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.
All right, good afternoon.
**Guest
In a short while, you will hear from our guest, Georgios Petropoulos, who as you know, is the of our sub-office in Gaza for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
He will join us from Jerusalem to talk about the situation in Gaza.
**Press Encounter
Tomorrow afternoon, if you want to put it in your books, there will be a press briefing by Leonardo Santos Simão, who is our Special Envoy for West Africa and the Sahel, and he will be at the stakeout after his briefing to the Council.
**Secretary-General/Syria
You heard this morning from the Secretary-General on Syria. He said that the Middle East is now being consumed by many fires, but today there is a flame of hope in Syria, and we share that hope with the Syrian people and we stand with them, he said.
The political transition ahead must be by Syrians, and for all Syrians, Mr. [António] Guterres added. It must be inclusive, it must be credible, and it must be peaceful, and the process must be guided by the underlying principles of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).
We at the United Nations, he said, are focused on facilitating such a process, adding that he had been in close contact with a number of leaders from across the region and beyond.
Mr. Guterres also announced the appointment of Karla Quintana of Mexico as Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria. She and her team must be allowed to carry out their mandate, he said, and we have sent an official announcement on that a bit earlier.
Mr. Guterres also warned that if the ongoing situation is not managed carefully — by the Syrian people themselves, with the support of the international community — there is a real risk that progress could unravel.
He stressed that adequate funding for humanitarian and recovery responses is critical and made a strong appeal to the international community to show the generosity the Syrian people deserve in this moment and to massively support the humanitarian response in Syria. The $4 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for 2024 is only 33 per cent funded, with just only $1.3 billion received.
**Syria/Humanitarian
Just to give you a bit more granularity on the humanitarian front: Tom Fletcher, the head of the Humanitarian department and Emergency Relief Coordinator … is currently on his way to Türkiye as we speak, after wrapping up his visit to Syria. In Ankara, he is scheduled to have discussions with officials there, obviously on recent developments in the region, especially in Syria.
During his trip to Syria, beyond Damascus, where he travelled to Idlib in the north-west, where he visited a camp for displaced people, Mr. Fletcher met with families who voiced their need for immediate services and for the rehabilitation of their homes and land before they could return to their places of origin. Unexploded ordnance poses a major risk to civilians, including children, as we have been telling you repeatedly, and they must be cleared, Mr. Fletcher said.
We and our partners are responding as security and logistical conditions permit.
Since 27 November, more than 1.3 million human beings have received food aid across the country, including hot meals. However, the rapid devaluation of the Syrian currency is impacting the availability of food.
In Aleppo, bakeries have resumed activities at near full capacity, but partners report that they have seen long queues and crowding at these bakeries.
OCHA also reports that the rehabilitation of key facilities has begun in relatively stable areas in the northwest, including hospitals in Homs and road repairs in Aleppo.
The water supply in Aleppo was also restored yesterday, following a six-day suspension, thanks to the help from our UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) colleagues and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In Hama, 30 health facilities remain non-functional. In north-east Syria, 14 health facilities continue to be suspended due to reports of vandalism, looting, and just lack of access to these facilities. Other health facilities maintain only basic services due to severe shortages of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, which is making a horrific situation even worse for the 44,000 displaced people in that region.
Our humanitarian colleagues also tell us that evacuation orders by the Israeli army triggered displacements in southern Syria. According to partners, some villages in Quneitra Governorate saw 40 per cent of their residents having to leaving.
OCHA repeats that those fleeing fighting must be allowed to do so safely and voluntarily return when the situation allows, and if they choose to stay, they should also be protected.
For her part, the Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, engaged in a virtual townhall with over 200 Syrian young people, half of whom were women, and they were both from Syria and the diaspora.
The event highlighted the critical role that young people will play in Syria's transition, focusing on their aspirations and their concerns for the future. Key issues raised included the need for inclusive governance in line with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), justice and accountability, and ensuring the representation of youth.
**Artificial Intelligence
Also, this morning, the Secretary-General spoke to Security Council members on artificial intelligence (AI) and the maintenance of peace and security.
He said that AI is not just reshaping our world — it is revolutionizing it. But he warned that the risks are huge as AI’s rapid growth is outpacing our ability to govern it — raising fundamental questions about accountability, safety, and security.
“Artificial intelligence without human oversight would leave the world blind,” he said, and perhaps nowhere more perilously and recklessly than in global peace and security. The Secretary-General also added that humans must always retain control over decision-making functions — guided by international law. And he also urged Member States to move swiftly in establishing the International Scientific Panel on AI and launching the Global Dialogue on AI Governance within the United Nations.
**Secretary-General/Egypt Summit
The Secretary-General also sent a video message today to participants of a meeting in Cairo, and that was the eleventh summit of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. The D-8 — also known as the Developing Eight – brings together Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Türkiye.
In his message, he spoke about a range of topics — including Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and the wider region.
He said that peace, hope and a better future for the people of the region and our world are fundamental, adding that as the Summit’s theme this year focuses on the future, that means investing in youth — in their ideas, energy and meaningful participation. Investing in education, skills, and training for young people is a vital part of that.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
You will hear more about Gaza from Georgios, but I do want to flag a couple of things for you. Our OCHA colleagues tell us that hostilities around the Gaza Strip continue to cause widespread death and destruction, including in Al Mawasi, where Israeli forces have been pushing people to move.
There have been reports of heavy fire in this area on Monday and Tuesday, which also impacted the premises of a number of humanitarian organizations.
One field hospital was forced to suspend services on Tuesday but resumed operations yesterday.
Across Gaza, we and our partners face restrictions and other conditions that are severely impeding aid operations. Today, Israeli authorities denied another UN request to reach besieged areas of North Gaza with food and water. As a result, Palestinians in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, and parts of Jabalya remain cut off from the essential assistance they need to survive.
Once again, we stress that facilitating humanitarian assistance — as well as commercial goods — both into and within the Gaza Strip, and ensuring aid operations can be carried out safely, is essential to address the needs of people.
**Sudan/Humanitarian
Turning to another horrific situation, and that is the one of hunger in Sudan, which is only worsening. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that Sudan risks becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis in recent history and the only place globally where famine has been confirmed today.
The Agency explains that nearly 1.7 million people across the country either face famine or are at risk of famine.
As you know, famine is happening in North Darfur’s Zamzam camp while 13 other areas are at risk of famine. The 14 famine and risk of famine areas are concentrated in places where fighting is the worst.
So, one can imagine that this makes reaching people with assistance much more dangerous and much more unpredictable.
To put this in context, 25.6 million men, women and children — that’s over half the population — are acutely food insecure. This is the highest food insecurity ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in Sudan.
On top of that, one in every two people globally facing catastrophic levels of hunger lives in Sudan — that is more than 750,000 Sudanese.
A record 4.7 million children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls are suffering from acute malnutrition.
WFP has surged its operations across Sudan, part of a scaled-up effort to reach millions of people in the country’s most needy and isolated conflict areas.
In October, the World Food Programme reached 2.8 million people — the highest number recorded for any given month since the start of the conflict mid-April 2023.
WFP calls on world leaders to treat the Sudan crisis with the urgency it deserves before it further destabilizes an already fragile region. The international community must step up attention, diplomatic efforts, and funding.
For their part, and outside the borders of Sudan, our colleagues at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) tell us that they — alongside aid partners — continue to work closely with governments and national and local organizations in neighbouring countries to respond to the needs of more than three million new refugees, asylum seekers and returnees, who have crossed borders to seek safety.
People’s most urgent needs are water, food, shelter, health and cash assistance, as well as protection services. In particular, the dire health situation among new arrivals is increasingly concerning and requires urgent attention.
Just to note that our Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, will brief the Security Council in an open meeting on Sudan this afternoon. He will do that remotely from Türkiye.
**Sudan/Political
And on the diplomatic front, we are also active. The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, concluded his meetings in Mauritania, in the capital Nouakchott. He attended the Third Consultative Meeting on Enhanced Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan. Mr. Lamamra said that it is our collective responsibility to do everything possible to end the heart-breaking suffering in Sudan, which has been going on for too long.
Participants, for their part, emphasized the pressing need to reach a ceasefire in Sudan for achieving peace and stability in the country. They urged the warring parties to fully adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and their commitments made under the Jeddah Declaration.
The participants also reaffirmed their intention to enhance coordination and intensify efforts.
**South Sudan
Turning to South Sudan: The peacekeeping mission there (UNMISS) is alarmed by the rising tension in the Tambura region of Western Equatoria state. It urged all involved parties to demonstrate restraint.
Meanwhile, the peacekeepers are patrolling day and night and are supporting humanitarian partners who are providing urgent assistance.
Unfortunately, in addition to reported casualties, these recent developments have led to an influx of people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp adjacent to the Mission’s temporary operating base, and several other similar camps.
The Mission said it will continue engaging with authorities, political actors, security personnel, community and faith-based leaders to try to defuse the current tensions.
**Tropical Cyclone Chido
Turning to Mozambique, where our humanitarian colleagues tell us that additional resources are urgently needed to support people impacted by Tropical Cyclone Chido in the country.
According to the Government’s latest figures, the cyclone has impacted more than 329,000 people, with some 52,000 homes being either damaged or destroyed.
We and our partners, are working to scale up the response, despite funding shortfalls. UN agencies have distributed shelter and non-food items to at least 10,000 people, and the UN’s mobile medical clinics in Cabo Delgado Province have provided primary healthcare consultations to some 1,500 people who needed.
In Mecufi, also in Cabo Delgado, UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and partners have distributed nutrition supplies for 6,000 children, as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene kits for 5,000 people.
**Vanuatu
Turning to another disaster, and that is in Vanuatu, where the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, today allocated an initial $1 million from our Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support immediate response efforts following the earthquake. The funds will go towards providing water, shelter and food.
Meanwhile, our humanitarian colleagues inform us that aftershocks and transport disruptions are challenging aid operations. Telecommunications and water supply networks are not operating in some areas of Vanuatu.
We are supporting the national response, including through the Pacific Humanitarian Aviation Service that is being activated to transport humanitarian personnel and cargo from Fiji to Port Vila in Vanuatu.
For its part, UNICEF and its partners have supported the delivery of water tanks to ensure continued access to clean water, and as we mentioned yesterday, a UN Disaster and Assessment Coordination team is being mobilized for Vanuatu.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Serife, since I failed to call on you earlier today… Oh, it's good to know.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. I have a question regarding the leader of the former Syrian regime, [Bashar al-] Assad. The destruction he has left behind is becoming clear each day as mass graves are being uncovered, and his location is actually rather well known. So, I'd like to know if the United Nations will have a call for legal proceedings or have an initiative to start to hold him accountable for his crimes? Thank you.
Spokesman: There are a number of UN mechanisms that are meant to hold people to account, and people will need to be held to account for crimes committed in Syria, whether it is the various courts that UN has, their commission of inquiries, or other mechanisms. Accountability will be needed for the sake of the Syrian people who have suffered so long. Edie and then Gabriel.
Correspondent: Steph, a follow-up to the Secretary-General's announcement of the new head of the investigative mission looking into missing persons in Syria from Mexico. When is she going to be… I believe her name is Mrs. Quintana. Yes.
Spokesman: Yes. It is indeed Mrs. Quintana.
Question: Do we know when she's going to take up her job, where she's going to be based?
Spokesman: My assumption is that she'll be based in Geneva, where her colleagues already are based. She'll be taking up her job as soon as possible. But what needs to be made clear is… I know we've all been waiting for the name of the leader of this mechanisms, but it has been up and running in the recent past, since its establishment. They've been conducting search tasks such as mapping actors with relevant information, registration. So they've been doing a lot of things out of Geneva, given that they had obviously no access to Syria. The changes that we've seen in the last weeks will obviously lead to scaling up of their activities, and I hope she will be coming on board as quickly as possible. But as I mentioned, there's a team in place that has not been wasting any time.
Question: And, can one assume that she will be spending time in Syria?
Spokesman: One can and should assume that. Maggie and then Javier.
Question: Just continuing on that, do you know how many people are on the team already in Geneva on the IIM [Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria]?
Spokesman: No. But we could find out what the staffing is, but they already have a number of technical experts and I think… but I'll try to get you a number.
Question: So she's not an investigator, but she still has to determine the fate and whereabouts of the missing?
Spokesman: Yep.
Question: So do you have, like, a little more description of… because the resolution from the GA [General Assembly] didn't really describe in detail. It just says determine the fate and whereabouts. It doesn't really say much about it.
Spokesman: I mean, their mandate is to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons. All missing persons in Syria fall under the mandate of the institution, regardless of their nationality, meaning whether they're Syrian or they're not Syrian, regardless of any political affiliation, or reason for their detention. The way they will work is really adopt a victim-centred approach, working with families, anyone who has any information, but really to help support the families, both with information, and anything else they can find out. Right now, what they're working on is capturing, gathering information, engaging with Syrian and international actors to ensure the rapid protection and the preservation of information, data sites, and vital relevance, such as burial sites. I think the securing of information is really critical. I think we saw images from Sednaya Prison with papers being all over the place. I think it's very important for the authorities currently in charge, in Damascus and other parts of Syria, to secure all of that information, not only for this commission but for the issues of accountability moving forward. E voila.
Question: Well, I was just going to say, did the de facto authorities, did anyone from the UN discuss her appointment with the de facto authorities, or did they express any assurances that they will work with this commission?
Spokesman: Well I mean, this is all part of the ongoing dialogue. I don't know if the specific issue was raised by Mr. [Geir] Pedersen, but the issue of missing persons in general was raised by Mr. Pedersen with the previous… with Mr. Assad and his ministers, and I have no doubt it is being raised again today. It is such an emotional issue. It is such a human issue, that it should be on the forefront of everyone's work.
Question: And is there overlap between the COI [Commission of Inquiry] for Syria and the IIMP [Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria]? Because they seem to sort of do the same thing.
Spokesman: I think the Commission of Inquiry has a broader mandate. This one is really just focused on missing persons, on working with families. It's not the first time that in the history of the UN we've had different organizations have somewhat overlap. The key issue is that they all work in the same direction, to answer the most basic question that people have: Where's my loved one? Where's my husband? Where's my wife? Where are my children? Perfect. Thank you. Dezhi?
Question: Yes. Another topic. Today, the Russian President [Vladimir] Putin, when answering the questioning of the Oreshnik ballistic missiles, he proposed what he called a high-tech duel of the twenty-first century to see whether the Western defence system could intercept [those] missiles in Kyiv. What is Secretary-General's position on this rhetoric? Is that probably an escalation of the crisis?
Spokesman: We have seen an expansion of kinetic activity in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. We've seen an expansion of rhetoric. We would like to see both of those go in the opposite direction.
Question: So President Putin also said that he's willing to talk, based on the Istanbul consensus. Do you think maybe they should engage some kind of talk first?
Spokesman: Look it's not for us to comment on that. I mean, I think you know very well.
Correspondent: But UN will facilitate if…
Spokesman: You know, the Secretary-General has said from day one that his good offices are available, like they are in any conflict, provided both parties to the conflict want him or want the United Nations involved. I'm happy to repeat my standard answer, but I think you know it, that we want to see an end to this conflict in line with General Assembly resolutions, in line with international law, and in line with territorial integrity and the UN Charter. Thank you, Dezhi. Yes, please.
Question: Thank you. How does the UN assess the potential impacts on Europe's energy security due to [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s decision not to extend the five-year deal to ship Russian gas across Ukraine?
Spokesman: Look, it's not for the Secretary-General to comment on how and on the issue of commercial agreements and how Europe gets its gas. So we're not going to comment on that.
Question: Thank you. So, Russia has proposed to its partners in Syria to use its military bases to deliver humanitarian aid. Are you ready to cooperate?
Spokesman: The issue of one country having military bases in another is a bilateral issue between two Member States. Obviously, we will work with the Syrian authorities, the transitional authorities in Damascus to see how we can best support them for humanitarian aid access. They've already given us a green light to use as many border crossings as we can to help facilitate that. That will be a discussion they will need to have with the Russian Federation. Ephrem?
Question: Thank you, Steph. I asked you this question before, but it came up again today with the Secretary-General and also with an interview that some of the de facto leaders are giving about sanctions. Like, they're asking for sanctions to be lifted immediately. We're still hearing here about certain conditions to be met before sanctions are lifted. Could you tell us what conditions need to be met before sanctions are lifted, according to the UN?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, if you're talking about bilateral sanctions, whether it's US-EU sanctions, what conditions they feel they need to put on removing those sanctions, that's up to them. That's a question to ask them. I think the Secretary-General took a very, human-centred approach in answer to the question on sanctions, is that these sanctions were put in place when there was a different government in Syria, to put it mildly. The Syrian people are in need of humanitarian aid. We need that support. They also need to rebuild their economies. He feels that movement should be seen on both sides that would lead to an improvement in the situation. As for the de-listing, which is more of a UN issue, that's a decision up to Member States to take. Dulcie, and then we'll go to Mike online, then I'll come back here.
Question: Thanks very much. Yesterday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in the Security Council that the UN needed to start a conversation with the Israelis regarding UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] and whether they can, how that Knesset ban will affect UNRWA's operations. I believe she said the conversation needed to start. Has there been such a conversation?
Spokesman: I mean, I think we've been discussing this issue at all levels for quite some time. Our colleagues in UNRWA or our colleague, the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Muhannad Hadi, has been trying to get information from the Israelis as to how exactly these Knesset bills are going to be implemented. I don't think we have much clarity. What we are clear on is that UNRWA remains vital to delivering not only humanitarian services, but education and health services, not only in Gaza, but of course, as you know, in the occupied West Bank, as well as East Jerusalem. We don't feel there's a replacement for it. None of the UN agencies have the capacity to replace the work of UNRWA.
Correspondent: But she seemed to put the onus on the UN to resolve this problem.
Spokesman: Well, you know, it…
Correspondent: I mean, she wasn't acknowledging. She was basically saying that the Knesset bans are here to stay. So…
Spokesman: We fully understand the legislative process in Israel. We have been in discussions and we've been talking to the Israelis. We don't always, with the Israeli Government we don't always get a response, but we're fully aware of the political and the security environment in which we're trying to deliver humanitarian assistance and development assistance to those who need it. Mike?
Question: Continuing along the line of questioning from Dulcie there, regarding UNRWA and Linda Thomas-Greenfield's comments yesterday. She seemed to indicate in perspective that this is a fait accompli. This is a done deal, in fact. Along the lines of your conversations with the Israeli Government and Israeli officials, has that been a topic of conversation that, hey, can we delay this? Can we amend this? Or is the conversation pretty much set in: these laws are going into effect in 40 some days, here's what we gotta do to prepare for it. Is there any room for manoeuvring there?
Spokesman: Listen. The room for manoeuvre is a question you should ask members of the Israeli Government. We don't have a vote in, you know, the UN doesn't have a vote in the Knesset, to state the obvious. What is also clear on top of what I just told, Dulcie, is that according to international law, should Israel not allow UNRWA to perform its work, not allow UN to perform its work as mandated in occupied territories, it would be up to the Israeli authorities to provide educational services, to provide health services. That's our position, and I would encourage you to read in detail the letter the Secretary-General sent to both the President of General Assembly and the head of this President's Security Council, about 10 days ago, which is now a public document, which I think is a very clear outline of the UN's position. But are we talking to the Israelis? Of course, we are.
Question: So I just am trying to be as clear as possible in an unclear situation. When that deadline hits and the laws are implemented, are you saying, on behalf of the UN, that whatever UNRWA does, whatever UNRWA has done up until that day, the UN will no longer take responsibility for any of that? All of those, sectors, education, everything goes over to Israel and no UN agency will participate?
Spokesman: What I'm saying to you is that UNRWA has a mandate given to it by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which has been renewed over the years. We don't know what's going to happen at that, when the law comes into effect. And that's some of the things we've been trying to get, the details we've been trying to get, operational details. So UNRWA continues to proceed as is. Let's be clear. UNICEF cannot step in and replace the, what 2,000, I think, teachers, UNRWA teachers or so that are working for UNRWA in West Bank schools. It cannot… WHO [World Health Organization] cannot replace, you know, the hundreds, if not more, of Palestinian health professionals that work in UNRWA Clinics. It's just not possible. So, you know, we all have our positions. We want to help the people we are mandated to help. And we want to fulfil our mandate given to us by the General Assembly. If we're not able to fulfil that mandate, that will fall, that responsibility will fall to the people who have the authority over occupied lands. Edie. And then Maggie.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Going back to, Ms. Quintana and her new job. Will her team be doing actual excavations of graves and DNA identification work?
Spokesman: It's a very good question. We'll put you in touch with her office who can answer that granularity. Margaret Besheer?
Question: Thanks. I believe the Israeli Ambassador replied to the Secretary-General today, perhaps. And in the letter, he says that they aren't occupying Gaza. So I suppose that means they're not planning to provide assistance. So if they don't step up and the UN has to step back, what's going to happen?
Spokesman: Look. I'm not going to get into hypotheticals, but I think one could all imagine.
Correspondent: It’s contingency, basically.
Spokesman: I mean, I think we are, you know, we're not looking to shirk our responsibilities. We're not looking for fights, so to speak. We are looking to keep working on our mandate. We are looking to keep helping the Palestinian civilians we need to help, we are mandated to help - with food, with health, with education. And we hope that we will be able to continue to do that. Linda?
Correspondent: Thank you, Steph. I just have a rather, hopefully it won't be boring, housekeeping question.
Spokesman: As long as it doesn't involve mechanical stairs.
Correspondent: No. I don't do stairs.
Spokesman: Okay. Tell me. Drones? No. Yeah.
Question: Do you have, can you just give us any update in terms of the SG's holiday plans and in January travel plans? And if at this juncture, if you assume that he'll be going to Washington [D.C.], I think…
Spokesman: Okay I don't have any updates for you on those travel plans. The Secretary-General will spend the holidays with his family at home, in Portugal. What I can tell you and I think I've told you that there will be a press conference here on 16 January [2025], and any other plans we will share with you. Dezhi quickly, and then Abdelhamid online.
Question: Yes. Very quick follow-up. Will the SG have to visit Damascus in the short term?
Spokesman: I have absolutely no information for you. Abdelhamid, then we'll go to our guest in Jerusalem, who's been very patient.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Israel has been bombing, critical areas, especially energy stations in Yemen. Do you have any statement on that?
Spokesman: We're very concerned about the exchange of missiles that we've seen between the Houthis and Israel. We saw the Houthis launch missiles at Israel. One of them hit a school in Central Israel. We've seen Israel launch missiles at ports and other facilities in Yemen, which led to fatalities and what we understand destruction of a number of infrastructure. This is all part of a very dangerous escalation, which frankly worries us. And we would like to see de-escalation, and we would like to see a return to the support of all the parties to the work of Mr. [Hans] Grundberg. And I do expect a fuller statement on this issue a bit later on today.
Okay. We will go to our guest.