HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE U.N. SYSTEM
WEDNESDAY, 15 JANUARY 2025
Secretary-General priorities 2025
This morning, the Secretary-General presented his priorities for this year to the General Assembly. He started by saying that it’s true that we face runaway conflicts, rampant inequalities, the raging climate crisis and out-of-control technology. But the good news is that we have the plans to tackle these challenges. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to get the wheel moving,” he said.
On peace, the Secretary-General underscored the need to prioritize conflict prevention and mediation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding; strengthening peacekeeping and the meaningful inclusion of women in political and peace processes.
On inequality, the Secretary-General stressed the need to accelerate action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reform financial institutions.
On climate, he reiterated his call to ramp up our collective efforts into overdrive and deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement.
And on technology, he underscored that leaders have a historic responsibility to make sure it benefits humanity, not just a privileged few, and that innovation respects human rights.
Syria
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that today, 15 trucks carrying food for 34,000 people from the World Food Programme crossed from Türkiye through the Bab Al-Salam border-crossing to northern Aleppo.
Meanwhile, in the north-west, our partners have started rehabilitating classrooms and installing temporary learning spaces for more than 20,000 children. However, in the north-east, many children continue to miss out on attending school. At least 68,000 children have been out of school since December due to 133 schools being used as emergency collective centers for displaced people.
Our humanitarian colleagues also continue to monitor the rates of malnutrition across the country.
Since December, we and our partners have screened more than 45,000 children and 16,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women for malnutrition. Among them, 300 children and 215 women received treatment.
Also today, Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen and UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, both met with the Syrian Women's Advisory Board, to discuss upcoming challenges and opportunities.
You also saw that the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, was in Damascus. He heard from victims, and civil society groups representing them, about their immediate needs. He also met the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa.
Yemen/Security Council
This morning, the Security Council discussed the situation in Yemen. Our Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, told Council members that until today, the escalating cycle of strikes and counterstrikes has hindered the prospects of peace. Mr. Grundberg spoke about his latest engagements across the region. He said that, over the past days, he had held sometimes difficult, often constructive, and always frank discussions with Yemeni, regional and international stakeholders. His message to all interlocutors is the same: we need immediate de-escalation and genuine engagement for peace.
And on the humanitarian front, according to the consolidated humanitarian appeal for this year, which will be released shortly, the crisis is getting worse.
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, told the Council members that at least 19.5 million people in the country need humanitarian assistance and protection this year – that’s 1.3 million more human beings than in the last year.
Libya
The UN Support Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, is alarmed by the disturbing footage circulating on social media, which shows brutal torture and ill-treatment of detainees at the Gernada detention facility in eastern Libya.
The videos depict numerous detainees, both Libyan and foreign nationals, subjected to violent beatings, forced into stress positions by guards in uniform. This footage is consistent with documented patterns of human rights violations in detention facilities across Libya.
UNSMIL continues to verify the circumstances of the circulated footage, and the Mission strongly condemns these acts, which constitute serious violations of international human rights law, including the prohibition of torture. The Mission calls for an immediate and transparent investigation into these alleged violations and for perpetrators to be brought to justice. UNSMIL is coordinating with the General Command of the Libyan National Army for unrestricted access to the Gernada facility, as well as other detention centres under their control.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that we and our humanitarian partners continue our efforts scale up aid operations to address the dire needs of people across the Strip, despite the ongoing challenges to our work.
Yesterday, a reported Israeli air strike that hit a shop along the coastal road in Deir al-Balah sparked a large fire that, driven by strong sea winds, quickly spread to engulf the makeshift displacement sites of Al-Salam and Revira. While no casualties were reported, 67 families lost all their belongings, as their tents were destroyed in the fire.
Today, OCHA and the UN Mine Action Service carried out a rapid assessment of the affected area. Families displaced by the attack urgently need assistance, including tents, blankets, clothing, kitchen sets, mattresses and hot meals.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that health partners are warning of severe fuel shortages that are putting critical health services at risk. Our partners say all hospitals that are still partially functioning have exhausted their fuel reserves. They are now relying on piecemeal deliveries of fuel each day to try and keep the most critical services up and running.
Our partners warn that the fuel crisis directly affects about 2,000 patients in Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah, 10 per cent of whom are in intensive care units, as well as some 220 patients in the northern Gaza governorates, nearly a third of whom are in Intensive Care Units.
The lack of fuel is also crippling water, sanitation and hygiene services across Gaza. If additional fuel is not received, our partners would be unable to truck and distribute water, and all sewage and solid waste management would grind to a halt.
OCHA reports that Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach North Gaza governorate, where Palestinians have been under siege for more than three months.
Attempts made yesterday and today to reach besieged areas to deliver critical humanitarian assistance were denied.
Across Gaza yesterday, the UN planned 21 coordinated humanitarian missions. Less than half were facilitated. Seven were denied outright, and four were impeded.
Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator there, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, today expressed deep concern over recent attacks against civilians in many parts of the country.
There have been reports of ongoing shelling and aerial attacks in the Darfur region, Khartoum and other states that have killed, injured and displaced civilians in large numbers. Retaliatory attacks against civilians in Aj Jazirah State have also been reported.
Ms. Nkweta-Salami strongly denounced any form of violence against civilians and called for their protection. She said reprisals and acts of violence against civilian populations and objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law – and called for immediate action to end the bloodshed in Sudan.
And as in all conflicts, children bear a heavy brunt. According to our colleagues at the UN Children’s Fund, between 7 and 8 January, 23 children were reportedly killed and nine injured by shelling in Khartoum State.
UNICEF estimates that 770,000 children under five will suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition, severe acute malnutrition, in 2025.
We continue to call on the Government of Sudan, and all other concerned parties, to help ensure sustained, unimpeded, and safe access to reach children wherever they are in Sudan.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Head of our peacekeeping mission there -MONUSCO-, Bintou Keita, has begun a two-day visit to Goma today. She is in the capital of the North Kivu province for two days, as clashes between the Congolese armed forces and their allies and the M23 armed group have intensified.
Earlier today, Ms. Keita met with the Military Governor of North Kivu, Major General Peter Cirimwami. They discussed the security situation in the province and the challenges related to the implementation of the peacekeeping mission’s mandate, in the context of the M23’s continued territorial expansion.
You will recall that the armed group has launched a new offensive, and made advances into Masisi territory.
This afternoon, Ms. Keita is scheduled to brief the Security Council from Goma, in closed consultations on the situation in the DRC.
Central African Republic
Our peacekeeping colleagues in the Central African Republic have deployed troops to Zangba in Basse-Kotto prefecture, in response to a request from the Government, following the deterioration of the security situation in the region, and as part of the implementation of the Mission’s mandate and its commitment to protect civilians living under threat from armed groups in isolated areas.
After securing the town, UN peacekeepers repaired some of the bridges leading to Zangba to establish secure access to and from the town. Restoring access is crucial in this isolated region, as it will enable people to benefit from basic services and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. It will also help prepare for the extension of the state's presence and authority.
Honour Roll
Armenia and Iceland, whose payments to the Regular Budget brings the number of Member States on the Honour Roll to 10.
Guest tomorrow
Tomorrow, our guest will be the Senior Managing Director for Partnerships and Development Policy for the World Bank Group, Axel van Trotsenburg.
He will be here to highlight the impacts of the International Development Association (known as IDA21) replenishment and look ahead at 2025.
