Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Secretary-General's Travel

All right, good afternoon, everyone. The Secretary-General travelled to Washington, D.C., this morning, where he will participate in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On the margins of the Spring meetings, the Secretary-General will attend the launch of the Borrowers' Platform. In his remarks, which should be made within the hour, the Secretary-General will highlight that this is a Platform in which borrowing countries sit together, learn from each other and speak with a collective voice.

The Secretary-General is also taking part in the launch of the World Bank's Water Forward Initiative, aimed at contributing to turning water commitments into delivery, ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference. And as he told you yesterday, he will then travel onward to The Hague to participate in the commemoration of the eightieth anniversary of the International Court of Justice.

**Deputy Secretary-General's Travel

And as we told you yesterday, the Deputy Secretary-General is also in Washington, D.C., today, where she will attend a series of public and private meetings to draw attention to the damaging effects of the war in the Middle East for development prospects in the world's poorest countries. She will call for fast and strong multilateral action to reinforce country efforts to mitigate the war's impact. While in Washington, D.C., the Deputy Secretary-General will participate in a public event [livestreamed on UN Web TV] with Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados to discuss the impact of the Middle East war on sustainable development, and the urgency of reforms to the international financial architecture to shield the most vulnerable countries and to promote investments in resilience.

**Iran

The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Middle East Conflict and its Consequences, Jean Arnault, is visiting the Sultanate of Oman. He is meeting with senior Omani officials to listen to their unique perspective on the conflict and discuss the potential contribution of the United Nations to its settlement.

Meanwhile, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, yesterday allocated $12 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the humanitarian response in the country. The CERF funding will support life-saving activities in health, water, sanitation and hygiene, and food security. Where possible, response activities will be implemented through our local partners, aligned with large-scale efforts led by the Government.

According to authorities, between 28 February and 8 April, large-scale air strikes across the country caused more than 2,360 civilian deaths, including 257 women and 220 children, and tens of thousands of injuries, severely stretching trauma care, burn management and primary health services. The strikes also damaged homes, schools, health facilities and other critical infrastructure nationwide, including cutting off people's access to essential services. Needs are most acute in municipalities that experienced the heaviest bombardment and are also hosting displaced people from nearby areas.

Although the ceasefire has eased insecurity, widespread destruction, rubble and explosive or toxic remnants of war continue to prevent people from accessing basic services and hinder rescue and response efforts. The crisis spans a broad geographic area, with particularly severe consequences in densely populated regions.

**Israel/Lebanon

Turning to Lebanon, I can tell you that we welcome yesterday's meeting between Lebanon and Israel, convened by the United States. The meeting constitutes an important first step to end the hostilities and towards breaking the recurrent rounds of violence that have caused considerable suffering for too long. Maintaining dialogue will be essential in resolving outstanding issues and achieving progress towards stability. We remain ready to support these efforts and continue to urge the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

On the ground, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to report ongoing hostilities, including projectiles fired towards Israel and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in southern Lebanon, and Israel Defense Forces operations throughout the mission's area of operations, such as airstrikes, armoured movements and other kinetic activities. Our peacekeeping colleagues continue to report violations. Yesterday afternoon, a routine convoy transporting military and civilian peacekeepers, along with essential contractors, from Beirut to UNIFIL Headquarters was halted by Israel Defense Forces personnel a few kilometres from its destination in Naqoura.

UN-marked vehicles were eventually allowed to proceed; however, local contractors were required to return to Beirut under security arrangements, despite the convoy having been fully deconflicted in advance, including their presence being explicitly cleared.

This is not an isolated incident. Similar restrictions, through physical roadblocks or the reversal of prior clearances, have affected both peacekeepers and the essential personnel who support them. These actions raise serious concerns about the timely delivery of critical supplies, including food, fuel and water, to UNIFIL positions, particularly along the Blue Line. We reiterate our call on the IDF to respect agreed arrangements and to uphold its obligations to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers, as well as the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols and logistical convoys.

**Lebanon/Humanitarian

On the humanitarian front in Lebanon, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that a growing number of casualties and continued hostilities continue to drive humanitarian needs higher across the country. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced by the crisis. Across southern and eastern Lebanon, dozens of locations are being hit daily by Israeli strikes. Reports indicate that at least 35 villages in the south were struck yesterday, with extensive damage to residential areas. OCHA says it is particularly concerned by the situation in the district of Bint Jbeil in Nabatieh Governorate, with reports of armed clashes since Monday further restricting the movement of civilians, limiting their access to essential services and humanitarian aid.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and others have reached more than 90,000 displaced people across 448 collective shelters and within host communities with psychosocial support and other protection services. They are focusing on people most at risk, including families experiencing repeated displacement, children and people with disabilities.

And just to flag that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, is in Lebanon. He visited affected areas in Beirut and the Bekaa valley, where he met displaced families in Government-established sites. The High Commissioner underscored the organization's continued commitment to the humanitarian response and the urgent need for sustained international support for national efforts amid ongoing hostilities and large-scale displacement.

As the situation continues to deteriorate, we continue to call for immediate de-escalation, full respect for international humanitarian law, including protection of civilians; sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access; and stepped-up funding now.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation in Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said yesterday that it was forced to reduce the operating hours of the electrical generators in their facilities in the first week of April, as they were approaching critical levels of mechanical failure. These facilities provide a range of services to vulnerable people. As we mentioned yesterday, the UN and our humanitarian partners need more approvals to take much-needed spare parts and lubricants into Gaza to avoid further disruptions.

Meanwhile, partners continue to deliver preventive and therapeutic nutrition services to girls and boys. Last month, they screened over 72,000 children and identified about 2,700 with acute malnutrition - and provided thousands with ready-to-use therapeutic food. Also, in the first week of this month, partners working on child protection organized counselling and recreational activities for about 4,700 children. These activities help girls and boys cope with ongoing displacement and dire humanitarian conditions.

**Sudan

Turning to Sudan, today marks three years since the war began, a tragic milestone in what has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Nearly 34 million people inside Sudan now need humanitarian assistance. More than 4.5 million have been forced to flee across borders.

In a video message to the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan in Berlin today, the Secretary-General called for an end to this nightmare. He appealed for unity and urgency to protect civilians, ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, to fully fund aid operations and to secure an immediate cessation of hostilities alongside a credible path towards an inclusive, civilian-led political process. External interference and the flow of arms that fuel this war must finally end.

Addressing the conference in Berlin today, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, described the country as "an atrocities laboratory," citing sieges, the denial of food, the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and the targeting of schools and hospitals. He noted that drone strikes have killed 700 people so far this year, while more than 130 humanitarian workers have been killed over the past three years.

For his part, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stressed that we need urgent joint action to hold those responsible to account. That is the only way to end the violence and prevent further atrocities. He added that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has proposed a set of human-rights-based confidence-building measures that reinforce accountability as a core component of any pathway towards peace.

And just to note that the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Pekka Haavisto is also in Berlin, as you know. We are hopeful that the conference will help catalyse increased Member State support for the humanitarian response both within Sudan and in neighbouring countries, as well as foster concerted engagement around an enhanced protection of civilians and advance progress towards durable and inclusive peace that the people of Sudan demand. The Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, emphasized that one message is constant across the country: people are calling for peace. They want the violence to stop and to return home.

On this grim milestone, we once again call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in line with international humanitarian law. The parties to the conflict are obliged under international humanitarian law to facilitate safe, rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access. And the response within Sudan and in neighbouring countries must be urgently and fully funded, as delays continue to cost lives.

**Security Council

This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on the Great Lakes region. Briefing Council members, Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, said that while the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has witnessed a notable intensification of diplomatic initiatives, the security and humanitarian situation has deteriorated in a deeply concerning manner. He said that the continued erosion of trust among regional actors partly explains the persistent gap between political commitments and the reality on the ground. Mr. Xia stressed that no resolution, no mediation and no verification mechanism can succeed unless the directly concerned parties choose the path of peace.

Also briefing Council members, Sima [Sami] Bahous, UN-Women's Executive Director, said that peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will only be secured when women are treated not as collateral victims and their bodies as spoils of war, but as empowered agents of stability, accountability and peace. Without safety, women cannot lead, and without their leadership, peace and recovery efforts fail. The same applies across the broader region. Both remarks were shared with you.

**Central African Republic

Turning to the Central African Republic, OCHA tells us that severe funding constraints are impeding aid organizations from reaching people in need. Only 18 per cent of this year's $264 million Humanitarian Response Plan is funded, putting critical, life-saving operations at risk across the country. To date, 60 humanitarian organizations have reduced their footprint across the country, including in areas with the highest levels of humanitarian needs.

Food security has been heavily affected. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), without the needed funding, food and cash-based assistance for Sudanese refugees and displaced Central Africans could be suspended as early as August of this year. Since April of 2023, more than 35,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to the Central African Republic, with Sudanese nationals now accounting for 70 per cent of refugees in the country. In parts of the northern region of Vakaga, the arrival of Sudanese refugees has effectively doubled the population, straining already scarce local resources.

WFP provides food or cash assistance to more than 22,000 Sudanese refugees every month in the Vakaga region. Aid organizations aim to reach 1.3 million people this year, but OCHA warns that without immediate and continued support, many of them could be left without support.

**Andaman Sea

We are deeply saddened by reports that approximately 250 people may have lost their lives or remain missing after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea. We join our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in expressing grave concern. The trawler, which departed from Bangladesh en route to Malaysia, reportedly sank last Thursday due to rough seas, strong winds and overcrowding.

This tragedy underscores the lack of sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees. Smuggling and trafficking networks prey on this desperation, driven by displacement and lack of safe alternatives, placing Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals alike at serious risk. We urge the international community to scale up support for refugees and host communities in Bangladesh and to address the root causes of displacement in Myanmar to establish safe and dignified return.

**Wellness Day

Today marks International Wellness Day, a reminder that investing in prevention, healthy lifestyles and people-centred care saves lives and lowers healthcare costs. By prioritizing these approaches, we move closer to achieving health for all.

**Guest Tomorrow

And tomorrow, our guest will be Jean Martin Bauer, WFP Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis. He will be here in the room to brief on the World Hunger Map. That's it from me. Yes, Edie?

**Questions and Answers

Question: Thank you, Farhan. On Jean Arnault, I know we all appreciate knowing his travels, but can we get an update on what actually he's trying to accomplish, been accomplishing - what kind of, you know, reaction he's gotten?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, this is his first visit to some of the partners in the region. And at this stage, what he's doing is sounding out their various views and seeing what points of agreement there are, and where we can play a role. Once he's done that, he'll be better in a position to talk about what sort of accomplishments he's making. But, right now, he's going to hear from all the different participants, both in the conflict and the mediation efforts.

Question: Okay. And on Gaza and this issue of spare parts for generators, is the UN being told by the Israeli authorities that these spare parts are not being allowed in because they're dual-use items?

Deputy Spokesman: We had heard this in the past, and we've raised our concerns about that. What we're trying to tell the Israeli authorities is that these are necessary parts in order for us to keep our facilities functioning.

Question: And also staying in Gaza, has the opening of the Zikim border made any kind of a significant difference in the amount of aid that the UN has been able to get into Gaza?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, as we reported earlier this week, there has been some aid coming in through the Zikim Crossing; and of course, we also mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to transfer people who needed medical assistance through the Rafah Crossing. So, these are improvements from the period when only the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem Crossing was being used. So, we're pleased by that, but we still want more aid to come in and indeed for further crossings to be opened. Yes?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. There are press reports that the US and Iran are considering to extend the ceasefire for another two weeks. Is that something the UN can confirm? And what is the SG's ideas about this?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, I think the Secretary-General made clear yesterday when he spoke to you that the information he had received, when he spoke to the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, gave him a certain amount of confidence that there would be further talks coming up. And he was welcoming any progress towards extending the ceasefire and continuing negotiations. And of course, we will continue to support that. I don't have any confirmation to give about any of this information. You'd probably need to see or hear that from the parties themselves. Yes, Gabriel?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. A follow-up question on UNIFIL. Barely a day goes by now that we don't hear from the podium or hear from UNIFIL themselves about some sort of IDF obstruction of their movements in southern Lebanon. Who is the UN speaking to to get the message across to the people in power in Israel that have influence over the decisions to allow freedom of movement for UNIFIL personnel to happen?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, we have been in touch with the Israeli authorities. As you know, UNIFIL itself has a tripartite mechanism involving the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defence Forces, and we try to make sure that everything is coordinated. At the same time, as we just informed you, even in cases where we've given the necessary information, where we've gone through the process of deconfliction, we faced obstructions, and we've raised our alarm at this. And, of course, the Secretary-General reiterates his call to all parties in this conflict to immediately cease hostilities.

Question: But, none of the obstructions have been happening by the Lebanese, is that correct?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, not by the Lebanese Armed Forces. We have also reported some obstructions, as you know, from Hizbullah, and we've let you know at the time. Today's note was, as you know, more about the IDF. And with that, I wish you all a happy Wednesday.