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.

**Guests

As we start today, I would like to thank I believe members of the Shireen Abu Akleh Training Programme for Palestinian Broadcasters and Journalists, joining us online. So, welcome and I hope you have a good programme.

In a short while, I will be joined virtually by our guests from the World Food Programme (WFP), who will brief you on Hurricane Melissa. WFP's Country Director for their Multi-Country Caribbean Office, Brian Bogart, will join us from Kingston, and WFP's Country Director in Cuba, Etienne Labande, will join us from Havana. They will discuss the impact of the hurricane and WFP's response and operations to support those affected.

**Hurricane Melissa

Turning to the impact of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than 1.5 million people - over half of the country's population - have been affected, facing the loss of their homes and livelihoods.

OCHA tells us that infrastructure has been severely damaged. More than 130 roads have been blocked, while power and communication networks have been disrupted. Access to some western parishes remains difficult due to roads being blocked by debris as well as fuel shortages. We and our humanitarian partners continue to support the Government's efforts to restore access, strengthen health surveillance and ensure that life-saving assistance reaches those most in need.

Health services are under heavy strain. Several hospitals and clinics were damaged or destroyed, including the hospital in the town of Black River. This has prompted the deployment of an emergency medical team from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with further support planned. PAHO has also deployed a mental health and psychosocial support specialist to support children and health workers. Hospitals report having only a few days' worth of food supplies, as well as critical shortages of water and fuel for electricity, which are affecting their ability to deliver care.

WFP estimates that up to 360,000 people may require food assistance. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partners are working to restore safe water and sanitation services, particularly in shelters and affected communities.

The OCHA-led UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team is coordinating the multiple assistance teams and aid arriving, in support of the Government.

In Haiti, the UN and our partners continue to carry out assessments of the damage wreaked by Hurricane Melissa and are ramping up our efforts to reach people in need. According to the authorities, at least 30 people have died. Joint assessments by the Government, the UN and our humanitarian partners continue in the Grand 'Anse department and will expand to other affected departments in the coming days.

Despite a severe lack of funding, access challenges and logistical conditions, we and our partners remain committed to stay and deliver life-saving assistance to those most in need. OCHA continues to work closely with authorities and our partners to ensure a coherent, efficient and well-coordinated response, facilitating information sharing and supporting collective efforts to reach affected populations. The $908 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just over 21 per cent funded, with $195 million received so far.

And in Doha today, the Secretary-General met with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz. They discussed the impact of climate change on the Caribbean, and the devastation left recently by hurricane Melissa. The Prime Minister commended the United Nations team's response and support to Cuba in these difficult circumstances. The Secretary-General assured the Prime Minister of the United Nations' solidarity and continued aid to Cuba in this regard.

**Secretary-General/Doha

The Secretary-General spoke to the opening session of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar today, and he warned that today, we are at a moment of high global uncertainty with crises ongoing in terms of poverty, inequality, and climate.

He saluted the adopted Doha Political Declaration as a "booster shot for development," describing it as a people-centred plan requiring urgent action in four areas: accelerating poverty and inequality reduction, job creation, increased financing for developing countries, and greater social inclusion. The Declaration, Mr. [António] Guterres said, calls for targeted investments, climate finance, and inclusive governance.

The Secretary-General urged governments and partners to mobilize the political will and resources to realize the Declaration's ambitious vision for sustainable development. This Summit, he said in closing, is all about hope - hope through collective action that is so desperately needed to continue the journey that we began together thirty years ago in Copenhagen.

He spoke to the press in Doha about the Political Declaration, and he also discussed the horrifying crisis in Sudan, which he said is spiralling out of control, and about the continued violations of the ceasefire in Gaza.

On Sudan, he said that, for over 18 months, El Fasher and the surrounding areas in North Darfur have been an epicentre of suffering, hunger, violence and displacement. And since the Rapid Support Forces entered El Fasher last weekend, the situation is growing worse by the day.

He once again called for an immediate end to this unimaginable violence; for the safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all civilians in need; for an end to the flow of weapons and fighters into Sudan; and for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Regarding Gaza, the Secretary-General said that all parties must abide by the decisions of the first phase of the peace agreement. And he stressed the need to establish a credible political path towards ending the occupation, realizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and leading to a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. The transcripts to his press remarks and the readouts of his meetings are now available.

**Deputy Secretary-General/Doha

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, arrives in Doha, Qatar, today to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development. The Deputy Secretary-General will meet with senior Government officials from Qatar and other delegations, as well as civil society representatives, youth, and other stakeholders, to discuss how to translate commitments made at the Summit into tangible progress on the ground. The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on 9 November.

**Secretary-General/COP30

The Secretary-General will depart Qatar on Wednesday to head to Brazil, where he will attend the Belém Climate Summit, which will be held ahead of the thirtieth UN Climate Change Conference, taking place in Belém from 10 to 21 November. The Secretary-General will speak at the opening of the General Plenary of Leaders on Thursday, where he is expected to stress that in this critical moment for our planet and the billions of lives and livelihoods it sustains, every leader must confront some stark truths.

Noting that newly submitted Nationally Determined Contributions represent progress, the Secretary-General will say that policies and plans governments have put on the table still fall far short of a credible pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as agreed by all Member States in the Paris Agreement. The truth, the Secretary-General will warn, is that the climate crisis is accelerating.

The Secretary-General will also highlight that another truth is that we have never been better equipped to fight back, emphasizing that this Conference of Parties must ignite a decade of acceleration and delivery. While in Belém, the Secretary-General will also meet with leaders attending the conference. The Secretary-General is expected back in New York on 9 November.

**Emissions Gap Report

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today released a report showing that global warming projections over this century, based on full implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are now 2.3-2.5°C, compared to 2.6-2.8°C in last year's report. The report points out that implementing only current policies would lead to up to 2.8°C of warming, compared to 3.1°C last year.

In a video message, the Secretary-General said that the new Emissions Gap Report is clear and uncompromising. He noted that current commitments still point to climate breakdown, adding that scientists tell us that a temporary overshoot above 1.5°C is now inevitable - starting at the latest, in the early 2030s.

But this is no reason to surrender, the Secretary-General said. Instead, it's a reason to step up and speed up. He stressed that limiting the rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century remains our North Star, and the science is clear: this goal is still within reach. But only if we meaningfully increase our ambition. The full report is available online.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the UN and our humanitarian partners continue scaling up our operations, in line with the 60-day response plan.

We and our partners continue to move cargo into Gaza and collect supplies from the crossings. Yesterday, we provided some initial information on supplies collected on Sunday, when the UN and our partners picked up 80 truckloads - a total that does not include bilateral and commercial deliveries. Among the cargo collected was food, animal fodder, shelter materials, winter clothing and hygiene items.

Our partners report that, based on preliminary data, they collected nearly 750 pallets of relief items yesterday from Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and transported them to Gaza City. Another four trucks delivered medicine and medical supplies. Congestion and heavy traffic continue to hamper collection efforts.

Inside Gaza, since the resumption of our general food distributions on 13 October, nearly 1 million people have received assistance through 46 distribution points run by our partners working on food security across the Strip. That's half of the total population. We continue to try to expand this so that this month, families can receive two monthly food parcels, up from one in October.

Between mid-October and this Sunday, the UN and our partners collected more than 210 metric tons of animal fodder from the crossings, and the distribution of that supply to some 1,700 herders in Deir al Balah is almost complete. On Sunday, our partners providing nutrition services collected more than 120,000 packs of fortified cereal, a nutritional supplement to prevent acute malnutrition in children. This supply is sufficient to support large numbers of children for one month, which helps to bridge gaps caused by shortages of other supplements.

Our partners providing water and sanitation services continue to scale up their responses. On Saturday and Sunday, they distributed over 2,400 hygiene kits and 900 dignity kits, as well as thousands of soap bars, buckets and jerrycans to displaced families in shelters. They also installed 10 rigid water tanks as community water points to improve delivery. Furthermore, with humanitarian support, the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility began rehabilitating three water wells supplying neighbourhoods in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, our partners providing protection support report that their services remain under severe strain due to displacement, damage and insecurity, with major gaps in the north. Despite this, they continue to respond wherever possible.

Yesterday, over 300 children joined protection and rights awareness sessions, while more than 100 adolescents and caregivers received psychosocial support. Another 300 children participated in structured learning activities, while children with disabilities received rehabilitation support. About 775 at-risk children and their families were referred for additional assistance.

Also yesterday, more than 700 women and girls took part in psychosocial and first aid sessions in the areas of Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, Nuseirat and Al Mawasi. Another 500 women in Deir al Balah and Al Mawasi area received dignity kits and menstrual health items to reduce health and protection risks.

OCHA reminds us that to fully deliver on the 60-day humanitarian plan, the UN and our humanitarian partners need a durable ceasefire, more functional crossings, the lifting of bureaucratic hurdles, safe and viable routes inside Gaza, sustained funding, and unimpeded access - including for NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

Turning to the West Bank, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, today appealed for the protection of Palestinians, amid reports of ongoing attacks by Israeli settlers across the West Bank. He noted that many of these attacks are related to Palestinians' attempts to harvest their olive crops. Mr. Fletcher stressed that the failure to prevent or punish such attacks is inconsistent with international law, and he called for perpetrators to be held accountable.

**Sudan

Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that despite the extremely dangerous operating environment, we and our partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance wherever access permits. In Tawila, which is hosting hundreds of thousands of people who fled attacks in and around El Fasher, UNICEF reports that our humanitarian partners have recently reached more than 12,000 people who recently arrived there with safe water, while chlorination activities at 10 public water stations now serve 45,000 people daily. Given the huge scale of needs and severe funding shortfalls, we urge donors to step up their support for the humanitarian response urgently.

This aid comes at a critical time. According to the Famine Review Committee (FRC), famine conditions are occurring in El Fasher in North Darfur and Kadugli in South Kordofan - towns largely cut off by conflict from commercial supplies and humanitarian assistance. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), WFP and UNICEF say that across all critically affected regions, the drivers of hunger are clear: conflict, displacement and blocked humanitarian access.

In Tawila, mobile health and nutrition clinics continue to provide services for new arrivals, including screening children under 5 for malnutrition and admitting severe cases to outpatient therapeutic programmes. We and our partners are scaling up therapeutic feeding and vitamin supplementation programmes, while efforts continue to ensure safe deliveries and emergency care for pregnant women through mobile clinics.

Meanwhile, OCHA warns that violence continues to intensify across North Darfur State. On Sunday, multiple air and drone strikes were reported across the areas of El Fasher, Tina and Wana Mountain. Local sources continue to report civilian casualties, but these remain unverified due to limited access and the difficulty of communicating with people in the affected areas.

Yesterday, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned continued attacks on healthcare in Sudan, after the Kernoi Paediatric and Maternity Hospital in North Darfur was struck, resulting in at least four deaths - including children - and three injuries. He stressed that such attacks on healthcare must stop everywhere.

The security situation in the Kordofan region continues to worsen. Local sources report that at least 40 civilians were killed and dozens injured yesterday in an attack on a funeral gathering in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State. Once again, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. We also urge all sides to ensure safe and unimpeded passage for humanitarian workers and relief supplies to reach all people in need.

**Madagascar

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that Madagascar is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, mainly in the regions of Grand Sud and Grand Sud-Est, which have been hit by a series of droughts, cyclones and other shocks this year and last. The lingering impact of the recent El Niño drought and cyclone season, combined with a malaria outbreak and strained health systems, has left many communities with little ability to recover.

As a result, Madagascar's hunger crisis is intensifying. The number of people facing emergency food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) in the Grand Sud region is expected to quadruple to 110,000 by January 2026. Cases of severe acute malnutrition in the Grand Sud have surged in the past year, affecting nearly 160,000 children.

Severe funding cuts have crippled humanitarian operations, forcing our partners, especially in areas of acute humanitarian need, to shut down their activities and leave thousands of people without vital aid.

The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, with support from the UN and our partners, has instituted a National Humanitarian Response Plan. It calls for nearly $185 million to address food insecurity, malnutrition and disease outbreaks through April 2026. However, with the plan currently facing a $125 million funding gap, we appeal for $85 million to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs of 1.5 million people. Are there any questions for me before I go to our guests? If I see none, then I'll go to the guest now. All right. Why? Okay. Stefano, gotta be quick on the trigger. Okay.

**Questions and Answers

Question: I see that in the press conference in Doha that the Secretary-General underlined the situation in Sudan, then there were questions. The situation is getting worse, not better. So again, I asked it before, when the Secretary-General will write or tell directly to the Security Council that it is the time to protect the civilians, then the responsibility to protect and so eventually send also a Blue Helmet force? Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman: Regarding that, I would just refer you to what he said in the press conference. In the full transcript, he answered a number of questions. I want again to underline what his priorities are, which is an end to the violence; safe, rapid, and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid; an end to the flow of weapons and fighters by any party into Sudan; and an immediate cessation of hostilities. As you're aware, the Security Council has already been seized of the matter, and they've been dealing with this. If he feels it's necessary to go to any further steps with the Security Council, he will do so. But right now, he, as well as the envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, have been keeping the Security Council up to date about the situation there.

Question: Yes. I'm sorry for my follow-up. But if I was now one of the civilians trapped in El Fasher, okay, I will know I don't want a press statement from the Security Council. I don't want words. I want actions, because I'm going to die. I'm gonna die in in an hour, in a day, or five days. So while the Security Council is, yes, acknowledging the situation, this is a situation, again, of genocide or whatever… massacre, whatever you want to call it, and hours nowadays are very important. So, again, my question, is: Does the Secretary-General now aware that it's a matter of hours, and so it should push the Security Council to act?

Deputy Spokesman: I think it's very clear that the Secretary-General is pushing the Security Council, as well as all the nations, including those who have been arming the parties, to act. His words on this have been very strong. Ultimately, what you're asking for is stronger action by the Security Council, and that is something we would like to see, as well. But what we're doing from our end is telling them about the severity of the crisis and pushing them to respond. Pam?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. There's a Security Council resolution that the US is circulating. Obviously, it is a decision of the Security Council. But has anyone in the Secretariat been informed or are part of the discussion? It's about an international police force in Gaza. Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman: We're aware of this. Obviously, we are not in the Security Council, nor are we a Member State. So we're not directly involved in any of this. But the Secretary-General made some comments today in Doha about the need for a Security Council approval of an international force, and I would just refer you to what he said in his press conference. All right. Yes, please?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. Do you have any update on the earthquake in Afghanistan?

Deputy Spokesman: Thank you. Well, you heard what we said yesterday about this and our efforts at assessing the damage and our willingness to support the authorities in terms of recovery, and I'd just refer you back to what I said then. All right. We're now going to be joined virtually by our guests from the World Food Programme.