Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatimtranscript of today’s briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Briefings tomorrow
Good afternoon, Edith Lederer. Let me start off with a programming note.
Tomorrow, our colleague, Sharon Birch, the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, will be here to brief at noon sharp.
Then, you will hear from me, followed by our guest, Muhannad Hadi, who is the Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. He will join us from Jerusalem to give you an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
**Trip Announcement
First, I have some travel to announce. The Secretary-General will leave tonight to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
On Wednesday, he will be delivering a special address focusing on “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”, the theme of this year’s Forum. In his remarks, the Secretary-General is expected to highlight how, despite progress on many fronts — including technological leaps — many of our world’s problems are getting worse.
He will call on the leaders gathered in Davos to shift their collective efforts into overdrive and to improve collaboration to address two existential threats: the climate crisis and ungoverned artificial intelligence.
While at the World Economic Forum, the Secretary-General is also scheduled to have a series of meetings with leaders from Governments and the private sector. Before coming back to New York, Mr. Guterres will attend the annual retreat with his Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys.
**Secretary-General — Middle East
The Secretary-General spoke at this morning’s Security Council meeting on the Middle East, saying that in Gaza, at long last, the ceasefire and hostage release deal offer a ray of hope.
He noted that yesterday, the first three female hostages were released as part of the first phase. Ninety Palestinian prisoners were also released by Israel. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General added, more than 630 trucks with humanitarian aid entered Gaza yesterday, at least 300 of them to the north.
Mr. Guterres urged the parties to ensure that this deal leads to the release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. For our part, he added, the United Nations will do all we can to advance these efforts — in particular, to scale up humanitarian aid across Gaza, fully aware of the significant obstacles, challenges and constraints that we face.
The Secretary-General informed Council members that he had just returned from Lebanon, where he met with the Lebanese leadership along with the UN family, including UN peacekeeping troops. A new dawn is rising in Lebanon, he said, with a Government hopefully soon in place where all Lebanese will feel represented, and a State that will be able to guarantee security to all its citizens.
The Secretary-General said that he had seen first-hand the dramatic human impact and destruction caused by the conflict. Israelis were also victims, suffering loss and displacement. He said he fervently hopes that all from both sides will soon be able to return to the areas where they lived and resume their daily lives.
The Secretary-General also told the Council that, following the fall of the brutal previous regime and years of bloodshed, there is a possibility of promise for the people of Syria. We cannot let the flame of hope turn into an inferno of chaos.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
As the ceasefire in Gaza entered into force yesterday, humanitarian aid moved into the Strip as part of a prepared surge to increase our support to survivors.
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said that after 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs in Gaza are staggering, and there is no time to lose. He urged all countries with influence over the parties to ensure that life-saving assistance reaches those who need it most.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that aid workers are ramping up the delivery of critical necessities — including food, shelter, clean water and other essential supplies.
The entire population of Gaza — more than 2 million people — depends on these essentials. Children account for about half of the Strip’s population, with many surviving on just one meal a day. Our partners working on children’s welfare say the provision of food, water and medical supplies are being prioritized.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization and its partners have a 60-day plan to increase bed capacity across some hospitals in the north and south — and to deploy professional health workers from abroad. WHO notes that some 30,000 people in Gaza have sustained life-changing injuries and need specialized care.
Partners are also focused on opportunities for early recovery to restore damaged infrastructure and livelihoods.
**Lebanon/Israel
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, today began a visit to Israel, where she is set to meet with senior Israeli officials. Her discussions will focus on steps being taken towards the implementation of the cessation of hostilities understanding, which came into force on 27 November 2024, as well as on remaining challenges. The need to catalyse the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) will also be a central theme of her engagement.
The Special Coordinator, in advance of her trip, welcomed progress seen through the Israel Defense Force withdrawals and Lebanese Armed Forces redeployment at positions in southern Lebanon. She called for continued commitment from all parties.
**Syria
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, appreciated the substantive and comprehensive discussion he held on arrival today in Damascus with the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa.
Mr. Pedersen stressed the vital importance that the international community attaches to the success of the Syrian transition. He discussed the readiness and plans of the United Nations to support the transitional process and the Syrian people on a range of common priorities and in line with the principles in Security Council resolution 2254.
In particular, the Special Envoy affirmed the importance of having all States, including Israel, respect the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as respect the need for an inclusive and credible political transition process led and owned by the Syrians, and the importance of international support including further actions on sanctions.
Mr. Pedersen looks forward to continuing his consultations in Syria in the period ahead with a wide range of Syrian stakeholders and to continuing to work on all the issues discussed today.
**Syria/Humanitarian
On the humanitarian front in Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is concerned by intensified hostilities in the north-east of the country in recent days.
According to our partners, between 16 and 18 January, at least three civilians were killed and 14 others injured in shelling and other attacks affecting Menbij, Ain al-Arab and other villages in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam in eastern Aleppo. Ambulances and other civilian objects were also affected.
Our partners also reported that some shops in the main market were damaged when an improvised bomb detonated inside a car in Menbij on 17 January. These incidents have forced people from their homes in Menbij, according to our partners, and continue to impede humanitarian access. This also affects repairs to the Tishreen Dam, depriving over 410,000 people of water and electricity for six weeks now.
Further east, hostilities were also reported in the governorates of Ar-Raqqa and Al-Hasakeh, affecting water stations and other civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, the situation remains dire for more than 24,000 displaced people who remain in over 200 emergency collective centres across north-east Syria.
We reiterate that all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians. Whether they leave or stay, civilians must be protected and able to access the essentials for their survival. The parties must facilitate safe and unimpeded humanitarian operations.
Meanwhile, we and our humanitarian partners continue to provide assistance, including food, cash, winter and health support, as conditions permit.
More than 3.2 million people across the country have received bread assistance since 27 November and over 400,000 were provided with food aid. Last Friday, in Türkiye, the UN dispatched 11 trucks carrying 286 metric tonnes of World Food Programme aid to northern Aleppo, crossing through the Bab Al-Salam border crossing.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the humanitarian situation remains dire in Al-Jazirah State — which is about 200 kilometres south of Khartoum.
Today, the World Food Programme was able to reach Wad Medani, the capital of Al-Jazirah State, with the first delivery of WFP assistance in over a year. Eleven trucks arrived with 260 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies — enough for more than 20,000 people.
Our humanitarian partners are also planning to carry out a needs assessment to inform broader response efforts in the city. They tell us that people in Wad Medani are grappling with shortages of food, water and health services, as well as severe malnutrition. Immediate access to clean water remains critical, as most water stations are not functioning, forcing people to rely on unsafe water sources and raising health risks.
You’ll recall that Wad Madani is among 17 areas at risk of famine in Sudan, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Given the scale of needs, OCHA once again calls for additional resources for the response and stresses the need for civilians to be protected, amid reports of shootings, movement restrictions, and gender-based violence in the area.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Our peacekeeping colleagues in the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, report that over 600 combatants from the Zaïre armed group have laid down their arms. This took place in Mabanga, in Ituri province’s Djugu territory.
During a ceremony held recently in Bunia, more than 85 weapons and munitions were also handed over to the Mission. This development, supported by our peacekeeping colleagues and the Government of the DRC, is a first step towards facilitating the reintegration of former combatants, including women and young people, into civilian life. They are receiving support for agricultural projects, income-generating activities, and community recovery programmes.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that, over the weekend, attacks in the densely populated cities of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia caused civilian casualties, including children. The hostilities also disrupted basic services and damaged civilian infrastructure. This is according to local authorities, who also reported that dozens more people were killed and injured in front-line areas in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
Humanitarian workers swiftly responded wherever security permitted. In Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, they provided aid at attack sites. They also offered building materials to cover shattered windows, and psychological and legal support to affected residents.
Last Friday, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, allocated $70 million from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund to support the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. The funds will aid newly displaced people, provide essential services in front-line areas, and strengthen local organizations, including those supporting women’s rights, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities.
Our humanitarian colleagues also note that, last week, two inter-agency convoys delivered essential aid to frontline areas including Pokrov in Dnipropetrovska and communities in Kherson. Both regions have been heavily impacted by hostilities in the east and south of Ukraine.
Supplies included food, medicine, hygiene kits, blankets, and solar lamps for residents, many of whom are older or have disabilities. Our humanitarian colleagues said that access remains severely restricted due to security concerns.
**Honour Roll
And last, but not least, we have four new nations on the Honour Roll. We thank our friends in Antigua and Barbuda, Latvia, Nauru and Switzerland for their full payments to the regular budget.
You see that that was a diverse enough group of nations that we couldn’t find an encompassing quiz for them. The Honour Roll now has 17 members.
Yes, Dezhi.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Well, today, a President is inaugurated. Has the Secretary-General had any kind of communication with now President Trump of the United States?
Deputy Spokesman: He hasn’t spoken to him at this stage, but we expect that there will be some communication in the future. Of course, the Secretary-General looks forward to working again with President Trump on his second term. Of course, as you recall, the Secretary-General was the person in office during his previous term.
Question: But has he ever talked with the newly US Ambassador to the UN, Stefanik?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t believe that the Ambassador has been appointed formally yet. But obviously, once she takes up her position, he will see her.
Question: What is the reaction from the Secretary-General that former President Biden pardoned his family members and multiple people because of what they call pre-emptive measures?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we don’t have any comment on the pardon exercises that the presidents carry out.
Yes.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. A couple of follow-ups. First, on Davos, you said that the Secretary-General is going to meet with some leaders and CEOs. Can you give us any names?
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage, the schedule is a bit in flux because we’re arranging the meetings. But we will provide you with daily updates about all the people with whom he meets.
Question: Okay. Secondly, have any acts of gang violence or lawlessness been reported in the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza?
Deputy Spokesman: So far so good. We don’t have any significant problems of violence or looting to report. So we’ve been working with communities, we’ll, of course, keep you updated daily. But the situation is a bit fluid, where we’re doing what we can to get aid in. The good news is, as the Secretary-General pointed out, that, of the initial batch of 600 trucks yesterday, about 300 of them went to the north, which is a place that was desperate for aid.
Question: And is there any update on the number of trucks that have gone into Gaza today?
Deputy Spokesman: No. At this stage, what I can tell you is that the number of trucks entering Gaza will be collated and verified each evening by the parties involved in facilitating and carrying out aid operations. So we are waiting for the parties to collate and verify that, and we’ll have more figures, but that’s at the end of the day. We won’t be able to provide daily figures until the process is completed each evening.
Question: And will you send those out to us?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. Whenever we get the figures, we’ll share them. Ephrem.
Question: Thank you so much, Farhan. On the Secretary-General’s trip to Davos, what would you say is his main message that he’s carrying with him? What are his priorities on that trip?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, he wants to highlight the fact that even though we are making technological progress in the world, many of the world’s problems are getting worse. And so he wants the world leaders to focus on two particular existential threats. The first one is, of course, climate change, and the other one is ungoverned artificial intelligence and the need to make sure that there are rules for that system.
Question: Thank you. And another one on Syria. He warned of… he asked for the flame of hope to win over what he called the danger of an inferno of chaos. Could you specify what are his main fears really, when we talk about Syria? What are the main apprehensions of what’s going on now?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, anytime there’s a collapse of an old order, there’s a promise that you can build a new system of governance that will be fair and democratic. The worry is that it will be hijacked, and the promise of a better future will be overtaken. Before you came in, I talked about how Geir Pedersen is in Damascus where he met with Ahmad Al-Sharaa, and we have some details available about his meetings there. But we are working with the governing authorities and other parties to make sure that there will be an inclusive future for the people of Syria. Gabriel.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Just a clarification on Edie’s question on how you guys are going to be releasing the number of trucks to get into Gaza every day. Will that number be collated from all the different UN agencies and you’ll be putting out one number or will it come from OCHA?
Deputy Spokesman: We’ll try to get an OCHA number, as we can. Like I said, the parties themselves will be involved in collating and verifying the numbers each evening. So we’ll try to then provide what numbers we can once that exercise has happened.
Question: Will you be also including that private or NGO numbers of trucks from NGOs or private entities…? [cross-talk]
Deputy Spokesman: I think we’d only be able to speak for ourselves, but, you know, obviously, we’ll try to give as much detail as we can.
Question: And just one another follow-up on that is, we’ve been told for many, many months now not to count the trucks because it’s a matter of… It doesn’t matter how many trucks get into Gaza. It’s, do they reach the people that need the help. Obviously, that’s changed a little bit because of the ceasefire. But I guess my question is, the Secretary-General, when he was in Beirut in his press conference said, we have other obstacles that we have to deal with the total degradation of Gaza and its infrastructure. Are you sensing that the roads being bombed and the infrastructure problems are leading to potential problems of getting those trucks to people that need aid?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. Yes, of course they are. Obviously, if roads are unsafe or unusable, then you can’t travel on them. If some areas are cut off because of mines, you can’t get to those. So we’ll have to be able to remove rubble. We’ll have to be able to clear mines. All of that needs to also happen. But, with the ceasefire in place, we can begin with those activities as well.
Question: Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Dulcie?
Question: Yeah. There’s a new director of UNICEF’s Washington office. What is the process for that appointment being made?
Deputy Spokesman: The directors of information centres are selected through a process here by the Department of Global Communications, which is in charge of the information centres.
Question: So that’s considered an information centre, UNICEF’s Washington office?
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, you talked about UNICEF? Well, that’s done through UNICEF.
Question: Okay. So the Executive Director appointed the latest new director of the Washington office?
Deputy Spokesman: It’s appointed through UNICEF. I don’t know who in UNICEF appoints, at that level. I assume that that would also be their own equivalent of our Department of Global Communications.
Question: Oh, okay. So I guess I’m a little confused who actually would name this person. Are you talking about Department of Global Communications or UNICEF? [cross-talk]
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I think you should check with UNICEF, and they’d be able to help you with that.
Question: Also, on the trucks getting into Gaza as to what extent is UNRWA still involved in this process?
Deputy Spokesman: UNRWA is helping with the distribution and distribution points in the same way that they’ve done before just as they continue to carry out education activities and activities at health points.
Question: So is it in the lead in this process still, or is it just one of many UN agencies?
Deputy Spokesman: I mean, obviously, there are other agencies involved. The World Food Programme plays a role with getting the trucks in. You have different agencies that help contribute supplies, including UNICEF and the World Health Organization. But UNRWA plays its part particularly at the distribution sites.
Yes. Edie?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Is there any indication that UNRWA is going to try to restart education for the 650,000 Palestinian children in Gaza?
Deputy Spokesman: That has been what their intention is once the fighting stops. So they’re going to be planning for that and we’ll see what can happen. Right now, of course, many of the places that had been UNRWA schools are currently being used as displacement sites. So it would depend on how you could reconfigure them and make them go back to becoming schools again.
Dezhi.
Question: Speaking of UNRWA, is there any clearer picture of what is going to happen after the end of January? And what is the plan for the UN to deal with that?
Deputy Spokesman: The sort of things we’ve been telling you about in terms of our plans, and that Philippe Lazzarini spoke to you about on Friday remain the situation and the posture today. [cross-talk]
Question: Well, he didn’t answer my question whether this will be a rebrand or how to replace it. Neither of these questions had been answered by Mr. Lazzarini.
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage we are not considering a replacement of UNRWA and we’re doing what we can to make sure. And he made very clear that they will do what they can to continue with their work.
Question: He’s not one of those guys involved in the, some of the reports said that the negotiation between UN officials and the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Is there actually a report, a negotiation between the UN and the Foreign Ministry of Israel like that?
Deputy Spokesman: I have, again, nothing new compared to what I’ve been telling you about over the past week. So if you go by what I’ve said and what you heard Mr. Lazzarini say, that’s where we stand.
Yes, please.
Question: So, at the recent meeting of the Security Council, the speaker for Palestine talked about resuming the 2005 AMA or a role for the PA under the 2005 AMA.
Deputy Spokesman: The AMA is what?
Question: The agreement concerning Rafah, with the EU [European Union]. So what’s the UN’s perspective on that? Should the PA have a role in the Rafah crossing?
Deputy Spokesman: We certainly want a unified Palestinian authority to have a role in Gaza. This is what the Secretary-General has been speaking about. And of course, we will see what kind of unified role the Palestinian authority can have.
And with that, wish you all a good afternoon.
Question: Thank you.