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
A couple of programming notes. As a reminder, you are welcome to come in tomorrow, but nobody will be here. It is Good Friday, an official UN holiday, we will not be briefing, but, as usual, we will be available by all sorts of electronic communication means if you need to reach us. We will be back here on Monday.
As soon as I am done here, you will have a briefing by the Permanent Representative of Kuwait, Ambassador [Tareq] Albanai, in his capacity also of Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council. He will be here, obviously, to brief you on the negotiations related to that issue. After that, Guilherme Canela de Souza Godoi, the Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Memory of the World Programme, will join us from Paris to brief on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
It’s worth mentioning that UNESCO added 74 new documentary heritage collections to its Memory of the World Programme that cover a large variety of formats and topics, including scientific revolution and major milestones of multilateralism. You will hear more about that from our friend Guilherme. Finally, on Monday, my guest will be David Carden, who is the outgoing Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. He will join us virtually from Gaziantep in Türkiye to brief you on the situation in Syria.
**Deputy Secretary-General
Our Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed today took part in the second day of the Partnership for Growth Summit in Viet Nam. She joined a Business Dialogue with Leaders focused on public—private partnerships for innovation and sustainability. Ms. Mohammed also met with Lương Cường, the State President of Viet Nam. They discussed UN—Viet Nam cooperation on the acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals. They also discussed peacekeeping and climate action.
On the margins of the Summit, Ms. Mohammed also met with the Prime Minister of Viet Nam, Phạm Minh Chính, and Nguyễn Hoàng Long, the Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade. Their discussions centered on Viet Nam’s green and digital transformation, as well as economic diversification. The Deputy Secretary-General also visited an electric vehicle factory in Hai Phong, where she saw first hand how manufacturing is attracting investment, creating skilled jobs, and advancing Viet Nam’s path towards a zero-emission future.
And over the next two days the Deputy Secretary-General will chair the annual retreat of UN Resident Coordinators in the Asia and the Pacific region. The discussions will focus on accelerating SDG implementation across the region and mobilizing investments around key transitions. She will be back here on Sunday.
**Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
A quick note to flag that the fourth Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent is ending today, and I hope you had a chance to take some of the events in this week. Before the announcement of the conclusions and recommendations of the session, there will be a closing event entitled “Haiti’s Independence Debt: 200 years later”.
As you can imagine, the event will provide an opportunity to discuss France’s imposition of an “independence debt” on Haiti, the current crisis, as well as the country’s deep historical connections to movements for the human dignity, rights, and self-determination of Africans and people of African descent worldwide. The event is taking place at 3 p.m. — and will of course be broadcasted by our friends at the UN WebTV.
**Sudan
Turning to the humanitarian situation in Sudan. The World Food Programme (WFP) tells us that one of its teams has successfully arrived today in greater Khartoum, where they are coordinating with local authorities to scale up assistance in Khartoum. WFP aims to expand aid deliveries to nearly 1 million people over the coming month. Our colleagues also tell us that a convoy with 14 trucks carrying over 280 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies has arrived in Jabal Awlia, which is south of Khartoum, and that arrival took place this morning. This area is one of the areas that is at high risk of famine, so the delivery is well needed.
These are the first aid deliveries into Jabal Awlia since last December. These first aid convoys are carrying assistance for around 23,000 people and additional trucks are en route. The convoy is just one of many planned aid deliveries into the greater Khartoum metropolitan area over the coming weeks. Yesterday, we and our humanitarian partners delivered 1,700 metric tons of emergency food in Tawila in North Darfur State. Also yesterday, a local partner launched a water trucking initiative to support 10,000 newly displaced human beings with clean water in the area of El Fasher.
Meanwhile, cross-border and crossline aid deliveries continue. During the month of March, 156 trucks carrying over 5,600 metric tonnes of assistance entered Sudan via the Adre crossing from Chad, while 146 trucks transported more than 4,000 metric tons of aid in other parts of the country. However, Sudan is also one of these areas where, countries, where we are facing bureaucratic obstacles to be able to deliver the aid that we need. The humanitarian access has been severely undermined by delays in visa approvals for humanitarian personnel.
Only 16 per cent of visa applications were approved in March — an alarming drop from previous months, which was around 50 per cent. All of that can seriously affect life-saving operations if the trend continues downwards. All this aid is crucial to help the vulnerable communities, and our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that aid organizations are working hard to meet urgent needs.
As we have flagged this week, more than 400,000 people had to flee violence — most of them from Zamzam camp. The majority have fled to the towns of El Fasher and Tawila, where host communities are already under immense strain. And just a reminder that access to Zamzam remains completely blocked. Local authorities and partners’ reports indicate that armed groups continue to shell El Fasher and surrounding areas, including Abu Shouk camp, which is obviously placing all of the civilians there at immense risk. We continue to call for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and urge all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, ensure the protection of civilians, and allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that the volatile situation in North and South Kivu Provinces continues to fuel the displacement crisis. The neighbouring Province of Tanganyika is also experiencing the impact of this instability, with thousands of displaced people sheltering in schools, which is of course disrupting the education activities of the students who will be studying there.
In North Kivu’s Rutshuru Territory, more than 25,000 men, women and children, mostly people who were already displaced, have arrived in the town of Kanyabayonga, and that has been since 8 April. They have been fleeing armed violence in Walikale and Lubero Territories, and they need healthcare, need food security and essential household items assistance. Support is limited in this area with only one partner being operational.
Moving to Goma, our partners warn there that half of the displaced women and children living in collective centres are impacted by protection incidents. Resumption of basic social services in the area is required to meet basic needs and mitigate exposure to protection risks.
In Tanganyika, local authorities report that nearly 1,200 children have been unable to attend school for over a month in the village of Lukwangulo, in the Kalemie Territory. An estimated 3,000 people displaced are using the two schools as shelters. Since February, the Kalemie Territory has been hosting more than 50,000 displaced people. Many of them live in school facilities, churches and other public buildings. Authorities, in coordination with OCHA, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners plan to relocate them to existing sites.
In South Kivu, local health officials report a cholera outbreak in the Minova area of Kalehe Territory, with over 100 new cases reported between 6 and 12 April. Response efforts are underway. They include medical treatment and infection chain control, with support from health partners. The Minova area is also experiencing a surge in Mpox cases, with 41 cases reported in week 15 compared to just 14 the week before. In Ituri Province, local health officials announced that some health services have resumed in the Fataki Hospital as of 15 April, after nearly a month of suspension due to the ongoing violence.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that humanitarian supplies are nearing total depletion since Israel imposed a full closure on the entry of cargo, including humanitarian aid, into the Gaza Strip on 2 March. More than 2 million people remain trapped inside Gaza. Ongoing hostilities and dwindling aid supplies have driven up stress levels — especially among children — with mental health needs growing by the day. Lifesaving services are on the brink of collapse. For example, in Gaza City, only three ambulances of the Palestine Red Crescent Society out of 30 are currently operational, and that is due to the lack of fuel to operate those ambulances. Despite these challenges, last week, health partners distributed emergency health kits to some 3,000 people in Gaza and Khan Younis.
As we’ve flagged here several times, the water sector has been heavily impacted by hostilities with almost 90 per cent of the water assets including wells, pumping stations and sewage treatment plants, either destroyed or partially damaged. We reiterate that Israel, as the occupying power, has clear obligations under international law, which include ensuring food, medical supplies and public health services are available, and also obligated to facilitate humanitarian relief when they are not otherwise being supplied.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that displacement continues at scale. Partners are distributing bedding sets as more than half of the population in Gaza needs some form of emergency shelter items now. OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected, whether they leave or they stay. Those fleeing must be allowed to do so safely, and they must be able to voluntarily return when the situation allows. Turning to the West Bank, the Israeli forces’ operation in the northern West Bank, which has started on 21 January as you will recall in Jenin, continues with thousands of people displaced and unable to return home. In Jenin and Tulkarm governorates, our humanitarian partners are providing urgent aid, including health and psychosocial support.
Meanwhile, access to education remains impeded, as more than a dozen schools in the Tulkarm, Jenin and Nur Shams refugee camps remain closed due to operations by Israeli security forces. This deprives thousands of students from their right to education. Additionally, hundreds of students in East Jerusalem risk being unable to complete their academic year, due to the closure of educational facilities based on orders issued by the Israel to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
**Ukraine
Moving to Europe and Ukraine. Our humanitarian colleagues in Ukraine tell us that, yesterday evening, the city of Dnipro in east-central Ukraine was hit by a massive drone attack again. According to authorities, the attacks killed and injured civilians, including children. Apartment blocks, a school, a site for displaced people and other civilian infrastructure were damaged in the attack.
Also yesterday, heavy shelling impacted the regions of Kherson and Kharkiv, also causing civilian casualties, including children and health workers. An ambulance and multiple homes were also damaged. That is what local authorities are telling us. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that hostilities also continue in the Donetsk region. Following the overnight attacks, aid workers in Dnipro and Kharkiv responded immediately. In coordination with first responders, they provided medical transport, hot meals, emergency shelter and psychosocial support.
**Security Council
Back here, the Security Council this morning held a session on Libya. Briefing Council members, Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, engaged in extensive consultations with Libyans from all walks of life — political, military, security, judicial, oversight institutions, political parties, civil society women’s groups and also the diplomatic community.
Ms. Tetteh stressed that political will for compromise is crucial to develop a consensual roadmap resolving Libya’s political crisis and completing the transition. Elections must be integrated into a comprehensive political framework promoting State-building by unifying and strengthening institutions. Ms. Tetteh noted that the 2020 ceasefire agreement is largely holding but that the security situation remains volatile. She added that one of the tragic consequences of Libya’s divided institutions is the vacuum in which armed actors are able to perpetrate human rights violations with impunity. Her remarks were shared with you.
**Mediterranean
Our colleagues at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reminded us that tomorrow, 10 years ago, on 18 April 2015, Europe witnessed one of the largest tragedies at sea when more than 1,000 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean as their boat capsized between Libya and the Italian island of Lampedusa. Since then, UNHCR noted that 34,000 people are reported to have died or gone missing while trying to reach Europe by sea, with the actual number obviously, expected to be much higher. UNHCR pointed out that a decade on, some gains have been made in responding to distress at sea, to receive asylum-seekers and to address their needs in Europe with responsibility sharing and solidarity — principles that are now codified in the EU Pact. But, UNHCR stressed that more is needed to prevent this senseless loss of life.
**Chinese Language Day
One more note. Since we won’t see each other until next week, Sunday, what will you all be doing? Easter. And in what language will you be celebrating Easter? In Chinese, because Sunday is Easter and it is Chinese Language Day. As a reminder, Language Days here at the UN celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. I do not know how to say happy Easter in Chinese, but Dezhi, I am sure, will tell us in a second.
**Financial Contribution
But before that, I have a quiz today. Two new countries paid their dues in full. The first country is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean consisting of 1,200 islands. It is also the least elevated nation in the world with its highest natural point being only 8 feet above sea level. Maldives, very good Dezhi. As my wife would say, I make everything about me, so. What is the country with the most Michelin restaurants? France, very good. What is the country with the second most Michelin restaurants that actually paid its dues in full today? Japan, it is Japan, known for its culinary delights has the second most restaurants with Michelin stars. We thank our friends in Malé and in Tokyo for their payment, which brings us up to 95. Dezhi, that is a lot of money. Dezhi, please.
**Questions and Answers
Correspondent: I know that […] Okay, so yesterday, I asked Stephanie about the US… statement on the condemnation of US… extend the mandate of Albanese.
Spokesman: Yes.
Question: And she clearly answered that’s the decision by Human Rights Council, not the secretariat. And that also draw criticism from some people who said that the Secretary-General didn’t give support to its rapporteur. How are you going to address this criticism?
Spokesman: There is a human rights architecture, right? Which is vast. One part of that architecture are the Special Rapporteurs. Special Rapporteurs provide a very important work and information for that human rights architecture. This is an architecture created by Member States, right? We fully support that architecture. We’ve always said about every human about every Special Rapporteur that they are independent from the Secretary-General. That has not changed, right? If Member States are unhappy with who is nominated by the Human Rights Council to be Special Rapporteurs, that is an issue they need to take up with other Member States.
Question: Well, okay. First, sadly, that country [has withdrawn] from Human Rights Council. And secondly you said those rapporteurs, they provide important information, and the Secretary-General supports the architecture, but he’s not in support for the particular rapporteurs?
Spokesman: It is not for him to pick and choose which Special Rapporteurs he supports and which he doesn’t support, because of what they said…
Question: What information they’re going to take to be important…?
Spokesman: They report to the Human Rights Council. This Organization, as you know as well as I do, Dezhi, is complicated and I rely on you to explain to your viewers the complexity of this organization. Your next question, if any otherwise, I will move to Edie. Yeah.
Question: Thank you, Steph. With the dwindling of supplies, with no supplies going into Gaza since 2 March. Can we get an update on how close the United Nations is, to having no food and no fuel in the territory?
Spokesman: The short answer is extremely close. But, as in any situation where supplies are very low, we keep stretching it, right? So, it’s not, I can tell you that yesterday, there’ll be not, tomorrow there’ll be nothing left. Whatever is left, we’re trying to stretch it and stretch it and stretch it. But, when you keep stretching something, at some point, it breaks. But, it’s hard to predict exactly when that breaking point is, but I can tell you we’re not far from it. Yes, ma’am, and I apologize.
Question: No worries. So, I’ve got two questions, and I think you were asked earlier this week about an internal memo that was really from the Trump Administration, which sort of detailed, you know, their plans to cut funding from the UN and several other UN organizations, and, um, I think believe you said at the time that, you didn’t have any comment on that. So, my question to that is, has there been contact between the Secretary-General and the president?
Spokesman: If there had been, I would’ve told you.
Question: All right. Thank you. My second question, and this is on a different matter. I’m not sure, if you may be aware that, the de facto authorities in Myanmar announced a couple of weeks prior that they would… that they had confirmed the return of at least a 180,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh, in the coming weeks. So, I wanted to ask what the UN’s position is on this plan?
Spokesman: I will check with our UNHCR and IOM colleagues, if people have actually, if they’ve registered any returns. The point to keep in mind is that for any return of people, any return of refugees to their home, needs to be done in a safe, dignified, but most importantly, in a voluntary basis.
Question: All right. And just a quick follow-up then, it does, is the UN involved?
Spokesman: That, I will check. Madam Serife.
Question: Thank you, Stephane. I also have a question on the Trump Administration. As you may know the Administration has revoked the visas of foreign students in more than about 30 states across the US and mostly for their pro-Palestinian stance. And one of these students is Rumaisa Osterk. She’s a PhD student at Tufts University. And if you will allow me to note, she has actually not been accused of any crime, but she faces the risk of deportation for an opinion, that she co-authored in their school newspaper. So, do you fear, does the Secretary-General fear that this may turn into a campaign to silence these pro-Palestinian supporters? And what kind of impact do you think this may have overall on free speech?
Spokesman: I can’t predict what will happen. I can tell you a few things. One is that we firmly stand in the rights of people all over the world, wherever they are, whether they’re journalists, whether they’re students or universities, to be able to speak freely, peacefully without fear of retribution, harassment, arrest or worse, right? Every country also has the right to manage its own borders, but we do feel it is important. It is done in a way that respects people’s rights and their dignity. Madam?
Correspondent: Actually, a question… follow-up to, that madam’s question. We heard that UN in last month sent an email to remind staff to carry their ID documents.
Spokesman: Mhmm.
Question: And so, just a quick update. Have you heard of anyone actually having checked their ID?
Spokesman: No. I have not. Please, Denis. Go ahead.
Question: Thank you so much, Steph. Russia has suspended its ban on the Taliban. Do you have any comments on this regard?
Spokesman: No. I mean, it’s a sovereign decision of the Russian Federation, the Taliban status within, the UN as decided by Member States remains, remains unchanged. Dezhi and then Sinan. Sorry.
Question: There’s a report that Arab Group countries, they launched a bid for Palestine ambassador for the UN General Assembly presidency. Can secretariat at confirm this? And…
Spokesman: Sounds like a wonderful question for…
Question: For…?
Spokesman: …the very able spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly. Sinan.
Question: Thank you, Stephane. I have couple of questions. Ms. Rosemary DeCarlo was in Damascus couple of days ago, and I wonder if she’s going to make any statement about her visit? Yeah.
Spokesman: We have not gotten any updates, from her travel, but maybe we can see what we can get for you.
Question: Do you have any, like, details about her visit that do you think, like, she was only in Damascus or she was traveling?
Spokesman: No. If I had something, I would, you would be the second person to have it Sinan.
Question: Last one. I’m sure you received this question before. As you know, there’s a new dialogue between United States and Iran. And what’s the Secretary-General’s, like view, or does he have any comment?
Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, we very much hope that the dialogue, between the United States, and the Islamic Republic Of Iran yields a positive outcome, which we’re seeing the lowering of tensions in the Gulf Region, in the Middle East, and between the two countries. We understand that there’ll be a second round from what I’ve seen, I think this weekend which in itself is a good sign, and we’ll obviously be following it very closely. Okay. I will leave you for our next programming note, which is the Permanent Ambassador of Kuwait.