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 Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Guest
Good afternoon, everyone. After you are done with me you will hear from Lola Castro, who is the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. She will be speaking to you from Haiti, and she will talk about the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Before we turn to her, I have some notes for you, and we are starting with a statement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the escalation in violence in South Kivu and its humanitarian consequences, including the displacement of over 200,000 people since 2 December. The Secretary-General strongly condemns the offensive by the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 mars (AFC/M23) in several locations in South Kivu Province, including Kamanyola, Luvungi, Katogota and Uvira, which has resulted in civilian casualties.
He calls for an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities, in line with Security Council resolution 2773 (2025). He underscores that this escalation risks seriously undermining efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution of the crisis and increases the risk of a broader regional conflagration. He urges the parties to abide by their commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed on 4 December, and to fully respect the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 15 November.
The Secretary-General notes that the United Nations is fully mobilized to work with partners to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need and reiterates his readiness to continue supporting ongoing diplomatic efforts to restore peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region, in line with the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.
Our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that the number of people affected by the fighting since 2 December has risen significantly. While some families have started returning to areas where it is now relatively calm, the vast majority of them remain in overcrowded sites, where they face heightened protection risks and increased threats of disease outbreaks, including cholera and Mpox.
Our colleagues say the situation today is calm in the Town of Uvira, though sporadic gunfire persists in several neighbourhoods. Yesterday, an explosion in the neighbourhood of Kimanga reportedly killed two civilians and injured three others. Uvira’s main referral hospital continues to receive an influx of wounded people, including more than 60 patients transferred from Ruzizi Hospital, which reportedly ceased operations on Tuesday due to insecurity. People continue to flee to the Province of Tanganyika. Between 8 December and today, at least 27,000 people arrived in Kisongo and Kabimba in Kalemie Territory, with additional arrivals reported in Kalemie Town and along Lake Tanganyika’s shores.
OCHA continues to engage with all parties to facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian teams and to enable the resumption of aid operations. Efforts are under way to pre-position critical stocks — including shelter, water, food and support for health and protection. Additional funding is urgently needed to provide critical life-saving and protection assistance to newly displaced people.
People fleeing the violence in South Kivu also continue to arrive in Burundi. Yesterday, OCHA coordinated a rapid needs assessment in the areas of Ndava and Gatumba, where our humanitarian partners and authorities estimate that more than 50,000 people have sought safety. The Cishemere transit camp is hosting 5,000 people, while Bweru is hosting 1,000, with more people continuing to arrive.
The refugees — mainly women and children — are arriving exhausted and injured. Despite our partners’ efforts to scale up the response, conditions at these sites remain very precarious — and shelter, food, water, hygiene supplies, sanitation facilities and protection support are urgently needed. However, humanitarians’ ability to scale up the response is severely constrained by limited funding.
With some parts of South Kivu in Democratic Republic of the Congo facing a cholera outbreak, it is urgent that the public health response can be scaled up in Burundi’s Cibitoke and Gatumba areas, where refugees are being hosted. The Government of Burundi is relocating some of the refugees to the Bweru site, in the eastern part of the country. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is providing buses to transport refugees from border points to Bweru and has installed refugee housing units and a water tank to meet basic needs. Meanwhile in Rwanda, UNHCR is supporting the Government response and providing assistance at the Nyarushishi Transit Centre — including registration, health and nutrition services, protection support, hot meals and other essentials.
**Secretary-General’s Travel
On Thursday, the Secretary-General continued his visit to Saudi Arabia. In the morning, Mr. [António] Guterres visited the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, Saudi Arabia’s main humanitarian relief organization. Meeting with the centre’s leadership and staff representatives, the Secretary-General strongly commended the centre’s extraordinary humanitarian work around the world. The Secretary-General later met with His Royal Highness Prince Turki al-Faisal. They exchanged views on global and regional issues.
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General delivered a lecture at the Prince Saud al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies on the state of the world and the United Nations. In the evening, the Secretary-General attended a working dinner organized by His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud. Also at the meeting were His Excellency the Minister for Economy,Faisal al Ibrahim, and His Excellency the Minister for Finance, Mohammed al-Jadaan.
**Deputy Secretary-General’s Travel
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, was in Geneva yesterday as part of the broader UN80 consultation process, meeting with senior UN officials across the system, Member States and other key stakeholders. Her discussions focused on reinforcing partnerships and gathering perspectives that will help shape the Organization’s shared priorities for the year ahead. The Deputy Secretary-General then travelled to London. She will be back in New York next Monday.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the Gaza Strip, OCHA reports that heavy rains have flooded tents, soaked people’s belongings, and increased health risks — including hypothermia among babies and illnesses linked to overflowing sewage.
Today, our teams on the ground set up a system for a rapid, joint response to flooding alerts. It brings together UN agencies and NGOs [non-governmental organizations], working side by side to distribute tents, tarps, warm clothes, blankets and dignity kits across Gaza. As of earlier today, they had already processed over 160 flooding alerts since the morning and undertaken assessments covering more than 16,000 families in different areas. These numbers are expected to increase as more updates come from our teams on the ground.
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said on social media that with this ongoing storm, people who had already lost everything now face another layer of misery. He said that UNRWA teams — many of whom are displaced themselves — are pumping away sewage and floodwater, clearing garbage, distributing critical items and providing medical care.
Ahead of this storm, the UN and our partners had already increased winter support, including for families in shoreline areas at high risk of flooding, and for others choosing to relocate away from those areas. Our partners leading on-site management helped people prepare by distributing empty flour sacks to be used as sandbags, along with tools and sand wherever possible. Based on their flood-risk analysis, more than 760 displacement sites hosting roughly 850,000 people are at the highest risk of flooding. That’s about 40 per cent of Gaza’s population.
Over the past week, the UN and our partners continued delivering relief items: more tents and tarps, and as we mentioned yesterday, a significant increase in winter clothing for children — from 5,000 to 8,000 kits every day. Our colleagues leading on water and sanitation are supporting pre-positioned mobile pumps in low-lying areas and put contractors with heavy machinery on standby. They have also been working hard to clear and unblock stormwater and sewage systems.
OCHA stresses that to meet the immense needs, restrictions on humanitarian operations must be eased or lifted. This includes ending the ongoing ban on most international NGOs and on UNRWA, which continue to serve communities despite operating under severe constraints. To further scale up the response, we also urgently need more crossings, more routes, and approval to bring a wider range of relief items into Gaza.
**Security Council
This morning, Abdou Abarry, our Special Representative for Central Africa, briefed the Security Council. He said that in the six months since his last briefing, the region has made some progress, although it still faces challenges. Electoral processes continue to pose risks, as do the war in Sudan and insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin, which are causing significant population displacement and threatening the stability of the region’s states.
Turning to electoral processes, he noted that by the end of the year, there will be no more political transitions underway in Central Africa. After Chad, Gabon’s transition is scheduled to be finalized by the end of December. In Cameroon, Mr. Abarry said that although the election itself took place peacefully, post-election tensions, including the death in custody of a leading opposition figure, were a cause for great concern.
In the Lake Chad Basin, Mr. Abarry said groups affiliated with Boko Haram continue to demonstrate their ability to adapt in the face of operations by the defence and security forces of the four affected countries. He called on Council members to support current efforts to bring peace and stability to the region. His full remarks have been shared with you.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, OCHA warns that civilians continue to face escalating and indiscriminate violence across the Darfur and Kordofan regions. In South Darfur State, some 30 civilians were reportedly killed and many more injured — including women and children — in Monday’s drone strike in the town of Katila, about 150 kilometres south-west of Nyala. The strike, which hit a location under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, underscores the devastating impact of intensifying aerial attacks on civilians.
Meanwhile, in South Kordofan State, drone strikes in and around the state capital, Kadugli, and the town of Dilling point to a rapidly worsening security situation. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 1,300 people were displaced between Monday and Wednesday across the state due to insecurity and intercommunal tensions, fleeing villages in the localities of Kadugli, Talawdi and Abassiya. OCHA reiterates its call for all parties to immediately cease attacks against civilians and to adhere to the fundamental principles under international humanitarian law of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
In Khartoum State, findings from a recent assessment by one of our partners of more than 1,200 families point to extreme food insecurity, driven by price increases of up to 500 per cent and the widespread collapse of livelihoods. Many families now rely on borrowing food, skipping meals or selling their remaining assets to survive. Once again, we call for rapid, safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian access across Sudan.
We and our partners are working to expand cash and voucher assistance and are providing emergency agriculture inputs and livestock support to 64,000 farming households and 10,000 livestock-keeping families. And we once again urge the international community to step up support so that life-saving assistance can reach people in urgent need across Sudan.
**Myanmar
I have an update from our colleagues on the ground in Myanmar. We are deeply alarmed by reports of air strikes in Rakhine State yesterday — 10 December. The strikes hit the general hospital in Mrauk-U Township, reportedly killing more than 30 civilians and injuring more than 70 others, including patients, caregivers and medical staff. There are fears that the casualty figures will rise further.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that this is the sixty-seventh attack on health in Myanmar that the agency has verified this year. This bombing, which affected a medical facility underscores the grave and deteriorating situation facing civilians in Myanmar. Medical facilities and civilians, including medical personnel, must be respected and protected. The United Nations condemns this attack, which is part of a broader pattern of strikes causing harm to civilians and civilian objects that continue to devastate communities across the country.
We continue to call on all parties to observe their obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law. Our colleagues on the ground also report that humanitarian needs in Myanmar are soaring. The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, released yesterday, calls for $890 million, warning that 16.2 million people, including 5 million children, will require assistance and protection next year. Conflict and disasters have already displaced an estimated 3.6 million people, with many forced to flee repeatedly.
**Sri Lanka
Turning to Sri Lanka, today, we and our humanitarian partners launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan appealing for $35 million to scale up life-saving assistance for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the country late last month. The storm has caused extensive loss of life and widespread damage across the country. At its peak, nearly 2.2 million people were affected, with over 600 deaths recorded to date and nearly 200 people still missing. More than 91,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.
The plan, which aims to reach 658,000 of the most vulnerable people through April, follows the Government’s request for international assistance and outlines how humanitarian partners are working together to quickly deliver assistance to meet critical needs in support of national efforts.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Marc-André Franche, said that Cyclone Ditwah has hit the poorest and the most vulnerable the hardest — affecting nearly every aspect of their lives and intensifying the difficulties they were already facing. Initial contributions from donors, coupled with a $4.5 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), are enabling rapid assistance, but significant gaps remain. We call on the international community to contribute to ensure that life-saving assistance reaches all who need it most.
**Mountain Day
Today is International Mountain Day. This year’s theme “Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods in mountains and beyond”, highlights the vital role of glaciers and the urgent need to protect them. On this Day, the Secretary-General recalls seeing first hand how glaciers are melting as global temperatures rise. Glaciers may be retreating, he says, but we cannot.
**Guest Tomorrow
Tomorrow, my guest will be Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the West Bank and Gaza. He will be joining us from Gaza to brief on the health situation there. It will also be his last press conference before he retires at the end of this month. So, before we turn to Lola Castro, we will take some questions. Amelie?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thanks, Farhan. On Sudan, in an interview this morning to Al Arabiya, the Secretary-General mentioned talks that the UN would have in Geneva with the two parties, the warring parties in Sudan. Can you give us any details on when, who and how? Thanks.
Deputy Spokesman: As far as I know, at this stage, what we’re really looking at is technical-level talks. So, we’re trying to get both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to engage in that. We can’t confirm it at this stage, but we’re hopeful that we can move ahead. And certainly, the importance of technical-level talks is to pave the ground for something more productive down the line.
Question: So, no date?
Deputy Spokesman: Not at this stage. We’re trying to get some information. If I get some more, I’ll share it with you at that point. Yes, Dezhi, and then Linda.
Question: Yesterday, the US Administration announced that they seized a Venezuelan oil tanker. According to the White House, it’s an act of sanctions. And according to Venezuelan Government, they said it’s an act of piracy. What’s the reaction from the Secretary-General on the latest development between US and Venezuela?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the Secretary-General, as you know, has been concerned about any escalating tensions regarding the United States and Venezuela, and he’s concerned by this latest development. We are calling on all actors to refrain from actions that could further escalate bilateral tensions and destabilize Venezuela and the region. And of course, we want everyone to honour their obligations under the UN Charter, under international law and under other applicable legal frameworks.
Question: Who did not honour the UN Charter and applicable law?
Deputy Spokesman: I think I would refer you just to what the international laws are. You can read the Charter for yourself.
Question: So, I mean, in this case, is the seizure of this oil tanker a violation of international law? Because as far as I know, it’s perfectly legal according to US sanctions, but that’s unilateral.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we do not have enough information at this stage to conclusively make legal determinations about whether this particular operation was legal or not. What we are saying is we want to avoid any escalatory steps.
Question: Does the US have the mandate from the United Nations to do that? Because you guys are always referring to the mandate, right? So, I just asked that.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding issues having to do with anything that’s thought to be a criminal transaction, of course, we encourage all nations to cooperate with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on that. Regarding this action, like I said, we do not have sufficient information about the legality of this. But, what we’re pushing for is for all countries to avoid escalatory steps, to exercise restraint, and to heed the calls that we’ve been making for dialogue and for peace.
Question: Has the Venezuelan Mission ever contacted any officials in the UN on this incident?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe we’ve received some letters from them over recent weeks.
Question: What about this seizure of the oil tanker? No? Not yet?
Deputy Spokesman: Not so far. That’s a recent development, but we’ve seen about others. Linda and then Mariam.
Question: Farhan, thank you. Apropos of Venezuela, I came in a few minutes late. I’m not sure, if there was any statement in regard to Venezuela in terms of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, her escape, her exit from Venezuela. Did the SG say anything?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I’d been asked yesterday, and our standpoint was that Ms. [Maria Corina] Machado should not be subject to any threats for the work that she has done. Mariam?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Has the United Nations received any formal communication from Iran regarding what it describes as tightened restrictions on its diplomatic mission in New York?
Deputy Spokesman: I’m not aware of any recent communication, but whenever countries have faced restrictions on their diplomatic personnel, they raise that with us, and then we remind the host country of its obligations under the Host Country Agreement to allow the free movement of diplomats accredited to the United Nations.
Question: But, Iran, the foreign ministry, they said they sent a letter to the UN. So, you haven’t received it?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe we will receive it. I expect that will come in shortly. And like I said, our standpoint with all nations, not just Iran, is that we want to make sure that the host country allows their diplomats to go about their work freely, once they’ve been accredited here. Yes, please?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. The US House of Representatives has forwarded a bill that would ease heavy sanctions on Syria, with the bill also expected to pass through the Senate. What is the SG’s immediate reaction, and how significant does he view this legislation in shaping Syria’s political and economic trajectory?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we don’t comment on domestic legislation as it’s being approved. But, obviously, we’ve been very supportive of efforts by countries around the world to reach out to Syria to normalize relations, and we hope that this will be the start of a productive relationship between Syria and not just the United States, but a wider number of countries.
Question: And then… sorry, Farhan. If you don’t mind, just a follow-up question on something completely different. Reports are also surfacing today that the Israeli Government has authorized the approval of over 764 new housing units to be built in settlements within the occupied West Bank. Does the SG have any immediate remarks on this?
Deputy Spokesman: As always, we stand opposed against settlement activity. We do not want any further actions that threaten the status quo in the occupied territories, and we believe it’s unhelpful towards the efforts to achieve a two-State solution between Israel and Palestine. Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Today, the US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, visited Karem Abu Salem. And he said 600 trucks a day, on average a day, is entering into Gaza. Do you approve that statement? Do you see that is a correct statement?
Deputy Spokesman: We are not in a position to verify all the trucks going in. We can talk about our trucks, and we’ve been getting, as you know, an increase in trucks since the ceasefire, but it hasn’t been as high as 600. What I can say, however, is that there are other trucks coming in that include bilateral aid from non-UN sources, and so we can’t speak to that.
Question: The second question, regarding also Gaza. Four people were killed today, but there is a baby of eight months. She died out of cold. Any comment on that?
Deputy Spokesman: Obviously, one of the things we’ve been warning about and in fact, what I read earlier at this very briefing was our worry that children will be dying from hypothermia. That’s why we need to make sure that we can get warm clothing, we can get tents and tarps and shelters. We need to have much more aid coming in to protect especially the youngest and most vulnerable, and it’s appalling that this poor child had to suffer. Yes. [Pam] and then in the back and then Islam after that. Pan?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. You mentioned yesterday that at Tuesday’s pledging event, just over $300 million were placed for next year’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). So, can you review the amount of money that has been raised for this year?
Deputy Spokesman: It was in the press release that we shared on Tuesday afternoon. So, the figures are there. I believe it was around the level of $300 million, but you can look at the press release from OCHA.
Question: So, what has made the donors reluctant to donate to the Fund?
Deputy Spokesman: This is a trend we’ve seen in recent years. There’s been both donor fatigue, but also, as you know, many of our donors themselves are facing economic hardship. But, we want to make sure, although we sympathize, we want to make sure that the sort of humanitarian crises that we face every year are adequately funded. So, we are trying to keep pressing to get more funding. Yes, in the back.
Question: We got news that Houthis, they detained more US citizens, adding to the 59 of the UN staff. Is there any condemnation from the United Nations?
Deputy Spokesman: We stand against any of these detentions that have been happening of different international personnel. Our numbers remain at 59, but it’s entirely possible that other nations have had people seized. And we are working with a range of parties to make sure that we can obtain their releases. Islam?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. My question is about the flood risk, people in Gaza. You said 760 displacement sites hosting roughly 850,000 people. It’s like 40 per cent of Gaza. It’s a pretty big number. The tents and tarps you are distributing, is enough? The Israeli side is doing anything about this? These people cannot be relocated, and they have to stay at that narrow area. What is the suggestion for those people?
Deputy Spokesman: We have been relocating people to higher-level areas. So, we are trying to relocate them to places that are safer when we can do that. But, yes, we need to have other means, including different shelters and different infrastructure to protect people from flooding. And so, we need to get more of the relevant equipment coming in, through the crossing points. And we’re working with Israelis, but we need much more of it to come in.
Question: Did you get any sort of different reaction from the Israeli side in terms of this winter condition? Or they are all the same?
Deputy Spokesman: Obviously, we can always use greater help in getting more aid in. As you know, we still need more crossing points to be open. We need more roads to be usable. And we need, as I said earlier, more access by international NGOs and by UNRWA and others, so that they get the cooperation they need. And so, we’re pressing on all those fronts. Namo?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Just on Syria, you said the Secretary-General encourages other countries to normalize their relations with Syria. Some critics say this growing normalization of ties with Syria is premature and tantamount to rewarding a terrorist who has won a war. Where does Secretary-General stand on that? Because, I mean, he was a UN-designated terrorist, as well, the current President of Syria. Why Secretary-General calling for all nations to normalize ties with this country?
Deputy Spokesman: I just refer you back to what the Secretary-General has been saying. We issued a statement on this, in fact, just a few days ago, marking the first year since the collapse of the [Bashar al-]Assad regime. This is a hopeful moment, and we want to build on it. Obviously, the current Government of Syria needs to do more to be inclusive, to show its respect for human rights, and to move forward in terms of working with all of Syria’s communities. But, at the same time, it’s important that other countries encourage that progress by reaching out to Syria, so that we can have a productive relationship between the international community and Syria.
Question: Can we assume then that Secretary-General believes even terrorists can be forgiven if they show willingness to change?
Deputy Spokesman: I don’t think that that’s even so much a decision by the Secretary-General. Look at what the Security Council has done. They, in this case, removed Mr. [Ahmed] al Sharaa from the list of designated terrorists. And as you know, over the years, they’ve taken people on and off their terrorist lists as circumstances change. Okay. Now let’s turn to our guest, if we can get her on camera.