Noon briefing of 20 November 2025

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

THURSDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2025

SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT 

The Secretary-General will be heading today to the annual G20 Summit meeting.  

At the meeting, hosted by the Republic of South Africa in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 November, the Secretary-General will address three sessions. The first one is titled, “Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind: Building our economies; the role of trade; financing for development and the debt burden”; and the second one is titled, “A resilient world – the G20’s contribution: Disaster risk reduction; climate change; just energy transitions; food systems”. The last session will be on "A fair and just future for all: Critical minerals; decent work; artificial intelligence”.    

While in Johannesburg, the Secretary-General will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of leaders attending the G20. Tomorrow, Friday, at 5 pm, local time, he will speak with the media ahead of the G20. The press conference will be live on UN Web TV.           

From South Africa, the Secretary-General will head to Luanda, for an official visit to Angola, which celebrated its 50th anniversary just last week. During the visit, the National Assembly will hold a Special Session to hear an address by the Secretary-General.  

While in the capital, Luanda, the Secretary-General will also participate in the 7th session of the African Union-European Union Summit. He will hold a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and will also meet other leaders attending the Summit. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL/COP30 

This morning, at his press encounter at COP30 in Belém, the Secretary-General said that over the past days, he has met with world leaders, ministers, negotiators, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and young people from every region, and one thing is clear: We are down to the wire, and the world is watching Belém. 

The Secretary-General pointed out that communities on the frontlines are watching too, counting flooded homes, failed harvests, lost livelihoods, and asking: how much more must we suffer? 

The Secretary-General strongly appealed to all delegations to show willingness and flexibility to deliver results that protect people and keep 1.5 degrees alive. No delegation will leave Belém with everything it wants, he said, but every delegation has a duty to reach a balanced deal. 

His full remarks have been shared with you.     

Also this morning, the Secretary-General met with the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, Shri Bhupender Yadav, as well as with the Minister for Climate Change and Energy of the Commonwealth of Australia, Chris Bowen MP. 

Yesterday afternoon, he had meetings with Ministers from the group of Least Developed Countries and with the Group of 77 and China Ministers. The Secretary-General also met, separately, the Minister of Environment and Energy security of Italy, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Minister of France for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on climate and nature, Monique Barbut, the Secretary of State for Climate of Poland, Krzystof Bolesta, and the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Carsten Schneider. 

HAITI 

From Haiti, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that as the country continues to see alarming levels of gender-based violence, survivors and those at risk have very limited access to the essential support they need. This is due to insecurity, access challenges and funding shortfalls. 

Between January and September, over 7,400 cases of gender-based violence were reported in Haiti – an average of about 27 per day, according to our partners.  

Sexual violence made up just over half of the cases, (about 3,700) and with nearly two thirds of these involving gang rape (about 2,500). Two out of every three victims were displaced people. 

During the same period, our humanitarian partners were able to reach only 7 per cent of the 833,000 people we aim to reach with specialized support to address gender-based violence this year – or just over 54,000 people in total.                           

The response remains critically underfunded, with an overall gap of $13.5 million – 70 per cent of the over $19 million needed for this year.  

If that funding is not received, nearly 780,000 women and girls – including survivors of gender-based violence and those at risk, will go without these critical services, including the clinical management of rape, mental health and psychosocial support, case management, legal assistance, safe spaces for women and girls, and dignity kits.  

Our partners also warn that persistent insecurity and access challenges continue to prevent many survivors – including people with disabilities and women living in remote areas – from receiving timely, confidential and adequate support. 

Despite these constraints, humanitarian organizations continue to scale up life-saving services, including psychosocial support, medical care, safe spaces for women and girls, mobile clinics, legal assistance and the distribution of dignity kits. Between January and September, more than 32,000 information and awareness-raising sessions have been conducted, and some 560 front-line workers have received specialized training. 

OCHA continues to work closely with our partners addressing gender-based violence in Haiti – as well as with national authorities – to ensure that survivors can safely access essential services. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned about strikes in which civilians were reportedly killed and injured yesterday – including children. We’ve seen horrific images none of us ever wanted to see again. It’s a stark reminder of how fragile the ceasefire is, and why civilians must always be protected and spared from harm. 

Meanwhile, OCHA says that despite impediments that remain, aid groups are pushing hard to reach as many people as they can with critical assistance.  

As of Monday, the daily number of meals distributed has reached 1.4 million. This is up from fewer than a million meals just a month ago. The UN is currently supporting a network of 27 partners running nearly 200 kitchens across the Strip – and the scale-up continues. 

Our partners leading on nutrition say the number of sites offering outpatient therapeutic feeding for children with acute malnutrition has jumped from just seven before the ceasefire to 146 today.   

Shelter support is also ongoing. On Monday alone, partners distributed more than 4,000 tents, 39,000 tarpaulins, 28,000 bedding items and hundreds of clothing items to families in need.  

Child protection teams have been busy, as well. On Monday and Tuesday, they reached more than 2,700 displaced children and 1,700 caregivers with services ranging from mental-health support and counselling to recreational activities, targeted follow-ups for vulnerable children, and help to prepare for the winter.  

More than 50 children at heightened risk received additional support, including registration, referrals and access to essential services.            

Among them were children who are unaccompanied or were separated from their families, those heading households or living with war injuries, and others lacking parental care or facing neglect.  

OCHA stresses that despite all this work, what the UN and our partners can currently provide is still far from enough. The situation remains extremely dire.  

To give you an example: On Sunday and Monday, partners leading on-site management carried out a quick survey of displaced families staying along the shore in Khan Younis and the Mawasi area of Rafah. That’s an area hosting more than 4,000 households. Early findings show that because there’s no proper system for disposing of fecal waste, many people are forced to use the sea as a toilet. At the same time, rising sea levels are pushing into tented areas and risk submerging whole sections, while strong winds have already knocked down multiple tents.  

OCHA says that while the UN and our partners seize every opportunity to help people in need, we also continue to negotiate and call for greater humanitarian access. Under our humanitarian plan for the ceasefire, aid operations rely on visas and permissions to bring in supplies – for both the UN and NGOs. And a wider range of equipment and essential goods must be cleared for entry, through all available crossings and routes. 

UKRAINE 

Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo left Ukraine and tweeted that as she leaves the country, she was deeply moved by the bravery and resilience of its people. They have survived loss of loved ones, devastation and daily hardships. The UN, she said, remains firm in its call for an immediate ceasefire as a starting point toward a just, sustainable peace. 

The Security Council will meet at 3:00 pm for a briefing on Ukraine. The Officer in Charge for DPPA’s Europe, Central Asia and Americas Division, Kayoko Gotoh, will brief, along with OCHA Director Edem Wosornu. 

CYPRUS 

Earlier today, the Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhüman, met for the first time as leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. 

The meeting took place in the UN protected area and was facilitated by the Head of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus, Khassim Diagne. 

The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, also participated in this meeting virtually. 

Our colleagues say this was an opportunity for the two leaders to have their first exchange of views in a cordial atmosphere. 

They looked forward to the visit of Ms. Holguín and agreed to have a joint meeting with her when she will be on the island in early December.           

They also expressed their readiness to work towards the next informal meeting in a broader format, to be convened by the Secretary-General. 

SUDAN 

Turning to Sudan, where conditions in North Darfur State remain appalling.  

More than 100,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas since late October, when the Rapid Support Forces took over the city. Many remain unaccounted for. 

Those who escaped El Fasher are arriving at displacement sites where conditions are as you can only imagine extremely dire and the scale of needs is massive.  

The UN and its humanitarian partners are providing vital aid to displaced families, including food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. In Tawila, the town that is hosting large numbers of people who fled El Fasher, UNICEF has reached more than 3,500 patients with health and nutrition services since late October, and screened nearly 800 children for malnutrition and supplied 150,000 litres of water daily to meet the needs of 20,000 people.   

Meanwhile, escalating hostilities throughout the Kordofan region continue to force families from their homes. On Tuesday, more than 600 people were displaced from two villages in North and South Kordofan states, while access to the region remains severely constrained. Across North Kordofan, violence has displaced nearly 40,000 people between October 26th and yesterday, that’s according to the International Organization for Migration. And in South Kordofan, key cities, including Dilling and Kadugli, the state capital, remain under siege, leading to acute shortages of food and medical supplies for people who remain there. 

We continue to call for safe and unimpeded access to deliver life-saving assistance to Kordofan, Darfur and all other parts of Sudan where communities need urgent support. We also appeal to donors to scale up funding to meet the growing needs. 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is alarmed by escalating violence in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri provinces, both in the east of the country. 

In North Kivu, hostilities have intensified in Lubero territory, where more than 45 people have been killed since November 14th, following attacks on several villages. This is according to local humanitarian partners and community leaders. 

In one particularly horrific incident that night, a health centre was attacked, leaving at least 17 people dead, including patients, according to local civil society. Our partners also report that two health workers were kidnapped, medicine looted, and the facility set on fire. 

This surge in violence in Lubero has forced more than 30,000 people to escape their homes in less than a week, and families continue to flee today amid fears of further attacks.                

Insecurity is also hindering humanitarian access, but our partners are conducting assessments and delivering assistance where they can. 

Our partners working on water and sanitation are rehabilitating water sources in the locality of Manguredjipa, which continues to host displaced families. Conditions remain dire: access to safe drinking water is below 40 per cent, heightening the risk of waterborne diseases and forcing women and girls to travel long distances to fetch water, exposing them to increased risk of sexual violence. 

In neighbouring Ituri province, two attempted armed attacks on the Lolwa hospital in Mambasa territory were reportedly thwarted. Since the start of the year, more than 240 civilians have been killed and over 114,500 people displaced. 

OCHA condemns, in the strongest terms, these attacks on civilians and on health facilities.      

We reiterate our call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Attacks on civilians and health facilities are unacceptable and must stop immediately. 

UN80 

And I have been asked yesterday about updates to the UN80 initiative.  

I can tell you that tomorrow, at 3:00 pm, our colleague Guy Ryder, the Under Secretary-General for Policy is scheduled to brief Member States on the initiative, more specifically, on the UN80 Action Plan.  

The Action Plan, which was published a few days ago, brings together the proposals from across the three workstreams of the UN 80 initiative under one roof.  All this to facilitate the process and to strengthen alignment and accountability.  

The document is available online, on the UN80 website.   

INTERNATIONAL DAYS

Today is World Children’s Day.  In his message, the Secretary-General reminds us that every child has equal rights, wherever they live. The future depends on how we care for the next generation.  

On this Day, and every day, let’s listen to children, amplify their voices, and work together to build a safe, equal world for every child on this planet. 

Today is Africa Industrialization Day. In his message, the Secretary-General highlights Africa’s determination to transform economies and build a sustainable future, with women and youth driving green industries, despite challenges like climate change, debt, and insecurity. 

Today is World Philosophy Day. A reminder to do what humans do best, which is: think. Think with purpose and ask questions freely and boldly. 

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION 

Uganda paid up its payment to the Regular Budget in full. This brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 143.