HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 15 MARCH 2024
ISLAMOPHOBIA
The Secretary-General delivered remarks at the International day to combat Islamophobia. He said as we gather today, muslims around the world observe the holy month of ramadan, but for many it is a moment to come together, uplift each other, but for many muslims around the world, these are times of anguish and fear. In the spirit of ramadan, he reiterated his call to silence the guns in Gaza and Sudan and he called for political, religious and community leaders everywhere to join his plea.
We also released a message on behalf of the Secretary-General, on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. And on this day, he pointed out that this Day occurs at a time when we see a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate and bigotry in many parts of the world [inaudible] plague of islamophobia, he said. He underscored that leaders must condemn inflammatory discourse and safeguard religious freedom.
HAITI
In Haiti, the Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs say that the security situation in the capital Port-au-Prince remains tense and volatile, with each day of violence bringing more suffering to Haitians.
In a new survey, the World Food Programme found that recent events have degraded food security even further. People with the lowest levels of food consumption surged from 32 per cent to 41 per cent, according to the survey. More than two in three households saw their incomes drop, and seven in ten departments in Haiti reported that the price of food is increasing.
For its part, the UN Children’s Fund [UNICEF] says that hunger and life-threatening malnutrition are at record levels across the country, and concentrated in the capital city -Port-au-Prince- poorest, most insecure and congested neighbourhoods. More and more parents can no longer provide appropriate care and nutrition for their children. They also cannot take their children to health care centres due to the surrounding violence. Nearly one in four children in Haiti suffers from chronic malnutrition, also known as stunting.
The number of newly displaced people stands at 15,000 in Port-au-Prince, but it bears repeating that these families had already been displaced before, in some cases multiple times. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that people are exhausted and distressed.
We and our national partners continue to work around the clock, despite the risks to reach people in need. Yesterday, the World Food Programme distributed some 14,000 hot meals to displaced people in Port-au-Prince. They also distributed food rations to 3,500 people in Cité Soleil.
GAZA
Turning to Gaza, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, said that news of the reported killing yesterday of 20 people and injury of 155 others while waiting for aid at the entrance to Gaza City was shocking. Mr. Griffiths said these incidents cannot be allowed to continue – and people should not have to die while trying to keep their families alive.
Mr. Griffiths said distributing aid in Gaza should be done in a safe, dignified and predictable manner, adding that anything else is unconscionable. He also reiterated his call for an end to the conflict.
We and our humanitarian partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance to people in Gaza, wherever and whenever possible.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners reached Al Aqsa hospital in Gaza’s Middle Area, delivering medical supplies for some 80,000 patients. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Executive Director of WHO said two of the hospital's warehouses are no longer functioning, and they are being used to shelter about 7,000 displaced men, women and children.
Each day at Al Aqsa, 140 health workers – nearly three-quarters of whom are volunteers –serve some 650 hospitalized patients, on top of the roughly 250 patients who are crammed in the emergency room. Dr. Tedros described the conditions in which people in Gaza are living and receiving health care as “inhumane.”
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, met yesterday with the newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Mustafa. He said that he looks forward to continuing to work closely with President Abbas, the Prime Minister and his team to address the economic, humanitarian and political challenges across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
At such a volatile time for the Palestinian national project, Mr. Wennesland encourages all efforts towards overcoming the current challenges, including internal divisions.
LEBANON
The Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Lebanon, Imran Riza, today expressed his deep concern regarding the escalating exchange of fire along the blue line in the past weeks.
At least 54 civilians have reportedly been killed over the past five months, that is according to the UN Human Rights Office.
As of this Tuesday, more than 91,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced by the fighting. That is according to the International Organization for Migration.
We and our partners are continuing to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to those who have fled their homes, complementing the Government-led response.
SYRIA
This month we mark the grim milestone of 13 years of conflict in the Syria. Today, our Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Muhannad Hadi, said that, after 13 years and despite the efforts of the international community to respond to people’s needs, the humanitarian situation in Syria is increasingly dire.
In a joint statement, they said these needs are at their highest and the country is facing some of the worst conflict-related violence in years.
Also, UNICEF issued some startling numbers marking this sad occasion.
The UN Children’s agency said that now almost 7.5 million children in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance. Some 2.4 million children aged between 5 and 17 are out of school.
In 2024, UNICEF is asking for $401.7 million to provide an essential lifeline to 8.5 million people, including 5.4 million children, mostly for health, and education, while protection continues to be a high priority.
SUDAN
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, warns that Sudan is barreling toward a full year of war, with today marking 11 months since the start of hostilities.
Mr. Griffiths said this is a moment of truth – the parties must silence the guns, protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access, echoing the Secretary-General’s calls for a cessation of hostilities during Ramadan.
UNICEF’s representative in the country, Mandeep O’Brien, said there are some 14 million children in need of humanitarian aid in Sudan, millions are hungry and acutely malnourished, and four million have been displaced.
To reach those in need, we need safe, rapid, sustained and unimpeded access – including across conflict lines within Sudan. And we need a massive mobilization of resources from the international community.
Our $2.7 billion humanitarian appeal to help some 14.7 million people in Sudan this year is just 5 per cent funded, with $131 million received.
UKRAINE
Turning to Ukraine, the Office of the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs tell us that just a few hours ago, an attack hit residential areas of Odesa, a city with a population of some 1million people, causing destruction and multiple civilian casualties. The Emergency Service of Ukraine says when their rescuers arrived on-site, there was a second strike on the same site, which killed one of its rescuers and injured several more, causing more damage.
Our partners in the city said that rescue operations are still ongoing. We, along with our humanitarian partners, are on standby to provide emergency assistance to people who need it.
SECURITY COUNCIL
And this afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., there will be a meeting of the Security Council on the maintenance of international peace and security, which will focus on Ukraine. Rosemary DiCarlo, the Head of the Political and Peacebuilding Department, will brief.
COLOMBIA
In Colombia, today, the UN and its partners, together with the Government, launched a humanitarian response plan to address the critical needs of some 1.7 million people. The appeal will require roughly $332 million.
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Colombia, Mireia Villar Forner, said the two-year strategy aims to provide life-saving support and strengthen community resilience, as the country copes with the impacts of armed conflict and climate shocks.
More than 8 million people in Colombia need humanitarian assistance, including those who have been displaced by violence. Women, children and ethnic minorities – as well as refugees and migrants – are especially vulnerable.
NIGERIA
Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, today expressed his outrage at the recent abductions by gunmen of hundreds of men, women and children in the northern part of Nigeria.
“Such horrors must not be normalised,” he said, and urged authorities to ensure prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into the abductions, and to bring those responsible to justice.
CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN/SHIPWRECK
The UN Refugee Agency expressed their deepest sorrow at the news of another tragic incident in the Central Mediterranean, where reportedly, 25 people have been rescued while more than 60 lives have been lost at sea.
UNHCR stressed that desperate and vulnerable people should not be compelled to risk their lives in search of safety, emphasizing that safer, alternative pathways are urgently needed.
Our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration also said that they are deeply troubled by the news of the shipwreck, stressing that urgent action is needed to strengthen maritime patrols and prevent further tragedies.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Namibia and North Macedonia paid their dues to the regular budget.
NOON BRIEFING GUEST
Dominic Allen, the United Nations Population Fund Representative for Palestine briefed reporters from Jerusalem on his recent visit to Gaza.
