Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Briefing today
Good afternoon, everyone,
Today, my guest will be Muhannad Hadi, who is the Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
As soon as I am finished with my briefing, he will join us from Jerusalem to give an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that a surge of humanitarian aid continues to enter the Strip.
OCHA says that our priorities include food assistance, opening bakeries, providing healthcare, restocking hospitals, repairing water networks, bringing material to repair shelters, and starting family reunifications.
Today, OCHA and its partners visited Jabalya camp in North Gaza governorate. They report that people there are creating makeshift shelters in the middle of the rubble. There is also a critical lack of access to water, with all wells destroyed, and the risk of unexploded ordnance remains high. We and our humanitarian partners are mobilizing to provide food and emergency shelter support.
With the ceasefire in place, displaced Palestinians have been making their way back home, with many returning to find mountains of rubble. According to our partners working on the shelter response, more than 90 per cent of housing units in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed over the past 15 months. Given the scale of destruction and needs in Gaza, we are working to get vital aid to people as fast as humanly possible.
We also urge Member States and partners to ensure that our aid operations are funded to meet the overwhelming needs.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA is extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of Palestinians in Jenin city and Jenin refugee camp, where the Israeli forces have been operating today.
According to initial reports, air strikes, heavy bulldozing and the operation of undercover forces have resulted in several fatalities and dozens of injuries — including among medical personnel.
This latest Israeli operation in Jenin refugee camp follows weeks of clashes there between Palestinian forces and armed Palestinians. UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) says that, as of last week, about 2,000 families had been displaced from the camp during those clashes.
Previous Israeli operations in Jenin refugee camp have damaged critical infrastructure, and as a result, the camp remains largely disconnected from basic services, including water. Electricity and solid waste management have also been disrupted.
Earlier this month, the UN and our humanitarian partners were distributing mattresses and blankets to those displaced — but humanitarians have not been able to safely access the area more recently on a reliable basis.
**World Economic Forum
The Secretary-General arrived in Davos, Switzerland, this morning to attend the annual World Economic Forum.
Tomorrow morning, he will deliver a special address at the Forum. He is expected to say that climate change and ungoverned artificial intelligence are two profound threats that demand much more attention and intelligent collaboration than they are receiving, as they threaten to upend life as we know it. You can also expect him to reserve some sharp words at those parts of the private sector that are actively backtracking on climate goals.
Later this evening, the Secretary-General will participate in a Leadership Dialogue on Digital and Emerging Technologies, where he will promote the recently adopted Global Digital Compact as a tool that provides a new framework to help ensure that technology benefits all of humanity — guided by strong guardrails that minimize risks while amplifying the benefits. He is expected to call on the private sector, the philanthropic community and Member States to work together with their relative strengths to ensure that artificial intelligence serves its highest purpose: advancing human progress, equality, and dignity for all countries and all people.
The Secretary-General will finish the day by delivering remarks at a dinner organized by Global Investors for Sustainable Development.
**Security Council
This morning, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke to the Security Council, during a session on countering terrorism in Africa.
She told Council members that Africa has remained the epicentre of global terrorism with the Sahel as ground zero for one of the world’s most brutal crises. For three straight years, terrorism-related deaths in that region have soared past 6,000, making up more than half of all global fatalities.
Burkina Faso is now leading the world in terrorism deaths with a staggering 68 per cent increase, and with little support to help reverse this trend.
Ms. Mohammed told Council members that countering terrorism on the African continent must continue to innovate with an approach that holds the respect for human rights and the rule of law at its core.
First, she said, we need to continue to address the drivers of terrorism. Second, she added, we need human rights-based approaches to counter-terrorism, grounded in accountable and inclusive institutions. And third, the Deputy Secretary-General said that regional cooperation is the linchpin of any effective counter-terrorism strategy. Fragmenting our efforts only plays into the hands of the perpetrators.
She called for the coordination of all efforts, adding that the Security Council has a critical role in supporting African Union counter-terrorism initiatives, grounded in African leadership and solutions.
Her full remarks were shared with you.
**Syria
Moving to Syria: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that, amid heightened insecurity in eastern Aleppo, a UN humanitarian mission went to the city of Menbij yesterday.
The mission met with local authorities, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to identify and address issues including those related to the Tishreen Dam, which continued to face attacks in its surrounding areas as of yesterday.
The team also visited the Menbij National Hospital, where health workers are working voluntarily with limited resources due to past looting of equipment, ambulances and generators.
Also yesterday, OCHA and the UN Children’s Fund — UNICEF — completed a monitoring mission to the Ain Al Bayda water station in eastern Aleppo, which had been recently rehabilitated with the support of the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
In addition to incidents linked to ongoing hostilities, civilians — particularly children — are also at risk from explosive ordnance contamination across several governorates. Our partners have recorded 69 explosive ordnance incidents over the first two weeks of January, in which 45 people were killed and 60 others wounded. Since 26 November, a total of 134 new areas with explosive remnants of war have been identified by partners across five governorates — Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Latakia.
As people continue to move and return to their communities, our partners are calling for increased and flexible funding for mine action, including risk education and emergency clearance, particularly roads and bridges.
And OCHA says that increased funding is also needed to ensure the continuation of services, including in camps sheltering displaced people.
And just to give you an example of the dire situation without sufficient funding — in north-west Syria, water and sanitation services have been suspended in many displacement camps due to funding gaps, affecting more than 635,000 people.
We continue to call for the support of the international community to bridge those gaps.
**Mali
Turning to Mali, we and our partners, together with the country’s transitional authorities, today launched in Bamako a $770 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to support millions of people across the country this year.
The Plan aims to address the urgent needs of 4.7 million people affected by conflict, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks. Nearly 80 per cent of the people to be reached with aid are women and children. The Plan aims to provide them with food, water, healthcare and protection support, among other assistance.
The UN and our partners have worked closely with the Malian transitional authorities to develop the needs analysis and response plan. We’re also working hard to ensure humanitarian action complements and promotes resilience and longer-term development goals.
We’re grateful for the authorities’ continued leadership on these issues and welcome our ongoing partnership to deliver principled humanitarian aid and support resilience and development.
Last year, partners mobilized nearly 40 per cent of what was required — just over $270 million — enabling life-saving assistance and protection to reach 1.8 million people.
The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator there, Khassim Diagne, said that it is urgent that the entire humanitarian community and donors renew their commitment to addressing essential humanitarian needs.
**Mozambique
Turning to Mozambique, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that access issues continue to hamper humanitarian operations in some parts of the country. Our humanitarian partners say that access restraints — including illegal checkpoints, unofficial requests for payments to cross checkpoints, and threats to NGO vehicles and other Government convoys carrying aid — are affecting the main supply roads that our partners use in Cabo Delgado.
OCHA is engaging with provincial and district authorities, including community leaders, to advocate for the safe access and safety of humanitarian workers.
Meanwhile, insecurity across the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula is also disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid to more than 700,000 people impacted by the two recent cyclones in the country.
**Climate
And you may have seen our comments in response to your questions on the White House announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but I wanted to read it into the record:
The Paris Agreement was adopted by all the world’s nations in 2015 because they recognize the immense harm that climate change is already causing and the enormous opportunity that climate action presents. It offers a meaningful yet flexible framework for action by all countries.
The last ten years have been the hottest in recorded history. We have to look no further than Los Angeles to see this human, ecological and economic disaster play out. The collective efforts under the Paris Agreement have made a difference but we need to go much further and faster together.
The transformation envisaged in the Paris Agreement is already under way. The Paris Agreement has unleashed an energy revolution, offering unparalleled opportunities for countries and businesses to invest in renewables that power twenty-first century jobs and prosperity. Leaders must seize these opportunities in this critical decade for climate action.
The Secretary-General remains confident that cities, states and businesses within the United States — along with other countries — will continue to demonstrate vision and leadership by working for the low-carbon, resilient economic growth that will create quality jobs and markets for twenty-first century prosperity. It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on environmental issues.
**WHO
And last, the World Health Organization (WHO) today said that it regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization. And I would also like to add the Secretary-General’s consistent support for the work of the World Health Organization.
WHO pointed out that the United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside its other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board.
For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, WHO and the US ended smallpox, and together WHO and the US have brought polio to the brink of eradication.
With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past seven years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform its accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues.
WHO said that it hopes the United States will reconsider. The agency added that it looks forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people across the globe.
**Questions and Answers
Deputy Spokesman: Gabriel?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Who is the UN’s liaison to the new Administration in Washington?
Deputy Spokesman: The UN’s liaison?
Question: Who at the UN is communicating with the [Donald] Trump Administration?
Deputy Spokesman: We have our information centre there. I believe the head of [the UN Information Centre] recently was William Davis. I think that there’s been a change recently, but I’ll check.
Question: Okay. And on Gaza, the OCHA announced 915 trucks getting into Gaza in a 24-hour period earlier this month; as early as 16 January, there are only 6 trucks. Of course, that was before the ceasefire. My question is, is it clear now that Israel was using, for many months now, using starvation as a weapon of war?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I don’t want to get into what the motivations are. Obviously, there was a war fighting going on, but, of course, our guest, Muhannad Hadi, will be here to talk to you further about what the conditions in Gaza have been.
Tony?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. On WHO and the US withdrawal from this organization, how do you see that this withdrawal is going to affect the work of the agency, and what would be exactly the impact on it?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the agency, as you know, relies on a number of donors, both from Governments and private donors. And, obviously, any shortfall from one group or one country will put additional pressure on other countries and other donors to step up. And we hope and trust that our supporters of world health around the world will rise to the challenge and make sure that the World Health Organization can continue to do its work.
Edie and then Dezhi.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Can you tell us about the UN presence in Jenin? Were UN staffers witnessing this latest military action by Israel?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, there were staff, including UNRWA and other staff who were trying to aid the people in Jenin. The problem has been that in recent days with the fighting, there have been… it’s been harder to get access. And certainly, we hope that the situation will calm down so that we can also provide aid to the people who have been affected by the recent displacements, both between the inter-Palestinian fighting and the more recent Israeli actions.
Question: And on a completely different subject, the United Nations in many aspects came under sharp criticism today at the confirmation hearing for the next US Ambassador to the United Nations, and I wondered if the UN had any response.
Deputy Spokesman: I wouldn’t go into any sort of thing like a point-by-point rebuttal, but obviously it’s clear the work that the United Nations and its agencies do. It’s clear the importance we have in a variety of fields, whether we’re talking about peacekeeping efforts around the world, whether we’re talking about humanitarian aid, whether we’re talking about the economic assistance that UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and other entities provide, whether you’re talking about support for the environment, support for population planning. There’s a world of activities that are promoted by the United Nations, and underlying it all is the core fact that what the United Nations has succeeded most at is making sure that all of the nations of the world have a reliable, peaceful venue where they can negotiate with each other and deal with all potential conflicts, all potential cross-cutting issues collectively. That’s as much as I have to say on that.
Dezhi and then Serife and then Margaret.
Question: Edie just inspired me. Well, I’m sorry…
Deputy Spokesman: She inspires us all.
Question: Yeah. I’m sorry. Will the UN consider establish a kind of, like, a DOGE, you know, D-O-G-E department to tackle the efficiency of this institution, which has been criticized by the incoming US Ambassador?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t have any real reaction to comments. We get and are used to getting criticism from Governments around the world. Part of the nature of this job is that we’re not going to please all the Governments all the time. And we accept that. What we want the Governments of the world to appreciate is the value of the work that we do, for all of them.
Question: Okay. Come back to my actual question. Now when answering Gabby’s question, you talked about the liaison, the contact with the White House.
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah, and by the way, I was right. It is Will Davis. He’s still the head of the UN Information Centre in Washington.
Question: Will there be any appointment or arrangement now of the communication between President Trump and the Secretary-General of this Organization?
Deputy Spokesman: UN Secretaries-General always try to maintain communication with our host country and with Government officials in our host country. You’ve seen different UN heads not just communicate with the presidents, but with key members of the US Congress. And we’ll continue to do that.
Question: Or maybe the newly appointed Secretary of State, kind of arrangement?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Obviously, we tend to communicate with whoever is the US Secretary of State. Yes.
Question: Okay. One last thing. Last year, I asked Florencia [Soto Niño] about the arrears and how much US owed the contribution of to this Organization. Do you have the exact figure of that?
Deputy Spokesman: By an amazing coincidence, some of your colleagues have been asking the same question today. And what I can tell you is that right now, the United States owes $1.5 billion to the regular budget of the UN.
Question: $1.5 billion?
Deputy Spokesman: $1.5 billion and then between the regular budget, the peacekeeping budget, and the tribunals, the total amount that they owe to all three is $2.8 billion.
Question: Do you think you can get this money under Trump Administration?
Deputy Spokesman: We have gotten the money for UN expenses under all of the various Administrations in the past.
Question: Which means there’s another liquid cash flow problem, maybe soon?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t want to anticipate. I mean, the point I’m getting at is under all previous administrations, we have continued our operations, and we have received payments of dues.
Serife and then Margaret.
Question: Thank you. Farhan, if you will allow me, I’d like to go back to the occupied West Bank. I think it’s becoming increasingly clear that Israel is increasing its attacks in the West Bank following the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Israel’s justification for the attacks in Gaza was Hamas. So I initially, my first question is, do you know what their excuse is to attack Jenin? Israel has detained, since Monday, about 84 people in the West Bank. We also see a significant increase in settler violence. So I’m just wondering, does the Secretary-General fear that the occupied West Bank may be the next stop on the list of Israel and it may face a similar destruction to Gaza?
Deputy Spokesman: What I can say about that is that the Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in the occupied West Bank, particularly the ongoing large-scale military operation in Jenin, which has reportedly resulted in Palestinian casualties. The Secretary-General urges security forces to exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life.
Maggie?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Further on the US intention to leave the World Health Organization, just remind us, it takes one year for that to go into effect. Is it one year?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes.
Question: Okay. And then, you guys will lose money, but what will the United States lose by withdrawing? Are they going to lose access to information or data or anything that the World Health Organization maintains, like databases?
Deputy Spokesman: I think for that kind of detail, you should check with the World Health Organization what happens with the relationship that it has with the US Government. For our standpoint, of course, we are worried about any problems that impede international cooperation in dealing with health crises. Just a few years ago, you saw a major international pandemic, and we needed tremendous amounts of international cooperation in order to deal with that. And that, by the way, was during the Trump Administration. And that cooperation, I think, is very clear, helped to save lives.
Question: And one other, please. Is there a dashboard somewhere or website where we can see the numbers of UN staff, permanent staff and what countries they’re from? Like, how, you know, are there 50 employees from United States, 60 employees from Qatar? Like, you know, is there something where that’s laid out?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe that there’s a yearly report that goes out as a document. So you could go to the documents or to the library and get that. There’s a yearly report of staffing, broken down by nationality.
Question: Is that from the General Assembly?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe it would be probably a General Assembly document. But, yes, it should be available online and in the library.
Question: And then just one more on the announcement about leaving the Paris Accord. President Trump repeatedly said yesterday, various, speeches and appearances, “drill, baby, drill”. That’s going to be one of, you know, his Administration’s mottos. I know the Secretary-General has repeatedly called for the end of fossil fuels. So what is his particular feeling, reaction to that particular new policy?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t think a catchphrase is a policy, but beyond that, the Secretary-General’s point of view is that there’s no future in fossil fuels. We need to move towards a green economy and a sustainable economy, so that we and future generations can continue to live in a planet that is liveable.
Okay. Ibtisam, and then we’re going to go to the screens, and then we’ll have round two of questions. But, yes, Ibtisam.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Just to follow-up on the WHO and the Paris agreement. You confirmed to Maggie that it takes one year to go into effect when it comes to WHO. Is it the same, if I remember that correctly, it’s the same also for the Paris agreement? Is that correct?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Yes. It is.
Question: And do you know how much the US owes WHO or is it still owing WHO or something?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe that they’ve paid the WHO recently, but you can check with our WHO colleagues where they stand.
Question: Okay. And then just a follow-up on the issue of the US dues and them not paying part of it. Can you remind us, I know that, usually, if you don’t pay your dues, you lose part of, you use your vote, so… When it does… Yeah. [cross-talk]
Deputy Spokesman: The rule is if your arrears to the regular budget are equal to the past two years’ worth of regular budget dues, then you lose your vote in the General Assembly.
Okay. Let’s go quickly to the screens, and then we’ll go back into the room. Abdelhamid, I believe you had a question.
Question: Yes. I do, Farhan. Thank you. I have two questions. One on the released Palestinian and Israeli prisoners or captives. Have anyone from the UN compared the health situation of both sides, the three Israelis released and the Palestinians? Did anyone see the situation of Khalida Jarrar, who’s a member of the Palestinian Council? And how does she look?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe that there are people examining the health of all of those who are released.
Question: My second question, it’s a war in Gaza that lasted 471 [days], and the Secretary-General did not step a foot in the war zone. How that will resonate in the future for him to opt to eyewitness and be in charge of the UN, observing a genocide war for 471 and not going to the field and see it by himself?
Deputy Spokesman: A number of UN officials were in Gaza, and the Secretary-General himself, as you know, visited Rafah. So, I’m not really sure what the point of your question is.
Okay. Michelle Nichols?
Question: Thanks, Farhan, and apologies if this has already been asked. I’m monitoring a few things at once. President Trump signed an executive order last night, pausing foreign development assistance for 90 days. Does the UN have any clarity on how that might affect the UN and UN agencies?
Deputy Spokesman: It’s not clear what effect that pause will have. Obviously, payments to different bodies and different agencies often take a period of time due to different budgetary cycles in different nations. So it’s unclear.
Question: And then just on the… you mentioned that you have to be two years in arrears to lose your vote in the GA. How close is the US to being two years in arrears?
Deputy Spokesman: You could do your math for yourself, but I believe the answer is it’s not especially close right now.
Mike Wagenheim. Mike?
Question: Yeah. Michelle actually took my question, so I don’t have a question. But I do have an answer for Margaret. I had to research that report. So just for your information, it’s a General Assembly report. It’s called Composition of the Secretariat: Staff Demographics. It’s a report of the Secretary-General. Hope that helps. Thanks, guys.
Deputy Spokesman: Thank you very much. I love when reporters help chip in with all this stuff.
Edie?
Question: Going back to the US arrears, you said $1.5 billion for the regular budget, and then the total was $2.8 billion. So that means there was $1.3 billion, between peacekeeping… [cross-talk]
Deputy Spokesman: And the tribunals.
Question: And the tribunals. How much was peacekeeping?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t have the breakdown for each, but I believe that’s in a document, I can find that, yeah.
Question: And did the US… the US usually pays after its fiscal year. Did the US actually pay anything for the last fiscal year?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. I believe we got very large payments towards the end of last year, the last few months of last year. There were not full payments to the budget but there were substantial payments.
Question: Can we get some details on… can you check on the details on that? Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Sure. I’ll try to get some further details about what the last payments were.
Stefano and then Gabriel and then Denis, and then we’ll go to our guest.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. About President Trump’s speech yesterday, when he mentioned again Panama, and he said that United States will retake the Panama Canal. You know, we asked this question before, but it was… your answer was that one Administration at a time. Well, now there is actually the Administration. He was President when he mentioned those words. Shouldn’t Secretary-General say something about it? I mean, when a country, when a president of the country basically says that he will take territory over another country?
Deputy Spokesman: When it comes to any of these questions involving actual Member States’ territory, obviously, we are governed, as you know, by the UN Charter. And you know that the UN Charter stands for the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States. And all Member States and their sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
Question: Just a follow-up. Did the President of Panama contact in the last few hours the UN, the Secretary-General, about this issue?
Deputy Spokesman: I’m not aware that he’s had any contact with the Secretary-General. No.
Gabriel and then Denis and then the guest.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I appreciate it. Now that the UN is able to get into areas of Gaza that they weren’t able to before, given the ceasefire, does the UN feel that the death toll could rise in Gaza due to people that are buried under the rubble?
Deputy Spokesman: Now that there is a ceasefire, we hope that we will be able to get more reliable information and see whether either people can be found or alternately if they’ve perished, if we could get that information. All of that will become more clear, but certainly, one of the things that needs to happen is we need to be able to go about rebel removal.
Denis?
Question: I have a couple of questions. First, Trump repeatedly said that he wants to rename [interruption] several geographical… [interruption]
Deputy Spokesman: Whoever is online with their audio on, please turn that off. Sorry, Denis. [interruption] Yes, Denis, please.
Question: So Trump repeatedly told and intends to rename several geographical names, namely Gulf of Mexico into Gulf of America. So what’s UN’s opinion on that, this is the first question?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t have any particular reaction to this. I believe that a lot of the various naming conventions are well established and are not really the purview of any one individual State.
Question: And the second one, lately Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of China, told that the rules of artificial intelligence should be supervised by the UN. What’s your reaction on that?
Deputy Spokesman: I think the Secretary-General will have a fairly detailed comments on artificial intelligence to say when he makes his presentation at Davos tomorrow, and I welcome you to look at the remarks he’ll make then.
And with that, I will now turn the floor over to our guest, Muhannad Hadi.