HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL/AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT
On Thursday morning, the Secretary-General will arrive in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, to take part in the 38th African Union Summit. While there, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the leadership of the African Union Commission, Ethiopian authorities as well as Heads of State and Government from the continent.
On Friday, he is also scheduled to take part in meetings of the AU Peace and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government, concerning the situations in Sudan and the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On Saturday morning, the Secretary-General will attend the opening session of the African Union Summit. He will deliver remarks, during which he will reaffirm that the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union has never been stronger.
He is also expected to reiterate his calls for reforms of the international financial architecture, as well as for permanent representation of African countries at the Security Council.
On Saturday, the Secretary-General is also scheduled to hold a press conference.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/FRANCE
Before leaving Paris for Addis Ababa to attend the African Union Summit, the Secretary-General visited the headquarters of Reporters Sans Frontières, where he met with its Director General, Thibaut Bruttin.
Addressing the staff, the Secretary-General said that organizations like RSF are on the front line in the common fight for truth against fiction, for science against conspiracy, and for the fight against impunity when journalists face violence and even death.
The Secretary-General said the struggle to defend freedom of the press and the journalists themselves is essential to preserve our democracies.
YEMEN
The Secretary-General strongly condemned the death in detention on 10 February of a World Food Programme (WFP) colleague who had been arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities since 23 January 2025. The circumstances surrounding this deplorable tragedy remain unclear, and the United Nations is urgently seeking explanations from the Houthi de facto authorities.
The Secretary-General has called for an immediate, transparent and thorough investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable. In his statement, he said that the continued arbitrary detention of dozens of personnel from the United Nations, national and international non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions, is unacceptable. He renewed his call for their immediate and unconditional release.
NAMIBIA
In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General joined the people of Namibia in mourning the passing of His Excellency, Dr. Sam Nujoma.
As President of Namibia, Dr. Nujoma demonstrated steadfast leadership in the face of immense challenges, leaving an indelible mark on his country, Africa and the world.
SECURITY COUNCIL/SYRIA
This morning, the Security Council held an open briefing on Syria. Speaking by video conference, Special Envoy Geir Pedersen updated Council members on where things stand on the political transition in Syria. He noted the official announcement today by the caretaker authorities of the establishment of the preparatory committee for the national dialogue conference.
Mr. Pedersen added that the caretaker authorities have so far committed to consulting closely with him on all steps of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transition. His mission, he said, stands ready to offer counsel and support.
For her part, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, said that the immense humanitarian crisis is affecting more than 70 per cent of the population in Syria.
Fighting in and around Menbij, in eastern Aleppo, has displaced more than 25,000 people. Further east, hostilities have continued in Ar-Raqqa and Al-Hasakeh governorates. Despite that, she stressed that we and our humanitarian partners are working to deliver critical assistance while adapting our systems to the shifting context in Syria.
Meanwhile, we and our partners are appealing for $1.2 billion to reach 6.7 million people through March of this year.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that in the first two weeks of the ceasefire, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), reached 1.2 million people with food in Gaza.
The agency opened 37 new shelters for people returning to the north - providing tents, blankets, plastic sheeting and warm winter clothing. UNRWA has repaired water wells and provided water and waste disposal services to nearly half a million people in and around its shelters. And as of last week, UNRWA was hosting about 120,000 people in 120 shelters, including more than three dozen that opened since the ceasefire.
Overall, at least 644,000 people across Gaza have received shelter assistance since the ceasefire came into effect - including tents, sealing-off materials and tarpaulins - from our partners.
Meanwhile, healthcare partners have been relocating medical facilities to accommodate families on the move. They have also established mobile clinics and new medical points and supported the expansion or re-activation of services at existing facilities.
Since the ceasefire took effect, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been able to bring in supplies for 1.6 million people. WHO has also expanded its operations and pre-positioned supplies at health facilities. In a media briefing today, Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that since the ceasefire, WHO has supported the medical evacuation of 414 patients requiring treatment outside Gaza, alongside 588 companions.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and its partners are providing more medicines, treatments, outpatient visits and services – and they are distributing more infant warmers, postpartum kits and dignity kits. Last week, our partners established a new women’s shelter in Gaza city to address the risks of gender-based violence. It is run by a solar power system to ensure uninterrupted services.
Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reached more than 10,000 children under the age of 2 since the ceasefire with ready-to-use complementary foods.
OCHA stresses that the ceasefire must hold – noting how crucial it is to sustain the humanitarian scale-up in Gaza.
And turning to the West Bank, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, today visited Balata refugee camp in Nablus. He met with students whose access to education has been disrupted by Israeli operations. In a video message from Balata, Mr. Hadi expressed his commitment to supporting the education sector in the West Bank and in Gaza.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/PEACEKEEPING
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) today said that the situation in the Kivus remains tense. MONUSCO’s contractors were denied access to Goma to deliver food to the mission’s bases by members of the M23 armed group.
Additionally, the Mission also reports continued obstruction by the M23 for the safe disposal of unexploded ordnance - including one that poses a direct threat to both peacekeepers and unarmed Congolese Armed Forces personnel within MONUSCO premises.
The UN Mission calls on the M23 to allow the unimpeded movement of UN personnel and to fully respect established humanitarian corridors.
Meanwhile, we can confirm that the remains of 18 South African soldiers – two MONUSCO peacekeepers and 16 Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers - have been repatriated to their home country this morning. The remains of our Uruguayan peacekeeper colleague who was killed in the same circumstances left yesterday from Kampala to Uruguay.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/HUMANITARIAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that clashes in South Kivu continue, leading to more displacement. Local partners reported fighting early this morning in Ihusi locality about 70 kilometres north of Bukavu, with people fleeing to nearby towns and islands in Lake Kivu.
Transportation to some of these areas are strained due to the conflict, raising challenges for partners to move food and other goods.
Meanwhile, in North Kivu, we and our humanitarian partners are continuing assessments and providing emergency relief as security allows.
Humanitarian partners are also working with the national electricity company to restore the power supply between Goma and Bukavu.
In Ituri province, local authorities report that attacks since 8 February killed at least 59 civilians in Djugu. Many others are wounded or missing. OCHA reiterates that all parties must protect civilians and allow access to the essential services they need to survive.
BANGLADESH
In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Office today released a report which says that Bangladesh’s former government, security and intelligence services, as well as violent elements associated with the Awami League party, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during last year’s student-led protests.
The report also found an official policy to attack and repress anti-Government protesters, raising concerns as to crimes against humanity requiring urgent further criminal investigation.
The UN Human Rights Chief ,Volker Türk, said that the brutal response was a calculated and well-coordinated strategy by the former government to hold onto power in the face of mass opposition.
The report estimates that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed between 1 July and 15 Augustof last year, and thousands were injured, the vast majority of whom were shot by Bangladesh’s security forces. Of these, the report indicates that as many as 12-13 per cent of those killed were children.
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Today is the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism. In a post, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, says that preventing violent extremism requires addressing its root causes - which are inequality and injustice. On this International Day, she says, let’s commit to fostering inclusion, development, and human rights to build a future free from extremism and terrorism.
In a video message, the Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, said that prevention of violent extremism requires long-term multifaceted solutions that are rooted in cooperation across all sectors, from governments to international and regional organizations, and from civil society to educators, religious leaders, and the private sector.
GUEST TOMORROW
Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be the Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira. He will brief virtually on his current visit to the Middle East.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Türkiye paid its full dues to the regular budget, taking us to a total of 52 fully paid-up Member States.