Noon briefing of 1 April 2026

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2026

UNIFIL 

The situation in the Middle East continues to be very volatile, with ongoing hostilities gravely impacting our peacekeeping operations. Tragically, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, has suffered three fatalities as we announced previously. 

These incidents are unacceptable and demand full accountability. 

Investigations are underway, and, despite the challenging situation on the ground, we should be able to update you very soon on their outcome. These indeed take time, as technical experts examine physical evidence on the scenes, while others look at context and liaise with parties to collect and verify information. The circumstances on the ground are such that deconflicting with parties in some instances have prevented timely access to the incident scenes for the investigation, which has caused delays.                                     

However, as he briefed troop-contributing countries earlier today on the situation there, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Head of UN Peacekeeping, reiterated our firm commitment to establishing the full facts and circumstances surrounding each of these events. He also reminded that attacks on United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. 

Meanwhile, he stressed that developments on the ground were continuously being monitored to enhance safety and security and mitigate risks, including physical measures, reduced exposure, and strong communications. 

He also expressed his most sincere gratitude for the commitment of your courageous women and men serving in our peace operations in the Middle East under such challenging conditions, fulfilling mandates given by the Security Council.   

On the ground, UNIFIL peacekeepers witnessed today large explosions and demolitions in the village of Naqoura, nearby UNIFIL Headquarters.

According to the Mission, the level of indirect fire remained very high across the area of operations. The level of IDF military activity also remained high, with an axis of activity over Bent Jbeil, Ainata, Naqoura and Bayddah. Peacekeepers are continuing to detect rockets launches from the area of operations towards Israel and on IDF troops advancing inside Lebanon.

Yesterday, UNIFIL detected 62 airspace violations.

Missile interceptions were also observed in the area of operations including Naqoura, Yaroun, Maron Ar-Ras, El Adeisse, Tyre, Markaba and Alma ash Sha'b.

UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in positions and monitor the situation.

LEBANON 

Today, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, met in Beirut with the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri. 

Mr. Fletcher spent the last two days witnessing first-hand the devastating impacts on the conflict that Lebanon has been dragged into on the humanitarian situation in the country. He visited a collective shelter and met with displaced families and frontline responders, including Lebanese Red Cross staff and ambulance teams. 

The scale of humanitarian needs continues to outpace available resources. We’ve received just $94 million of the $308 million requested in the Flash Appeal — just one third of what we need. We urgently need more funding to sustain and scale up the humanitarian response as needs surge. 

We and our humanitarian partners continue to step up efforts to protect and help people.   

We have reached thousands of children and their caregivers with psychosocial support, and are working to reunite families and alert people to the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war. 

Mr. Fletcher also visited the country’s border with Syria. 

More than 200,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria since the start of the escalation, and Mr. Fletcher met with families who have chosen to return to Syria from Lebanon. Many told him of their determination to return to their communities and contribute to rebuilding their country. 

We and our partners on both sides of the border continue to support people on the move and ensure that aid reaches those most in need. 

SYRIA 

Following his visit to Lebanon, Tom Fletcher will travel to Syria, where he will join Under-Secretary-General Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, to underscore the need to move from a humanitarian response to development, recovery and reconstruction. 

During their visit, they will meet with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, and other senior Government officials, as well as with people who have returned to Syria following years of conflict. They will visit UNDP-backed sites that support the clearing of debris and explosive remnants of war. 

Together with the Government, Mr. Fletcher and Mr. De Croo will take part in the launch of this year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and the launch of Syria’s Statement of Recovery Priorities.  

STRAIT OF HORMUZ 

UN Trade and Development (or UNCTAD for short) has said in a report today that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a near halt, with a 95 percent drop in daily ship transits over the past month. As a result, UNCTAD forecasts a drop by at least a percentage point in annual merchandise trade growth, as well as rising inflation, spurred on by a surge in crude oil prices. 

UNCTAD forecasts a drop in world GDP to about 2.6 percent by the end of the year, as well as a fall in stock markets and a depreciation of currencies in developing countries. 

Among other things, the agency calls for governments to consider a policy mix to stabilize price levels as inflation pressures rise, particularly for vulnerable populations; and for development banks to be empowered to provide emergency loans. 

MIDDLE EAST 

Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned today that restrictions on civic space and freedom of expression have significantly risen across the Middle East since the US and Israeli attacks on Iran. 

He said that waves of arrests and broad clampdowns, mostly on vaguely defined accusations, have had a deeply chilling effect on people, many of whom are already living with uncertainty, fear and anxiety. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to Gaza, our colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that we and our partners continue to deliver critical assistance despite the pressure on Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem, the only crossing for cargo. 

Yesterday, humanitarians brought over 270,000 litres of fuel into Gaza to keep critical humanitarian services running. Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) collected animal fodder, while UNICEF retrieved more than 240 pallets of supplies – including nutrition, medicines and kits containing sanitary pads, toothpaste, body wash, underwear and scarves.  

OCHA reiterates that to scale up the response, more crossings must be opened for the movement of people and cargo.   

Today, our colleagues from FAO announced a scale-up of their cash assistance to reactivate local crop production for an additional 1,000 farmers in Gaza.    

The assistance builds on a successful pilot from last year, when 200 farmers managed to grow more than 500 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables, with support received through the OPT Humanitarian Fund. 

With today’s scale-up, FAO estimates that farmers will be able to feed some 95,000 people for a whole year by producing roughly 5,000 metric tonnes of vegetables. This will help address food insecurity while boosting employment and income generation. 

SUDAN

The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, concluded at the weekend his visit to Sudan where he met with a range of Sudanese stakeholders, including the Chair of the Sovereign Council and Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

The Personal Envoy then travelled to Addis Ababa, where he is based, for introductory meetings with senior African Union officials, including the African Union Commission Chairperson.

Personal Envoy Haavisto is now in Cairo for engagements with the Egyptian authorities, the League of Arab States and Sudanese political actors.  He will from there travel to Nairobi for further discussions. 

The Personal Envoy will continue to engage with the parties and other stakeholders in support of urgently needed progress toward durable peace.

HAITI 

The United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) today said that it has met the timeline to provide the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) with full logistical and operational support, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2793. The mandated timeline of 1 February 2026 to assume full responsibility for the provision, on a cost recovery basis, of the standard range of mission support services to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti has also been met. 

The Under Secretary-General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, travelled to the Dominican Republic and Haiti this week to mark the successful achievement. Yesterday, Mr. Khare and Daniela Kroslak, Head of the UN Support Office in Haiti, met with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, and also with Foreign Minister Raina Forbin.             

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister confirmed their intention to continue to work closely in partnership with the UN Support Office in Haiti throughout the design and construction phases.  

The UN Support Office in Haiti is now prepared to provide living and office accommodation, medical support and other key services to the Gang Suppression Force. The Support Office has deployed two helicopters, which will provide the necessary mobility between Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. A small office has also been established in Santo Domingo, to provide back-office services to UNSOH and the UN Integrated Office in Haiti. 

PEACEBUILDING 

Today the Justice and Corrections Service of the UN Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office is marking the 15th anniversary of its Justice and Corrections Standing Capacity. 

Over the past 15 years, the Standing Capacity has provided rapid, specialized support to 37 United Nations peace operations and other UN settings, helping to strengthen justice and corrections systems as a foundation for sustainable peace. 

Its work has focused on supporting transitions, advancing climate, peace and security, and reinforcing the rule of law—including efforts on criminal accountability and conflict-related sexual violence.   

RESIDENT COORDINATORS 

The UN Development Coordination Office informs us that, following host Government approval, the Secretary-General has appointed Stephen Jackson of Ireland as United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, Garry Conille of Haiti as Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and Shalini Bahuguna of India as Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea. All three took up their posts today, 1 April. With decades of experience in international development and strategic leadership roles, they will serve as the Secretary-General’s representatives on development at the country level, leading United Nations country teams and leveraging their abilities to bring people together to mobilise the United Nations system’s support for nationally-led efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Their full biographies are available online. 

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Mari Yamashita of Japan as his Senior Representative for the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 2792 (2025).  

In her role as Senior Representative, she will support continued progress on the outstanding issue of Kuwaiti missing persons and property, including the national archives, as outlined in Security Council Resolution 2792 (2025) and following the conclusion of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) on 31 December 2025. 

Ms. Yamashita brings to the position a broad range of experience with the United Nations based on a career spanning over 30 years, working on preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding and external relations, both at United Nations Headquarters and globally.  Before this appointment, she served as the Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) in Yemen, until the Mission’s closure on 31 March 2026.  

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION SUMMARY 

A summary of full Regular Budget contributions received in the first three months of the year: From 1 January to 31 March of this year, we received full contributions from 97 countries for a total of $1,433,605,419.   

For comparison purposes, for the same January to March period in 2025, we received full contributions from 85 countries for a total of $1,386,131,104.   

**Briefings tomorrow 

At 11:00 a.m. there will be a briefing by Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA) and Alexander de Croo, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will brief reporters from Damascus.

Edem Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will brief reporters on the humanitarian situation in Haiti.