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
We will be joined tomorrow by Pramila Patten, who, as you know, is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, she will be here to brief you on her latest report, which we expect to go to the Security Council at some point this afternoon.
**UN Peacekeepers Day
Tomorrow is also the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, and the theme for the Day this year is “Invest in Peace.” In his message to mark the day, the Secretary-General said that we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work.
As usual, there will be ceremonies to mark the day here, but they are scheduled to take place next week on 5 June. In the meantime, I can already tell you about the recipients of prizes awarded each year on Peacekeepers Day.
The Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage will be awarded to the late Sergii Prykhodko of Ukraine, as well as to [Sergeant] Matias Reyes of Uruguay. Major Abhilasha Barak of India will receive the Military Gender Advocate Award, and Inspector Stephanie Königs of Germany will receive the Woman Police Officer of the Year Award.
These awards will be officially presented to them or their families next Friday, and they will be here at the briefing. More details about the heroic acts of all of these recipients can be found in the press releases that have been shared with you from our peacekeeping colleagues.
**UN80
Earlier today, the Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly on his UN80 initiative and said that the UN Secretariat has realized a 21 per cent reduction in posts for 2026, while also minimizing impact on staff, facilitated by actions we began talking about in early 2024.
Among other steps, he said the Secretariat launched a Digital Hub in Valencia to support Secretariat-wide digital service delivery; consolidated 10 payroll centres into a single global team; and relocated some 220 Secretariat posts from high-cost locations to lower-cost locations, plus approximately 1,900 more across the UN system.
Mr. [António] Guterres added that the UN has begun piloting the New Humanitarian Compact — a push for innovation, impact and integration as we grapple with soaring needs and plummeting resources, as we tell you about almost every day. This includes simplifying humanitarian planning and unifying humanitarian supply chains, which account for 70 per cent of overall humanitarian spending.
The Secretary-General reminded the Member States who were in the room when he spoke that decisions about structural reforms rest in their hands. He reminded them that change is a given, but the question is whether it will be reform that is planned and that is strategic, or change that is haphazard, costly, and driven by events beyond anyone’s control. Those remarks were shared with you.
**Ukraine
You will hear from the Secretary-General again this afternoon at 3 p.m., but this time on Ukraine. He will be in the Security Council at their open meeting. The Secretary-General will deliver introductory remarks, in which he will discuss the recent escalation of the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation and will call for de-escalation and for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Also briefing will be Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari, and we will share all those remarks with you ahead of time.
Meanwhile, on the ground, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ukraine tell us we and our humanitarian partners continue to provide life-saving assistance across Ukraine, while increasingly coming under attack, with several incidents of violence against aid workers and their assets reported over the past few days.
On Tuesday, two aid workers with the national non-governmental organization (NGO) Mission Proliska sustained minor injuries in a drone strike while on a humanitarian mission in Sumy City.
Also on Monday, a missile strike hit a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Dnipro City, which contained aid supplies worth $1.4 million to support 130,000 people living near the front line. No aid personnel were injured, thankfully. Last Sunday, a large-scale attack on Kyiv damaged the office premises of several aid organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the international NGO People in Need. Between January and April, at least 3 aid workers were killed and another 16 were injured in the country; that’s what our partners are telling us.
Meanwhile, authorities report that over the past three days, hostilities and attacks across Ukraine have caused more than 240 civilian casualties, including among many children, and those attacks have also damaged schools, energy infrastructure and agricultural assets. Despite rising security risks, UN agencies and national and international NGOs continue to support the response by distributing hot meals, shelter repair material, psychological first aid and humanitarian cash assistance.
**Lebanon
Turning to Lebanon, I can tell you that we are of course deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. We are also deeply concerned by with Israeli strikes today in southern Beirut. We also note with concern intensified Israeli air strikes on alleged Hizbullah targets across the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) area of operations, as well as north of the Litani River, including in the Bekaa Valley, and reports of Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) ground incursions north of the Litani River.
We again urge all to respect the cessation of hostilities and stop any further attacks. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted. We condemn the loss of civilian lives.
Meanwhile, for her part, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert, and the Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, Major General Diodato Abagnara, continue to engage with the parties to urge immediate de-escalation and to uphold their obligations under Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).
Yesterday, UNIFIL reported approximately 670 trajectories of projectiles; that’s the highest number since the cessation of hostilities came into effect on 17 April. UNIFIL also continued to observe intensive ground and air activities by the IDF, including armoured vehicle movements, large-scale engineering works, sustained logistical traffic and air strikes, across the mission's area of operations.
Renewed evacuation orders by Israel over the past 48 hours have affected hundreds of thousands of people south of the Zahrani River, including in the cities of Tyre and Nabatieh. Collective shelters in Tyre and Saida are reportedly full and cannot take any more people. OCHA is concerned that families are once again being forced to flee their homes under conditions that are intolerable for any human being.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the situation regarding the outbreak of Ebola: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our OCHA colleagues warn that the Ebola outbreak continues to spread across the eastern Provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. According to national authorities, as of 26 May, the outbreak had expanded to 13 health zones, with more than 1,000 suspected cases, including 121 confirmed cases and 17 reported deaths, among them 6 health workers. WHO ranks this the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record. On a more positive note, the first patient recovery was recorded yesterday at a treatment centre in Ituri.
Meanwhile, we and our humanitarian partners continue to support national health authorities in case management, the operation of Ebola treatment centres, community engagement and risk communication, as well as strengthened surveillance to help prevent further spread of the disease.
Our colleagues from UNICEF said that more than 100 metric tons of humanitarian supplies have started to be airlifted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the overall emergency response. The supplies include personal protective equipment for frontline health workers, medicines, hygiene materials and various medical supplies. They are expected to support nearly 100,000 people, including children and families living in communities already facing a fragile humanitarian situation.
Despite these efforts, our humanitarian partners caution that response efforts are being hampered by movement restrictions, which are affecting the deployment of staff and delivery of critical supplies. These restrictions, including border closures, risk driving people towards informal and unmonitored crossings, potentially increasing rather than reducing the risk of regional transmission. More broadly, they are slowing the movement of personnel, medical supplies, food assistance and other life-saving support.
Beyond the Ebola outbreak, the broader humanitarian situation in Ituri — where the response was already under strain – remains deeply concerning. In the territory of Mambasa, civilians were reportedly killed in a series of armed attacks between 20 and 25 May, forcing many from their homes. Since early May, at least 150 civilians have reportedly been killed in the area. Rising insecurity has also forced at least four humanitarian organizations to suspend their operations in these places.
We reiterate our call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, to protect civilians, and to ensure safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access.
**Uganda
And in a related note, but in Uganda, yesterday, our UN team there, together with humanitarian partners, launched an emergency appeal for $15.8 million to support the Government-led response to the Ebola outbreak. The appeal outlines a coordinated three-month response plan (May–August) for the UN team and partners, in support of the Government and WHO, as the technical lead for this response.
As of today, Uganda’s health authorities confirmed eight Ebola cases. Three of the confirmed cases involve health workers. Since 14 May, two deaths linked to the outbreak have been reported — one confirmed and one probable. The response continues to be guided by Uganda’s national preparedness and response plan and the Africa Centre for Disease Control regional framework, with priorities focused on surveillance, contact tracing, case management, infection prevention and control, and risk communication and community engagement.
Yesterday, as you may have seen, Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo for an initial period of four weeks. Limited exceptions remain in place for humanitarian operations, security movements and essential cargo, all subject to strict health screening protocols. The Government has also introduced mandatory 21-day self-isolation measures for individuals returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, monitored by the health authorities and others.
**Haiti
And closer to these shores in Haiti, our OCHA colleagues tell us that internal displacement sadly continues to rise in Haiti. Nearly 1.5 million people uprooted across the country as of this month; that’s what the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is telling us. Between December 2025 and May of this year, nearly 95,000 people have been newly displaced across the country.
In the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, violence has driven the number of displaced people to more than 300,000, and that’s for the first time, and that’s primarily due to armed clashes in the neighbourhood of Cite Soleil in March and also in May. Fighting is also driving continued displacement in Artibonite department. Overall, nearly 80 per cent of displaced people are outside the capital.
At the same time, IOM tells us of a significant increase in returns, with more than 165,000 people going back to their areas of origin compared to more than 87,500 returnees documented in December 2025. Many families report that conditions are not yet in place for them to sustainably reintegrate back into their communities of origin. Across Haiti, the vast majority of displaced people are hosted by families or living in precarious conditions, straining already vulnerable communities.
Food, livelihoods, shelter, water and sanitation, as well as access to healthcare, continue to be the most urgent priorities for both displaced people and returnees. Our humanitarian partners continue to respond, despite the access constraints and the security situation and the lack of funds. Related to that, a scale-up of the response is critical, given growing needs, but the $880 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is just under 23 per cent funded, with $198.7 million in the bank.
**Climate
I just want to flag a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels in the next five years, with Arctic temperature anomalies expected to continue to be higher than the global mean. That’s according to the new report they released that was produced also by the United Kingdom’s Met Office. That update looks at the observed climate over the past five years and gives regional predictions for temperatures and precipitation over the next five years. More information online.
**Senior Personnel Appointment — UNOCA
And I just want to read into the record that on Tuesday evening, the Secretary-General appointed Mohamed el-Amine Souef of the Comoros as Special Representative for Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA). He succeeds Abdou Abarry of Niger, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his important contributions to UNOCA.
Mr. Souef brings 35 years of experience in the areas of diplomacy, foreign affairs and peacekeeping. Since March 2025, he had served as Chief of Staff of the African Union Commission, and he also been an AU Representative in Somalia at different times. Ibtisam?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you. Do you have any comments on the tweet of the Israeli ambassador that they are breaking all contacts with the United Nations because they are listed on the report of the sexual assaults?
Deputy Spokesman: Sure. I can't comment on the content of the reports, because that still has not gone to Security Council. We saw the announcement by Ambassador [Danny] Danon that they were cutting off all contacts with the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. I can tell you from the Secretary-General's point of view, his door remains open to Israeli representatives, as to the other 192 Member States and the 2 Observer States.
Question: I mean, which message do you think such announcements by a Member State send regarding your work, and they're not being compliant with?
Deputy Spokesman: Look, we think that Member States should engage and continue to engage not only with us, but all the various mechanisms, whether they're part of the SG's Executive Office, legislative bodies to work together. I think engaging is always a better solution than disengagement. Edie and Amelie.
Question: Thank you, Steph. On UNIFIL, on the 670 projectiles, were they fired by the Israelis, by Hizbullah, by both?
Deputy Spokesman: It is not only a very good question. It's a question I was asking myself as I was reading it. I do read the notes before I come to the briefing, but they get into my head when I'm actually reading them. And I was asking myself the same question. So, I'm sure an answer will be provided to us before the end of the briefing. [He later said that the information from UNIFIL is that about 640 of the projectiles were from the IDF and about 30 from Hizbullah.] Amelie?
Question: Thanks. It's also on Lebanon. Just to have an idea, because you mentioned several times in the last few weeks that the exchange of fire was a record. So, today's a new record [of] 670. Do you have an idea what was like the main figure before the ceasefire, so we can compare to before and after the ceasefire?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. I mean, we'll see if we can get kind of historical compare-and-contrast data for you. Alex?
Question: Thanks. I have a follow-up on Israel as well. So, did Israel notify you? Like, officially, what was the letter or something?
Deputy Spokesman: I mean, I think we were notified via social media.
Question: Cool. And what is your understanding? Is it just your office, or…?
Deputy Spokesman: Listen, our understanding is whatever we saw in the press and the announcement. What it means, how it will be operationalized, I think you have to ask the Israeli Permanent Mission.
Question: Well, what's your response for Israeli ambassador?
Deputy Spokesman: Sorry?
Question: What's your response for Israeli ambassador?
Deputy Spokesman: Our response is what I just told Ibtisam — is that we've seen the announcement; the Secretary-General's door is figuratively and literally open to representatives of the Israeli Mission, as we are to all other representatives, and we’ll continue to do so. Yes, sir?
Question: My name is Jerry Kao of the China Central Television. The US media reports that the six-day agreement on US-Iran memorandum of understanding have been reached. Does the SG have any comment on this?
Deputy Spokesman: I mean, we've seen that one announcement. I think, like everybody, we're all trying to get a better understanding of what is official and what is not official. I mean, we've seen that, but we also are very worried and concerned about the reported exchange of fire we've seen between the US and Iran over the last day or so, and we encourage both parties to respect the ceasefire that they had announced.
Question: I have one final question. The US Treasury Secretary, [Scott] Bessent, said the US Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz. So, what's the SG’s position on this?
Deputy Spokesman: The SG's position, I think, has been consistent from day one. He wants a restoration of full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Mister?
Question: A quick question also on what Ambassador Danon said. Was there any communication actually between the Secretariat and the Israeli Mission? Because as far as our impression was, the SG was PNG-ed [persona non grata] a while back in Israel.
Deputy Spokesman: I mean, there have been contacts since that announcement.
Question: And do you have any concerns now, if the communication is severed between what kind of concerns would…
Deputy Spokesman: Of course.
Question: You have? How would that affect the work?
Deputy Spokesman: We want to be able to dialogue and speak to all representatives that are in this building, that are accredited to this organization. Please go ahead, Noreen.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. This is on a different topic. It's on the UN80 report and what was in the Secretary-General's remarks, specifically on the establishment of a human rights group to better facilitate… you know, integrate human rights operation within the UN system. Will the Secretary be working closely with the Office of the [United Nations] High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR)? Will there be sort of any overlap between their work? And does the Secretary-General perhaps foresee any further comments, or as he had received any further comments from Member States about this human rights group?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't know if further comments have been received, but I can tell you this is about strengthening the work on human rights within the UN system, and it is in no way, shape or form takes anything away from the High Commissioner for Human Rights or his office. The High Commissioner for Human Rights remains in the lead as the primary voice, the beacon voice on human rights in the UN system. It's about making sure that we're all coordinated on defending the human rights. Before I go to back to you, Ibtisam, Abdelhamid, I don't see you waving, but since I see you, I assume you have a question.
Question: Thank you so much. Yes, I do. Stéphane, I haven't heard today any briefing on the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Am I wrong, or there was something that is so quiet?
Deputy Spokesman: It doesn't mean… Abdelhamid, just because we don't have an update today doesn't mean it's quiet, doesn't mean things are not going on. We just have not received an update today.
Question: My second question, there is a threat by the US President on the State of… Sultanate of Oman. Do you have any comment on that?
Deputy Spokesman: I mean, I think we're always troubled and concerned when we hear that kind of rhetoric. For every Member State, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of all Member States need to be respected in action and in voice. Ibtisam, let's go back to you.
Question: Thank you. Follow-up on the question before. Are you worried that the Israelis will, because of the listing, will maybe retaliate against your agencies on the ground?
Deputy Spokesman: We very much hope that will not be the case. The dialogue between Mr. [Ramiz] Alakbarov’s office and the various UN entities who have offices in Jerusalem continue, and we very much hope it will continue as it is critical for our mandated work there, including on the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which as you know, was reaffirmed recently by the Security Council and the plan put forward by US President [Donald J.] Trump.
Question: Okay. Last question: I asked you last week regarding the Israelis deciding to build military facilities and other buildings on UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] land, UN land. And the question was whether beside condemnation, what legal steps is the UN planning to take?
Deputy Spokesman: There are other legal avenues which the UN is considering, but I will leave it at that for now. Okay. Enjoy the rest of your [day].