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.
**Noon Briefing Guest
Good afternoon
In a short while, we will be joined by Luke Irving, Chief of the Mine Action Service in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He will brief you from Gaza on the situation there having to do with demining and unexploded ordnance.
**Senior Personnel Appointment/MONUSCO
Just for the record, you saw that, yesterday, we announced that the Secretary-General had appointed Lt. General Ulisses De Mesquita Gomes of Brazil as the new Force Commander for the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
**Democratic Republic of the Congo/Peacekeeping
Speaking of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our peacekeeping colleagues tell us that the situation in Goma remains tense today, but it is also calmer. But there is, however, continued sporadic shooting but an overall reduction in exchanges of fire within the city.
Continued clashes have been reported in surrounding areas, including in Sake, north-west of Goma.
The Mission’s priority right now remains the protection of its personnel, its assets and the many civilians sheltering within UN premises. Our peacekeepers are planning on sending patrols today in Goma to assess the situation, to conduct resupplies and assess routes.
In the capital, Kinshasa, the situation is also calm today despite calls for protests that we have seen. The main roads are reported to be empty, and supermarkets are closed due to high risk of looting. That is what our colleagues in the peacekeeping mission are reporting.
You will also remember that a few days ago, we paid tribute to three UN peacekeepers who were killed in the last few days. We are now able to share their names with you: They were Private Rodolpho Cipriano Alverez Suarez from Uruguay, who was 39; Private Mokote Joseph Mobe, aged 33, and Private Andries Tshidiso Mabele, aged 30. The latter two were from South Africa. We send our deepest condolences to their families, their friends, Governments and to all members of the peacekeeping mission.
The total number of UN peacekeepers injured since the most recent assault by the M23 now stands at 22 and I take the opportunity to reiterate that attacks against UN peacekeepers are not only unacceptable but may also constitute a war crime.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo/Security Council
Yesterday afternoon, our Deputy Special Representative [for Protection and Operations] for the Peacekeeping Mission in Goma [in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — MONUSCO], Vivian van de Perre, briefed Council members.
She reiterated that the violence in the eastern part of the country has resulted in massive displacement and worsened an already dire humanitarian and protection situation. The degree of suffering that the population in Goma and neighbouring areas is enduring is truly unimaginable, she said.
In the past few days, Ms. Van de Perre told Council members that the peacekeeping mission has received a large number of people seeking refuge.
She called on all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians, open humanitarian corridors, and work towards a sustainable and peaceful resolution to this conflict.
Resuming the Luanda Process is of the utmost urgency to ensure a path toward de-escalation and to avert the looming threat of a third Congo war, she added. Military action cannot resolve this conflict, she told council members
**Democratic Republic of the Congo/Humanitarian
And just a bit more on the dire humanitarian situation Vivian [van de Perre] was talking about.
Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that violence and looting of humanitarian warehouses has continued today in Goma, impacting both the ability of aid workers to respond, as well as obviously putting them at risk.
Since the escalation of fighting, our humanitarian partners have recorded more than 2,000 injuries caused by weapons and explosive shrapnel. Humanitarian workers are treating injuries where possible.
Several bodies of people killed remain in the streets, while water and electricity supplies remain cut off since 26 January.
We call for the swift resumption of these services, as well as for the protection of humanitarian warehouses and the facilitation of medical evacuations for people who have been injured.
The airport in Goma unfortunately remains closed, which means that flows of humanitarian cargo and rotations of humanitarian personnel have been suspended.
Most of the roads that connect Goma to the rest of the country are also closed. However, the border with Rwanda is open and additional humanitarian teams were able to enter today.
We once again call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to end the violence targeting civilians that we have seen.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to Gaza. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that UN agencies today brought six fuel tankers into northern Gaza to support bakeries, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene services, and other essential activities.
OCHA says that displaced families continue to return to their homes in areas in northern Gaza. As of earlier today, our partners estimate that more than 423,000 people have crossed from south to north since the opening of the Salah ad Din and the Al Rashid roads on Monday.
Aid workers stationed along those roads continue to provide support to those on the move. That includes food, water and hygiene kits. UNICEF is distributing identification bracelets for children to help families stay safe and connected on their journey.
Those on the move also include unaccompanied children, pregnant women, older people, the chronically ill, people with disabilities and those in need of continuous medical care. The World Health Organization says it has supplied fuel, tents and equipment, enabling the Palestine Red Crescent Society to establish two trauma stabilization points on Al Rashid Road.
Our nutrition partners report that high energy biscuits were distributed to 19,000 men, women and children south of Wadi Gaza — and to 10,000 people on the northern side.
Our partners working in shelters are providing tarpaulin sheets to displaced people in the north and east of Gaza City. They are also expected to distribute tents to families returning to their destroyed homes in both southern and northern parts of the Gaza Strip.
Also, our partners who are working to support water, sanitation and hygiene services continue to scale up water trucking in the governorates of Rafah, North Gaza and Gaza itself. In Rafah, some 300 cubic metres of potable water is being distributed each day — that is about enough for 50,000 people.
Meanwhile in the West Bank, OCHA also reports a drastic deterioration in the humanitarian and protection situation. Israeli forces continue their operations in the Jenin and Tulkarm governorates in the northern West Bank. We have repeatedly expressed our concerns over the use of lethal, war-like tactics in these law-enforcement operations.
As these operations continue, OCHA continues to receive reports of civilian infrastructure being destroyed and essential services being disrupted.
In Tulkarm, access to water and electricity has been disrupted. Initial estimates suggest that nearly 1,000 people have been displaced.
**Syria
Turning North to Syria. Geir Pedersen [Special Envoy for Syria] remains in Syria, where he is continuing his engagement with the Caretaker Authorities, including a meeting earlier this week with the Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani.
He appreciates the in-depth discussions on the transition from the caretaker phase to a Syrian-led political process that is inclusive, credible, and recognized by both the Syrian people and the international community.
Over the past week, Mr. Pedersen has been meeting extensively with a broad spectrum of Syrians, including groups such as the Syrian National Council, civil society representatives, Syrian experts, and individuals from all regions and communities.
In parallel, the Envoy remains actively engaged with high-level officials from the region and key international stakeholders.
He continues to hear from Syrians across all backgrounds who share a common desire for a new and successful Syria, and welcomes their strong interest in working with the UN to shape a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process.
Mr. Pedersen is expected to brief the Security Council from Damascus tomorrow in closed consultations.
**Syria/Humanitarian
On the humanitarian front, our OCHA colleagues tell us that they completed yesterday an assessment mission to two communities in northern rural Hama, which is in the centre of Syria, as you well know.
This is the first in a series of weekly assessment missions planned to evaluate the humanitarian situation in communities impacted by recent hostilities in the governorates of Homs and Hama.
We also continue to conduct regular cross-border missions from Türkiye.
On Monday, OCHA tells us they completed a mission to Jandairis, in northern Aleppo, to monitor a project funded by the Syria Cross-Border Humanitarian Fund that supports camps with fire safety systems.
Meanwhile, OCHA is telling us that ongoing hostilities and violence continue to impact civilians across the country, particularly in the north-east, as you will have seen.
Yesterday, according to our partners, shelling and other incidents affected northern Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and eastern Aleppo governorates — including, yet again, areas near the Tishreen Dam, which as you know we have been desperate to try to repair.
**Peace Operations
Meanwhile, staying in the region, our colleague Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, wrapped up his visit to two peacekeeping missions in the Middle East — the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).
He ended his mission in Jerusalem, where today he met with UNTSO personnel and thanked them for their service for peace.
While there, he also discussed with Israeli Government and military officials the work of the peacekeeping missions in the region. In addition to UNDOF and UNTSO, they also obviously discussed the situation in Lebanon, with UNIFIL [UN Interim Force in Lebanon]. In his various engagements he stressed the importance for the parties to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.
Prior to that, Mr. Lacroix was in Syria, where yesterday, he met with the Syrian caretaker authorities to discuss the mandate implementation and challenges for both UNDOF and UNTSO.
On Monday, he visited the UNDOF mission and expressed his support to those [peacekeepers] serving in UNDOF and to the military observers in UNTSO serving in what we call the Observer Group Golan during this challenging and volatile context, to say the least.
Mr. Lacroix is on his way back to New York.
We will have him live and in person on Friday, here, to speak to you not only about his trip to the region, but obviously about other peacekeeping developments that you know well of.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that attacks between 24 January and today have resulted in civilian casualties, with more than 100 homes, as well as a school, gas pipeline, and port facilities damaged. This is what local authorities are telling us.
Our humanitarian colleagues also note that in many frontline communities, access to power, heating, and water has been severely curtailed. Due to attacks on energy infrastructure, people have been without basic services for months while facing winter conditions. Humanitarian organizations continue to provide support as security permits, including construction material for repairs, for food, cash and psychological support. Our humanitarian colleagues also note that aid workers continue to work in what are clearly very risky environments. OCHA tells us that in 2024, 53 humanitarian workers were killed or injured, which is slightly up from 50 in 2023.
**Myanmar
Our colleagues from the UN Development Programme today released a report highlighting the severe challenges that are dramatically reshaping Myanmar. These challenges, which have occurred over the past four years, include political instability, entrenched conflict, economic disruptions, human rights violations, environmental degradation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some alarming numbers for you: nearly 50 per cent of the population in Myanmar lives below the poverty line; less than 48 per cent of the population had access to electricity last year — that’s the lowest access rate in all of Asia; and 16 per cent of the rice-growing area has been lost since 2021, which obviously has a negative impact on food insecurity.
The report highlights the need for active international engagement and negotiation with all parties involved to help Myanmar navigate through its current challenges. The report is available on the interweb.
**Lunar New Year
Today is? Lunar New Year, very good Margaret Besheer. we send our warmest wishes to everyone celebrating, and this is the Year of the Snake.
In his message, the Secretary-General says the snake symbolizes wisdom, resilience, and renewal.
And in these trying times, he added, let us be guided by these qualities to renew our commitment for peace, equality, and justice.
Margeret, you won today. […] all right, then you will yield to Edie, then Madame Amelie.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Steph. You said at the beginning that the situation in Goma is tense but calmer. Does the M23 now control Goma? What is the UN assessment?
Spokesman: The assessment is that there is an overall large presence of the M23 in Goma, depends what you mean by the word control. Obviously, the fact that there’s still gunfire, that there’s still violence, means that we’re in a very volatile, in a very volatile situation with, I think, good description would be with the M23 clearly having the upper hand.
Question: And there have been reports that the M23 is moving further south towards Bukavu. Can MONUSCO confirm that?
Spokesman: Yes. I mean, we’ve seen these reports, which are obviously concerning. We’re also taking measures in order to protect, increase protection of civilians and protect our own personnel.
Question: You want me to keep… on a completely different subject… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Let’s take an Edie pause, and let’s go to Amelie. [laughing]
Question: Okay.
Question: Thanks, Steph. About UNRWA, tomorrow is the deadline that Israel gave UNRWA to vacate all these premises in East Jerusalem. The Secretary-General in his letter to Israel said that, I mean, requested for this order to be retracted and that it’s impossible. So what will happen tomorrow? Will UNRWA be able to, or be willing, to evacuate all these premises in East Jerusalem?
Spokesman: Listen. Let’s see what happens tomorrow, right? We have taken, some measures, but I think as Philippe was clearly said yesterday, UNRWA will continue to deliver on its mandate until it physically cannot.
Madame and then…
Question: Thank you, Steph. Do you have any comment about, regarding the statement from the Israeli Defence Minister yesterday? And when he visited, he said that the Israelis are going to keep a presence in Mount Hermon in Syria.
Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, you know, for us, the 1974 disengagement agreement remains enforced. Obviously, we condemn any and all actions that will be inconsistent with that agreement and we call on the parties to the agreement to uphold their obligations by ending all unauthorized presence in the area of separation. We’re continuing to engage with the parties on their obligations, as you saw Mr. Lacroix was there. What is clear is that there should be no military forces other than UNDOF forces in the Area of Separation.
Question: And, one more. He also today said that, in Jenin, after the military operation there, that the Israeli army will stay in the Jenin Refugee Camp. I don’t know if you have comments on that.
Spokesman: I haven’t seen that, but I can tell you that we’re obviously as we’ve been talking about the situation in Jenin and Tulkarm, we’re very concerned about the violence that we’ve seen, the disruption to civilian lives, and what we feel is a use of force in law enforcement operations that is disproportionate.
Benno, then Benny.
Question: Thank you. Just a follow-up to Amelie. When you say you’ve taken measures concerning UNRWA, can you…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Listen. I’m not going to go into great detail, but obviously, we’ve taken measures to ensure that our staff is safe, and that premises and records are also safe.
Question: So, you don’t consider your staff in East Jerusalem as potentially threatened by law enforcement measures? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: I can tell you that the staff, both national and international, will need to be protected, according to international laws and according to Israel’s obligations under international law. I think as the Secretary-General very clearly pointed out in the, rather lengthy, letter that he sent yesterday.
Question: But did you get any assurances by the Israelis in that regard?
Spokesman: I would not say that we’ve gotten any assurances.
Benny.
Question: As someone who was born in the year of the snake, a follow-up on that. What I don’t understand from all the statements the Secretary-General and others made about UNRWA is, the UN as far as I understand, it is one of those bodies that prize diplomacy and negotiations. Has instead of wagging the fingers and threatening, has the Secretary-General and the heads of UNRWA tried to negotiate with Israel since that legislation passed in the Knesset?
Spokesman: We have repeatedly engaged with Israeli authorities, whether it’s COGAT, whether it’s the Foreign Ministry and others to get clarity on what, how the law is going to be implemented. And I cannot tell you that we have gotten any very clear answers. Mr. [Tom] Fletcher, our head of humanitarian affairs, will be going to the region. He will also have discussions on the broader humanitarian situation with Israeli authorities. And as the Secretary-General said in the letter that, you know, we are open to having negotiations, but those have just not happened, but it’s not as if contacts have not been had. It’s not like, it’s not as if we haven’t efforted to get answers that are clear to us, but we haven’t gotten those.
Question: My question is negotiations usually entail give and take. The question is, has the UN, UNRWA, offered any give, in the sense of maybe we’ll investigate much more of the allegations that Israel has made and so forth? Has that happened or is it just, you’re violating international law and therefore…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Benny, I think the first… what would be the best is to get clarity, first of all. We’re obviously open to discussions, and the Secretary-General laid it out in the letter that he sent. On the allegations, anytime that there’ve been allegations, have been sent directly to UNRWA or to the Secretary-General, they have been investigated. And as you know, OIOS has been involved in it. So, we take all of these things very seriously, but there needs to be also an input of information.
Question: I just don’t understand this whole idea of clarity. I mean, there’s a law that passed by, that was passed by the Knesset. The law is very specific, so I don’t understand what kind of clarity you’re looking for. [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Well I think in terms of definition of exactly how the law is going to be implemented. We’ve had, to be honest with you, a challenging time in getting consist information that is the same from the different parties that we speak to in Israel.
Michelle.
Question: Thanks, Steph. Just a quick follow-up first to Benno’s question. Can we expect, I guess, tomorrow at the UNRWA premises in East Jerusalem, will there be any UN stuff or security there? You know, are we going to see any kind of standoff?
Spokesman: Let’s see what happens when the sun rises over Jerusalem tomorrow.
Question: Okay. And then the United States issued a waiver last night for life-saving medicine, to their aid pause. Has that clarified things at all from the UN?
Spokesman: We very much welcome the decision taken by the Secretary of State. We are, different parts of the UN, are continuing to kind of map out the impact of the pause as it was announced a few days ago and also the waivers that were issued. And I think each agency is dealing, kind of trying to figure things out and to get a bit more clarity on the impact.
Question: And what is the UN hearing from humanitarian partners? You know, we’re hearing that a lot of them actually received… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Yeah, I mean, we’re obviously… [cross-talk]
Question: Stop work orders. Did the UN receive any specific stop work… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: As I said, you know, I wish I could provide you information from this podium, but that is a level of granularity that you have to hit the agencies with.
Georgia.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Yesterday, the Greek Foreign Minister and the Secretary-General had a phone call. Could you share any details of their discussion? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Sure. Go ahead. [laughing]
Question: Okay. And the second question, there are also reports in Cyprus that the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar announced yesterday that the US Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo will visit Cyprus on 10 February. Could you confirm the visit and the date?
Spokesman: Sure. On the second part, as you well know, announcements of travel of UN officials become official when they’re made from an official podium like this one, from ours. So, we will announce an eventual visit in due course. We hope to do that soon. The Secretary-General did speak to the Foreign Minister. It will not surprise you that they discussed developments in the region.
Question: That’s it. Okay. [laughing]
Spokesman: I got nothing more to share with you.
Gabriel.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Is the Secretary-General’s guidance and expectations that employees of UNRWA at the office in East Jerusalem report to work tomorrow?
Spokesman: Sorry. Say again?
Question: Does the Secretary-General expect that employees of UNRWA that work at the East Jerusalem office are expected to go into work tomorrow?
Spokesman: UNRWA will continue to deliver on its mandate for as long as it can.
Question: One on Syria. The UN is doing a lot in Syria, obviously. You spend a lot of time talking about all the engagements that are happening In Syria, Mr. Pedersen met with the Foreign Minister as you mentioned. My question is the Secretary-General did not meet with the Foreign Minister in Davos, and he has not spoken on the phone with Mr. Al Sharaa. Why?
Spokesman: Right now, the contacts are being had on the political end, at the level of Mr. Pedersen, representing the Secretary-General, other senior UN officials, whether it’s Mr. Fletcher, I think the High Commissioner for Human Rights, High Commissioner for Refugees; Amy Pope, the head of IOM, and others have gone to Damascus, as has Mr. Lacroix. When the time and the moment is right, the Secretary-General will engage directly.
Question: Could that be after sanctions are perhaps lifted?
Spokesman: When the moment is ripe, it will happen.
Evelyn.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Just a thing on UNRWA, since nobody’s perfect, who does the investigation of any complaints? Is that the GA or the…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: In terms of allegations against UNRWA, it was done by OIOS.
Sinan, then we’ll go to the screen and then we’ll do a round two.
Question: Thank you, Steph. I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind. So you said, I mean, you mentioned that, Mr. Geir Pedersen has been meeting different public societies, different expats in Syria. So I wonder, can we include Syrian Democratic Forces as well?
Spokesman: I don’t have all the specifics of his, of all of his meetings. I can try to get some more, but I can tell you that he’s following the situation in the north-east very closely. And he hopes that all concerned parties will be given the time and support needed to reach compromise and chart a constructive way forward in a peaceful manner.
Question: I mean the reason I’m asking that, he has been meeting with the transitional government in Syria. Right? And they are still in a terrorist list, but the Syrian Democratic Forces are not in a terrorist list. And why it’s so difficult for him to meet them, like publicly? Can we expect any meetings…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: As I said, as soon as I have a bit more granularity on his activities, I will let you know.
Question: And one more question.
Question: Of course.
Question: We know there’s a… like, the escalation is still going on in Syria between Turkish armed groups and Türkiye and the Syrian Democratic Forces. So in this new chapter, how do you think this new escalation — actually, it’s not new, but these escalations is affecting the new peace process in Syria?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, obviously, the continuing violence in any part of Syria is making the situation more challenging, first of all for the people and the civilians who suffer under the exchange of fire, but it makes it more difficult to launch a political process. And that’s why our call has been for an end, an end to all the different clashes that we’ve seen.
Question: Promise, this is the last one. We know there’s a new… I mean, they’re working on a new constitution, and the transitional government said that they need couple of years for this new constitution. Is there any update about that? Did they start it or what is…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: I don’t have an update here for you on that.
Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. I have a couple of questions also. I start with the language that you, the Secretary-General used in his statement on Congo when he said any attack on UN personnel constitute a war crime, and you repeated that the same. Did he ever use the same language on attacking UN staff and personnel in Gaza?
Spokesman: I think the language that I used was attack on UN peacekeepers. That’s the language we’ve always used. And we’ve always been very… [cross-talk]. We’ve always been very clear in condemning all attacks on UN personnel for which there will need to be accountability wherever they occur. What is your other question?
Question: Okay. The Israeli authorities allowed settlers now to buy Palestinian land, which is by the 60 per cent, which is called Area C. Any comment on that? Are you aware of this?
Spokesman: Our position on settlements, their illegality under international law, and the settlements being an obstacle to a two-State solution remains unchanged.
Question: My last question, half million Palestinians went back to the north and especially to Gaza City. And one of them was talking on Al Jazeera, and he said, we only received 1,200 tents, and that 100,000s of tents are needed now. Can you update us on how the UN humanitarian machinery is working to give the people uprooted from their homes some more tents?
Spokesman: With all due respect, Abdelhamid, I think I read a four-page update, which included tents and health at the start of the briefing. So that’s my… [cross-talk]
Question: Any number on tents?
Spokesman: That’s my update. We’ll see if we can get any more granularity.
Ibtisam.
Question: Thank you. Just to follow-up on your answer to Abdelhamid, because I’m not sure that I really understood what you meant by that. Regarding the first answer, when it comes to attacks on peacekeepers and UN premises in general. Are you making differentiation? I mean, the question was regarding whether attacks on UN premises is a war crime or not.
Spokesman: What I said and what we’ve always said is that attacks on peacekeepers may constitute a war crime, and that is the language that we have used over and over again on any attacks on UN peacekeepers wherever they occur, whether they occurred in Mali, in the Congo, in Lebanon, in the Central African Republic, in the many, many places where peacekeepers have unfortunately paid the highest price.
Question: But does that mean… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: We’re not saying that attacks on anyone else may not constitute a crime. But this language is specific to peacekeeping missions.
Question: Then the question is, why aren’t you using a similar language when it comes to attacks on UN premises or UN personnel that are not peacekeeping missions? Isn’t it also a war crime?
Spokesman: We are not, first of all, the language they say may constitute a war crime, right? And I think, every killing of a civilian in conflict needs to be, or UN person will need to be examined, and to see what kind of crime it constitutes. But it will remain a crime.
Benny.
Question: This is on a different topic. Part of the ceasefire deal in Gaza tomorrow, there are three Israelis to be released, but also eight, actually, Thais from Thailand.
Spokesman: Thailand. Yeah.
Question: And, while everybody knows pretty much how or at least know the outlines of what kind of deal Israel and Hamas have achieved under what premises, the Thais, which, by the way, eight of them, three are dead. The Thais, it’s unclear who negotiated that deal. And my question is, has the UN been involved at all in negotiating that deal? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: Not to my knowledge. Not to my knowledge.
Edie, and then we’ll go to our guest.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Just ahead of Geir Pedersen’s closed briefing to the Council, is there any way that we can get him for some open comments?
Spokesman: I will do my best to advocate on your behalf because I’m always happier when they answer questions as opposed to me.
With that, I’d like to go to our guest.