go to Damascus as quickly as possible. There are a number of mechanisms, whether it’s the Human Rights Commission set up by the Human Rights Council or whether it’s the GA-mandated mission on missing persons, that they have access to people, that they have access to documentation. Other parts of the UN system will, I’m sure, be activated. It is critical that in this conflict, as in any, that there be accountability. But accountability through judicial process, not accountability through retribution. Sinan, please. And then we’ll go to Dezhi.
Question: Thank you, Steph, I have a couple of questions. I read Mr. Pedersen’s statement this morning and there is a sentence I want to ask about. He said, I do believe that the international community will look at the listing of HTS again. Can you please elaborate that what he means like? Also, I mean, he said that he receives positive messages from Julani. That means if they change themselves, they will reconsider, or it’s a call on international community?
Spokesman: I think, first of all, the decision will have to be made as I told Sylviane, I think through a Security Council mechanism. There’s a well-established mechanism for delisting, right? It is obvious that any group that is in power will have to be held to the same international standards of respect for human rights, respect for minority rights, respect for people. But that I think what Mr. Pedersen was saying is basically, I think, a reflection of the discussions and what he was hearing from discussions various parts of the international community.
Question: And I have another one, if you don’t mind. Also, he calls on parties to stop the conflicts in north-east Syria. And I wonder, beside this call, is he doing anything else? I mean, is he in touch? Like, is he trying to start a dialogue between Kurdish forces and Türkiye?
Spokesman: I can’t speak to that particular question. I know he himself has been and his office have been in touch with basically all of the parties currently involved in Syria.
Question: Do you mind if I ask you one more? That’s the last one.
Spokesman: Have I ever? What if I said no? Yeah, go ahead.
Question: You said there’s a new, I mean, the half the humanitarian aids goes to north-east Syria?
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: And I wonder what’s the path for this aid? Is it going from, like, Türkiye to north-west Syria and from there goes to north-east Syria or it’s coming from somewhere else?
Spokesman: The aid is coming across the border. I think as the internal front lines have been redrawn or often disappeared, the route through which humanitarian aid is being sent around Syria is now being rethought. So I think in the next few days we’ll have a bit more clarity on that. Dezhi, and then we’ll all let you have lunch.
Question: Yeah. Steph, back to Headquarters. I want to apologize. My complaint about the escalator went viral in China and one of the comments said they heard the sound of the working escalator. They said that one sounds not good.
Spokesman: Okay.
Question: And it turns out now we have two escalators in maintenance.
Spokesman: Dezhi…
Question: My question here. Okay. Well, first, will we see those escalators fixed this year or maybe we will wait next year? And second, is that because of the liquidation crisis?
Spokesman: Dezhi, with all due respect to your many fans on social media in China, I really don’t want to entertain any more escalator questions. I think we have a lot more serious stuff to talk about. And they will be repaired as soon as possible. On that note, bon appétit. And walk downstairs one flight.