Noon briefing of 15 July 2026

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 15 JULY 2026

GULF 

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the continuing military escalation in the Middle East region.  He calls on all parties to take immediate steps for de-escalation and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. 

The Secretary-General reiterates that a return to full-scale hostilities would exact an intolerable toll on civilians and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and security and the global economy. 

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The exercise of navigational rights and freedoms must be respected by all parties in accordance with international law. 

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT 

The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain as Co-Chair of the SDG Advocates group, alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. The Secretary-General underscored the urgent need to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and welcomed Prime Minister Sánchez’s leadership in advancing sustainable development. 

The SDG Advocates are influential leaders who support the Secretary-General in raising global ambition and action to keep the promise of the SDGs. The Secretary-General also expressed appreciation to former Co-Chair Justin Trudeau of Canada for his service. Prime Minister Mottley will continue in her role as Co-Chair. 

PAKISTAN 

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has begun a visit to Pakistan to spotlight the growing humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis and what it means for countries like Pakistan, which are on its front lines.  

Earlier today in Islamabad, he met with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and they discussed diplomatic efforts underway in the Middle East, the delivery of humanitarian aid through convoys across the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and partnership on global disaster preparedness. 

Mr. Fletcher will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and other senior government officials, as well as with our humanitarian partners.  

During his four-day visit, Mr. Fletcher will meet communities affected by floods and melting glaciers to hear directly about their needs, recovery efforts and local solutions. He will also visit community-based flood mitigation and preparedness initiatives. 

He will underscore the need for sustained international solidarity, including funding for preparedness and early action ahead of disasters and investment in locally-led climate adaptation. 

SUDAN 

Turning to the situation in Sudan. The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haaivsto, is travelling to Uganda tomorrow to engage with the Ugandan authorities, as well as key Sudanese stakeholders based in the country, including civil society, women’s groups and refugees. 

Mr. Haavisto is visiting key countries in the region, which have a pivotal role to play in supporting efforts to end the conflict and advance a political solution. 

As regional engagement continues, a new report published today by the UN Human Rights Office underscores another driver of the conflict: the so-called "war economy" that is helping sustain the fighting. The report warns that the warring parties are increasingly profiting from the country's natural resources and trade.  

The report specifically examines the trade in gum arabic, a key ingredient used in products ranging from soft drinks to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as a case study of the adverse human rights impacts of Sudan's war economy. 

Gum arabic remains an important source of income for millions of Sudanese. Yet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that Sudan's vast natural wealth should be benefiting its people rather than fuelling conflict and suffering. 

The report points to the role of neighbouring and transit States in the onward movement of Sudanese gum arabic. The High Commissioner urged governments and companies involved in the trade of Sudanese commodities, including gum arabic, to take stronger steps to ensure that their business practices do not contribute to human rights abuses or help sustain the conflict.  

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 

Turning to the Central African Republic, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated $1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund, or CERF, for an urgent response to the cholera outbreak declared last month in the country. 

So far, more than 400 suspected cases and 36 deaths have been recorded. UNICEF warns that children under 10 account for 44 per cent of all cases. 

Cases have spread from the rural districts of Bimbo and Mbaïki to all districts of the capital Bangui, heightening the risk of rapid transmission in dense urban areas. The rainy season, low population immunity, limited access to safe water and sanitation, and the movement of people along the Oubangui River are compounding the situation. 

The funding from CERF will fast-track life-saving interventions on health, community engagement and water, sanitation and hygiene to reduce mortality and curb the spread of the disease.                           

For its part, UNICEF has already provided cholera kits to treat up to 300 patients, distributed 2,000 doses of oral rehydration salts and zinc for community-level treatment, and installed additional tents to expand the capacity of the national cholera treatment and referral centre from 40 to 70 beds.  

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, OCHA teams have received initial reports of an armed group entering a solid-waste management site in the vicinity of An Nuseirat in Deir al Balah governorate earlier this week. A security guard working at the site was reportedly detained and questioned for approximately 30 minutes, before being released.  

We reiterate that humanitarian personnel, premises and assets must be respected and protected at all times, and that humanitarian operations must be able to function safely and without interference.   

Today, the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, Suzanna Tkalec, led a joint humanitarian mission to a former UN school in Bureij, Deir al Balah. The school currently hosts 18 displaced families and is located approximately 50 yards from the “Yellow Line”.  

The families reported living there for more than a year and a half, with access constraints hampering the delivery of humanitarian assistance.  

OCHA reminds us that 1.4 million people are estimated to require longer-term shelter support, including 850,000 people in need of emergency shelter. 

The Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator and the team met with women and men from the community to discuss their most pressing needs. Their living conditions continue to be severely undermined by insecurity, the absence of alternatives, and severe gaps in access to drinking water, food, healthcare, sanitation and education. 

Our humanitarian partners are committed to mobilizing assistance to address the community’s most urgent needs. 

Meanwhile, across Gaza, humanitarians continue to provide shelter assistance to displaced families.  

In the past month alone, more than 378,000 items, including tarpaulins, cleaning kits and jerrycans, were despatched by 30 partner organizations.  

However, without additional funding, depleted stockpiles cannot be replenished, putting vulnerable families at greater risk, particularly as humanitarians prepare for Winter. Only a small fraction of required Winter stock is currently estimated to be available. 

Turning to the West Bank, access to education continues to worsen. For over a year, six UNRWA schools in Jenin and Nur Shams camps have been inaccessible, and six UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem have been closed. Ten schools in Area C have been abandoned following the full displacement of communities due to recurrent settler attacks and related access restrictions.  

On the response front, the World Food Programme (WFP) provided food vouchers and cash assistance to about 286,200 vulnerable people in June, as repeated displacement, recurrent settler attacks, damage to homes and infrastructure, and access restrictions continue to drive humanitarian needs.   

VENEZUELA 

Turning to Venezuela, three weeks after the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, we and our humanitarian partners continue to support the government in its response.

We and our partners are providing assistance through four temporary camps in the city of La Guaira and in communities across several states. Since the onset of the response, the World Food Programme (WFP) has reached more than 67,000 people with food assistance.  

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has supported camp management and coordination services for more than 6,000 people in temporary sites, while UNICEF and its partners continue providing safe water, sanitation, vaccination, nutrition and child protection services for families affected by the disaster.  

As you’re aware, we have recently launched an addendum to the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Venezuela, seeking an additional $298 million to support 1.3 million people impacted by the earthquakes over the next six months. We continue to appeal for sustained international support to address people’s most urgent needs and to support recovery efforts in the communities most affected by the disaster. 

SECURITY COUNCIL  

This morning, Miroslav Jenča, the Head of our Political Mission in Colombia, briefed the Security Council on the peace process in the country and on the work of the Verification Mission.   

He first acknowledged the significance of the democratic exercise just concluded in the country, adding that the high voter turnout is a sign of the strong desire of Colombians to make their voices heard within a democracy that has become more inclusive and participatory in the framework of the peace process.   

Mr. Jenča said the Mission stands ready to engage with the new authorities and to continue under its mandate to accompany national efforts to build peace and strengthen security.     

He also reiterated the call by the Secretary-General in his report for Colombians, and particularly their political leaders, to act with responsibility during the transition period to reduce tensions.  

As a new political chapter begins in the country, and as the Peace Agreement reaches the 10-year mark, the Special Representative called on all to accelerate and consolidate progress to achieve lasting peace and security for the Colombian people.  

CUBA 

On Cuba, our OCHA colleagues are monitoring the impact of yesterday’s nationwide power grid collapse, the third in one week and the fifth since the beginning of the year.   

We and our humanitarian partners continue to provide support. 

As of the end of June, nearly 500,000 people have received clean water and over 900,000 people have received food assistance.  

Repeated nationwide outages continue to disrupt access to electricity, clean water, telecommunications, health services and economic activity, further deepening humanitarian needs across the country. 

Hospitals in Havana limited their services while city water pumping systems stopped. The cities of Havana and Santiago de Cuba face severe water supply disruptions mainly due to lack of fuel for pumping, raising the risks of disease outbreaks.  

Currently, the UN’s Plan of Action, which calls for $94 million to deliver life-saving aid to 2 million people, is just 40 per cent funded. 

WHO/UNICEF REPORT 

Turning to a public health update, today, our colleagues at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) published their annual joint report on immunization coverage. 

The report reveals an estimated 13.5 million children who did not receive a single vaccine in their first year during 2025, referred to as “zero-dose” in the report. This represents nearly 750,000 fewer children than the previous year.  

Meanwhile, data from 195 countries show that 100 countries have maintained at least 90 per cent coverage of the three-dose diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis [per-TUH-sis] (DTP) vaccine since 2019, 30 improved their rates over the past six years and 65 are stagnating or falling behind, including 13 fragile, conflict-affected or vulnerable countries where more than half of all zero-dose children live.                  

In these countries, immunization programmes are often strained by political upheaval, insecurity, or chronic underfunding. In middle- and high‑income countries, even where vaccines are fully accessible, coverage is slipping amid shifting political commitment, structural challenges or rising hesitancy. 

WHO and UNICEF call on governments and relevant partners to strengthen immunization especially in conflict and fragile settings, counter false and misleading health information to fully support vaccine uptake acceleration and increase funding for immunization programmes.  

WHO/DEMENTIA 

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. More than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide and nearly 10 million people are diagnosed every year. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60–70 per cent of cases. 

While there is no cure for dementia, new data from our colleagues at WHO reveal that up to 45 per cent of the risks can be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as social isolation and physical inactivity. 

WHO recommends several healthy behaviours and lifestyle interventions to reduce dementia risk, including cognitive training and stimulation, as well as increased engagement in social activities. 

WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY 

Today is World Youth Skills Day. The theme this year is: “Skills for a Shared Future”. In his message for the day, the Secretary-General celebrates the contributions of young people across the globe and calls for our commitment to equipping young people with the competencies our changing world requires, [so they can help build a better tomorrow for all.] 

**Guest today and tomorrow 

Noon briefing guest today is Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He will be here to brief you on the high cost of a healthy diet and what to expect from the upcoming State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report 2026, which will be launched on 21 July in Rome. 

Tomorrow's guest will be Lia Poggio, IOM's [International Organization for Migration] Chief of Mission in Venezuela. She will join us virtually to brief on the situation there following the earthquakes.