Noon briefing of 25 November 2024

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2024

Today, 25 November, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In his message, the Secretary-General said that it’s been almost thirty years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action promised to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. It’s beyond time to deliver, he said.
And, on this occasion, today, the guests at the noon briefing were the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda; along with Delphine Schantz, the Director of the New York office for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime; and Kalliopi Mingeirou, the Chief of the Ending Violence against Women Section of UN Women.
They presented the report “Femicides in 2023: Global estimates of intimate partner/family member femicides.”

Haiti
In Haiti, on this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reiterating that the current crisis is having a disproportionate impact on women and girls in Haiti.
According to UN partners, between January and October of this year, 5,400 incidents of gender-based violence were reported, although the true figure is likely to be much higher.
Critical services for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as for sexual and reproductive health, remain severely underfunded in Haiti.
The UN Population Fund, UNFPA, has secured just 19 per cent of the funding required for those services in 2024 —that is $5.4 million in the bank out of the needed $28 million—leaving obviously significant gaps in addressing these urgent needs.
UNICEF reports today that the number of children recruited by armed gangs in Haiti has surged by 70 per cent over the past year, with some recruits as young as eight years old.
It is estimated that minors make up between 30 and 50 per cent of all members of these groups. This is obviously an alarming trend, which is fueled by the closure of many schools, as well as displacement, leaving children increasingly alone and vulnerable.

Secretary-General Travel
The Secretary-General is in Portugal today to attend the 10^th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which is taking place in Cascais from today to 27 November. Tomorrow, he will address the Official Opening Ceremony, as well as a UN Alliance of Civilizations’ Ministerial Group of Friends High-Level meeting.  
On the sidelines, the Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with a number of heads of delegations who will be in attendance at the Forum. He will also have a bilateral meeting with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.

Climate
In a statement at the conclusion of COP 29 in Baku, the Secretary-General said that while he had hoped for a more ambitious outcome – on both finance and mitigation – the agreement that countries adopted provides a base on which to build.
It must be honoured in full and it must be honoured on time, he said, adding that commitments must quickly become cash.
He also sent a message to young people and civil society representatives, telling them that the fight continues and that the UN stands with them.

Plastic Pollution
In Busan, in the Republic of Korea, the fifth session of negotiations on a global plastic pollution treaty started today. The session aims to conclude negotiations and finalize the text of the agreement.
In a video message, the Secretary-General urged Member States to deliver a treaty that is ambitious, that is credible and that is just, and one that addresses the lifecycle of plastics.
And in case you had forgotten, every year, we produce 460 million metric tonnes of plastic, much of it is quickly thrown away. Plastic waste is dumped into our waters, killing marine life, getting into our bodies – and by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

Anti-Personnel Mines
Earlier today, in Siem Reap, in Cambodia, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, spoke on behalf of the Secretary-General at the 5th Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.
The Secretary-General said that anti-personnel mines represent a clear and present danger for civilians.
By sharing its experience and contributing expert deminers to UN peacekeeping missions, he added, Cambodia is demonstrating how mine action can build lasting peace.
For 25 years, this convention has driven important progress, but the threat of mines clearly remains.
The Secretary-General called on States Parties to meet their obligations and encouraged all those that have not yet acceded to the Convention to do so.
A world without anti-personnel mines is not just possible, it is within reach, he concluded.

Lebanon
Turning to Lebanon. I can tell you that we remain concerned by the escalation of hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces, as well as the widespread destruction and loss of life across the Blue Line.
The UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is also seriously concerned by numerous strikes on the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) inside the Lebanese territories, despite their declared non-involvement in the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. Recent attacks have claimed the lives of 45 Lebanese Armed Forces soldiers. That’s what the LAF is telling us.
Such attacks targeting the LAF in Lebanese territory constitute a flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as international humanitarian law, which limits the use of violence against those not participating in hostilities.
We remain deeply alarmed by the escalation of hostilities and the widespread destruction and loss of life across the Blue Line.
We urge all parties involved in the conflict to address their differences through negotiations – not through violence.
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert began a visit to Israel yesterday, where she is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli officials today. Discussions are expected to centre obviously on the current crisis and on the urgent need for a ceasefire and the comprehensive implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, thank you for paying attention.

Lebanon/OCHA
On the humanitarian front, in Lebanon, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the country is facing its deadliest period in decades, with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis affecting more than a million people.
Over the past three days, Beirut’s southern suburbs have been hit by relentless attacks, resulting in extensive damage and significant casualties, as well as forcing people to flee their homes.
On average, 250 people have been killed every week in November, bringing the death toll to more than 3,700 since the escalation of hostilities in October of last year. This is what the data we are receiving from the national authorities says.
UNICEF is also reporting that between 22 and 23 November of this year, at least nine children were killed, including boys and girls who were sleeping in their beds.
This brings the total number of child deaths to at least 240 since October of last year.
In response to the escalating violence, the Lebanese authorities have announced the closure of schools in Beirut and surrounding areas, shifting to remote learning today. This is obviously further disrupting the education of young people.
Despite ongoing security concerns, we and our partners remain on the ground to try to scale up our efforts to continue providing critical assistance. As of 19 November, UNICEF has safely carried out 14 humanitarian convoys, reaching some 50,000 people in hard-to-reach areas. Additionally, UNICEF has helped displaced families living on the streets of Beirut, helping them find shelter amid a severe urban displacement crisis.
On the health front, the World Health Organization has delivered 48 tons of medical supplies to support the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health’s Chronic Medication Programme, ensuring that 300,000 people with chronic conditions have continued access to essential medicines.

Syria
Turning to Syria, the UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, David Carden, who deplored attacks in the north-west of the country this weekend that led to civilian deaths and injuries. Mr. Carden called for the renewed protection of civilians.
Some of the wounded were treated at a hospital supported by the World Health Organization. This comes at a time when more than 80 health facilities had fully or partially suspended operations by the end of last month, due to a lack of funding.
The Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria – which aims to reach 10.8 million of the most vulnerable people across the country – is less than 30 per cent funded, with just $1.2 billion received out of the $4 billion required.

Occupied Palestinian Territory
Heading to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues from OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) tell us that, yesterday, heavy rainfall caused flooding in multiple sites where displaced families are staying in Khan Younis and Gaza City. People’s tents and other belongings were damaged by the rains.
OCHA and our humanitarian partners have been carrying out field visits in multiple areas to assess the impact of the latest rains and to mobilize response efforts. Our partners estimate that about 1.6 million people live in makeshift shelters across Gaza. In recent months, preparations ahead of the rainy season have been severely restricted by the challenges aid agencies are facing in bringing sufficient supplies into Gaza.
Our partners have assessed about 100 flood-prone areas, which are hosting more than 450,000 men, women and children in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and in the Rafah area.
At nearly all of these sites, local groups are supporting with preparations for potential rains and floods. For example, sandbags have been installed at 20 sites. However, for 90 per cent of the areas assessed by our partners, there are no workable contingency plans if flooding were to render the sites uninhabitable.
In Gaza City, OCHA says that our teams there estimate that dozens of families have been displaced following Saturday’s evacuation orders by Israeli authorities for the eastern neighbourhoods – namely Zeitoun and Turkuman Al Jadeda. This is an area of approximately two square kilometres.
In North Gaza governorate, our humanitarian colleagues warn that Kamal Adwan Hospital has come under continued attacks over 48 hours – causing an additional 14 injuries, including among the hospital director and the very few remaining doctors and nurses there.

Middle East
Muhannad Hadi, the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, briefed the Security on behalf of the Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland. He told Council members that the situation remains grave across the region. He said that Israeli military operations continued across the Blue Line with Lebanon, as did the firing of rockets by Hizbullah toward Israel, including a barrage this weekend.
He welcomed the ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a cessation of hostilities and urged all parties to accept a ceasefire anchored in the full implementation of resolution 1701.
There was also a condemnation of ongoing violence in Gaza, as well as the continued holding of hostages.
And this was Mr. Wennesland’s last briefing to the Security Council as his mandate ends in early January.

Sudan
In Sudan, Tom Fletcher, our new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is in the country and that is his first field visit since he took office as OCHA chief.
Mr. Fletcher said the Sudan crisis is one of “staggering proportions and it demands the world’s attention.”
Today Mr. Fletcher met with Sudanese authorities, including General Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council. In his meetings, he discussed ways to address constraints to the delivery of aid; the need to increase the presence of humanitarian personnel in areas worst affected by the crisis to scale up the response; and how to increase the delivery of aid across borders and across conflict lines. He underlined the importance of bringing attention to the suffering of civilians across the country.
Yesterday in Kassala, Mr. Fletcher visited a centre for children without parental care who had to be evacuated due to the violence. He also visited a camp for displaced people. Mr. Fletcher also took part in an event today in Port Sudan to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. From Sudan, Mr. Fletcher will go to Chad to meet with Sudanese refugees and the host communities who are generously supporting them, as well as local Chadian authorities and our partners.
Further on Sudan, our colleagues at the World Food Programme tell us that we now have a second domestic line for the Humanitarian Air Service. And the first flight from Port Sudan to Dongola, in Northern State, was completed yesterday. This new flight will enable humanitarian workers to expand their presence in northern Sudan and travel more quickly to Al Dabbah, a key transfer point for sending aid.

Democratic Republic of the Congo
The head of our peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, was in Angola over the weekend.
She signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Angolan Minister of External relations, Téte António, which formalizes the UN Peacekeeping Mission’s support for the Reinforced ad hoc Verification Mechanism, which launched in Goma earlier this month.
You will recall that this mechanism is linked to the ceasefire in eastern Congo, in place since August.
The agreement signed this weekend includes information sharing and field reports.
Ms. Keita reiterated our commitment to supporting Angola's facilitation efforts within the framework of the Luanda process, and to accompany all political and diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the security and humanitarian crisis in Eastern Congo.

Ukraine
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that attacks and hostilities across Ukraine have continued over the weekend and today.
According to local authorities and our local partners, the attacks resulted in scores of casualties, including children, and significantly damaged civilian infrastructure, particularly in Kharkiv, in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.
As a result of the damage, nearly 150,000 families, as well as hospitals, schools and businesses, are currently without heating in the Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, where temperatures have dropped below zero degrees centigrades. This is what local authorities are telling us.
Humanitarian organizations mobilized swiftly and provided emergency assistance in Kharkiv and Odesa, among other affected areas. They have delivered food, repair materials and psychosocial support.

Philippines
In the Philippines, our team there launched a $33 million appeal to support communities ravaged by the typhoons that have hit the country. The Philippines has been hit by six typhoons in just one month, with the storms traversing the same paths and impacting the same communities over and over again.
This has been the most challenging typhoon season since 1951 – that’s more than 70 years – and it impacted more than 5.9 million people and leaving 2.6 million people displaced and in need of immediate assistance.

New Resident Coordinator – Côte d’Ivoire
The Secretary-General has appointed Hélène N'Garnim-Ganga of Chad as the Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire. She started yesterday, 24 November, with the agreement of the Government.
She brings more than 30 years of experience in development. She recently served as Regional Director for the East African Region for the French Development Agency where she oversaw the agency’s work in eleven countries.

Guests
Tomorrow, the guest at the noon briefing will be Angeli Achrekar, the Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS). She will brief on the launch of the 2024 World AIDS Day report entitled “Take the rights path.”

Palestinian People   
Tomorrow, the annual Special Meeting in Observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People will take place, organized by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. That will take place from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm tomorrow, in the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Chamber. 
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will be there to represent the Secretary-General.