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.
**Guest Tomorrow
All right, good afternoon. We have no guests today, so you will have to deal with me. Tomorrow, our guest will be Giles Duley, the UN Global Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in Conflict and Peacebuilding Situations. He will be here to brief you on the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.
**Floods in Asia
I have a statement regarding the floods in Asia, and I can tell you that the Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by severe flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. More than 1,000 people have reportedly lost their lives, with many missing and millions affected as heavy rains continue to inundate large areas.
The Secretary-General conveys his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his solidarity with all those affected by these devastating floods. The United Nations is in close contact with authorities in all of these countries and of course stands ready to support relief and response efforts. UN country teams remain at the disposal of Governments to provide necessary assistance, and some are already doing so.
**Iraq
This morning, the Security Council heard, for the last time, from the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in a briefing on the situation in that country. As you know, the mission will conclude its mandate on 31 December this year. Mohamed al Hassan, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq and Head of UNAMI, opened by expressing profound appreciation to the Government and people of Iraq who have stood as partners to the UN through some of the nation’s most challenging chapters.
He recalled that when the Council established UNAMI 22 years ago, Iraq was confronting a legacy of dictatorship, regional wars, internal conflict, foreign occupation and the terror of Da’esh. But, with the support of the international community, Iraq has emerged as a stronger country. We underscore that UNAMI’s departure does not mark an end to the relationship between Iraq and the United Nations. We will continue to stand by Iraq to build on its hard-won gains, and we hope that a new Government will be formed without delay.
Finally, we look forward to transferring the mandate on missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing property, including the national archives, from UNAMI to a Senior Representative, as decided by the Security Council.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that as winter approaches in Gaza, the humanitarian community continues working to scale up the delivery of assistance to people in need, including children, who have suffered immensely over the past two years. In the past two months, our partners have provided tens of thousands of critical items to help prepare for colder weather — including shoes, clothes, blankets and towels — to children across the Strip. That’s alongside the distribution of other essential supplies.
And during the last 10 days of November, 160 activity tents were distributed, enabling thousands of children to access mental health and psychosocial support activities and case management services. Last week, our partners in Gaza City, in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis continued to reach thousands of people with psychosocial support, legal counselling, and education on the risks posed by explosive ordnance.
On the health front, yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that its team led the medical evacuation of 18 patients and 54 companions from Gaza for treatment abroad. WHO said that more than 16,500 patients still need life-saving care outside of the Gaza Strip. We continue to call for the opening of all available border crossings and corridors — including so that patients can seek treatment in the West Bank — and stresses the need for unimpeded access for international emergency medical teams to enter Gaza.
Over the past 24 hours, we’ve continued also to receive reports of air strikes, shelling and gunfire in all five governorates of the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, OCHA helped coordinate the rescue of injured people in the At Tufah neighbourhood of Gaza City, following a distress call received from the area by Civil Defence teams.
Turning to the West Bank, I can tell you that we remain concerned about the impact of operations by Israeli forces in the northern Governorates of Tubas and Jenin that have taken place in recent days, amid reports of displacement, insecurity, destruction of water networks and the closure of several commercial structures. In the past two days alone, nearly two dozen Palestinian families have been displaced from their homes, which were turned into military observation posts.
**Syria/Israel
Moving north to the Golan Heights: I just wanted to give you an update regarding the situation there and particularly in the area of operations of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). I can tell you that we remain deeply concerned about the continued violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, including breaches of the ceasefire, as well as the continued presence and activities of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the area of separation, in violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Members of the communities on the Bravo side, which is the eastern side of the Golan Heights, continue to protest before UNDOF regarding the presence and actions of the Israel Defense Forces there. UNDOF, for its part, tell us that it continues to engage with the Israel Defense Forces to address these concerns. UNDOF also regularly engages with local leaders in the area.
We call upon the parties to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement, including by ending all unauthorized presence in the areas of separation and limitation. There should be no military forces and activities in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF. And we reaffirm our commitment to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria.
**Ukraine
Turning to the situation in Ukraine, our colleagues at OCHA in Ukraine tell us that attacks and hostilities continue unabated across the country, resulting in increasing civilian deaths and injuries. In the region of Kherson, drone attacks, air strikes and shelling damaged critical infrastructure and homes. Dozens of civilians were also injured, including a humanitarian worker from an international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) supporting bread distribution, whose vehicle was destroyed in a drone strike. This latest incident underscores growing humanitarian access constraints in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, where increased drone activity continues to endanger aid workers and restrict movement.
Our humanitarian colleagues note that as colder weather sets in, rolling power outages continue across the country, including in Kyiv. Humanitarian organizations have provided rapid assistance in the Kyiv and Dnipro regions, including emergency shelter kits, hot meals and psychosocial support.
**Mozambique
Turning to Mozambique: Our colleagues at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that they are gravely concerned about intensifying attacks on villages and the rapid spillover of the conflict into previously districts that were considered safe, that have forced tens of thousands of people to flee across northern Mozambique, with close to 100,000 displaced human beings in the past fortnight alone. UNHCR noted that people reaching safety say they escaped in fear as armed groups stormed their villages, often at night burning homes, attacking civilians and forcing families to flee with nothing.
The violence, which began in Cabo Delgado in 2017, has already displaced over 1.3 million people. UNHCR pointed out that 2025 has seen a dangerous shift, with attacks now happening simultaneously and spreading beyond Cabo Delgado into Nampula Province, threatening communities that had previously hosted displaced families. UNHCR warns that as needs rise at unprecedented speed, the capacity of humanitarian and Government actors is not keeping pace, and collective efforts remain insufficient to meet the scale of protection and assistance required for people on the ground.
**United Nations Development Programme
I wanted to flag that the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) new Administrator started today. Alexander De Croo’s started as Administrator of UNDP. As you know, he is the former Prime Minister of Belgium. He will spend his first days in New York meeting with Member States and partners before heading out to Doha and Kenya for his first field visits. In a statement issued this morning, he said that a key focus of his mandate will be to broaden and diversify UNDP’s funding base, including tapping into new sources of financing.
This challenging moment we face, he added, also gives us the chance to renew our work, and to focus on innovation, on delivery, and on real impact for the people we serve. He, as you know, succeeds Achim Steiner of Germany, who left his post a few months ago. And I also want to pass on the Secretary-General’s thanks to Haoliang Xu, the Associate Administrator of UNDP, who served as Acting Administrator until Mr. De Croo’s arrival.
**Artificial Intelligence
Also, I want to flag a UNDP report on artificial intelligence (AI) that was launched today with a focus on Asia and the Pacific. The report is called “The Next Great Divergence: Why AI May Widen Inequality Between Countries”, and highlights that, while AI opens important new avenues for development, countries begin this transition from highly uneven positions to capture the benefits and manage risks.
Without strong policy action, these gaps can grow, reversing the long trend of narrowing development inequalities. The Asia and Pacific region, which is home to over 55 per cent of the world’s population, is at the centre of the AI transition. The region now hosts more than half of global AI users and is rapidly expanding its innovation footprint. The report presents ideas on how to turn that risk into a path for shared progress, and you can read it online.
**Haiti
I was asked about Haiti and the announcement earlier today that Jack Christofides has been selected as the Special Representative for the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti. I can tell you that we have seen the official announcement regarding the appointment, and we warmly congratulate Mr. Christofides, who is currently a UN staff member and holds a senior post in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace Operations. This new post as Special Representative for the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti is not a UN post, so we are sorry to see Jack go, but we are very delighted for this new opportunity he will have.
We will, of course, continue to work with the Special Representative to ensure the implementation of the mandate detailed in Security Council resolution 2793 (2025). This will include collaboration through the new UN Support Office for Haiti (UNSOH), established by the same resolution that created the Gang Suppression Force, and that Office will provide logistic support to the Gang Suppression Force and the Haitian National Police. As you know, the Secretary-General welcomed the Security Council’s decision.
In addition, the UN political office, BINUH, which is a special political mission in Haiti headed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, will continue to support Haitian stakeholders’ efforts to advance the political transition.
**Abolition of Slavery
Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, a moment to remember the past victims, including the more than 15 million men, women and children taken from Africa who were enslaved or died in the transatlantic slave trade. In his message, the Secretary-General warns that slavery is not only a historic horror but a present-day crisis. An estimated 50 million people, many of them women and children, are trapped in modern forms of slavery, driven by poverty, discrimination, environmental degradation, conflict and exploitation by criminal networks. He urges governments, businesses, civil society and trade unions to unite to end these abuses and ensure justice, compensation, rehabilitation and protection for all victims.
**Senior Personnel Appointment
And also just lastly, I want to flag a senior personnel announcement. Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha of Nepal as his new Force Commander in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, otherwise known as UNISFA. Lt. Gen. Shrestha succeeds Major General Robert Yaw Affram of Ghana, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedication and leadership of UNISFA. The new Force Commander brings 36 years of military service including leadership positions in the Nepalese Army and UN peacekeeping where he served as a Sector Commander in United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Farnoush, please?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Hi, Steph. Thanks. I wanted to ask you about the Secretary-General’s comments yesterday about the spending issues and cash flow. Is the details that he shared about the 21 per cent cuts that will have to come in response to arrears that the UN is in at the end of this year, is that different than the previous cuts that was announced as a forecast? I just want to get a clarification.
Spokesman: Yes. I mean, from my understanding and hoping that it’s correct, the cash, the issue of cash flow, will limit our ability, obviously, to spend money, which will require some withholding of our activities.
Question: And that’s beyond what you had already…?
Spokesman: Yeah, yup.
Question: Yes. Already, Okay. And then separately, China has paid its full assessment at the end of October, and US and Russia have yet to pay what they owe. Have you, you know, gotten any indication from both those Member States whether that will happen in the next five weeks, or…?
Spokesman: Not much. I mean, you know, hope burns eternal. Amelie, and then Dezhi.
Question: Thanks, Steph. I have two questions on two different issues. The Security Council members are going to Syria and Lebanon. But, especially on Syria, in the context of the UN trying to rebuild the UN system, rebuilding their presence in Syria and the importance to rebuild their presence in Syria and the difficulty of nomination of the next Special Representative. How do you see this visit? And what hope do you have from this visit, in the context of the UN relationship with Syria?
Spokesman: Look, I think it’s always very important for Security Council members to physically go to so many of the places that the Council has business [that] is on the Council’s agenda. We very much hope that the visit will increase the dialogue between the United Nations and Syria and help advance some of these issues that you raised.
Question: Second question, on another country, Sudan. Yesterday, you mentioned that Mr. [Ramtane] Lamamra was in Port Sudan and met with General [Abdel Fattah al] Burhan. Did he also… Did I miss it? Or did he also meet with the RSF [Rapid Support Forces]? And is there any kind of progress in organizing any kind of negotiation between the parties?
Spokesman: Sure. He didn’t meet with the RSF in Port Sudan; I can tell you that. But, obviously, he has been in contact repeatedly with the RSF, as he has with General Burhan. He has received encouraging indications from the parties of their willingness to separately enter into technical talks with the UN that would be focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians. But, to be clear, these would be each party talking to the UN. This would not… We’re not talking about them speaking face to face at this point with us. Dezhi?
Question: First, two follow-ups with both questions. First, do you have a number, how much arrears does the US still need to pay? Or has… let me put it in an easier way: Has US paid since last time we mentioned this topic?
Spokesman: Into the regular budget, no.
Question: Not at all?
Spokesman: No.
Question: Okay. Secondly, also on the visit by the Security Council members to Syria. Amelie, you asked part of my question. Okay. But, has the Secretariat coordinated with them? And I remember yesterday, the ambassador of Slovenia said that this trip will visit UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon]. Will this trip visit UNDOF?
Spokesman: So, the Secretariat is doing what it’s supposed to do, which is as the Secretariat, we are facilitating the trip. The trip is being led by Security Council members. My understanding is while they’re in Lebanon, they will, of course, visit UNIFIL, and we’ll be happy to show them around, to speak colloquially.
Question: What about UNDOF? The…
Spokesman: I don’t know. You need to ask the Security Council p-residency.
Question: Why I ask this question is because recently, there are developments in that area. After the attack last week, today, Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu said there might be a deal if the Syrian Government agrees with the buffer zone idea concept. What is the position of the of the UN?
Spokesman: UNDOF was created to help support the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. I think, and I hope you paid attention, but I just read out an update from UNDOF. So, I really don’t have anything to add to that.
Question: What does that mean? I mean, does that mean that the UN think a buffer zone is not necessary?
Spokesman: No. We operate in the Golan Heights under a mandate given to us by the Security Council, right? And we call for the respect of that mandate, and we do whatever we can to ensure that mandate is respected. If there is a change in mandate by the Security Council, then that will change, but it is not up for us to change that mandate. Benny and then Evelyn, and then I’m going to go to Mike.
Correspondent: Hey, Mike.
Spokesman: No, no. I said Benny, then Evelyn, then I’m going to go to Mike. I didn’t call you Mike.
Question: I gotcha. Yeah. By the way, that 1974 Disengagement Agreement was with a different Syria. My question, so speaking of UNIFIL, from what I understand, UNIFIL is to dissolve by the end of next year, according to the Security Council. How is the UN peacekeeping getting organized to that event? I mean, what do we do? Do we gradually reduce force, troops and so on?
Spokesman: There is a couple of things going on. On the reduction of troops, there’s an immediate reduction of troops going on, due to the budget cuts, which I think our colleagues at UNIFIL spoke to today or yesterday publicly. As part of the implementation of the mandate, the vote of the Security Council, which I think gave UNIFIL another year, there are discussions going on. And we had a senior UN official go to Lebanon to see what the UN presence would look like after that, as it is spelled out in the Security Council resolution.
Question: Any details on that?
Spokesman: Not as of yet. Evelyn and then Mike?
Question: Thank you. On the day of reactions to slavery, were there any comments from anyone in the Americas? Who received a great… the most slaves…
Spokesman: I mean, I can only speak to comments made by the Secretary-General, so I don’t know what other people have said. Mike, then Abdelhamid.
Question: Hey, Steph. Two questions for you. I’m just following up on this Security Council delegation to the Middle East. A couple of diplomats, more than a couple, have told me that one of the purposes of this trip to UNIFIL specifically is to try to start to develop ideas to present to the Secretary-General. I think he’s got a mandate to lay out some options in June, I think, so to start to develop some, you know, some options or some insight for the Secretary-General so he can start planning. Is UNIFIL, with everything going on right now, even on the Secretary-General’s radar?
Spokesman: Of course. The Secretary-General’s radar is… it is wide and it is deep.
Question: Is it a priority?
Spokesman: Of course, it’s a priority. I mean, you know, I think you, Mike, will recall the pressures that we were under when there was an open conflict last year to remove UNIFIL, and the Secretary-General was very adamant that we need to keep UNIFIL along the Blue Line. And he himself went to visit UNIFIL last year, and he continues to support UNIFIL very strongly. We went to see UNIFIL this year, I’m sorry.
Question: Yes, second question for you. Francesca Albanese, who continues to put the special in Special Rapporteur, weighed in recently on the attack on an Italian media outlet, which led to 30 arrests for vandalism. While she condemned the attack, she said that “This should serve as a warning to journalists to go back to doing their job,” which was condemned by a wide swathe of the Italian political spectrum as basically an intimidation tactic on the press there. The Secretary-General just stated yesterday, I believe, that, you know, journalists need to be protected from this kind of intimidation. Any thoughts from the SG or his office on the latest comments from the Special Rapporteur?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, as you know, the special rapporteurs will say what the special rapporteurs say. For the Secretary-General, it is very clear that journalists should never come under any violence wherever they may be, whether that violence is physical or whether that violence is verbal, whether they are intimidated. Journalists need to be able to do their work freely, and they should never ever be intimidated. Mr. Abdelhamid Siyam.
Correspondent: Thank you, Steph. Nice to see you again. I’ll see you soon in person.
Spokesman: Welcome back.
Question: Do you consider the ceasefire in Gaza holding, when only seven Palestinians were killed today?
Spokesman: Listen. We are not a party to the monitoring of the ceasefire. So, whether the ceasefire is… whether it’s holding or not holding is not a determination to be made by us. I can tell you that we’re very much aware, and as I’ve I said so at the beginning of this briefing, of the air strikes that have gone on, notably in the last in the last 24 hours. We want to see a silencing of the guns. We want to see more calm. But, I can tell you that we are using every little bit of space that is being given to us, every little bit of space that we can exploit to deliver as much humanitarian assistance as possible. And the situation on the ground is far from perfect, but it is better than it was a few weeks ago when this ceasefire was announced.
Question: My second question, Steph, about the West Bank. I don’t know if you are aware what’s going on today. Four hospitals in the city of Hebron are being stormed by the army. There are many villages north of Ramallah are being now also under siege, and there is curfew in the village of Kabatia. And I can tell you about so many Palestinians are arrested every single night. So, what can you share with us about the developments?
Spokesman: You know, I have the details that we’ve been given by our colleagues on the ground. And I think we’ve been very clear in expressing our deep worry about the continuing situation in the occupied West Bank, and we’ll continue to report on it based on information that we can gather. Okay. Enjoy the rest of the day and don’t look so excited. See, I’m not the only one with low energy, Dezhi.