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 Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Guest

Good afternoon. Happy Friday, everyone.

We are going to switch the order around, because our guest has to be on the move in a little while. So, we are going to start with our guest, Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Representative for the West Bank and Gaza.

He will be joining us from Gaza to brief on the health situation there.

And this will be his last press conference before he retires at the end of this month. So, from all of us, let me say first off that, Rik, we are going to miss you, and we really appreciated all that you have done, particularly over these last few extremely difficult years.

Thanks for everything, and please, the floor is yours.

[briefing not transcribed]

**Sudan

I will start with the Friday briefing, and since it's Friday, there is a lot of notes, so bear with me.

First off, I have a statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Sudan. The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by reports that at least 30 civilians were killed, with many others injured, in a drone strike on the town of Katila in South Darfur State on 8 December.

The attack reportedly took place roughly 150 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Nyala. It comes as the toll of escalating violence on civilians across the Darfur and Kordofan regions - particularly through increasing drone strikes - continues to grow rapidly. Further civilian casualties were reported in another strike on the town of Kutum, in North Darfur State, on the same day.

The Secretary-General condemns all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. He demands that all parties abide by their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, across all areas of active conflict in Sudan.

With the 1,000-day mark of this devastating conflict approaching, the Secretary-General reiterates his call on all States with influence over the parties to take immediate action and use their leverage to compel an immediate halt to the fighting and stop the arms flows that are fuelling the conflict. He also calls on the parties to agree on an immediate cessation of hostilities and to resume talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process. The United Nations stands ready to support genuine steps to end the fighting in Sudan and chart a path towards a durable peace.

**Paris Agreement on Climate

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Paris agreement.

In a social media post, the Secretary-General said a decade ago, the world found the courage to adopt the Paris Agreement, a pillar of hope for humanity.

Today, he added, we must find courage once again.

The Secretary-General called for 2026 to kickstart a new decade of implementation.

The climate crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, he said.

Together, we can - and we must - build a liveable future for all.

**Ethiopia and Eritrea

And today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Algiers Agreement, a landmark peace treaty that formally ended the border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia and established a crucial framework for peaceful relations between the two nations.

In a statement we issued this morning, the Secretary-General reiterated the steadfast support of the United Nations for the Algiers Agreement. At a time of renewed tensions, the Secretary-General urges Eritrea and Ethiopia to recommit to the vision of lasting peace and the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity embodied in the Algiers Agreement and strengthen efforts to build good-neighbourly relations. He calls upon both countries to continue working with regional and international partners to advance development cooperation for the benefit of all.

**Secretary-General's Travels

The Secretary-General concluded his meetings in Saudi Arabia today and will travel to Iraq tomorrow, where he is expected to meet officials in Baghdad, including President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani and Foreign Minister Fuad Mohammad Hussein. The Secretary-General will underscore Iraq's progress and acknowledge the resilience of Iraq's citizens, who rebuilt their country after decades of conflict, terrorism and hardship.

As UNAMI's mandate comes to an end this month, the Secretary-General will pay tribute to the women and men of UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq) who walked side by side with the Iraqi people for 22 years, and he will honour the victims of the 2003 terrorist attack on the UN headquarters at the Canal Hotel, which killed 22 of our colleagues and injured more than 100 others.

He will reaffirm the UN's commitment to supporting Iraq's institutions, development and long-term stability.

The Secretary-General will then return to Saudi Arabia, where on Sunday he will participate in the 11^th UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum.

We will share with you all his speeches and remarks in Baghdad and Riyadh.

**Myanmar

Yesterday, we briefed you on the recent air strikes on a hospital in Rakhine State and the grave and deteriorating situation facing civilians in Myanmar.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate end to the violence inflicted on the population since the 2021 military takeover.

The continued use of force threatens not only the people of Myanmar but also the wider stability of the region, driving displacement, weakening the rule of law and fuelling cross-border trafficking and other illicit activities.

He again calls on the military to halt its operations causing harm to civilians and to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law, including the obligation to protect civilians.

You will recall that the Secretary-General has also been clear on the political situation, including the planned elections later this month. He has repeatedly expressed concern regarding the military's stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying violence and human rights violations, and without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights.

The Secretary-General continues to urge all stakeholders to engage in an inclusive political process that reflects the will of the people and to support the efforts of his Special Envoy, Julie Bishop, in the search of a Myanmar-led resolution to the crisis.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that heavy rain continued overnight across the Strip, flooding more tents and causing damaged buildings to collapse in Jabalya and Gaza City. Several casualties were reported, including among children.

Our humanitarian partners warn that bad weather conditions and flooding are increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, including water-borne illnesses, as drainage systems overflow and water sources become contaminated. They stress that to enable urgently needed work to collect and safely dispose of waste, the immediate and sustained entry into Gaza of spare parts and access to essential machinery must be facilitated.

As temperatures drop, families are struggling to keep their children warm at night, as they lack access to gas and electricity. They are also exhausted as they continue to seek out safer shelter on higher ground.

Our partners are distributing winter clothing, tarpaulins and tents to affected families. However, they estimate that some 1.3 million people still need urgent shelter assistance across Gaza. For instance, they note that since the ceasefire just over two months ago, fewer than 50,000 tents for about 270,000 people have entered Gaza. This includes both UN-coordinated and bilateral aid. As we've mentioned, thousands of pallets of shelter materials have been rejected by the Israeli authorities, and many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) have been blocked from bringing in relief.

Our partners leading on shelter estimate that more than 140,000 people were affected by earlier rains that flooded more than 200 displacement sites. They continue to help families access critical services and improve drainage as hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians remain at heightened risk of flooding.

Families staying along the coast were displaced and are staying with relatives. Many other families sought temporary accommodation in already crowded emergency shelters. As tents and some classrooms were inundated, teams are removing water from flooded yards, clearing manholes and repairing damaged tents inside school compounds.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said it has shelter supplies for up to 1.3 million people outside Gaza, but the Agency has been barred from bringing that aid into Gaza, which is hindering humanitarian efforts.

OCHA stresses, once again, that restrictions on the entry of aid must be lifted, including the ban on UNRWA and the denial of NGO operations.

Turning to the West Bank, OCHA reports that since the beginning of the year, more than 1,000 people have been displaced in Area C, which constitutes some 60 per cent of the West Bank and where - just like in East Jerusalem - the Israeli authorities retain near exclusive control, including over law enforcement, planning and construction. Most of the people displaced had their homes demolished by Israeli authorities for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain. This level of displacement is the second highest annual record since 2009.

OCHA also continues to document high levels of Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, with devastating humanitarian impacts. Since the start of the year and as of today, an average of five such attacks has been recorded each day.

We call for the protection of Palestinians across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - including by halting punitive and other unlawful demolitions and preventing attacks by settlers.

**Lebanon and Israel

A quick update from our peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

Peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that yesterday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel pointed a green laser toward them in Sector East. A similar incident of laser pointing by the Israel Defense Forces took place the day before in Sector West. Any interference in the Mission's operations or intimidation of the peacekeepers must end immediately.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces military presence and activities in UNIFIL's area of operations continue. Yesterday, peacekeepers reported several air violations and machine gun fire from south of the Blue Line at Kafer Chouba and Markaba in Sector East.

UNIFIL peacekeepers have continued to find unauthorized weapons caches and unexploded ordnance. On Wednesday, peacekeepers found rockets, mortar shells, fuses and a tunnel in Sector West. Separately, a UNIFIL and Lebanese Armed Forces combined patrol discovered inactive rocket launcher tubes, active rockets, and a 20-metres-deep tunnel in Sector West. As per standard practice, these discoveries were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

**Security Council

This morning, the head of our Peace Operations department, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, briefed [Security] Council Members on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He told Council members that the recent developments pose a serious risk of progressive fragmentation of the DRC. The territorial expansion of the AFC/M23, the establishment of parallel Administrations, and the weakening of the State's presence in certain areas are fuelling a dynamic that directly threatens the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

At the same time, Mr. Lacroix added, the conflict is becoming increasingly regionalized. The direct or indirect involvement of armed forces and groups from neighbouring countries, as well as the cross-border movements of displaced populations and combatants, are significantly increasing the risk of a regional conflagration.

This threatens not only the stability of eastern DRC, but also the entire Great Lakes region.

Mr. Lacroix said that the growing gap between political commitments and their effective implementation on the ground undermines the credibility of the peace process, weakens trust between the parties and fuels the sense of abandonment felt by the civilian population. Without concrete and immediate measures to enforce the agreements reached, the dynamics of conflict risk closing the door to dialogue.

His full remarks have been shared with you.

**Great Lakes Region

And in a statement issued this morning, Huang Xia, the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, also reiterated our readiness to support international and regional diplomatic efforts towards a comprehensive political solution.

He said he has begun a regional tour to hold in-depth consultations on ways and means to de-escalate tensions, adding that in the past 48 hours, he has been in touch with several foreign ministers from the region.

**Central African Republic

Meanwhile, in the Central African Republic, disarmament and demobilization operations for combatants continue in the context of the peace process.

This week in Sikikede and in Sam-Ouandja - both in the country's north-east - the National Disarmament body launched new disarmament and demobilization operations, with our peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, providing logistical, technical and security support.

These operations directly benefit civilians; communities feel reassured - every weapon removed from circulation is one less risk for communities.

Since 10 July, more than 1,000 combatants have been disarmed and demobilized.

**Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that as temperatures drop to zero, intense hostilitiesin front-line areas and attacks in other regions continue to cause widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, including critical energy facilities.

Overnight attacks on energy infrastructure in the Odesa region damaged two power substations, leaving part of Odesa City and surrounding areas without electricity and affecting at least 90,000 families. Hospitals, schools and other municipal facilities are now running on backup generators. The city's water supply and heating were also disrupted.

According to the latest report from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, betweenOctober and November, at least eight waves of large-scale missile and drone attacks severely affected the country's energy system. The strikes caused emergency power outages and daily electricity cuts in multiple regions, with scheduled power cuts lasting up to 18 hours each day. Some areas experienced disruptions to water services and heating that lasted for many hours or even days.

Meanwhile in Kherson City, humanitarian organizations on the ground warn that following last week's attacks on the Central Heating Power Plant, the situation is critical, with about 40 per cent of the population cut off from heating. Local authorities have issued an urgent appeal for 120,000 heaters to help residents cope with the cold. OCHA is working with the UN Refugee Agency and other partners to coordinate emergency support.

**Elections

And I wanted to flag that the organizations endorsing the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation have concluded their 20^th Anniversary Implementation Meeting today in Geneva.

Since its adoption, the number of organizations endorsing the document has grown from 21 to 54 - with endorsing organizations in every region of the world.

During today's event, the endorsing organizations reaffirmed their commitment to the Declaration's principles, including impartiality, professionalism, cooperation with national authorities and the protection of human rights.

They also highlighted new tools and methodologies to strengthen international observation missions and support genuine democratic processes worldwide.

More information has been shared with you.

**International Days

Today is the International Day of Neutrality. Neutrality supports dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and the peaceful settlement of disputes - all core to the UN's work. Neutral States play a vital role in strengthening international peace and friendly relations among nations.

Today is also International Universal Health Coverage Day, underscoring the need for strong, resilient health systems and universal access to care.

On Sunday, we mark the International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations. Colonialism in its various forms continues to exist, undermining the principles of the UN Charter and hindering development. Ending colonialism remains a core UN priority.

**Guest on Monday

On Monday, my guest will be Denise Brown, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.

She will be joining us virtually from Kadugli to brief on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

**Questions and Answers

Deputy Spokesman: Any questions? Yes.

Question: Thanks, Farhan. As you know, the Security Council received a briefing on Congo and MONUSCO's mandate is up for renewal. I'm wondering, given the recent peace talks followed by violence, followed by the limitations of the peacekeepers there due to funding cuts, what the Secretary-General's position is on MONUSCO's mandate going forward and how the current situation there informs what is needed?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, the Secretary-General has regularly reported to the Security Council on MONUSCO's mandate, and he's pointed to how the situation on the ground shows the clear need for the UN Mission's continued activities. We certainly hope that the Security Council will continue to support MONUSCO. Certainly, the sort of fighting we've seen in South Kivu, which, as you all know, is a place where the UN Mission is no longer even present, shows how dangerous it is for Congolese civilians when there is no UN presence to ensure their protection. And certainly, we trust that the Security Council will take seriously today's briefing from Mr. Lacroix and will continue to support the work that the UN Mission is doing. Yes, Pan?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. This year marks the international year of peace and trust, and high-level forum was held in Turk… [pause]

Deputy Spokesman: Turkmenistan?

Question: Turkmenistan, yes. So, does the SG has any message for the forum?

Deputy Spokesman: I think we certainly are just supportive of all efforts to uphold the cause of peace, and meetings among Member States to that end are helpful.

Question: A follow-up. The Chinese President, Xi [Jinping] sent a congratulatory letter to the forum, in which the President emphasized the importance of mutual trust, mutual understanding and mutual respect and what is China's readiness to work with other countries to uphold world peace and security. Does the SG have any comments on the letter? Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman: Nothing, beyond our support across the board for efforts among nations to reinforce mutual trust with each other. Mouna has a question online?

Question: Yes. Can you hear me?

Deputy Spokesman: Yes.

Question: Thank you, Mr. Haq. We didn't get a chance to ask Dr. Peeperkorn some questions during the previous briefing, so I'm following up with you, if that's okay? We'd really appreciate any updated figures on the number of amputations among children in Gaza and current access to rehabilitation, prosthetics or orthopaedic care, and reconstructive procedures, both physical and psychological support. And based on these findings, what do you see as the most urgent interventions right now for people affected by amputations and the solutions that are being prioritized to respond to the impact of the recent floods that you just mentioned?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, as Mr. Peeperkorn just said in his briefing, one of the things is for people who need advanced medical care to get it, including to have medical evacuation. So, people who need to have specialized care for amputations or for prosthetics should be able to receive that. And certainly, the other thing that's needed is that different equipment, including prosthetic limbs, need to be available inside Gaza. And so, the sort of restrictions that we've faced, including those on potential dual-use items, need to be lifted for things that amputees desperately need. Regarding the numbers, we've provided those sporadically, but you can also look at those on the website of the World Health Organization. Dezhi?

Correspondent: Thank you.

Question: Today, the GA adopted a resolution calling for Israel to cooperate with UN agencies, as well as third States, in the topic of Palestine. The Israeli Ambassador, [Danny] Danon, today said that they're not going to cooperate with UNRWA. This resolution wouldn't change what their position is. So first, I guess, what is the response from the Secretary-General on the adoption of this very long name resolution? I'm not going to read out the name.

Deputy Spokesman: I appreciate that.

Question: Thank you. And secondly, what's his response to the Israeli Ambassador?

Deputy Spokesman: Certainly, the Secretary-General is heartened by the tremendous amount of support that the Member States, including through the General Assembly, have shown for the work of UNRWA. And regarding cooperation with UNRWA, of course, it's critical that all States, including Israel, cooperate and work with UNRWA, as I said at the start of this briefing. And as you're aware, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has also called for that in their recent ruling.

Question: Second question. This happened during our briefing. US President [Donald] Trump posted something on Truth Social, said he had a good conversation this morning with the Prime Minister of Thailand, as well as Prime Minister of Cambodia. Quote, "They have agreed to cease all shooting, effective this evening, and go back to the original peace accord made with me and them with the help of the Prime Minister of Malaysia." Any response to the latest development?

Deputy Spokesman: We'll have to see, of course, if Thailand and Cambodia cease the current spate of conflict that we've seen in the last few days. Obviously, if that happens, that would be a tremendously welcome development.

Question: Should the UN show gratitude to President Trump?

Deputy Spokesman: We've expressed our gratitude for the efforts to bring Thailand and Cambodia back towards good-neighbourly relations. And certainly, we'll see whether this latest initiative works. Certainly, it would be a very welcome step forward. Have a great weekend, everyone.