HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 14 MARCH 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL/BANGLADESH
The Secretary-General today was in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, as part of his Ramadan solidarity visit with Rohingya refugees and their Bangladeshi host communities.
The Secretary-General had the chance to meet with refugees, many of them young men and women, who told him about their experiences and concerns. He spoke to children who were grateful to be able to go to school in the camps, but missed their homes in Myanmar. And he met young people who still have hope to return to their homeland but are also worried about the impending funding cuts which would dramatically reduce their monthly food rations (from $12.50 to $6 per month). The Secretary-General also visited a jute center, where he had a chance to hear from women who are trying to build a livelihood inside the camps.
The Secretary-General assured every one of the people he met that he would do everything he can and to stop the funding cuts, and he apologized to them because the UN and the international community have not been able to stop the conflict in Myanmar.
He later had a press encounter in which he said that he had heard two clear messages: first, Rohingyas want to go back to Myanmar; and second, they want better conditions in the camps.
And at sunset, he shared an Iftar with some 60,000 refugees. He told them that sharing an Iftar with them is a symbol of his deep respect for their religion and their culture. He also said that we are facing a deep humanitarian crisis with the announced funding cuts, and he lamented that as a result, many people will suffer, and some people might die.
“My voice will not end until the international community understands that they have the obligation to invest now in the Rohingya refugees,” he said.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus was also present at the Iftar, and they met separately earlier in the day.
MYANMAR
The World Food Programme today warned that more than one million people in Myanmar will be cut off from its food assistance starting in April – due to critical funding shortfalls.
WFP says these cuts come just as increased conflict, displacement and access restrictions are already sharply driving up food aid needs.
Without immediate new funding WFP will only be able to assist 35,000 of the most vulnerable people, including children under the age of five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people living with disabilities.
The cuts will also impact almost 100,000 internally displaced people in central Rakhine who will have no access to food without WFP assistance, including Rohingya communities in camps.
WFP urgently needs US$ 60 million to maintain its life-saving food assistance to the people of Myanmar this year.
Optional - A staggering 15.2 million people are unable to meet their minimum daily food needs in Myanmar, according to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan; this is up from 13.3 million last year. Of these, according to the plan, some 2.3 million people are facing emergency levels of hunger. Even with regular support, these families who rely solely on WFP food assistance, are already reporting skipping meals, selling properties or going into debt just to survive.
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT / GENEVA
On Sunday, the Secretary-General will arrive in Geneva, Switzerland, where, as we announced a few days ago, he is convening the two Cypriot leaders and the Guarantor Powers of Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom for an informal meeting on Cyprus at the United Nations Office in Geneva.
The meeting will take place from 17 to 18 March and is being held in the context of the Secretary-General’s good offices efforts on the Cyprus issue and as agreed with the two leaders on 15 October 2024.
The informal meeting will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward on the Cyprus issue. The United Nations remains committed to supporting the Cypriot leaders and all Cypriots.
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT / BRUSSELS
On Tuesday evening [18 March], the Secretary-General will travel to Brussels, Belgium, to meet with European Union leaders – and you will recall that this is something he has been doing in the month of March for the past few years.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, as well as Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament.
The following day [Thursday], at the invitation of the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, the Secretary-General will take part in a working lunch with the Heads of State and Government of the European Union, at the opening of the European Council.
While in Brussels, the Secretary-General is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever.
And on Friday morning, the universities KU Leuven and UC Louvain will jointly award an honorary doctorate to the United Nations. The Secretary-General will receive the honorary doctorate on behalf of the organization and, in his remarks, he will pay tribute to the work, sacrifices, dedication and commitment of the thousands of women and men working for the UN around the world to serve and support people in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth.
The ceremony will be webcast and available for you on UN Webtv.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that clashes and insecurity in the east continue to harm civilians.
In South Kivu, the humanitarian partners warn that continued violence in the territories of Uvira and Fizi has forced nearly 370,000 people to flee their homes since early February.
Serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law have been reported, including nearly 400 cases of sexual violence reported in Uvira between February 9th and 25th, according to the UN partners monitoring protection issues.
Humanitarian organizations have also been targeted in Uvira.
For its part, UNICEF said today that ongoing violence in the South Kivu province has led to a sharp rise in grave violations against children. Verified cases of violations include sexual violence, killings, maiming, and the recruitment and use of children by armed groups.
Education has also been impacted, with the closure of more than 1,000 schools in the province, disrupting the education of over 300,000 students. In Bukavu alone, UNICEF says 19 schools have turned into makeshift shelters for displaced families.
The impact of the continued insecurity and displacements of people has also contributed to a growing cholera outbreak, with health officials reporting more than 240 cases and 10 deaths as of March 10th in Uvira. The UN partners working in health estimate new cholera cases are doubling every week there.
The UN and its partners are providing cholera treatment, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene services in the area, but more resources and improved humanitarian access are needed to contain the outbreak.
Still in South Kivu, since March 3rd, clashes in Walungu Territory have reportedly forced more than 20,000 people to flee, and they urgently need food, water, shelter and other essential items.
Yesterday, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $750,000 to help prevent the cholera outbreak in North Kivu from spreading further. The funding is part of the so-called anticipatory action framework, which seeks to mitigate the impact of the deadly disease in the country. The resources will support UNICEF, the World Health Organization and partners provide water, sanitation, hygiene and healthcare services.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Turning to the Central African Republic, UN peacekeepers say that the second and third phases of voter registration have just begun in the country, covering 9 out of 20 prefectures and overseas centres.
The peacekeeping mission has actively contributed to the launch of the operations by providing logistical support, including the deployment of equipment by plane from Bangui to the regions as well as several hundred electoral agents.
Peacekeepers are also helping secure the process by deploying to tense areas to enable all Central Africans to have access to registration centres. Blue helmets have also escorted road convoys carrying registration kits and electoral staff.
Working in collaboration with UN Women, the Mission is working to increase the number of women on the voter list by facilitating the issuance of identity documents.
This voter registration exercise precedes local, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for later this year and in 2026. The local elections, to be held for the first time in nearly 40 years, are a key component of the Central African Peace Agreement and offer a unique opportunity for enhanced governance at the local level.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that the ongoing halt on aid into Gaza –which is now in its [13th] day – is hindering humanitarian operations.
This means, for example, that the World Food Programme, WFP, has not been able to transport any food supplies into Gaza due to the closure of all border crossing points for both humanitarian and commercial supplies.
The agency says it has enough stocks to support active bakeries and community kitchens for up to one month. WFP can also continue to provide ready-to-eat food parcels for more than half a million people for two weeks.
WFP has about 63,000 metric tonnes of food destined for Gaza, stored or in transit in the region. This is equivalent two to three months of distributions for 1.1 million people, pending authorization to enter the Strip.
As it did prior to the ceasefire, WFP is reducing the quantity of ready-to-eat food parcels provided to families to stretch its supplies and serve more people in need.
Shortage of fuel is affecting the movement of vehicles across Gaza and slowing down first responders.
OCHA notes that oxygen supplies and electricity generators are also critically needed to maintain life-saving operations at hospitals in Gaza. At least two dozen additional generators are needed for health centres, as the ones currently in use need maintenance and spare parts.
Meanwhile, OCHA warns that settler violence is escalating in certain areas across the West Bank, causing casualties, property damage and placing communities at high risk of displacement.
Over the past two years, OCHA has documented the displacement of more than 2,000 Palestinians across the West Bank due to heightened settler violence and access restrictions.
Since Monday, operations in Jenin city have intensified, with more than 500 people displaced from three neighbourhoods in the eastern part of the city, according to the municipality.
The UN and its partners warn that food insecurity is rising, as operations by Israeli forces, displacement, and movement restrictions limit access to food.
The World Food Programme says it is supporting more than 190,000 people with monthly cash vouchers and has provided one-off assistance to thousands of those most in need.
Meanwhile, OCHA has noted a sharp increase in the demolition of Palestinian-owned structures in the West Bank over the past week and a half. The number of structures demolished during the first 10 days of Ramadan this year have already exceeded the total for all of Ramadan in 2024.
SYRIA
In Syria, the UN and partners continue to support the response in coastal areas. Partners working in health are supporting facilities in the governorates of Tartous and Lattakia and provide them with medical supplies.
For his part, the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, led a mission yesterday in Harasta near Damascus. More than 700 families recently returned to their homes from northwest Syria, with many of them now living in destroyed buildings. 80 per cent of the town devastated by the conflict and some neighborhoods need to be fully rebuilt. And as you may know, a conference to support Syria will take place on Monday in Brussels. Representatives from the UN will be present. Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is scheduled to attend.
Meanwhile, the UN and its partners continue to deliver critical humanitarian aid to the northwest through cross-border operations. Yesterday, a 28-truck convoy delivered nearly 600 metric tons of aid supplies – including food, shelter and hygiene products - to more than 90,000 people in Idleb throughout the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing. The supplies included food, shelter, and hygiene products.
Since the start of this year, a total of 673 trucks carrying humanitarian aid from UN agencies have entered northwest Syria.
GLOBAL TRADE 2025
UN Trade and Development today warned that global trade started 2025 on stable ground, but challenges are mounting. Its Global Trade Update, covering data through early March, points out that world trade saw record expansion to $33 trillion in 2024 – up 3.7 per cent from 2023. This was driven by developing economies and the strong services trade. But looking ahead, UN Trade and Development said that new risks loom, including trade imbalances, evolving policies, and geopolitical tensions. The Global Trade Update notes that the gap between developing and advanced economies is widening. Asia and Latin America remain key trade drivers, but growth has slowed in many advanced economies. UN Trade and Development also notes that governments are expanding tariffs, subsidies, and industrial policies, reshaping trade flows.
According to the update, this policy realignment is contributing to uncertainty. Rising protectionism, particularly in advanced economies, is triggering retaliatory measures and adding trade barriers.
The UN Trade and Development stressed that as trade uncertainty grows, global cooperation and balanced policies remain critical. The challenge in 2025, UNCTAD added, is to prevent global fragmentation - where nations form isolated trade blocs – while managing policy shifts without undermining long-term growth. The actions taken now by governments and businesses will shape trade resilience for years to come.
COFFEE PRICES
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today said that world coffee prices reached a multi-year high in 2024 - increasing 38.8 per cent on the previous year’s average. This was mostly driven by inclement weather impacting key producing countries.
FAO said that coffee export prices may rise further in 2025 if major growing regions experience further significant supply reductions. Higher shipping costs were also found to be one of the factors contributing to the increase in world coffee prices.
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Tomorrow, we will mark the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. This morning at the General Assembly, the Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Courtenay Rattray, delivered a message on behalf of the Secretary-General.
In his message, the Secretary-General says from racial profiling and discriminatory policies to outright violence against individuals and places of worship, we are witnessing a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry. He called on all to speak out against xenophobia and discrimination.
The Chef de Cabinet also delivered his own remarks. He said that Islamophobia is not just about fear. It manifests in discrimination, exclusion and violence—acts of hatred directed at individuals simply because of their faith. “This is a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights, and we cannot look away,” he added.
COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN
Next Tuesday at 1:15 p.m., the UN Office for Partnerships and UN Women are co-hosting an event titled “Women Rise for All: Turning Hope into Action.”
Convened by Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, the event will feature Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, as a special guest. Taking place in the ECOSOC Chamber during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the event will highlight the pivotal role of women’s leadership in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
