Noon briefing of 11 July 2024

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC​,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 11 JULY 2024

INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.
At a memorial event held this morning in the General Assembly Hall, the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, delivered a message on behalf of the Secretary-General. He underscored that the genocide in Srebrenica stands as a harrowing testament to the devastating consequences of inaction in the face of hatred.
Today is also World Population Day.
In his message, the Secretary-General says that more women than ever have access to modern contraception, but progress has been unequal and unsteady.
He adds that around 800 women die needlessly every day in pregnancy and childbirth – the vast majority in developing countries.

SECRETARY-GENERAL/EDUCATION
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the Special Event on Transforming Education, noting that almost two years have passed since the Transforming Education Summit was held right here in New York.
Since then, he said, the global crisis in education that leaders came together to address at the Summit has shown little sign of abating. Without a dramatic shift in tackling that crisis, the Secretary-General warned, we cannot — and will not — shape a more peaceful, sustainable and just world.
He said that some 84 million children are likely to remain out of school by 2030, adding that it is truly shocking and that some 70 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read a basic text by age 10.

SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council held consultations on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
The Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, briefed Council members.
And this afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., the Council will hold an open briefing, followed by consultations, on Colombia. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia is expected to brief Council members.

CYPRUS
And also on Cyprus, I have been asked about the Secretary-General’s meeting with his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Angela Holguín Cuéllar. In answer to those questions, I can say that the Secretary-General received yesterday the report of Ms. Holguin on her efforts to find common ground on the way forward in Cyprus.
The Secretary-General is now considering the recommendations in her report in order to propose next steps to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the UN and its partners continue to respond wherever and whenever possible, despite ongoing hostilities, access restrictions, impassable roads, fuel shortages, and a lack of public order and safety, all of which are obviously severely hampering all of our humanitarian operations.
The World Food Programme (WFP) says it has assisted about a quarter of a million people in Gaza so far this month. During June, the agency provided food rations for over a million people in Gaza.
However, limited food stocks in central and southern Gaza forced WFP to reduce rations last month, with some areas only receiving wheat flour.
So far this month, WFP has also worked with dozens of community kitchens in Gaza to provide about 1.8 million hot meals to people in central and southern Gaza, as well as Gaza City. But the agency warns that the supplies needed for this assistance will be depleted in just days unless additional stocks are received.
Meanwhile, the UN, along its humanitarian partners, are providing critical support to displaced people crossing from northern to southern Gaza, following Israel’s latest instructions for people to leave Gaza city. This includes water, hot meals, food parcels, and health and nutrition support.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that more evacuation orders issued by Israel are further threatening the health of people who have already suffered so much. WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said today that the Al-Ahli and Patient Friendly hospitals in northern Gaza are the latest unable to function due to fighting.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 patients still need to be evacuated out of the Gaza Strip, because they cannot receive required treatment inside Gaza.

SYRIA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that yesterday, the Government of Syria extended its consent for the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance from Türkiye through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for an additional six months - that takes us until 13 January of 2025.
This extension is essential for our cross-border operation which remains a lifeline for people in north-west Syria. Each month, we and our partners reach - on average - more than a million people with critical assistance and protection services.
This is down significantly from previous years due to growing funding shortfalls.
More than halfway into the year, the $4.1 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria in 2024 is less than 20 per cent funded, with only $780 million in our bank account.
More than two-thirds of north-west Syria's population in need reside in Idlib. Our colleagues say the Bab Al-Hawa crossing, which provides direct routes to Idlib, remains the most-used border crossing. So far, this year, over 90 per cent of trucks carrying UN aid – and 70 per cent of missions by UN personnel - used Bab Al-Hawa to reach north-west Syria.
And just as a reminder, over the past year, nearly 2,000 trucks carrying UN aid have crossed from Türkiye to north-west Syria using the Bab Al-Hawa, Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra'ae border crossings.
Before you ask, we have permission to use the other two border crossings, so far, until 13 August this year, but discussions will, obviously, be ongoing on that.
And yesterday, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, wrapped up a three-day visit to Al Hasakeh Governorate in north-east Syria. He highlighted the growing humanitarian needs there. Ongoing hostilities have been damaging civilian infrastructure.

SUDAN
Also, I’ve been asked by some of you about the situation in Sudan, in particular in El Fasher, which you know, is the capital of North Darfur.
I can tell you that our humanitarian colleagues obviously remain gravely concerned about the deadly fighting in the city. Our colleagues report that these hostilities have affected residential areas, markets, hospitals and sites holding displaced people.
As many as 329,000 people were displaced from El Fasher during April, May and June, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Once again, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) demands that civilians be protected. Those fleeing the fighting must be afforded safe passage. It is critical that the parties de-escalate to prevent further suffering for civilians and to enable the unimpeded delivery of life-saving assistance to all those who need, and those who stay must also be protected.
Meanwhile, we and our partners continue our efforts to respond to those needs, including by trying to get health kits to areas around El Fasher, including in gathering sites for civilians.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is also strengthening nutrition support at displacement sites in El Fasher, as well as the towns of Tawila and Dar As Salam in North Darfur State. Meanwhile, partners are working to support the water supply to El Fasher and water facilities in the Zamzam displacement camp, as well as other sites that have seen an influx of people fleeing during the ongoing fighting.
Meanwhile, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund – which is managed by OCHA – has provided funding to local partners to reach more than 7,000 people in El Fasher and the Zamzam camp with shelter materials and other critical supplies that they need.

SOUTH SUDAN
As South Sudan is preparing to hold its first post-independence elections in December, the African Union Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and our peacekeeping mission there, UNMISS, today urged parties to the 2018 peace agreement to provide clarity on the electoral roadmap.
In their joint statement, they underscored the need for all parties to work collectively to deliver peaceful and credible elections that reflect the will of the people of South Sudan.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo - in Ituri province, UN peacekeepers provided training to 400 new recruits of the Congolese Armed Forces to better equip them to respond to the abuses committed against civilians by armed groups in hard-to-reach areas. The training focused on tactics, special operations, and human rights, among other issues.
These newly trained members of the Congolese armed forces are expected to deploy in Djugu territory, in Ituri province.
In the coming weeks the Mission will train other members of the Congolese army, as part of its commitment to enhance the operational capabilities of their Congolese counterparts.
As a reminder, the UN peacekeeping mission continues to implement its protection of civilians’ mandate in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, following the disengagement of the peacekeeping mission from its area of operation in South Kivu.

HURRICANE BERYL
This afternoon, Simon Springett, the Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, held a press conference along with the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, and the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.
They will be talking to you about the Regional Response Plan for Hurricane Beryl, which is seeking at least $9 million - $5 million for Grenada and $4 million for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - to assist some 43,000 people urgently needing humanitarian aid.

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
The Under-Secretary General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, will visit Tokyo, Japan, from 16-18 July. He will then go to Cambodia to visit Siem Reap and Phnom Penh from 20-23 July. Mr. Khare will meet with senior Japanese and Cambodian government officials to exchange views on global operational support matters, including training and capacity-building for troop-contributing countries, support for uniformed peacekeepers, and to discuss the withdrawal or downsizing of certain peacekeeping missions.

GUESTS TOMORROW/BRIEFINGS
Tomorrow, our guests will be Edem Wosornu, who, as you know, is OCHA’s Director of Operations and Advocacy. She will be joined by Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s Director of Emergency Programmes, and Andrea Koulaimah, the Director of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations for Latin American and the Caribbean.
They are currently visiting Haiti, and they will speak to you from Port-au-Prince.
Also tomorrow, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, is expected to brief Security Council members. He will be available at the stakeout for those of you who want to talk to him.
And lastly, there will be a press briefing at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow by Philippe Lazzarini at the end of UNRWA’s pledging event.