HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 29 AUGUST 2025
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Diene Keita of Guinea as the new Executive Director of the UN Population Fund - UNFPA.
She succeeds Natalia Kanem of Panama, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her dedicated service and outstanding commitment to the United Nations and UNFPA.
Currently serving as the Acting Executive Director of UNFPA, Ms. Keita, has served as Deputy Executive Director (Programme) of that organization since 2020, bringing over three decades of experience and leadership in international development and public service. We congratulate her.
CYPRUS
The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, will travel to Cyprus next week, meeting separately with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar, respectively. That will take place on 2 September. She is also scheduled to engage with the representatives of the two leaders, the members of the Technical Committee on Youth, and the Committee on Missing Persons among other interlocutors.
SUDAN
In a statement issued this morning, the Secretary-General said he is appalled by the relentless attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur State.
El Fasher has been under a tightening siege for more than 500 days with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the area. Recent weeks have seen near-continuous shelling of the area and repeated deadly incursions into the Abu Shouk displacement camp, where famine conditions were identified back in December 2024. And as a stark reminder, since 11 August, our agencies documented at least 125 civilians having been killed in the El Fasher area, including through summary executions, with the actual death toll most likely much higher.
The Secretary-General is alarmed at the grave risks of serious violations of international humanitarian law as well as violations and abuses of international human rights law, including ethnically motivated violations.
Supplies are pre-positioned nearby but efforts by the United Nations and our partners to move them into El Fasher continue to be hampered.
There have been repeated attacks on humanitarian personnel and assets in North Darfur in the recent months.
The Secretary-General calls for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher and areas around El Fasher. He insists that immediate steps must be taken to protect civilians and enable the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance into the area, and to allow any civilians seeking to leave the area voluntarily to do so safely.
The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, is continuing to engage with the warring parties. He stands ready to support genuine efforts to halt the violence and establish an inclusive political process that the people of Sudan are demanding.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The UN is concerned that the Israeli offensive on Gaza City could have an even more horrific impact on people across the Strip if it intensifies further. The UN notes that the Israeli announcement today that the daily tactical pauses have been discontinued in Gaza City – and that is an area that Israel now classifies as a “dangerous combat zone”. That suspension will further threaten people’s lives and aid workers’ ability to support people.
UN team on the ground said that those declared pauses appeared to signal some willingness that humanitarian work should be allowed to move forward. Yet, in recent weeks, they still observed bombing in areas and at times where such pauses had been declared. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stresses that life-saving aid operations must be further enabled, and not rolled back.
Moreover, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to move further south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer.
The UN and its partners are remaining in Gaza City to provide life-saving support with a commitment to serve people wherever they are. The UN expects its work to be fully facilitated and remind parties that civilians, including humanitarian workers, must be protected at all times. Humanitarian facilities and other civilian infrastructure must also be safeguarded.
OCHA says that aid workers continue to face impediments to their movements inside the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, one in every four such movements – which had been fully coordinated with authorities and initially approved – faced impediments and was unable to be fully accomplished. That’s four out of a total of 16. These impediments undermined the planned collection of cargo from crossings and much-needed road repairs.
We also have a quick correction from yesterday: I said that 200 herders each received two 100-kilogram sacks of animal feed. Our friends in Rome, at the Food and Agriculture Organization has clarified that each sack was 50 kilograms, not 100.
Turning to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that they continue to see very high levels of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians – and that has obvious a harsh impact on the. Humanitarian situation.
Between last Tuesday and this Monday, OCHA documented at least 15 attacks that caused injuries or property damage in 13 Palestinian communities. Those attacks left eight Palestinians injured and forced six herding families to flee their homes – that’s 15 adults and nearly 20 displaced children.
OCHA says that settler violence has now become one of the main drivers of displacement of Palestinians throughout the West Bank.
Just to give you some sense: in one pocket of Bethlehem governorate, around Barriyet Kisan, OCHA says that it has recorded at least 64 Palestinian herding families who have had to leave since October 2023 because of persistent violence and intimidation by settlers. That’s more than 100 adults and over 80 children. Eighteen of those families were displaced just last month, after being assaulted or threatened, or after their property was destroyed or looted.
Home demolitions are also driving families away. Since the start of the year and as of this Monday, 873 Palestinians – half of them children – were displaced when Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of their homes for not having the Israeli-issued building permits required.
The UN calls again on the protection of all civilians across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to stop these demolitions - and steps must also be taken against settler violence.
LEBANON
Following the mandate extension by the Security Council yesterday, the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to conduct its operations to advance stability in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line.
Yesterday, UN peacekeepers found an unauthorized mortar bomb in Sector East. The day before, they discovered a weapons cache and infrastructure in Sector East as well, including a tunnel with boxes of explosive shells stored about 15 metres underground.
Yesterday morning, a UNIFIL patrol was subjected to aggressive behaviour in Sector West when a group of five individuals pelted stones at the patrol, causing minor damage to the vehicles. The UN reiterates once again that acts that endanger the peacekeepers and hamper their work are unacceptable and must stop.
The peacekeepers also continue to observe Israel Defense Forces military activities, including several air strikes on Thursday in our area of operations.
Just to highlight the risks faced in securing southern Lebanon, yesterday two Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) personnel lost their lives in an explosion in Naqoura, and others were injured. According to the Lebanese Armed Forces, the incident occurred while its personnel were inspecting a fallen IDF drone.
As reaffirmed by the Security Council in its resolution 2790, the parties are to ensure full respect for the Blue Line and a full cessation of hostilities.
We reiterate that the Lebanese Armed Force's full deployment across the south is central to resolution 1701 with UNIFIL coordinating closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces in support.
SYRIA
The UN has been following with concern the developments in the Sumariyya neighbourhood in Damascus. The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen says he is closely following these developments including the reports of threats of evictions and the reports of abuses against innocent civilians, including women and children.
The UN joins Mr. Pedersen in urging restraint and refraining from precipitous or violent actions.
The Special Envoy stresses that complex issues related to housing, land and property and to transitional justice need to be addressed with care, prioritizing the protection of civilians based on the rule of law and in line with international standards.
SYRIA/HUMANITARIAN
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that a convoy loaded with aid, involving UN agencies, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and other partners, successfully reached Sweida Governorate via the main highway from Damascus. This was the first movement on that road since 12 July, as it had been closed due to clashes we have been telling you about and you know of. Since then, convoys had been rerouted through less direct roads, adding to logistics and security challenges to those operations.
Yesterday’s convoy included 19 trucks carrying relief items such as food baskets, hygiene kits, nutrition supplies, fuel, medical supplies, and solar lamps. In addition, colleagues carried out needs assessments in northern rural Sweida Governorate and in the town of Salkhad.
As of August 25th, just a few days ago, and since mid-July, humanitarian partners report that clashes in Sweida Governorate have displaced more than 187,000 human beings, and they have been displaced across southern Syria.
The UN and its partners continue to scale up the response. Between July and August, 370,000 people across Sweida, Dar’a, and Rural Damascus Governorates have received some form of humanitarian assistance.
BURKINA FASO
In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General said that he has learned with regret that, on 18 August, the Burkinabe transitional authorities declared our Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Carol Flore-[Smereczniak], persona non grata. He expresses full confidence in her professionalism and dedication and in the broader United Nations system in Burkina Faso.
The United Nations system, led by iur Resident Coordinator, has been working closely with the Burkinabe transitional authorities to support development efforts and provide humanitarian assistance.
The doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to United Nations officials, and we have said this repeatedly and in different contexts. Under Articles 100 and 101 of the Charter of this Organization, United Nations staff members are appointed by the Secretary-General. They are responsible only to the Organization, and UN Member States undertake to respect their exclusively international character. In accordance with Article 105 of the Charter, there are accorded privileges and immunities, including the right of its staff members to remain in Burkina Faso to perform their functions on behalf of the Organization. Only the Secretary-General, as the Chief Administrative Officer of the UN, has the authority to decide, after careful investigation, on the withdrawal of any UN official.
The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to continue supporting the people of Burkina Faso in full cooperation with the transitional authorities.
COLOMBIA
The UN Verification Mission in Colombia has welcomed the liberation of 33 soldiers from the Colombian armed forces who had been held against their will by local residents of a community in southern Colombia for several days amid military operations against armed groups and illicit crops in the area. The Colombia’s Minister of Defense thanked the Mission for its assistance in facilitating their release in the Department of Guaviare. Citing excellent cooperation with authorities in support of the soldier's release, the Mission reiterated its continued commitment to the communities and institutions to achieve sustainable peace in the area.
HAITI
The UN is encouraged that the Security Council is poised to take further action to improve international support for security in Haiti in response to armed gangs operating in that country.
The UN reiterates the Secretary-General's recommendation to strengthen the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission through UN logistical and operational support funded by the UN peacekeeping budget, as well as his call for the implementation of the UN sanctions regime and decisive progress in Haiti's political process.
The UN welcomes the decision by Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, The Bahamas and the United States to establish a Standing Group of Partners to provide high-level strategic direction, oversight, and political decision-making for any revamped security force and look forward to working closely with that Group.
NEPAL
The UN team in Nepal noted that health authorities reported a suspected cholera outbreak in the Birgunj Metropolitan City a few days ago. The UN team says that national health authorities are leading the response and have activated the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene — or WASH — Cluster, with support from our UN team on the ground.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is providing expertise in epidemiology, case investigation, lab testing, vaccination planning and information management.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has also distributed water purifiers, medicines and hygiene supplies, and mobilized volunteers to engage households on prevention and safe practices.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is the International Day against Nuclear Tests. In his message, the Secretary-General says that we must never forget the legacy of over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests carried out over the last 80 years, driving displacement and contaminating lands and oceans. His message to leaders is “to silence the bombs before they speak again.”
Tomorrow is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, a strategy that has been used frequently to support terror within societies.
And on Sunday, we mark the International Day for People of African Descent. The Secretary-General says on this Day we honour the extraordinary contributions of people of African descent across every sphere of human endeavour. But we also recognise enduring injustices.
ANDREA TENENTI
I know it’s Friday and you want to get out of here, but I do want to salute the retirement of a legendary spokesman.
Our friend and colleague Andrea Tenenti has been, give or take a few years, the voice and the face of UNIFIL since the paint was still wet on the markers along the Blue Line.
Throughout his years at UNIFIL, Mr. Andrea has been consistent in his professionalism, his passion and his belief in the UN’s Mission.
We wish him a future with clear blue skies and calm all around and no phones.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Sudan has made its full payment to the Regular Budget, bringing the number of fully paid-up Member States to122.
BRIEFING NOTE
The UN Headquarters will be closed on Monday, 1 September for the Labour Day Holiday. The Noon Briefing will be resumed on Tuesday, 2 September.
At 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, there will be a press briefing by Mr. Sangjin Kim, the Chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Korea, who will speak to journalists in his role as President of the Security Council for the month of September. He will brief on the programme of work for the month of September.
It will be an in-person only briefing - no zoom connection.
