HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 15 AUGUST 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL/PLASTIC POLLUTION TREATY
In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General said that he deeply regrets that, despite earnest efforts, negotiations to reach an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in maritime environment, concluded without achieving a consensus. The Secretary-General welcomed the determination of Member States in continuing to work to beat plastic pollution and keep engaged on the process, united in purpose, to deliver the treaty the world needs to tackle these monumental challenges to people and the environment.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Secretary-General will be heading to Japan next week to attend the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, otherwise known and better known as TICAD. The conference, which is always led by Japan and co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC), this year it will take place in Yokohama from 20th to 22nd of August, under the theme “Co-create innovative solutions with Africa”.
In the remarks that he will deliver at the Opening Session of the conference, the Secretary-General will underscore the importance of TICAD as it highlights the potential of Africa, the world’s youngest population, with abundant natural resources, and a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit.
While in Japan, the Secretary-General is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the margins of TICAD in Yokohama.
Before leaving Japan, the Secretary-General will also visit EXPO2025 which is taken place Osaka, and he will visit a number of pavilions, including of course, the UN’s own pavilion there, and then, he will head back to NY.
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT/PEACE OPERATIONS
Also travelling to Japan will be Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. Mr. Lacroix will be in Tokyo for bilateral meetings with counterparts in the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet Office on International Peace Cooperation. On 21 August, he will participate in a TICAD side event titled “Toward a Mine-Free Africa: Launch Event of the African Mine Action Platform” with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS).
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
The Secretary-General is appointing Robert Joseph van der Zee of The Netherlands to serve as his Acting Representative for the investment of the assets of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). That will start on 16 August 2025 until 15 February 2026. Toru Shindo, the Chief Investment Officer in the Office of Investment Management, UNJSPF is serving as Acting Representative of the Secretary-General until 15 August 2025.
A global, open and regular competitive selection process to find a permanent person to for that post is underway.
Currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer at the World Food Programme (WFP), in Italy, Mr. van der Zee brings 30 years of experience across various financial management roles, he possesses extensive and in-depth organizational and financial knowledge and expertise along with a strong track record of senior leadership in both financial services industry and international organizations.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The UN once again warns that the already dire situation could worsen without a reliable, rapid, safe and unrestricted flow of supplies into the Gaza Strip. The UN and its humanitarian partners report that ongoing delays and other impediments, including bottlenecks at holding points and interference in the loading process at the platforms, are impacting our efforts to collect supplies from the crossings and bring them to people in need.
Yesterday, five out of 12 missions requiring coordination with Israeli authorities were facilitated without impediments. They included the collection of supplies from Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and the transfer of fuel to the north. Four missions were canceled by the organizers and three others were impeded and only eventually fully accomplished – these included the collection of food aid from Zikim and Kerem Shalom crossings.
And on the starvation crisis in Gaza, more deaths are being reported, including many children, who are regularly admitted to hospitals for malnutrition. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that many healthcare facilities have run out of bedspace to treat malnourished patients. Access to healthcare must be restored immediately.
The UN continues to receive extremely disturbing reports of aid seekers being killed and injured. Between May 27th and August 8th, the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah treated more than 4,500 wounded patients, most of whom reported that they were injured while trying to reach food distribution sites. People also report being injured in the crush of the crowd or being beaten and robbed of their supplies immediately after receiving them.
It is imperative that the UN and its humanitarian partners are enabled to deliver aid at scale, using community-based mechanisms to reach the most vulnerable.
Without these conditions in place, and if military operations continue or escalate, more deaths, forced displacement and destruction are inevitable, and this could prolong the ordeal of the hostages also being held in the Strip. The UN also calls again for their immediate and unconditional release.
One can only imagine that people in Gaza are gravely concerned by the potential impact of an expansion of operations in Gaza city. We reiterate that the UN will not participate in any forced displacement of the population. Fleeing civilians must be protected and the must have their essential needs met, and they must be able to voluntarily return when the situation allows. And if they choose to stay, they should not be threatened or put at risk.
And just to note that although the slight easing on the entry of commercial supplies has led to food price drops that we have been telling you, energy prices on the other hand have skyrocketed.
Cooking gas has not been available in markets for the past five months, and firewood has become even less affordable. More people are resorting to using waste and scrap wood as alternative fuel sources for cooking, which only makes worse health and protection risks, and causes environmental hazards. Partners working on food security warn that both the quantity and quality of supplies entering Gaza remain far below the minimum requirements to meet most people’s needs.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that today a humanitarian convoy delivered vital aid to the front-line in the Kherson Region. The Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, led the convoy which was organized by UN agencies and our humanitarian partners. The were able to deliver 30 metric tonnes of medicine, water, and hygiene and dignity kits for nearly 500 residents.
OCHA stresses that this assistance remains vital, noting that both civilians and humanitarians are facing growing insecurity in the area, including from drone attacks. So far this year, we, along with our partners, have sent 18 humanitarian convoys to the front-line communities in the Kherson, carrying supplies to support nearly 20,000 residents.
Yesterday, the Humanitarian Coordinator, together with our partners, were in the Mykolaiv Region, visiting the sites of recent attacks and seeing recovery and development projects. This year, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, which is the largest country-based pooled fund in the world, has provided $7 million, mostly to local NGOs, to deliver time-critical humanitarian support to 35,000 people in the Mykolaiv Region.
Meanwhile, the ongoing hostilities are causing further displacement in the Donetsk Region. As the security situation worsens near the front-line town of Pokrovsk, local authorities said that yesterday alone, nearly 5,700 civilians, including families with children, were evacuated in the Donetsk Region.
As noted by Matthias Schmale, donor support remains critical as aid organizations continue to assist people fleeing hostilities and those remaining in front-line communities.
AFGHANISTAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that more than half of the population needs vital aid, four years after the de-facto Taliban regime took over the country.
Women and girls, as we have been saying repeatedly, are especially vulnerable in Afghanistan. As you are aware, the de facto authorities have imposed a series of increasingly restrictive policies which have excluded women and girls from education, the workforce and public life.
Humanitarian aid is a lifeline for women and girls who are otherwise unable to access essential services and assistance. The continued presence of humanitarian workers in Afghanistan is also a vital form of protection by presence.
OCHA also warns that needs are increasing as the number of returnees to Afghanistan, how that number is swelling, both from Iran and Pakistan.
Since the start of the year, 1.7 million Afghan citizens have returned to the country from Iran and Pakistan. Most have limited ties to the local communities and are struggling to find shelter and economic opportunities.
The host communities themselves also lack adequate services and resources. To support the response, the Central Emergency Response Fund recently released $10 million – and additional funding is in the pipeline from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.
Yet in the wake of deep funding cuts, more resources are needed to ensure that people’s needs are met.
The humanitarian community in Afghanistan is already preparing for another influx of returnees following the recent deadline by the Government of Pakistan for Afghan Proof of Registration cardholders to leave the country by 1 September.
Meanwhile, almost all provinces in Afghanistan have seen below-average rainfall this year, with drought alerts issued across the northern, northeastern, central highlands and western regions. OCHA also stresses that additional funding is urgently needed to support the people of Afghanistan. This year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just 25 per cent funded, with $624 million received of the $2.4 billion that are needed.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that insecurity is on the rise in Djugu territory, in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to local authorities and our humanitarian partners on the ground, over the past month, clashes between various armed groups and the Congolese armed forces in several areas has resulted in almost 50 civilian deaths and more than 30 injuries in Ituri province.
During the same period, violence and insecurity has displaced more than 80,000 human beings in Djugu. Homes have been looted, homes have been burned, and those who fled are now sheltering in schools, churches and other public buildings. Attacks have also targeted three sites hosting people who are now internally displaced because of the violence.
The clashes have also severely hampered humanitarian access, depriving some 250,000 people of essential services. Nine out of the 12 health facilities are now out of service in Nizi health district in the Ituri territory.
We and our humanitarian partners are ready to respond, but we need unimpeded and safe access to these communities.
All parties must take urgent measures to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. Civilians must be protected at all times, in line with international law.
CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND
Today, the Secretary-General has appointed a dozen new experts to the group that advises him on where the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) money should go. The body has a total 23 members from all over the world who serve a single three-year term.
The new set of advisers hail from Azerbaijan, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, Gambia, Germany, Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Qatar, South Africa and Sweden.
Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher thanked the outgoing members for their work and congratulated the new appointees.
He said that with humanitarian needs outpacing available resources, CERF is more critical now than ever, serving as a trusted, indispensable fund to enable rapid, effective responses to crises worldwide.
In the first half of this year, CERF allocated $214 million to help people in two dozen countries, including to get ahead of a drought in Afghanistan and to back climate resilience in a number of other places.
Over the last 19 years, CERF has channeled over $9 billion in life-saving aid to people in need in over 110 countries and territories. This has been made possible by contributions from 143 out of 193 Member States, which is not bad, and also observers and other donors.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Comoros has made its full payment to the Regular Budget, bringing the number of fully paid-up Member States to 120.
