SECRETARY-GENERAL
Today, in Brussels, the Secretary-General attended a working lunch with the Heads of State and Government of the European Union.
Prior to the lunch, he addressed the media with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.
The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the excellent cooperation between the EU and the UN, and the strong support of the EU to the UN and to multilateralism.
He told journalists that as we live in a chaotic world, with the superpowers at odds with each other, it is very important to stick to clear principles - the United Nations Charter, international law, territorial integrity of countries and international humanitarian law.
He renewed his call for peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
He also reiterated the need for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
In the morning, the Secretary-General had a meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. He also met with the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Syria. Geir Pedersen, the Special Envoy for Syria, told Council members that after thirteen years of conflict in Syria, and despite a year of new diplomatic avenues, the tragic reality is that developments are all going in the wrong direction – including in the security, humanitarian, human rights, economic and political spheres.
Mr. Pedersen noted that the conflict in Gaza and its regional ramifications remain an acute source of concern, and de-escalation is essential, starting with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire there. He added that de-escalation of the conflict in Syria itself is equally urgent.
Also briefing Council members, Joyce Msuya, the Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, pointed out that more people need humanitarian aid in Syria now than at any point in the crisis, and yet funding for our humanitarian appeal has fallen to a record low. She said that for the 4.2 million people in need in north-west Syria, the cross-border response from Türkiye continues to play an indispensable role, adding that the expansion of crossline deliveries throughout Syria, including to the north-west, remains a top priority.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to Gaza, today, the Humanitarian Coordinator, Jamie McGoldrick, visited the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia, in the north of Gaza. The World Health Organization has supported the establishment of a nutrition stabilization centre at this hospital to treat children with severe acute malnutrition with medical complications – these children are at risk of imminent death if they don’t receive swift treatment. Mr. McGoldrick also went to the Al Mawasi area, where he visited the UK Med Field Hospital.
During his visit, the Humanitarian Coordinator spoke with mothers whose children were suffering from malnutrition, caused by a serious food shortage in the area.
Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the Israeli military operation in and around Al Shifa hospital in Gaza city continued for a fourth straight day.
We continue to remind the parties to this conflict that international humanitarian law must be respected. Civilians and the infrastructure they rely on – including hospitals – must be protected.
Al Shifa hospital only recently restored minimal health services, and hostilities in and around the facility put those services – and patients and medical staff – in jeopardy.
People in Gaza – particularly in the north – are experiencing shocking levels of disease and hunger. We and our humanitarian partners continue to do everything we can to meet the overwhelming needs of the civilian population.
However, we are being repeatedly prevented from doing our job, especially in the besieged north. Security risks, unceasing bombardments, the collapse of civil order, and access constraints continue to impede the humanitarian response.
U.N.R.W.A.
The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the contribution announced yesterday of $40 million by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre to the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA.
At a time when the people of Gaza run the risk of a looming famine, such a contribution is crucial to ensure that UNRWA, the backbone of humanitarian response in the occupied Palestinian territory, can continue to function and provide for the Gazan people in their time of need.
UNRWA has acknowledged that the donation will provide food for more than 250,000 people and tents for 20,000 families in Gaza.
That’s an important step towards ensuring the welfare of the people of Gaza, but much more needs to be done. The Secretary-General continues to call on the international community to contribute funds to UNRWA and to the overall humanitarian response in Gaza. And he calls on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza.
UKRAINE
Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs says that, early this morning, a densely populated area in Kyiv came under massive attack. According to local authorities, civilians were injured in the attack and homes, schools and other civilian infrastructure sustained damage.
Yesterday, in the east of Ukraine, an attack in the city of Kharkiv resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians, as well as damage to homes and electricity infrastructure, according to the authorities.
Meanwhile, also yesterday, hostilities in front-line regions reportedly also resulted in civilian casualties and damaged houses and other civilian infrastructure, according to the authorities. The Donetsk and Kherson Regions, east and south of Ukraine, were the most impacted.
Humanitarian organizations promptly mobilized an emergency response after the attacks in Kharkiv and Kyiv, and in other parts of Ukraine, including by providing emergency shelter materials and psychological support.
DEMOCRACTIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our peacekeeping colleagues continue their vital work protecting civilians in the country’s east.
Earlier this week, the Mission deployed in Tche and Logo-Takpa, southeast of Djugu in Ituri Province, in support of the Congolese Armes Forces following a string of attacks by CODECO combatants.
Peacekeepers continue to conduct patrols in the area to prevent further attacks.
The UN Mission also protected 350 internally displaced persons and conducted night patrols for the protection of 800 more people.
Meanwhile, hostilities persist in North Kivu between M23 and the Congolese Army near Sake. The Mission is blocking positions around Sake to protect civilians.
BURKINA FASO
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, will be concluding shortly a brief visit to Burkina Faso.
Earlier today, Mr. Türk met with the President of the Transition of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, and they spoke about the need for human rights to be at the centre of all efforts to manage the multifaceted challenges the country is facing.
The High Commissioner also met with civil society representatives and members of the diplomatic corps and the UN.
HAITI
The World Food Programme continues to distribute hot meals in Port-au-Prince. But, yesterday, due to roadblocks, WFP was only able to reach 10 of the 14 displaced sites they had intended to. Only 11,500 hot meals were delivered instead of the planned 14,000.
The International Organization for Migration and its local partners have delivered blankets, solar lamps and kitchen kits to 3,800 displaced people.
Meanwhile, between March 16th and yesterday, UNICEF, IOM and their national partners delivered more than 36,000 gallons of water to displaced sites, reaching over 15,000 uprooted people.
The Pan American Health Organization and WHO supported the national health department by distributing water purification tablets, chorine, gloves, boots, buckets and other items in sites for displaced people. They are also supporting the few operating health facilities by supplying medicine and supplies.
For their part, the UN Population Fund and its partners yesterday deployed a mobile clinic in a site for displaced people to address sexual and reproductive health, as well as sexual and gender-based violence. More than 200 people received assistance. They also distributed hundreds of dignity kits to women and girls. Psychosocial support remains a critical service for thousands of traumatized people.
Our humanitarian partners continue to do their best to deliver aid but, as we have repeatedly said, we are only able to do a portion of what is needed.
We have supplies in the country at the port in the capital, but they are at risk of being looted. We also need air transportation and our maritime services to urgently scale up our operations. We are calling on all parties to ensure safe, unhindered access to reach people in need.
As reminder, 5.5 million people – or nearly half of the country’s population – need humanitarian aid.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In his message for the Day, the Secretary-General says that racism is an evil infecting countries and societies around the world – a deeply entrenched legacy of colonialism and enslavement.
He calls on all to commit to work together to build a world of dignity, justice and equal opportunity for every community, everywhere.
Today is also International Day of Nowruz, World Down Syndrome Day and World Poetry Day.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Two more islands have paid their dues in full. One of them – in the Indian Ocean – like yesterday’s two – has the word Port in its capital city’s name. That would be Port Louis in Mauritius. Many thanks for that. We also thank our friends in Roseau, capital of the Caribbean Island of Dominica, and incidentally, the only home of the Sisserou Parrot. The two payments take us to 88 fully paid-up Member States.
