HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Secretary-General just arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to start off his Ramadan solidarity visit. Tomorrow, he will meet with the Chief Adviser of the government, Muhammad Yunus and travel with him to Cox’s Bazaar. They will meet there with Rohingya refugees who have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Myanmar and also, they will meet with the host Bangladeshi communities who have been so generous in hosting them. The Secretary-General will also share an Iftar with the refugees, and he will also issue a call to the international community to step up their humanitarian assistance for these men, women and children who have already suffered so much.
And on Saturday in Dhaka, the Secretary-General will meet with youth and representatives from civil society. He will also have a joint press conference with the Foreign Adviser, Touhid Hossain.
SYRIA
Following the Constitutional Declaration issued by the Caretaker Authorities in Syria, the Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said he welcomes moves toward restoring the rule of law and notes that this development potentially fills an important legal vacuum.
The Special Envoy hopes the declaration can be a solid legal framework for a genuinely credible and inclusive political transition. Proper implementation will be key, he said, along with continued efforts to ensure transitional governance in an orderly manner.
In a statement, the Secretary-General said that 14 years have now passed since the Syrian people stood up in peaceful protest for their universal rights and freedoms, only to be met with brutal repression.
Mr. Guterres added that what began as a call for peaceful change turned into one of the world’s most devastating conflicts, with an incalculable human cost.
The Secretary-General spoke about the millions of men, women and children who were displaced and subjected to unimaginable hardship. Yet, the Syrian people never wavered in their steadfast and courageous calls for freedom, for dignity, and for a just future.
Since 8 December, however, we saw renewed hope that Syrians can chart a different course and the chance to rebuild, the chance to reconcile, and the chance to create a nation where they can all live peacefully and in dignity.
The Secretary-General said nothing can justify the killing of civilians, that we have been reporting in recent days. He stressed that all violence must stop, and there must be a credible, an independent, an impartial investigation of violations and those responsible must be held to account.
He added that the caretaker authorities have repeatedly committed to building a new Syria based on inclusive and credible foundations for all Syrians. Now is the time for action, he said.
He concluded by reiterating that we stand ready to work alongside the Syrians and support an inclusive political transition and we stand with the Syrian people towards the promise of a better Syria – for all Syrians.
TREATY ON STATE BORDER BETWEEN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC AND THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN
The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the signing of the Treaty on the State Border by the Presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan, and that took place today in Bishkek.
He congratulates the two countries on this historic achievement and commends their leadership, their determination and their political will to bring the decades-long negotiation process to a successful conclusion.
The Secretary-General looks forward to a sustained constructive engagement between the two countries towards fostering mutual trust, good-neighbourly relations and a peaceful future for their people and the broader region.
HAITI
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that levels of displacement are reaching a new high amid escalating violence Haiti.
According to the International Organization for Migration, in just three weeks – between February 14th and March 5th – more than 40,000 human beings were displaced in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. This is the highest number of people uprooted that has been recorded in such a short period since 2021, when the displacements due to gang violence began to be tracked by us.
Humanitarian operations face major access challenges due to security risks and the resource constraints.
OCHA warns that funding shortages are also leading to rapidly deteriorating conditions in displacement sites across Port-au-Prince.
An inter-agency mission, led by OCHA, visited the largest displacement site, which is currently home to more than 6,000 people. It found that many families have been displaced three and even four times, becoming increasingly vulnerable each time they are forced to move. Some families have only a single change of clothes for their children.
The site, located in an administrative building, has just four functioning toilets, while other camps even lack the most basic latrines.
In addition to the dire conditions, many of these sites are dangerously close to areas of active fighting. Last week, stray bullets hit a displacement camp, resulting in one person being killed and several others being injured, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced protection and immediate humanitarian support.
The $908 million Humanitarian Response Plan is only 5 per cent funded, with only $46.5 million in the bank. The people of Haiti need more resources and they need it now.
SUDAN/SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council met to discuss the situation in Sudan. They heard a briefing from the Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell. She focused on children who – as in every conflict – are paying the highest price in this particular conflict.
Ms. Russell warned that nearly two thirds of Sudan’s total population – that’s more than 30 million people – will require humanitarian assistance this year, 16 million of those 30 million are children. She issued a stark reminder that famine is occurring in hotspots in at least five locations in Sudan, with an estimated 1.3 million children under the age of five living in those areas.
UNICEF will need $1 billion this year to deliver support to 8.7 million of the most vulnerable children.
SUDAN / HUMANITARIAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is yet again sounding the alarm, because funding shortages are forcing the closure of community kitchens, which, as you can imagine, serve as a lifeline for millions of people across the country. Aid groups are telling us that more than 70 per cent of the 1,400 community kitchens in Sudan have ceased operations due to lack of funds, including in areas that are facing famine.
A striking example of what’s happening is in Zamzam camp – a place we speak to you about often. Zamzam, as you know, is near El Fasher in North Darfur. The camp is one of the locations where famine was confirmed last year. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the camp is estimated to be hosting some 500,000 displaced people. Severe food shortages have forced families there to consume animal feed just to survive. Our partners say that stocks of essential medicines and therapeutic foods have already run out, leading to rising levels of malnutrition. Medical supplies in the camp’s mobile clinics are also running out.
Meanwhile, recent heavy shelling and escalating violence have placed families at even greater risk and made humanitarian access nearly impossible. Across many parts of the country, these aid groups provide food, they provide basic health care and other critical support. Without them, hundreds of thousands of people are at increased risk of severe hunger. The budget required to sustain these kitchens and other essential front-line services provided at the community level is estimated at $12 million per month.
We renew our calls for an immediate de-escalation so that civilians can reach the life-saving assistance they need. As local health authorities in Al Fasher have said, stopping the hostilities is the only real solution to addressing the region’s worsening health crisis.
And again, and again, we are forced to reiterate the need for unimpeded access to those in need and additional resources to scale up response efforts. And we urge the international community to act now to prevent further disruptions to humanitarian support and curb the worsening food situation in Sudan. The situation is urgent, and increased funding is critical to saving lives.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, our humanitarian colleagues on the ground warn that the closure of crossings for cargo entry is having a serious impact on the UN and our partners’ ability to provide essential support for people in need. The longer this halt on aid into Gaza continues, the more dire the consequences on the ground.
Our partners report having to reduce food rations so as to prioritize assistance for as many vulnerable people as possible. The food security situation could sharply deteriorate unless the flow of aid into Gaza resumes as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, our partners implementing water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in Gaza say water trucking is continuing, so that people have access to clean water. On the sanitation front, partners report that access to the two main landfills, in Sufa and Juhr Al Diek, remains limited.
The World Health Organization warns that public health risks remain very high, including for communicable diseases, due to the overcrowding and poor sanitation. As of the end of February, 24 out of 32 environmental samples collected tested positive for vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2.
Amid a critical shelter situation, we and our partners continue to distribute available items to people in need. These include mattresses, tarps, blankets and bedding kits. Our teams are also carrying out assessments in the most vulnerable areas of Gaza to understand exactly what people’s shelter needs are.
Efforts are also continuing to ensure that hundreds of thousands of children who have missed out on many months of school are able to resume learning. This includes work to assess whether school buildings used as shelters are suitable to host in-person learning. However, severe shortages of education supplies continue to hamper these preparations, as we have been telling you.
Turning to the West Bank, the World Health Organization tells us that recent military operations have caused damage to health facilities – 20 of which are not functioning – and other critical infrastructure, leading to water contamination with sewage and water shortages in some areas.
Due to insecurity and destruction, our colleagues at UNRWA health centres in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps have remained closed since the start of this year.
Since January, WHO has verified 54 attacks on health centres in the West Bank, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries. Mobile clinics operated by health partners are providing services to 22 communities around Jenin refugee camp.
YEMEN
Hans Grundberg, our Special Envoy for Yemen, is continuing his engagements with all regional and international interlocutors. Yesterday, he concluded a visit to Riyadh where he met with the Saudi and Emirati ambassadors to Yemen, as well as the ambassadors of the permanent members of the Security Council to Yemen, as well as other senior officials.
Discussions obviously focused on Yemen and regional developments, including key political dynamics. Mr. Grundberg highlighted the need for coordinated regional and international support to foster constructive dialogue, ease tensions, and advance an inclusive political process.
Mr. Grundberg stressed the importance of unity and collective action in achieving a sustainable and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
In answer to questions on Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Spokesman said we are indeed concerned about recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We call on all political leaders to fully support and facilitate the work of state institutions in order to consolidate peace and ensure stability throughout the Bosnia and Herzegovina. We urge all relevant actors to exercise restraint, refrain from divisive discourse and actions and instead to commit to constructive dialogue and cooperation.
ETHIOPIA
And in answer to questions about the situation in Tigray, in Ethiopia. The Spokesman said we are monitoring closely the developments in Tigray.
We urge all parties to de-escalate the tensions, refrain from violence and engage in urgent dialogue.
We emphasize the importance of implementing the provisions of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement to achieve a sustainable peace in Ethiopia.
MEASLES / EUROPEAN REGION
I want to flag an interesting study from our colleagues at WHO and UNICEF on measles in Europe and Central Asia, and the numbers are high opening in a way. They tell us that 127,350 measles cases were reported in the European Region in 2024. This is double the number of cases reported in 2023 and the highest number since 1997.
WHO and UNICEF pointed out that measles cases in the region, comprising 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, have generally been declining since 1997, when some 216,000 cases were reported. In 2016, the number of cases had reached a low of 4,440. However, a resurgence was seen in 2018 and 2019, and following a backsliding in immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, cases rose significantly again in 2023 and 2024.
The UN agencies note that vaccination rates in many countries are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, increasing the risk of outbreaks. In 2023 alone, 500,000 children across the Region missed their first dose of the measles vaccine that should be given through routine immunization services.
WHO and UNICEF warn that measles remains a significant global threat. Almost 360,000 cases of measles have been reported for 2024 worldwide.
JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP
Applications are now open for the Dag Hammarskjöld fund for Journalism fellowship. Journalists from developing countries aged 25 to 35 can apply for the opportunity to report on the United Nations from the United Nations. The deadline is April 30th, anybody listening interested in applying should go to UNjournalismfellowship.org .
