HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 7 APRIL 2025
DAY OF REFLECTION ON THE 1994 GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TUTSI IN RWANDA
Today, this is the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. At this morning’s event in the General Assembly to mark the Day, the Secretary-General said that this terrible period of Rwanda’s history reminds us that no society is immune from hate and horror. And as we reflect on how these crimes came about, we must also reflect on resonance in our own times.
The Secretary-General added that we must stem the tide of hate speech and stop division and discontent that is mutating into violence.
And he also issued a message on the day in which he urged all States to deliver on their commitments made in the Global Digital Compact to tackle online falsehoods and hate, to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to become parties to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning the Security Council heard a briefing on the Heads of Military Components Conference, which is currently taking place in New York.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of our peace operations department, said this annual gathering is an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to peace and security through the critical work of United Nations peacekeeping.
He was joined by two Force Commanders, Major General Aroldo Lázaro, Head of Mission and Force Commander of our peacekeeping mission in Lebanon -UNIFIL-, as well as Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes, the Force Commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
General Lazaro was here in person and General Gomes was briefing via video.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a short while ago, top officials from a number of United Nations Agencies, notably OCHA, the World Food Programme, UNRWA, UNICEF, and UNOPS issued a statement a short while ago calling on the world to react with urgency to save Palestinians in Gaza.
The UN officials noted that for over a month, no commercial or humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza – and more than 2.1 million people are trapped, bombed and starved again. Food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up at crossing points, and vital equipment is also stuck.
Although the latest ceasefire allowed humanitarians to see that supplies reached every part of the Gaza strip, they said tha assertions that there is now enough food for all Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low.That statement was shared with you.
Meanwhile, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that across Gaza, Israeli attacks continue unabated – causing systematic, large-scale civilian casualties. People, including many children, are being killed, injured or maimed for life. Survivors across Gaza are being displaced repeatedly and forced into an ever-shrinking space, where their basic needs just cannot be met.
Overall, we estimate that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the ceasefire. That’s 18 per cent of all Palestinians in Gaza.
And no arrangements to secure their safety and survival have been made – a responsibility that falls on Israel as the occupying power.
Just yesterday, Palestinian rockets were fired into Israel, and yet another Israeli displacement order was issued, this time for over 3 square kilometres in the Deir al Balah area.
That will cover nine neighbourhoods with a combined area that is comparable our Central Park in New York. And I can tell you that several medical facilities were serving people inside and just outside that area.
WHO says there is a severe shortage in medical equipment such as ultrasound machines as well as oxygen pumps, and in medicines, along with 180,000 doses of routine childhood vaccines in Gaza.
We continue to distribute what remains inside Gaza to those most in need, but we cannot sustain this for much longer unless the crossings are reopened immediately for humanitarian goods and equipment that will be essential for the survival of people in Gaza.
OCHA says all attempts to pick up commodities that had been brought in and dropped at these crossings have been denied.
OCHA reminds us that coordination with the Israeli authorities is required for any humanitarian organization to access vast areas of the Gaza Strip and that most attempts to coordinate these movements result in access being denied.
Just yesterday, Israeli authorities denied five of nine attempts to coordinate access by UN workers. OCHA says that while staff rotations are often facilitated, aid delivery is routinely blocked.
Eighteen months since the 7 October terror attacks, we are as appalled as we were then by those horrific actions. Dozens of hostages remain in captivity, with no opportunities for visits and extremely concerning reports on mistreatment.
We reiterate again that all hostages must be released unconditionally and immediately. Until then, they must be treated humanely, and Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit them.
Just a programming note that tomorrow around noon, the Secretary-Genera; will be at the stakeout to deliver a statement on the situation in Gaza. We will confirm that with you a little bit latertoday.
LEBANON
In Lebanon, UNIFIL colleagues have recorded over the past days several incidents of Israel Defense Force (IDF) military activity, including small arms fire, air strikes, and violations of Lebanese airspace. All of that in violation of Security Council resolution 1701. One such air strike impacted Naqurah, which is as you know, close to UNIFIL’s headquarters. That took place last night. We note media reports of two fatalities from Israeli air strikes near Zibqin in southern Lebanon on 6 April and two people injured in a strike near Udaysah overnight.
UNIFIL peacekeepers discovered several caches of unauthorized weapons, including mortar shells, over the weekend. The Lebanese army meanwhile continued its patrols as well as clearance of unexploded ordnance in southern Lebanon.
We continue to urge everyone to fully uphold their obligations under Security Council resolution 1701 and refrain from any action that may jeopardise the cessation of hostilities.
SYRIA
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, in a statement issued today, said he appreciated the extensive discussion he held in Damascus with Mr. Ahmed al-Sharaa which took place on Sunday and focused on all aspects of ongoing political transition process in Syria.
The UN Special Envoy discussed with Mr. al-Sharaa the importance of a transparent framework for the process of selecting and electing an interim people’s assembly and on all other subsequent political transition steps.
Sanctions-easing needs to continue and that the Syrian people need an economic future, Mr. Pedersen stressed. Mr. Pedersen also reiterated his condemnation of Israel’s repeated attacks and interventions in Syria and appreciated the commitment of the Syrian Interim Authorities to respecting the agreements with Israel.
YEMEN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that conditions in Yemen remain incredibly dire. After more than a decade of crisis and conflict, more than 19 million human being in Yemen still need essential assistance – including food, nutrition, healthcare, shelter as well as clean water. Nearly half of the population is acutely hungry and many don’t have access to enough clean water.
Women and children continue to bear the brunt of the crisis. While needs are increasing, funding is shrinking. This year’s humanitarian appeal for Yemen – which requires $2.5 billion – is less than 7 per cent funded, with only $173 million in the bank.
Aid workers are also facing a highly challenging operating environment, ranging from insecurity and detentions to bureaucratic impediments and attempted interference.
Last year, our humanitarian partners reached 8 million people of the most vulnerable Yemenis with food, clean water, medicine and other aid. There are now more people in need and fewer partners on the ground to reach them, so the need for funding and access is that much greater.
UKRAINE
The UN isdeeply alarmedbythe continued Russian bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the recent strikes on Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipro as well as last week’s deadly attack on Kryvyi Rih.
We recall that directingattacks against civilians and civilianobjects, is prohibited underinternational humanitarian law, andany such attacks, whereverthey occur,must end immediately.
We reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for a durable ceasefire, and our support for meaningful efforts towards ajust, lasting and comprehensive peace that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant United Nations resolutions.
Immediately following the attack in Kryvyi Rih, complementing the efforts of local first responders, we, along with our humanitarian partners, as well as the Ukrainian Red Cross, provided first aid and psychological support.
We and our partners also assisted with medical evacuations, delivered emergency surgical supplies to local hospitals, organized hot meals and distributed other materials.
SPECIAL ENVOY ON MYANMAR
The Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, is currently visiting Malaysia today and met with government interlocutors there, including the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, Othman Hashim.
Malaysia as the 2025 ASEAN Chair is a key partner of the UN’s efforts to support a Myanmar-led political solution to the crisis and to respond to humanitarian needs following the 28 March earthquake.
We expect Ms. Bishop to travel to Myanmar tomorrow.
MYANMAR
We estimate that more than 17 million people are living in the areas impacted by the two earthquakes that hit the country on 28 March. Over 9.1 million of these people live in the hardest-hit areas.
Communities continue to grapple with widespread destruction of homes, health facilities, critical infrastructure, as well as prolonged power and water outages. Telecommunications are severely limited and transport routes have been damaged or obstructed.
Emergency assistance, including food, has been provided to more than 70,000 impacted people in the Mandalay region, Nay Pyi Taw territory, Sagaing region and southern Shan State. Drinking water has been provided to over 40,000 people and hygiene kits distributed to more than 100,000 people.
We and our partners have reached more than 165,000 people with essential relief assistance. This includes distribution of shelter materials, safe water solutions, hygiene kits and food. Mobile medical teams are being deployed. As you know Tom Fletcher was there over the weekend, he is now on his way back here.
AFGHANISTAN
The United Nations team in Afghanistan today urged the international donor community to maintain critical support for the people of Afghanistan. With 22.9 million men, women and children in need of assistance this year, the country is today the world’s second-largest humanitarian crisis. The appeal for Afghanistan comes ahead of meetings of the Afghanistan Coordination Group (ACG) that will start tomorrow in Istanbul, in Türkiye. The group gathers Member State donor representatives, International Financial Institutions and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Indrika Ratwatte, the Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary-General in Afghanistan will be representing the Mission.
SUDAN
Turning to Sudan, we are concerned about the welfare of civilians fleeing insecurity in Blue Nile State, in the south-east of the country, as well as the lack of access for humanitarians to reach them.
Local authorities estimate that 4,000 people displaced from Ullu and other towns in Baw locality have been moving north-east toward the state capital of Ed Damazine, which is about 230 kilometres away. So far, some 600 people have arrived and are sheltering at a displacement site.
Ongoing insecurity and bureaucratic constraints have prevented humanitarian partners from reaching impacted areas.
We call again for safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need.
New arrivals from South Sudan have also been reported in other parts of Blue Nile in recent weeks, demonstrating the growing complexity of the situation in the region.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that in North Kivu, unexploded ordnance in residential areas of Walikale Centre is posing lethal risks to residents, including people who were formerly displaced who are returning to their homes. Local civil society groups are urgently warning against premature returns before demining operations can be completed.
Our humanitarian partners are also reporting similar concerns in South Kivu, where large quantities of unexploded ordnance remain in Bukavu, the provincial capital, as well as in Kalehe Territory. And that is, of course, threatening local and displaced communities, but also aid workers as they attemps to reach people in need.
HAITI
The human rights office in Haiti and the UN mission there – BINUH – have published a new report detailing the impact of the violence.
They say that between 1 January and 27 March of this year, at least 1,518 people were killed and 572 injured in Haiti due to attacks by gangs, operations by security forces, as well as acts of violence perpetrated by self-defense groups and unorganized members of the population.
The new report also focuses on repeated attacks in the rural areas of Kenscoff and some neighborhoods of Carrefour, two communes in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. They say those have resulted in serious human rights abuses.
According to our colleagues, gang members displayed extreme brutality, aiming to instill fear on the population.
As an example, they executed men, women, and children inside their own homes and shot others on roads and paths as they tried to flee the violence, that includes an infant according to our colleagues. Sexual violence was also committed against at least seven women and young girls during the planning and execution of those attacks by gang members. The gangs also ransacked several homes and set fire to more than 190 of them.
These attacks forced more than 3,000 people to flee their localities.
WORLD HEALTH DAY
World Health Day kicks off today with a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign aims to urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
And just to note that a UN report “Trends in Maternal Mortality” was released today by our colleagues at UNFPA, with data highlighting how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world.
