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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Guests

Good afternoon. Thank you for making it in, and greetings to all of you who are stuck at home. In a short while, I will be joined by our two guests. One in person and that is United Nations Children's Fund Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, and the World Food Programme's (WFP) Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau. He will be briefing us virtually from Rome. Hopefully it is nicer than here. And they are here to speak to you about their recent visit to Gaza.

**Security Council

Let me just start with the Security Council, where, as you know, the Secretary-General spoke today on the rule of law, telling members of the Security Council that the UN Charter and other core United Nations treaties have created a collective security system that is robust and that is resilient. He said it is a system that prohibits the threat or the use of force - and binds all States, large and small, to the same rules. And that respects the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states.

But, the Secretary-General warned that, around the world, the rule of law is being replaced by the rule of the jungle. We see flagrant violations of international law and brazen disregard for the UN Charter. He said that from Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Myanmar, and in Venezuela and elsewhere, the rule of law is being treated as an à-la-carte menu.

Mr. [António] Guterres pointed to the prominence of the Security Council in the world's collective security system, saying that the Council stands alone in its Charter-mandated authority to act on behalf of all Member States on questions of peace and security. The Secretary-General said that the Security Council alone adopts decisions binding on all, saying that it is why we must act without delay to enhance the representation and effectiveness of that very Security Council. And those remarks were shared with you.

**Afghanistan

Our colleague Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding and Political Affairs, yesterday concluded her visit to Kabul, in Afghanistan. During the visit, she met with the de facto authorities and members of the diplomatic community in Kabul. She also met with Afghan women, civil society members and Afghan national female UN personnel.

In her meetings with the de facto authorities, the Under-Secretary-General raised concerns regarding restrictions on our female colleagues who work for the UN, as well as the broader limitations on women's access to work, to education, and in general to public life. She urged the immediate lifting of all these restrictions. She also encouraged the de facto authorities to engage fully in the Doha Process and to address their international obligations needed for Afghanistan's reintegration into the international community. They agreed, both the Afghan [de facto] authorities and Ms. DiCarlo agreed to continue their engagement. Ms. DiCarlo further underscored the importance of unimpeded cross-border transit of humanitarian assistance and sought the support of the de facto authorities in that regard.

**Syria

Moving to Syria: A UN-supported convoy of 24 trucks carrying critical assistance entered the city of Kobani on Sunday. The convoy delivered food, delivered nutrition supplies, health supplies, hygiene materials, winterization support, kitchen kits and various supplies for children. The assistance was provided by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF, World Food Programme, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as various partners. The convoy also included two fuel tankers to resupply the Karakoi water station and help restore water supply to Kobani and surrounding villages.

Following the announcement of a 15-day ceasefire, on 25 January, the Government of Syria announced the opening of two humanitarian corridors in Hasakah and Aleppo. Today, the Government announced another corridor near the town of Sarin in Aleppo to allow people to leave the area, should they wish to. In addition, five temporary shelter facilities have been established, including in Aleppo City, for people choosing to relocate there.

On Al-Hol Camp, our colleagues at UNHCR, together UNFPA, entered the camp over the weekend to visit key facilities and engage with residents of Al-Hol Camp. Our colleagues tell us that the camp environment appeared calm, and community interactions were described as bring positive. The Camp Administration reiterated that its priority is to de-escalate tensions inside the camp and emphasized its intention to stabilize the situation to enable the gradual re-entry and scale-up of humanitarian assistance.

**Israel/Gaza

And a number of you have been asking me about the reports about the remains of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili, having been recovered. I can tell you that, of course, we welcome reports that development and extend our condolences to his family. The full implementation of the ceasefire arrangements in Gaza is absolutely critical. And, as you recall, from day one, the Secretary-General and the rest of the UN leadership had been calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those being held as hostages in Gaza.

The Secretary-General urges all parties to move forward in good faith, and without delay with subsequent phases, facilitate sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, including through the Rafah Crossing, and uphold international humanitarian law. The United Nations will continue to support the full implementation of the agreement.

The Secretary-General urges once again all stakeholders to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, leading to a two-State solution, in line with international law and UN resolutions.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Meanwhile on the ground, our humanitarian colleagues in Gaza continue to describe a very challenging situation. They tell us today that hundreds of thousands of people are still living in dangerous makeshift shelters or in damaged buildings, exposed to harsh weather, environmental hazards and explosive ordinance. In several displacement sites, families are living along unstable coastal cliffs, making them vulnerable to soil erosion and collapse, wave surges, flooding and extreme winds. In Deir al-Balah, a recent landslide reportedly claimed lives. We and our partners continue to carry out assessments.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) underscores that much of what is needed to address such risks is not readily available in Gaza. Opportunities for people to move voluntarily are severely constrained, since large areas of land remain off limits to civilians. At the same time, repairs to damaged buildings, as well as the removal of rubble and explosive ordnance, are limited by the restrictions on the entry of equipment and heavy machinery into Gaza. We and our partners are providing tents, tarpaulins and other shelter items. But, these are temporary measures that cannot provide adequate protection against the continuing winter conditions.

Turning to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, yesterday, you will have seen that a fire broke out at what was the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters in East Jerusalem. This is the same compound where Israeli authorities carried out demolitions last Tuesday. In a social media post, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, deplored that there are no limits to the defiance of the UN and international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

UNRWA has also warned that the Kalandia Training Centre, which supports about 350 young Palestinian students, is facing closure and expropriation following recent Israeli legislation. The centre runs about a dozen vocational training programmes, ranging from information technology and automotive mechanics to metalwork and construction.

In a new publication reviewing the developments of last year, OCHA reports that the West Bank saw record levels of displacement and settler violence last year. More than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced over the course of 2025, mostly due to operations carried out in refugee camps across the northern governorates of the West Bank. OCHA also reports that over 1,800 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians caused casualties, damage or both in 2025. This is the highest annual figure on record by the United Nations and marks the ninth consecutive annual increase.

**Somalia

Turning to Somalia: Today, we, along with our humanitarian and Government partners, launched this year's Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026 to support millions of people across Somalia. Our humanitarian colleagues said that this year's plan calls for $852 million, which is 40 per cent less than last year. It aims to support 2.4 million people, which is less than half of the people in need of humanitarian assistance, leaving significant gaps in essential services.

Our humanitarian colleagues stress that it is important to note that this reduction in the funding we're appealing for is due to constrained resources, not reduced humanitarian needs. The launch comes at an unprecedented time for Somalia, with funding shortfalls squeezing humanitarian programmes just as the country faces a severe drought.

Our colleagues warn that without urgent and scaled-up assistance, the combined prolonged drought, livelihood collapse, displacement, disease outbreaks and reduced humanitarian aid will worsen food insecurity, water shortages and health risks will increase. Last year, the Response Plan was only funded at 27 per cent, with $397 million out of the $1.4 billion we requested, forcing humanitarian organizations to sharply reduce and, in some cases, suspend life-saving assistance for human beings.

**South Sudan

From South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) tells us that there are growing concerns over threats of large-scale military operations in Jonglei that could put hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk. The Mission also warns that escalating hate speech is fuelling ethnic tensions and risks drawing civilian communities into the conflict.

UNMISS is urging all parties to cease hostilities and refrain from threats or actions that fuel fear, that fuel hatred, and fuel violence. The Mission is calling on all parties to protect the safety and to protect the freedom of movement of all UN personnel, and reminds all parties of the inviolability of all UN premises, as well as our assets. That includes bases in Jonglei, where peacekeepers are doing their utmost to support impacted communities in extremely challenging conditions.

The Mission continues to support conflict-prevention and the peace process as an impartial partner, and it is critical that these efforts are not undermined by disinformation or any hostile actions.

**Sudan

In Sudan, the escalating conflict in the Kordofan region continues to force civilians from their homes and place people at grave risk. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1,000 people were displaced by clashes between [20 and 24 January] from the besieged cities of Kadugli and Dilling, all in South Kordofan. Since October [2025], more than 65,000 people have been uprooted across the wider Kordofan region. UNHCR also observed that 6,500 people have crossed into South Sudan since early December [2025].

In the Darfur region and the State of North Darfur, we and our humanitarian partners scaled up crucial assistance over the past two weeks. In the locality of Tawila and in areas surrounding the state capital of El Fasher, our partners vaccinated more than 140,000 children against measles and rubella. All of that being done in a conflict situation. They also provided more than 9,000 health consultations and reached 65,000 people with safe water and sanitation services. And community kitchens supported by us delivered daily meals to 13,000 people. Despite these efforts, humanitarian needs, particularly in the areas of food aid, of shelter, water, of sanitation, as well as hygiene, and education remain unmet for many people.

Meanwhile, IOM reports a 10 per cent increase in people returning to their areas of origin, mostly in Khartoum and Aj Jazirah, over the past month, with more than 3.3 million people recorded as having gone back to their homes. But, people are often returning to homes in areas with damaged infrastructure, limited services and continued fighting, and children continue to bear the brunt of this crisis. We again urge all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to ensure an environment where there is rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian assistance.

**Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, the Humanitarian Coordinator there, Mattias Schmale, called for [Russian Federation] attacks on critical infrastructure to stop as thousands of people are exposed to harsh winter conditions amid new round of attacks over the weekend. According to local authorities, between 23 January and this morning, attacks have killed and injured several civilians, including children. Our humanitarian colleagues note that on Saturday, a large-scale attack impacted the regions of Kharkiv, Kyiv [and] Chernihiv. In the city of Kharkiv, a maternity hospital, a medical college dormitory that was sheltering displaced people, and residential buildings were damaged.

In the capital, Kyiv, some 6,000 multi-story buildings lost heating, many of them for the third time this month. And in the Chernihiv region, hundreds of thousands of families were left without electricity.

To complement the work of national rescuers and municipal services, UN agencies and international NGOs [non-governmental organizations] are providing hot meals and distributing tarpaulins and plywood. We are also covering shattered windows and providing psychosocial support. We also continue to support heating centres, where people can warm up, charge their phones and get some food and hot drinks. Across the country, humanitarians continue to provide winter-related assistance, having reached 1.5 million people. This year, we and our humanitarian partners will need $2.3 billion to support more than 4 million people.

**International Day of Clean Energy

Today is the International Day of Clean Energy. In a message for the day, the Secretary-General noted that science tells us we are heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5°C. Our responsibility, he stressed, is to make that breach as small, as short and as safe as possible, through a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. Mr. Guterres underscored that renewables are the engine that can drive this transition. They are the cheapest source of new power in most places, and last year, he added, [that] for the first time, wind, solar and other renewables generated more electricity worldwide than coal.

Even so, the Secretary-General said, the renewables revolution is not moving fast enough nor far enough. He pointed out that grid infrastructure is lagging well behind the expansion of clean energy capacity, and high costs continue to shut many countries out of the transition entirely. The road map is clear, he said, emphasizing we must triple global renewable capacity by 2030, by lifting barriers, cutting costs and connecting clean power to people and industry, with scale, speed and solidarity.

**New Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator - Mali

New Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to announce, and that is in Mali. Our friend Hanaa Singer Hamdy of Egypt has been appointed as the new UN Resident Coordinator in Mali, with the host Government's approval. She will serve as Humanitarian Coordinator, as well. Ms. Singer Hamdy brings more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and post-conflict settings. She most recently was the Resident Coordinator in [Nepal] and we congratulate her.

**Honour Roll

Three countries are on the Honour Roll today and we have a quick quiz. This first country, while not being geographically large in size, has the second busiest container port in the world. Singapore, very good, Namo.

This is an interesting one. The capital of this country is the only national capital in the world which borders two other countries. It is Bratislava, in Slovakia, which borders both Austria and Hungary.

And finally, this third country has an airport that processes the most international passengers in the world. Dubai, very well.

We thank our friends in Singapore, Bratislava and Abu Dhabi. So, Slovakia Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates all paid [their dues in full to the Regular Budget]. Namo, you won the first one.

**Questions and Answers

Question: I appreciate it. So, about Kobani, thanks for that update about the humanitarian situation. Do you know if power, electricity and Internet are back in Kobani, as well?

Spokesman: I do not, unfortunately. We can try to find out.

Question: Okay. And then there is growing evidence of what appears to be ethnicity-based violence against Kurdish civilians. And the survivors are saying that their families were killed after they were asked if they were Kurdish or Arab. After they responded [that] they were Kurdish, they were executed on-site. And have you seen these reports? Also, I would like to include this from The Economist published this article, like, I think, yesterday or the day before. "Government fighters described Qamishli, a predominantly Kurdish city, as a city of wealthy Kurds that would be a good place to steal cars." How worried are you about that?

Spokesman: Look, we've seen the reports about ethnically based violence; they are extremely concerning. It is incumbent on the government, which is responsible for the safety and protection of all its citizens regardless of ethnicity, to investigate fully, and this is something we're going to keep an eye on. Edie?

Question: Thank you, Steph. Has the United Nations received any word on when the Rafah Crossing is going to open? And is it prepared to surge humanitarian aid via the Crossing?

Spokesman: Yes, of course. We are prepared. As you know, as I've said repeatedly, we don't have the keys to Rafah. Currently, our colleagues on the ground are engaging with their counterparts to see when and how the Rafah Crossing would open. For us, obviously, it's about the opening. It's also to ensure, to maximize the humanitarian impact of that opening, which means that we would want to see humanitarian cargo and private cargo go in. And of course, in terms of movements of people through the Rafah Crossing, Palestinians need to be able to come out or go in, as they wish, in line with international law. Pam? Okay.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Sorry. Little scratchy throat. A follow-up to Edie's question on the Rafah Crossing. With the release of the final hostage, it appears that stage two will begin of the peace plan. Have you heard anything about that?

Spokesman: Well, I mean we're trying to get clarity on what exactly the Rafah opening means, how it will be implemented. We wanted to - as I said to Edie - just maximize it. We hope that phase two will be fully implemented, which will allow us among other things, to increase our humanitarian deliveries. Gabriel?

Question: Thanks, Steph. So, on Rafah, if it was only open to foot traffic, that would not be acceptable to the UN, correct?

Spokesman: It's not a matter of what's acceptable or not acceptable. What we want to see is to see great humanitarian goods going, cargo going, both from the humanitarian community and private cargo. I mean, as we've been saying from the beginning, we want more crossings open.

Question: And on Gaza, I know that many of the NGOs that work in Gaza are your partner organizations. You don't speak for them; you only speak for the UN. So, in that context, my question is: Many NGOs working in Gaza have been asked by Israel to hand over the names of all of their employees. What is the UN's position on your partner organizations in Gaza handing over their names of their staff members to Israel?

Spokesman: Look. I think every organization, whether it's UN or especially the international NGOs, have to make their own decisions, and everybody has to balance the need to deliver for those desperate people and the need to protect its own staff and to uphold their own beliefs. We're not going to comment or judge on what organizations do. I mean, as you know, for UN organizations, we have been providing that information, especially UNRWA has for quite some time. Sinan?

Question: Thank you, Steph. Two questions, follow-up questions, actually. You said 24 trucks; 8 trucks have arrived in Kobani. The first question is what percentage of the needed aid has been delivered? It doesn't have to be exactly, but just like percentage-wise.

Spokesman: Yeah. I don't have the data to give you the context. I mean, we delivered as much humanitarian aid as we were able to deliver. Rarely in these cases does it meet all the needs, but we're obviously using every amount of space that is given to us to deliver that humanitarian aid.

Question: The second one is, will the humanitarian corridors remain open? Is there, like, any agreement? If there's an agreement, what's the, like, terms of this agreement?

Spokesman: Well, the corridors are open. I mean, for us, you know, in any humanitarian situation, when the authorities that control an area open the corridors, we use them. Obviously, we want to use them in a way that is unfettered and without additional, you know, checkpoints or bureaucratic hassle. But, you know, whether it's in Kobani or Gaza or anywhere else, whenever we're given space to operate, we occupy that space. Yes?

Question: Thank you. You mentioned that a fire broke out in the UNRWA building in East Jerusalem. Can you please provide more details on how that happened?

Spokesman: No. We're not at that site. That's something question you would ask have to ask the authorities in Jerusalem. Yes, please?

Question: One more follow-up. Do you… does the United Nations have people on the ground? Do you have any impeded access to corroborate all of these claims of violence in Syria?

Spokesman: We're not able from here, I'm not able to corroborate. You may want to ask our human rights colleagues in Geneva. Okay. Let's stay in that general area. Go ahead, Sinan.

Question: Okay. Follow-up to my colleague's question. I remember last week, asked Farhan [Haq] same question - if UN is in touch with the local or foreign actors. So, when they meet with them, do they bring up about this humiliating, torturing subject or this to the Damascus…?

Spokesman: The issue of ethnic-based violence is an issue we brought up repeatedly with our counterparts in Syria. And then we'll go to our guest.

Question: Just a quick follow-up on the NGO issue. I mean, the UN has been attacked by Israel. Now we see this pressure that's being put on humanitarian organizations that are not UN organizations, some of them are your partners. I mean, would the UN be able to manage that, in terms of aid distribution after like the Rafah opening, the crossing is opened? I mean, how much constraint does more constraints that put on you on the ground, especially when also other organizations that perform that same work are being pressured, too?

Spokesman: We were pretty public about that. We need our international partners. We need the local NGOs. We can't do it alone, right? So, any policies that hinder their ability to work hinders our ability to work. Let's go to Iftikhar, then we'll go to our guest.

Question: Thank you, Steph. You gave us an update on the visit of USG DiCarlo in Afghanistan, in which she highlighted the concerns of the United Nations, but you did not give us whether the de facto authorities give her any assurances in this regard.

Spokesman: No. I speak for the Secretary-General, his representatives. I cannot speak for others. I cannot speak for the de facto authorities in Kabul. Obviously, I think with these restrictions put on almost every aspect on the lives of women and girls, the proof will be when those restrictions are eased at the very least and lifted, which is what we want to see. All right. Let me go get Ted, and I see… No, sorry. Go ahead.

Question: Thanks, Steph. On Iran, the US has an aircraft carrier now in the region, and some airlines are changing their schedules. Does the UN have any concern about that?

Spokesman: We obviously are seeing these reports of heightened military tensions, which are very concerning, indeed. The situation in Iran, I think, we've seen… let me just say, we've seen various reports of an extremely high number of people killed by the security forces, of protesters being killed by the security forces. The numbers vary, but even without having an exact number, it's clear that the situation on the ground is just horrendous in terms of these killings. And at the same time, we are very concerned about increased military activities and rhetoric, which we think goes counter to the stability of the region.