HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BYSTÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 2 APRIL 2025
BRIEFINGS TODAY AND TOMORROW
Tomorrow, at 12:45 p.m., the Secretary-General of the United Nations will do a stakeout on the situation in Myanmar. There will be no noon briefing, but there will be a briefing from the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), ahead of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which is on Friday, April 4th.Richard Boulter, UNMAS’ Chief of Design, Operational Support and Oversight will be here to brief. He will be joined virtually by Edwin Faigmane, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Nigeria, and Fatma Zourrig, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Libya.That will be around 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/GAZA
The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed bythe human toll of the intensified hostilities taking place in Gaza. He condemns thereported killingof over a thousand people, including women and children,since the collapse of the ceasefire.
Large-scale Israeli bombardments and ground operations have resulted in the widespread destruction and the displacement of over 100,000 Palestinians from Rafah in the last two days alone, most of them having already been displaced multiple times and having been displaced with very few belongings.
The Secretary-Generalis shocked bythe attacks by the Israeli army on a medical and emergency convoy on 23 March resulting in the killing of 15 medical personnel and humanitarian workers in Gaza.Medical personnel and humanitarian and emergency workers must be protected by all parties to the conflict at all times, as required by international humanitarian law. Since October 2023, at least 408 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, and at least 280 of them have been United Nations humanitarian workers. The Secretary-General honours all humanitarian workers who have been killed in this conflict, and demandsa full, thorough and independent investigation on these incidents.
All parties must comply fully with international law at all times. Civilians must be respected and protected.The denial of lifesaving aid must end.
The Secretary-General reiterates his strong condemnation of the 7 October attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Nothing can justify those terror attacks. And nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. The Secretary-General renews his urgent call for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza.
On questions asked about the stated plans of Israel to seize more land in Gaza, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General also reminds that the Security Council resolution 2735 rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial changes in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza. In this regard, he is increasingly concerned about the inflammatory rhetoric, calling for Israeli military to “capture extensive territory that will be added to the State of Israel’s security areas.”
The Secretary-General renews his urgent call for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, was supposed to be in Germany, but was unable to travel to Berlin last night due to unforeseen technical issues with the plane that she was travelling on, and the plane was required to return back to New York due to technical issues. She regrets not being able to attend the Global Disability Summit in person but delivered remarks via a video message that was played earlier today in Berlin.
She said that expanding hope and opportunities for people with disabilities is close to her heart – and that of the Secretary-General, adding that it is a matter of dignity, it is a matter of humanity and of human rights. Ms. Mohammed noted that the UN Disability and Development Report found that about 98 per cent of the SDG indicators for persons with disabilities are off track. This is far more than a statistic, she warned, it should be a wake-up call. Her full remarks were shared with you.
And today, she will travel to Skopje, in North Macedonia, to meet with senior government officials as planned and to chair the annual regional retreat with UN Resident Coordinators based in countries in Europe and Central Asia, focused on efforts to advance sustainable development in these countries.
She will be back in New York over the weekend.
UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST
Earlier this morning the Israeli Air Forces hit two rooms on the first floor of an Health Centre building of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Near East, which was being used as a shelter for 160 displaced families when it was hit.
The shelling reportedly killed at least 15 people, including nine children, two women and four men. No UNRWA staff were killed or injured in this attack.
Despite UNRWA staff warning of the dangers of the facility after the attack, many displaced families have not left the site, simply because they have absolutely nowhere else to go.
MYANMAR
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support people whose lives have been deeply impacted by last Friday’s devastating earthquakes in Myanmar.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today noted that dozens of aftershocks continue in the impacted areas, deepening people’s fear and preventing many from returning to their homes. The aftershocks are also complicating humanitarian response efforts.
In Mandalay City, the epicentre of the earthquake and one of the worst-affected areas, many people are completely cut off from electricity and running water.
Humanitarian workers on the ground have reported increasing cases of acute watery diarrhea among people seeking shelter in displacement sites in Mandalay and Sagaing regions, along with dozens of cases of heat-related illness.
People affected continue to need urgent healthcare and medical supplies, safe drinking water, food and other critical items. Tents and temporary shelter are needed, as well as latrines and other hygiene items, to prevent disease outbreaks. People also need psychosocial support to address mental health needs following the earthquake.
In Mandalay City, humanitarian workers provided food and cash assistance to more than 10,000 people yesterday. The day before, over 20,000 people had received cash for emergency food, shelter and other items in Mandalay and other areas, including Wetlet, Sagaing, and other areas.
Water trucking operations have begun in Nay Pyi Taw territory, serving approximately 45,000 people, although more than 300,000 need this kind of support. In Mandalay, more than 20 latrines have been constructed in displacement sites.
The health response also continues, with three metric tonnes of medical supplies, including trauma kits, delivered to hospitals in Mandalay and in Nay Pyi Taw. That was done within 24 hours of the earthquake having struck. Nearly 30 field medical stations have been established in the most affected areas, providing emergency care for injuries and basic health services.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to carry out assessments, mobilize logistics, and pre-position supplies to ensure the response is at scale.
Funding, however, remains critically low. The UN appeals to the international community to step up in this moment and show support for the people of Myanmar.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council heard a briefing on the protection of UN and associated personnel. Joyce Msuya, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, told council members that humanitarian workers are being killed in unprecedented numbers - and we just highlighted that in Gaza. The vast majority of those killed, she added, are local aid workers, who are always the cornerstone of any relief efforts.
Let us be clear, Ms. Msuya said, there is no shortage of international legal frameworks to protect humanitarian and United Nations workers. What is lacking is the political will to do so.
She called on council members first to act to ensure respect for international law and to protect humanitarian and UN humanitarianworkers. Second, she said, we need the voice of the Council and the broader UN Membership to be loud, to be clear and to be consistent in condemning harm to UN and humanitarian personnel, including local staff. And third, she told council members to request accountability.
For his part, Gilles Michaud, the Head of our department of Safety and Security reminded Security Council members that – during a previous meeting - he had urged them to translate words of support for the protection of humanitarian and UN personnel into meaningful action, adding that progress so far has remained elusive.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The Spokesperson had an update from the Central African Republic about the peacekeeping who was tragically killed in that country on Friday. He said that his name is Major Paul Ndungu Njoroge, from Kenya. He was 32 years old and serving as a Military Observer. Once again, the UN extends its deepest condolences to his family, his colleagues and to the people and Government of Kenya.
The UN Mission has reinforced its presence on patrol routes in the area of the incident and assesses that the situation has returned to relative calm. In addition, the Mission deployed a team on-site to investigate the circumstances of the incident.
SUDAN
Turning to Sudan, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that is gravely concerned following reports of massive and sudden displacement of civilians in the Al Malha area, which is about 180 kilometres north of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
Local authorities estimate that about quarter of a million people — mostly women, children and older people — have been forced to flee their homes in the wake of the recent escalation of violence. Many are now scattered across 15 villages, lacking the most basic necessities. The UN is working with its partners in the area to try to verify these reports.
Last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that approximately 75,000 people had already been displaced in the area due to the clashes.
The newly reported figure would mark a very significant escalation in displacement and signal a serious deterioration in an already dire humanitarian situation across North Darfur.
The UN also continues to receive alarming reports of civilian casualties due to the intensified hostilities across the region, including in and around El Fasher. Displaced families are in urgent need of the basics – such as food, shelter, medical care and hygiene supplies.
The UN and its humanitarian partners are working to dispatch convoys and scale up operations, but access and insecurity remain critical challenges. The UN urgently calls for the protection of civilians and for humanitarian
access to be guaranteed – without obstruction – so that the much-needed aid can reach people who need it.
On top of all this, UN partners working on health say that they continue to respond to a hepatitis outbreak in eastern Sudan spreading among displaced communities at the Gharb Al Matar displacement site in Kassala state. Between 27 March and 31 March alone, more than 60 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total to 236 cases in less than a month.
The outbreak is being driven mainly by overcrowded living conditions, poor sanitation and limited healthcare. In response, local health authorities – together with UN Agencies and other partners – are scaling up medical interventions, and water, sanitation and hygiene
support, as well as targeted campaigns to raise awareness to prevent the further spread of the disease.
SOUTH SUDAN
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is continuing to support efforts to broker a cessation of hostilities and return to calm.
Today, Nicholas Haysom, the Head of the peacekeeping mission, exchanged views with Charles Tai Gituai, the Chair of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), on the need for regional and international partners to maintain momentum towards a peaceful solution in the face of rising tensions and conflict.
The African Union Panel of the Wise has also touched down in Juba, and Mr. Haysom is due to meet tomorrow with the delegation, which has been deployed to support mediation and conflict prevention.
On the security front, there are reports of clashes between forces aligned with the two main Parties. That is the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO). Those clashes are taking place in Western Equatoria and the southern part of Central Equatoria province.
An outbreak of intercommunal violence in Abiemnhom, in the far north, is also causing concern, with our peacekeepers currently protecting at least 200 displaced civilians near their temporary base.
SOUTH SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
And on the humanitarian front in South Sudan, the escalation is also having an impact on the operations of the World Food Programme (WFP). WFP say that food distributions to 167,000 human beings in Upper Nile State have been paused due to the active fighting.
WFP warns that humanitarian resources are already stretched, with assistance prioritized for communities facing emergency and catastrophic hunger – these are levels 4 and 5 on the IPCscale. A sharp rise in humanitarian needs will force further prioritization, and risks leaving many other hungry families without support.As you know, malnutrition is rising in South Sudan.
WFP estimates that 2.1 million children are at risk this year, which is an increase by 35 per cent just from a year ago.
WFP is accelerating distributions in the areas of greatest need, where access is possible. But guaranteed protection of staff, the people we support, and humanitarian assets is critical for us to do our work.
SOMALIA
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that recent fighting in Puntland State, in the north-east – as well as the regions of Middle and Lower Shabelle in central Somalia – has forced at least 110,000 men, women and children to flee their homes. In several other areas, tens of thousands of people have also been displaced in recent months from inter-clan clashes. Besides the fighting, our humanitarian colleagues say that climate factors are also driving displacement, given prolonged dry conditions and lower than expected rainfall in many areas. The latest IPC report published last week projects that nearly 4.6 million people in Somalia are likely to experience high levels of hunger from now until June. Some 1.8 million children under the age of 5 are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year and will need urgent treatment.
This includes nearly 480,000 children who are expected to suffer from severe malnutrition.
OCHA warns that humanitarian needs in Somalia are rising at a time when funding for aid operations is plummeting. Aid agencies are having to reduce and even suspend assistance and focus available resources on life-saving activities for the most vulnerable people. This year, about one third of Somalia’s population – nearly 6 million people – need humanitarian assistance. However, the $1.42 billion humanitarian appeal is only 9 per cent funded, with $131 million in the bank.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that [the resurgence of clashes between armed groups] in the town of Masisi-centre in North Kivu, in the town of Masisi-centre, which was mentioned yesterday, have spilled over now into neighboring areas.
Sustained gunfire and explosions have triggered widespread panic, forcing civilians to seek refuge at Masisi General Hospital or to remain trapped in their homes. That is what local partners are telling us.
Humanitarian access remains severely constrained amid the ongoing volatile situation.
In South Kivu, intense clashes yesterday in several villages of Walungu territory forced markets, shops and basic services to close, leaving civilians confined to their homes. That is what our local partners are telling us.
Separately, civil society groups are reporting that four women and girls were abducted and raped by armed men in Kalehe Territory between 29 March and 30 March. While three survivors received medical care, a fourth one could not access adequate treatment due to depleted medical stocks—a direct consequence of the supply chain disruptions due to the fighting.
Local partners say that a sharp rise in sexual violence perpetrated by armed groups has been seen in recent weeks in both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
In Uvira, despite the resumption of basic services and relief activities, health centers are confronting medication shortages due to insecurity along the road to the provincial capital, Bukavu.
In Ituri, local health authorities confirm that an armed group attack in the area of Dhedya in the territory of Djugu, on 31 March killed two civilians. Hundreds of people have fled to surrounding areas.
The UN urges all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, and to ensure safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access to people in need. Everyone, all parties must do everything they can to protect civilians in military operations. Civilians must be protected and able to access the basic and essentials services they need to stay alive.
HAITI
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that violence is now spreading in the Centre Department in Haiti, forcing civilians to flee their homes.
As the Spokesperson mentioned yesterday, this weekend’s attack in Mirebalais in Haiti's, which reportedly resulted in the escape of more than 500 detainees from a local prison, has also led to – according to OCHA – widespread looting and the burning of homes, schools, and churches.
This incident highlights how gang activity is expanding beyond the Ouest Department, where Port-au-Prince is located.
Meanwhile, violence continues to intensify in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.
Displacement there has steadily increased since January from 170,000 people to 185,000 people at the end of March, according to the IOM. Thousands of displaced people are now sheltering in makeshift sites, including schools and public buildings.
The UN and its partners continue to monitor the situation, assess the needs and support humanitarian response when security permits.
MISSING PERSONS
Earlier this morning, Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, briefed the General Assembly on the Secretary-General's report on missing persons. He noted that the pain of not knowing the fate of loved ones is one of the worst things that can ever happen to anyone. He also stressed the enormous scale of the issue, with an unprecedented number of large-scale conflicts and the disregard for international humanitarian law resulting in vast numbers of people going missing.
WORLD AUTISM DAY
Today is World Autism Day. In his message, the Secretary-General says that around the globe, people with autism are making enormous contributions to societies, human endeavours, and individual lives. Today we reflect on those achievements, but we also recognise the significant challenges that remain.
SCREENING
Tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m., there will be a screening in Conference Room 2, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is organizing a meeting that includes speakers such as Basel Adra, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land”, as well as an official from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and a human rights lawyer. Speakers will focus on human rights and legal aspects around land issues in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).
And then, at 1:00pm, in Conference room 2, the Committee will organize a screening of the film. Only delegates and UN pass-holders will be able to attend.
***The guest at the Noon Briefing was Jonathan Whittall, the OCHA head of office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He spoke to reporters on the situation in Gaza.
