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, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
All right, good afternoon.
**Secretary-General/UN Peacekeeping
Earlier today, the Secretary-General, who as you know is in Berlin, spoke at the Opening Ceremony of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting. He reasserted that in trouble spots around the world, our Blue Helmets can mean the difference between life and death, adding that they are a clear demonstration of the power of multilateral action to maintain, to achieve and to sustain peace.
Mr. [António] Guterres spoke about the challenges that we are now facing, including having the highest number of conflicts since the foundation of this organization. On top of that, we face dramatic financial constraints across the board. You all received his remarks.
During his speech, and in honour of the 4,400 peacekeepers who have died in the line of duty since the start of UN Peacekeeping, Mr. Guterres asked the attendees of the meeting to join him in a moment of silence.
Also, in Berlin, the Secretary-General met separately with Germany’s Minister of Foreign Affairs — Johann Wadephul — as well as the Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius. Among other topics, they discussed the importance of Germany’s role in peacekeeping. And just to flag, as a sign of the importance of this meeting, we have more than 130 delegations in Berlin at this peacekeeping conference.
On the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting, the Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with ministers and officials of other countries, including Italy, Finland and China.
He is ending the day with a visit to an exhibit on UN Peacekeeping in action, which has been held at the German Ministry of Defense in Berlin. The event features displays on mine action, women in peacekeeping, renewable energy and the United Nations Police.
Tomorrow, he will meet with Friedrich Merz, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, and he will also have a couple of press engagements. We will keep you updated on all of that.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably in Gaza: Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remind us that no aid or commercial supplies have entered Gaza now for more than 70 days. The ongoing, full-scale blockade of the Strip is taking a disastrous toll on the population.
Meanwhile, hospitals continue to come under attack. Today, in Khan Younis, Israeli forces hit the surgical department of Nasser Medical Complex, and several casualties were reported. The complex is one of only eight public hospitals that are still partially operating across Gaza.
Following the attack, the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, Suzanna Tkalec — together with an OCHA team — visited the hospital, where she spoke with staff and a team of international doctors that are there. She said she was appalled by yet another attack on this hospital, which is the fourth since the beginning of this conflict.
Ms. Tkalec stressed that these attacks are unacceptable and must stop, adding that healthcare facilities and those serving them must always be protected.
Our humanitarian partners on the ground report that only five hospitals across the Gaza Strip are still providing maternity care. Midwives lack medical supplies, they lack equipment, with our partners reporting that some 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are suffering from malnutrition and need urgent support.
OCHA reports that the Israeli authorities continue to deny and impede attempts by humanitarians to carry out critical missions in Gaza. Today, out of 11 requests by the United Nations for coordinated humanitarian movements, five were denied outright, including one planned mission to retrieve fuel from Rafah to supply hospitals, ambulances and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. The other six missions, which included the rotation of staff, were facilitated.
With both supplies and time running out, OCHA says that principled humanitarian assistance and other essential supplies must be allowed into Gaza to save lives, and humanitarians’ work to reach people across the Strip must be facilitated. Israel, as the occupying Power, must abide by international humanitarian law and facilitate aid for people in need, wherever they are.
And at 3 p.m. this afternoon, Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, will brief the Security Council on the situation in Gaza. We'll share his remarks with you ahead of time.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, which is another dire humanitarian situation: Our humanitarian colleagues warn that humanitarian needs continue to rise amid continued conflict and displacement across multiple regions of Sudan.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 36,000 people were displaced from Al Khiwai and An Nuhud in West Kordofan due to heightened insecurity. Many had already been internally displaced and are now having to flee for a second time, seeking shelter in locations across West and North Kordofan.
In North Darfur, IOM also reports that more than 2,000 people were newly displaced from Abu Shouk camp and parts of El Fasher [last] week, also due to the ongoing insecurity situation. Most remained within El Fasher locality, while others fled to Tawila, where, as we told you yesterday, we and our partners have been scaling up support for the newly arrived people.
These movements follow the displacement of nearly 400,000 people from Zamzam camp last month.
Our humanitarian colleagues warn that the food insecurity situation in Sudan remains deeply concerning. Prices of key staple foods are alarmingly high. While sorghum prices declined slightly in April, millet prices rose — and both remain more than four times the price prior to the conflict, which started, this phase of the conflict started in March 2023. That’s what the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is telling us.
Sorghum and millet are staples for most of the population in central, eastern and western parts of Sudan. A reminder that more than half of the population in Sudan — that is 24.6 million human beings — are facing acute hunger, with approximately 638,000 individuals experiencing actual famine. And that is what the latest update by the IPC [Integrated Food Security Phase Classification] is telling us, and that was released, as you know, late last year and covers a period through this May.
OCHA stresses that without urgent assistance and unfettered access to reach people in need wherever they are, the situation could worsen during the upcoming lean season, which is from June to September.
We once again call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, to protect civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safe, the sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to reach those people who need help. We also urge the international community to step up its support for the Sudan humanitarian response to prevent further loss of life and avert a worsening catastrophe.
**South Sudan
In South Sudan, our peacekeeping colleagues tell us that air strikes and ground attacks continue in Jonglei and Upper Nile states. This includes reports of clashes yesterday in New Fangak, Jonglei, which have allegedly led to civilian deaths, as well as injuries.
In response to escalating violence, the peacekeeping mission there — UNMISS — has strengthened its protection efforts, within its capacities. This includes intensifying patrols and deploying peacekeepers to temporary bases in conflict hotspots. As an example, on Sunday, peacekeepers stationed temporarily in Maper, in Lakes state, were able to deploy swiftly when a cattle raid in the area led to multiple casualties. They prevented further conflict and provided emergency medical care to those wounded.
On the broader political and security front, the mission is engaging with national and local authorities to reduce tensions and reiterates that the parties must cease hostilities, resume inclusive dialogue to address grievances, and make progress on the full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
**Libya
And I just want to flag that our colleagues at the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) tell us that they are alarmed by the unfolding security situation in the capital Tripoli, with intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas.
The Mission calls on all parties to immediately cease fighting and restore calm, and it reminds all parties of their obligations to protect civilians at all times. Attacks on civilians and attacks on civilian objects may amount to war crimes.
UNSMIL fully supports the efforts of elders and community leaders to de-escalate the current tensions.
**UN-Women
And I’d like to flag a report by UN-Women, which was released today. In March, the agency conducted a global survey to understand how funding reductions are impacting local women-led groups in crisis settings.
The survey reached over 400 organizations in 44 countries — and the results, as you can expect, are alarming. The overwhelming majority, 90 per cent of them, said their operations were financially impacted, and nearly half of them expect to shut down within six months. Most have already reduced staff or suspended key services.
Our colleagues say that women and girls cannot afford to lose the lifelines that women’s organizations are providing. They are calling for more support and more resources.
**Financial Contribution
Lastly, we have a new Member State […] we have a new Member State that has actually paid its dues, and it is home to a lake, which is the Lake Assal, the third lowest point in terms of elevation in the world after the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. […] The name of this lake is Lake Assal, and it is 155 metres below sea level. Do we know where Lake Assal is? […] Djibouti.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: All right. I'm done. Your turn. Edie?
Question: Thank you, Steph. Does the Secretary-General have any comment on the announcement that the US President, Donald Trump, will meet Syria's leader tomorrow?
Spokesman: I think it's… Listen. It's not for us to comment. I think we have been supportive of the efforts of the interim authorities to rebuild their country in line with the ideals found in resolution 2254 and for Syria to resume its place amongst nations.
Question: And on a different subject, does the Secretary-General agree with the head of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), Philippe Lazzarini, that Israel denying food to Gaza is “a weapon of war”?
Spokesman: I think we've been very clear, and he's been very clear, in what we have seen as violations of international humanitarian law in terms of what's going on in Gaza. [phone rings] Dezhi, sorry.
Question: He called from Berlin?
Spokesman: Yeah. Exactly.
Question: Oh, really? Okay. Since we talked for days about the financial restraint of the United Nations, do you happen to have the figure how much US owns the UN so far?
Spokesman: I don't have that figure at the top of my head, but we can see if we can get that.
Question: Okay. Another topic. Today, Israel cabinet approves West Bank land registration process to what they call strengthened Jewish settlement. Any reaction from the Secretary-General on this decision?
Spokesman: I mean, we think it's a dangerous movement in terms of legitimizing the occupation. We believe that the West Bank is part of the occupied Palestinian territory. And I think anything that would move towards annexation would be — to put it mildly — counter to international law and counter to our efforts in the peace process.
Question: From 0 to 10, what would be the score for you of the possibility to implement two-State solution, so far?
Spokesman: I'm not going to play the numbers game, but I think it's very clear, and the Secretary-General's been very clear that we're moving in the wrong direction and we need to reverse course. Gabriel, then Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Steph. You mentioned Israel's attack on Nasser Hospital, but I just wanted to get a little more detail of the Secretary's reaction to… One of the people that was killed in the hospital was a journalist that was in the hospital recovering after he was targeted the month before, while in a tent that was home to journalists. He was killed. Now the number of journalists killed in Gaza is over 200. What’s the Secretary-General's reaction to… despite his continued pleas for Israel to stop killing journalists, Israel continues to do it?
Spokesman: What we have seen in Gaza is the continuing suffering of the Palestinian people that have been bombed in places where they should be safe, whether it is hospitals, whether it is informal settlement camps where they have been told to go. And just another reason why we need to return to a ceasefire, to see humanitarian aid go back in, to see civilians in Gaza be safer, and to see hostages released. Abdelhamid, then Michelle.
Question: Thank you, Steph. In the West Bank, the village of Senjil, not far from Ramallah, has been walled off completely with one entrance only. And this is becoming a phenomena by Israel to wall off some villages, leaving one entry, which is actually is human prison of the whole time. And are you following this? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: I'm not familiar with this particular case, but I think we've been very clear at expressing our grave concern, to put it mildly, at the continued deterioration of everyday life for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Question: Another question on Gaza. Probably, we heard that hundreds of times, calling on Israel not to attack medical centres, medical facilities, schools, universities. You keep repeating that again and again. And this supposedly Member State is not listening, is not really heeding the call. What else the UN can do?
Spokesman: You know, I think I answered this question in a different way yesterday, or it was posed to me in a different way yesterday. Every Member State has a responsibility to uphold international law, which they've all signed on to. But there are also other voices that need to speak up in the international community, and we all need to make sure we're all speaking up based on the same principles that the Secretary-General has been very clear about. Michelle?
Question: Thank you, Steph. A follow-up to Edie's question on Syria. President Trump has just announced that he's going to lift all US sanctions on Syria. This is something the UN has been pushing for. Can you give us your response and just remind us why the UN was pushing for these sanctions?
Spokesman: Well, I think it was important for us to see relief on sanctions on Syria, to help the reconstruction of Syria, to help the Syrian people recover from more than a decade of conflict, a decade of underinvestment. And we continue to support the reconstruction, whether it's physical or psychological, of Syria — for it to be a country where all Syrians, of all faiths, of all ethnicities and minorities feel safe and represented. Denis?
Question: Just a quick follow-up. So, what's your particular reaction on Trump's promise to remove the sanctions on Syria.?
Spokesman: Well, it is a welcome move, in addition to everything that I told Michelle, which I don't need to repeat. Yeah.
Question: Thanks so much, Steph. Russia-Ukraine talks on Thursday in Istanbul. Still no updates whether the United Nations will be presented there?
Spokesman: No. Nothing to share with you at this time. Yes, please?
Question: Thanks, Steph. This is Munira from CNN. Parents and doctors in Gaza told CNN that starving mothers have been unable to produce enough milk to feed their babies, and parents have been scrambling to keep their children alive. Today, you mentioned only five hospitals across the trip are offering maternity services. Given this, can you speak to whether there is equitable access to health care for expecting new mothers in Gaza? And how has the ongoing blockade and severe lack of medical services affected maternal and newborn health?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, no. There's not been equitable access. How it's affected, one can only… I mean, one doesn't have to imagine because one knows that when hospitals are bombed, when critical care services in hospitals are attacked and when not one drop of humanitarian aid or commercial goods have been allowed into an area for 70 days, when the food levels are what we explained yesterday, catastrophic level. The impact on mothers, and mothers who are trying to feed their children is devastating to, say the least. Yes, sir? Please.
Question: Islamadoro from Anadolu Agency. My question sort of has been asked, but let me follow-up regarding 15 May, direct peace talk in Istanbul, Türkiye. UN had a successful initiative back in July 2022 regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. What's the difference at this time, this upcoming meeting? Should we expect any statement from you or any involvement any input will be?
Spokesman: You know, I think we always appreciate the role that Türkiye has played in trying to bring an end to this conflict. Our position has remained the same — that we want to see an end to the conflict in line with the relevant UN resolutions, in line with international law, and we remain supportive of any and all efforts to that end. I think once we have a bit more clarity on what will happen in Istanbul, I will have more to say. Okay. Yes. Abdelhamid?
Question: Yesterday, Prime Minister of India, [Narendra] Modi, gave a very strong rhetoric speech that indicated that the ceasefire is very fragile. And there is a statement from Pakistan to reject this kind of tone by an Indian Prime Minister. Are you following the situation? How do you estimate, how do you think that the ceasefire is holding? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: I mean, the ceasefire is holding. I think we have seen we're in a better place than we were before. We hope that the ceasefire will continue to hold, and we hope that the parties will use this to deal with a lot of the outstanding issues between them. Gabriel?
Question: Thank you, Steph. I just want to follow-up on US lifting sanctions on Syria. I know you answered the question already. But with the UN ramping up in the last several months humanitarian aid to Syria, political aid to Syria, how will the lifting of these sanctions affect the work of the United Nations in Syria?
Spokesman: I think, the lifting of sanctions will make it more of a focus on economic development, right? On private businesses, on investment. Obviously, it makes the UN to work a little easier, but these kinds of unilateral sanctions, the lifting of these kinds of unilateral sanctions is a positive development in inviting kind of a broader investment in Syria. Okay. Goodbye, people. I'll be off for a few days. Farhan [Haq] will be here.