Noon briefing of 26 February 2024

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024

The Secretary-General is now on his way back to New York from Geneva where he delivered remarks at the opening of the High-level segment of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council.
He warned that human rights are the bedrock of peace, and today, both are under attack. 
The Secretary-General noted that around the world, violence is increasing, and conflict-related human rights violations are spreading. He stressed international humanitarian law is clear: All parties must always distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Secretary-General pointed out that human rights conventions and humanitarian law are based on cold, hard reality: They recognize that terrorizing civilians and depriving them of food, water, and healthcare is a recipe for endless anger, alienation, extremism and conflict.
He said that today’s warmongers cannot erase the clear lesson of the past, stressing that protecting human rights protects us all.
Before leaving Geneva, he also delivered remarks at the Conference on Disarmament. He noted that despite the current diplomatic deadlock, the central premise behind the Conference on disarmament remains as vital as ever, stressing that the most effective disarmament tool is inclusive diplomacy. We need that diplomacy urgently, he said. He said also that the conference is currently failing in its objective.
And in a press encounter, he was asked about the latest negotiations concerning Gaza, and he stressed that the United Nations continues to call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, adding that nevertheless, we fully support any efforts that will lead to the liberation of hostages and to the reduction of the suffering of the Palestinian people.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General is also on her way back to New York. She was in Windhoek, in Namibia, this past weekend to attend the Memorial Service for Dr. Hage G. Geingob, the former President of the Republic of Namibia.
On Sunday morning, Ms. Mohammed attended the burial service prior to her departure back home.
And on the sidelines of her visit, she also held a meeting with Monica Geingos, the Former First Lady of Namibia.

OPT
The Secretary-General takes note of today’s announcement by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh that he handed to President Abbas his Government’s resignation.
The United Nations stands ready to continue supporting efforts aimed at overcoming the humanitarian, political, financial as well as security challenges facing the Palestinian people.
A strengthened, empowered Palestinian Government, that can administer the whole of the occupied Palestinian Territory, is critical as part of a path to achieving the establishment of a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable Palestinian State, on the basis of the 1967 lines, of which Gaza is an integral part, which remains the only way to achieve a lasting peace.

And turning to the situation on the ground, the Palestine Red Crescent Society, supported by our colleagues of the World Health Organization and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, have completed the evacuation of 72 critical patients from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. That hospital still struggles to operate with no electricity or running water, shortages of food and water supplies, the accumulation of solid waste, and sewage overflow.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its part, reports that newborns are dying in Gaza because their mothers are unable to attend prenatal or postnatal check-ups while the incessant bombings, fleeing for safety and anxiety are leading to premature births.
UNFPA says there are only five beds for deliveries at the Al Helal Al Emirati maternity ward hospital in Rafah, one of the few remaining functioning hospitals in Gaza. Despite the lack of such basic needs as sheets, the facility has had to cope with 78 deliveries in one night.
We and our partners are doing everything we can to provide food and assistance across Gaza, despite major challenges, including ongoing airstrikes and heavy fighting.
Last week, more than a dozen of our partners reached 1.7 million people with food across Gaza. Half of those supplies went to Rafah Governorate, with the rest going to Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and the north.
To do more, we need safe and unimpeded routes in Gaza. We also need more trucks and fuel inside Gaza to ensure a consistent and dependable food supply.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Moving to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The peacekeeping mission is reporting that after a brief lull in violence, there were renewed and intense clashes yesterday between the M23 armed group and the Congolese armed forces, west of the town of Sake in North Kivu.
During the fighting, two rockets landed close to the UN peacekeeping base in Kimoka – about 4 km northwest of Sake. No casualties on the UN side were reported.
The Mission remains deeply concerned by hostilities in eastern Congo and reiterates its call on the M23 to stop its offensive and to respect the Luanda Roadmap.
MONUSCO continues its protection efforts in the province, including by maintaining positions to defend civilians in Sake and Goma. This despite coming under fire and being regularly targeted.

SUDAN
In Sudan, the Humanitarian Coordinator there, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has expressed alarm at the reports of attacks on volunteers working with civil society organizations, including community-led initiatives known as the Emergency Response Rooms.
In a statement, she said that local responders in Sudan must be able to safely carry out their critical and life-saving work. Whether they are from the UN, Non-Governmental Organizations or just community groups. National staff and local volunteers are on the frontline of the humanitarian response in Sudan, which, as we have been telling you, the humanitarian situation is truly terrifying.
Ms. Nkweta-Salami reiterated that civilians – including humanitarian workers – are not a target.

UKRAINE
Moving back North to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs informs us that a new wave of attacks over the weekend and today across Ukraine caused civilian casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure.
In the Donetsk region in the east, local authorities and humanitarian workers reported civilian deaths and injuries, along with damage to hundreds of homes and other civilian infrastructure. The water network was also damaged, temporarily reducing the water supply to large urban centres.
In the south, in the Kherson region, authorities also reported civilian casualties and damage to a gas pipeline, among others.
Humanitarian workers and local emergency responders have rapidly mobilized support, including by providing repair materials and shelter kits in the Donetsk Region.
An inter-agency convoy led by our Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, delivered vital aid to the town of Mylove in the Kherson Region today. This included portable power stations, solar lamps and hygiene kits.

SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning here, Rosemary di Carlo, the Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefed the Security Council on Afghanistan, that was in a closed session.
She provided an update on the Special Envoys meeting, which the Secretary-General chaired a few days ago – last week.

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT 
The Secretary-General today is appointing Edmond Mulet of Guatemala to lead the Independent Strategic Review of the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). That review was mandated by the Security Council resolution 2709 (2023), passed last year.
Mr. Mulet most recently served as the Head of the Security Council Joint Investigative Mechanism on Chemical Weapon Use in Syria and he is well-known for having other senior posts in this organization.