UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/en/briefing/sg/2026-04-07 Rwanda, Sudan, Abyei & other topics - Daily Press Briefing — 7 April 2026 Language: en Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record. --- UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [0:00]: Good afternoon. Um, we had scheduled to have Imran Riza join us from Beirut, but given everything that's going on here, we didn't want to overload you, so we'll have him, he will brief you tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on the situ- in here virtually from Beirut on the humanitarian situation, which as you will hear, continues to be tragic. Um, today is the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide, excuse me, sorry, two seconds, just... Today is the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This year marks 32 years since one of the darkest chapters in human history. In 100 days, more than 1 million people were systematically killed, overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide. Today we honor the memory of those who were murdered and stand with the survivors. This morning a ceremony was held in the General Assembly Hall organized by the Department of Global Communications in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations. Our Chef de Cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General, underscoring that genocide shows where his path can lead when words are weaponized, the world waits too long to respond. The Secretary-General stressed that we must do more than remember the dead, we must protect the living by defending truth and rejecting the narratives that makes violence seem unaccept- seem acceptable. He called on all countries to become parties to the Genocide Convention without delay and to implement it fully. Um, we've been promising you the results, or at least the preliminary results of the investigation that led to the killing of a number of our peacekeeping colleagues in Lebanon, and I can tell you that regarding the incidents that took place on March 29th and March 30th, which tragically took the lives of three of our brave peacekeepers from Indonesia, and as a reminder, they were Majors Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, First Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ikhwan, and Corporal Farizal Ramadan, I can share with the preliminary findings of UNIFIL at this stage. We have shared those findings with the governments of Indonesia, Israel, and Lebanon. Regarding the first incident on March 29th, based on the available evidence, including analysis of the impact site and notably the fragments of the projectile discovered in UN position known as 7-1, the projectile was 122 millimeter tank main armament round fired by an Israeli Defense Force Merkava tank from the east in the direction of Taybeh. It's recalled that to mitigate the risk to UN personnel, UNIFIL had again provided the Israel Defense Forces with the coordinates of all of our positions and all of our facilities, and that had been done both on March 6th and March 22nd. With reference of the incident on March 30th, based on the available evidence, including the analysis of the site of the explosion, the impacted vehicle, and a second impro- improvised explosive device that was discovered in the same nearby on the same day, that explosion we can- we can say was caused by victim-advocated, which is a tripwire IED. The investigation has assessed that given the location of the incident and the nature of the explosion and the current context, the IED was most likely placed by Hezbollah. Allow me to reiterate that these are preliminary findings based on initial physical evidence. The full investigation process of the UN continues, including required procedures and engagement with the parties concerned to understand the full extent and circumstances amidst the ongoing hostilities. Boards of Inquiry will be convened in both cases in accordance with established UN procedure. We once again reiterate our deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers and the government and people of Indonesia, and I know you all join me in wishing for full recovery to all those injured in these and other incidents. These incidents are unacceptable. We have requested with the relevant parties that the cases be investigated and prosecuted by national authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure criminal accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. Attacks on United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. All actors must adhere to their obligations to ensure the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers at all times. The inviolability of UN installations must also be respected. Meanwhile on the ground, I can tell you that we remain deeply concerned by the ongoing escalation between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces. UNIFIL peacekeepers report in their areas of operations continued exchanges of rocket and artillery fire, airstrikes, and clashes on the ground alongside an increased presence of IDF assets and forces inside Lebanese territory. UNIFIL personnel recorded a high volume of artillery and rocket fire across the area of operations with kinetic activity concentrated around Sector West and Sector East. Yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers encountered two incidents of aggressive behavior and interference with their mandated activities. In the Sector West, a logistical convoy was blocked on a road south of Baydah by IDF forces who fired warning shots, forcing our convoy to return to base. Late yesterday afternoon in Sector East, a second UNIFIL convoy was stopped at a roadblock southeast of Taybeh and threatened by IDF personnel who forced the peacekeepers out of their vehicles to inspect the content, and they seized two UNIFIL radios before compelling the IDF units to vacate the area. Once again, any intimidation or any interference with the mission's Security Council mandated tasks must stop immediately. We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities, and recommit to the full implementation of Resolution 1701. We have been exercising our good offices at all levels on this issue. Meanwhile on the humanitarian front, from which you'll hear a bit more tomorrow from our colleague Imran Riza, given the extremely deteriorating humanitarian situation, the World Health Organization and its partners continue to support the government of Lebanon in sustaining essential services. To date, nearly 70,000 health consultations have been provided, including more than 800 for pre and postnatal care. More than 51,000 patients have received medication and our partners have supported nearly 300 hospitalizations, including deliveries of newborns. Our humanitarian colleagues on the ground continue to report attacks on healthcare facilities, which have devastating consequences. Since March 2nd, the World Health Organization has recorded 100 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in 54 deaths and 145 injuries among active healthcare workers. These incidents put frontline workers at extreme risks and discourage people from seeking care, that has obviously serious consequences for public health. We cannot underscore this enough, international humanitarian law is clear, medical facilities and personnel must be respected at all times. Heading south to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that we and our partners in Gaza continue to do our utmost to respond to people's needs in the face of persistent impediments and risks. You will have seen that the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros, has confirmed that a person contracted to provide services to WHO was killed yesterday. He said WHO suspended the medical evacuation of patients from Gaza through Rafah to Egypt until further notice. The incident is under investigation- is under investigation. Dr. Tedros called for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, and remind us that peace is actually the best medicine. Meanwhile our colleagues working on mine action tell us that last week they carried out nearly 70 assessments of ex- of explosive hazards to support debris removal and humanitarian operations by our agencies as well as NGOs. They also reached nearly 12,000 people across the Gaza Strip with information on the risks of explosive ordnance. However, they still cannot carry out the full range of explosive ordnance disposal activities, largely because some of the required equipment has not been allowed in. OCHA says that a wider range of essential items must also be allowed into Gaza to expand services and to reduce risk to aid workers and other civilians. Um, turning to Sudan, we and our partners are delivering essential supplies to displacement sites, and currently UNICEF and WHO supporting vaccination campaigns in the Kordofan region, following similar campaigns in Darfur carried out back in February. We are concerned that rising measles cases in crowded sites for displaced people are further straining already fragile health, water, and sanitation. Our partners are responding, but insecurity, fuel shortages, and damaged infrastructure make operations extremely difficult. Those efforts have been further hampered by the recent destruction of a warehouse of health supplies in White Nile State, which has disrupted delivery of critical medicine, as well as acute fuel shortages in South Kordofan are de- are delaying services and driving up costs. At the same time, escalating violence in several parts of the country is driving new waves of displacement. In Blue Nile State, thousands of people have been forced from their homes in recent weeks. Some have crossed into Ethiopia, while others shelter in schools, public buildings, and informal sites. The International Organization of Migration estimates that over 28,000 people have been displaced since mid-January because of clashes, including more than 4,000 people just in the past 10 days. Those arriving in the state capital, Damazine, face acute shortages of food, healthcare, shelter, and heightened risk of violence and abuse, particularly for women and girls. Insecurity has also cut off key supply routes, including the road between the cities of Rahad and Dilling, disrupting both the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial good deliveries. And we've also seen reports about the reopening of the road between Dilling and North Kordofan, however situation remains highly fluid with fighting reported in recent hours. Civilians remain under threat and sustained access for humanitarian assistance remains critical. Despite these challenges, we and our partners are continuing to respond, but the situation underscores the urgent need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with international humanitarian law. We call for immediate cessation of hostilities, rapid, safe, and unimpeded sustained humanitarian access to all those in need. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, continues his consultations, he's still currently in Nairobi. In Abyei, in an encouraging display of cooperation signals hope for stability, leaders from the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities have signed a declaration of intent with the UN Interim Force in Abyei, and that is to curb the to- curb the spread of weapons in the disputed region. The agreement underscores the shared commitment with UNISFA to provide- to support a weapons-free Abyei, including efforts to remove unauthorized armed elements and advance community-led peace initiatives. UNISFA stresses that dialogue, not arms, remains the only viable path to disputes and remain committed to supporting inclusive efforts to strengthen security and stability for all communities. Our Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is in Nigeria, where she's begun high-level engagements with senior government officials to strengthen cooperation on sustained development, peace and security, and humanitarian priorities. Her visit provides an opportunity to assess the wider impacts of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including its ripple effect on energy, livelihoods, and economic stability, and to highlight how strengthened public sector collaboration is helping to cushion these shocks and support resilience. Yesterday, she and our UN colleagues in Nigeria visited Dangote Industries in Lagos to see firsthand the impact on fuel prices, fertilizer supply, and agricultural livelihood as well as economic stability. At a time where fertilizer supplies has been disrupted, higher fuel costs are straining the transport of produce to markets, Nigeria's production capacity demonstrates how public-private collaboration can help cushion shocks, sustain livelihoods, and strengthen resilience. While there, the Deputy Secretary-General also met with Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and discussed among other matters, women's leadership and representation, including the special seats bill for women in parliament, as well as UN support advancing these priorities. Yesterday, she also participated virtually in an informal meeting of the plenary of UN80 Initiative, where she updated member states on the preliminary findings of the merger assessments of UN Women and UNFPA. And this week, at the invitations of the executive governors, she will travel to Benue and Zamfara states. These include regions conti- these regions continue to face significant challenges, including insecurity, climate-related pressures, and disruption to livelihoods. Both states she will engage with senior government officials and affected communities while observing firsthand the work of UN and supporting livelihoods, building resilience, and advancing sustainable development at the local level. She will be back here on Sunday. Quick update from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where on Sunday in Ituri, our peacekeepers responded to an attack by the CRP armed group on a Congolese army position in Loda, and they repelled the armed group. The mission also established a position nearby at a nearby junction, preventing any further advance towards the site for displaced people in Loda. In this part of the country, peacekeepers continue to repel attacks by armed groups, notably by the conv- by the CPR, CPR and the CODECO armed group. Between the end of March and sun- this Sunday, they responded to attacks against civilians across eight localities as well as two sites holding displaced people. To strengthen rapid response and deploy robust patrols and provide shelter displaced persons, the mission has set up six mobile operating bases in Djugu and Irumu territories since March 22nd. Over the past year, the mission has provided temporary shelter and protection to nearly 10,000 civilians across Ituri in line with its protection of civilians mandate. And quick update from Ukraine, where our humanitarian colleagues tell us this morning a strike on a public bus in Nikopol in Dnipro killed several people and injured dozen others. This is according to what local authorities are telling us. Our humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, again stressed that under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected as they go about their daily lives. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that civilians were also impacted in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. Our humanitarian partners responded in Nikopol and Kherson by providing first aid, psychological support, and evacuations of injured to hospitals. In Kherson, they also provided emergency shelter material. And here in Haiti, sorry, closer to here rather, in Haiti, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the recent violence we told you about in the Artibonite department has now triggered a new wave of displacement, not surprisingly sadly. According to latest estimate from the International Organization for Migration, more than 13,000 people have been displaced in the impacted areas. Most of them, four out of five, have sought shelter with host families, while the rest have settled in 16 displacement sites. Together authorities and our partners, OCHA is supporting people in need, but access constraints, limited resource continue to hamper the humanitarian response. And just to keep focus on a tragic situation which remains underreported, the International Organization for Migration today said more than 180 people are feared dead or missing in the latest Mediterranean shipwrecks, with total death in 2026 now nearing 1,000. This makes it one of the deadliest starts to a year since 2014. IOM notes that in the Central Mediterranean alone, around 765 people have died this year, 460 more than during the same period last year, that's an increase over 150 percent. The International Organization for Migration notes that search and rescue capacity remains insufficient, urging stronger coordination to save lives at sea and calling for expanded legal migration pathways to reduce reliance on dangerous crossings. And today is also World Health Day. This year's campaign led by WHO is themed Together for Health, Stand with Science, highlighting the vital role of scientific collaboration and evidence-based actions to protect the health of people, animals, and the planet. While we are at it... United States of America · Hamer [18:38]: Thank you. So, um, if a country is bombing another country's civilian infrastructure, does that constitute a war crime? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [18:51]: I think we've been very clear that that is a clear violation of international law. United States of America · Hamer [18:57]: If the United States does that to Iran, would that be a war crime? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [19:02]: Look, I think we've been, Secretary-General is very troubled by the statements that we've heard yesterday and again this morning, statements suggesting that an entire people or an entire civilization may be made to bear the consequences of political and military decisions. There is no military objective that justifies the wholesale destruction of a society's infrastructure or the deliberate infliction of suffering on civilian populations. The Secretary-General reiterates that conflicts end when leaders choose dialogue over destruction. That choices still exist, and that those choices must be made now. He calls for stepped-up diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful way forward to the conflict in the Middle East, and as a reminder, Jean Arnault is traveling to the region to support these efforts, and I hope to have an update on his travels a bit later on today. And- and of course, again simultaneously, the Secretary-General calls for freedom of navigation to be reestablished immediately in the Strait of Hormuz, and I think as he told you recently, when the Strait of Hormuz is strangled, it is the world's poorest and most vulnerable that cannot breathe. United States of America · Hamer [20:24]: You mentioned President Trump's statement earlier today. The wording is obviously very extreme and there's a lot of rumors around what it actually means, including if that means that he's ready to even like drop a nuclear bomb or something. In that regard, what's the SG's message to President Trump? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [20:41]: Well, I mean, listen, I have no way of reading the intentions of world leaders more than- more than you do. I can obviously we were deeply troubled by the statements to say the least. We have repeatedly said here that destruction of civilian infrastructure, targeting of civilians, the- the threats that we are are all violations of international law, international humanitarian law. What is a crime, what is not a crime, will have to be determined once something takes place, and we very much hope that none of the threats that were verbalized will actually be implemented. Italy · Stefano [21:29]: Yes, is a follow-up. Last week when the Secretary-General went to the stakeout, he did the um a statement, you told us that the that was not a response, a direct response to what President Trump had said the the evening before, that he had said basically the same phrase, because saying that you would go back to the Stone Age is the same thing that say the end of a civilization. So my question is, last week he didn't think he had to respond directly. Why he didn't respond directly but just let it leave it to you this morning going to the stakeout and say something directly to President Trump? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [22:18]: Why who didn't- why who didn't respond directly? Italy · Stefano [22:22]: The Secretary-General. Why didn't do... UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [22:25]: The Secretary-General was not at the stakeout this morning. Italy · Stefano [22:28]: No, I... UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [22:30]: I don't understand your question. Italy · Stefano [22:31]: I just saying that the Secretary-General, why he didn't call journalists like he did the last- last week and come and came to the stakeout and responded directly like he didn't do according to your wording, didn't do last week, he had already prepared... UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [22:48]: I- I speak for the Secretary-General, I'm here, I'm speaking to you, I will leave it to you to- to analyze and to look through the- look through the tea leaves, but I'm reacting I think in a way that's as direct as- as we can be. Italy · Stefano [23:03]: And then a question. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [23:05]: Oh, that was the question. Another question. Italy · Stefano [23:07]: This is- no, that was, yeah, this is a direct question. Does the Secretary-General think that President Donald Trump is out of his mind? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [23:15]: I'm not going to answer that question. I think what we want, what we all need is a return to sober dialogue, sober analysis, and sober action. Namo. Iraq · Namo [23:30]: Stefano. What is the Secretary-General's response to a drone strike that targeted a residential area in Erbil a few like hours ago, killing a young couple who had two children, and the attack the KRG says was carried out by armed groups that are on Iraqi government's payroll? And- and what's your response to Kurdish concerns that if the government in Baghdad cannot or will not protect them, who will? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [24:02]: Look, I hadn't seen those reports. If there was such a strike on civilian targets, we of course condemn it, and I think we've been very clear on calling out strikes on civilian targets, especially those that lead to- to the death of civilians. We have no doubt that the government of Iraq will do what it can to protect all of its citizens. China · Ray [24:26]: Uh, my name is Ray, I'm journalist with 21st Century Business Herald, based in China. So, my question is that given the recent escalation of Iran and US conflicts, what is the Secretary-General's current position at this moment on the situation? Can you just briefly summarize it in one sentence? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [24:46]: On the current conflict? China · Ray [24:48]: Yes. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [24:49]: Well, I mean, I think I said it before, is that this conflict needs to end, leaders need to choose dialogue over destruction, and he calls for stepped-up diplomatic efforts. China · Ray [25:03]: And how can United Nations facilitate this dialogue? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [25:06]: Well, I mean, as mentioned, Secretary-General is sending his personal envoy to the region, Jean Arnault is on his way there, I spoke to him just a few minutes ago. We should have an update on his- on his efforts. China · Ray [25:20]: Yes, uh, just one more, one more follow-up questions. So, during geopolitical conflicts, developing countries are the most vulnerable of vulnerable countries to be hurt. So, what concrete steps can United Nations plan to take to improve global either financial or geopolitical stability? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [25:38]: Well, couple of things. One, as you know, the Secretary-General launched an initiative led by his head of the UN Office for Project Services, UNOPS, Jorge Moreira da Silva, to try to create a mechanism that would allow at least for the export of fertilizer and material needed for fertilizer out of the Strait of Hormuz and- and for humanitarian goods to go in. For the last 10 days, Mr. Moreira da Silva has been deeply engaged in these discussions, as has had the Secretary-General last week. Also our country teams at the local level are working with governments to see what can be done and to help guide them in order to mitigate that impact. China · Ray [26:25]: Thank you. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [26:26]: You're welcome. Israel · Avni [26:27]: Mr. Avni. Um, since that door was open, two questions on war crimes. First of all, is are threats can be considered war crime? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [26:38]: Listen, I don't pretend to- to be a lawyer at this podium. The threats as you refer to are- are referred to in Article 2 of the Charter, and I think the Secretary-General has called them out. We talk about the violations of international law, we talked about things being potential war crimes. What is a crime or what is not a crime will need to be determined by a court of law at some point. Your next question. Israel · Avni [27:09]: So the second question on the same issue is is targeting civilian structures that also serve as military serve military purpose, is that a war crime? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [27:27]: Look, all of these things will be analyzed, and I- I think I would refer you to what I said earlier this week about civilian targets that may have a military component that are overwhelmingly civilian cannot be targeted. Also, as we have said and we've called out in different conflicts, militaries should not be, and I use a non-legal term, hiding behind civilian civilian infrastructure. So, you know, you're raising a lot of important issues, but what is clear is that when there is a an open targeting for civilian infrastructure against civilian infrastructure, open targeting of energy sources that are used for civilian purposes, those we feel are violations of international law. Israel · Avni [28:21]: Do civilian installations that are used for military purpose use that kind of lose that kind of protection? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [28:31]: I- I think I would refer you to what I said yesterday at this on that issue. Noreen and then Ahmed. Jordan · Noreen [28:36]: Um, quickly on Mr. Arnault. Can you just, I don't know if you mentioned it already or not, but can you just tell us exactly where he is headed in the region? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [28:45]: I will ask you to- to expect a little bit of anticipation, and I will all will be relieved hopefully later today or tomorrow morning. Jordan · Noreen [28:56]: I have a follow-up. Um, can we expect Mr. Arnault to speak to the press anytime soon? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [29:02]: I think we will share Mr. Arnault's location and the people he's meeting. I think he will likely have a more substantive press briefing after he comes out of his initial consultations. Egypt · Ahmed [29:16]: Yes, please. Thank you, Steph. Um, on the subject of UN-led initiatives for peace, we saw the Security Council fail to adopt a resolution today on the situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz. It seems that two different interpretations are emerging regarding the resolution's implications. You have a set of member states contending that such a resolution would enhance maritime security and deter Iran's chokehold over the strait, while another consensus holds that the resolution would set a precedent of condoning violence in the strait. Does the Secretary-General have any response to this and does he align more with the latter view? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [29:54]: What the Secretary-General aligns with is international law. And what he wants is a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with full freedom of navigation for all. Okay, Abu Sufyan. Bangladesh · Abu Sufyan [30:08]: You're muted. Benny, you come in halfway, you leave before the end. I mean, thank God I don't take things personally. Go ahead. Go ahead. Bangladesh · Benny [30:28]: Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Okay. Thank you. Myanmar is now led by a new government and Bangladesh also formed a new government nearly two months ago. The Rohingya crisis is considered as a regional security threat. What is the UN Secretary-General's advice to both countries for resolving this issues? UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [30:44]: So, to resolve which- resolve which issue? Bangladesh · Benny [30:49]: Rohingya crisis. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [30:51]: The Rohingya crisis. Look, I think it is clear that Bangladesh has been extremely um extremely generous in hosting what I believe is over a million refugees, when Bangladesh has its own struggles, development struggles to- to deal with. As for- as for Myanmar, we want to see a return not only to democracy, but also the building of a society where every every person from Myanmar regardless of religion or ethnic background feels that they belong and feel that they are protected by the state. Refugees will go back when they can go back in a way that is that is safe, that is voluntary, and that is dignified. Thank you. Khalas.