Gulf, Pakistan, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right, good afternoon. You just heard from our guest. Tomorrow, our guest will be Leah Poggio, the Chief of Mission in Venezuela for the International Organization for Migration. She will join us virtually to brief you on the situation there before the—

following the earthquakes.

Starting off in the Gulf, I think where we just almost ended. The Secretary-General, I can tell you, is deeply concerned by the continuing military escalation in the Middle East region. He calls on all parties to take immediate steps for de-escalation and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The Secretary-General reiterates that a return to full-scale hostilities would exact an intolerable toll on civilians and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and security. And the global economy. And I think you heard from Maximo about the impact of what is going on in the Persian Gulf on the global economy. The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The exercise of navigational rights and freedoms must be respected by all parties in accordance with international law. I have a senior appointment to share with you today. The Secretary-General is appointing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain as co-chair of the SDG Advocates Group, and he will serve alongside the Prime Minister of Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley. The Secretary-General underscored the urgent need to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, and he welcomed Prime Minister Sanchez's leadership on advancing Sustainable Development. The SDG Advocates are an influ— are a group of influential leaders who support the Secretary-General in raising global ambition and action and to keep the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Secretary-General also expressed his appreciation to the former co-chair, who was the former— the Prime Minister of Canada at the time, Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Motley will continue her role as co-chair. Our colleague Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, has begun a visit to Pakistan to spotlight the growing impacts of the climate crisis and what it means for countries like Pakistan who are on the front lines of such a crisis. Earlier today in Islamabad, he met with Prime Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif and they discussed the diplomatic efforts underway in the Middle East as well as the delivery of aid through convoys across the border from Pakistan into Afghanistan and the partnerships on global preparedness— global disaster preparedness. Mr. Fletcher will also hold talks with the Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and other senior government officials, as well as with our various humanitarian partners. Mr. Fletcher will be in Pakistan for 4 days. Where he will meet with communities impacted by floods and the melting glaciers to hear directly from them about their needs for recovery efforts, locals, and local solutions. He is also expected to visit a community-based flood mitigation and preparedness initiative. He will also underscore the need to— for sustained international solidarity, including for the funding for preparedness and early action ahead of disasters, and invest in locally led climate adaptation initiatives. Turning to Sudan, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Havisto, is travelling to Uganda tomorrow, where he will engage with Ugandan authorities as well as key Sudanese stakeholders who are based in Uganda, and that will include civil society, women's groups, and representatives of refugees. Mr. Havisto is visiting a number of critical countries in the region, which have a pivotal role to play in supporting efforts to end the conflict and to advance a political solution. As regional engagements continue, a new report published today by the UN Human Rights Office underscores another driver of the conflict, and that is so— the so-called war economy that helps sustain the fighting. The report warns that the warring parties are increasingly profiting from the country's natural resources and from trade, The report specifically examines the trade in gum arabic, a key ingredient used in products ranging from soft drinks to cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, as a case study of the adverse human rights impacts of Sudan's war economy. Gum arabic remains an important source of income for millions of Sudanese. Yet Mr. Volker, our High Commissioner for Refugees— for Human Rights, said that Sudan's vast natural wealth should be benefiting its people rather than fueling conflict and suffering. The report points to the role of neighboring and transit states on the onward movement of Sudanese gum arabic. The High Commissioner urged governments and companies involved in the trade, including gum— Sudanese commodities, including gum arabic, to take stronger steps to ensure that their business practices do not contribute to human rights abuses or just help sustain the conflict and the suffering. Account for about 44% of all reported cases. Cases have spread from the rural districts of Bimbo and Baiki to all districts in the capital Bangui, which is heightening the risk of rapid transmission in such a dense urban area. The rainy season, low population immunity, limited access to safe water and sanitation, as well as the movement of people along the Ubangi River, are compounding the situation. The funding from CERF will fast-track life-saving interventions on health, community engagement, water sanitation, hygiene to reduce mortality and curb the spread of cholera. For its part, UNICEF has already provided cholera kits to treat up to 300 patients. It has also distributed 2,000 doses of oral rehydration salts and zinc for community-level treatment and installed additional tents to expand expand the capacity of national cholera treatments and referral centers from 40 to 70 beds. Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, OCHA teams there have received initial reports of an armed group entering a solid waste management site in the vicinity of the Al-Nusayrat in Deir al-Balah governorate. This reportedly happened earlier this week. A security guard working at the site was reportedly detained and questioned for approximately 30 minutes. Before being released. We reiterate that humanitarian personnel, premises, assets must be respected and protected at all times, and humanitarian operations must be able to continue safely without any sort of interference. Today, the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the OPT, Susanna Tekalek, joined a— led a joint humanitarian mission to a former UN school in Deir al-Balah. The school currently hosts about 18 displaced families and is located about 50 yards only from the so-called yellow line. The families reported living there for more than a year and a half, with access constraints hampering delivery of humanitarian assistance to them. OCHA reminds us that 1.4 million human beings are estimated to require long-term shelter support in Gaza, and that includes 850,000 people in need of emergency shelter. The Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator and the team met with women and men from the community to discuss their most pressing need. Their living conditions continue to be severely undermined by insecurity, the absence of alternatives, gaps in access to drinking water, food, healthcare, sanitation, and education. Our humanitarian partners are committed to mobilizing assistance to address this community's most urgent needs. Meanwhile, across Gaza, humanitarians continue to provide shelter assistance to displaced families. In the past month alone, more than 378,000 items, including tarpaulins, cleaning kits, and jerry cans, were dispatched by 30 partner organizations. However, without additional funding, depleted stockpiles cannot be replenished, putting further vulnerable families at even greater risk. Particularly as humanitarians prepare for winter. Only a small fraction of required winter stock is currently estimated to be available. Turning to the West Bank, access to education continues to be challenging, to say the least, and it is worsening. For over a year now, 6 UNRWA schools in Jenin and Nur Shams camps have been inaccessible. 6 schools in East Jerusalem have just been downright closed. 10 schools in Area C have been abandoned following full displacement of communities due to recurrent settler attack and related access restrictions. In the response front, WFP provided food vouchers and cash assistance to about 286,000 vulnerable people in June as repeated displacement, recurrent settler attacks, damage to homes and infrastructure, and access restrictions continue to drive humanitarian needs. 7,000 people with food assistance. The International Organization for Migration, from which we will hear from tomorrow, has supported camp management and coordination services for more than 6,000 people in temporary sites, while UNICEF and its partners providing safe water, sanitation, vaccination, nutrition, child protection for families impacted by the disaster. As you're aware, we've recently launched an addendum to the 2026 Humanitarian for Venezuela, which seeks an additional $288— $298 million to support 1.3 million people impacted by the earthquakes. We continue to appeal for sustained international support to address people's most urgent need and to support the recovery efforts of communities most impacted by the disaster. And this morning, Miroslav Jentscha, the head of our political mission in Colombia briefed the Security Council in person. He first acknowledged the significance of the democratic exercise just concluded in Colombia, adding that the high voter turnout is a sign of the strong desire of Colombians to make their voices heard within democracy that has become more inclusive and participatory in the framework of the peace process. Mr. Jenscha said the UN verification mission stands ready to engage with the new authorities and and to continue under its mandate to accompany national efforts to build peace and strengthen security. He also reiterated the call by the Secretary-General in his report for Colombians, and particularly their political leaders, to act with responsibility during the transition and to reduce tensions in any way possible. In the new political— as a new political chapter in the country Begins and as the peace agreement reaches its 10-year mark, the Special Representative called on all to accelerate and consolidate the progress to achieve lasting peace and security for the Colombian people. Full remarks were shared with you. And from Cuba, our humanitarian colleagues tell us they continue to monitor the impact of yesterday's nationwide power grid collapse, the 3rd in just one week and the 5th since the beginning of the year.

Yes.

We and our humanitarian partners continue to provide support. As of the end of June, 500,000 people in Cuba have received clean water, and over 900,000 had received food assistance from us and our partners. Repeated nationwide outages continue to disrupt access to electricity, clean water, and telecommunications, health services, and economic activity, further deepening humanitarian needs across Cuba. water pumping stations just stopped. The cities of Havana and Santiago de Cuba face severe water supply disruptions, mainly due to lack of fuel for pumping, which of course raises the risk of waterborne diseases. Currently, the UN Plan of Action for Cuba calls for $94 million to deliver life-saving aid to 2 million people. It is only 40% funded. A couple of interesting reports from WHO I want to flag. The first is actually a joint report from WHO and UNICEF, and it is their annual joint report on immunization coverage. The report reveals that an estimated 13.5 million children who did not receive a single vaccine in their first year during 2025— these children are called zero dose. This represents nearly 750,000 fewer children than the previous year. Meanwhile, data from 195 countries show that 100 countries have maintained at least 90% coverage of the 3-dose diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis DTP vaccine since 2019. 30 countries improved their rates over the past 6 years, and 65 are stagnating or falling behind, including 13 fragile, conflict, or vulnerable countries where more than half of all zero-dose children live. In these countries, immunization Programs are often strained by political upheaval, insecurity, war, chronic underfunding. And not surprisingly, in middle and high-income countries, even where vaccines are fully and easily accessible, coverage is slipping amid shifting political commitment, structural challenges, and rising— or rising hesitancy to give vaccines to children. WHO and UNICEF call on governments and relevant partners to strengthen immunization. especially in fragile and post-conflict settings, counter false and misleading information to fully support vaccine uptake acceleration, and increasing funding for immunization program. And WHO also today released updated guidelines on reducing risk for cognitive decline and dementia. More than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide. 10 million are diagnosed every year. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. While there's no cure for dementia, new data from WHO reveals that up to 45% of the risk can be attributable to modified— modifiable risk behaviors such as social isolation, physical inactivity. WHO recommends several healthy behaviors and lifestyle interventions to reduce dementia risk, including cognitive training, stimulation, as well as increased engagement in social activities like attending Thank you, everybody, for attending this briefing. Today is World Youth Skills Day. The theme this year is Skills for a Shared Future. In his message for the day, the Secretary-General celebrates the contributions of young people across the globe and calls for a commitment to giving young people the competencies our changing world requires. So they can actually build a better world for all of us and themselves. This is when you start asking questions. Or not. Pam and then Evelyn.

Thanks, Steph. Is there any back channel, front channel, any kind of talks between anyone in the Secretariat and the parties involved in the Strait of Hormuz? To lessen—

I mean, we continue to have contacts at various levels, you know, and we continue to all push in the same direction, which is an active return to diplomacy. I mean, I think what is going on in that region impacts everything, and I think Maximo was a perfect guest for today because he outlined not only what is going on today, but the impact that things will have in 6 to 8 months from now. All the things that we don't even know about that will be, that will be impacted. So it is, it is absolutely critical that there is a return to committed diplomacy. Evelyn, and then we'll go to CTV and Namoc.

Thank you, Steph. Is there, on the vaccines, and children being vaccinated. Is there a carve-out for the United States considering—

Well, I mean, I would encourage you to read the report. I think it talks about middle- and high-income countries where we're seeing increasing vaccine hesitancy for all sorts of reasons. And I think it bears repeating that, you know, we talk often here about our WHO and UNICEF colleagues who actually go out in the middle of war zones to reach children who need vaccines. And when you think of rich, middle-income, and high-income countries where people don't make that effort while in other parts of the world people are putting their lives on the line to vaccinate children, I think it's something to think about.

Where can one find the report?

It's online at who.int. Yes, ma'am, and then we'll go to you, Nama.

And I have 2 questions about the World AI Conference. And as we know, the Secretary General will attend this conference tomorrow. And what does he hope the conference will achieve?

I think for him, I think as we said in the trip announcement yesterday, it is another critical gathering of people people who will work to ensure that artificial intelligence is used responsibly and is used for the benefit for all. And we'll share his remarks with you shortly.

And my second question is about the China AI development. So China has become a very important player in the AI development. How does the United Nations view China's contribution to the global AI development? and international cooperation, especially in helping the development country— developing country benefit from this technology?

I think it is so important that artificial intelligence technology be shared and be developed in as many countries as possible, and that it be used responsibly and it be used for good.

Thank you, Stefan.

As FAO warns about the growing cost of a healthy diet, I wonder if the Secretary-General sees access to affordable, healthy diet a right that governments have a duty to guarantee.

Look, it is— governments have a duty to ensure that their people live freely and that they live healthily. Okay, yes, Islam.

Thank you, Stefan. On the UN website, there's a quote from the Secretary-General saying that we may be the last generation able to set the terms on which humanity and machines coexist. The door is still open, but it will not stay open long. Can you elaborate What scares the UN Secretary-General?

Well, I, I think, I think as the Secretary-General said, uh, in his speech in, in Geneva, is we can't say we don't know what the risks are of artificial intelligence, right? Of all this technology, uh, it is clear for all to see. And that's why it is incumbent on member states, on the scientific technology, on civil society, society to work together to ensure that this awesome technology— and I mean awesome in the sense of the power of the technology— be used responsibly for the benefit of all, and that the levers of power are not just in the hands of a few individuals.

And another topic, Turkey today marks the 10th anniversary of the failed coup, July 15th coup attempt, the day which widely regarded as a turning point for the country's democracy. Does the Secretary-General have any message to the people of Turkey on this anniversary?

I don't have anything specific to say except that the Secretary-General very much values the relationship we have with the Republic of Turkey and its government on a host of issues, including humanitarian. We saw the generosity of the Turkish people in hosting so many refugees from Syria when so many other countries with much more resources— many of them, not all of them— were closing their doors. Cooperation on climate with the upcoming COP conference, obviously on discussions of peace and security, the cooperation we had with the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the initiative on fertilizers relating to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the critical role Türkiye had in that, and obviously Türkiye as a key interlocutor on the Cyprus issue. Okay, yes, Linda, and any questions online, let me know. Go ahead.

This is just a housekeeping issue.

Your microphone a little closer.

This is just a little housekeeping issue about whether— if the SG is going on vacation soon.

I sure hope so.