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 Today
At 2 p.m., there will be a press briefing by the Permanent Mission of Bolivia to the UN on Bolivia’s proposals to address the global crisis from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples.
At 3 p.m., there will be a briefing sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada on the Tŝilhqot’in Nation’s calls for action to address the toxic drug crisis in Canada.
**Syria
A couple of operational notes for tomorrow. At 8 a.m., the new three-starred Syrian flag will be raised, next to the flags of the other 193 Member States and the two permanent observers. If you have any questions about media coverage, please ask the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU). They will facilitate that. And just to stay on Syria, Geir Pedersen will be here to brief the Council tomorrow and he will be speaking to you at the stakeout afterwards.
**Briefings Tomorrow
Tomorrow at 11 a.m., there will be a hybrid press briefing by Ambassador Jürg Lauber, the President of the Human Rights Council.
And our Noon Briefing guest will be Ulrika Richardson, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Haiti, who also serves as the Deputy Special Representative and Resident Coordinator for Haiti. She will brief us virtually on… Haiti.
**Secretary-General
This evening, the Secretary-General will be traveling this evening to Rome, where on Saturday he will attend the funeral of Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Basilica.
This afternoon, the Secretary-General will sign the Book of Condolences for the Pope at the Observer Mission of the Holy See.
On Tuesday, the UN flag will fly at half-mast to honour the passing of the late Pontiff.
**Deputy Secretary-General
Our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, continues her visit to Washington, D.C., for the World Bank/IMF Annual Spring Meetings.
This morning, she took part in a Women Lead Breakfast with over 50 female leaders, which was hosted by the World Bank Managing Directors. Amina Mohammed highlighted women’s labour and economic participation as one of the most powerful forces driving inclusive and sustainable development, and she called for women’s leadership to be placed at the centre of decision-making.
Later, she participated in the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, where she underscored the importance of advancing reforms to the international financial architecture to make it more inclusive and responsive.
This afternoon, she will deliver remarks at the 111th meeting of the World Bank/IMF Development Committee and continue her engagements with senior Government officials and other key stakeholders. She will be on her way back later today.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the total blockage of aid and any other supplies — now nearing two months — has led to the depletion of essentials such as fresh food and tents and to the near-exhaustion of other critical supplies for Palestinian civilians. Children are going hungry. Patients remain untreated. People are dying. It is time to lift those restrictions immediately.
The complete restrictions has driven up the price of essentials, according to the latest analysis. Food prices have increased by between 29 per cent to as much as 1,400 per cent above pre-ceasefire levels, with many essential items like dairy, eggs, fruits and meat no longer available on the market.
On average, in April, prices rose 50 per cent over March levels. Shortages of cash and reduced purchasing power have pushed many people deeper into hunger.
Yesterday, the acting Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Suzanna Tkalec — together with a team from OCHA — visited Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. In Khan Younis, they visited the main desalination plant for southern Gaza, which has been operating at only 15 per cent of its usual capacity since early March due to electricity cuts imposed by Israel. As a result, people’s access to clean water is extremely limited. They also visited two makeshift displacement sites to assess the living conditions of families staying at these crowded locations.
In Deir al Balah, they visited an inclusive community kitchen run by the Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, which provides food, skills training and social support for youth and women, including people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, emergency shelter partners report severe shortages of tents, of tarpaulins and essential materials.
Warehouses are almost depleted, which is limiting shelter assistance to just a fraction of what is needed to survive.
For its part, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the agency’s partners continue to address gender-based violence and deliver supplies and services critical for sexual and reproductive health across Gaza. This week, 10 reproductive health kits — enough to reach more than 6,900 people — were distributed to six health partners in the Gaza Strip. Key hospitals were also provided with emergency supplies. More than 900 women and girls received dignity kits, menstrual hygiene supplies and other items — and 245 sessions on gender-based violence were held, with 200 new case files opened.
**UNIFIL
Moving north to our colleagues who serve along the Blue Line, the Force Commander for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, met with President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon to discuss the situation in the Mission’s area of operation. Lt. Gen. Lázaro also briefed the President on how UNIFIL is realigning its efforts to deal with current and evolving challenges and support the parties in implementing Security Council resolution 1701.
The Mission, together with the Lebanese Armed Forces, continues efforts to locate and address unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches as well as tunnels. In the past week, UNIFIL discovered weapons and ammunition caches on three occasions and referred those to the Lebanese army as they are mandated to do.
Meanwhile, UNIFIL is undertaking assessment of 272 markers that dot almost half of the 120-kilometres of the Blue Line. Some of these markers have been damaged or destroyed during the recent hostilities.
While this exercise continues, the mission has found so far that 188 of the markers are intact and it has prioritized 10 others for immediate refurbishment.
**Yemen
A quick update on Yemen, where I can tell you that our Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, was in Oman today where he met with senior Omani officials, members of Ansar Allah leadership and representatives of the diplomatic community.
Their discussions centred on the necessity to stabilize the situation in Yemen to allow all Yemenis to live in dignity and prosperity and to address the legitimate concerns of all stakeholders, including the region and the international community.
Discussions also focused on our continuous calls to Ansar Allah for the immediate and unconditional release of detained UN staff, as well as staff of NGOs and civil society and diplomatic personnel.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our peacekeeping colleagues tell us they welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration on 23 April, that would be yesterday, and that was issued in Doha by representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Movement of March 23, known as the AFC/M23. The signing marked a significant step towards de-escalating the conflict in the eastern part of the country.
The agreement, facilitated by Qatar, reflects a shared commitment to establishing a truce as a foundation for an effective ceasefire. The Mission commends the renewed resolve demonstrated by both parties to prioritize dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution, not only within the DRC but across the wider region.
We are also encouraged by the declaration’s emphasis on inclusive engagement, calling on all sectors of society, including citizens, religious leaders and the media, to promote messages of unity and of hope.
We urge all parties to seize this opportunity to advance the peace process, placing the protection and well-being of civilians at the centre of all efforts.
**Haitian Migrants
Just to flag a dramatic situation that is Haitians in the Dominican Republic, our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration tell us that there’s been an increase in the number of vulnerable individuals among those deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti, particularly women — including pregnant and lactating women — children, and newborns.
On 22 April alone, IOM staff at the Belladère border crossing in Haiti received 416 deportees, including 11 pregnant women and 16 women who are still breastfeeding. While IOM teams are not present during the deportation process itself, their efforts focus on the needs of deportees upon arrival, many of whom arrive in precarious and highly vulnerable conditions, often without any resources.
IOM provides immediate humanitarian assistance, including food, water, hygiene kits with dignity items, as well as first aid, medical referrals, and psychosocial support.
Special attention is given to maternal health, and temporary accommodations are arranged for those women who are breastfeeding when necessary.
**Haiti
And within Haiti, our humanitarian warn that rising violence and recent funding cuts are undermining essential services and worsening the humanitarian situation, particularly in the Centre Department.
Escalating violence by armed groups has triggered mass displacement, with more than 51,000 people — over half of them children — fleeing recent attacks. Many are now stranded at makeshift sites or seeking safety in neighbouring departments.
The University Hospital of Mirebalais — a major referral facility with about 300 beds, has suspended operations following a wave of insecurity in the area. Armed attacks, a mass prison break and the destruction of public infrastructure forced the hospital to gradually shut down. Before its closure, it served nearly 850 patients each day, including through maternal care and advanced cancer treatment.
Two other hospitals in the area — Saint Therese in Hinche and Albert Schweitzer Hospital in the Artibonite — are now coming under increased strain and face critical shortages, including oxygen and emergency medical kits. Since the closure of the University Hospital in Mirebalais, they have treated more than 200 patients for gunshot wounds, strokes, suspected cholera and malnutrition. Saint Therese alone has received more than 3,500 internally displaced people — tripling its outpatient caseload.
UNICEF and our humanitarian partners are working to relieve pressure on the health system in the Centre Department. In coordination with the Government and Caritas, mobile clinics are being deployed to reach 30,000 people in host communities and displacement camps.
Four months into the year, our Humanitarian Response Plan — which requires $908 million to support 3.9 million people in Haiti — is only 6 per cent funded, with only $57 million in the bank so far. For the health response, partners require $43.5 million, but less than $7 million has been received to date.
We are committed to keep providing aid as security and funding allow.
**Ukraine
Moving to Ukraine and the worrying developments there. Our Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator there, Matthias Schmale, strongly condemned last night’s large-scale attack by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on residential areas in Kyiv and surrounding regions, which killed and injured civilians, including women and children, which is what local authorities are telling us.
Mr. Schmale called it yet another appalling violation of international humanitarian law and underscored that civilians must never be targets.
In Kyiv, attacks were reported in more than a dozen locations across the city. And some 20 residential buildings were damaged, authorities are telling us.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that at least nine regions of Ukraine — including Kharkiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Zhytomyr and Kherson — were also hit by strikes overnight, with local authorities reporting that nearly [170] civilians were killed and dozens more injured. We and our humanitarian partners rapidly mobilized to provide emergency aid and other services.
**Myanmar
Almost done, a couple more notes. One from Myanmar where, in response to the devastating earthquakes that struck the country almost a month ago, humanitarian agencies have been working to save lives in a new environment — characterized by Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher as a “humanitarian reset”. This has included moving the response closer to those we serve and partnering with local organizations to reach those in need, including the delivery of medical care, shelter, clean water, sanitation support and food.
As part of this reset, we are stepping up support for local responders, who have long been the backbone of the humanitarian response in Myanmar. The UN’s close partnership with them includes providing flexible support through the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund. In the first allocation from this pooled fund in 2025, we channelled 80 per cent of the $20 million provided to 66 local partners, including $4.7 million for the earthquake response.
As part of our efforts to reach those most in need, we have secured access to some hard-to-reach areas in Sagaing for the first time. We now have a coordination mechanism in Sagaing and are planning a UN presence there to be scaled up, as this was one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquakes. We’ve also been able to reach areas that had previously been difficult to access in Mandalay. We hope to have the acting Resident Coordinator for Myanmar brief you next week.
**Immunization Week
World Immunization Week starts today. It aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. As you well know, increasing outbreaks of highly infectious diseases are a concern for the whole world — and we all saw in recent years during Covid how vaccines saves lives.
The World Health Organization, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, however, warn that immunization efforts are under growing threat, as misinformation as well as the funding cuts jeopardize progress, thus leaving millions of young people and adults at risk.
The UN agencies and their partners are calling on people and Governments around the world to strengthen support for immunization.
**International Days
Today is the International Day which should be a day every day. It is the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace. The Pact for the Future is a great example, it reaffirms our commitment to peace and protection of human rights.
Today is also International Girls in ICT Day. On this Day, and every day indeed, we encourage girls and young women to purse their education and careers mainly in fields such as science and technology. Joe you are not a poster child for Girls in ICT Day, but since you’re the first one to raise your hand, I will take your question.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: And no offense.
Question: No offense taken.
Spokesman: Excellent.
Question: I just want to seek a bit of clarification on the Secretary-General’s position regarding the continued US bombing in Yemen. As long as the Houthis continue to fire rockets and missiles in the Red Sea, Israel, and not heed the Secretary-General’s request to stop such aggression. Is the Secretary-General still calling for the United States to cease all of its bombing campaigns or just to be more precise and limit as much as possible civilian casualties?
Spokesman: Joe, we have been in fact, and I’ve talked about Yemen a couple of times last week and earlier. We’ve been very clear that we want to see an utmost restraint. We want to see a cessation of all military activities in and around Yemen. We’ve been expressing our deep concern at the civilian deaths that we’ve seen in recent US bombings. We’ve also expressed our concern about the continued Houthi attacks on Israel, the sending of missiles on towards civilian areas in Israel, as well as the continued attacks on the Red Sea. And we’ve been very clear in calling on the Houthis to fully respect Security Council resolution 2768, which calls for a halt against attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Question: Yeah. But I have to bring this down to reality on the ground. Those are noble ideals, but the fact is the Houthis are not listening. They’re not ceasing their firing of rockets and missiles. So, would the Secretary-General still expect the United States, for its part, to stop its bombing as long as the Houthis are still committing an uprising?
Spokesman: We’ve been engaged for a number of years now, and especially through the very active work of Mr. Grundberg in diplomacy. There have been great gains in bringing peace to parts of Yemen, this continuing kinetic activities risk bringing Yemen even further backwards. I think that this is just the latest chapter in a conflict from which the Yemeni people have suffered. It has been going on for a long time. We need to see an end to all of the things we’ve called for and a resumption of diplomatic activity. Gabriel, then Stefano.
Question: Thank you, Steph. As you’ll recall or remember, on 19 March, there was an incident in Gaza where a UN staff member was killed, and at least five others were severely injured. Israel for weeks now has denied any involvement in that, saying that there was absolutely no IDF military fire in the area at the time. However, today the Israeli military admitted that it was their troops that mistakenly, in their words, shelled the UN guesthouse that killed the UN employee. What is the Secretary-General’s response to that?
Spokesman: The Israeli authorities have communicated to us the conclusions of their investigation, and we welcome it as this incident has and the investigation, there’s been more cooperation and transparency on their side that we’ve had in these types of incidents since the beginning of this conflict. However, what is clear to us is that we need to have accountability. We need to have accountability not just for this incident, but we need to have accountability and transparency for all of the other times. We’ve seen UN colleagues killed in Gaza or UN infrastructure attacked. And again, we call on all parties to fully comply with international humanitarian law. And that includes for us the protection obviously of civilians, but also the protection of UN and humanitarian staff.
Question: Israel apparently says they’re going to conclude their probe in the coming days and will release their findings to UN representatives. If they, in fact, do that and release some sort of findings to Secretary-General, will he release them publicly?
Spokesman: We have been very transparent on our side, and I think I would refer you to what the Secretary-General said on 24 March, right? What we set for him, where we were very clear that [it] was an Israeli shell that hit a UN guest house, whose location was clearly known to the IDF. It is not for us to release information from other parties. We know where we stand, but as I said, what we need to see is accountability. Madam. And then, sorry.
Question: Hi. This is Munira from CNN. The President of the Dominican Republic announced a series of measures to curb illegal immigration, particularly targeting Haitians. One of these measures, which took effect earlier this week, involves deploying immigration officials at hospitals to identify and deport undocumented Haitians, after they’ve received medical care. Does the UN have any comment on this policy?
Spokesman: Well, I just highlighted our concern and what the IOM is saying. I can tell you our team in the Dominican Republic is looking at the new measures that were announced by the Government, but we are very much worried about their potential impact on health as one of the measures includes, as you said, documents checks in hospital. This may obviously, this may have very quick and negative impact on those seeking healthcare who may not want to seek healthcare because they don’t feel hospitals are safe places. And this includes women who are about to give birth. Every country has the right and has the responsibility to police its borders, to protect its own borders, to protect its sovereignty and determine their own policy in terms of migration. At the same time, the dignity of migrants needs to be respected. The dignity of other human beings needs to be respected, and the human rights need to be respected. And that goes for every country in the world. Stefano, then Michelle, then Evelyn.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Did the Secretary-General have any contact with the Government of India and Pakistan in the last 24 hours? Because looks like the situation is escalating.
Spokesman: He has not had any direct contact, but I can tell you he’s obviously following the situation very closely and with very great concern. We were very clear in our condemnation of the terror attack that occurred in Jammu and Kashmir, on the 22nd, two days ago, which killed large number of civilians. But we very much appeal to both the Governments of Pakistan and the Government of India to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further. Any issues between Pakistan and India we believe can be and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement. Michelle, then Evelyn.
Question: On that note, does the Secretary-General have anything to say about India suspending the water treaty with Pakistan?
Spokesman: I think this would go under the rubric of us appealing for maximum restraint and not taking any actions that would deteriorate the situation further or increase tensions in a tense area. Evelyn.
Question: Thank you, Steph. On the Ukraine, with the United Nations and its partners has have delivered much needed aid, is the UN in any way involved or observing some of the political discussions? Because this keeps going around in the same sense.
Spokesman: Which political discussions?
Question: The ones the United States thinks it’s having or Zelenskyy may be…
Spokesman: We’re obviously following the situation very closely. And as I’ve mentioned a number of times before, our colleague, Rebeca Grynspan, has been available and has answered questions from different actors involved in these issues.
Question: Is she?
Spokesman: But no, we have no UN presence in any of these talks.
Question: And what is Ms. Grynspan doing?
Spokesman: As I said, she’s been involved in issues relating to freedom of navigation on the Black Sea and the Memorandum of Understanding.
Question: Thank you.
Spokesman: Yes, please.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. I may be asking you to repeat yourself here. On Myanmar, which, so you’ve talked about this humanitarian reset. Which areas are, you know, the… you has the area in Myanmar or the UN focusing on now?
Spokesman: I think it’s the ones I just mentioned. But, you know, one of us should be paying attention to what I say. So if I’m not, you should be. I can tell you. It was Sagaing and, I will find it for you. It was Sagaing and, areas around Mandalay.
Question: Thanks.
Spokesman: No problem. All right. I wanted to wish you a good weekend, but it’s a little early for that. Tomorrow? What’s tomorrow? Today’s Friday. No. Today’s Thursday. No, all right. See you guys later.