HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 15 APRIL 2025
SUDAN
Today marks the second anniversary of the horrific war going on in Sudan, which has created the world’s biggest humanitarian and displacement crisis. Over 12 million people have fled their homes and more than 3.8 million of those have crossed into neighbouring countries.
More than 30 million people require humanitarian support. Half of the population of Sudan – some 25 million people – are acutely hungry. And as you well know, famine has been identified in at least five locations in the country and is projected to spread further.
In a statement to mark this grim milestone, the Secretary-General said that the only way to ensure the protection of civilians is to end this senseless conflict, adding that the external support and flow of weapons must end and those with greatest influence on the parties must use that influence to better the lives of people in Sudan, and they should not use that influence to perpetuate this disaster. The Secretary-General will continue to engage with regional leaders on means to enhance our collective efforts for peace. His Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, today is at the London Conference on Sudan and he told participants that he intends to intensify his interactions with interlocutors in Sudan and the broader region.
Mr. Lamamra added that urgent political engagement is needed to forestall Sudan’s permanent fragmentation, which would have obviously, grave consequences for the region and beyond. He reaffirmed our commitment to continue to back all efforts that seek to launch an inclusive and credible political process.
SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
In a statement issued today, the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, described the conflict as a crisis of humanity, emphasizing that millions of lives are hanging in the balance. She called for the protection of civilians and aid workers, full respect for international humanitarian law and of course, an immediate end to the violence.
Like other conflicts and wars, this one in Sudan has a huge toll that is mainly felt by women and children.
The UN Women today said that there is a 288 per cent increase in demand for lifesaving support following rape and sexual violence, with sexual violence and rape being systematically used as a weapon of war in Sudan.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that the number of children in need of humanitarian assistance has doubled from 7.8 million in 2023 to more than 15 million today.
Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remains deeply concerned by ongoing reports of mass displacement, mounting civilian deaths and continued access restrictions in North Darfur.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that up to 400,000 people have fled Zamzam camp in recent days, which is obviously due to the escalating insecurity in the camp. Most remain displaced within the locality of El Fasher, while others have sought refuge in the towns of Tawila and Dar As Salam.
As of today, Zamzam camp is inaccessible, and a communication blackout continues to hinder independent verification. Local sources are telling us that armed groups have taken control of the camp and are restricting the movement of those remaining, especially young people.
It is difficult unfortunately to verify the number of casualties due to the insecurities in North Darfur, but I can tell you that in the past three days alone, more than 400 people, including 12 humanitarian workers, have reported been killed in Zamzam and Um Kadadah in North Darfur, according to local NGOs. Among the casualties was the manager of a children’s centre in Zamzam, who died after being injured in shelling.
Eleven others were killed in an attack on a health facility operated by Relief International.
The UN urges all parties, yet again, to allow for safe, unhindered access for aid workers and to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, Security Council members met in closed consultations on Yemen. They heard from our Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, Ms. Edem Wosornu.
This afternoon at 3:00 pm, they will reconvene in close consultations to hear about the situation in Sudan. Ms. Wosornu will brief again.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
UN humanitarian partners report ongoing civilian casualties amid the destruction of more infrastructure. This includes today’s Israeli strike on the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Khan Younis which reportedly injured several staff members, including two nurses. That is what the Ministry of Health and local health partners are telling us.
This comes just days after the strike that hit Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City. In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General recalled that under international humanitarian law, wounded and sick, medical personnel and medical facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and they must be protected.
Until Sunday's strike, Al Ahli was the main hospital dealing with the casualties from Israeli airstrikes. Now, most casualties are sent to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that only 21 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals now remain just partially functional. Almost all of them have had some damaged in this conflict.
The latest strikes on hospitals further cripples Gaza's health care system. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that there are currently very few beds available in hospitals and patients are being accommodated in tents.
UN partners working in health also stressed the need for thousands of blood units for life-saving operations. Meanwhile, UN humanitarian partners say that food commodities in warehouses have reached very low levels, given that no aid has been coming to Gaza for weeks now.
Finally, to conclude on a slightly positive development and despite everything going on, last week, our humanitarian partners installed a backup generator at Kamal Adwan Hospital to power a water system producing 20 cubic meters of clean water per hour. And obviously, you will remember that Gaza has been under an electricity blackout, so people do have to resort to generators.
The UN reiterates that civilians must be respected and protected at all times and they must have the basic necessities to survive. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally, and a ceasefire must be restored and renewed without delay.
MYANMAR
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today said that a plane carrying critical relief supplies landed in Yangon, Myanmar. The UNHCR-chartered flight left from Dubai earlier today and carried some 40 metric tons of life-saving aid for nearly 16,000 people impacted by the earthquake last month. The flight brought tents – critically needed for families who need shelter – and household items to support quake survivors in Myanmar.
To date, UNHCR has distributed most of its in-country stocks for some 50,000 survivors of the quake in Mandalay, Sagaing and Bago Regions, as well in Nay PyiTaw and parts of Shan State. UNHCR has appealed for $16 million to assist 1.2 million affected people as it expands its emergency relief efforts, manages displacement sites and supports vulnerable people in six affected regions until the end of this year.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that ongoing clashes in North and South Kivu provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are continuing to displace civilians and severely disrupting UN humanitarian operations.
OCHA says that fighting in the Masisi, Walikale and Lubero territories last week has displaced some 80,000 human beings. Humanitarian operations in these areas have been further restricted due to the continued security constraints.
In the past few days, we also mentioned ongoing clashes in South Kivu province. We can now tell you that more than 70,000 people have been displaced in Kalehe territory during the first two weeks of April, and more than 40,000 people fled Fizi territory between 27 March and 12 April.
Meanwhile, thousands of people leaving North and South Kivu provinces continue to arrive in Maniema province. Recent assessments by humanitarian partners confirm that 125,000 displaced men, women and children reached Lubutu and Punia territories between 19 and 30 March alone. These people urgently need shelter, they urgently need food, and they urgently need health care services.
The UN reiterates its call for the safe and unimpeded access to for humanitarian workers to reach the people they need to reach.
For its part, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that severe flooding triggered by torrential rains in recent weeks has displaced almost 10,000 people in Tanganyika Province. The Rugumba River burst its banks, inundating large areas of Kalemie and Nyunzu territories. Stagnant and contaminated floodwaters are raising concerns over the risk of disease outbreaks, with reported cholera cases in the province already six times higher than the same time last year.
UNHCR and humanitarian partners are providing emergency shelter support, including shelter, clean water, food, and medical care. However, response efforts are hindered by critical funding gaps, leaving thousands without the aid they urgently need.
The agency has received only 20 per cent of the money it needs to carry out its work.
SOUTH SUDAN
The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, today said that she is deeply concerned by the rapid escalation of violence in the country.
During a visit to Malakal, which is the capital of Upper Nile State, Ms. Gbeho said that she heard first-hand accounts of the impact of the violence on men, women and children who are there.
Since March of this year, clashes and bombardments have killed more than 180 people, injured over 250 and displaced some 125,000 people. Four humanitarian workers have been killed, while six health facilities have been forced to shut down.
She called on all concerned to refrain from harming people –including humanitarian personnel who risk their lives every day for the people they are trying to help.
BRIEFING TOMORROW
Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). She will brief journalists virtually about her visit to Haiti.
During her visit, Ms. Pope met with displaced families at a Port-au-Prince site. She also held discussions with Haitian Government officials, to identify concrete ways to reinforce migration governance, broaden access to legal documentation, and strengthen reintegration.
