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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Briefings
Good afternoon.
Just a reminder that at 2 p.m. this afternoon, there will be a briefing here organized by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS). Speakers will include Thomas Kontogeorgos, Chief of the Office for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) in the office of the Peacekeeping Department; and Mai Shahin, of Combatants for Peace (CFP), and an activist named Iris Gur.
Also, the Secretary-General’s press conference that was supposed to happen Thursday will now not happen on Thursday. As soon as I have a new schedule I will let you know. […] As soon as I have something on the schedule, I will let you know. As soon as I have more information I will let you know, all right?
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This morning the Secretary-General spoke by phone, in two separate calls, one with President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and then with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Obviously, they discussed the ongoing situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In his call with President Kagame there was also special emphasis on the need to protect civilians in that area.
This afternoon, at 3 p.m., the Security Council will reconvene in a session on the DRC. On our side, Vivian van de Perre, the Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations for the UN peacekeeping operations — MONUSCO — will brief the Security Council. She will be briefing via video link from Goma itself.
On the ground, obviously as you can imagine, the situation in Goma remains tense and rather fluid. M23 forces we are told are inside the city and UN peacekeeping personnel and troops have largely been forced to shelter in their bases.
Medical facilities in Goma are reportedly overwhelmed, and essential services have obviously been disrupted.
Currently, as far as we know the M23 forces control the airport and there are real risks of breakdown of law and order in the city, given the proliferation of weapons. The Mission has also seen credible reports of prisoners who have escaped from the prison in Goma, as well as looting by civilians. Non-essential UN personnel have been temporarily relocated from Goma and the surrounding area.
The movement of essential supplies and personnel is obviously an urgent concern. Armed clashes continue in multiple regions, including in Masisi, Rutshuru, and Nyiragongo. All those clashes are further displacing civilians and complicating our humanitarian efforts to say the least.
Our peacekeeping colleagues also report that protests in Kinshasa over the ongoing situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have turned violent, with demonstrators setting fire outside of UN premises — both the peacekeeping and some of our agencies — as well as targeting several embassies. Looting has also been reported in Kinshasa.
For its part, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that the humanitarian situation in and around Goma remains worrying. Hospitals in Goma continue to be overwhelmed, struggling to manage the influx of wounded people.
Two ambulances from a local NGO were targeted in Goma today while attempting to evacuate wounded people.
According to our humanitarian partners, there are also reports of gender-based violence; the looting of property, including several humanitarian warehouses; and humanitarian and health facilities also struck in the fighting.
Electricity and water supplies are still disrupted. The phone network is operational, but we are told that the Internet is not fully functioning.
OCHA also reiterates that all parties must do all they can to spare civilians in military operations. Schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure must be protected.
If the situation remains calm tomorrow, we expect aid workers to resume their efforts to respond to the enormous humanitarian needs.
For its part, our colleagues at the World Food Programme tells us that access to food in Goma has been impacted. They remain focused on supporting the 7.1 million people most vulnerable especially the women, men, and children, they also aim to resume delivering assistance as soon as circumstances allow.
We will make Ms. Van de Perre’s remarks available to you and we expect her to share a lot more operational details when she briefs.
**Paris Agreement
A number of you have asked me about a letter from the United States concerning the Paris Climate Agreement, and I can confirm to you that the United States has notified the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary, of its withdrawal, on 27 January of this year, from the Paris Agreement, which as you will recall was agreed to on 12 December 2015.
The United States had signed the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 and expressed its consent to be bound by the Agreement by acceptance on 3 September 2016.
It then withdrew from the Agreement effective on 4 November 2020, before accepting it again on 19 February 2021.
According to Article 28, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement, the withdrawal of the United States will take effect on 27 January 2026.
We reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement and to support all effective efforts to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C.
**Deputy Secretary-General
Our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, attended the second and final day of the Africa Energy Summit which is taking place in Tanzania. In her opening remarks, she called on the African leaders present to advance energy access by 2030. To realize this vision, the Deputy Secretary-General stressed the need for strong institutions, effective multilateral cooperation and investments from the public and private sectors to scale up implementation of energy projects.
The Deputy Secretary-General engaged with Heads of State and Government, ministers, and other high-level representatives to discuss cooperation with the United Nations towards the achieving of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
She is on her way back home to New York as we speak.
**UNRWA
Back here, you heard from Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees — UNRWA — he briefed the Security Council this morning. He told the Council members that in two days, UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory will be crippled as the Israeli Knesset legislation takes effect.
He said that full implementation of the Knesset legislation would be disastrous, adding that it will degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up significantly.
The Knesset legislation, Mr. Lazzarini said, defies resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. It flouts the rulings of the International Court of Justice. And the Commissioner-General added that UNRWA’s staff is determined to stay and deliver until it is no longer able to do so.
Mr. Lazzarini called on Council members to push back against the implementation of the Knesset legislation; to insist on a genuine political path forward that delineates UNRWA’s role as a provider of education and healthcare; and to ensure that a financial crisis does not abruptly end UNRWA’s lifesaving work.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation on the ground in Gaza, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that our humanitarian partners are seizing every opportunity created by the ceasefire to provide critical life-saving services to people in all five governorates.
OCHA reports that aid groups continue to provide food, healthcare and other humanitarian services to people returning to northern Gaza. As of earlier today, our partners estimate that more than 375,000 people have crossed from south to north since the opening yesterday of the coastal road and Salah al Din Road.
Aid workers deployed along those roads are providing those on the move with water, hot meals, high-energy biscuits, hygiene kits and emergency medical care as needed. They are also warning people of the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance.
The UN Mine Action Service and its partners have assessed nearly a dozen sites across Gaza to reduce the risk that explosive ordnance poses to civilians, including humanitarian personnel.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme tells us that during the first week of the ceasefire, the agency has reached more than 330,000 people across Gaza with food assistance, including food parcels, hot meals and cash assistance. WFP says it has brought more than 10,000 metric tons of food into Gaza since the ceasefire, and that for the first time in months, families in Gaza are receiving significantly more rations — two food parcels and a 25-kilo bag of wheat flour. The agency has also distributed nutrition products to about 46,000 people, including children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Thanks to the influx of fresh supplies entering the Strip, WFP has also been able to get bakeries up and running in the southern part of Gaza — previously existing bakeries and 5 new ones — and they were also able to prepare hot meals and deliver ready-to-eat meals to families that are in shelters and not able to go get the food.
The Food and Agriculture Organization, for its part, tells us it’s working to restore local food production in Gaza by scaling up deliveries of critical agricultural inputs. The agency’s latest geospatial assessment — carried out with the UN Satellite Centre between October and December of last year — indicates that three quarters of fields once used to grow crops in Gaza — as well as olive orchards — have been damaged or destroyed. Livestock losses estimated at 96 per cent, and the fishing sector is on the brink of collapse.
Meanwhile in the West Bank, our humanitarian colleagues tell us they are deeply concerned over the impact of ongoing operations by Israeli forces in Jenin, and more recently in Tulkarm.
Yesterday, air strikes were reported in Tulkarm, resulting in further fatalities. Since the beginning of the operations in Jenin, 18 people have been killed in both governorates. OCHA warns that the use of war-like tactics by Israeli security forces appears to exceed law enforcement standards.
In Jenin [camp], WFP says the agency is ready to provide food voucher assistance to more than 3,700 people there. WFP is also helping get cash assistance to thousands of displaced households affected by military operations in the West Bank.
**Syria
Turning north to Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that humanitarian needs across Syria remain massive. We and our humanitarian partners need $1.2 billion to reach 6.7 million of the most vulnerable people through March of this year. This includes providing 5.4 million people with food aid, 3 million people with healthcare, and 2.5 million people with clean water and sanitation.
OCHA tells that continued hostilities in the north-east of the country impact our efforts to deliver aid, particularly in eastern Aleppo and the Ar-Raqqa governorates.
The Tishreen Dam in Aleppo, which we’ve been talking to you about, has been non-functional now for seven weeks now, due to hostilities that hamper our efforts to get partners to repair the dam, which is critical to access fresh water for residents in the area.
In fact, it deprives more than 410,000 people of access to water and electricity in Menbij and the Ain al-Arab district in eastern Aleppo governorate.
OCHA also tells us that, last week, intensified hostilities in Menbij forced 25,000 men, women and children to flee their homes. And in the north-east, there are still some 24,000 displaced people living in more than 200 emergency collective centres in the region.
Our partners report that more than 50,000 children, including those living with disabilities, have no access to education due to their schools being used as collective centres.
And as a reminder, Syria continues to host one of the world’s largest displaced populations, and some 40 per cent of those targeted with aid are internally displaced.
**Sudan
And second to last note, is another tragic humanitarian situation, and one of the worst in the world, and that is Sudan. Our colleagues at the UN Children’s Fund tell us that at least one girl and three boys were reportedly killed in the attack that took place on Friday, on the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, in North Darfur. Three boys were also reportedly injured.
These children were among the patients receiving care in the hospital’s emergency ward, being treated for injuries resulting from previous bombings in the area. UNICEF says that this is an illustration of the relentless dangers that children face in conflict zones. Hospitals are the very places where they should be safest from harm.
In Sudan, more than 70 per cent of hospitals in the areas that are witnessing hostilities are currently non-operational due to damage, due to destruction, or the lack of supplies, or from being used as shelters or for other purposes.
We remind — once again — all parties to the conflict of their obligation to ensure the protection of civilians, including children.
**Honour Roll
We now have 31 countries on the Honour Roll, and all I will say is that boss’s country paid its dues. [Portugal]
Yes, very good, that was easy.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Okay. Thank you, Steph.
Spokesman: No. You won. The rules are the rules.
Question: Comme l’habitude.
Spokesman: Yes.
Question: With regard to DRC and the development of the situation, the M23 taking control of Goma and everything, I have a generic question. How does the Secretary-General and UN in particular deal with the non-State actors in a conflict zone? Are there channels of communication?
Spokesman: Sadly, it’s not our first rodeo in these types of situations. We deal with armed groups. We deal with people who are in de facto control of an area because we have to. It doesn’t imply recognition. It’s not a political issue. It’s a matter of dealing with the people who control a territory or town so that we can do our best in delivering humanitarian aid, protecting civilians, and fulfilling our mandate.
Question: A follow-up please. What’s the current situation with regard to mediation, to try to solve this ongoing crisis, that took place over the past week?
Spokesman: As I just told you, the Secretary-General spoke to both leaders, the President of the Rwanda, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We’re also in touch with the French authorities, who’ve also been in contact with different sides. Bruno Lemarquis, our other Deputy Special Representative has also been in touch with different people on the ground and also participating in discussions with the African Union.
Gabriel, then Pam, and then Benny, then Michelle, then Dezhi.
Question: Thanks, Steph. A follow-up on the DRC. WFP had to pause some of their operations in North Kivu. Do you have any more on that?
Spokesman: Well, all the pauses have been ones that have been imposed on us by continued fighting. We’ve also seen some looting of warehouses in Goma.
Question: When he was on the phone with the President of Rwanda, did he ask the President of Rwanda to pull their troops out of Goma?
Spokesman: The Secretary-General obviously discussed the situation in the DRC, and he’s been very clear both publicly and privately on the need for Rwanda to cease support to the M23 and withdraw from the DRC.
Question: One follow-up on a separate subject. Did the Secretary-General meet with the President of Israel Isaac Herzog, and was there a readout from that?
Spokesman: Yes, he did meet him. It was on his very public schedule. They discussed the recently released plan to combat anti-Semitism that was released by Mr. Moratinos here, and they discussed the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Question: And not the UNRWA. I mean…
Spokesman: They discussed the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Pam.
Question: Thank you, Steph. The Israeli Ambassador today at the stakeout said that the Secretary-General had responded maybe you said this, but there were a few references to letters, I wasn’t sure if you were talking about this one. That the Secretary-General had responded to the UNRWA letters.
Spokesman: Yes.
Question: Can we see that?
Spokesman: We will share that letter with you. The Secretary-General did send a letter late last night, addressed to Ambassador Danon, again, outlining our position, based on international law, making it clear that UNRWA’s critical work remains irreplaceable in many areas. And this remains even more so, after the ceasefire agreement, where we’re seeing, as I outlined this huge uptick in delivery of humanitarian aid of health support, psychosocial support to Palestinians in Gaza. And we would not want to risk our humanitarian operation there.
Question: He seemed to say it was like four letters… four pages long or something. [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Well, you will see for yourself, but it is a letter.
Question: Okay. Thank you. And, just a separate issue. There are reports from Holmes and Hama that there’s been an almost ethnic cleansing or at least that’s what they’re calling it, a [inaudible]. Can you talk to that? I haven’t seen much about it.
Spokesman: We’ve talked about our concern of these reports. I think it’s… any sort of reprisal is extremely concerning. It is critical for the transitional authorities in Damascus to ensure the rule of law, to ensure control over security forces. So that everyone in Syria, minorities or majority, feel protected and safe.
Question: Thank you.
Spokesman: Benny and Michelle, was that the order? Well, okay. It is now. Yeah.
Question: It is now. So, I’m not sure if you answered this yesterday. I wasn’t here. There was a report in The London Times on Sunday that in a meeting between the US, France, and UNIFIL, there was one guy from the Lebanese army, the head of the Lebanese army intelligence, a guy named Gharb, who leaked the classified information from there to Hizbullah. Can UNIFIL confirm that story?
Spokesman: That story, I have no information to confirm it or deny it.
Question: What does a story like that mean as far as the ability of the, you know, the Lebanese armed forces to… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Look, I can’t speak to the veracity of the story. What I can tell you is that UNIFIL is working very actively with the Lebanese Armed Forces, with the Israel Defense Forces, as well as representatives of the mechanism, to fulfil resolution 1701 to ensure that the overtime, so to speak, granted in the disengagement agreement is well used for the benefit of both Lebanese and Israelis, on both sides of the Blue Line.
Question: The assessment of UNIFIL that the LAF is capable of ensuring that Hizbullah is disarmed…
Spokesman: I would say we have seen great improvements in the way the LAF has been operating. We will want to see more cooperation between the LAF and UNIFIL, but we’re working very closely with them in the fulfilment of the resolution.
Michelle?
Question: Thanks, Steph. Just on DRC, does the Secretary-General feel like he made any headway in those phone calls this morning?
Spokesman: Look, the crisis in the eastern of the Congo has been going on for decades. It’s not going to be solved in 24 hours. What is clear is that it will not be solved through military operations, by different Governments, by different militias. There are numerous processes we have seen, notably the Luanda Process, which had made headway. We would want to see the parties recommit to that.
Question: And, in his phone call with President Kagame, did the issue of dead peacekeepers come up?
Spokesman: I have nothing more to share with you on the phone call.
Question: And then you mentioned that the UN is also in touch with French authorities.
Question: Mhmm.
Question: How does the UN think they can be helpful in this situation?
Spokesman: Well, anyone who can be helpful, we welcome any immediate help. Though there is, as I said, a very well-established political process, the Luanda Process. We want the parties to recommit to that, and efforts by countries in the region and beyond should be the push in that direction.
Question: On the US pause in aid, is there any update as on the UN assessment of the impact of that?
Spokesman: Nothing to share with you at this point.
Dezhi?
Question: Today, the US representative in the Security Council make a very obvious turn on the position on UNRWA and said that UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the law and suggesting that they will force the entire humanitarian response to halt is irresponsible and dangerous. What’s the response from the Secretary-General to this switch of position of the US delegates?
Spokesman: It’s not for the Secretary-General to play or for myself to be a commentator…
Question: Is that irresponsible and dangerous?
Spokesman: Every day, almost every day, Member States and the Security Council represent their country’s position. They will continue to do so. We have our position. You can do the compare and contrast.
Question: According to Ambassador Danon, UNRWA still can operate inside Gaza, but Israel will not support UNRWA there. He said it’s not Israel’s responsibility if UNRWA is banned. Because they are not the…
Spokesman: We’ve said it. I would encourage you to reread the transcript and my answers on this issue numerous times. Our position remains unchanged. And as the Secretary-General outlines in the letter, any change in UNRWA’s status in the occupied Palestinian territory require prior consultations and negotiations between Israel and the United Nations. That has not happened. We continue to be open to such discussions and consultations.
Yvonne, then Edie Lederer.
Question: Thanks, Steph.
Spokesman: Then Benno.
Question: On UNRWA, you’ve been very clear from this podium, and Philippe Lazzarini as well has been very clear that it is the backbone, UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response and that there is no alternative. Seems that there is no contingency in place for when this law comes into action on Thursday. So can you talk me through what happens on Thursday? What’s the practical outcome of this law taking effect?
Spokesman: We will have to see what happens on Thursday. I think as Philippe said, UNRWA will continue to do its work until it’s not able to do so. There are legal positions that say that if Israel does not allow UNRWA to perform its function, it is up to them to fulfil those functions. We will continue to do whatever we can to support the Palestinian population that is entitled to UNRWA’s services. We’re all moving into uncharted and complex waters. Our position is based on international law, and we will continue to do whatever we can as we move forward to support the Palestinian people.
Question: Okay. But does that not mean, in a practical sense that everything stays in position as it is today at the end of Thursday. Nothing changes.
Spokesman: There are questions that should be asked of the Israeli authorities, and there are questions that should be asked of us. And then there’s what will happen after Thursday. I can only speak to one third of that, which is to echo what Philippe said, and that is UNRWA will continue its work until it’s no longer able to do so. We will do whatever we can to ensure that the humanitarian needs are met. The United Nations will do whatever it can to ensure the humanitarian needs of the Palestinians are met. In the world that we live in today, it is hard to predict what will happen this afternoon, let alone Thursday.
Question: Okay. And all right. Finally, so can we expect something of a standoff at the UNRWA offices, especially in the West Bank on Thursday? Because they’ve been told to evacuate those offices. [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Listen, I can only tell you what we will continue to do, is continue to do our work. But I’m not the whole equation.
Edie Lederer.
Question: Thank you, Steph. The Israeli Ambassador just insisted that agencies can fill in for UNRWA, and he said that there had been stepped up deliveries since the ceasefire. And he also claimed that UNRWA was not delivering the number of the amount of aid that it says it has. Do you have any comment particularly on the other UN agencies stepping up aid deliveries?
Spokesman: I think the fact that you don’t have clear answers to those questions is yet another proof why we need more journalists in Gaza. I can only tell you what we’re doing. And I think you came in a little late, but I read a pretty lengthy humanitarian update about the stepped-up work of WFP, of other agencies. Philippe gave a pretty detailed report of what is going on in Gaza. We stand by what we say. If others have a different vision, then let them prove it. To say that our position about UNRWA is unchanged is clear. We’ve been repeating the same thing, whether it’s on the education or on the medical issues, on the health clinics. The UNRWA footprint cannot be replaced by other UN agencies.
Benno Schwinghammer.
Question: Thank you, Steph. There are so many topics, I might have lost track. But did you react already to the US Government telling the CDC not to cooperate anymore with WHO? If not, what does that mean for WHO?
Spokesman: We continue to believe in the institutional importance of the World Health Organization, of the role that they play especially at a time where we’re seeing so many communicable diseases pop up in different parts of the world, and we encourage all Member States to continue to cooperate with them.
Question: Okay. I understand that you believe in this, but what does it mean for you if the United States doesn’t work… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Well, the US is obviously a very critical partner to WHO, and we would want to see that cooperation continuing. The CDC has also been a very important partner to us.
Question: Okay. And then, on a different topic, do you expect the Secretary-General to work from New York City on Thursday?
Spokesman: Do I expect the Secretary-General to work from New York City on Thursday?
Question: Yes. Will there be a travel, maybe?
Spokesman: Don’t book your flights to anywhere. Okay.
Benny. No. You cannot.
Question: Can I have a…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Benny.
Question: Just, first of all, I didn’t understand the need for more journalists in Gaza. I mean, the UN has a lot of presence there. We expect you to brief us rather than we brief you, but that’s beside the point. Do you have any comment on the Trump’s plan to resettle Gazans? Or have I missed?
Spokesman: You should, I would encourage you, in days you are not physically present and you cannot watch the briefing of a video to read the transcript.
Question: I hear you.
Spokesman: I’m usually most eloquent the first time around.
Question: To paraphrase Groucho Marx, you know, I have my principles, and if you don’t like them, I have others. So I have other questions.
Spokesman: Okay. Yes.
Question: A follow-up on Edith and Yvonne’s question about UNRWA and the future for UNRWA. As part of a plan B, if it exists, is there a possibility or idea to outsource UNRWA’s, activities to other organizations outside of UN? [cross talk]
Spokesman: UNRWA is not an entity that was created out of thin air. It is mandated by the General Assembly of these United Nations. It has a mandate from the General Assembly. They have a duty to fulfil that mandate.
Dezhi?
Question: Quick question. Any update on the accusation that hostages were held in the UN camp?
Spokesman: We’ve seen these reports come out from unnamed security sources. What I can tell you is that the large majority of the UN premises were abandoned and were no longer under the control of the UN.
Okay. Any questions online? Otherwise, I will release you, and you will release me, and we shall be free.