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, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Briefings

Just in a short while, after you are done with me, we will be joined by Alexander de Croo, who as you know is the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). He will be joining us live from East Jerusalem to brief you on his recent visit to Gaza. It will be a sort of a shortish intervention.

Then, at 1 p.m., we will have Ambassador Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine. He will be at the Security Council Stakeout to read a statement on behalf of the Arab Group regarding the situation in the occupied West Bank.

**India

The Secretary-General left New York a short while ago. He is heading to New Delhi to take part in the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit. He is scheduled to participate in the Summit's opening ceremony, which takes place on Thursday, as well as a session on the role of science in international AI governance.

The Secretary-General, as we mentioned, will have bilateral meetings with the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and others that are in New Delhi.

**Jesse Jackson

I can tell you that the Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a giant of the civil rights movement in the United States and a longtime champion of human rights, equality and justice around the world. Reverend Jackson lent his powerful voice to the UN's work against racism, against apartheid and for human rights, including by taking part in a number of events here at Headquarters. The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to his family, his loved ones, his friends, as well as the Government and the people of the United States.

**Yemen

Turning to Yemen: Today, our Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, concluded a visit to Moscow, in the Russian Federation. There, he discussed with officials, including the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Alexander Alimov, the latest developments in Yemen and they exchanged views on ongoing efforts to return to an inclusive, Yemeni-led political process under the auspices of the United Nations. He underscored the complexity of the conflict and the regional challenges including Red Sea security, as well as the need for Security Council unity and sustained international engagement to prevent further instability.

Mr. Grundberg also briefed on the UN-facilitated talks in Amman on the release of conflict-related detainees and discussed ongoing efforts to secure the unconditional release of 73 of our colleagues, and others who continue to be arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

 Turning to the situation in Gaza. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip are continuing each day, albeit in limited  numbers. Today and yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners supported the evacuation of 55 patients and 72 of their companions. Three quarters of these people exited through the Rafah crossing and one quarter through the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem. Since the re-opening of Rafah crossing, nearly 260 patients have been evacuated through the two routes, out of about 18,500 who require treatment that is not available locally and are waiting evacuation to get that much needed treatment.

While the World Health Organization continues to call for the re-opening of the medical referral route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; their priority is to scale up local health services and rehabilitate health services to reduce the need for evacuations.

Meanwhile, today, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it has distributed more than 1,800 metric tons of animal feed and provided veterinary kits to over 2,300 livestock holders in the past four months. They distributed that alongside with cash assistance.

FAO noted that the conflict caused widespread destruction of agricultural infrastructure. Between October 2023 and November of last year, livestock survival rates dropped to 33 per cent for goats and 20 per cent for sheep, while about 37 per cent of cropland is now accessible for cultivation.

Humanitarians say that meeting people's needs in Gaza requires the increased entry of a wide range of humanitarian supplies and equipment, including items that are currently difficult to gain approval for entry. It also requires enabling all humanitarian partners to operate without hindrance.

**Sudan

Turning to Sudan: Nearly three years into the devastating war in Sudan, including almost daily drone attacks on civilians, the region faces an unprecedented displacement crisis, with humanitarian needs outpacing available resources.

To meet these growing needs, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and 123 of our partners are urgently seeking $1.6 billion to provide food, shelter, healthcare, protection and dignified support to 5.9 million people across seven countries neighbouring Sudan by year's end. The plan also promotes longer-term solutions, such as helping Governments include refugees in national systems and expand access to services.

Host Governments and local communities continue to demonstrate remarkable solidarity; however, their capacity is being pushed to the brink, underscoring the need for a fourth consecutive annual appeal on this scale.

We continue to call for stronger international backing to address the persistent underfunding of humanitarian operations in the countries hosting people fleeing Sudan, as we await a lasting peace. And we reiterate, once again, especially in light of the continuing attacks on civilians, that the parties respect international law and never target civilians, health infrastructure, religious sites, schools and many other things.

**Libya

I want to flag a disturbing report issued today by our colleagues at the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). They tell us that migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya are subjected to ruthless and systematic human rights violations and abuses, which include torture, killings, sexual violence and trafficking.

The report finds that migrants are rounded up and abducted by criminal trafficking networks, often with ties to the Libyan authorities, and criminal networks abroad. It describes how they are separated from their families, arrested and transferred to detention facilities without due process, often at gunpoint, in what amounts to arbitrary detention.

In detention, migrants are routinely subjected to horrific violations and abuses, including slavery, torture, ill treatment, forced labour, forced prostitution and other forms of sexual violence, as well as ransom, extortion, and the confiscation and re-sale of their belongings and identification documents. The report really makes for horrific reading and a story that needs to get more attention. More information online.

**Burkina Faso

Moving to Burkina Faso, we and our humanitarian partners today released the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for this year.

The Plan calls for $658.5 million and is aligned with national priorities and supports the Government-led efforts across key sectors including food security, health, and essential services to assist 2.7 million people in 13 regions where the needs are greatest.

Burkina Faso continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis driven by insecurity, displacement and climate shocks, leaving 4.5 million people in need of assistance.

In 2025, only one third of required funding was received, which forced us to make very difficult choices, and less than half of targeted people were reached and less than half of the people targeted for assistance were reached.

Access remains a challenge, especially in hard-to-reach areas where assistance often relies on air transport or escorted convoys, which of course increases the costs of everything.

We thank all the donors for their support, but additional funding is urgently needed, as humanitarian partners warn that hard-won gains could be reversed, undermining resilience and recovery efforts.

**Madagascar

Turning to Madagascar, our OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) colleagues tell us that the Government has reported at least 52 deaths following Tropical Cyclone Gezani that made landfall earlier this month near Toamasina on the eastern coast of Madagascar. In addition, more than 800 people have been injured and nine remain missing.

Preliminary reports indicate that more than 470,000 people have been impacted by the cyclone. Over 35,000 people have been displaced, including 3,200 people in 19 temporary sites. Combined with the impact of the previous cyclone, Cyclone Fytia, which made landfall at the end of January, the total number of people impacted by the two storms exceeds 680,000.

At the Government's request, OCHA deployed additional teams yesterday to strengthen coordination. We and our partners are providing food, water and sanitation, healthcare, protection, nutrition and shelter, among other essential services.

Following aerial assessments, our humanitarian partners estimate that some $49 million is urgently required to support 382,000 people over the next two and a half months. This is part of the Government's appeal on 14 February for $142 million to address urgent humanitarian needs, recovery and reconstruction needs.

We and our partners thank donors and Member States who have demonstrated solidarity with the people of Madagascar and backed it with urgently needed financial resources. We urge the swift disbursement of funds to scale up assistance.

**Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs there tell us that between yesterday and the early hours of today, authorities reported several casualties in front-line regions. In the Donetsk Region, workers were killed while working at energy facilities. In Kherson City, health workers were injured when a medical facility was struck.

Our humanitarian colleagues note that overnight attacks on energy infrastructure left 100,000 people in Odesa City without electricity, without heating and without water. The Ministry of Energy also reported power disruptions following a combined missile and drone attack impacting the Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

These incidents reflect a pattern of targeted strikes on energy facilities, as temperatures in many parts of the country remain below [zero], increasing hardship and risks for vulnerable people.

Humanitarian teams have been deployed to impacted areas to provide shelter repair kits and materials, as well as psychological first aid. In Odesa City, partners are supporting municipal heating points with hot meals, blankets and other items.

Despite the challenges, assistance at scale continues as the full-scale war is about to enter its fifth year.

In 2025, more than 651,000 people received multipurpose cash assistance, enabling the most vulnerable war-affected people to meet their basic needs amid the hardships caused by the war.

**Peacebuilding Fund

The Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund has allocated $4.5 million for a trinational initiative in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras aimed at strengthening peace mechanisms related to the use of and access to water resources in the Trifinio region, a tri-border area.

Implemented by the UN Development Programme and the FAO, in close collaboration with national authorities and the Plan Trifinio Trinational Commission, the initiative will strengthen preventive capacities and establish inclusive dialogue mechanisms at the trinational, municipal and community levels to prevent and manage water-related tensions.

**Global Tourism Resilience Day

Today is Global Tourism Resilience Day. Yes, there is such a day, and it serves as a reminder that tourism drives sustainable development, jobs and growth worldwide. It's a call for smarter planning and stronger partnerships to support the sector in an unpredictable world.

**Questions and Answers

Spokesman: Next thing is to open up with a question from Edie. So, I will go with you, Edie.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Has the UN been monitoring the talks between Iran and the United States and Russia, Ukraine, and the United States? And does the UN have any comment on today's talks?

Spokesman: Sure. I mean, we welcome… On Iran, we welcome the continuation of the indirect talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, hosted by Oman, which I think, as you know, today took place in Geneva. You know, from the Secretary-General's standpoint, he wants the parties to maintain this momentum of these discussions that we hope will lead to concrete and constructive outcomes. And he also expresses the hope that they will reduce regional tensions and prevent a broader crisis, which could have very broad implications. For us, we continue to emphasize the imperative need for de-escalation and peaceful settlements in accordance with the UN Charter, and the Secretary-General underscores that all concerns can and should be addressed through diplomacy and dialogue. And we, of course, thank Oman and Switzerland for helping facilitate these talks.

Obviously, we're also following the ongoing discussions between the Russian Federation and Ukraine that are also taking place in Geneva with the facilitation of the United States. We continue to push there again for diplomacy to see an end to the conflict in Ukraine which, as we mentioned, is nearing its fifth year. And we want to see an end to the war in line with General Assembly resolutions, international law, and full respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Gabriel Elizondo?

Question: Thanks, Steph. I know you've been asked about the Board of Peace at times, and the UN's position on that - or the Secretary-General's position - is pretty clear. However, I just want to ask a follow-up since the Board of Peace is holding their first formal meeting in D.C. later this week. Has there been any consideration by the UN to take part as an observer rather than a full participant?

Spokesman: I mean, as you know, but it bears repeating it: For us, we will work with the Board of Peace in respect to its work on Gaza, which was mandated and approved by the Security Council. Tom Fletcher was invited to Washington to participate in the Gaza Board of Peace later this week and to speak regarding the UN's humanitarian scale-up, which we've been telling you about every day and putting a lot of effort into. Unfortunately, he has a long-scheduled trip to South Sudan, which is one of the most, I would say, underreported and most horrific humanitarian crises. So he's not able to go, but we will feed information regarding our humanitarian work into the discussions.

Question: There will be another person representing the UN? [cross-talk]

Spokesman: I think at this point, I have nothing to add, but I will update you if that changes. Yes, Alex, please?

Question: Thanks, Steph. A quick follow-up on Edie's question. Have you been in touch with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) regarding the talks in Geneva?

Spokesman: On Iran, no. I mean, not at the Secretary-General's level. I'm sure other colleagues have been in touch and been kept informed with the IAEA.

Question: Could you please share, like, whether the IAEA is optimistic about the talks…?

Spokesman: Whether the IAEA is optimistic?

Question: Yeah.

Spokesman: I think that is a question best left for Mr. [Rafael] Grossi. [cross-talk]

Question: All right. Thank you.

Spokesman: Yeah. Let's go to the screen before we go to our guest; Abu Sufian, please.

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Can you hear me?

Spokesman: Yes, sir.

Question: After more than 18 years, an elected Government was sworn in in Bangladesh today, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rehman. The United Nations has long been working with Bangladesh on issues including the Rohingya crisis, regional security, development cooperation, democracy, and human rights. What is the UN Secretary-General's plan to work with the newly elected Government and Prime Minister of Bangladesh?

Spokesman: Well, I mean, the Secretary-General will continue and the United Nations will continue to work with Bangladesh and the new Government. As we said a couple of days ago, he very much congratulates the people of Bangladesh for the holding of the legislative elections and the referendum earlier this week. As you know and as you said, there are a number of items on the agenda between Bangladesh and the United Nations, notably on issues of development, on issues of climate, and on humanitarian issues, given the generous hosting by Bangladesh of over 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Okay. I don't see any other questions, but I do see our friend Alexander de Croo, the Administrator of UNDP, online.