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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Secretary-General's Press Conference

All right, good afternoon. Just as a reminder, tomorrow at noon, the Secretary-General, António Guterres, will be here for his last traditional start-of-the-year press conference.

I will encourage you to be here in person. I don't know if we will be able to take questions online, so please be in the room.

The Secretary-General will talk about his priorities for 2026, and I think [he will] paint a very clear picture of the current state of the world, the challenges we face and the path forwards. We will share the remarks with you under embargo soon, probably mid-afternoon or so.

**Economic and Social Council Coordination Segment

Our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, this morning delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General at the 2026 ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Coordination Segment, which brings together Member States and partners to coordinate development priorities and strengthen multilateral cooperation.

Over eight [decades], the Deputy Secretary-General said, ECOSOC has advanced dialogue and coordinated action in support of sustainable development and human rights. And amid interconnected crises, from conflict and inequality to climate change and emerging technologies, ECOSOC must demonstrate that global cooperation can deliver.

Ms. Mohammed conveyed the Secretary-General's welcome to ECOSOC's continued efforts to strengthen the UN development system, aligned with the UN80 Initiative's vision of a more effective delivering for people and planet.

**Haiti

We have an update from Haiti and our efforts by our colleagues in the Department of Operational Support (DOS), who have been leading efforts to establish and operationalize the UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH).

As you will recall, the Security Council, through its resolution 2793, requested the Secretary-General to establish the Support Office to provide logistical support to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) within six months of its adoption - so that was scheduled to be done by the end of March.

I can tell you that the interim Director of this office, the Director of Mission Support, our colleague Stephen McOwan, has been selected, and he arrived in Port-au-Prince over the weekend.

He has joined about 37 staff of the UN Support Office, who are already deployed in the Haitian capital.

The second office, located in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, was established last week.

This office provides transactional human resources, finance and travel services to both the Support Office and BINUH, the political mission. Currently, we have 15 staff stationed in Santo Domingo setting up these services.

With the cooperation of the Government of the Dominican Republic, the country was also designated as a medical evacuation destination, should we need it.

We are expecting additional colleagues to arrive in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the end February 2026.

Since the adoption of the Security Council resolution establishing the UN Support Office for Haiti, our colleagues have signed a land-use agreement with the Government of Haiti for the occupancy of land and premises of the Support Office's civilian footprint.

The first air asset from the mission, which is a helicopter, is now in Port-au-Prince; and as you can imagine, this is an important step for our colleagues' logistics and operational mobility.

Lastly, more equipment is coming from the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi, and another shipment has also been confirmed from Baghdad to Port-au-Prince, which includes equipment coming from now closed UNAMI mission [United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq] in Baghdad to Port-au-Prince. On that front, we are particularly grateful to the Government of Iraq in expediting approvals for this, as their contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Our colleagues say the UN Support Office in Haiti remains on track to meet the timelines established by the Security Council to provide logistical and operational support to the Gang Suppression Force by 31 March of this year, and mission support services to our political office, BINUH, by 1 February of this year.

**Yemen

Moving to Yemen - a mission opens and another closes. We note the Security Council's decision yesterday afternoon to extend the mandate of the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) for a final period.

This extension will enable a transition of the Mission's relevant core functions to the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen.

The integration of these core functions into the Envoy's office will enable the Organization to continue to support the parties to implement the key tasks of the Hudaydah Agreement, as endorsed by the Security Council.

We count on the continued cooperation of the parties and support of the international community in delivering on these key tasks.

**Sudan

And moving to Sudan, the situation in Dilling, which is South Kordofan State's second-largest city, remains highly volatile. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that access routes are still cut off, and the city's prolonged isolation has pushed conditions to crisis levels.

Humanitarian operations remain limited, with only a small number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating under severe constraints. Our partners report that half of Dilling's civilian population fled last year, while those who remain face critical shortages of food, healthcare and other basic needs.

Across Kordofan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 88,000 people were displaced between late October and mid-January because of this continuing conflict.

In North Darfur State, civilians were reportedly killed and injured in drone strikes on Monday. Livelihoods were destroyed, and already fragile health facilities were impacted. People continue to flee into the locality of Tawila. A field visit yesterday by our teams and partners saw families arriving after fleeing El Fasher. They need food, they need shelter, they need water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition support.

We urge the parties in Sudan to immediately de-escalate violence and engage in genuine dialogue towards an immediate cessation of hostilities.

We also call on donors to maintain and increase funding for our operations to ensure critical assistance reaches all those who need it.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Today, together with our humanitarian partners and the Government, we launched this year's Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, calling for $1.4 billion.

DRC is one of the world's most protracted and most neglected humanitarian crises; it is driven by conflict, it is driven by displacement, by climate shocks and epidemics.

Out of a population of 113 million, nearly 15 million people in the country need humanitarian support. However, severe funding shortages mean that we will aim to reach 7.3 million of them this year.

Last year, we received less than a quarter of the $2.5 billion we had asked for.

That resulted in fewer services for people who really needed them. Let me just illustrate that with a few examples.

Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that 1,000 nutrition centres were forced to close in 2025, denying life-saving care to nearly 400,000 severely malnourished children.

Some 1.5 million people also lost access to primary healthcare due to the closure of health facilities, shortages of vital medicine and reduced capacity to respond to epidemics. And I think we flagged those epidemics throughout the year to you.

Food assistance was also impacted, with monthly rations cut by up to 70 per cent in eastern provinces.

Meanwhile, continued fighting in the north-east of the country has further disrupted humanitarian operations in the region.

This year, without adequate funding, the response won't match the scale of the needs and more people will suffer. We encourage donors to give and to give generously.

And on the peacekeeping end, yesterday our colleagues in the peacekeeping mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) tell us they facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 34 Rwandan nationals from Goma to Rwanda. This was done at the request of Congolese authorities, and I can tell you that the group included 15 former combatants of the FDLR armed group and 19 family members. The group was handed over to the Rwandan authorities for follow-up support, including social reintegration.

The UN peacekeeping mission has observed an increase in voluntary surrenders by individuals affiliated with the FDLR in the areas around Goma. In total, 60 people have been repatriated since January 2026, including 33 former combatants and 27 family members.

In line with its mandate, the peacekeeping mission continues to support Congolese authorities to facilitate the disarmament, resettlement, and repatriation of former FDLR combatants.

This is part of the FDLR neutralization plan contained in the Washington Peace Agreement, focusing on non-armed assistance, including community engagement, and encouraging voluntary surrender and return through established mechanisms.

**Security Council

Back here, Ramiz Alakbarov, our Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, briefed the Security Council this morning and said that we see a potential turning point in Gaza, a genuine chance for a better future. But many uncertainties remain, he warned, adding that in parallel, we also see a continued unravelling in the occupied West Bank, and a region mired in tension.

He said that the announced start of the second phase of [United States] President [Donald] Trump's 20-point Comprehensive Plan is a critical step in consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza, and he added that he is encouraged by Israel's announcement that the Rafah crossing will open to pedestrian movements in both directions.

Mr. Alakbarov warned, however, that heavy rainfall and cold temperatures have worsened the suffering of some 1.5 million displaced Palestinians in Gaza who had little or no means to seek safe shelter.

He said that transitional shelter sites must provide access to much needed essential services. Above all, they must be voluntary and dignified, and in line with our humanitarian principles.

The Deputy Special Coordinator drew attention to the continued violence in the West Bank, with extensive Israeli military operations, settlement expansion, settler violence, demolitions and large-scale detentions.

In late December and early January, he said, Israeli forces conducted intensified raids across Jenin, Nablus, Hebron and Ramallah, frequently involving live fire and raising serious concerns about the use of lethal force.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

And just a bit more details on Gaza, OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) colleagues tell us that the immunization campaign under way that we've been telling you about concludes tomorrow, and our partners have so far vaccinated nearly 13,000 children across the Gaza Strip against a target of 18,000.

With more cold spells expected, winter support continues across the Strip. Since Sunday, our partners leading on shelter reached more than 4,000 families with tents, tarpaulins, mattresses, blankets and kitchen supplies. OCHA also continues to stress the need for sustainable shelter solutions, including repairing damaged homes to provide adequate protection and mitigate the effects of rain and floods and the cold.

**Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues in Kyiv tell us that in the city of Odesa, a massive drone attack yesterday killed and injured several civilians, including children. Residential buildings and energy infrastructure were damaged, leaving more than 60,000 families without electricity. A preschool and a school were also damaged. This is what local authorities are telling us.

Our humanitarian colleagues note that front-line areas also sustained widespread damage to housing and civilian infrastructure, including hundreds of apartments and several schools in the regions of Kharkiv and Sumy. Still in Kharkiv, yesterday, a drone strike hit a passenger train in the commune of Barvinkivska, reportedly killing at least four civilians and injuring two others.

This is one of the closest railway stations to Donetsk region and is essential for people who are trying to flee the hostilities.

Meanwhile, people continue to be evacuated. This month, in the region of Dnipro, authorities evacuated nearly 1,300 children with their families from front-line communities. Our humanitarian partners have provided blankets, flashlights, hot meals, psychological and medical support, including in Odesa.

**Honour Roll

This is the season for money, so we got some money. Two more countries on the Honour Roll.

Sundance and the Cannes Film Festival might have more name recognition, but true film connoisseurs make their way annually to this Film Festival in South-East Europe. It began in 1995 and now draws more than 100,000 visitors per year. [responses from the crowd] What did you say? Your geography is all wrong. South-east. Well-known film festival in Sarajevo. We thank our friends from Bosnia and Herzegovina for their payments.

This country has won the Rugby World Cup three times, second only to South Africa. […] I could do the Warriors dance here, but it would be embarrassing. [response: "New Zealand!"] New Zealand, exactly. I would not do the haka from here.

So, we thank our friends in Wellington and Sarajevo for their payments in full.

**Questions and Answers

Spokesman: Edie Lederer?

Question: Thank you, Steph. The Israeli Ambassador told the Security Council today that Israel does not limit UN assistance and has invited agencies to increase daily deliveries, and it's opened all major crossings into Gaza and earlier this week announced the reopening of the Rafah Crossing. Has Rafah actually been open? And what is your reaction to the statement that all aid is being allowed in?

Spokesman: I think Rafah, as far as we know, has not been reopened. We're told they would reopen, at least for foot traffic, later this week. We're trying to get more details. We would like to see it open to cargo, both humanitarian cargo and private sector cargo, which is critically important for reviving the economy in Gaza. I think every space we've been given in terms of delivering more goods, we've used. But Mr. Alakbarov, I think, was very clear in his statement - is that currently, we're not able to work to scale, given the insecurity on the ground and given the customs issue, the clearances issue, and a number of bureaucratic issues. But we continue to work not only with our Israeli partners, but with our US partners to try and increase the scope of the aid we can deliver. Pam?

Question: Oh, Steph, regional reports are reporting that Hamas announced that it will have a complete transfer of governance today to… I mean, announced today to the Palestinian Authority Committee. How will that impact any kind of aid deliveries or UN operations in Gaza?

Spokesman: Well, first of all, we will be moving forward on President Trump's plan. We very much hope we'll help increase the level of humanitarian aid that is going through. Yeah. Okay. Any questions online? I can't see.

Question: Yes, Stéphane. Here, I'm here.

Spokesman: Yes, yes. Go ahead.

Question: Bangladeshi senior secretary, designated ambassador to Mexico, he posted on Facebook - Mr. Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, yes, I'm talking about him. He posted on Facebook that bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and India should be based on equity, mutual trust, and people's will. And an Indian South Asia expert, Professor Srilata Dutta. I appreciate this statement. Does UN Secretary-General has any view on that?

Spokesman: No. I'm not going to start commenting on social media posts that I have not seen. Islam?

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. I would like to ask about UN Deputy Special Coordinator's speech this morning at the Security Council. He talked a little bit about Jordan corridor. He said that only 9 per cent of 2720-processed aid only entered to Gaza. Can you elaborate a little bit how important is the Jordan Corridor? And also, why it's not really open? Can you give some details on that? [cross talk]

Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, what I can tell you is that the Jordan Corridor is a lifeline for humanitarian operations. Like a lot of the other operations, we're facing a number of bureaucratic and other hurdles, but we're also looking to expand and have other so-called corridors come in, notably through Rafah.

Question: Is Jordan Corridor on the table? UN is negotiating with Israel to open it. What is the process?

Spokesman: We're always in discussions with the Israelis and others to increase the flow of humanitarian aid.

Question: But specifically including Jordan Corridor?

Spokesman: Including Jordan Corridor. Exactly.

Question: Okay. Thank you.

Spokesman: Edie?

Question: Thanks, Steph. A follow-up question on Haiti. With the logistics hub getting set up and about to go into operation, is there any update on the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force?

Spokesman: I don't have that update. I think that's something you need to ask the members of the Force because we're not involved in the creation of the Force itself.

Question: I assume there's going to have to be some liaison.

Spokesman: Yes, but they're there to support the Force, but I can't speak for them and their timelines just to make things easy for you. Okay. On that note, enjoy the rest of the day.

Question: Stéphane, I have another question.

Spokesman: Sure. Go ahead.

Question: Okay. Bangladeshi peoples are very excited to vote in next election, which will be held in 12 February, as I said yesterday. But peoples are afraid because foreign regime threatening Bangladeshi people to boycott this election. And will the Secretary-General urge to Bangladesh Government and military to be careful about people's security and create a secure environment for voters, and especially for chairman of BNP (Bangladesh National Party), Mr. Tarique Rahman, and other leaders from other political parties?

Spokesman: I think, you asked me questions about the elections yesterday, and I think my answer covers all of that. Thank you.