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.
Good afternoon.
**Guests
Just a couple of programming notes for this week. Tomorrow, I will be joined by Angeli Achrekar, the Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS). She will brief on the launch of the 2024 World AIDS Day report entitled “Take the right path”. Sharon Birch, our good friend and Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, will also brief you tomorrow.
We will brief you on Wednesday, but not on Thursday given that is a national holiday in our host country. And on Friday, the office and the building will be open, but we will just do a posted briefing with highlights. The office will be staffed in case of more urgent news than we usually do.
**Palestinian People
Just another programming note that tomorrow will take place the annual Special Meeting in Observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is organized by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. That will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow in the ECOSOC [Economic and Social Council] Chamber. The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will be there to represent the Secretary-General.
**Guests — Today
Today, 25 November, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In his message, the Secretary-General said that it’s been almost 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action promised to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. It’s beyond time to deliver, he said. And on this occasion, today, we will be joined very shortly by the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, along with Delphine Schantz, the Director of the New York office for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and Kalliopi Mingeirou, the Chief of the Ending Violence against Women Section of UN-Women. They will be here to present their report “Femicides in 2023: Global estimates of intimate partner/family member femicides”.
**Haiti
Turning to Haiti, on this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reiterating that the current crisis is having a disproportionate impact on women and girls in Haiti. According to our partners, between January and October of this year, 5,400 incidents of gender-based violence were reported, although the true figure is likely to be much higher. Critical services for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as for sexual and reproductive health, remain severely underfunded in Haiti.
The UN Population Fund, UNFPA, has secured just 19 per cent of the funding required for those services in 2024 — that is $5.4 million in the bank out of the needed $28 million — leaving obviously significant gaps in addressing these urgent needs. UNICEF reports today that the number of children recruited by armed gangs in Haiti has surged by 70 per cent over the past year, with some recruits as young as eight years old. It is estimated that minors make up between 30 and 50 per cent of all members of these groups. This is obviously an alarming trend, which is fuelled by the closure of many schools, as well as displacement, leaving children increasingly alone and vulnerable.
**Secretary-General Travel
The Secretary-General of these United Nations is in Portugal today to attend the 10th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which is taking place in Cascais from today to 27 November. Tomorrow, he will address the official opening ceremony, as well as a UN Alliance of Civilizations’ Ministerial Group of Friends high-level meeting. On the sidelines, the Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with a number of heads of delegations who will be in attendance at the Forum. He will also have a bilateral meeting with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro. His remarks, obviously, will be shared with you.
**Climate
You will have seen that over the weekend we issued a statement at the conclusion of COP29 in Baku in which the Secretary-General said that while he had hoped for a more ambitious outcome — on both finance and mitigation — the agreement that countries adopted provides a base on which to build. It must be honoured in full, and it must be honoured on time, he said, adding that commitments must quickly become cash. He also sent a message to young people and civil society representatives, telling them that the fight continues and that the UN stands with them.
**Plastic Pollution
In Busan, in the Republic of Korea, the fifth session of negotiations on a global plastic pollution treaty started today. The session aims to conclude negotiations and finalize the text of the agreement. In a video message, the Secretary-General urged Member States to deliver a treaty that is ambitious, that is credible and that is just, and one that addresses the life cycle of plastics. And in case you had forgotten, every year, we produce 460 million metric tons of plastic. Much of it is quickly thrown away. Plastic waste is dumped into our waters, killing marine life, getting into our bodies — and by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
**Anti-Personnel Mines
Earlier today, in Siem Reap, in Cambodia, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, spoke on behalf of the Secretary-General at the Fifth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. The Secretary-General said that anti-personnel mines represent a clear and present danger for civilians. By sharing its experience and contributing expert deminers to UN peacekeeping missions, he added, Cambodia is demonstrating how mine action can build lasting peace.
For 25 years, this convention has driven important progress, but the threat of mines clearly remains. The Secretary-General called on States Parties to meet their obligations and encouraged all those that have not yet acceded to the Convention to do so. A world without anti-personnel mines is not just possible, it is within reach, he concluded.
**Lebanon
Turning to Lebanon. I can tell you that we remain concerned by the escalation of hostilities between Hizbullah and the Israel Defense Forces, as well as the widespread destruction and loss of life across the Blue Line. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is also seriously concerned by numerous strikes on the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) inside the Lebanese territories, despite their declared non-involvement in the ongoing hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel. Recent attacks have claimed the lives of 45 Lebanese Armed Forces soldiers. That’s what the LAF is telling us.
Such attacks targeting the LAF in Lebanese territory constitute a flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 1701 as well as international humanitarian law, which limits the use of violence against those not participating in hostilities. We remain deeply alarmed by the escalation of hostilities and the widespread destruction and loss of life across the Blue Line. We urge all parties involved in the conflict to address their differences through negotiations — not through violence.
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert began a visit to Israel yesterday, where she is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli officials today. Discussions are expected to centre obviously on the current crisis and on the urgent need for a ceasefire and the comprehensive implementation of Security Council resolution 1701. Thank you for paying attention.
**Lebanon/OCHA
On the humanitarian front, in Lebanon, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the country is facing its deadliest period in decades, with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis affecting more than a million people. Over the past three days, Beirut’s southern suburbs have been hit by relentless attacks, resulting in extensive damage and significant casualties, as well as forcing people to flee their homes. On average, 250 people have been killed every week in November, bringing the death toll to more than 3,700 since the escalation of hostilities in October of last year. This is what the data we are receiving from the national authorities says.
UNICEF is also reporting that between 22 and 23 November of this year, at least nine children were killed, including boys and girls who were sleeping in their beds. This brings the total number of child deaths to at least 240 since October of last year. In response to the escalating violence, the Lebanese authorities have announced the closure of schools in Beirut and surrounding areas, shifting to remote learning today. This is obviously further disrupting the education of young people.
Despite ongoing security concerns, we and our partners remain on the ground to try to scale up our efforts to continue providing critical assistance. As of 19 November, UNICEF has safely carried out 14 humanitarian convoys, reaching some 50,000 people in hard-to-reach areas. Additionally, UNICEF has helped displaced families living on the streets of Beirut, helping them find shelter amid a severe urban displacement crisis. On the health front, the World Health Organization has delivered 48 tons of medical supplies to support the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health’s Chronic Medication Programme, ensuring that 300,000 people with chronic conditions have continued access to essential medicines.
**Syria
Turning to Syria. Quick note from a statement by the UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, David Carden, who deplored attacks in the north-west of the country this weekend that led to civilian deaths and injuries. Mr. Carden called for the renewed protection of civilians. Some of the wounded were treated at a hospital supported by the World Health Organization. This comes at a time when more than 80 health facilities had fully or partially suspended operations by the end of last month due to a lack of funding. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria — which aims to reach 10.8 million of the most vulnerable people across the country — is less than 30 per cent funded, with just $1.2 billion received out of the $4 billion required.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Heading to the situation in Gaza. Our colleagues from OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) tell us that, yesterday, heavy rainfall caused flooding in multiple sites where displaced families are staying in Khan Younis and Gaza City. People’s tents and other belongings were damaged by the rains. OCHA and our humanitarian partners have been carrying out field visits in multiple areas to assess the impact of the latest rains and to mobilize response efforts. Our partners estimate that about 1.6 million people live in makeshift shelters across Gaza. In recent months, preparations ahead of the rainy season have been severely restricted by the challenges aid agencies are facing in bringing sufficient supplies into Gaza. Our partners have assessed about 100 flood-prone areas, which are hosting more than 450,000 men, women and children in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and in the Rafah area.
At nearly all of these sites, local groups are supporting with preparations for potential rains and floods. For example, sandbags have been installed at 20 sites. However, for 90 per cent of the areas assessed by our partners, there are no workable contingency plans if flooding were to render the sites uninhabitable. In Gaza City, OCHA says that our teams there estimate that dozens of families have been displaced following Saturday’s evacuation orders by Israeli authorities for the eastern neighbourhoods — namely Zeitoun and Turkuman al Jadeda. This is an area of approximately two square kilometres. In North Gaza governorate, our humanitarian colleagues warn that Kamal Adwan Hospital has come under continued attacks over 48 hours — causing an additional 14 injuries, including among the hospital director and the very few remaining doctors and nurses there.
**Middle East
And you will have seen that Muhannad Hadi, the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, briefed the Security on behalf of [Special Coordinator] Tor Wennesland. He told Council members that the situation remains grave across the region. He said that Israeli military operations continued across the Blue Line with Lebanon, as did the firing of rockets by Hizbullah toward Israel, including a barrage this weekend. He welcomed the ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a cessation of hostilities and urged all parties to accept a ceasefire anchored in the full implementation of resolution 1701. There was also a condemnation of ongoing violence in Gaza as well as the continued holding of hostages. And this was Mr. Wennesland’s last briefing to the Security Council as his mandate ends in early January.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, Tom Fletcher, our new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is in the country, and that is his first field visit since he took office as OCHA chief. Mr. Fletcher said the Sudan crisis is one of “staggering proportions, and it demands the world’s attention.”
Today Mr. Fletcher met with Sudanese authorities, including General Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council. In his meetings, he discussed ways to address constraints to the delivery of aid, the need to increase the presence of humanitarian personnel in areas worst affected by the crisis to scale up the response, and how to increase the delivery of aid across borders and across conflict lines. He underlined the importance of bringing attention to the suffering of civilians across the country.
Yesterday in Kassala, Mr. Fletcher visited a centre for children without parental care who had to be evacuated due to the violence. He also visited a camp for displaced people. Mr. Fletcher also took part in an event today in Port Sudan to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. From Sudan, Mr. Fletcher will go to Chad to meet with Sudanese refugees and the host communities who are generously supporting them, as well as local Chadian authorities and our partners.
Further on Sudan, our colleagues at the World Food Programme tell us that we now have a second domestic line for the Humanitarian Air Service. And the first flight from Port Sudan to Dongola, in Northern State, was completed yesterday. This new flight will enable humanitarian workers to expand their presence in northern Sudan and travel more quickly to Al Dabbah, a key transfer point for sending aid.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
The head of our peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, was in Angola over the weekend. She signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Angolan Minister of External relations, Téte António, which formalizes the UN Peacekeeping Mission’s support for the reinforced ad hoc verification mechanism, which launched in Goma earlier this month. You will recall that this mechanism is linked to the ceasefire in eastern Congo, in place since August. The agreement signed this weekend includes information-sharing and field reports.
Ms. Keita reiterated our commitment to supporting Angola's facilitation efforts within the framework of the Luanda process, and to accompany all political and diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the security and humanitarian crisis in Eastern Congo.
**Ukraine
Coming to Europe and to Ukraine. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that attacks and hostilities across the country have continued over the weekend and today. According to local authorities and our local partners, the attacks resulted in scores of casualties, including children, and significantly damaged civilian infrastructure, particularly in Kharkiv, in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.
As a result of the damage, nearly 150,000 families, as well as hospitals, schools and businesses, are currently without heating in the Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, where temperatures have dropped below zero degrees centigrade. This is what local authorities are telling us. Humanitarian organizations mobilized swiftly and provided emergency assistance in Kharkiv and Odesa, among other affected areas. They have delivered food, repair materials and psychosocial support.
**Philippines
In the Philippines, our team there launched a $33 million appeal to support communities ravaged by the typhoons that have hit the country. The Philippines has been hit by six typhoons in just one month, with the storms traversing the same paths and impacting the same communities over and over again. This has been the most challenging typhoon season since 1951 — that’s more than 70 years — and it impacted more than 5.9 million people and leaving 2.6 million people displaced and in need of immediate assistance.
**New Resident Coordinator – Côte d’Ivoire
And lastly, a new Resident Coordinator, this one in Côte d'Ivoire. The Secretary-General has appointed Hélène N'Garnim-Ganga of Chad as the Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire. She started yesterday, 24 November, with the agreement of the Government. She brings more than 30 years of experience in development. She recently served as Regional Director for the East African Region for the French Development Agency, where she oversaw the agency’s work in eleven countries. Edie, up to you.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Steph. A couple of follow-ups. First, will Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert be discussing a possible UNIFIL role in Lebanon with the Israeli government officials?
Spokesman: I don't want to get ahead of what she will be discussing, but, broadly, she will be discussing the situation in Lebanon, the need for a ceasefire and the full implementation of resolution 1701.
Question: Okay. Secondly, on the heavy rainfall in Gaza. I remember that last week you talked about thousands and tens of thousands of tarpaulins waiting to get into Gaza. Have any of those been delivered? And secondly, is any aid at all getting into northern Gaza?
Spokesman: No updates on aid getting into northern Gaza, and on the tarpaulins, I will check the status.
Question: And thirdly, this was, as you said, Tor Wennesland’s last briefing to the Council. When are we going to learn his successor?
Spokesman: Probably about 20 minutes after I learn the name of his successor. Dezhi, Sylviane, then Margaret. Go ahead.
Correspondent: It’s flashing.
Correspondent: Yeah, so is mine.
Spokesman: Okay. Hold on. Just wait.
Question: Hello? Hello?
Spokesman: There we go.
Question: Okay. Right. Okay. So first a follow-up also on the visit of the Lebanese coordinator. Will she talk about the ceasefire? Because we heard a lot of the reports that they even give a very specific date that tomorrow evening that there will be announcement of the ceasefire.
Spokesman: She will of course discuss the need for a ceasefire. Again, I think things are moving quickly. I don't want to speculate, get ahead of anything that may happen. We think it is extremely important for the parties to this conflict to come to an agreement for a ceasefire and for the implementation of resolution 1701.
Question: Okay. A completely different topic. Philippines. We know that nowadays the President and the Vice-President now in Philippines, they are quite hostile. I don't know whether you know this or not. The Vice-President of Philippines, this Saturday…
Spokesman: I've read the story. I'm aware of the story.
Question: Yeah. She said that if she got assassinated, she also contracted with some killer to kill the President. I mean, what has the Secretary-General have to say on this kind of, you know, political threatenings?
Spokesman: We don't have any particular comment on this current crisis now. But I will get back to you if we do. Maggie, Sylviane. Oh, sorry. Sylviane. I called on you first. Sylviane, please go ahead.
Question: Yeah. Thank you, Stéphane. We heard that it's Hizbullah and Israel…
Spokesman: Your microphone a little closer. Thank you.
Question: Okay. We heard that Hizbullah and Israel have reached a possible ceasefire between the two parties for 60 days. The Lebanese people have not been consulted, first of all. And also, Israel will be watching over the port, the airport and the road leading to the border between Lebanon and Damascus. The two parties have agreed to implement resolution 1701, which is the ultimate objective is to the peace treaty between Lebanon and, hopefully, Lebanon, not Hizbullah, and Israel after 60 days.
Spokesman: But what is your question, Sylviane?
Question: My question, first of all, why the Lebanese people have not been consulted, and how much the role of the United Nation will be important in these 60 days. Thank you.
Spokesman: Well, again, we are not involved in these negotiations. So I, at least, have not seen the draft of a ceasefire agreement. As soon, I'm sure, something is announced and we can share something with you, we will on our reaction. I think it is important that people in Israel, people in Lebanon be able to return to at least a minimum situation of cessation of hostilities. What we want to see is the full implementation of 1701, which is the mandate given by Member States, given by the Security Council. I think the Secretary-General's latest report on the implementation paints a pretty clear picture of where we are on the implementation or lack thereof. So again, like I told Dezhi, I don't want to get ahead of our skis. Let's see what is announced, and then we'll have time to comment. Margaret?
Question: Steph, you mentioned that 45 Lebanese army soldiers have been killed, you said, in recent attacks. By “recent”, do you mean since Israel's invasion on October 1st of Lebanon, or do you mean, like, in the last week or two? I mean, how recent?
Spokesman: It's a valid question. I may get back to you on that.
Question: Okay, if you might have an answer. And then on Gaza, going back to that November 16 incident with the aid convoy, the 100 trucks, Mr. Hadi mentioned it today in the Security Council, and he said that 97 trucks were lost. So I'm just kind of wondering how 97 trucks can disappear into thin air. I would think that your Israeli partners have eyes in the sky, and they could tell you where they are or were they blown up? I mean, like, can you give us more detail?
Spokesman: I mean, if they disappeared, we don't have any more details on where they've gone, whether they've gone in sheds, whether they've been taken apart, whether they've been destroyed. We just don't have that kind of intelligence. What we do know is that the goods that were on these trucks, the food that was meant for distribution by UNRWA and the World Food Programme, will not be distributed to those who need it.
Question: And have you asked COGAT or the Israeli authorities to check their surveillance to see if they're around?
Spokesman: The point is we are not a police force that can go and, we don't have repo men who can go and take trucks back. Our focus right now is just on getting more humanitarian aid, keeping the people safe and keeping our staff safe.
Question: But trucks are not readily available, I would think. So, if you've lost 100, that's going to really impact your aid effort going forward.
Spokesman: Yes, it will. We're trying to get new trucks. Stefano?
Question: Yes, thank you. It's a follow-up on Lebanon. Why the UN is not involved in finding the solution for a ceasefire?
Spokesman: Look, the UN is involved in the sense that there is a solution and it's the full implementation of 1701. Different conflicts have different mediators in the lead. We are supporting and all pushing in the same direction.
Question: During the conversation between the parts or anything, is there somebody from the UN present? Is somebody…? Because you have 10,000 soldiers.
Spokesman: I know. And we also have, as you know, we have a tripartite mechanism involving UNIFIL which brings the parties together. Yes, sir?
Question: Thank you, Steph. I have a question about the latest tension between Iraq and Israel. As you know, the Foreign Minister of Israel said that he sent a letter to Security Council and called on the Security Council to act urgently to make sure that the Iraqi government meets its obligations under the United Nations Charter or law. So, the question is, I mean, on the other hand, the Iraqi government receives that as a threat. And do you have any comment on that? And how concerned are you about the situation?
Spokesman: We're concerned about the continued escalation that we're seeing in the region, both in terms of actual kinetic activity and in terms of rhetoric. We very much hope that at least a cessation of hostilities agreement in Lebanon will help calm the situation or at least move things in the right way. Okay. Abdelhamid, now we're ready for you.
Question: Just I truly apologize for being late. [Inaudible] in the West Bank. Did you come across that incident?
Spokesman: Yeah, I don't have details of this specific operation, but if you saw the statement jointly delivered by Mr. Hadi and Mr. Wennesland, it referred to the ongoing violence in the West Bank and the toll it's having on Palestinian civilians, including children.
Question: I did. But again, I just want to ask you, really, is there really 97 trucks or 98 had disappeared in Gaza? How can any human believe in that? If you cannot hide 97 bicycles in Gaza, how can they hide 97? [Crosstalk]
Spokesman: I don't know if you're asking a rhetorical question. I can only speak to what happened. It's not like we're sitting on the trucks and telling you they're gone and they're not gone. They're gone for us. Okay? Dezhi?
Question: Just ask you for an update UNDP’s Yemen. Do you have any new update on that container?
Spokesman: No. The situation is unchanged.
Question: Are there people who’s, like, how to say then, doing maintenance for that?
Spokesman: Yes. Okay. I will go get our guest. Do not move.