Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

**AU-UN Annual Conference

Good afternoon. I will lead off with an announcement. Tomorrow, the ninth African Union-United Nations annual conference will take place here at UN Headquarters. The high-level discussions will be co-chaired by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, along with the Secretary-General, António Guterres.

The meeting will focus on progress in the implementation of cooperation frameworks between the two organizations, but also on the joint action and challenges linked to peace, security, development, human rights and climate action. The annual conference will conclude with a joint press conference by the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. This will take place here, in this room, at 3 p.m.

**Briefings Tomorrow

Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be Amy Pope, the Director General for the International Organization for Migration (IOM). She will join us from Sudan to brief on the situation in the country.

**Sudan

Today, our Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, arrived in Sudan. In Port Sudan, he met with authorities, humanitarian partners and the diplomatic community. We'll share more details on those meetings as soon as we can. Mr. Fletcher continues to call for an end to the atrocities in Sudan and to support efforts towards peace. He is also working to ensure that humanitarian teams receive the access and funding they need to deliver life-saving assistance across conflict lines.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the situation in North Darfur State remains volatile following the Rapid Support Forces' (RSF) takeover of El Fasher on 26 October. While large-scale clashes have subsided, sporadic fighting and drone activity persist, leaving civilians at risk of looting, forced recruitment and gender-based violence.

In South Kordofan State, a drone strike reportedly hit the town of Um Barmbeeta yesterday, destroying a school and injuring several displaced people. The state capital, Kadugli, and the nearby town of Dilling remain under siege, with widespread insecurity restricting access to thousands of families in need of urgent aid.

Our humanitarian partners report that more than 12,000 people fleeing violence in the Kordofan and Darfur regions have sought refuge in White Nile State since late October - an average of 700 each day. Displaced families face severe shortages of food, shelter and water, while host communities are overstretched. Civilians must be protected, and aid workers must be granted safe and sustained access to deliver assistance across the front lines.

**South Sudan

This morning, Security Council members held a briefing on South Sudan. Sima Bahous, the UN-Women Executive Director, told members that, seven years after South Sudan's peace agreement, key commitments remain largely unfulfilled. Elections are delayed, constitutional and security reforms incomplete, and progress on justice, social protection and gender equality have stalled. As in all crises, she noted, women and girls bear the heaviest burden - facing climate shocks, food insecurity, sexual violence and abductions.

Briefing via VTC, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, emphasized that the Revitalized Peace Agreement remains the only viable path to stability. He said that United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continues to protect civilians and support humanitarian work despite severe funding shortages. Both officials warned that the war in neighbouring Sudan is deepening South Sudan's fragility. Since April 2023, over 1.2 million people have crossed into South Sudan, further straining the country's limited systems and resources.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement yesterday that one month after the ceasefire, we're continuing to seize every opportunity to save lives. The UN and our partners have provided food to over one million people. Nutrition sites have been reopened, and hospital services are treating more patients. Vital immunizations are also being resumed, while water lines have been repaired, winter supplies have been distributed, and mental health support has been provided.

Despite that progress, Mr. Fletcher said that humanitarian operations in Gaza still face obstacles, including red tape and insecurity. He stressed that, if these constraints are eased, humanitarians can do much more to reach more people in need with life-saving assistance. Even given the fragile situation and ongoing impediments on the ground, OCHA says that the UN and our humanitarian partners continue reaching areas that were inaccessible prior to the ceasefire.

Between 7 November and yesterday, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) distributed more than 619,000 litres of diesel to our partners - three quarters in the south and the rest in the north - to support critical operations, including in water, sanitation, hygiene, health, logistics, rubble removal, education, nutrition and protection. Between 1 November and Sunday, our partners provided general food assistance to some 255,000 people, distributing two food parcels per household. One month into the ceasefire, our partners working on food security are distributing about 160,000 bread bundles each day, which are produced by 19 UN-supported bakeries, 9 of which are in northern Gaza.

**Lebanon/Israel

Moving to the situation along the Blue Line, between Lebanon and Israel. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to monitor and report violations by land and air. Yesterday, UNIFIL observed 88 Israel Defense Force (IDF) vehicles, including Merkava tanks, within its area of operations, following 100 vehicles the previous day. Yesterday, peacekeepers also observed a fighter aircraft flying over a UN position in Sector East and a drone operating near a UN position in Sector West.

UNIFIL continues to discover unauthorized weapons caches and infrastructure. In the past days, peacekeepers found unguarded rockets and two tunnels near the village of Shihin in Sector West, as well as two anti-tank landmines near Rmeich. Since last year's cessation of hostilities understanding, peacekeepers have discovered roughly 360 unguarded caches and 300 unexploded ordnances. All of them were referred to the Lebanese Army, per standard practice.

**Hurricane Melissa

Turning to the Caribbean, our colleagues at OCHA report that, two weeks after Hurricane Melissa first made landfall, we and our partners continue to support government-led humanitarian responses. In Cuba, more than 54,000 people are still living away from their homes, including 7,500 in official shelters. The reported damage continues to exceed initial estimates. The number of affected health facilities has increased from 460 to more than 600, while the number of damaged homes has climbed from 60,000 to 90,000.

The UN system in Cuba continues to support national response efforts. The World Food Programme (WFP) has helped some 140,000 people in shelters and supported community kitchens, while the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is distributing agricultural tools and livestock feed to help restore livelihoods.

For its part, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is delivering supplies to strengthen disease control and prevention, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is bolstering sexual and reproductive health services by distributing medical supplies.

In Jamaica, assessments and relief operations continue. Only two communities remain inaccessible, down from 27 last week, although further rainfall could isolate some areas again. Shelter remains a major concern, with 40,000 tarpaulins unable to be delivered due to damaged and blocked roads. WFP has helped 9,000 people in the parishes of Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth, and intends to extend cash assistance to up to 90,000 households.

Turning to Haiti, OCHA reports that we and our humanitarian partners are scaling up the response. Hurricane Melissa claimed more than 40 lives in the country and caused severe damage across several departments. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have distributed hygiene kits across the country. They have also restored power for the cold chain for vaccines. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and its partners provided psychosocial support in schools. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF and other partners have distributed tarpaulins and other supplies.

Today, WFP is delivering 15-day rations to some of the most heavily impacted areas in the south, following the completion of Government-led targeting to identify those most in need. In the community of Petit Goave, WFP is delivering food for more than 40,000 people. Registration of recipients and delivery of food assistance will continue in the south throughout the week. WFP is aiming to assist an overall total of 190,000 people in its response to the hurricane, with a combination of food rations and cash assistance where markets are accessible and functioning.

So far, WFP has assisted more than 60-thousand people - including those who received anticipatory payments to help them prepare before the hurricane hit. The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has expanded its operations, with five new access points to reach isolated communities.

**Malaysia/Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the IOM are deeply saddened over the tragic capsizing of a boat off the coast of Malaysia and Thailand carrying up to 70 people from Myanmar, including Rohingya. Some 13 people were brought ashore safely by Malaysian authorities. But at least 21 people died, including two teenage Rohingya girls recovered by Thai authorities. The rest of the passengers remain unaccounted for.

Our colleagues from UNHCR and IOM commend the authorities and local communities in Malaysia for their life-saving efforts in rescuing those from the capsized boat. They are concerned about the scale of potential loss of life as at least one other boat is reportedly still at sea, carrying about 230 people. So far this year, more than 5,300 Rohingya refugees have embarked on dangerous maritime journeys from Bangladesh and Myanmar, with over 600 reported to be missing or dead.

**Senior Personnel Appointment

I would like to read into the record that, yesterday, the Secretary-General appointed Peter Due of Denmark as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, or UNMIK. He will succeed Caroline Ziadeh of Lebanon, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated efforts to further peace and stability in Kosovo and the region, and her effective leadership of the Mission.

Mr. Due brings to his position 30 years of wide-ranging experience in international peace and security. Since 2019, he has served as the Director for Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Previously, he was the Director for Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (2015-2019). There is lots more online.

**Resident Coordinator - Bhutan

The UN Development Coordination Office informs us that, effective 8 November, Gaurav Ray of Australia assumed his role as the UN Resident Coordinator in Bhutan, following host Government approval. Mr. Ray brings over 25 years of experience in humanitarian and development practice to the position, with leadership roles in complex environments across postings in Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Thailand. He most recently led the German Red Cross office in Bangladesh, supporting refugees in Cox's Bazar and advancing climate resilience. His full biography is available online.

**Refugees/Fundraising Campaign

UNHCR today launched its global winter fundraising campaign to help forcibly displaced families and returnees in a number of hard-hit locations meet their urgent needs in the coming months. This is one of the agency's most important fundraising moments. UNHCR plans to raise at least $35 million to help repair homes that have been bombed, insulate houses, provide warmth and blankets to children and the elderly, and money to buy medicines and hot food.

In Afghanistan, for example, UNHCR notes that sub-zero temperatures are already leaving many families exposed. UNHCR also points out that this will be the fourth winter of full-scale war for millions in Ukraine, including internally displaced people. Humanitarian needs continue to grow as intensifying attacks claim civilian lives and destroy infrastructure, cumulatively adding to disruptions to gas, electricity and water.

**Global Cooling Watch 2025

A report launched today at the thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that, amid rising heatwaves and surging cooling demand, adopting sustainable cooling could cut greenhouse-gas emissions, save trillions of dollars and expand life-saving cooling access to those who need it.

The report finds that cooling demand could more than triple by 2050 under business as usual, driven by increases in population and wealth, more extreme heat events and low-income households increasingly gaining access to more polluting and inefficient cooling. This would almost double cooling-related greenhouse-gas emissions over 2022 levels.

The UNEP report suggests adopting a 'Sustainable Cooling Pathway', which could reduce emissions to 64 per cent below the levels expected in 2050. When combined with rapid decarbonization of the global power sector, residual cooling emissions could fall to 97 per cent below business-as-usual levels. The full report is available online. That's it for me. Are there any questions? Yes, Edie?

**Questions and Answers

Question: Thank you, Farhan. First, a follow-up on Tom Fletcher being in Port Sudan. Is he planning any travels in the region? I mean, in trying to get closer to Darfur, for example. And is he planning to meet with representatives from the Government and the RSF?

Deputy Spokesman: We expect that Mr. Fletcher will be in Sudan for several days. We do expect additional meetings and additional travels. However, given the fluidity of the situation, I'm not going to try to announce any of that before it happens. What we are trying to do is have Mr. Fletcher brief you by VTC. So, whenever we can do that, we intend to see whether he can brief you from Sudan.

Question: That would be great. Thanks. A second question on a completely different subject: Does the Secretary-General have any comment on today's suicide bombing in Islamabad that killed at least a dozen people, which follows yesterday's car bombing in New Delhi?

Deputy Spokesman: What I can say is the Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the reported suicide attack, and he extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a full recovery to those injured. The Secretary-General condemns acts of violence and terrorism at the strongest terms. He reiterates that all perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable, and he calls for a full investigation. And regarding the question of India, we also, of course, send our condolences to the Government and people of India for what has happened there, and that also needs to be fully investigated. Dezhi and then Farnoush.

Question: Yes. Today, the US Government announced that their aircraft carrier, Ford, has been into Latin America seas, which many people believe is another escalation between US and Venezuela. What does the Secretary-General have to say on the latest development here?

Deputy Spokesman: Our concerns remain the same as what we've previously expressed. The Secretary-General wants to make sure that there is no further escalation in the waters off Latin America. And I'd also refer you to what has been said by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who has raised his concerns, including about the possibility of extrajudicial executions. Farnoush?

Question: Thanks, Farhan. You mentioned in your briefing about Gaza that you guys have been able to bring in a lot of medical supplies and equipment, but UNICEF today put out a statement saying that Israel's blocking over a million syringes needed to vaccinate children in Gaza. I'm wondering, first of all, why that wasn't included in your briefing, and second of all, what the Secretary-General has to say about that?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, in recent days, we have been pointing to the fact that there have been bureaucratic hurdles to getting things in. So, we have been making clear that not everything we're requesting has gotten in. Some things have been cited as dual-use equipment, but we are pointing to the need for certain essential things, including, as you just mentioned, syringes. So, we're trying to get different items cleared, but there have been holdups. And as Mr. Fletcher said in his statement, we're capable of providing much more if we can overcome the sort of obstacles that we've been facing.

Question: And Israel is, I'm assuming, saying that syringes are dual use, and that's why they're blocked, specifically?

Deputy Spokesman: I can't speak for why they block specific things. We are asserting that everything we are bringing in is crucial for the humanitarian needs of the population. Gabriel?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. To the best of your knowledge, has there been any day in the last month that more than 600 aid trucks have gotten into Gaza?

Deputy Spokesman: To my knowledge, no. At the same time, I would like to point out that what we're monitoring really is our own trucks. And a lot of times, there have been in the neighbourhood of about 150 of those coming in a day. There are additional trucks of bilateral aid and of commercial traffic, and we can't vouch for those.

Question: And we've been hearing for several days, if not weeks now, about how there are still impediments to getting aid into Gaza with bureaucratic hurdles, but that you are taking every opportunity to seize opportunities to get aid in. How do you make sure that this just doesn't just become the new normal, now that Israel continues to keep these impediments in place but still allows just enough aid in to where you can say you're getting some in, but not nearly enough to meet the limits or the expectations of the agreed-upon Trump 20-Point Plan?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, one of the ways we do try to prevent this from being the new normal is by talking about it consistently in front of you and raising attention to the fact that aid continues to be blocked. And this is something we're not simply doing in public, to the media, but also with Governments. And it's something that we are raising up with the mediation and with the Israelis. So, we're trying our best to get this aid in. But, obviously, this has been going on for many weeks, and we're still not at the level that we need to be. Iftikhar? Sorry. Hold on. I can't hear you. Try again. Nope. Sorry. Okay. Any further questions in the room? Yes. Islam?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. I would like to ask about the Israeli parliament passes the first reading of the death penalty for terrorism law. Experts say this is mostly, it's going to target the Palestinians. Do you have any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman: Obviously, we don't comment on procedures in the domestic legislature, beyond saying our principled point of view, which is that the UN stands against the death penalty in any country, and we do not want capital punishment to be added to the legislation of any country. All right. Have a good afternoon, everyone.