HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL/GAZA
The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the horrible situation and the dramatic loss of life in several hospitals in Gaza. In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
GAZA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that all but one of the hospitals in Gaza city and northern Gaza are reportedly out of service, as of yesterday, and that is due to the lack of power, medical items, oxygen, food and water, compounded by bombardments and fighting in their vicinities of those health centers.
Al Ahli Hospital, in Gaza City, which currently accommodates over 500 patients, is the sole medical facility able to receive patients, amid increasing shortages and challenges.
Hospitals and medical personnel are specifically protected under international humanitarian law and all parties to the conflict must ensure their protection. And they must not be the object of combat. Any military operation around or within hospitals must take steps to spare and protect the patients, medical staff, and other civilians.
OCHA said that a total of 115 trucks, carrying food, medicines, health supplies, bottled water, blankets, tents and hygiene products, crossed from Egypt into Gaza yesterday. This brings the number of trucks that have entered Gaza since 21 October to 1,096.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warned yesterday that its humanitarian operations, including the distribution of aid entering through the Rafah crossing, are expected to halt within the next 48 hours, following the total depletion of its fuel reserves.
In this context, two primary water distribution contractors working for the agency in the south ceased operations yesterday, leaving 200,000 people without access to potable water.
Furthermore, humanitarian organizations are facing severe communication breakdowns, which is also linked to the fuel depletion as the cell tower cannot work.
Hundreds of thousands of people, who are either unwilling or unable to move to the south remain in the north, amid intensified hostilities. They are struggling to secure the minimum amount of water and food for survival. The consumption of water from unsafe sources raises serious concerns about dehydration and waterborne diseases. The World Food Programme (WFP) has expressed its concern about the risks of malnutrition and starvation.
LEBANON
In a meeting held today with Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati in Beirut, UNIFIL’s Head of Mission, Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro, expressed his deep concern about the situation in the south, and the potential for wider and more intensive hostilities.
He underscored that UNIFIL’s priorities right now are to prevent escalation and safeguard civilian lives.
The meeting comes ahead of the Security Council’s consultations on Security Council Resolution 1701 [set for 22 November].
The Force Commander said that the Resolution is being challenged at the moment, but its principles of security, stability, and for a long-term solution remain valid.
He added that UNIFIL’s impartial role in conveying crucial messages to reduce tensions and prevent dangerous misunderstandings remains critical, aiming to avert any unwarranted escalation.
CLIMATE
This morning in Bonn, in Germany, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change launched their synthesis report on the nationally determined contributions of countries.
In a message, the Secretary-General said that the report provides evidence that the world is failing to get a grip on the climate crisis and remains massively off track to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoiding the worst of climate catastrophe.
Under current national plans, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to increase 9 per cent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. However, science says that emissions must fall by 45 per cent by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.
“Inch by inch progress will not do. It is time for a climate ambition supernova in every country, city, and sector,” the Secretary-General said.
He also said that COP28, which starts in a couple of weeks in Dubai must be the place to urgently close the climate ambition gap.
SUDAN
In Sudan, the UN is currently verifying credible reports we received of large-scale violence directed towards members of the Masalit community in Darfur, particularly in El Geneina. Those reports say that this violence was allegedly committed by Arab militia groups between 4 and 6 November, with the possible complicity of the Rapid Support Forces. One of the combatants in the current conflict in Sudan.
The reported abuses included targeted killing of Masalit men and women, inhumane and degrading treatment, and forced expulsion of Masalit communities who had previously sought safety within the Ardamata neighbourhood of El Geneina and surrounding areas.
There are reports that members of Masalit militias have also targeted some members of the Arab community in El Geneina. These developments sadly indicate an escalation of inter-ethnic tensions and intercommunal conflicts in the Sudan.
The UN urges all parties to the conflict to uphold and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and to fulfil their duty of protecting all civilians in the areas under their control. This includes the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, signed on 11 May in Jeddah, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Today, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, said it is essential that the world pays attention and responds, and that Sudan must not be a forgotten crisis.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The UN peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, (MONUSCO) is still concerned about the ongoing clashes between members of the M23 armed group, the Congolese armed forces and coalitions of armed groups.
Since October, the clashes have been occurring daily in North Kivu’s Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyirangogo territories. Recent clashes have resulted in large-scale internal displacements and pose a serious threat to the safety and security of civilians in the area.
UN Peacekeepers have established a Standard Combat Deployment and long-Range patrols to ensure a safe corridor for the passage of displaced people. They have also provided medical assistance, water and supported the delivery of humanitarian assistance near its Kitchanga base, in coordination with humanitarian agencies
Around 25,000 men, women and children have taken refuge in and around our Kitchanga base since the clashes broke out in the region last month.
As we mentioned last week – operation Springbok, launched jointly with the DRC authorities - is continuing, with the aim of securing the towns of Goma and Sake and to ensure the protection of civilians.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO/HUMANITARIAN
Also, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, Suzanna Tkalec, also expressed concern about the deterioration of the security situation and attacks on aid workers in the country’s east.
Yesterday, in Fizi territory in the South Kivu, armed individuals attacked a humanitarian convoy, abducted two aid workers and set their vehicles on fire. Fortunately, the aid workers were released later in the day, unharmed.
This is the latest of a series of violent incidents targeting humanitarian personnel and humanitarian assets in the region.
Since the beginning of the year, 217 security incidents impacting humanitarians have been reported across the country, including 3 humanitarian workers killed.
NIGER
On Niger, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that the national aviation authorities have informed UNHAS – the UN humanitarian air service - that flight restrictions are now lifted for domestic operations, and that they can resume as of tomorrow.
The resumption of domestic UNHAS services will facilitate the uninterrupted and secure delivery of an average of nearly 2.4 metric tonnes of cargo monthly, mostly essential medical supplies for people in need. It will also ensure critical medical and security evacuations for humanitarian staff.
However, our colleagues are telling us that reliable access to fuel for these UN flights remains a challenge.
SOMALIA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that heavy rains and floods have impacted more than 1.2 million people - displacing 450,000 of them - and killing at least 32 people.
OCHA notes that very heavy rain is expected in southern Somalia this week, with the risk of associated flooding. Rain is also expected to impact parts of Somaliland and Galmudug State.
The UN, along with its partners and authorities, have scaled up assistance, reaching nearly 680,000 people across the country with food, water, sanitation and cash assistance.
UN agencies are also supporting the delivery of boats to help evacuate trapped people and deliver assistance. While needs are escalating, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia is only 40 per cent funded.
Additional funds are urgently required to scale up and sustain the response.
UKRAINE
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, has condemned yesterday’s attacks in the southern city of Kherson that reportedly killed and injured dozens of civilians, including a two-month-old girl, who was hospitalized for her injuries.
Ukrainian officials say that homes, a hospital and an ambulance were reportedly struck, with two health care workers and one patient reported to be among the injured.
WHO has verified more than 1,300 attacks on health care in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. This accounts for more than half of all attacks against health care workers in the world over this period.
OCHA notes that attacks in Kherson are also putting aid workers at risk: Last Thursday, workers for Ukrainian NGOs were injured while delivering humanitarian assistance.
Ms. Brown reiterated that attacks on civilians, health workers and health facilities constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, as part of UN Police week, the Security Council held a session to discuss Strategic Priorities of the UN Police Components in Peace Operations.
The head of our Department of Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that at a time when multilateralism, and peacekeeping, is facing significant challenges, the gap between peacekeeping mandates and what the missions can, in practice, actually deliver, has become increasingly apparent.
He added that we are and will continue to do our utmost to strengthen the effectiveness of UN Peacekeeping – notably through Action for Peacekeeping.
Mr. Lacroix told Council members that in the current context, UN peacekeeping operations can only achieve what he calls the “intermediate goals” of peacekeeping, which include preserving cease fires, protecting hundreds of thousands of civilians, mediating local conflicts and strengthening institutions whenever possible.
Without the unified political support of Member States, and particularly the Security Council, for political solutions where our missions are deployed, we can only serve to mitigate rather than resolve conflicts.
We must also manage our expectations and recognize that the “intermediate goals” of peacekeeping are important ends in and of themselves. The UN Police play a notable role in achieving many of these goals.
The Head of the UN police division, as well as police commissioners from our peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic and South Sudan also briefed Council members this morning. Their remarks were shared with you.
WORLD DIABETES DAY
Today is World Diabetes Day. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980. Diabetes can be treated, and its consequences avoided or delayed with diet, physical activity, medication and regular screening and treatment for complications.
