HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 3 MARCH 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL/ CAIRO SUMMIT
The Secretary-General, as previously announced, arrived in Cairo today. As you well know, he was invited to attend the Extraordinary Arab League Summit, which is taking place tomorrow and will focus on the situation in the Middle East, in particular in Gaza.
The Secretary-General spoke to you on Friday about the messages he will convey to the attendees at the Summit. Tomorrow, he will reiterate that the ceasefire and hostage release deal must hold, in light of the developments we see unfolding.
On the margins of the Summit, the Secretary-General will hold discussions with leaders and officials in attendance. Today, he met with the President of the European Council, António Costa. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to hold discussions with the President of the host country, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and as he has other bilaterals, we will share that info with you.
As you know, the Secretary-General welcomes and strongly supports the Arab-led efforts to mobilize support for the reconstruction of Gaza. He will also emphasize that there is no sustainable reconstruction without a clear and principled political horizon. As soon as we are in a position to do so, we will share his remarks under embargo, but probably not until tomorrow.
GAZA
Also, you will have seen that yesterday, in a statement we released, the Secretary-General urged all parties to make every effort to prevent a return to the hostilities in Gaza. He calls for humanitarian aid to flow back into Gaza immediately and for the release of all hostages.
Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that Israel’s decision to halt aid into Gaza is indeed alarming. He added that international humanitarian law is clear: we must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid. We need to get aid in and the hostages out, he said.
Earlier on the weekend, on Saturday, the Secretary-General, in a statement in which he noted that thousands of trucks carrying life-saving assistance had entered Gaza during the past six weeks, with aid having reached nearly every person in the Strip. And that statement was shared with you.
And he added that as Ramadan - a time of peace and reflection - begins, he calls on all sides to spare no efforts to end all violence. The UN stands ready to support all such endeavours.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
And on the ground, since yesterday, the Kerem Shalom, Erez and Zikim crossings have been closed for cargo. This means that vital humanitarian assistance, including thousands of tents, remains undelivered.
The Spokesman told reporters that every weekday in this room, we have been very clear and provided updates from our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on how the ceasefire has allowed ourselves and our partners to scale up the delivery of life-saving assistance to the people of Gaza. The ceasefire has provided the opportunity to distribute food, to distribute water, as well as shelter assistance and medical aid, allowing nearly everyone in Gaza to receive food parcels.
Our humanitarian partners tell us that following the closure of the crossings into Gaza yesterday, flour and vegetable prices increased more than 100-fold. Partners are currently assessing the stocks that are currently available within the Gaza Strip.
UNICEF warns that the stoppage of aid deliveries into Gaza will quickly lead to devastating consequences for children and families who are struggling to survive. The agency said that between 19 January and this past Friday, almost 1,000 UNICEF trucks had crossed into Gaza, carrying clean water, medical supplies, vaccines, therapeutic food and other materials. Since the start of the ceasefire, UNICEF and its partners have provided warm clothing to 150,000 children in Gaza and increased daily water distribution for nearly half a million people in more remote areas.
Nearly a quarter of a million children and thousands of pregnant and breast-feeding mothers have received nutritional supplements since the ceasefire took effect. Moreover, partners say fewer children are currently now enrolled at malnutrition sites.
Meanwhile, over the past two weeks, in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, partners have distributed vegetable seed kits for gardening. This will help communities eat a more diverse diet.
Our partners are also working in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector tell us that more than 1,500 water distribution points are operating across Gaza. This is double the number that we had at the start of the ceasefire. However, partners tell us that pipes and spare parts for maintenance are urgently needed
And, as you know, we have been updating you on the work the World Food Programme has been doing in increasing the large number of bakeries that are now operational in Gaza.
Across Gaza, more than 100 public schools have reopened, accommodating some 100,000 students. In Gaza City and North Gaza, partners will use tents to ensure children can continue learning, and pallets will be recycled into furniture to support learning spaces.
Today, OCHA teams visited a displacement site in Khan Younis, where about 1,200 people are staying. These communities have not been allowed to return to their homes, which are located in the buffer zone. OCHA is working to mobilize assistance to meet their needs, which include food, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene support.
SYRIA
In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say that more than 656,000 people who fled their homes since November of last year remain displaced, the majority are in the governorates of Idleb and Aleppo. This is what we are told by our partners.
This marks an increase of 39,000 people in the past two weeks, particularly in the governorates of Al-Hasakeh, Homs and Hama. This is in addition to the 7 million people already internally displaced across Syria.
Since December, nearly 1.2 million people have now returned to their areas of origin in Syria. This includes nearly 900,000 people who had been internally displaced in November and December, as well as 300,000 from other countries.
As security, logistical and funding conditions permit, we and our partners continue to assist returnees and those who are not yet able to return under safe and dignified conditions.
Across Syria, our partners are providing legal counselling and psychosocial support, among other protection services, in community centers and safe spaces. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,400 children and 600 caregivers received mental health and other support.
Humanitarian assistance continues to be provided in displacement camps in northern Syria, where more than 2 million people still reside.
Since December, fewer than 100,000 people have reportedly left camps in the north-west, citing insecurity, damaged homes, inadequate services and the threat of unexploded ordnance as a key barrier to their return.
UKRAINE
Moving to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say that attacks in front-line regions over the weekend reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, including children. According to local authorities, the attacks in the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Odesa, Kherson, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia also damaged numerous homes and schools, as well as gas pipelines, port infrastructure and a civilian ship.
Humanitarian organizations rushed to respond, providing emergency support to families impacted by the attacks. Aid groups distributed hot meals, blankets and emergency shelter kits to assist those in need.
During the attacks, three hospitals were also damaged. In Kharkiv, WHO [World Health Organization] tells us that patients were injured while receiving overnight care and nearly 60 patients had to be evacuated. Our humanitarian colleagues note that as hostilities continue, health services in Ukraine remain under threat.
And as a reminder, the targeting and hitting of health centres is a violation of international humanitarian law.
In January and February, WHO verified 52 attacks on health facilities across the country.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs remains deeply concerned by increasing violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including incidents impacting health facilities and schools.
In Goma, local humanitarian sources report that armed men raided at least two hospitals between Saturday and today, abducting dozens of patients – including several in critical condition. As of today, only a small number of patients have been released.
And in South Kivu, local authorities report that four schools in Fizi Territory, that is about 250 kilometers south of Bukavu, have recently been converted into military camps, disrupting education for more than 2,000 students.
Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners also report that large numbers of people are still on the move in the DRC, in the eastern part of that country.
Ongoing clashes in the Mweso area of North Kivu, about 100 kilometers northwest of Goma, are forcing more people to flee their homes – although more detailed estimates are not yet available.
Last week, fighting in South Kivu’s Fizi Territory displaced nearly 11,000 human beings.
In areas where violence has subsided somewhat, displaced people are returning. Some 17,000 people have recently returned to the Karuba area of North Kivu, about 40 kilometers northwest of Goma. Since January, nearly 90,000 people have returned to this area despite the dire conditions, including almost no clean water.
Our humanitarian response in areas around Goma is picking up again, with medicine being provided to health facilities. On Friday, the World Food Programme began distributing food to 200,000 people in surrounding areas. Plans are also underway to restore the water supply and UNICEF today said that, working alongside their partners, they are providing clean water supplies to 700,000 people a day – including 364,000 children – in Goma.
However, UNICEF says many still rely on untreated supplies directly from Lake Kivu, which is highly risky. The agency, and its partners, have set up more than 50 chlorine sites along the coast to treat lake water, supplying 56,000 people daily to try to limit the expansion of a cholera outbreak.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Earlier today, Volker Türk, our High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented his global update to the Human Rights Council, covering many countries and a wide range of topics.
He warned that the world is going through a period of turbulence and unpredictability, which is reflected in growing conflict and divided societies.
He emphasized that we cannot allow the global consensus around international norms to crumble before our eyes. Instead, the High Commissioner urged us to demonstrate that human rights are a winning proposition for humanity.
HAITI
William O’Neill, the UN Designated Expert on Human Rights in Haiti, has begun a week-long visit to the country.
It is his fourth visit since he was appointed in April 2023. He was appointed by Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the request of the UN Human Rights Council.
While in the capital, Port-au-Prince, Mr. O’Neill is expected to meet with Haitian authorities, as well as representatives of the National Human Rights Institution. He will also hold discussions with our UN colleagues, with the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and civil society organizations and others.
He is also scheduled to visit a prison for children, and to meet with victims, including those of sexual violence.
He will be here on Tuesday, 11 March, in person, to brief reporters on his visit.
BANGLADESH
The High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, visited Bangladesh and called for sustained support and solutions for the Rohingya refugees.
He went to Cox’s Bazar and met with refugees and the host community, and urged the international community to provide sustained financial support for the refugees, and to meet their basic needs.
As you know, the Secretary-General will be himself going to Bangladesh next week.
RESIDENT COORDINATOR – MADAGASCAR
Anthony Ngororano of Rwanda has been appointed by the Secretary-General as the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Madagascar. He started over the weekend.
Mr. Ngororano has over 20 years of experience in sustainable development, having recently served as the United Nations Resident Representative for UNDP in Kenya. He has also served in Mauritania, worked for UNFPA, UN Women and many other organizations. We congratulate him.
WORLD WILDLIFE DAY
Today is World Wildlife Day. This year’s theme “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.” In his message, the Secretary-General said that investing in healthy ecosystems is vital to providing clean air and water, regulating our climate and supporting livelihoods.
But this requires mobilizing public and private resources to conserve wildlife and habitats; honouring financial commitments and supporting vulnerable countries where biodiversity is most at risk.
**BRIEFINGS
Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, the Permanent Representative of Denmark and President of the Security Council for the month of March, briefed reporters on the Security Council’s programme of work for the month of March.
At 2:15 p.m., there was a briefing on the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Speakers included Akan Rakhmetullin, the First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan and the President of the Meeting, joined by Melissa Parke, the Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
