Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right. Good afternoon. We'll try to uh Quiz just warning, no quiz today, so you can go back to sleep exactly. Um we'll try to go as quickly as possible, but I do have a lot of stuff here for you. Uh I'm sure you got some questions and then we have the president of the Security Council, and that is Ambassador Leonid Zalabata, the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations and the President of the Security Council for the month of June. She'll be here to brief you on the you on the council's programme of work. It'll be an in-person briefing only, so if you want to ask questions you have to stay seated and in the room. Today in Rome at the World Food Programme it is transition day as Cindy McCain takes leave of her post as Executive Director and Carl Scow will take over as the Acting Executive Director. And on this day, I just want to, on behalf of the Secretary General, express his deep This deep appreciation to Ms. Cindy McCain for her dedicated service as she steps down from her role as Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Under her leadership, WFP became leaner, it became faster and more agile in responding to global crises. She strengthened accountability, fostered innovation and advanced humanitarian diplomacy while sustaining life-saving operations reaching nearly 100 million people. each year. Her tenure also helped secure new sources of funding, expand critical partnerships, and prioritize safety and well-being of staff and beneficiaries worldwide. The Secretary-General is grateful for her steadfast commitment to the fight against global hunger and malnutrition. He wishes her all the very best in the future. The Secretary-General welcomes Karl Schkau as Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Mr. Scow has served as WFP's Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer since May 2023. He assumes his responsibilities at a critical moment when more than 360 million people worldwide face acute food insecurity. The process of identifying a new WFP Executive Director, a process that is run jointly by the Secretary General and the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, is now complete. The Agriculture Organisation will now get under way. Uh this morning the Secretary General presented his report on the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review to ECOSOC's uh operational activities for the development segment. The Secretary General noted that the report reflects a shared journey of nearly a decade. Together with the strong supporting guidance of member states, colleagues across the system, he said, we have re-shaped how we we operate. The Secretary General pointed out that the UN development system today is more coherent, it is more accountable and it is more closely aligned with national priorities as it never has been before. But with less than 1,700 days until the 2030 deadlines of the sustainable development goals, the Secretary General warned that many countries face growing pressures and that this is a defining moment. His full remarks were shared with you and the full report full report on the QCPR is available on ECOSOC's website; and this afternoon the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, in her role as Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, will present her report on development coordination for ECOSOC's operational activities development segment, complementing the Secretary-General's landmark report delivered this morning. Together, these two documents tell a story of transformation since 2019, the reinvigorated The Integrated Resident Coordinator system has made the UN more coherent, more efficient and more aligned with national priorities. Recognition of the Resident Coordinators as effective entry points of the UN system has surged from 62 to 90 percent since the reform was launched. The UN development system delivered in 2025 121 million people were reached with food assistance, 191 million children were vaccinated against measles. Often in a warlike conditions, social protection was extended to 84 million people and over half a billion more people were covered by central health services since 2018. The Deputy Secretary General's full report, including the interactive session, is also available on the Development Coordination Office's website. Also this morning, the Secretary General had a video message to the biannual meeting of states on the program of action of small arms and light weapons. He told participants that for 25 years, this program has been a cornerstone of global disarmament and peace efforts. But he added our world has fundamentally changed over the last. the last quarter century, and new threats are rapidly emerging, including uh s t 3D-printed arms, untraceable ghost guns circulating on the black market, diversions of the focus of this year's Meeting remains a primary method of acquiring weapons that fuel terrorism, crime and gender-based violence, while killing peacekeepers and blocking humanitarian access. Using the programme of action as a base, the Secretary General called on countries to act together to end this scourge and to ensure the programme of action is fit for today's challenges. Moving to the news in Lebanon, I can tell you that we are deeply alarmed by the escalation in military activities across southern Lebanon and beyond. Israeli warnings of imminent strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs are deeply concerning and have heightened fear and uncertainty among the population in Lebanon. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. We urge all actors to respect the cessation of hostilities and avoid... avoid further escalation. We condemn all the loss of civilian lives. There is no alternative to a diplomatic solution to break this cycle of violence and to achieve sustained excuse me, sustainable stability on both sides of the blue line. The U.S.-sponsored Lebanon-Israel negotiations resuming tomorrow must be given a real chance to succeed. The special coordinator for Lebanon, Janine Henes And his placard continues to engage all parties to de-escalate tensions, reinforce commitments to the cessation of hostilities that had been agreed to, and advance practical confidence-building measures. Later today, the Security Council will convene an emergency session at the request of France to address the situation in Lebanon. They will be briefed on behalf of the Secretary by Martha Pobee, our Assistant Secretary General for Africa. She will brief, on behalf of both the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, she will brief, excuse me, on behalf of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and underscore the above messages. She's also expected to reiterate that the Lebanese armed forces are the only legitimate armed force in Lebanon and to continue calling for increased international support for the Lebanese armed forces and other state security institutions to enable them to assume their responsibilities. to ensure security across all of Lebanon's territory. Meanwhile, on the ground, in the south, our UNIFIL peacekeepers are increasingly concerned by the continued escalation. Yesterday, they recorded 744 trajectories, including 683 attributed to the IDF, with the remainders attributed to non-state armed groups. From midnight to 4 p.m. local time today, 400 trajectories were detected. were detected, 380 for the IDF and 22 non-state actors, as well as 12 airstrikes and 59 airspace violations of Lebanese airspace. UNIFIL peacekeepers are observing also intensive IDF air and ground operations across the air of operations. Over the weekends, they reported airstrikes in sector west and east. Local roads were also targeted in some areas. We recall once again that civilian infrastructure, including road networks, must be protected at all times in line with international humanitarian law. Yesterday saw also a significant surge in IDF indirect fire, including artillery, mortars, and rockets across the area of operations. Fire by non-state actors was also recorded in Sector East. The mission also observed notable IDF movements along the routes leading towards the Beaufort Castle, which is beyond UNIFIL's area. of operations. And just to flag that earlier today the secretary the under-secretary general for peace operations and the UNIFIL commander Major General Abanyada briefed UNIFIL troop contributing countries including on force protection measures and on the options for the future implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. The secretary general's letter to the Security Council is expected to be delivered delivered a bit later on today. Meanwhile on the humanitarian side, our colleagues are witnessing heavily congested roads in various areas of Lebanon as families flee with the belongings following renewed Israeli evacuation orders and threats of strikes on southern Lebanon and on the southern of suburbs of Beirut. Collective sh st shelters in Tyre and Saida are reportedly full with scores of people reportedly shel trying to shelter at in open areas. And in Beirut's southern suburb, UNHCR tells us that people are leaving by car, motorcycle and on foot, carrying only essentials as they seek safety, many returning to already overcrowded shelters, mainly within Beirut. UNHCR remains on the ground supporting government-led emergency response. Since the beginning of the conflict in early March, UNHCR and its partners have reached hundreds of thousands of people across Lebanon with protection services, emergency cash assistance, shelter support and other types of relief. Especially for families enduring repeated displacement and trauma. But as displacement continues and needs grow, sustained support remains critical. More people are likely to be forced to leave the areas where they are currently sheltering in the coming hours and days if the scale of insecurity persists and we are concerned that large numbers of people are once again being forced to flee under intolerable conditions. The scale and lack of clarity of the evacuation orders issued by Israel are causing panic and distress, forcing families to make very difficult choices. Over the weekend, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said at least 88 people were reportedly killed, attacks affecting health care continue to be reported, an airstrike near Harim Hospital close to Tyre reportedly injured at least 13 staff members and damaged the facility. According to the World Health Organization, Five attacks on health care were recorded in the last three days, resulting in one health worker reportedly killed and 19 injured. International humanitarian law is clear. Civilians, including health workers and including first responders, must be protected. Authorities and our humanitarian partners are coordinating response efforts to growing needs. For its part, the World Food Programme is rapidly scaling up its response nationwide, but the situation remains fragile. On average, WFP has supported close to 150,000 people per day since March 2, but ongoing daily bombardments and large-scale displacement have made it difficult to provide food to the people. are constraining the delivery of critical assistance, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. And just to note, there will be a launch on Friday in Geneva of the revised flash appeal for Lebanon, launched jointly with the government, and that is an effort to scale up humanitarian assistance over the next three months. As you'll recall, the Secretary-General launched the $308.3 million flash appeal while he was visiting Beirut in March. Now the needs are significantly... greater, as you can easily imagine, and turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that yesterday an airstrike hit the rooftop of a UN school building in Nusrat, in Gaza, which is used to shelter displaced families, resulting in damage. In damage, luckily, no injuries were reported. Meanwhile, Zakim crossing will remain closed this week for a second week, leaving only the Kareem Shalom-Kareem Abu Salem crossing as the only entry point. for cargo that we can use. In the West Bank, OCHA reports that yesterday Palestinians trying to cross the Israeli barrier into East Jerusalem reportedly in search of job opportunities were shot and killed. Since October 2023 when the authorities revoked and suspended most permits issued to Palestinians to access East Jerusalem and Israel for work and other purposes, OCHA has documented the killings of 17 Palestinians and the injury of 290 others who were reportedly attempting to cross the barrier. And that is as of May 11th, excuse me. We saw reports yesterday of what is described of a ramming attack. The bombing attack that injured two Israeli girls, in which Israeli forces killed the Palestinian drivers. We remind all parties that civilians must always be protected, and in law enforcement context, lethal force must be a last resort. Perpetrators of these attacks must be held to account. And turning to Sudan, I can tell you that we're deeply concerned by reports that dozens of civilians were killed over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha as violence further continues to escalate across parts of the Kordofan and Darfur regions and we condemn all of these civilian killings unequivocally. Our humanitarian colleagues said that a North Kordofan state clashes in Barra reportedly killed at least a dozen civilians, forced families to flee their homes and increased already acute humanitarian needs for this population. In South Kordofan, the international organization for migration says more than 2,200 people were reportedly forced to move in search of safety in recent days. And in West Kordofan, local sources report that a drone strike in Kadam area killed at least eight civilians and injured many others. While in Central Darfur State, at least 10 people were killed. people including three children were reportedly killed in a drone strike on the town of Um Dukum on Saturday. Intercommunal violence in central and south Darfur states has reportedly caused additional casualties and additional displacement, forcing families to flee across the border into Chad. The escalating insecurity also disrupting humanitarian operations. In central Darfur, for example, humanitarian activities serving approximately 21,000 thousand people had to be suspended following clashes. At the same time, a suspected cholera outbreak in West Kordofan continues to spread with more than 300 suspected cases and 77 reported deaths recorded as of yesterday. Our partners are responding but are constrained by shortages of critical supplies and resources. And as a reminder, in March authorities declared an end to the countrywide cholera outbreak. outbreak involving more than 124,000 cases and more than 3,500 deaths, the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases will likely increase during the rainy season which begins this month and as attacks on essential infrastructure make it even more difficult to access clean water for people who so desperately need it. We continue to call on all the parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and to facilitate humanitarian access. We also urgently need more funding. Nearly halfway through the year, we've only received 22% of the $2.9 billion that is needed for our humanitarian appeal. Back on this hemisphere, regarding Haiti, our OCHA colleagues point out that armed attacks in the department of Artibonite have triggered new displacements and put additional pressures on already very vulnerable communities in the area. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1,100 people were displaced following violence on May 26 in the commune of Petite-Rivière de Bayonaise. Those who fled have sought refuge with host families within the city of Gonayiv, further straining threadbare resources available in these communities. Many of those who fled the violence last week have been displaced repeatedly. As we can imagine or just try to imagine, they need shelter, food, water, but they also need health care, they need psychosocial support and protection services, including for survivors of gender-based violence. And we've told you repeatedly the horrific situation regarding that in Haiti. While we and our humanitarian partners continue to respond under challenging conditions, the pace and the scale of needs are rising rapidly. Also, turning to Nicaragua, I can tell you that the Secretary-General is saddened by reports of the deaths in custody in Nicaragua of Mr. Brooklyn Rivera and extends his condolences to Mr. Rivera's family and the miskito community. The Secretary-General reiterates the need to respect human rights in Nicaragua, including due process and humane treatment in detention, and calls for a prompt and impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Rivera's death. death. Also just a programming note, 3 p.m. this afternoon there'll be a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security that was requested by the permanent mission of Romania. For our part, Kaioko Goto, Director of the Europe and Central Asia Division of Department Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, will brief Council members. Also want to flag three, four new resident coordinators. The Secretary General has appointed Nicholas Mient of Germany as the new U.N. Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Igor Garifulic of Chile as Resident Coordinator in Brazil, Yuta Hinkanen of Finland as Resident Coordinator in Brazil. President Coordinator in Mauritania and Rosemary Kalapurakal of India as Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe. Mr. Mintz's appointment is effective 31 May, while others took up their posts today. All with decades of experience across development, humanitarian and leadership roles, they will serve as the Secretary General's representative on development at the country level, leading the country teams and coordinating system-wide support for nationally led efforts to advance the SDGs. Full biographies are available online and I hope my I admire your enthusiasm, but I have a message for my three children because today is Global Day of Parents. This year's theme, Together for Parents, highlights the vital role of parents and caregivers play in raising children and building stronger communities, creating supportive family environments where children can fully develop their personalities and well-being. You were clearly an eager child, so please go

Thank you. I have a few children too. Thank you for reminding me.

Um on W_F_B_ What is The selection the process, how it looks like to select

The selection process is

Yeah, uh oh yeah, I oh let me finish there question much better for you.

that was a question.

Yeah,

Go no, ahead.

no. This is the beginning the question. And

Mm.

uh how many candidates so far, and if you can also uh tell us about uh conversation last month between uh Mr uh Marco Rubio and uh Mr Gurdish about the same subject. Thank you.

Yeah. Uh as we said publicly, and I think the State Department said, said publicly, the Secretary General and the Secretary of State spoke. about a number of issues, notably about the leadership in W_F_P_ and the Secretary General explained uh to the Secretary of State the process uh for naming the new Executive Director, which involves it's a joint process run by the Secretary General and the Director General of the Food and Agricultural Organisation. It is now getting underway as we never share short lists of uh candidates for these senior appointments, and we will not. Uh in this case, edi.

Thank you, Steph. Um with the latest escalation in um military um action between Iran and the United States uh threatening the cease fire and talks, Does the Secretary General have any message?

The message is one of restraint. The message is to calling on both the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to redouble their efforts at diplomacy, again under the very helpful work done by Pakistan as well as Saudi Arabia. Cherkaya, Egypt, and Qatar. Gabriel.

Thanks, Steph. A question on the afternoon Security Council meeting on Lebanon. Why isn't Janine Hachkis-Plasher briefing the Council?

I don't know. I mean, often this was done at the very last minute, maybe

Correct.

given the time difference. But I mean, the Ms. Pobee will speak on behalf of

the Fair

whole

enough.

U.N. system.

Fair enough. And separately on Iran, Gaza and Lebanon, three separate conflicts somewhat interrelated. Does the Secretary General think any of those three conflicts are headed in the right trajectory at this moment?

Well, I mean, Clearly, I think from facts on the ground, they're not heading in the in the in the right direction and it is a yet another reason to redouble diplomatic efforts.

Does he think all three are interrelated?

Look, they're all, you know, uh I mean it is Parents' Day, right. So what's that song about the thigh bone being connected to the leg bone. Everything is interconnected. Madame.

Thank you, Stéphane. Since the Secretary General launched the three hundred eight

You

billion

your microphone

appeal,

closer to your mouth,

sorry. oh. Since the Secretary General launched the three hundred eight point three million flash appeal in March, uh what has been the response from donors and international community?

Uh

Is it super sufficient to meet the growing humanitarian needs now?

No, it is not uh sufficient because the needs have gotten bigger uh the n the m we did not reach the full uh number of what we wanted in the appeal. Uh the exact numbers are up on the OCHA website, but given since March and today, the situation has gotten worse, we need to extend uh the appeal.

Following uh Secretary General is still in contact daily contact

Your with microphone closer sorry.

Secretary

Yeah.

General is it still in contact with the President with the f Prime Minister of Lebanon?

I mean the the UN remains in close contact uh with the whole leadership uh in Lebanon. Abdelhamid and

Secretary

I will d

General. Thank you.

Yes, no, and and his team and he does I haven't don't have any you know, contact with the last forty eight hours uh but through Miss uh Jeanine Plessis-Hachert uh and he also remains in contact.

Yeah, on Lebanon. Uh y uh you see the Israeli escalation has went beyond what it's could could be called self-defense or trying to just attack Hezbollah. They cross the Litani river to the north, they attack Beirut, they attack Saida, they attack Tyre. They destroyed some

What

historical sites in Lebanon. Now my question, do the Lebanese people have the right to resist those invaders and occupiers?

Look, the most Important thing is for the state of Lebanon, the Lebanese armed forces and state security services to have the monopoly of arms, like in any other country, in order to protect their own borders. Yes, Fethi.

Can I have a follow up?

Yes.

If this rule is evident then all of Africa would be still under colonialism. People fight when they are invaded. Why not

I

Lebanon?

I will I will leave the historical analysis to you sir. Yes.

Thank you, Steph. I was regard the Sudan, the forgotten war.

Oh, it's not forgotten here.

Well, to a certain extent it's less uh in focus than other uh uh armed conflicts uh around the world. Uh what's the latest from the Special Representative of the Secretary General and to what extent are we gonna go through this uh vicious uh circle and a very tight language describing the situation without naming names who are fuelling uh the dispute?

uh...

Oh,

i i think well you know they've been uh various reports to the security council uh on that i think the secretary general has been very clear about calling for all outside actors uh to stop getting involved in a negative way In Sudan, supporting either the government or the rapid support forces. What outside actors can do best would be to support the peace process, the coordinated peace process involving various regional organizations, involving the UN through Pekka Havisto and people should work in concert for peace and not to flood the country with more weapons.

Any chance to have the special representative for a video uh briefing?

Yeah, I mean we'll be in he's based in uh in Addis, um but as soon as we have something for him to say or he wishes to express himself, we will bring him in either in person or virtually.

Thank you.

Okay, I will go to our uh all sorry sorry. I will go to Alex who's o o o o. Also probably precocious child

And a wears quick question

the orange about.

uh uh on money. Could you please remind us when the United Nations is expected to run out of cash without the payments from the United States and China. I guess it was mid August or something?

There there's no uh There's no hard date for the doomsday scenario. We did receive a substantial payment, partial payment, from the People's Republic of China last week of about $800 million, which helps which helps. But we call on all member states to meet their obligations, whether it's a budget for this year or their arrears.

Did you say eight hundred

With eight hundred million dollars, if I'm not mistaken.

And that's far.

Yes, sir.

How much does the U_S_ owe at this juncture?

Uh it's in terms of the regular budget, I think just under two billion, if I'm not mistaken. Okay, we'll go to Abou Soufian online and then I think our Colombian colleagues are here.

Thank you Stéphane. Uh UK government says two hundred fi uh two hundred fifty million pound in Britain belonging to Bangladeshi national since two thousand uh since June two thousand twenty five, following the report of corruption by contractors

Sorry, sorry, sorry,

in

Mr

Bangladesh.

Piana, I didn't I didn't understand if you could speak a little slower because I didn't understand the premise of your question.

Okay. The UK government seized two hundred fifty million pound in Britain belonging to Bangladeshi nationals since June two thousand twenty five, following the report of corruption by former regime, Bangladesh Awami League. Financial Times, Al Jazeera and other outlets made many stories on corruption. Last Wednesday, a court of Cyprus also freezes eight billion Euro of a businessman, his name is Saiful Alam, affiliated with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On the other hand, Bangladeshi new government elected new elected government facing a big challenge due to this kind of corruption and money laundering.

You've stated some facts, but what is your question?

Yes, to support Bangladesh economic stability, will the UNSC general urge to the countries to cooperate Bangladesh government to bring this money to back to Bangladesh?

Look, the issue of... Illicit gains having flown out of various member states is a very important one. It's one that impedes development and we encourage international cooperation to ensure that monies that belong to peoples are returned to those countries. On that note, I will leave.

Well

Leave, yes please, go ahead.

According to UN fact-finding mission, One one thousand four hundred people were killed in July uprising in two thousand twenty five, twenty four. Bangladesh following regime claiming that the report is false. And Indian media saying that convicted Sheikha Sina sent a letter to U_N_ describing their misinformation uh in that report. What's your position on that?

Well, the the the uh report was issued by our colleagues in the Human Rights Office and we have no reason to question it. Thank you.