HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 28 APRIL 2025
FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
This morning, the Secretary-General, as you heard, spoke at the Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development.
He said that, as we prepare for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla in July, we are facing some harsh truths: donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments, the Sustainable Development Goals are dramatically off track and high borrowing costs are draining away public investments.
But, the more dangerous truth is that collaboration is being questioned with the ongoing trade wars. The Secretary-General said trade is a prime example of the benefits of international cooperation, and trade barriers are a clear and present danger to the global economy and sustainable development.
These are tough times, he said, but it is in difficult periods that the imperative for responsible, sustainable investment is even more critical.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed is in Montevideo, Uruguay. Today, she met with the President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, to discuss the country’s development priorities and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Later today, she will meet with several Government Ministers to discuss the partnership between the United Nations and Uruguay. She is also meeting youth groups, civil society, and of course the country team of the United Nations.
And over the weekend, she chaired the annual regional retreat with UN Resident Coordinators from across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ms. Mohammed will leave Uruguay later today and will be back here tomorrow evening.
VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ASSOCIATIONS’ NETWORK
This morning, our friends at the Office of Counter-Terrorism launched the Victims of Terrorism Associations’ Network. This is an initiative that brings together victims of terrorism and victims’ associations from across the globe to drive collective action to support victims’ rights and needs.
The network aims to provide a safe space for victims and survivors of terrorism to support each other, build resilience and engage as advocates, as educators, and as peacebuilders.
The development of the network was supported by a financial contribution from Spain.
The network was launched during an event this morning – and it is already available on UN Webtv. More information on the website of the office of Counter-terrorism.
TRUST FUND IN SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
The annual report of the Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse was published.
The Trust Fund is managed by the Secretariat, by the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC), and helps to fund gaps in assistance to victims and children born of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel in peace operations as well as in humanitarian and development settings.
The report details psychological, medical or legal support provided in the past year to over 4,300 community members, including children fathered by UN peacekeepers and helped with income-generating activities.
The Trust Fund is also raising awareness on the risks of misconduct among up to 89,000 community members living in the vicinity of UN premises in the Central African Republic, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Haiti, Liberia, Guatemala and South Sudan.
Since its establishment in 2016, the Trust Fund has received over five million US dollars, including voluntary contributions from 25 Member States and payments withheld following substantiated allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel.
We continue to appeal to Member States for additional funding for this important work.
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
This morning, at the International Court of Justice, our Legal Counsel, Elinor Hammarskjöld, presented to the International Court of Justice the key legal points of the UN’s written statement on the relevant obligations of Israel as a Member State of the United Nations and as an occupying Power. The UN’s written statement was submitted on 27 February of this year.
The Legal Counsel made clear that all parties to a conflict, not just Israel, must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, at all times.
Israel has an obligation to agree to, and facilitate, relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including those of the United Nations. Humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and they must be protected.
The importance of these proceedings goes well beyond the present situation. The Court will be called to address certain crucial issues related to the protection of the work of the United Nations on the ground – not just in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, but elsewhere in the world.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation on the ground in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that ongoing Israeli attacks have reportedly killed or injured scores of Palestinians in recent days and damaged civilian infrastructure. And as the Legal Counsel just told the International Court of Justice, we stress once again that under international humanitarian law, civilians – including aid workers – must be protected.
Humanitarian operations continue to be severely constrained due to the ongoing military operations, as well as the blocking of aid and commercial goods; that blocking became total more than eight weeks ago. As stocks dwindle, partners are doing everything possible to reach people with what supplies are still available.
Our partners tell us that over the weekend, 16 additional community kitchens had to close, despite their efforts to adjust menus, reduce portions or mobilize support from the community.
More kitchens are expected to close this week as they run out of supplies. People in Gaza rely on these meals as their only consistent source of food assistance. As you’ll recall, last week, WFP announced the depletion of its stocks, warning that it would force kitchens to close within days.
And again, as Ms. Hammarskjöld told the court in the Hague, Israel, as the occupying power, has clear obligations under international law, which include ensuring food, medical supplies and public services are available, and facilitating humanitarian relief when those are not otherwise supplied.
Meanwhile, there has been an increase in reports of looting incidents, amid the desperate humanitarian situation and the lack of commodities. Over the weekend, armed individuals reportedly looted a truck in Deir al Balah and a warehouse in Gaza City.
As more than two million people face severe food shortages, the UN and our partners say that the latest famine review analysis of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) started this week.
Across Gaza, our humanitarian partners are warning that the nutritional situation is worsening. Since the start of the year, about 10,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children have been identified, including 1,600 cases of severe acute malnutrition. Although treatment supplies remain available in southern Gaza, operational and security restrictions make efforts to access them extremely difficult to say the least.
Meanwhile, thousands more families are estimated to have fled in response to another displacement order issued by Israeli forces on Friday for western areas of Gaza governorate.
UN partners supporting water, sanitation and hygiene services tell us that while they continue to provide water through more than a dozen distribution points, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in water production over the past three weeks due to fuel being inaccessible or located in hard-to-reach areas, which is obviously impacting the ability to extract water from wells.
OCHA reminds us that the depletion of critical stocks in Gaza goes far beyond food. One example is trauma-related medical supplies, which are running out at a time when the number of people injured in mass casualty incidents continues to increase. There is a lack of surgical supplies. Our friends at the World Health Organization’s tell us that their warehouse has run out of therapeutic milk, intravenous antibiotics and painkillers, as well as spare parts for ambulances and oxygen stations.
Further, on the health response, our partners also warn that an increasing number of critical staff are being denied access to Gaza. They’ve seen a rise in the denial of entry for emergency medical teams, particularly highly specialized professionals – including orthopedic and plastic surgeons – and a recent restriction of movement across Gaza.
On the education front, last week’s displacement orders affected learning for more than 2,500 students and dozens of teachers. The directives also hindered access to urgently-needed mental health support and recreational activities for children. Since the end of the ceasefire, more than 90,000 students and 2,000 teachers have been impacted by the displacement orders.
LEBANON/ISRAEL
The UN notes with concern the continued Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, including the one in southern Beirut yesterday. Once again, we urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from activities that endanger civilians and jeopardize the cessation of hostilities.
And I can tell you that the Office of the Special Coordinator in Lebanon continues to engage with all stakeholders to de-escalate and prevent tensions.
Again, we reiterate the importance for everyone to fulfill their obligations under Security Council resolution 1701.
YEMEN
The UN is deeply alarmed by reports of air strikes hitting a detention centre holding migrants in the Sa’dah governorate and that reportedly took place overnight. We are saddened by the tragic loss of life where many of these migrants are believed to have been killed and injured.
According to preliminary information, 68 migrants were killed and another 48 injured. These numbers could increase as search and rescue efforts continue, which are being led by front-line responders.
While our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have not been operating at this particular facility, they remain committed to closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to offer support if needed.
Furthermore, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that there are reports that hospitals in the area are overwhelmed due to their limited capacity. Two nearby hospitals have already received more than 50 injured people, many of them critically wounded. These strikes pose a growing risk to the civilian population in Yemen. We have also received reports of eight people killed and another six injured, including women and children, in Bani Al Harith district in Sana’a governorate on Sunday.
We continue to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.
SUDAN
In Sudan, the UN is gravely concerned about the plight of civilians fleeing Zamzam camp, as well as the dire situation in and around El Fasher, which is in North Darfur.
As you are aware, famine conditions have been identified in Zamzam and other displacement sites in the area – and key humanitarian partners had been forced to suspend operations due to severe insecurity during the latest wave of violent attacks.
We continue to receive alarming reports of serious protection issues, such as arbitrary arrests, harassment and intimidation at checkpoints controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. In El Fasher itself which remains under siege, with ongoing shelling of civilians.
Today, local sources in El Fasher are reporting a further intensification of attacks in the area, although information on civilian casualties is not yet available. We reiterate that international humanitarian law must be respected.
All parties must ensure and facilitate, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, including to El Fasher itself. Civilians, including, humanitarian workers, must be protected, and safe passage must be ensured.
Meanwhile, authorities in Sudan’s Northern State are reporting the arrival of thousands of people from Zamzam camp and Al Malha town in North Darfur, and from Om-durman in Khartoum.
The majority of those displaced people are seeking safety in poorly-constructed shelters, while others are being hosted by family or friends. They are relying on just one meal a day and in dire need of food, in dire need of sanitation, water, nutrition, shelter, and every other possible support.
AFGHANISTAN
Moving to Afghanistan, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is currently there. Yesterday, he met the de facto Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Kabul. They discussed how climate change is deepening the humanitarian challenges facing the country, as well as progress made in tackling insecurity and drugs. Mr. Fletcher, of course, stressed the plight of Afghan women remains and that it remains a top priority, underscoring that development is impossible without girls’ education and their full participation. Our humanitarian colleagues note that across Afghanistan, some 23 million people – more than half of the population in the country – need life-saving assistance , at a time when the UN and partners are grappling with deep funding cuts. And you have been hearing from Ambassador Rae, and from Filippo Grandi. In a social media post, Mr. Fletcher stressed that we remain determined to deliver for the Afghan people.
Today, he met with humanitarians who deliver critical aid in the country. He also met with the de facto Minister of the Economy, Din Mohammad Hanif, and the de facto Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi. They discussed the impact of funding cuts on aid programmes, the need to reduce bureaucratic restrictions, the crucial role of women in the humanitarian response and the ongoing arrival of Afghan returnees from Pakistan.
MYANMAR
In Myanmar, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that one month after devastating earthquakes struck the country – more than 6 million people need urgent assistance in the most impacted areas.
In some places, many people remain too afraid to go back into their homes, worried they could collapse at any moment with the ongoing aftershocks. At least 55,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and countless people continue to live in the open, sometimes in makeshift tents, exposed obviously to harsh weather.
We and our partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance. Since the earthquakes, at least 600,000 people have been reached with safe water, with sanitation and hygiene support. Nearly half a million people received food assistance, and more than 115,000 people received shelter and other critical support.
This is a critical moment for the response. Additional and quick disbursement of resources and sustained access to all communities are vital to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further.
We encourage donors to give generously to that humanitarian appeal and all others.
COLOMBIA
Moving to South America, our humanitarian colleagues report that there is a surge in yellow fever cases across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru. The Pan American Health Organization says there have been 189 confirmed cases and 74 deaths reported this year alone.
In Colombia, the Government declared a public health and economic emergency, with at least 83 cases and 37 deaths already confirmed.
The Government is leading the response, supported by the Pan American Health Organization, providing emergency management, public health surveillance, vaccination campaigns and prevention, clinical care and risk communication. More than one million vaccine doses have already been administered, including to older adults.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, you heard from Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, who briefed Security Council members. He said that from Sudan to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Myanmar, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haiti, violence has become the defining currency of our age. He said that according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 120 conflicts rage unabated.
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Today is World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
A new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights how emerging technologies help improve efficiency and well-being – such as robots assisting in surgeries - while at the same time underscoring the need to ensure these technologies are implemented safely and equitably.
RESIDENT COORDINATOR – SAMOA
The Secretary-General appointed Karla Hershey of the United States as the UN Resident Coordinator for Samoa, with the host Government’s approval. She started on 26 April and will also coordinate UN development operations in the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.
She brings more than 30 years of experience and we congratulate her.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
The Dominican Republic and Rwanda paid their contributions to the regular budget in full, bringing the number of fully paid-up Member States to 97.
**Briefings today
Bob Rae, the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and also the Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, and Navid Hanif, the Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), briefed reporters ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FFD), which is taking place at Headquarters and which the Secretary-General addressed earlier today.
At 1:45 p.m., Ambassador Harold Agyeman, the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations and Chair of the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, briefed reporters.
At 5:30 p.m., at the Security Council stakeout, there will be a press encounter with Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). They will be brief reporters after the Security Council private meeting.
