Noon briefing of 16 May 2024

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2024

SECRETARY-GENERAL IN BAHRAIN
The Secretary-General spoke to the Summit of the League of Arab States in Bahrain today.
He told the assembled leaders that he sees much potential in the Arab region. “You have the resources. You have the culture. You have the people. But there is one core condition for success in today’s world: unity,” he said.
Mr. Guterres encouraged Arab leaders to overcome divisions and move forward together to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the Arab world and beyond.
Turning to Gaza, the Secretary-General said that the conflict is an open wound that threatens to infect the entire region. He repeated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza.
He reminded the delegates that UNRWA remains the backbone of the UN’s operations in Gaza and a lifeline for Palestine refugees across the region.
It needs full support and funding, the Secretary-General stressed.
The Secretary-General also raised the situation in Sudan and urged the international community to intensify its push for peace. He called on all the warring parties to agree on a lasting ceasefire which would need to be followed by a political process that includes women’s and youth groups.
Prior to going to the Summit venue, the Secretary-General met with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, with whom he discussed cooperation between their respective Organizations, as well as the situation in the Middle East region, including the conflict in Gaza, as well as Sudan and Syria.
Just after that, he met with Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon.
They discussed the situation in Lebanon, including concerns in relation to the heightened tensions along the Blue Line. They also discussed refugee-related issues, including UNRWA’s critical work.
The Secretary-General later met with Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. They exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the role of Saudi Arabia in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leading towards a two-state solution. The Secretary-General and the Crown Prince also discussed the situations in Sudan and Yemen.
He also discussed Gaza in separate meetings with the King of Jordan and the King of Bahrain.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that, for days now, crossings into southern Gaza have been closed, unsafe to access, or not logistically viable.
Distribution is almost impossible without regular fuel imports. Telecommunications are unstable, and the fighting is ongoing.
The impact is devastating for the more than two million people living in Gaza. Without a consistent fuel supply, everything stops: trucks, hospitals, generators for hospitals, and systems critical to the water, sanitation and hygiene response – such as for desalination and sewage pumping.
Meanwhile, OCHA says that the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, remains alarming, amid ongoing violence by Israeli forces and settlers, the destruction of civilian property, and further displacement.
Earlier this week, the last two remaining families in the Ein Samiya herding community in Ramallah – including nearly a dozen children – were forced to leave, following attacks by Israeli settlers. Those settlers remain in the area, which is preventing the families from returning. As of yesterday, all 29 households in Ein Samiya – more than 150 people – have been displaced.
Across the West Bank, nearly 1,400 people – mostly from herding families – have been displaced since October, amid ongoing settler violence and access restrictions.

IRAQ
This morning, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, briefed Security Council Members by video conference.
She stressed that, currently, a more stable security environment prevails in Iraq.
She added that with the next parliamentary vote now expected to be held this coming Saturday, there is hope that the new Speaker will be confirmed soon.
Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert noted that she is addressing the Council Members today for the last time before departing from her current position later this month.

HAITI
Turning to Haiti, The United Nations and its partners continue to support people affected and displaced by the ongoing violence.
The International Organization for Migration, through its mobile clinics, and its partners have supported more than 20,000 displaced people in the capital, Port-au-Prince, since the end of February.
Humanitarian partners continue to provide psychosocial support, reaching more than 1,000 children in displacement sites between May 8th and 15th.
Women and girls are particularly at risk of sexual and gender-based violence given the unsafe conditions in many displacement sites. Humanitarian organizations continue to organize prevention and awareness activities. They also identify survivors and make sure they receive proper care.
UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and their partners have distributed more than 9 million liters of drinking water to more than 70,000 people since March 1st.
Yesterday, a team from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, accompanied by local partners, visited a displacement site in Solino, south of the capital, which currently hosts nearly 900 displaced people. The team spoke with displaced people and partners working on the site. Local NGOs continue to carry out crucial work, but there are significant gaps due to the lack of resources.
The UN reiterates its call to the international community to support the humanitarian response, especially for the local partners, who continue to be in the front line.

SOUTH SUDAN
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) recently concluded a workshop for justice actors in Gogrial West County in Warrap State to help strengthen the criminal justice system. The workshop attracted 22 participants, including paramount chiefs, court clerks, and officers from the National Police and Prisons Services. Facilitated by the High Court President and Director of Legal Affairs, the workshop covered principles of criminal law principles, gender issues, and protecting children's rights. The workshop's cooperative environment led to the identification of key challenges and the formulation of practical solutions, as part of the Mission's mandate to support to build the rule of law and essential criminal justice services.

INTERNATIONAL DAYS
And today is the International Day of Living Together in Peace.
It’s a day to remember that living together in peace is all about accepting differences.
Today is also the International Day of Light. This day celebrates the role that light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy.

BRIEFING TODAY
Today there will be a briefing by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to launch the World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2024.
The briefers will be Shantanu Mukherjee, DESA’s Director of Economic Analysis and Policy, along with Hamid Rashid, DESA’s Chief of the Global Economic Monitoring Branch in the Economic Analysis and Policy Division.
The report will update the global and regional economic forecasts released in January and will be available at desapublications.un.org.