Noon briefing of 26 November 2025

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 2025

GUINEA-BISSAU

In response to questions about the situation in Guinea-Bissau, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General is following the situation with deep concern. He appeals to all national stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau to exercise restraint and respect the rule of law. The Secretary-General will continue to closely follow the situation in the country as it unfolds.

DAVID MALONE 

The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the passing of David Malone. His decade of service as Rector of the United Nations University marked the culmination of a distinguished career devoted to international cooperation and scholarship.  

Under his leadership, UN University strengthened its role as a center for policy-relevant research, advanced gender parity, and forged trusted partnerships across the United Nations system. His vision and dedication contributed significantly to initiatives such as Our Common Agenda and to advancing digital transformation in the developing world.   

Mr. Malone’s legacy will endure as an inspiration to all who work for a more just and sustainable future. The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.  

SUDAN 

Turning to Sudan. The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra is preparing to travel to Port Sudan and Addis Ababa next week. He has been in regular contact with the parties and continues to encourage them to engage in a genuine dialogue to advance peace, he is also working closely with regional partners, including the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, otherwise known as IGAD, and the League of Arab States. 

The urgent need for better protection of civilians in Sudan is and will be at the forefront of all of his discussions. Our humanitarian colleagues also continue to call for safe and unimpeded access to deliver assistance to people in need across Sudan, including Kordofan and Darfur.      

On the ground, the situation in El-Fasher remains dire. Our colleagues at the World Food Programme are currently supporting families who have fled to five areas surrounding El Fasher, including Tawila.  

Distributions are also ongoing for families who have arrived in more distant locations like Dabbah in Northern State and even as far as Khartoum. Currently, 1,485 metric tonnes of food and nutrition supplies, enough for about 130,000 people, are en route to Tawila via the Dabbah Crossing in Northern State.  

This is in addition to the regular support that WFP has been providing to people who fled El Fasher or Zamzam earlier this year.     

Meanwhile, fighting continues to drive large-scale displacement in the Kordofan areas.  

Our colleagues with the International Organization for Migration tell us that on Tuesday in South Kordofan State, more than 1,800 people were displaced across multiple localities. And in North Kordofan, heightened insecurity there uprooted nearly 40,000 people from different parts of the state between October 25th and November 18th. 

Despite the escalating hostilities and access challenges, humanitarians are doing everything they can to support people in need across Kordofan. In North Kordofan, the OCHA-managed Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) has released more than $5 million to support four international NGOs who are providing critical services including health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as food production, shelter and protection. 

Throughout the Kordofan region this year, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund has allocated $33 million to support projects that reach some 1.6 million people in the hardest-hit areas. 

We continue to encourage donors to step up their contributions as needs deepen. The year is nearly over, and of the $4.2 billion humanitarian appeal, was just over a third funded, with only $1.4 billion in the bank.  

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 

From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are raising the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating situation in South Kivu province, particularly in Fizi and Mwenga territories. 

OCHA’s latest access report shows that persistent fighting among armed groups and restrictions during the second and third quarters of 2025 have severely limited humanitarian access – or made it impossible in some places. This includes the localities of Minembwe and Itombwe, as well as the Hauts Plateaux area. 

Since May, these areas have faced near-total isolation due to severe restrictions imposed by armed groups, including the closure of key roads linking the locality of Fizi to Minembwe and the denial of access to humanitarian organizations. Reported threats have also forced a number of NGOs to withdraw from the areas.                                       

As you can imagine, the impact of these restrictions on civilians has been devastating. In the locality of Minembwe alone, more than 170,000 displaced human beings are cut off from essential services. The health system is struggling to cope with prolonged medicine shortages. At Minembwe Hospital, children accounted for 60 per cent of all deaths between July and September of this year – that is 25 children-, and the mortality rate for severe acute malnutrition has reached nearly 30 per cent.  

OCHA says that the food security situation is also deteriorating rapidly. Road blockages have caused the price of basic staples to skyrocket. Sugar prices have increased six-fold and the cost of cassava flour has more than tripled since January of this year. 

Our partners have prepositioned supplies, including medicine and nutrition kits, in neighboring towns, but they cannot be delivered due to lack of access due to the insecurity.     

We urgently call on all parties to urgently protect civilians and ensure safe, unhindered humanitarian access so that life-saving aid can reach those who are trapped by violence. 

UKRAINE 

Turning to Ukraine. UNICEF tells us that more than 340 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed this year alone in Ukraine. 

This brings the total number of schools damaged or destroyed to 2,800 since February 2022. Our colleagues note that these numbers only include UN-verified incidents, so the true number is likely higher. 

Protecting schools and children’s right to education is not optional during war; it is imperative. Our UNICEF colleagues say that in Ukraine, 4.6 million children currently face educational barriers.  

UNICEF’s response, alongside that of the government and local partners, has enabled more than half a million children to access inclusive formal or non-formal education, including in-person safe learning, which helps them catch up on lost learning through remedial education. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to Gaza. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that hostilities continue in parts of the Gaza Strip, resulting in reported casualties and disruptions to aid operations. Yesterday, we and our partners coordinated with Israeli authorities eight humanitarian movements inside Gaza. While one movement was facilitated, the seven others were either impeded, denied or cancelled.   

Despite these challenges, we managed to collect more than 200 pallets of medicine and five tankers of fuel from the Kerem Shalom/Kerem Abu Salem crossing, along with additional tents from the Kissufim crossing.  

Every delivery into Gaza makes a significant difference. As you know, not a single hospital in Gaza is fully functional. Only half of the hospitals, only 18 out of 36 hospitals, are partially operational.                                         

On Monday, teams from the World Health Organization facilitated the medical evacuation of 33 Palestinians in need of critical attention and over 100 companions. However, there are still more than 16,500 patients who need to receive medical care outside of Gaza. WHO continues to call for safe access through all evacuation routes, particularly to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and for medical evacuation convoys to be expedited at crossings. 

Meanwhile, our colleagues at UNRWA continue to provide learning activities. As of Sunday, the agency is running nearly 350 temporary learning spaces across 64 shelters in Gaza, providing in-person learning for more than 47,000 boys and girls.   

Humanitarians continue to deliver critical support.  

We once again call for unimpeded humanitarian access so that teams can reach everyone they need. We and our partners can do much more as soon as restrictions on relief items and aid groups are lifted.   

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT DAY 

Today is World Sustainable Transport Day, a reminder that the road to a better future starts with cleaner and greener ways to get around that help reduce pollution.  

Sustainable transport can be as simple as taking a bus or train to work, opting to walk or cycle, or using an electric or hybrid vehicle. Small choices add up to a healthier planet. 

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION  

We say thank you to our friends in Suva for their full payment to the Regular Budget.  Fiji’s payment brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 145. 

**Guests Today and Briefing Note 

The guests at the Noon Briefing were Elizabeth Spehar, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, and Ambassador Macharia Kamau, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Fund’s Advisory Group.  They briefed reporters on the Peacebuilding Fund’s recent activities. 

And today, both the General Assembly and the Security Council adopted by consensus identical resolutions on the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review. 

Tomorrow is 27 November. It is American Thanksgiving, and it is a public holiday. The UN Headquarters will be closed, there will be no Noon Briefing. 

On Friday, 28 November, there will be no Noon Briefing as well although the office will be open during hours in the morning and we will be always reachable in case of emergency. We will post updates online around noon.

Just looking forward to December 1st. At 1pm, there will be a briefing by Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of December.  He will be here to brief you on the Programme of Work. It will be an in-person briefing only.