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.

**Guest

Good afternoon.

In a short while, I will be joined by Tom Fletcher, who you all know is our Emergency Relief Coordinator. He will be here to speak to you on the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. He will be here for just a brief amount of time, so I'm warning you now.

**International Women's Day

On Sunday… What is Sunday? International Women's Day. Of course, Ms. Schwinghammer, early happy birthday to the creator of Benno. Besides the parties that will be held in Germany, we will mark International Women's Day here under the theme "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls". Despite progress, women worldwide still hold just 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men, and discriminatory laws continue to shape every aspect of women's lives.

In a message for the Day, the Secretary-General stresses that by fighting discriminatory laws and practices, and defending the progress already achieved, we can ensure the dignity, opportunity and freedom all women deserve.

The seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) will take place next week from 9 to 19 March here at Headquarters, obviously. Key events include an opening session in the General Assembly Hall, where the Secretary-General will deliver remarks. We will share those remarks either today or over the weekend.

There will be numerous side events organized by Governments, various UN entities and, of course, civil society.

One event I want to highlight, organized by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, will take place on Monday at 4:45 p.m. in Conference Room 2. You are all invited to join [Special Representative] Pramila Patten and the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law for the launch of a Global Network on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence prosecutions. This is aimed at strengthening justice and accountability for survivors. This is an issue that is affecting women and girls in conflicts around the world.

There is also an ongoing photo exhibition in the UN lobby, highlighting justice and accountability efforts for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

**Senior Personnel Appointment

Senior personnel announcement to share with you:  The Secretary-General is appointing Monica Kathina Juma of Kenya as Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as well as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). 

She succeeds Ghada Fathi Waly of Egypt, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service to UNODC and the United Nations.  

The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs at UNODC, who will continue to serve as Acting Executive Director of UNODC until Ms. Juma assumes her position.

She is currently serving as the National Security Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kenya and Secretary to Kenya's National Security Council, a post she has held since 2022. She is a strategic senior leader with a depth of expertise, experience and knowledge spanning public policy making, execution and academia across critical areas of security, diplomacy and governance.

  Previously, she held the role of Cabinet Secretary in Strategic Ministries of Kenya, specifically the Ministry of Energy (2021-2022)

**Middle East

Turning to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, I have a statement from the Secretary-General, which we will share with you in writing momentarily.

All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region. These attacks pose a grave a risk to the global economy, particularly to the most vulnerable people.

The situation could spiral beyond anyone's control, the Secretary-General says.

He adds that it is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations, as the stakes could not be higher.

**Lebanon

Speaking of high stakes, in Lebanon, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that widespread displacement orders are placing already affected civilians under increasing strain. Ongoing airstrikes across the country are killing and injuring dozens of people.

Across the country, more than 100,000 people are now sheltering in collective centres. Many more people are on the move. Health services in affected areas remain disrupted. We have received reports that hospitals in South Beirut were forced to suspend operations and evacuate patients on 5 March and remain non-operational today.

Humanitarian partners, working closely with national and local authorities, are scaling up assistance in shelters and host communities. Since 2 March, they have distributed more than 120,000 meals.

In the south, our peacekeepers continue to observe strikes towards Israel by Hizbullah and Israeli airstrikes and shelling into Lebanon. Peacekeepers have also observed Israel Defense Forces ground incursions across the Blue Line into Lebanese territory. That is in addition to those recorded earlier in the week. I can tell you that our UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) peacekeepers remain in place and in position in the application of their mandate.

And in Syria, over 30,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into that country over the past week. That is what Syrian authorities are telling us. UN teams are present at border crossings, monitoring movements and coordinating with the Syrian Government and other partners to provide assistance where appropriate.

We remind all parties that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

We urge all involved to avail of diplomatic channels and avoid further escalation and return to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.

**Iran

Turning to Iran, our colleagues at UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) tell us they are deeply concerned about the deadly impact the ongoing military escalation in that country, the impact it is having on children. Approximately 180 children have reportedly been killed and many more injured. Among the casualties are 168 girls killed when a strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran. The strike took place while classes were still in session on 28 February.

UNICEF reported yesterday that at least 20 schools have been damaged. It says that schools are protected under international humanitarian law and must be places of safety.

Health facilities have also been impacted. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 13 attacks impacting healthcare sites as of yesterday.

And our colleagues at the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), which is the largest UN agency operating in Iran, tell us that according to their information, initial estimates say that 100,000 people leaving Tehran in the first two days of the crisis have now been surpassed.

UNHCR adds that the country is home to 1.65 million people forced to flee, mostly from Afghanistan, and an overwhelming number are seeking help and support.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our humanitarian colleagues warn that civilians - including aid workers - and civilian infrastructure continue to be exposed to airstrikes, shelling and shooting, resulting in reported casualties and damage.  

As we have said many times, under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected.  

As of yesterday, the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing into Gaza remained operational, allowing the delivery of approved humanitarian supplies. All other crossings, including Rafah, remain closed. Medical evacuations, the return of residents from abroad and the rotation of humanitarian staff remain suspended due to that closure. 

Inside Gaza, our partners are continuing to provide health services. They are prioritizing emergency care, maternal and neonatal services, management of communicable disease and trauma care. They are also closely managing fuel consumption and adjusting operations where needed.

Yesterday, an oil tanker from our colleagues at UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) was hit on its way to collect urgently needed fuel for distribution inside Gaza. No one was injured. Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Head of UNOPS, called for a full investigation into this latest incident. He said that fuel must be allowed into Gaza consistently, its delivery facilitated safely and without interruption to keep humanitarian operations going.

In the West Bank, increased closure of Israeli checkpoints and road gates since the regional escalation began continues to restrict Palestinian's access to services and workplaces. Emergency services and humanitarian work are also impacted.

Meanwhile, operations and violence by Israeli settlers and Israeli security forces is continuing. The is resulting in casualties, damage and forced displacement. 

Yesterday, eight Palestinian families, some 45 people, were forced to leave their community, Shakara, in the Nablus governorate. This followed a series of attacks, threats, trespassing, and intimidation by Israeli settlers from a newly established illegal outpost. Israeli forces had declared the area a "closed military zone". 

In response to this development, our partners have started providing mental health and psychosocial support, legal advice, shelter provisions, as well as livelihood and cash assistance. Palestinians in the West Bank must be protected, and perpetrators must be held to account. 

**Afghanistan/Pakistan

Turning to the ongoing violence on the Afghan-Pakistan border. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues to verify and record incidents of civilian casualties inside Afghanistan as a result of cross-border armed clashes between Pakistan and the Afghanistan's de facto authorities. From late evening 26 February to yesterday, 5 March, the UN Mission verified and recorded a total of 185 civilian casualties in Afghanistan, with 56 civilians killed and a further 129 injured due to indirect fire and aerial attacks. 55 per cent of the recorded civilian casualties in this period were women and children.

The Mission reiterated its call to all parties to implement protocols to prevent civilian casualties and meet their obligations under international law.

Today, UNHCR said that some 115,000 people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan and some 3,000 in Pakistan. Today, the UN refugee agency said that some 115,000 people internally have been displaced in Afghanistan and some 3,000 in Pakistan amid active conflict along the border.

The situation in Afghanistan is already fragile, and any further large-scale returns of Afghan refugees will put immense pressure on basic services and host communities. UNHCR is delivering critical humanitarian assistance, including distribution of relief items and shelter support.

For his part, our colleague Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, implored the Pakistan military and Afghan de facto security forces to end immediately their fighting and to prioritize helping the millions who depend on aid and whose lives have been tormented by violence and misery for so long.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our colleagues at MONUSCO, the peacekeeping mission there, continues to support the Government's efforts to disarm and reintegrate former combatants.

Since January of last year, in the north-eastern province of Ituri, the Mission, working in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has supported the disarmament, demobilization and community reintegration of almost 1,400 combatants from the Zaire armed group.

The Mission also reports that between 2023 and 2025, more than 18,000 people, including ex-combatants, women, and community members, have benefited from reintegration and recovery projects inside the DRC.

These initiatives are part of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program, which is a Congolese national programme, which the peacekeeping mission and UN agencies continue to support as one of its priority mandated tasks.

**Jamaica

Quick update from our colleague Alexander De Croo, the Administrator of UNDP [United Nations Development Programme], who is wrapping up a two-day visit to Jamaica.

Mr. De Croo met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister responsible for Water, Environment and Climate Resilience to discuss Hurricane Melissa's severe impact on communities, livelihoods and the wider economy.

Yesterday, Mr. De Croo visited communities in western Jamaica, where he met local residents who are rebuilding their livelihoods together with UNDP following the devastation of the hurricane.

The UN Development Programme reaffirmed its commitment to recovery, including over $30 million in grant financing under development to support resilient livelihoods, ecosystems, and access to recovery finance.

**Food Price Index

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today released a new update, which showed that global food prices rose in February for the first time in five months. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 125.3 points, up 0.9 per cent from January, though still 1 per cent below its level a year ago.

In a separate report released today, FAO estimates that 41 countries worldwide require external assistance for food, most of them in Africa, largely due to conflict and insecurity, as well as weather-related shocks in some cases.

**Financial Contribution

We have a quiz for you today, because we now have 77 Member States fully paid up.

This country has the lowest population density of any sovereign nation in the world. […] Mongolia.

**Questions and Answers

Spokesman: All right, come on Gabriel. […]

Question: Steph, the Secretary-General in his statement said that the situation in the Middle East could spiral beyond anyone's control. How could it get any more out of control than it is right now?

Spokesman: I mean, it doesn't take much imagination to see how this situation could get even worse, whether it's threatening the unity of certain Member States, the continuing suffering of civilians, and also the deteriorating situation around the Strait of Hormuz, the impact that will have globally. We're already seeing a spike in oil prices and the impact that will have, given our continued addiction to fossil fuels. I mean, I talked about, you know, the FAO food price. The report FAO put out talking about how so many countries need assistance with food due to all sorts of reasons. One can only imagine the effect the spike in energy prices will have on transport, food production, on fertilizers. I mean, sadly, the situation could get much worse.

Question: And a follow-up on Iran. As far as we know, the biggest mass casualty event of this war so far was in the first day, when more than 150 children were killed in that school in Manab. The US is not claiming responsibility yet. Israel isn't. Does the UN have the capability to get there, to get eyes on the ground or not?

Spokesman: At this point, we do not. But that does not mean that there shouldn't be any sort of investigation right now. We've seen some very interesting media coverage in the last 24 hours on that. Edie?

Question: For the follow-up on the Secretary-General's statement, President [Donald] Trump said this morning that Iran must surrender. The Secretary-General's called for negotiations. What is he going to do to promote negotiations when one of the key players in this war wants one of the parties to surrender?

Spokesman: We will continue, the Secretary-General will continue through his contacts to push for a return to serious negotiations. I mean, as I mentioned to Gabriel, the situation is horrific but could easily get worse. The only way to settle this is through negotiations.

Question: A second question. UNOPS put out a statement this morning saying that an empty tanker that was heading to pick up fuel for Gaza was hit. It didn't say; it gave very, very few details. Can you please find out exactly, where this took place? It said the tanker was damaged. What's happened to the tanker?

Spokesman: Yeah, I'll find out. I mean, I think, I just mentioned it in my opening remarks. What we do know is that no one was hurt, but we'll try to get some more granularity for you. [He later said the vessel was hit in Gaza on its way for loading at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing.]

Question: Thank you.

Spokesman: Namo?

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Just one follow-up on Edie's question. How realistic is the prospect of a return to the negotiating table that the Secretary- General is pushing for, given the fact that… given Trump's maximalist demand for unconditional surrender and the death of Iran's Supreme Leader?

Spokesman: We're not in the prediction market here. For us, we have a goal, and I think the Secretary-General stated that goal. He's spoken to a number of Member States who also share that goal, and we will continue to push in that direction.

Question: One last question: Iran has threatened to bomb Iraqi Kurdistan's facilities, if Iranian Kurdish armed groups cross the border into Iran. What is the Secretary General's message for Iran, when they openly threaten? [cross-talk]

Spokesman: We do not want to see more use of force. We do not want to see more threats of the use of force. It is critical that this conflict does not extend even further into new areas and bringing in new countries into this conflict. And we've seen increased military action. We've also seen increased rhetoric, both of which run counter to what we would like to see. Before we bring it to Alex and then ask, something I forgot to read out.

Question: Thanks, Steph. Quick follow-up on Iran. Could you please clarify how many UN members are there in Iran?

Spokesman: Yes. In fact, I can. The staffing for Iran is about 458 personnel, […] of which I think 27 internationals and about 430 nationals.

Question: And quick follow-up on Gabriel's question. Is it possible for them just to go and check to that school that was hit, or is it unsafe?

Spokesman: Our ability to move around in what is an active conflict zone is severely limited.

Question: Got it. Thank you.

Spokesman: Okay. Let me read what I should have read, what I was just given to read, and that is also on the ongoing conflict, but as it relates to Azerbaijan: The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan addressed a letter to the Secretary-General yesterday, in which he described a drone attack in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The letter is being circulated to the General Assembly and the Security Council at Azerbaijan's request. We also take note that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Iran and Azerbaijan discussed the incident yesterday. We remain deeply concerned by this incident, particularly the injuries to civilians and the damage to civilian infrastructure. The Secretary-General wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.

I'm going to go get Tom.