HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2025
UN80
This morning, the Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly on the progress of the three workstreams of his UN80 initiative. Taken together, he told the Member States, the measures of the three workstreams will produce a much more coherent, impactful, and cost-effective UN system as a whole.
The Secretary-General focused on the third workstream on structural changes, which was detailed in his recent report, “Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver.”
He said that his vision for the United Nations system is clear: Entities that work together as one to deliver better, overcoming fragmentation, eliminating duplication, improving funding models and maximizing synergies.
Regarding peace and security work, he said he proposes to consolidate and reconfigure teams at Headquarters, as well as special political missions in Yemen, Cyprus and Central Africa, to eliminate duplication and increase coherence in our support to Member States.
He warned that humanitarian action is on the brink of collapse.
To respond to challenges, he said that we have established a New Humanitarian Compact between UN humanitarian agencies, which is a six-point blueprint to deliver better, restore trust in multilateral action and maximize the impact of every dollar that is given to the UN.
He said we will cut coordination bureaucracy, integrate the supply chains of the principal humanitarian agencies, propose to scale up the use of common services, strengthen our joint capacities to leverage data and align responsibilities to reduce programmatic overlaps in the fields of food, mobility, beneficiary data, health and nutrition.
On development work, Mr. Guterres said that we propose to conduct a thorough assessment of the potential benefits of a merger between United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), to create a stronger engine for sustainable development, with greater reach and scale. Similarly, we will conduct a thorough assessment on the benefits of a merger of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women and their respective mandates and capacities.
GAZA
In a statement issued today, Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that earlier this week, the UN was able to kick off our humanitarian scale-up after months of frustration and blockages, but yesterday, the UN has faced further setbacks to that implementation, adding that the UN is now tested to see whether it can ensure that these do not prevent the progress on which President Trump, the UN Secretary-General and so many leaders have insisted.
As Hamas have agreed, they must make strenuous efforts to return the bodies of all deceased hostages. The UN is gravely concerned by the evidence of violence against civilians in Gaza that we are witnessing since the ceasefire took effect.
As Israel has agreed, Mr. Fletcher added, they must allow the massive surge of humanitarian aid, thousands of trucks a week, on which so many lives depend, and on which the world has insisted. We need more crossings to be open and a genuine, practical, problem-solving approach to removing the remaining roadblocks, being physical or bureaucratic. Throughout this crisis, he said, the UN has insisted that withholding aid from civilians can never be a bargaining chip.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that they are trucking water and supporting wells and desalination to reach 1.5 million people in Gaza, noting that the needs remain immense. UN partners are also supporting the production or delivery of hundreds of thousands of meals and bread bundles every day.
In answer to questions about the situation at the crossings, the Spokesperson said that the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom crossingand the Kissufim crossing were closed for the UN on Monday – with priority given to the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees – which meant that no cargo could be offloaded and that only limited supplies could be collected.
Yesterday, UN teams were able to collect cargo from those crossings inside Gaza to support health, water, hygiene, sanitation and food operations.
UN teams are required to coordinate their movements inside Gaza with the Israeli authorities in fewer areas, compared to previous weeks. Yesterday, all seven such humanitarian missions were facilitated, with only one impeded on the ground, although that mission was nevertheless accomplished. Through those coordinated movements, teams collected supplies from crossings, as we said, and advanced the clearance of the road to Zikim crossing, in the north, in anticipation of that opening.
YEMEN
The Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, who concluded today a visit to Riyadh. There, he met with both the Saudi and Emirati Ambassadors to Yemen, as well as ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council and other members of the international diplomatic community.
During all his meetings, the Special Envoy discussed the continued detention by Ansar Allah of UN staff, as well as those from diplomatic missions and NGO personnel, stressing that such actions obstruct humanitarian operations and hinder peace efforts. And just a reminder that 53 of UN staff continue to be detained arbitrarily by the Houthis.
Grundberg also noted that the recently brokered ceasefire in Gaza opens a window of opportunity to reinforce regional stability.
SOUTH SUDAN
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, is visiting South Sudan and Abyei from today until 17th of October.
While in South Sudan, he will meet with senior government officials, leadership from the peacekeeping mission and staff, as well as members of the UN Country Team and Civil Society. Discussions are expected to focus on the implementation of the peace process and the role of the mission in supporting national priorities for peace and stability. He will also discuss the impact of the liquidity situation on United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) operations and the consequent impact on mandate implementation.
During his time in the region, Mr. Lacroix plans to travel to Abyei to visit the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and meet with peacekeepers and mission leadership there.
SUDAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of a worrying escalation in violence against civilians in El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur.
El Fasher is now effectively under siege from all directions, and that’s what local sources are telling us. The city’s remaining residents are facing critical shortages of food and water. Markets are largely empty, and prices of the few goods still available have skyrocketed. Humanitarian access remains extremely limited, as earthen barriers around the city are preventing movement of both people and supplies.
To make matters worse, earlier this [week], local responders in El Fasher also reported the closure of additional community kitchens, which had been serving as a last line of support for manyfamilies.
Meanwhile, in other parts of Sudan, insecurity continues to displace families. In Blue Nile State, for instant, nearly 200 people fled their homes in the locality of Tadamon on October 11th, as fighting spread across the area. The situation remains tense and remains fluid, with humanitarian partners closely monitoring conditions on the ground.
At the same time, cholera crisis continues to claim lives. Since July last year, the Ministry of Health has reported more than 3,400 deaths and nearly 122,000 suspected cases of this waterborne disease.
Infection rates are rising across all states in the Darfur region, where cholera is spreading rapidly among communities already devastated by the conflict, by hunger and by collapsing health services. The fatality rate is well above emergency thresholds, and funding for the response is running out.
The UN once again urges all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect civilians and allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need.
The UN calls on donors and the wider international community to urgently step up support for the people of Sudan. OCHA says that the $4.2 billion humanitarian appeal for this year in Sudan is less than 27 per cent funded, with $1.1 billion received.
MOZAMBIQUE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in the north of Mozambique, people continue to face a sharp rise in escalation of violence with new waves of displacement in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula. According to our humanitarian colleagues, the number of incidents involving civilians has nearly doubled between this year and last year, with 633 incidents recorded so far since the beginning of January. OCHA says that the sharp rise in kidnappings, in killings and use of improvised explosive devices since the start of the year has put 2025 on track to surpass the previous years in the number of incidents of violent attacks. This surge has also triggered new displacement. According to our partners, between September 22nd and yesterday, more than 90,000 people have been displaced across Cabo Delgado province and some parts of Nampula province.
OCHA said that civilians have reported abductions, killings and widespread destruction of property across several districts. Earlier this month, armed groups looted food and other relief items and burned more than 45 homes and a school, health facility and shops in Nampula province. Civilians were also reportedly abducted and killed during these attacks.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the response, despite the challenges and limited funding. The World Food Programme (WFP) provided food to newly displaced people and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provided therapeutic food to support hundreds of children experiencing severe acute malnutrition.
This renewed surge in conflict, following months of intensified insecurity and three major cyclones earlier in the year, has further stretched humanitarian capacity.
The $352 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Mozambique is just over 21 per cent funded, with $75 million in cash received so far.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that hostilities continue to impact civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, across Ukraine.
On October 13th, a hospital in the city of Kharkiv was heavily damaged, injuring seven patients and prompting emergency evacuation. According to the World Health Organization, more than 50 people experienced acute stress reactions as the hospital’s roof was destroyed, windows shattered, and medical equipment damaged. Nearly 100 patients had to be relocated to safer facilities.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, which visited the site, reported that about 120 patients and 10 medical staff were present when a glide bomb struck. UN humanitarian partners quickly mobilized to assist, evacuating patients, offering support and distributing hot meals
OCHA also notes that the conflict has had a devastating impact on Ukraine’s health system. The country accounts for nearly half of all verified attacks on health care worldwide this year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 448 attacks on health care in Ukraine in 2025 - out of 1,070 globally.
Meanwhile, amid intensifying hostilities, authorities announced a mandatory evacuation of families with children from 40 settlements in the Kupiansk area of Kharkiv, where more than 600 children are expected to be relocated. Humanitarian organizations are supporting evacuation efforts, ensuring safe transport and providing aid at transit and collective sites.
The UN and its partners also continue to support the response across the country. From January to August of this year, our partners provided water, sanitation, and heating support to 3.2 million people.
This included repairs to water systems serving 1.3 million people and emergency water for 800,000 people.
OCHA notes that access to safe water remains critical in Ukraine, as damaged systems threaten both drinking water and access to heating ahead of winter.
HAITI
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today said that the number of people displaced by violence and instability in Haiti has reached an unprecedented level, with more than 1.4 million people forced from their homes this year. The IOM’s latest Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report says that this marks the highest figure ever recorded in Haiti and represents a 36 per cent increase since the end of 2024.
The report shows that the crisis is spreading well beyond Port-au-Prince. IOM pointed out that 64 per cent of new displacements have occurred outside of the capital city, particularly in the Centre and Artibonite departments, continuing a trend observed in previous assessments. IOM warns that the existing displacement sites are overcrowded and experience shortage of basic services, and spontaneous displacement sites have gradually increased from 142 in December to 238 today.
In response to this complex and rapidly evolving crisis, IOM has expanded its operations beyond the metropolitan area, strengthening its presence in provincial areas impacted by these displacements.
CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS
The World Meteorological Organization today released a report showing that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere soared by a record number to new highs in 2024, committing the planet to more long-term temperature increase. The WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin said continued emissions of CO2 from human activities and an upsurge from wildfires were responsible, as well as reduced CO2 absorption by “sinks” such as land ecosystems and the ocean.
According to the report, concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide, which are the second and third most important long-lived greenhouse gases related to human activities, have also risen to record levels.
WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett warned that the heat trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate and leading to more extreme weather. He stressed that reducing emissions is therefore essential not just for our climate but also for our economic security and community well-being.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RURAL WOMEN
Today is the International Day of Rural Women.
On this Day, we celebrate the women and girls who feed communities, protect the environment, and drive sustainable development. Advancing their rights and empowerment is not just justice, it’s investing in a stronger and betterfuture.
***The guests at the Noon Briefing were Jean Martin Bauer, WFP’s Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis, and Ross Smith, WFP’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. They briefed journalists on WFP’s report entitled, “A lifelineAt Risk”.
