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.

All right, good afternoon.

**Programming Note

Let's try to get this done, because we have our colleague Tess Ingram, the Communication Manager for UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) in the Middle East [and North Africa Regional Office]. She will be joining us virtually and brief all of you from Gaza, obviously on the current situation there, especially how it impacts children in Gaza.

Tomorrow at noon, we will have Stephen Rodriguez, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Afghanistan. He will be briefing you from Kabul on aftermath of the earthquake and everything that the UN is doing there.

And then, 2 p.m. tomorrow, there will be a briefing following the first meeting of the Independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War, that was established pursuant to resolution during this session of the General Assembly. That will be at 2 p.m. here in this room, sponsored by the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA).

**Papua New Guinea

Today, our Secretary-General is winding up his visit to Papua New Guinea. He travelled to the coastal town of Wewak at the invitation of the Prime Minister, [James Marape]. He laid a wreath at the resting place of the country's first Prime Minister, Michael Somare.

He then travelled to the Nuku district, one of the country's rural areas, where he met community members and government officials. On his way there, he saw parts of the third biggest rainforest in the world.

Speaking at an event there, the Secretary-General highlighted the challenges brought about by climate change in the Pacific region, saying weare extremely grateful because of the forests that the people of New Guinea are preserving for the world.

The Secretary-General will shortly begin his return trip back to New York.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that over the past week, areas across the Strip have come under heavy bombardment, with drastic consequences for civilians.

Military ground operations have also been especially intense in Gaza City, as well as in Jabalya and surrounding neighbourhoods in North Gaza, and this is driving further waves of displacement.

Our humanitarian partners warn that if conditions worsen in northern Gaza, especially in Gaza City, this could endanger the operation of the few remaining water and sanitation facilities that are serving nearly 1 million people.

Today, colleagues from UN agencies and NGOs visited two displacement sites in the Al Karama area of North Gaza to assess people's conditions and needs. The visit followed reports of newly displaced families arriving.

Displaced families told our teams that they had been uprooted as many as 17 times. Those from An Nazla said they fled under fire, unable to take anything beyond the clothes [they wore]. Our teams saw as many as four families crammed into a single shelter, others living under makeshift curtains, and babies sleeping out in the open. People reported challenges in accessing water and spoke of losing their incomes, leaving them unable to afford whatever goods may be available on the open market. Many described water-related illnesses such as diarrhoea and skin diseases.

They said they urgently need shelter materials and basic supplies ahead of the rainy season. With hygiene items lacking, people are cleaning themselves with toothpaste or washing their belongings with sand. Parents said their children had no access to school and expressed fears about sending them anywhere far from their shelter site.

Families also said they are cooking by burning plastic, as firewood is too costly and cooking gas is unavailable on the market.

Women highlighted the need for psychosocial support for themselves and their children. Some displaced people also recounted losing loved ones who were killed just while seeking aid.

OCHA, who participated in this assessment, stresses the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian access and an end to forced displacement. We specifically need the Israeli authorities to fully facilitate the transport of essential supplies at scale through all land routes, including those leading directly to the north.

Meanwhile, OCHA also reports that inside Gaza, humanitarians' movements continue to be delayed and/or impeded. Although fewer missions have been outright denied by the Israeli authorities, approved movements still take hours to complete, with teams having to wait on roads that are often dangerous, congested or just impassable.

I think Edie asked me yesterday about shelter, and I can tell you that we have successfully been allowed to bring in a limited number of tents. We have significant quantities ready and awaiting approval for which we hope to soon be able to confirm entry. As we've said before, the announcement lifted only one of multiple impediments. Others remain, including customs clearance requirements, restrictions on the types of shelter materials and various delays.

Meanwhile, between 27 August and 2 September, 50 out of 86 attempts to coordinate planned movements with Israeli authorities were facilitated - that's about 58 per cent, I am told. More than a quarter - 22 missions - were initially approved but then impeded on the ground, while five movements were denied and nine had to be cancelled by the organizers for logistical, operational or security reasons.

Facilitated movements included missions to transfer fuel, move and rotate staff, and collect medical and water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. Denied movements included missions aiming to retrieve nutrition supplies, inspect a dumpsite to expand solid waste operations and repair roads to ensure safe passage of trucks.

**UN Interim Force in Lebanon

Moving north to Lebanon, our colleagues at the UN Peacekeeping Mission there (UNIFIL) tell us that their leader, Major General Diodato Abagnara, today visited the Lebanese Army's training centre in northern Lebanon. During the visit, he highlighted UNIFIL's support to strengthening the Lebanese Army's capabilities and advancing joint efforts for stability and security in southern Lebanon. In this regard, UNIFIL's Maritime Task Force yesterday conducted a training with the Lebanese Air Force just off the coast of Beirut.

UNIFIL continued to observe Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) presence and military activities, including drone strikes, in the area of operations. Yesterday, peacekeepers observed 76 IDF vehicles near Kfar Kila in Sector East and 35 [soldiers] near Marwahin in Sector West. Peacekeepers also observed machine gun fire from south of the Blue Line that impacted near Markaba, in Sector East.

**Sudan

Moving to Sudan, which continues to face a horrific humanitarian situation. Our colleagues tell us that they are coordinating the response to the devastating landslide that struck Tarseen village in South Darfur State on Sunday, and that came days after heavy rainfall.

The death toll has not yet been verified, as ongoing downpours and rugged terrain make it extremely difficult to reach the impacted communities. But what we know so far is that an estimated 150 people were displaced from Tarseen and neighbouring villages, with families now sheltering in nearby communities. That's what our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration are telling us.

As OCHA and our partners finalized plans for a rapid inter-agency assessment and response mission, teams today comprising nearly a dozen local and international NGOs and UN agencies went to the site. Because of the rugged terrain, they travelled part of the way by donkey.

Their mission focused on confirming the number of people affected, as well as assessing and responding to urgent needs. They also brought with them critical supplies for up to 750 people, including medical kits, nutrition support, food rations, non-food items and other further essential materials.

Mobile health clinics and emergency medical teams were also deployed to provide immediate care on the ground. The response aims to support the survivors in Tarseen, as well as neighbouring villages affected by the disaster. The assessment's findings will guide the scale-up of assistance, with UN agencies preparing to send more supplies to meet additional needs.

These response efforts were coordinated with our partners mobilized from Golo in Central Darfur and Tawila in North Darfur.

Local communities, who were the first responders, remain central to the effort, while humanitarian partners are working to complement their actions and deliver life-saving assistance.

Meanwhile, OCHA warns that the situation in El Fasher in North Darfur, is worsening, amid escalating violence and now flooding. Local sources report that heavy artillery fire has killed dozens of civilians in recent days. Humanitarian access continues to be impeded, and women and girls face grave protection risks, including from sexual violence.

Compounding the crisis in the area, heavy rains and flooding displaced 350 people in Korma Town this past Monday, with latrines destroyed at the [Korma] displacement site. Families have sought shelter with host communities.

In recent days, flooding in the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps impacted 4,300 displaced people, destroyed 900 tents and damaged 2,300 houses. That's what our local partners are telling us. These incidents further deepen the horrific situation in a place that knows famine, and it has been fired upon and been abused.

Meanwhile, cholera continues to surge, with our partners reporting nearly 8,000 cases in North Darfur and more than 3,800 cases in South Darfur since May. The outbreak has been heightened by the severe malnutrition, which has doubled in North Darfur over the past year, leaving children particularly vulnerable.

We and our partners are supporting the response to the outbreak by providing clean water, health services and conducting cholera vaccination campaigns, despite the serious logistical challenges.

**South Sudan

Heading south to South Sudan. Our peacekeeping mission, better known as UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan), have condemned an attack that targeted the Blue Helmets in Western Equatoria State by a local armed group, who subsequently seized a small cache of weapons and ammunition. The incident occurred while UNMISS military personnel were conducting a patrol between Tambura and Mapuse.

We emphasize that any attack against peacekeepers may constitute a war crime.

These peacekeepers are deployed to protect civilians at a time when access and security remain fragile across Western Equatoria.

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, widespread flooding is also impacting hundreds of thousands of people in several parts of South Sudan.

According to local sources, more than 270,000 people are affected in 12 counties across four states.

As a reminder, these areas were already grappling with floods, displacement, food security and cholera. Farmland, homes and humanitarian facilities have been submerged, disrupting access to education, health, nutrition and water services.

OCHA says that overcrowding at relocation sites has led to tensions among displaced families at the same time, reports of waterborne diseases and snake bites are increasing public health risks.

We and our humanitarian partners are assessing and responding as urgently as we can to the impacted communities.

**Ukraine

From Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that attacks and hostilities in the Donetsk over the last 24 hours have led to multiple civilian casualties and widespread destruction.

Today, local humanitarian organizations, with the support of UN agencies, delivered emergency shelter materials to impacted families in the towns of Druzhkivka and Sloviansk.

Our humanitarian colleagues note that civilians continue to flee front-line areas. In August alone, more than 40,000 people were displaced from the Donetsk region. That is what local authorities and humanitarian partners are telling us. Some 17,000 civilians, including children, remain in 20 communities designated as combat zones.

Humanitarian organizations, supported by the [Ukraine] Humanitarian Fund, which is the largest country-based pooled fund globally, continue to facilitate evacuations to safer areas and deliver life-saving assistance.

**Pakistan

You will have seen that yesterday, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General said he was profoundly saddened by the recent floods in northern Pakistan, which have reportedly claimed more than 400 lives.

He expressed his solidarity with the Government and people of Pakistan, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and wished a swift recovery to those who have been injured.

Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, has released $600,000 from the Regional Humanitarian Pooled Fund to support relief and recovery efforts, and discussions are under way with the Government on a response plan.

**Afghanistan

Our humanitarian colleagues in Afghanistan tell us that assessments and the response continue from the devastating earthquake that hit on Sunday. Overall, the de facto authorities are now reporting 2,205 people killed and 3,640 people injured. Some 84,000 people have been impacted, with 6,700 households destroyed.

We, along with our partners, have completed assessments in 25 villages across the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman. Roads and bridges, as you can imagine, have also been damaged, which had a negative impact on people's ability to access essential services. Dozens of water sources have also been destroyed, which has been making the water situation, which has been aggravated because of floods, even worst.

Despite challenges - including damaged roads and limited connectivity - we and our partners are continuing to scale up the response. Our partners working on food have distributed six tons of high-energy biscuits to those who need it.

On the health front, 20 mobile health teams have been deployed to impacted areas in Chawkay and Nurgal districts. Our partners working in health have also transferred 23 tons of medicines and medical supplies, enough to treat more than 2,000 patients, to health facilities, along with 24,000 units of intravenous fluids. WFP has also announced the establishment of a hub in Mara Dara in Nurgal District connecting and providing support to its partners. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that today, it has started the provision of food, nutrition and other items, as well as latrines, to support 200-500 families in Nurgal as the first phase of response.

A rescue team from the existing IOM's Community-Based Vaccination Centre in Kunar provided 120 outpatient consultations, including basic trauma care, dispensation of essential medicines and referrals to the nearest health facility.

For his part, our High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, today noted that the recent earthquake has impacted more than 500,000 people in Afghanistan, and that aid from donors, including Pakistan, is vital and welcome. Especially given the circumstances, he appealed to the Government of Pakistan to pause the implementation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Act.

**Questions and Answers

Spokesman: Dezhi and then Mariam and then Edie.

Question: Yes. Two topics. First, today French President [Emmanuel] Macron said that 26 countries are ready to take part in a post-war Ukrainian force. What is the position of the United Nations on this?

Spokesman: I mean, do you really want me to read it again? The Secretary-General has been very clear in calling for a ceasefire that would lead to an end to the conflict, in line with Ukraine's recognized international borders, its territorial integrity, and in line with UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.

Question: What about post-war arrangements?

Spokesman: Well, let's get to an end to the war, and then Ukraine will have to decide on… Ukrainians will be the ones to decide on their own future.

Question: Okay. Another thing is, during Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, China has proposed a global governance initiative to promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system. Just want to know, what's the position from the Secretary-General on this?

Spokesman: Well, I think the Secretary-General outlined it in his remarks that we released to you - underscored the importance of safeguarding the international system with the United Nations system at its core, an international order underpinned by international law, and he welcomed the global governance. Mariam, then Edie.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Regarding earthquake in Afghanistan, there are people, our sources from the location, telling us that Taliban restrictions will not allow women to get transported to the hospitals to get treatments. Most of the people who get transferred are men. What is your reaction to that? And also, with the funding and the aid, any luck to get more funds from this Member State?

Spokesman: No update on the funding for now, but I expect our colleague, Mr. Rodriguez, who will brief from Kabul tomorrow, will have updates for you. I can tell you that, to state the obvious, that for our part, ourselves and our humanitarian partners assist people without any regard to gender or anything else, right? And people who need help need to be helped, full stop. I hadn't seen those particular reports about the de facto authorities, but we'll check into them. Edie?

Question: Thank you, Steph. Is there any update on the international UN staffer who was held by the Houthis?

Spokesman: No positive development to report yet, but we are still working on the matter.

Question: And any update on whether tents are getting into Gaza?

Spokesman: Yeah. I think, I read something out to that effect that we are able to get some in, but I'll send you; it was before you came in, but I gave you an update on that. Ibtisam, and then we'll go to back.

Question: So, Israeli Finance Minister [Bezalel] Smotrich has been speaking about plans of annexation, which has been something that has been talked about for a while, but he…

Spokesman: Annexation of?

Correspondent: Of the West Bank.

Spokesman: Yeah.

Question: And yesterday, he basically said that they've been, like, drawing some maps, and then there was some sort of reporting that it seems that [United States] Secretary of State [Marco] Rubio has hinted that the US would not oppose that. So, if you have any comment on that, what does the Secretary-General think? [cross talk]

Spokesman: We've seen the statements. We've seen the press reports. Obviously, our position against the annexation of the West Bank remains unchanged and unshakable, as it would not only be against international law, but it would also drive us even further than where we are now on a two-State solution. Yes, sir?

Question: Hi. Thank you. So there are some media reports from Syria, especially from the predominantly Kurdish city of Afrin, that as we are entering the olive harvest season, Türkiye-backed armed groups have set up so-called economic offices to extract large fees from the farmers, and they have seized their properties and not allowing them to return to, you know, harvest their produce. Does this violate the international law?

Spokesman: I had not seen that report. I will look on it but, obviously, as we've said many times it's critical for all Syrians, regardless of their ethnicity, their religion, to feel that they're protected by the State and that the State protects them. Mariam, thank you for asking me the question about Afghanistan because I realized I had a note about Afghanistan, which I forgot to read, which I will do so now. [reads Afghanistan note; see above] Back to our questions. Pam?

Question: Little bit clarification. I understand it would have to be some GA (General Assembly) action, but how does the Secretary-General feel about a virtual presentation by the PA for both the GA and for that…

Spokesman: Look. It's important that everyone's voice be heard. The issue of a virtual connection would have to be decided on by the GA. There's some precedent for that in the not-too-recent past.

Correspondent: Thank you.

Spokesman: Okay. Any… yes. Linda? Yep.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Regarding Iran, I was just wondering if there's any update in terms of, you know, the status of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) cooperation. I mean, I know nothing has formally been agreed.

Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, I would refer you to the IAEA. I think they they've put out some statements over last 24 hours on their talks with Iran. IAEA is in the lead on this. We of course support the IAEA and encourage Iran to fully engage with the UN's nuclear agency. Yes? Please go ahead.

Question: Thank you, Steph. You mentioned just now that UNIFIL conducted a training exercise with Lebanese army yesterday. So, does that mean UNIFIL has offered to train the Lebanese army?

Spokesman: We've been running training exercises with the Lebanese Armed Forces for quite some time now. It's part of our support and capacity-building to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Question: A follow-up: Do you think the Lebanese army will be able to will have the capability to defend these borders with Israel next year when UNIFIL goes out?

Spokesman: Well, we very much hope that will be the case, and we will continue to partner with and support the Lebanese Armed Forces as much as we can. Yvonne Murray, RTE.

Question: Thanks, Steph. The legal team for Jimmy Lai has submitted an urgent appeal to the UN over what they say are risks to life posed by his ongoing detention. He's been in solitary confinement - probably, you know, for five years. What are the Secretary-General's comments about this situation?

Spokesman: I will check, I think it's been submitted to some of our human rights colleagues. I think it is important that everyone is entitled to seize the UN's human rights architecture and that it'd be fully activated to protect people and their rights.

Question: Okay. But what's his comment specifically about his ongoing detention?

Spokesman: We fully hope that the rule of law will be followed. Yes, sir?

Question: Thank you, Steph. The Israeli Defence Minister came out today on X and issued a public threat to the Yemeni Houthis. He stated, we will release a plague of darkness, a plague of the firstborn. We will complete all 10 plagues. What are the SG's reactions to this, and is there any ongoing attempt to facilitate dialogue by the UN between the parties?

Spokesman: I think, as we've been very clear from the beginning, for quite some time, is calling for de-escalation, not only in terms of the firings that we've seen between Houthi-controlled areas and Israel, and also for de-escalation of words.

Question: But as far as the UN actively being involved?

Spokesman: The UN… Mr. [Hans] Grundberg, our envoy actively engaged with the Houthis as he met with them in Oman, I think, two or three days ago as part of the Yemen-led peace process that we're engaged in. Dezhi, and then I think we'll go to our guests.

Question: Very quick question. Last week, we asked you about the foreign aid cuts by the US and the effects on the UN. It's been reported that WTO (World Trade Organization) has been dropped from that list of the foreign aid cuts. Does the UN share the same luck?

Spokesman: No. We do not share the same luck. Okay. Thank you.