HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 14 MAY 2025
SECRETARY-GENERAL/PEACEKEEPING
The Secretary-General is continuing his meetings in Berlin. As you know, he is in Berlin to attend the Ministerial Meeting on Peacekeeping. Right now, he is meeting with Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor of Germany and they are just starting a press stakeout.
Earlier today, he said that he is heartened by the exceptional turn-out of Ministers from across the globe, representing the full range of peacekeeping partners. Just to let you know that we have an update that more than 130 Member States were present and 74 Member States made pledges to support peace operations.
The Secretary-General added that this meeting comes at a time when unfortunately, peacekeeping operations are facing serious liquidity problems. He called on all Member States to respect their financial obligations, paying their contributions in full and on time.
These remarks were made during a joint press conference with the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, and Federal Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius. He noted that he is especially pleased to be in Berlin so soon after the new Government took office, and he looks forward to building on our partnership in the time ahead.
Mr. Guterres also met today with Ms. Reem Alabali-Radovan, Minister for Development and Economic Cooperation of Germany. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to hold discussions with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the President of Germany, before he departs to Iraq to attend the League of Arab States Summit.
PEACEKEEPING MINISTERIAL MEETING
During the Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, the United Nations unveiled a new multi-year initiative funded by the Federal Republic of Germany to provide women troops deployed in Peace Operations with gender-specific protective gear, including ballistic vests and helmets. During an award ceremony held earlier today during the Member States’ gathering, Nils Hilmer, State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defense and Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, announced the selection of Fiji, Guatemala, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia and Tanzania, to receive the equipment - in recognition of their commitment to the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy and the deployment of women in operational roles. The project, worth one million Euros in total, aims to enhance the performance, safety and security of women peacekeepers in complex and volatile mission environments and ultimately promote their participation in peacekeeping efforts.
YEMEN
Hans Grundberg, the Special Envoy for Yemen, briefed the Security Council this morning and welcomed the announcement on 6 May of a cessation of hostilities between the USA and Ansar Allah. He said that this step represents an important and necessary de-escalation in the Red Sea and in Yemen following the resumption, on 15 March, of US airstrikes against targets in Ansar Allah-controlled areas.
He said that events in recent weeks, however, have also served as stark reminders that Yemen is ensnared in the wider regional tensions. The attack carried out by Ansar Allah on Ben Gurion Airport on 4 May, and the subsequent strikes by Israel on Hudaydah Port, Sana’a Airport, and other locations in response, represent a dangerous escalation, and the threats and attacks, regrettably, continue.
Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told Council members that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating, and those most in peril are the country’s children. Half of Yemen’s children – or 2.3 million – are malnourished, he said, and 600,000 of them are severely so.
Mr. Fletcher warned that Yemen’s 2025 humanitarian response plan is barely 9 per cent funded – less than half of what we received at the same time last year. These shortfalls have very real consequences. He said that we expect pipeline gaps as early as June or July – right when malnutrition numbers will peak.
Mr. Grundberg will speak at the stakeout once he is done in the Council and we will let you know when that happens.
SECURITY COUNCIL
Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed the Security Council yesterday afternoon on Gaza and said that Israel is deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
He said that every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five face starvation.
Mr. Fletcher said that the UN and our partners are desperate to resume humanitarian aid at scale across Gaza in line with the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. But Israel denies us access, placing their objective of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians.
The Under-Secretary-General said that for anyone still pretending to be in any doubt, the Israeli-designed distribution modality is not the answer. Among other things, he said, it makes aid conditional on political or military aims, and it makes starvation a bargaining chip.
He told the Israeli authorities: stop killing and injuring civilians. Lift this brutal blockade. Let humanitarians save lives. And he said to Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups: release all hostages immediately and unconditionally. Stop putting civilians at risk during military operations.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Today, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that hostilities in Gaza intensified overnight, with an attack by Israeli forces on the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis killing and injuring a number of people. A team from the World Health Organization was inside the hospital during the attack. The hospital premises were hit again this morning, reportedly leading to additional casualties.
These attacks not only further degrade Gaza’s already decimated healthcare system, but also further traumatize patients and medical staff at these facilities. Since October 2023, WHO has documented at least 686 attacks impacting healthcare in the Strip.
Escalating military activities and increasing explosive ordnance contamination are heightening safety risks for civilians, including aid workers. OCHA stresses once again that civilians and healthcare facilities must always be protected.
In North Gaza, two new displacement orders – affecting eight neighbourhoods – were issued since last night, following Palestinian rocket fire. In less than two months, since 18 March, more than 436,000 people are estimated to have been displaced to various areas of Gaza.
Meanwhile, the prevention of the entry of all cargo, including aid, to Gaza has led to dwindling stocks in local markets and rising prices of the few supplies that remain available. Just to give you one example: During the first week of May in Gaza City, a single 25-kilogram bag of wheat flour was being sold for the equivalent of more than $415 dollars. This represents an increase of more than 3,000 per cent compared with the last week of February.
The blockade is also hampering the provision of hot meals in Gaza – with only about 250,000 individual meals now being provided each day through some 65 community kitchens. Compare this to 25 April – less than three weeks ago – when 180 community kitchens were producing nearly 1.1 million meals on a daily basis.
Our humanitarian partners have pre-positioned more than 171,000 metric tonnes of food in the region, which are ready for delivery as soon as the blockade on the entry of supplies is lifted. This amount is enough to sustain the entire population of about 2.1 million people for up to four months.
The UN and our humanitarian partners stand ready to deliver at scale as soon as the crossings reopen for the entry of aid. We call on all Member States with influence to ensure international law is respected and humanitarian operations are enabled without further delay.
LEBANON
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is concerned by the recent aggressive posture of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) involving UNIFIL personnel and assets near the Blue Line. That includes yesterday’s incident in which a direct fire hit the perimeter of a UNIFIL position south of the village of Kfar Shouba.
In yesterday’s incident, peacekeepers observed two shots fired from south of the Blue Line, with one of them hitting the UNIFIL base.
This marks the first time a UNIFIL position has been directly hit since the 27 November cessation of hostilities understanding. During that period, UNIFIL has observed at least four other incidents involving IDF fire near its positions along the Blue Line.
In recent days, UNIFIL has also observed other aggressive behaviour by the IDF towards peacekeepers performing operational activities in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701.
UNIFIL protests all such behaviour and continues to remind all sides of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN assets and premises at all times.
SYRIA
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, welcomed the statements by the U.S. President regarding the cessation of sanctions on Syria. This is in line with his continuous call for meaningful action on this front.
Mr. Pedersen said that sanctions relief is crucial to enabling the delivery of essential services; including health and education; reviving the Syrian economy; unlocking meaningful support from the region; and enabling many Syrians to contribute actively to a national effort to rebuild their country.
SYRIA RETURNEES
A new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that the lack of economic opportunities and essential services pose the greatest challenge for Syrians returning to their communities. IOM highlights the critical need for international support to help Syria recover.
According to the report, many communities face unreliable access to electricity, clean water, and healthcare, while gaps in civil documentation hinder returnees from accessing essential services or claiming housing and land rights. IOM adds that livelihood opportunities are scarce, as agricultural activity and local markets struggle to recover. At the same time, shelter reconstruction is slow, and unresolved property issues continue to stagnate long-term reintegration. There is more information online.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is traveling to Luanda, Angola, later today to chair the annual regional retreat with UN Resident Coordinators from across the African region, with a focus on advancing sustainable development in these countries. The Deputy Secretary-General will also meet with senior Government officials to strengthen the UN-Angola partnership and discuss priority actions to support the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on May 19.
SOMALIA
From Somalia, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that torrential rains in the Banadir region, in the southeast of the country, have triggered deadly floods, impacting thousands of people. According to authorities, nine people were killed and more than 24,000 were affected in the wake of devastating floods on 9 May in Banadir. Key infrastructure was destroyed and shelters in displacement sites were swept away. The Federal Government is leading the response and we, along with our partners, are supporting and delivering food, shelter items, hygiene kits and cash. Our humanitarian colleagues noted that since mid-April, flash floods caused by heavy seasonal rains have claimed 17 lives and impacted more than 84,000 people across Somalia. Despite the heavy rains in most parts of the country, dry and hot conditions have persisted in parts of northern regions. OCHA says that the flooding comes at a time when severe funding cuts have forced our humanitarian partners to scale back or even close critical programmes. The $1.4 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 11 per cent funded so far, with $158 million received.
HAITI
Turning to Haiti, the UN and its partners continue to support thousands of people who fled violence in the Centre Department in the first two weeks of April.
More than 50,000 people who were uprooted by clashes in the department continue to live in informal sites or with host families, with limited access to essential services.
Since the beginning of the crisis, UNICEF and the International Organization for Migration, together with our partners, have distributed hygiene supplies, blankets and other essential supplies to more than 1,800 displaced families. The World Food Programme has supplied more than 80,000 hot meals and our partners have delivered over 145,000 litres of clean water.
Mobile clinics supported by UNICEF and the World Health Organization have provided more than 2,200 health consultations. WHO delivered 1.5 metric tonnes of medicine to local health facilities. Nearly 300 children have been screened for malnutrition, with dozens now receiving treatment. Psychosocial and recreational activities have reached more than 1,400 children.
IOM teams are being deployed to nine displacement sites to help improve the organization of services and support local authorities in managing site conditions.
OCHA continues to support coordination efforts on the ground to help ensure that humanitarian action is aligned, needs-driven and responsive.
Despite these efforts, humanitarian needs remain high, particularly in areas where fighting and the presence of gangs limit humanitarian organizations’ access. Additional support is urgently needed to sustain and expand the response – we have received just under 8 per cent of the more than $900 million we’ve appealed for this year.
JOSE “PEPE” MUJICA
The Secretary-General, in a statement, expressed his sadness at the passing of former Uruguayan President José Mujica and his condolences to his family, the Government, and the people of Uruguay.
The Secretary-General said that President Mujica will be remembered not only for his steadfast commitment to social justice, equality, and solidarity but also for the deeply human way in which he embodied those values. He led with humility, choosing simplicity over privilege, and reminded us—through words and example—that power should be exercised with responsibility and compassion. The full statement is online.
NOON BRIEFING GUESTS - TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Shantanu Mukherjee, the Director of Economic Analysis and Policy Division in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and Ingo Pitterle, the Senior Economic Affairs Officer, for the Global Economic Monitoring Branch, in the Economic Analysis and Policy Division, in DESA, will brief reporters, in person, on the launch of the World Economic Situation and Prospects mid-year report.
**Noon Briefing Guest
Andrew Saberton, the Deputy Executive Director for Management at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). He will brief on his recent trip to Afghanistan.
