HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 12 JULY 2024
UNRWA
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the UNRWA pledging conference here at Headquarters. His message was clear, that there is no alternative to UNRWA – which is the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza. He called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
Mr. Guterres noted that 195 UNRWA staff members have been killed, and that this is the highest staff death toll in UN history. Despite these and other obstacles, the women and men of UNRWA have bravely continued their work in whatever way they can.
For his part, Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General for UNRWA, sounded the alarm that the Agency’s ability to operate beyond August depends on Member States disbursing planned funding and making new contributions to the core budget.
As a reminder, for the occupied Palestinian territory emergency appeal – driven primarily by the war in Gaza – UNRWA is appealing for $1.2 billion to cover critical humanitarian needs until the end of the year. This appeal, and the emergency appeal for Syria, Lebanon and Jordan are less than 20 percent funded.
Mr. Lazzarini will be talking to reporters after the pledging conference is over - around 5:30 p.m. New York time.
GAZA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it took part in a mission to three sites in Gaza city today to assess the needs of people displaced in the wake of Israel’s latest evacuation orders.
That mission was led by the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Scott Anderson – with UNRWA, UNICEF, the UN Mine Action Service, the UN Department of Safety and Security, and the NGO ACTED also taking part.
The team said those displaced urgently need food, water, health care and protection.
The assessment team heard from women about the specific challenges they face, including lack of privacy and access to hygiene products, as well as difficulties feeding their infants.
They also witnessed how the lack of fuel is undermining aid organizations’ efforts to provide critical services to displaced families.
There has been a power outage in Gaza since October – the grid has not been functioning, therefore as you can imagine hospitals, bakeries, and water treatment plants and hygiene facilities, all are operating with generators that require fuel to be shipped in.
OCHA reports that active hostilities, damaged roads, access restrictions and a lack of public order and safety continue to prevent aid organizations from obtaining adequate supplies of fuel. Movement along the main humanitarian cargo route between the Kerem Shalom – or Karem Abu Salem - crossing and central Gaza remains extremely difficult. As a result, only a quarter of the fuel supply needed to sustain humanitarian operations this month has been accessible in Gaza as of Wednesday.
YEMEN
The Secretary-General earlier this week sent a message of solidarity to UN personnel in Yemen. He said that we remain profoundly concerned about the well-being of the Yemeni personnel from the United Nations, national and international non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, civil society and partners that are arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities.
It has now been over a month since the majority of them were arbitrarily detained, although four of UN staff have been detained since as far back 2021.
UN senior officials continue to work through all possible channels to secure the immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained.
We urge the de facto authorities in Sana’a to immediately and unconditionally release those detained.
The UN further requests that they are treated with full respect for their human rights, and that they are able to contact their families and legal representatives.
UN, national and international non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, civil society and other partner personnel should never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their mandates for the benefit of the people they serve.
To echo the message of the Secretary-General, the UN underscores once again the deep appreciation for the invaluable work done by the UN personnel and partners to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.
SUDAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned about a surge in displacement due to the ongoing fighting in Sennar State, in the south-east of the country.
Yesterday alone, armed clashes in the village of Maiurno forced about 100 families to flee their homes, according to sources on the ground. Civilian casualties were also reported.
The International Organization for Migration says that more than 150,000 men, women and children in Sennar have reportedly been displaced both inside and outside the state since June 24th.
The UN and its partners are supporting those who have fled the fighting in Sennar. So far, the World Food Programme has provided assistance to nearly 46,000 people displaced to Blue Nile State farther south, as well as some 3,000 people who fled to neighbouring Gedaref State.
WFP says the fighting in Sennar signals an alarming spread of the conflict eastward, towards Port Sudan.
OCHA once again underscores that the parties must de-escalate immediately and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law – to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access.
MALI
The United Nations along with its partners, continue to support the Government-led humanitarian response, despite access and funding constraints. OCHA estimates that during the first quarter of the year they were able to assist 600,000 people.
However, needs continue to rise, amid an influx of refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Burkina Faso – as well as the start of the lean season.
More than 1.3 million people in Mali are suffering from acute hunger – that’s IPC Phase 3 or higher. This includes more than 2,500 people who are facing catastrophic conditions – IPC Phase 5.
According to Government figures, more than 330,000 people in Mali are internally displaced as of the end of May. Although overall displacement has decreased slightly since the start of the year, it is still rising in some parts of the country. This includes areas impacted by insecurity in northern and eastern Mali, including in Bandiagara, Gao and Menaka. The vast majority of those displaced – some 86 per cent – are women and children.
Stepped-up funding for the humanitarian response in Mali is critical – as is an improvement in the security situation that will allow aid organizations to access and deliver assistance to people in hard-to-reach areas.
Six months into the year, the $700 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Mali is less than 19 per cent funded, with $130 million received to date.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic is reporting about the efforts, as part of a Community Violence Reduction project, to rehabilitate a number of bridges in the Kémo and Ouham-Fafa prefectures.
This initiative aims to help people move freely and it will also facilitate patrols and the movement of peacekeepers and security forces to boost protection of civilian efforts, including in isolated areas.
Identified as priorities by community leaders, the rehabilitated bridges have also reduced accidents and brought much-needed relief to local communities.
SECURITY COUNCIL / HAITI/UNOWAS
This morning, the Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the UN political mission in Haiti. The Secretary-General welcomes the Security Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2743 (2024), extending the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) to 15 July 2025.
Following the vote, the Security Council heard a briefing by the head of the UN office for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão.
SECURITY COUNCIL/COLOMBIA
Yesterday, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia briefed Security Council members on the situation in the country. He noted that the peace process that has inspired the world and brought historic progress to Colombia is facing challenges.
HURRICANE BERYL
On Hurricane Beryl, teams from OCHA and the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination, continue to ramp up the response and to work with authorities in Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica to complete assessments of the damage. The teams are also supporting the delivery of food, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits, among other supplies. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and in Grenada, access to remote islands continue to be a challenge due to limited electricity and impassable roads. The islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada lack electricity, which is hampering communications. There is an urgent need for generators.
Due to damage to emergency shelters on some of these smaller islands, people are seeking refuge in schools and churches. Meanwhile, evacuations to the mainland of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are ongoing.
GUATEMALA
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk will visit Guatemala from 16 to 19 July. He will meet senior Government and other State officials, including President Bernardo Arévalo, as well as members of the judiciary and Congress, and the Ombudsperson.
Mr. Türk will also meet with indigenous leaders, civil society groups, as well as victims of human rights violations.
He will also have a press conference on Friday 19 July in Guatemala City.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says escalating fighting along the front lines in the east and the south of the country continues to impact communities.
Yesterday, strikes in the Donetsk region, in eastern Ukraine, resulted in casualties on both sides of the front line, according to the Ukrainian administration and Russian-installed authorities. Multiple homes and education facilities were damaged.
Aid organizations immediately mobilized emergency support, including by providing bottled water and material to cover the damage to homes.
Meanwhile, in the south, an inter-agency convoy delivered four truckloads of food, hygiene supplies, clothes and other essential items to the frontline community of Mylove in the Kherson region.
Civilian infrastructure in the area has been severely damaged by ongoing hostilities, and several villages have been without electricity since 2022.
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Today is the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
Sand and dust storms (SDS) present formidable and wide-spread challenges to achieving 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Crucial to Earth's bio-chemical cycles and influenced by human activities like unsustainable land management and water use, Sand and Dust Storms also contribute to climate change and air pollution.
TODAY’S GUESTS
The noon briefing guests were Ms. Edem Wosornu, OCHA’s Director of Operations and Advocacy, together with Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s Director of Emergency Programmes, and Andrea Koulaimah, Director for Latin American and the Caribbean for the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, or ECHO.
They are currently visiting Haiti and they briefed about the humanitarian challenges the country is facing.
