Secretary-General/Trip Announcement, Haavisto, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

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Thank you. It's been a long time. I may have a little bit of news for you today. You're waiting. You're waiting. You've been waiting for Godot for a long time, Ephraim. All right. Good afternoon. On Monday, my guest will be Winnie Byanyama, the Executive Director of UNAIDS. She'll be here in person as on Monday she will also brief the General Assembly's high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS, which will take place from the 22nd to the 23rd of June. The Secretary-General will arrive in London on Monday, where he will attend a series of events taking place during the London Climate Action Week. He is expected to deliver a special address on climate and energy on Tuesday morning, outlining how renewable energy offers the clearest route to energy security, affordability, and resilience. The Secretary-General is expected to underscore that it is clear that our world is facing a climate crisis and an energy crisis, which on the surface may seem separate but share the same destructive force, and that is fossil fuels. During his visit, the Secretary-General will also participate in other events, including the Global Energy and Electrification Summit and the Local Leaders Summit, as well as the Climate and Development Finance Forum 2026. We expect the Secretary-General to attend a Super Pollutants Reception, which will be done in the presence of His Majesty King Charles III. While in London, the Secretary-General will also hold bilateral meetings with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper. He will also meet with leaders attending— various leaders attending the London Climate Action Week. He'll be back in New York on the 24th.

You—

I think, Ephraim, you had asked me about contacts regarding Sudan, and I can tell you that the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Pekka Havisto, spoke with the Commander-in-Chief of the Rapid Support Forces, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, otherwise known as Hemeti, and that phone call took place just a short while ago, earlier today. The Personal Envoy, during the phone call, underscored the need to urgently de-escalate the situation in Obaid and avoid any actions that may further worsen the already dire humanitarian situation and put civilian lives further at risk. He emphasized that the focus of the parties to the conflict should turn towards advancing dialogue to end this war. They also discussed the latest political developments, including the recent quintet-facilitating engagements with Sudanese civilian stakeholders that took place in Addis Ababa. The Personal Envoy is also engaging member state partners with influence over the parties to the conflict to encourage their commitment to genuine dialogue and convey as a matter of urgency that an attack on Obaid must be avoided. We reiterate the call made by the Secretary-General yesterday to restraint— for restraint from all parties in the Obaid area and to take all necessary measures to respect and protect civilians. We must not allow the horrors that we saw in al-Fasher to be repeated in al-Obaid. Uh, and just a bit more on the situation on the ground in the capital of North Kordofan State. We have seen further reports of drone attacks overnight., and for now the area remains inaccessible. Our humanitarian colleagues and their partners are focusing on moving food and other supplies into the city while preparing for the potential movements of large numbers of people in the immediate area. And for those who've been asking about our presence in, in Obaid, I can tell you that we do not have a permanent presence in the city. However, despite access constraints, our humanitarian partners are still working on the ground, staying and delivering with the World Food Programme and others to move assistance there to help residents in an area that hosts more than 100,000 displaced human beings. Turning to Lebanon, I can tell you that we are, of course, aware of the reports indicating that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, and we welcome such developments. We continue to call on the parties to cease hostilities, respect existing ceasefire arrangements and pursue dialogue as the only viable path to long-term security and stability on both sides of the Blue Line. UNIFIL confirms that its own leadership is in constant contact with the parties through agreed mechanisms. Yesterday, UNIFIL detected 52 violations of the Lebanese airspace by the Israeli Defense Forces. Peacekeepers also recorded 217 projectile trajectories, 188 were attributed to the IDF, 29 to Lebanese non-state actors, presumably Hezbollah. From midnight until 4 PM today, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported significant escalation with 748 trajectories detected. Of these, 695 attributed to the IDF, 53 to non-state actors, again presumably Hezbollah. Thank you. Most of which were launched from outside of UNIFIL's area of operations. During the same period, peacekeepers also recorded 49 violations of Lebanese airspace and 51 airstrikes by the Israeli Defense Forces. They've also continued reporting extensive IDF ground activity throughout the mission area of operations, including armored movements as well as engineering and logistical operations. On the humanitarian front, UNIFIL, through its liaison branch and its coordination with OCHA, facilitated 8 humanitarian missions in Sector West yesterday. This week, UNIFIL also scaled up delivery of food and other essential assistance to people displaced in the mission's area of operations. They're also currently residing— and also people currently residing outside collective shelters in various northern locations. On the 16th and 17th of June, hundreds of displaced families in Beirut and surrounding areas received assistance from UNIFIL, and that included food parcels. Our humanitarian colleagues warn that for many displaced families, ceasefire announcements have yet to translate into improved safety or the ability to return home or just stay home. People continue to flee amidst the ongoing insecurity. On the coastal city of Saida this morning, during a joint visit by the French and British ministers of development, who were joined by Imran Riza, the humanitarian and resident coordinator for the UN. They visited a collective shelter. Site managers told them that many families who'd initially left following the recent agreement have now returned. In one shelter, nearly half of the families who had departed earlier this week were reported to have returned as of this morning, with others indicating that they also plan to come back. Thank you. Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, briefed the Security Council yesterday afternoon. He told members that civilians in Gaza cannot wait for a more convenient diplomatic movement to receive the basics for survival, warning that Gaza is being held together by humanitarian workarounds and Palestinian perseverance. And he said that this is unsustainable. He also said that Palestinians in Gaza remain deprived of the basics that all families need, that is safety, that is shelter, clean water, healthcare, and education. Mr. Fletcher said that Palestinians are being squeezed into an ever-shrinking strip of land, that their lives are now shaped by the indignity of the constantly shifting so-called yellow and orange lines that define— Thank you. Where they can actually be and seek refuge. Speaking about the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he warned of an intensification of discriminatory policies and practices directed against Palestinians. Meanwhile, on the public health front in Gaza, partners have seen a further increase in diseases related to ectoparasites, and those are parasites that live on people's skins. They've also seen a further increase in diseases related to rodents. all of that in recent weeks as temperatures climb and sanitation services remain inadequate. In the second week of June, partners trained nearly 100 people in multiple displacement sites on how to better detect and report disease. At a time when our partners are exhausting stocks of pesticides and rodent killers that they, that they brought into Gaza last month, procurement of new supplies is underway. However, the lack of chemicals for indoor spraying leaves shelters exposed. These and other items require approval from Israeli authorities to be brought into the Gaza Strip. Moving to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the situation regarding Ebola. Our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are sounding the alarm over the deteriorating conditions in displacement camps across the province of Ituri.— overcrowding and poor sanitation in these sites are heightening the risk of further Ebola transmission. More than 270,000 people, mostly women and children, are sheltering in over 60 sites across the province. Many of these sites lack adequate access to water, to sanitation, and to health services. We've received reports from local partners that between the 17th and the 18th of June, at least 13 people died in two camps in Bunia. Response teams are urgently investigating whether these deaths are linked to Ebola to ensure that appropriate response measures are put in place. Since April, since April, at least 62 deaths have been reported in camps in the city. These deaths are recurring amid a broader Ebola flare-up in Bunia, where mistrust of health facilities, congestion, and gaps in prevention measures, and unsafe handling of bodies continues to drive transmission risks among people in displacement camps. in the camps. This is particularly concerning in Ituri, as Ituri Province remains the epicenter of the outbreak, accounting for more than 90% of confirmed cases. As of June 17th, authorities have reported 896 confirmed cases across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. OCHA and partners are working with local authorities to strengthen community engagement, scale up sanitation and efforts in the camp, But current measures are insignificant given the scale of the needs. The Ebola epidemic is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader humanitarian crisis, which we speak to you about almost every day. The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan, which calls for $1.4 billion, seeks to respond to the full spectrum of humanitarian needs, including food security, protection, water, sanitation, healthcare, and education for 7.3 million people. Our appeal is currently just over half funded with $745 million received. We need more. Trip announcement from our peacekeeping colleagues: the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will be in Kosovo this coming Monday and Tuesday. He will then go on to Serbia on the 23rd and 24th of June, and Bosnia-Herzegovina on the 24th and 25th. Thank you. The visit will be an opportunity to engage with our Mission in Kosovo, UNMICK, as well as to discuss UN peacekeeping, multilateral arrangements, and support for peace and stability in the region. Mr. Lacroix will meet with senior officials, international partners, UN colleagues, and he will visit UN-supported project sites during his visit. Starting Monday, we will mark the first-ever Peacebuilding Week here at the UN. It marks the important milestone of 20 years since the inaugural meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission and the establishment of the Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund. This week is an opportunity to recognize the work of peacebuilders across and beyond the UN system, take stock of lessons learned, and look ahead to the partnerships and actions needed to meet today's peacebuilding and prevention challenges. And just to flag, there will be dozens of events in New York and around the world to mark the week, notably a General Assembly debate on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Lots more on the peacebuilding website, and you're also invited to an exhibit to mark the 20 years that will be on display through 26th of June in the Vienna Café. Also related to this, on Monday at 1:30 PM, there'll be a briefing here in this room by Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office, Omar Hilal, the Permanent Representative of Morocco and the current Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission; Mr. Ihab Mustafa Awad Mustafa, Permanent Representative of Egypt; and Samuel Žbogar, the Permanent Representative of Slovenia. Tomorrow is World Refugee Day. In a message, the Secretary-General says we recognize the millions of refugees forced to flee war, persecution, disaster, and that solidarity must go beyond words. Solidarity, he stresses, means boosting humanitarian development support, expanding protection and durable solutions such as resettlement, and upholding the right to seek asylum, which is a pillar of international law. The Secretary-General says that becoming a refugee is never a choice, but how we respond is. For his part, Bahram Saleh, the High Commissioner for Refugees, pointed out that every day refugees contribute to communities that have welcomed them. Give them— given the opportunity, he said, they rebuild their lives and help strengthen societies around them. Those messages are available to you. Today is the International Day of the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Sexual violence against children is one of the 6 grave violations against children identified and condemned by the Security Council. In his message, the Secretary-General says that conflicts escalate across the globe, a shocking number of girls and boys fall victim to rape, to sexual slavery, forced marriage and human trafficking. To end this abomination, he says, it requires protection, it requires accountability and it requires prevention. Children must never be targeted in war, he underscores, protecting them is illegal and moral imperative for every combatant in every country. And two interesting days on Sunday. Sunday is the International Day of Yoga.

Ah.

This year marks the 12th International Day of Yoga with the theme Yoga for Healthy Aging. That's for both of us, Efraim. [LAUGHTER] Which emphasizes the importance of yoga for all ages. In his message for the day, The Secretary-General underscores that yoga teaches us mindfulness, respect, and care for ourselves, for our planet, and for one another. He encouraged us to extend that care to older members of our human family and build a world where every generation can lead a healthy life. Lastly— One of my favorite days of the year, Sunday is the International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice. Solstices and equinoxes symbolize fertility of the land, agricultural —cultural heritage, and their celebration embodies the unity of centuries-long traditions across the world. On this day, cultural diversity is celebrated as the common heritage of humanity, aiming to be recognized, benefit present and future generations. Ephraim, thank you.

Thank you, Steph. I don't know if I'm mistaken, but I think I listened correctly I listened carefully to what you said, and you didn't mention the 50 people who were— who got killed yesterday in the Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon. Do you have any comment on this round of fighting?

We continue to condemn and to be horrified by the killings of civilians in Lebanon.

And on Sudan, you mentioned that the humanitarian teams are moving food. Near the city and they're intensifying their presence around preparing for a potential exodus of the population. I wonder if that means that Mr. Arnault's appeal to the RSF leader—

Mr. Havisdoe.

Havisdoe's appeal to the RSF leader has fallen on deaf ears.

Look, I think Mr. Havisdoe has long experience in Sudan, had spoken to Hamedti before. He made a very strong appeal. There's still time for this operation not to take place, but I think our humanitarian colleagues are doing the responsible thing, which is getting ready for the worst while hoping for the best. Madame, and then we'll go to you.

Just to follow up on that. Did Mr. Avistow call the Ayatollahs especially about this situation in Al-Obaid?

Yes. Yes. Evelyn and then Minlouk.

The agreement that the United States and Iran are working out is supposed to have an impact on Lebanon, and it doesn't look like it. Does the SG think that this will have a big impact soon?

We— I think we've all read the text of the agreement. We very much hope that calm will return to Lebanon. We also saw reports a few hours ago that from American sources that ceasefire had been agreed to. We hope that will come into place. I think the people of Lebanon need peace, they need time to rebuild, they need to rebuild their lives. The government of Lebanon needs to reassert its authority over its full territory, and the people of northern Israel need to be able to go home in safety as well. Sorry, Min Lui, and then Alex.

So still following on Israel— Israel's— Israeli strike on Lebanon, and because of that, the U.S. and Iran talk has been postponed again. Does the SG have any comment on that?

Well, I mean, I think we're seeing a lot of things play out in real time, right? We saw the announcement that the talks in Birkenstock had been postponed, then we saw that there was an agreement for a ceasefire. We hope that all of the parties to this conflict like will understand that the most important thing right now is to end this conflict. That is the important thing above all else.

Alex.

Thanks, Steph. Uh, got a couple questions. NBC says that the investigation into the deadly strike on Iranian school, Minab, is in its final stages, but the report could remain classified. What's the opposition?

Look, I think in any act in a war that sees a killing of civilians, there needs to be accountability and there needs to be transparency.

All right. May I have one more?

Why should you be different than anyone else?

I don't know. It's up to you.

I know. It's okay.

Thanks. It happened last week, but I wasn't here, so sorry for that. Ukrainian President Zelensky signed a law removing the Russian language from the list of the languages protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. So how do you assess this law and the broader policy?

Look, as a matter of principle, we believe in cultural freedom, linguistic freedom, diversity of language and culture in any country is something to support.

The last one, a follow-up. Go ahead.

On the Secretary General's trip to London, You mentioned His Majesty the King, but not the Prime Minister, Sama?

He saw the Prime Minister. We saw the Prime Minister in London in January. I think there are scheduling issues. This is not a bilateral trip to the UK. It is a trip focused on London Climate Week. It is only normal that while he's there for London Climate Week, he also meets with senior members of His Majesty's government, so he'll be meeting with the Foreign Secretary, Ms. Cooper. Thank you, Ambassador. All right. Anyone else? Enjoy Friday and Saturday and Sunday and the solstice and the yoga.