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 Tomorrow
Good afternoon. Just a couple of programming notes for all of you. Tomorrow, there will be a briefing at noon by Nils Hilmer, Germany’s State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defence; Katharina Stasch, Germany’s Director-General for international order and disarmament in the Federal Foreign Office, and Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who is as you all know is our Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. They will be here to discuss with you the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 taking place in Berlin on 13 and 14 May.
At 2 p.m., there will be a briefing by the Permanent Mission of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the UN on Bolivia’s proposals to address the global crisis from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples. And at 3 p.m., there will be a briefing sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada on the “Tŝilhqot’in Nation Calls for Action to Address Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada”. And I will try to squeeze in, in between all of those interesting briefings.
**Climate
This morning, as you well know, and as you saw, the Secretary-General and President Lula of Brazil convened a virtual leaders’ session on climate and just transition. After the meeting the Secretary-General spoke to some of you and said that he heard a unifying message: Our world faces massive headwinds and a multitude of crises, but we cannot allow climate commitments to be blown off course, he said. Mr. [António] Guterres added that we must keep building momentum for action at COP30 [thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] in Brazil — and that today was an important part of that effort.
The Secretary-General also said that renewables are the economic opportunities of the century. Dissenters and fossil fuel interests may try to stand in the way, but the world is moving forward — full speed ahead. The Secretary-General urged leaders to take action on two fronts: first, to step up efforts to submit the strongest possible national climate plans well ahead of COP30. And second, to scale up support for developing countries. His full remarks and the video are all available on the internet.
**Deputy Secretary-General
Our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is travelling this afternoon to Washington, D.C., this afternoon, to attend the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Spring Meetings and engage in discussions with key stakeholders and government officials attending these meetings.
Ms. Mohammed will participate in a ministerial round table to discuss the upcoming fourth International Conference on Financing for Development — which will be held in Seville in Spain this summer. She will also address priority actions to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ms. Mohammed will separately meet with finance ministers, leaders of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to discuss the challenging global economic context, its implications for sustainable development, and how to mitigate the risks for the world’s poorest countries. She will return to New York tomorrow evening.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably in Gaza, our humanitarian colleagues report that hostilities continue unabated across the Strip, with air strikes reportedly hitting tents and areas sheltering displaced families. At the same time, supplies into Gaza continue to be blocked by the Israeli authorities and that has gone on for more than seven weeks, and it also further deprives people of the means for survival and undermining every aspect of civilian life.
Yesterday, in Khan Younis, our colleagues from the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) team carried out assessments at two locations in Al Mawasi that were hit by Israeli strikes on Sunday and Monday, reportedly killing eight people and injuring more than a dozen, most of those are children. Among the injured is a four-year-old boy who lost both of his legs. The team said nearly 20 families lost their shelter and belongings.
Yesterday, in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, an OCHA team visited another two sites that are hosting nearly 2,500 displaced people, including many who fled after the latest displacement orders on Al Qarara in Khan Younis. The team noted acute shortages of food, water, medicine and shelter. Civilians there are traumatized and have no access to mental health support.
Both communities that were visited rely entirely on once-daily hot meals from community kitchens, which are insufficient and those kitchens frequently run out of food to distribute. Children are going hungry, with reports of injuries during food distributions due to overcrowding and competition to try to get whatever food is available.
OCHA says canned food distributions, cash assistance, water storage, emergency health support and temporary learning spaces are urgently required. The presence of injured civilians, as well as people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, underscores the vulnerability of the people who are at these sites. Throughout Gaza, food supplies are running dangerously low, and malnutrition is rapidly worsening. Last week, one partner screened 1,300 children in northern Gaza and identified more than 80 cases of acute malnutrition — a two-fold increase from previous weeks.
Our partners working in nutrition also report severe supply shortages due to the aid blockade and the challenges of moving essential items into and within the Gaza Strip. Access to key storage facilities, such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warehouse in Rafah, remains heavily constrained.
And on a positive note, two days ago, a truck carrying nutrition support successfully moved from northern to southern Gaza. The shipment can support approximately 470 children for one month and will be crucial in preventing their current conditions from getting even worse. Across Gaza, living conditions are appalling. More than half of the population relies on inadequate or non-existent sanitation, while over 75 per cent report exposure to sewage, open waste and rodent infestations.
The public health risks are grave, especially for vulnerable groups — particularly malnourished children under five — who are highly susceptible to waterborne diseases and infections. As part of ongoing efforts to respond to growing environmental and public health risks, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) says its sanitation teams are responding with spraying disinfectants, cleaning campaigns and hygiene awareness sessions to reduce these risks and support displaced families.
And we, of course, call on Member States with any influence to press for an immediate end to the blockade of humanitarian aid getting into Gaza. We urge them to ensure that once supplies are let in, they can be distributed wherever people need them with full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. We also urge Member States with influence to do whatever they can to push for the release of the hostages.
**Yemen
On the situation in Yemen, I can tell you that we remain deeply concerned over the impact of ongoing air strikes on civilians and the infrastructure they rely on, including health facilities. Since the noon briefing on Monday, more than two dozen air strikes have been reported. In Al Hudaydah city, our humanitarian partners are stepping up emergency support to meet rising needs related to the strikes.
We also remain deeply concerned about the ongoing missile and drone attacks conducted by the Houthis against Israel and in the Red Sea and call on the Houthis to cease such attacks immediately, reiterating that Security Council resolution 2768 (2025) related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels must be fully respected.
Meanwhile, we continue to receive updates on the devastating effects of the air attacks in Houthi-controlled territories in recent days. We have verified five child casualties due to an air strike in Sana’a on Sunday. Strikes on 17 April damaged a hospital in Al Baida Governorate, where humanitarian partners were running an emergency obstetric and newborn care programme. Damage to solar panels at the hospital mean that it can no longer operate around the clock. We reiterate once again our call for all parties to the conflict to uphold international humanitarian law.
We and our humanitarian partners continue to stay and deliver wherever we can and as funding allows. This year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Yemen is currently just 8 per cent funded, with less than $205 million received of the nearly $2.5 billion that are required. The reality is that we cannot do more with less money. The people of Yemen are caught in a horrific cycle of violence and a humanitarian crisis. Although funding is no substitute for the political solution that the people of Yemen so desperately deserve — it can and will help communities at least to survive and stabilize.
**Sudan
Moving to Sudan, I have an update on our colleague, Ramtane Lamamra, who, as you know is the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan. He is in Port Sudan currently. Today, he met with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces, as well as other senior officials. Mr. Lamamra is intensifying his consultations and continuing his engagements with the parties and all relevant stakeholders to explore modalities to strengthen the protection of civilians and any effort to de-escalate the conflict.
In his engagements, the Personal Envoy will reaffirm our call for urgent and genuine dialogue between the parties to the conflict towards an immediate cessation of hostilities. In addition to that, we renew our calls for an inclusive political process to prevent further escalation, to protect civilians, and to put Sudan back on a path towards peace and stability. We urge the parties to seize the opportunity of the visit of Mr. Lamamra in the country and the region to commit to engaging on an inclusive way forward and on enhancing the protection of civilians, including through possible proximity talks.
**Sudan — Humanitarian
On the humanitarian front, just to give you a clearer picture of the horrific situation of which we remain gravely concerned, especially about the mass displacement, civilian casualties and dire humanitarian needs in El Fasher, in Tawila and other parts of North Darfur State. In those areas, civilians have sought safety and shelter after the takeover of Zamzam camp by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with all the violence that we saw as part of that.
Our humanitarian partners on the ground report several hundred thousand inhabitants of the camp fled to other locations. Some residents had been living at Zamzam since the beginning of the Darfur conflict in 2003. And this is the camp where, as we’ve told you repeatedly, famine conditions have been confirmed in Zamzam last August — so as you can imagine the situation is indeed very dire for these people.
In recent days, artillery shelling of El Fasher — including the Abu Shouk camp and Daraja Aoula areas — has reportedly caused dozens of further civilian casualties. The massive influx of displaced people into host communities and towns where needs are already high is creating critical pressure on health services, water infrastructure and local food systems throughout North Darfur.
We and our humanitarian partners are scaling up operations to meet deepening needs across multiple areas of that state. However, the scale of the displacement — coupled with insecurity and rising logistical constraints that have impeded humanitarian access — the displacement is severely stretching the capacity to respond. Despite these and other challenges, our humanitarian colleagues are working with partners to coordinate the movement of an aid convoy to North Darfur in the coming days — that will be carrying assistance for up to 40,000 people. This will be a cross-border mission via the Adre crossing from Chad, traveling via Geneina in West Darfur before reaching Tawila in North Darfur.
We are also working with all stakeholders to try to open up sustained access for relief supplies and personnel movements into the area. In El Fasher, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are running mobile health clinics and nutrition clinics and have launched a water trucking project, providing 20 cubic metres of water daily to 10,000 people. The Sudan Humanitarian Fund — which is managed by OCHA — is supporting the work of six NGO partners in and around El Fasher.
In light of the crisis in Zamzam and El Fasher, UN agencies and NGO partners are urgently reviewing and adjusting response priorities in the area, within the framework of the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. We and our humanitarian partners continue to call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure safe passage for civilians, and guarantee facilitate and enable unimpeded humanitarian access.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Heading slightly south-east, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our humanitarian colleagues there warn that children continue to face grave violations of their rights as fighting persists in the east. In South Kivu Province, local armed groups have forced at least nine girls into marriages in Kalehe since February. According to local partners, many other incidents of child marriage may be going unreported. Our partners also warn that armed groups continue to recruit as child fighters. Children are also missing out on school in parts of South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, where authorities have reported the occupation of at least five schools by armed groups — which is obviously disrupting the ability of children to actually attend class.
In North Kivu, colleagues found that nearly 9,000 displaced people living in some 50 collective centres around the provincial capital Goma and in the town of Sake hope to return to their homes in Masisi, Nyiragongo and Rutshuru Territories. OCHA is working with our humanitarian partners to address these issues and help enable safe and voluntary returns.
And also today, several UN officials warned that the conflict in the country is having a dramatic impact on women and children, including increased risk of conflict-related sexual violence on displaced people.
And on the peacekeeping front, our blue helmets from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) tell us that yesterday they conducted a long-range mission to Dhendron village, in Ituri, which is some 14 kilometres northeast of the peacekeepers’ Temporary Operating Base in Bayoo. This long-range patrol, which follows an attack by CODECO on 19 April, seeks to promote security for local farmers during the cultivation season and also enable the peacekeepers to better assess the situation on the ground. The Mission engaged with local farmers who raised concerns about continued insecurity and called for more frequent patrols and the deployment of troops from the Congolese Armed Forces to support the safe return of internally displaced people.
**Somalia
And in Somalia, our colleagues there tell us that deadly flash floods have impacted nearly 30,000 people in different parts of the country. Authorities say at least four people have been killed in the past week, including three children. Our humanitarian colleagues note that the rains come after months of extreme dry conditions that decimated water sources and grazing land, straining livelihoods and forcing scores of pastoralist families to abandon their villages. Following a delayed start to the April to June wet season, the rains have been particularly heavy in Puntland and South West States. Authorities in Somalia are appealing for assistance, especially emergency shelter, restoration of sanitation facilities, food assistance and relocation support for impacted people.
We, along with our humanitarian partners, have started assessments to determine the impact of the disaster and mobilize the response — but these efforts are constrained by extremely limited resources due to recent funding cuts. Our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warn that humanitarian needs are rising in Somalia at a time when aid agencies are having to reduce and even suspend assistance due to dwindling resources. This year, about one third of Somalia’s population — nearly 6 million people — needs humanitarian assistance. However, our $1.42 billion humanitarian appeal is just 10 per cent funded, with only $143 million received to date.
**Ukraine
And moving to Europe and Ukraine: Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on the ground are telling us that according to Ukrainian authorities, yesterday and in the early hours of today, drone and glide bomb attacks struck densely populated areas throughout the country, while fighting claimed the lives of civilians in front-line regions. In Zaporizhzhia City, a glide bomb strike yesterday killed and injured people, including children. This is what local authorities are telling us.
Several apartment buildings were damaged. Despite being near the front lines, the city remains home to some 630,000 people, including many displaced from other regions where fighting has been raging. Authorities also report overnight drone strikes in the regions of Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Poltava and Odesa, damaging homes, warehouses, a hospital, an ambulance and a critical energy infrastructure. We, along with our humanitarian partners, including national NGOs, are providing emergency aid, complementing the work of State responders. Impacted communities are receiving hot meals, construction materials and other critical items, as well as psychosocial support.
**Kashmir
And just to read into the record, yesterday we told you that the Secretary-General strongly condemned the armed attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, in which at least 28 people were killed. He offers his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and he stresses attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances.
**International Days
A couple of international days. Today is World Book and Copyright Day. So read but don’t copy without paying. Not only do they entertain us, but books reflect the linguistic diversity of our world. Which leads me to two more international days we are marking today. We honour two of our official languages today, neither of them that I can master fluently. English, yes and Spanish. Thank you. Today is English Language Day. It is also Spanish Language Day. How do you say “question” in English? Any questions? Yes. First out of the gate.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Steph. I was wondering, if the SG has any response to the statements by [Mahmoud] Abbas?
Spokesman: By?
Question: Regarding the Palestinians. Regarding Hamas…?
Spokesman: By Hamas?
Correspondent: Yeah. No. About Hamas, Abbas.
Spokesman: Well, okay.
Correspondent: Mahmoud Abbas.
Spokesman: What did… sorry. You have to… okay, what was?
Correspondent: I thought you know everything.
Spokesman: I know everything, but I need you to say it for the record.
Question: Okay. Well, it seems that Palestinian Authority leader Abbas has called on Hamas to disarm, give up its weapons. Is that…?
Spokesman: Look. I think our stand is clear, is that, first of all, the Palestinian Authority is the authority we recognize over all of the Palestinian territory; that we want the Palestinians to be able to choose their own path forward. And what we want to see immediately is the return to cessation of hostilities in Gaza, just to enable humanitarian aid to flow back in, like it was during the time that we had a ceasefire, that we want to see the hostages released, and we want to see a return to a path of a two-State solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live in security and peace side by side. Gabriel and then Edie.
Question: Thank you, Steph. I know you sent out a statement yesterday about the armed attack in Kashmir. But, how concerned is the Secretary-General that this could lead into more tensions that are already there and potential cross-border conflict, given the tense situation?
Spokesman: I think, listen, we’re not going to predict or analyse what may happen. I think we’re just looking at that incident, that horrific terror attack in which more than 20 people were killed, which we strongly condemn. But I will leave it to analysts as to if that would lead to a rise in tensions.
Question: On Gaza, more than 35 have been killed, 105 injured in the last 24 hours. And according to the Ministry of Health officials, there are still at least six people trapped under the rubble. Is it still the assessment by the UN that there are many trapped under the rubble and that there is not enough material or equipment that you have access to help those people?
Spokesman: I mean, that is clear. We, of course, don’t have the humanitarian aid that we need. There’s not enough equipment, and there’s not enough fuel to run the equipment that is actually there. And it is extremely challenging to try to find people who hopefully survived in those conditions. Edie?
Question: Thank you, Steph. On Mr. Lamamra’s visit, does his visit have the backing of the African Union, of regional groups of others, I believe, like Qatar, who’ve been trying to mediate? And I ask this because one of… as you know, one of the great problems in trying to resolve this conflict has been a series of disparate attempts.
Spokesman: I would not contradict your analysis. I can’t say, you know, I it’s not for me to speak for the African Union or others, but I can tell you that Mr. Lamamra and his team work extremely closely with the African Union, with IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development], and Member States, in the region and beyond. He represents the Secretary-General, who represents the United Nations, and we hope that every organization and Member State fully back and work closely with him. Serife, then we’ll go back to the AP.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. There are reports that during the meeting of the Security Cabinet, Israeli Defence Minister [Israel] Katz said that aid in Gaza will be distributed either by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] or American companies. I’d like to know initially if this will affect UN aid operations. And additionally, considering the complicity of the IDF and the US in general to the devastation in Gaza, how do you think this will impact aid distribution in Gaza?
Spokesman: I read a lot of interesting articles, of leaks from this, to the meeting you referred to, but we weren’t there, obviously, so I can’t speak to the veracity of what was reported. What I can tell you is whether it’s in Gaza or anywhere else in the world, the UN’s humanitarian operations will only work based on our principles of humanity, of impartiality and of independence.
Question: The US State Department announced a major reorganization yesterday, cutting many bureaus, both domestically and internationally. Has the UN Secretary-General heard from US counterparts about what impact their reorganization at all will have on services or funding to the UN?
Spokesman: No. I mean, we have not. I mean, we’ve seen the Bureau of International Organization will remain, but we have not had any contact at that level to see how that may impact us. Okay. Any questions online? I wish you and bid a good day. Thank you for coming for this exciting briefing.