HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
DAY OF WEEK, DAY MONTH 2018
MYANMAR
As announced by the Secretary-General yesterday, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, arrived this morning. Upon arrival, he met with humanitarian teams in Yangon. In the afternoon, he travelled to Mandalay, which as you know, is the epicentre of the earthquake, where tomorrow he is expected to meet with people impacted by the earthquake, as well as with local responders and other humanitarian workers.
More than 25 search-and-rescue teams are working, medical teams and supplies have been deployed, and water and shelter kits have been distributed in Mandalay and beyond. Just yesterday, more than 30 tons of medical supplies arrived in Myanmar, bringing the total to 100 tons since the earthquakes struck.
The UN Refugee Agency, for its part, has deployed plastic sheets and kitchen sets for about 25,000 people impacted.
The agency is also mobilizing supplies from its warehouses in Myanmar for an additional 25,000 people, but it will need to replenish stocks urgently to meet the massive needs due to the quake.
Our humanitarian colleagues are preparing a new appeal aligned with the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which, as you know, calls for $1.1 billion as needs continue to outpace available supplies and response capacity. So far, less than 5 per cent of this appeal has been received.
For its part, UNHCR is appealing for $16 million to assist 1.2 million people. The funds will be used to manage displacement sites and support vulnerable people in six impacted regions until the end of the year.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that thousands more families have now fled westward in the Gaza Strip, in response to another displacement order issued by Israeli forces and covering parts of Gaza City. OCHA warns that these displacement orders have left civilians exposed to hostilities and deprive them of access to essential services for their basic survival.
All crossings, as you know, continue to be closed. We are now in the second month. So, no supplies can come into Gaza.
The World Food Programme has warned that food stocks in Gaza are running out, and assistance programmes are gradually shutting down. As we told you earlier this week, all WFP-supported bakeries had to close. Now, food parcel distributions are soon to end. Hot meals currently continue, but with dwindling supplies. The World Food Programme reminds us that a single hot meal provides 25 per cent or less of a person’s daily dietary needs.
Meanwhile, sanitation conditions across Gaza are likely worsening public health risks. Our humanitarian colleagues say that three makeshift displacement sites in Al Mawasi are now reporting infestations of fleas and mites, causing rashes and other health issues. Treating these infestations require chemicals and other items that will only be available once the crossings are again open for the entry of supplies.
UN humanitarian partners warn that criminal looting and general insecurity are again on the rise, linked to the closure and to lack of basic supplies. On Wednesday, one of the distribution points used by UNRWA was looted, along with nearby buildings. In a social media post, our colleagues at UNRWA said this wasn’t an isolated incident, but rather a symptom of a broader breakdown in civil order.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA reports that tens of thousands of people remain displaced, unable to return home due to ongoing operations by Israeli forces in the north, mainly in Jenin and Tulkarm. Our humanitarian partners are providing urgent aid and psychosocial support to those impacted.
SUDAN
The UN is gravely concerned by reports that civilians are fleeing the capital Khartoum due to violence and fears of extrajudicial killings, following the latest shifts in the effective control of the capital city. We stress that civilians must never be targeted.
UN humanitarians say that over the past week, some 5,000 displaced people, mostly from Khartoum have arrived in the locality of Jabrat El Sheikh, in North Kordofan state. And our humanitarian partners on the ground tell us these families urgently need food. They desperately need clean water, and also lack proper shelter and healthcare.
Reports also indicate that others have fled Khartoum and other areas towards Um Dukhun, which is located in Central Darfur. We and our humanitarian partners are working to verify these reports.
However, ongoing funding constraints have forced a scale-back of some of the data collection activities, causing delays in reporting new displacements and issuing early warning alerts.
Despite that, I can tell you that the latest movements are part of a broader trend of conflict-driven displacement impacting multiple regions in Sudan, including the Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Across Sudan, the overall situation remains complex and challenging, with civilians fleeing for their safety in some locations and trying to return home in other location, often to areas where basic services have been decimated by the conflict, and where also they face the risk of remnants of explosives and unexploded shells.
OCHA is working to reach people in South Kordofan’s capital Kadugli by facilitating the dispatch of a humanitarian convoy carrying nutrition, health and water purification supplies. However, the convoy remains stalled in Al Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan - due to insecurity and bureaucratic impediments.
Furthermore, our Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, expressed his outrage yesterday over reports of escalating attacks against community kitchens and safe spaces run by volunteers in Sudan. Humanitarians must be protected and must be supported, he said.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we remind all parties that under international humanitarian law, they have a legal obligation to allow and facilitate rapid, unimpeded and impartial humanitarian relief for civilians in need, regardless of the location or the affiliation of these civilians.
SOUTH SUDAN
The head of the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, continues to be engaged in intensive high-level political efforts to de-escalate the current tensions and convince the parties to preserve the peace deal they all agreed to.
Following his meeting with the visiting African Union Panel of the Wise, Mr. Haysom called on the parties to put aside any personal interest, stressing on the need to start to rebuild confidence in the peace process.
Meanwhile, the mission has received reports of renewed clashes between the organized forces of the two main parties to the peace deal. That fighting is taking place around Ulang in the Upper Nile state. We urge restraint and again call for an immediate return to the ceasefire and the Revitalized Agreement as the only path to sustainable peace and stability.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, tells us that the situation in the east of the country remains critical, especially in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where the mission continues to implement its mandate and where peacekeepers play a vital protection role.
Our peacekeeping colleagues tell us that reciprocal attacks between the CODECO and Zaire militias are continuing to target civilians in Ituri, near sites housing displaced communities, on farmland and in mining areas.
In this context, our colleagues in the peacekeeping mission continue to push for an effective process of local political dialogue and to negotiate the safe release of abducted civilians, and that includes children.
The Mission’s support for dialogue in Ituri, including through the Government-led disarmament programme, has led to the demobilization of more than 1,000 Zaire combatants since January who were reintegrated within their respective communities.
Meanwhile, recent clashes between the CODECO and members of the Ugandan Defence Forces have prompted thousands of displaced civilians to seek the peacekeeping mission’s protection on a nightly basis in Fataki. The Mission’s military and police peacekeepers continue to patrol around sites housing displaced communities and along the main supply routes.
Turning to Goma, I can tell you that non-essential international staff for the UN are returning to Goma, where the protection situation under the M23 occupation remains challenging.
The mission’s Bangladeshi Engineering Company is currently engaged in the rehabilitation of roads damaged during the takeover of the M23 back in January. This will facilitate humanitarian access, and the resumption of economic activities.
The UN continues to engage with all relevant actors toward an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as called for in resolution 2773 (2025).
On the humanitarian end, in North Kivu, the renewed hostilities yesterday between armed groups in Rutshuru Territory triggered the displacement of some 7,500 people. That is what to local civil society sources are telling us, and many of these people have been fleeing for the second and third time. One can only imagine the state that they are in.
Separately, in the town of Walikale Centre, also yesterday, armed groups reportedly looted homes, businesses and the premises of the only operational humanitarian organization in the area. While health services continue, this attack has severely disrupted vital nutrition and medical programmes for thousands of vulnerable people.
Turning to South Kivu province, our local partners report that armed people raided the Mukongola General Referral Hospital, which is in Kabare territory. That took place yesterday. They vandalized the maternity ward, the pharmaceutical supplies and injured at least one individual. This marks the second attack on this facility in one month, further crippling its ability to provide essential care to people in the area.
Meanwhile, in Fizi and Kalehe, clashes between armed groups since March 27th have displaced more than 20,000 human beings. That is what local partners are telling us. While some people are sheltering with host families, many remain stranded in open areas without food or water.
We and our humanitarian partners are working tirelessly to scale up assistance despite the insecurity and the constraints.
However, our colleagues tell us that ongoing military operations continue to impede humanitarian access. We reiterate our call for immediate, safe and sustained access to all areas.
HAITI
In Haiti, the World Food Programme is responding to people’s needs, following the attacks earlier this week in the town of Mirebalais, in the Centre Department.
According to the International Organization for Migration, close to 6,000 men, women and children were displaced as a result of violence in the area. Yesterday, WFP was able to provide hot meals to 2,000 of the 6,000 people displaced. Today, WFP is telling us they are expanding that assistance.
This operation is part of the country-wide efforts, which have seen WFP and partners provide more than 100,000 hot meals to 15,000 newly displaced people in the past week alone.
Typically, newly displaced people are initially offered hot meals and then transitioned to cash assistance, pending available funding.
Meanwhile in Port-au-Prince, the insecurity, the protests and the roadblocks have all impeded movement and disrupted the delivery of food assistance, but WFP is continuing to push forward on operations to provide assistance to 25,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity. These people, who live in areas controlled by armed groups and are largely cut off from the rest of the country.
As a reminder, according to the latest food security analysis, half of all Haitians don’t have enough to eat. Half. Our colleagues at WFP Haiti are facing a funding gap of close to $54 million for the next six months.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that attacks continue to impact densely populated cities across the country, resulting in multiple civilian casualties. Last night, Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, faced drone attacks for the third consecutive day. According to local authorities, the attacks killed civilians and injured several others, including children. Many homes were also destroyed or damaged. Immediately after the attacks, first responders, UN agencies, the Ukrainian Red Cross emergency teams and partners provided first aid, psychological support, hot meals, blankets and other shelter materials. The Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Ukraine, Mattias Schmale, condemned this deadly attack, calling for an end to the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
Over the last three days, attacks in Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih and hostilities in front-line regions have also caused scores of civilian casualties and a wave of new destruction in Ukraine.
FOOD PRICES
Today is the start of the new month, so we have the Food Price Index from FAO. They tell us the index remains largely unchanged in March from its revised February value. This is due to declines in world cereal and sugar quotations offset by a notable increase in vegetable oil prices.
MINE AWARENESS DAY
Today, as you know, is the International Day for Mine Awareness [and Assistance in Mine Action]. We had a briefing yesterday and we have a message from the Secretary-General.
In his message, the Secretary-General says this year’s theme, “Safe Futures Start Here” reminds us of the critical role of mine action in rebuilding shattered communities.
Just to give you two country examples, one from Syria, where more than 700 people were casualties of landmines and unexploded ordnance since December of last year. They either lost their lives or left with life altering wounds.
To support the safe movement of civilians and aid workers in Syria, our partners continue to clear minefields, dispose of explosive items, and conduct awareness sessions, particularly in Deir-ez-Zor, Ar-Raqqa, Idleb, Dar'a and Hama, where contamination is high. Again, since December of last year, more than 2,000 unexploded ordnance items were disposed of in more than 1,400 clearance operations.
And just to give you a bit more on that. Our partners working in protection report a dire situation in Deir-ez-Zor in north-east Syria, where mine victims have extremely limited access to trauma care and post-injury rehabilitation. This is due to damaged health facilities and funding cuts affecting our partners who previously provided those critical services.
COLOMBIA
Another example is in Colombia, which is the most mine-affected country in the Americas, due to decades of armed conflict involving many armed groups. In total, more than 12,500 people have been registered as victims of anti-personnel mines and explosive remnants of war, with some 2,500 people having been killed.
Also in Colombia, our OCHA colleagues tell us that the continued escalation in armed conflict between non-State armed groups since the start of 2025 is severely affecting civilians. Due to fighting in the Catatumbo region in the north, more than 92,000 human beings have faced forced displacements, confinements and restrictions on their movement. Another 60,000 were similarly impacted in the Cauca region in the south.
Despite these challenges, our humanitarian partners continue their work to reach people in need. This year’s Humanitarian Response Plan aims to reach 2 million people. It calls for $342 million but has received only 12 per cent – or $41 million – so far.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Tomorrow is the International Day of Conscience. It is a day to reflect on our actions and consider how we can contribute to a kinder, more inclusive world.
On Sunday we mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. It is celebrated to recognize the power of sport in fostering positive change, bridging barriers, and transcending boundaries.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General, is in Skopje, North Macedonia, to chair the annual retreat of UN Resident Coordinators from Europe and Central Asia, focused on accelerating implementation of the SDGs in the region.
She also met with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Mr. [Hristijan] Mickoski and various Cabinet Ministers to discuss the country’s efforts on sustainable development and collaboration with the United Nations.
She also met with the UN Country Team to explore ways to strengthen the UN’s impact in North Macedonia and support the delivery of the SDGs.
Yesterday, she visited the UN Joint SDG Fund project “Green Finance Facility,” which provides financing for households and small businesses transitioning to renewable energy.
Tomorrow, she will meet with Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the President of North Macedonia, and Timcho Mucunski, the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
She will be back in New York on Monday.
ANTISEMITISM
The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the Acting Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Virginia Gamba, announced today that they are joining efforts to roll out the implementation of the first United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism. The Action Plan was launched in January and is focused on the United Nations system.
As one of the first practical steps in the implementation of the Action Plan, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide are partnering to develop a dedicated on-line learning module to be hosted by the UN System Staff College. The module would further strengthen the understanding of antisemitism and equip users with knowledge and tools to identify and respond to it.
A crucial aspect of responding to antisemitism lies in actively countering and debunking the harmful stereotypes that perpetuate it. We have more details in a press release from the two offices.
**Briefing today
The Permanent Observer Mission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to the United Nations briefed reporters on the the recent deaths of members of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The speakers were Younis Al-Khatib, President of PRCS, and Mr. Marwan Jilani, Vice President of PRCS.
