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.
All right, good afternoon.
**International Women’s Day
Our guests tomorrow will be Sarah Hendriks, the Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental [Support Division] at UN-Women, and she will be joined by Papa Seck, the Chief of Research and Data Section at UN-Women.
They will be here to talk to you about the report “Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing”.
They will also speak about the events surrounding International Women’s Day, which is Saturday but will be marked on Friday here at the UN.
And on Friday, we will mark the day with an official commemoration in the General Assembly Hall. Our Secretary-General will deliver remarks.
He will be joined by a number of other people including, of course, Sima Bahous, the Executive Director of UN-Women; and also, Aly Raisman, the World Champion Gymnast and Advocate; Ingrid Silva, First Dancer, Dance Theatre of Harlem; Jaha Dukureh, a UN-Women Goodwill Ambassador for Africa; and the cast of the Broadway show SUFFS, who will be performing. I myself will not be performing, but I encourage you all to attend. I think it will be quite a show that our colleagues at UN-Women are putting together. We will issue the SG’s remarks and all of that.
**Cyprus
And I have an announcement on Cyprus which a number of you have been waiting for, and I call tell you that the Secretary-General will convene the two Cypriot leaders and the Guarantor Powers of Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom for an informal meeting on Cyprus at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG), and that will take place from 17 to 18 March.
This meeting is being held in the context of the Secretary-General’s good offices’ efforts on the Cyprus issue and in line with his commitment from 15 October 2024.
The informal meeting will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward on the Cyprus issue. The United Nations remains committed to supporting the Cypriot leaders and all Cypriots.
**Security Council
The Security Council held closed consultations, or is currently holding closed consultations on the Middle East. They are hearing a brief from Sigrid Kaag, the Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. She briefed by video teleconference. This was her last briefing to the Council in that capacity; as you know, she will now serve solely as the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
She noted to Council members that Israel announced the suspension of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Sunday, 2 March, pending further discussions on the next phases of the ceasefire agreement.
She recalled that the Secretary-General has urged the parties to uphold their commitments and implement them in full and for Member States to use the leverage they have to support this.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation on the ground in Gaza itself, our humanitarian colleagues warn that the recent closure of all crossing points for cargo is undoing critical progress made in delivering vital, life-saving assistance since the ceasefire took hold on 19 January.
OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) tells us that food security in Gaza is at risk of worsening. Humanitarian partners warn that if the disruption to aid entry continues, at least 80 community kitchens may be forced to suspend their activities and no longer work.
Meanwhile, we and our partners are still distributing food parcels and flour to households. These distributions may be reduced or suspended so that bakeries continue to receive the supplies required for them to keep operating and keep making bread. Food security partners are also distributing vegetable seeds and animal feed to support the restoration of local food production, but this, too, depends on a steady inflow of supplies.
For its part, our colleagues at the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) underscore that the cut-off of aid will have far-reaching consequences for women and girls. Over the past 10 weeks, UNFPA and its partners have provided 170,000 women and girls with reproductive health and protection services, set up 16 temporary health facilities and supported thousands of pregnant women, along with providing vital supplies to nearly 4,500 mothers.
Education is another concern. Access restrictions are making it harder for schools to resume learning activities, given shortages of educational supplies in the markets. Some students have been able to return to school after displaced families vacated school buildings that had been used as shelters. However, those facilities lack proper furniture, clean water, functioning toilets and basic materials, such as paper and pencils.
Beyond access, OCHA reminds us that funding for the humanitarian response remains a major challenge. More than two months into the year, we have secured less than 4 per cent of the $4 billion required to meet the most basic humanitarian needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in Gaza. The scale of the needs is staggering — and unfortunately, so is the shortfall and funding.
**UN Interim Force in Lebanon
Moving north, to southern Lebanon, our peacekeeping colleagues there at UNIFIL, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, continue to observe and hear gunshots in the area of operations, as well as sporadic military activity by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
UNIFIL continues to accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces to re-deploy in southern Lebanon. As of now, the Lebanese Armed Forces has deployed — with the support of the UN peacekeepers — to more than 100 southern Lebanese locations, between the Litani River and the Blue Line.
Our peacekeepers have continued to discover caches of unauthorized weapons and ammunitions, including yesterday, a number of them in our Sector West, and all of them were duly reported to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
The latest conflict, as you can imagine, has left south Lebanon, especially areas close to the Blue Line, heavily littered with unexploded ordnances, posing very serious risks to civilians. UNIFIL deminers continue to assist Lebanese authorities in finding and destroying these explosive remnants. Between 21 October 2024 and 26 February 2025, 44 unexploded ordnances and six improvised explosive devices were discovered and destroyed by our UN peacekeepers.
Meanwhile, peacekeepers continue to facilitate humanitarian missions in their areas of operation, which are all crucial to support the return of people displaced by the recent conflict — with over 60 such missions since the cessation of hostilities took effect.
Separately, UNIFIL has been informed that 31 arrests have been made in connection with the attack on 14 February to a UNIFIL convoy near the Beirut airport. The mission continues to follow up with the Lebanese prosecutors on the case. It’s important that those who are responsible for that attack are brought to justice, and as you recall, the attack targeted the then-Deputy Force Commander and a number of his companions.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our humanitarian colleagues warn — yet again — that today armed violence and human rights violations continue to harm civilians and people who are fleeing their homes in the eastern parts of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri.
On Monday, our humanitarian partners in South Kivu reported that clashes between armed groups in Fizi Territory, which is about 250 kilometres south of the provincial capital, Bukavu, killed six civilians and wounded more than a dozen others. More than [3,000] people fled impacted villages in the area.
We and our partners are continuing to do everything possible to provide life-saving assistance to civilians in need, [despite] hostilities and other challenges.
To that end, OCHA welcomes the European Union’s recent announcement that they will deliver 44 tons of emergency relief, including medicine and nutrition supplies. This urgently needed assistance will help boost the response in both North Kivu and South Kivu.
**Chad
In Chad, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Humanitarian Partnership completed this week the expansion of the humanitarian hub located in Farchana, which is in eastern Chad — not far from the Adre crossing, which as you know, is a major crossing point for humanitarian assistance.
IOM says this will enable as many as 220,000 more people impacted by the crisis in Sudan to receive help.
The expanded operational and accommodation capacity at the hub will strengthen cross-border interagency humanitarian operations for Sudan. IOM said the expansion comes at a critical time, as the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with the urgent need for food, shelter, healthcare, and protection at an all-time high.
**Central African Republic
And nearby, in the Central African Republic, the peacekeeping mission there (MINUSCA) and our human rights colleagues have issued today a report which documents violations taking place in the country.
The report says that in two waves of attacks — in October last year and January this year — armed groups, including one affiliated with the country’s armed forces, committed grave human rights violations, mainly against Muslim communities, Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers.
These attacks took place in the south-eastern part of the country. At least 24 people were killed — some of them victims of summary execution, according to the report.
Among other documented violations and abuses are cases of conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls, including gang rape, forced labour, torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as well as the looting of homes and commercial stores.
In a statement [issued] today, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for accountability to ensure such violations don’t happen again. For her part, the Head of the Peacekeeping Mission [Valentine Rugwabiza] said that failure to adequately respond to these crimes would undermine the hard-earned security gains and further erode social cohesion in areas where efforts have been made with communities to defuse tensions and promote peaceful coexistence.
**International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness
Today is the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness. In his message, the Secretary-General stressed that humanity’s future depends on investing in the machinery of peace and not the machinery of war. Yet, he warned, global tensions are increasing, the nuclear threat is rising, and guardrails are eroding.
The Secretary-General urged leaders to strengthen the systems and tools that prevent the proliferation, prevent the testing and prevent, of course, the use of deadly weapons and live up to their disarmament obligations. He also called for a concerted effort in meeting the disarmament commitments contained in the recently adopted Pact for the Future.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Dezhi and then Edie.
Question: Yeah, First, sorry? It works?
Spokesman: Yeah. I hear you. I see you.
Question: Right, okay. So, first question would be yesterday's question, but there was audio problem. So we know that US started the tariffs with Canada and Mexico. What’s the position from the United Nations on this issue of tariffs and trade restrictions?
Spokesman: You mean on tariffs? Well, I mean, do you want me to repeat what I said yesterday?
Question: Yes. Because yesterday, there's problem of the audio.
Spokesman: So it didn't exist? Excellent. No. I mean, obviously, on the tariffs, we're concerned about the impact that growing trade restrictive measures can have on the global economy, especially on developing countries and the most vulnerable population. As you know from data released from various sources, the global economy is already in a low-growth context.
Question: There's a report that US might withdraw from the Just Energy Transition Partnership. It's another step back from the commitment to climate crisis, climate change. Does the Secretary-General aware of this and do you have any comment?
Spokesman: I mean, there are a lot of reports about a lot of things. Our position on the need to fight the growing impact of climate change, on the need to ensure that we stay within the 1.5°C and the need for not only Member States but the private sector and civil society to all to work together remains unchanged. Ms. Lederer?
Question: Thank you, Steph, two questions regarding Sigrid Kaag. Was the UN involved in any way in the Arab proposal for reconstruction of Gaza? And, whether it was or wasn't, what is the UN's reaction to the proposal?
Spokesman: Our reaction, I think, is made very clear by the Secretary-General — that we support this proposal, and we've been kept aware and briefed on its development.
Question: Did Ms. Kaag talk about some of these details to the Security Council tonight?
Spokesman: No, Ms. Kaag’s briefing was really focused on her reporting back to the Security Council on her work as a Senior Humanitarian Coordinator, saying this was going to be the last briefing for her in this official capacity. But the work that had been assigned to her through the Security Council on that will be folded into her current position.
Question: And is her current job as the Middle East Envoy, is it still ad interim?
Spokesman: That is correct. Ibtisam?
Question: Thank you. Follow-up on Edith's question. So why is her, why is Ms. Kaag’s position still actually not, why is she not…?
Spokesman: Why is it what? Sorry.
Question: Why is she not permanent?
Spokesman: Because it is an interim position. As soon as there's a permanent arrangement, we will share that with you.
Question: Okay. And my other question is also on the Arab initiative and whether you have any… there are some news reports that the Biden, that the Trump Administration rejected it. Any comments?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, I can only state what we think — is that, I mean, the Secretary-General is being very supportive of this initiative.
Question: Okay. Sorry, another follow-up. So the initiative has seen an administrative committee for six months. Is there any role that the UN is playing there?
Spokesman: I mean, we are staying in very close touch with the Arab League on this initiative. Señor?
Question: A new follow-up on the same issue.
Spokesman: Keep following.
Question: What does the Secretary-General think of the idea of excluding Hamas of any solution in the near future? Because as it seems that it is the only structure existing in Gaza at this moment, apart from the UN.
Spokesman: I think the Secretary-General said it in his remarks — that the Palestinians will have to choose who leads them. We, of course, recognize, the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate representatives, and they sit here at the UN as a permanent observer. But what is important for the Secretary-General, again — he said it and Ms. Kaag talked about it as well — is the need for a political horizon, that we need to restart, to give hope that there can be a political horizon where we have two States, Israel and Palestine, and where both Israelis and Palestinians are able to live in security and safety.
Question: But what if major actors in the region, like United States, European Union, some Arab countries exclude or try to exclude Hamas of this solution?
Spokesman: There is… the Palestinians are entitled to live in a democratic country and choose their own leaders. But as we said, though, that that is the framework right now is the Palestinian Authority as their legitimate representatives. Okay. Yes, Evelyn? I don't think there's anybody online. Your microphone.
Question: Thank you, Steph. On education, schooling, where are the schools that you mentioned, and who's running them?
Spokesman: In Gaza, well, UNRWA is starting to resume some of its educational programmes.
Question: Right. And in Sudan, is there anything new on Darfur?
Spokesman: Not nothing more than what I've shared with you. I will leave you because the… sorry. Did you say?
Question: Did you say anything on Darfur today?
Spokesman: No. The European Union Security Council members, I think, are briefing you at the stakeout, so they are awaiting your presence. Thank you.