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.
**Guests
Good afternoon.
Just a couple of programming notes. After the briefing, we will be joined by our friend Shantanu Mukherjee, who, as you know, is the Director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). He will also be joined by Ingo Pitterle, DESA’s Senior Economist and Officer-in-Charge of the Global Economic Monitoring Branch. They will be here to brief you on the World Economic Situation and Prospects report as of mid-2026.
**Friends of Football
I also want to flag to you that there will be an event in the General Assembly Hall this afternoon at 3 p.m. Representatives from Member States, permanent observers, particularly ambassadors, as well as high-ranking guests from the Secretariat and top soccer players, will participate in the marking of World Football Day. The event this year focuses on “Refugees and Soccer”.
This event is being co-hosted by Bahrain and Tajikistan, who are the co-chairs of the UN Friends of Football.
And starting at 5 p.m., there will be a soccer tournament taking place on the North Lawn with permanent representatives, more junior diplomats, and a number of former professional soccer players, as well as the President of the General Assembly herself. They will be competing against each other in regional groups, using a knockout system — 5 p.m., North Lawn.
Be there. Wear your jerseys.
**Football
Also on the same topic, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today announced its “Game-Changing Team”, a symbolic team comprised of soccer players who have backgrounds as refugees or displaced people.
The team embodies hope, courage, resilience and the power of what is possible when people displaced by war and persecution are met with safety, opportunity and welcome. And it highlights the power of football to be more than a game; for young refugees it can be healing, it can bring hope, belonging. It also has the power to change lives.
This team is captained by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Alphonso Davies, who was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled war in Liberia. You all know that he is the current captain of the Canadian national football team.
**Secretary-General’s Travels
The Secretary-General is in Tokyo today, or for another day, really, depending on the calendar. This morning, he chaired the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, known as the CEB, which brings together the heads of all UN agencies, for better coordination across the UN system.
During these sessions, the CEB members reflect on current world affairs as they affect and relate to the UN system, while engaging in deliberations on “Megatrends Transforming the World”, as well as the UN80 Initiative.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will have an audience with His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan.
He will also meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu. Before leaving Japan, he will also hold a press conference at the National Press Club in Tokyo, and we will, of course, share those remarks with you.
**Mosque Attack
I have been asked this morning about the deadly events that took place in San Diego yesterday, and I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns yesterday’s deadly attack on a mosque in San Diego, in California, in which three people were killed. The Secretary-General reaffirms that attacks on places of worship are particularly heinous and stresses the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.
He stands in solidarity with the Muslim community and calls for a full investigation into the attack.
**Ebola
I do have an update for you on our efforts around the Ebola outbreak in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
As we speak, the World Health Organization (WHO) is holding the first meeting of the Emergency Committee, that was convened by Dr. Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus], WHO’s Director-General.
After today’s meeting, the Emergency Committee will advise on recommendations to be issued to WHO and its Member States.
On the ground, earlier today, Dr. Anne Ancia, who is WHO Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reiterated that this new Ebola outbreak is occurring in a highly complex epidemiological, operational and humanitarian context — marked by insecurity, population displacement and both densely populated and remote areas.
She said WHO is working closely with the Government, local leaders and other partners to listen and work with communities. Community engagement is key to address any sort of outbreak and getting it under control.
WHO is supporting the scale-up of surveillance, contact tracing, testing, clinical care and cross-border preparedness. The agency has deployed experts to the field alongside national responders and sent 12 tons of supplies, including personal protective equipment for front-line health workers.
WHO is also working with partners, such as the NGOs [non-governmental organizations] ALIMA and MSF, to set up treatment centres and expand care in affected areas.
For its part, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has mobilized nearly 50 tons of infection prevention and control supplies, such as disinfectants and soaps, personal protective equipment and water purification tablets and water tanks to Bunia.
A multidisciplinary Emergency Rapid Response team is also scheduled to arrive imminently to provide technical assistance in priority areas, including support for risk communication and community engagement activities.
UNICEF says over 2,000 community health workers are already in place, but additional capacity and resources are urgently needed to ensure effective coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
For its part, the UN Refugee Agency reminds us that more than 2 million internally displaced people and returnees live in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces in the eastern DRC.
UNHCR is particularly concerned that capacity for health care in these provinces has been severely weakened, leaving displaced communities with severely reduced access to medical care, disease surveillance, isolation capacity, as well as referral systems.
The outbreak also raises serious concerns for refugees living in these affected areas.
In North Kivu, particularly, UNHCR is also closely following the closure of the Goma—Gisenyi and Bukavu borders. They are assessing implications for cross-border movements, voluntary repatriation and humanitarian access, while strengthening prevention measures at the Goma transit centre in the DRC.
**Uganda
Over in Uganda, our team there is supporting Government-led efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak.
Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, Leonard Zulu, with WHO leading the technical health response, the UN team, together with NGO partners has activated a coordinated, systemwide response to support national authorities in containing the outbreak and stopping further spread of this disease.
The UN system in Uganda has already repurposed $3.5 million in existing resources and is mobilizing additional support to strengthen response efforts on the ground.
Agencies and partners are providing operational, logistical and community-level support, including contact tracing, cross-border surveillance, risk communication, infection prevention measures, food assistance, protective equipment and medical supplies for the affected communities — as well, of course, as the front-line responders.
**Ukraine
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Ukraine. In her remarks, Kayoko Gotoh, the Director for the Europe and Central Asia Division at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), said that the war in Ukraine is becoming deadlier by the day.
In the last week alone, we witnessed one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of that country in February 2022. Inside the Russian Federation, reported Ukrainian air strikes have also led to increasing civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings. She called for negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation to resume without delay to prevent further escalation and to make meaningful progress towards a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Also briefing was Edem Wosornu, the Director of OCHA’s (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) Crisis Response Division. She told Council members that humanitarian workers in Ukraine came under repeated attack last week.
She detailed the incidents, including where two separate and clearly marked UN convoys were hit while carrying life-saving assistance to civilians in need. She added that other humanitarian missions were hit, injuring humanitarian workers and damaging humanitarian assets.
These attacks are intensifying, she said and called on all parties to urgently assess these incidents, so they do not happen again.
**Middle East
At 3 p.m., the Security Council will reconvene for a briefing on the situation in the Middle East, as requested by Bahrain. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Grossi, is scheduled to brief Council members via VTC on the weekend incident in the UAE (United Arab Emirates).
We are trying to get his remarks for you. If we get them, we will share them with you.
**UN Interim Force in Lebanon
Moving to Lebanon, the Force Commander of our peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Diodato Abagnara, held a meeting with Ambassadors of UNIFIL Troop-Contributing Countries, as well as representatives of the permanent five Security Council members ambassadors in Beirut. General Abagnara briefed them on the situation on the ground in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL’s operations under resolution 1701, and our continued support to local communities in southern Lebanon.
Today, until 4 p.m. local time, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported a total of 206 firing incidents originating from IDF (Israel Defense Force) positions, and seven trajectories attributed to Lebanese non-State actors, presumed to be Hizbullah. They also detected five air strikes in our own Area of Operations.
Yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers observed multiple air strikes in the vicinity of Al Mansouri, Frun, Bayt Yahun and Qabrikha. Additionally, two air strikes were reported north of the Litani River in the vicinity of Zawtar al Gharbiya.
And yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers observed 384 firing incidents attributed to the IDF and 43 trajectories from Lebanese non-State actors, presumed to be Hizbullah. They also observed 21 projectile interceptions over our Area of Operations.
We continue to urge all actors to fully respect the cessation of hostilities, cease any further attacks and comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. This should be done at all times and without exception.
Over the past day, three security cameras installed at UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura (Sector West) were seen to be removed by IDF personnel.
These cameras show the immediate vicinity of UNIFIL headquarters and are critical to help ensure the safety and security of both our premises and our military and civilian peacekeepers who are living inside the compound. We remind the IDF of their obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and to respect the inviolability of UN premises.
Amid continued violence, UNIFIL peacekeepers have facilitated the delivery of food, water, hygiene kits, medicines and medical supplies to hundreds of families. Yesterday, the UNIFIL-OCHA civil military coordination cell facilitated multiple missions by humanitarian organizations to assist affected populations in Tyre and several villages in the eastern sector of UNIFIL.
**Lebanon
Also on the humanitarian front in Lebanon, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that continued hostilities are driving casualties, forcing people to flee and deepening humanitarian needs. Some 95,000 people have fled as a result of the repeated displacement orders issued since last weekend.
Healthcare also continues to come under fire. Yesterday, a double strike in the city of Maarakeh in South Governorate, reportedly killed one paramedic. On 16 May, strikes hit a health response point in the city of Qana, as well as areas near a hospital in Nabatieh Governorate in Lebanon.
Since 2 March, the World Health Organization has recorded 169 attacks on healthcare, resulting in 116 deaths and 263 injuries, including 23 attacks and 18 deaths since the ceasefire was announced, further undermining people’s access to life-saving services.
Our partners continue to respond how and where they can. Since 2 March, they have distributed nearly 10 million meals, as well as some 170,000 blankets and 130,000 mattresses.
But the humanitarian response is significantly underfunded. The Lebanon Flash Appeal has received just over half — that is about $158 million — of what is actually needed.
In light of continued hostilities and rising needs, the humanitarian country team, in consultation with the Lebanese Government, is working to extend the Flash Appeal, which had initially been set to run for only three months, so that aid can continue to be delivered to those who need it; but for that, we need cash.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that yesterday, 20 patients and over 40 of their companions were medically evacuated through the Rafah Crossing, with support from the World Health Organization and its partners.
As a reminder, thousands of people still need medical services that are unavailable in Gaza. Once referrals to the West Bank resume, including to East Jerusalem, more patients will be able to access care. Meanwhile, scaling up health services within Gaza remains a top priority, which requires facilitating the entry of critical equipment.
Also yesterday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that in collaboration with local partners, it continued to increase emergency shelter interventions in April, using repurposed wood and metal pallets that are used to bring in humanitarian goods into Gaza.
This has enabled the production of 73 large family kits which include high-quality, durable plastic sheets, nails, wire and rope for securing materials. It has also enabled installation of safer and more insulated shelters for high-risk households that include newborns.
You’ll recall that about 900,000 people across the Strip remain in need of emergency shelter assistance. At present, partners are managing around a third (522) of the 1,652 sites across the Strip.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, our OCHA colleagues report that a 32-year-old Palestinian died from his wounds yesterday after having been shot by Israeli forces in Hebron, where he attempted to access Israel irregularly the day before. That is what his family has told OCHA. He was apparently trying to seek work in Israel. In 2026, and as of April, an average of 11 Palestinians per month have been injured while attempting to cross the Barrier.
**South Sudan
Moving to Africa and South Sudan, the newly appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, told the press in Juba that the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has decided to retain peacekeepers for now in Akobo despite drawdown plans, given the security situation — or rather insecurity situation — in Jonglei State. This means, she said, that tensions have been reduced, civilians are no longer at imminent risk of harm and conditions are in place for humanitarian partners to support affected communities.
Since conflict escalated in Jonglei state this January, more than 304,000 people have been displaced, particularly in Uror, Nyirol, Ayod, Duk and Akobo counties. Since then, nearly 79,000 people have returned to their areas of origin, including more than 44,000 from Ethiopia’s Gambella region, with Akobo seeing the largest number of returns.
**Haiti
Moving closer to these shores. Particularly in Haiti, our humanitarian colleagues say that following intensified armed violence, the situation continues to deteriorate in Cité Soleil, which, as you know, is a commune in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
The International Organization for Migration says that more than 10,000 people were displaced between 10 and 15 May, nearly doubling initial estimates of 5,300 people. More than 70 per cent of those displaced are sheltering across 20 sites, including five newly established ones, while others are hosted by already overstretched communities.
Our humanitarian colleagues warn of a rapid increase in humanitarian needs across many areas. Assessments conducted by our partners highlight high levels of children being separated from their families. Many displaced women fled without their belongings, including essential hygiene items.
At the same time, local organizations say that entire families remain trapped in affected neighbourhoods without any access to the most basic necessities. There are also reports of properties being systematically destroyed.
Rising displacement is already straining very limited access to healthcare. Just 11 per cent — 11 per cent — of inpatient health facilities remain fully operational in the Port-au-Prince area. OCHA is supporting our partners to assess needs rapidly and ramp up the response, despite significant access and security constraints.
For its part, WFP (World Food Programme) is telling us that in the past few days, its teams have been able to distribute 15-day rations containing rice, beans, oil, and fortified flour to about 3,300 people who are taking shelter in temporary displacement sites in the capital. WFP has also provided dry commodities to a local organization providing hot meals to displaced people.
This new wave of displacement worsens an already critical food insecurity situation in Haiti. As a reminder, the latest IPC food security analysis, released in March, says that more than half of the entire population doesn’t have enough to eat.
**‘Science Forward’ Podcast
If you are looking for something to listen to while I drone on, the Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board has just launched a new podcast, called Science Forward.
The first episode features Yoshua Bengio, a Professor at Université de Montréal and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, and Charlotte Stix, an AI policy expert.
Their discussion focuses on the growing risks of deceptive AI, when AI systems mislead users or developers about what they know, intend or are capable of doing.
You can find it on most platforms.
**Financial Contribution
Lastly, there is a bit of a reward. There is a quiz. Chris, are you ready? Benno, are you ready?
This country has the highest capital city in Europe with an elevation of 1,023 metres. […] Andorra.
What else makes Andorra very specific? […] It’s one of only two countries to have this specific system of government. It has two Heads of State. Who are the two Heads of State? […] Instead, its “co-princes” are the President of France and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell.
We thank our friends in Andorra la Vella for their full payment to the Regular Budget. Andorra’s payment brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 109.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: All right. Let’s get back to basics here. Edie, even though Bolivia is not in Europe.
Correspondent: I missed you saying Europe.
Spokesman: Yes. Yes.
Correspondent: But is Bolivia higher than…
Spokesman: Much higher. Yes.
Question: A question about Lebanon. In a case where you have the Israeli Defense Forces firing 384 projectiles and Hizbullah firing 46 back and this going on for days, isn’t it a bit of a joke to say that there’s still a ceasefire in Lebanon?
Spokesman: Well, listen. There was a cessation of hostilities agreement. I think how it’s being respected or disrespected is a matter of fact. You know, it’s a situation of a lesser fire. We will continue to call for the agreement to actually be respected and not be ignored.
Question: Is the UN, is UNIFIL talking daily to both parties?
Spokesman: What I do know is that they are in constant contact between UNIFIL and the parties. Gabriel?
Question: Thank you, Steph. During the Security Council meeting this morning, the Permanent Representative from the Russian Federation said that the Foreign Minister of Russia sent a letter to the Secretary-General on 1 May, asking clarification on 12 points related to the UN’s posture with the war in Ukraine. Has the Secretary-General received that letter?
Spokesman: Yes. That letter has been received, and a response is being drafted.
Question: And he also said… the Permanent Representative from Russia also again called on the Secretary-General to do more to give Russia a list of victims from Bucha. As you know, Russia contests the narrative on what transpired in Bucha at the beginning of that conflict four years ago. He, again, was critical of the Secretary-General for not fulfilling Russia’s request that the UN help gather the names of the victims out there.
Spokesman: Listen. This is an issue that has been raised publicly. It has been raised privately with the Secretary-General directly by Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov. Our position, I think I elaborated early in September, is unchanged. But we are in the process of responding to the letter that was sent by the Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General, which raises the questions that were raised publicly. Mr. Vaccara?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. About the flotilla intercepted today, the Turkish President, [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan, said, condemned in strongest terms Israel piracy and banditry against what he described as the voyage of hope. What the Secretary-General think about this new interception, what he thinks about the words used by President Erdoğan? And then I… [cross talk]
Spokesman: We’re not here to do colour commentary on words that various Heads of State or Government use. Our position, I think Farhan [Haq] spoke to this yesterday, is that we’re concerned about the situation. We’re very concerned about the safety of all those on board. They need to be protected, and they need to be kept safe. International law on the high seas needs to be respected. Let’s remember, the best way to get humanitarian aid in is through official channels. And for that to happen at greater volume, we need to see Israel remove a number of the impediments and barriers that have been in place, which doesn’t allow us to bring the aid that we need in. I mean, notably, we keep talking about spare parts for generators, for pumping stations, heavy equipment to deal with the literal mountains of solid waste that are accumulating in Gaza. The material that needs to be brought in to rebuild shelter, durable at scale so we don’t have to reuse wood and metal that has been used in pallets.
Question: No, I didn’t finish. From the Israeli side, the Israeli Foreign Minister described Gaza as flooded with aid and say basically that there is in the last weeks or so, there has been aid. And the Israeli Government accuses the flotilla to, basically, doing all this to help Hamas. Any… [cross talk]
Spokesman: Look, I mean, Stefano, I’m sure you listen to the daily updates we give from Gaza. That’s our position. That’s the reflection of what we see. That’s the reflection of what our colleagues who are on the ground see every day. It’s a reflection of what they try to do every day. I will let you and your other journalists do the compare and contrast.
Question: And then the last question, there is something else. Ebola, how much the Secretary-General is worried, from 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest?
Spokesman: I’m not giving you numbers, a scale. Of course, it’s worrying. And I think we’ve been giving you updates that we have. What is worrying is that as all too often, we don’t always we don’t have the financial resources right now to react. I mean, I think Dr. Tedros and WHO have been extremely proactive. There was the emergency meeting today that happened very quickly. He’s mobilizing the whole system very quickly. And I think it’s also a demonstration of the importance of international global health infrastructure, of international global health cooperation, because Ebola doesn’t really care about borders like other health crises. Yes, sir?
Question: Thank you, Steph. If I may just follow-up on the flotilla just for a little bit more granularity. We know that Farhan yesterday issued a statement saying that… calling for respect of maritime routes and, again, calling for the release of all detained activists. Would the Secretary-General be insistent on calling the apprehension of the flotilla activists a violation of international law?
Spokesman: It doesn’t. I don’t think we have all the details of how this was done, but it doesn’t look like this was done in full respect of international law. Yes, sir?
Question: A follow-up to Gabriel’s question on Bucha. Is the UN withholding the identities of the Bucha, the list of Bucha victims, or you don’t have the information? I remember… excuse me. I remember there was a UN investigation into the so-called Bucha massacre. I believe in any investigation, first thing first would be the identification of the victims, right?
Spokesman: Look, there is information that we have. There’s information we don’t have. What is important is our colleagues at the Human Rights Office who are in the lead on this, they need to follow strict guidelines, which respect the principles, including ensuring informed consent and respecting the confidentiality of victims and their families. But I can tell you that the Secretary-General and his staff are hard at work at answering the points raised by Minister Lavrov. Alex?
Question: Thanks. I have a really quick follow-up on the same topic. So, the Secretary-General hasn’t responded yet. You’re still in process?
Spokesman: Yes. As far as I mean, I’ve been gone for a few days, but I don’t think the letter has been mailed yet, but I will double check as soon as I’m done. Okay. Yes, sir?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. So, has the Secretary-General received the first report from the Board of Peace on Gaza? And do you have any comment about the level of progress in the board’s work until now? [cross talk]
Spokesman: There will be a Security Council meeting on this. My understanding is that the Board of Peace has submitted a report to the Security Council for circulation, but I have no further comment at this point. Okay. Yes, madam?
Question: Thank you, Steph. This is Lei Zhu with China Central Television. I have a question about the renewed tension around Iran. Could you give us an update on what the Security-General’s Personal Envoy for the Middle East Conflict has been doing recently?
Spokesman: Sure. To tell you truth, I don’t have an update at my fingers, but I will get one for you, which we’ll share with you this afternoon. Yes, please?
Question: Thank you, Steph. I would like to go to Europe. So, how does the UN Secretariat view European Union restrictions on Russian media outlets, including accreditation problems faced by some Russian journalists? From the same point of freedom of expression and media pluralism. And does it see a risk that measures presented as protecting democracy from disinformation and foreign influence could in practice become a pretext for limiting alternative or inconvenient viewpoints?
Spokesman: Denis, we stand firmly and unconditionally for freedom of the press, for journalists to be allowed to do their work wherever they are and to do it without any threat of having more difficulties thrown in their way. Yes sir?
Question: Good afternoon. Prudence Arobani at the News Agency of Nigeria. Over the weekend, armed groups abducted dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Nigeria across multiple schools. Two of the teachers have been murdered as we speak. Over the same period, US and Nigerian military conducted strikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria. How concerned is the Secretary-General about the terrorist activities in Nigeria? And what specific support is the UN providing to Nigeria, you know, to strengthen protection of schools now from this recurring attacks? You know […] you remember Chibok school abduction from last year?
Spokesman: Yes. No, we’re, of course, very concerned. We have seen the continued attacks on children, on places of education in Nigeria by extremist groups, which, as you can imagine, has devastating impact on the communities. The UN country team in Nigeria, in all its components, has been working with the Government in the impacted region to find ways that we can support and strengthen and help make schools more safe for students, and we will continue to work in that vein.
Okay. I will leave you with our DESA colleagues. Do not move. I’m sure the world economic situation prospects will be very good.