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.

All right, good afternoon.

**Guest Today

In a short while, I will be joined virtually by our guest, Paula Narvaez, the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for UNFPA.

She'll be briefing us from Chile, but just returned from a visit to Venezuela, where she was on the ground to assess the needs of women and girls in the aftermath of the devastating quakes that hit Venezuela.

**Secretary-General - Syria

The Secretary-General is in Amman, in Jordan. And from there, tomorrow morning he will head to Damascus for the scheduled visit that we have been telling you about.

**Deputy Secretary-General - Travel

Meanwhile, our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, arrived in Mexico City yesterday evening. She is participating there in the second convening on Artificial Intelligence and Human Development, which brings together leaders from the region to assess how one of humanity's most transformative technologies is reshaping human progress.

The convening follows the first gathering held in Cairo last month. Outcomes of this region-to-region series will help inform discussions ahead of the eighty-first session of the General Assembly, including on the implementation of the Pact for the Future.

While in Mexico City, she will also meet with the Foreign Secretary of Mexico, Roberto Velasco Álvarez.

Their discussions will focus on Mexico's partnership with the United Nations, including its engagement with the UN80 Initiative, as well as other regional developments.

We expect our Deputy Secretary-General to be back tomorrow.

**Secretary-General - Red Sea

Turning to the situation in the Middle East, I can tell you that the Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the resumption of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels transiting in the Red Sea and the renewed threats to maritime navigation.

The attacks on commercial vessels, claimed by the Houthis, risks further heightening regional tensions and widening of the current cycle of escalation with the potential to draw Yemen deeper into the regional conflict. Further hostilities in Yemen will undermine prospects for peace, and cause serious economic, humanitarian and environmental consequences across and beyond the region.

The Secretary-General calls for an immediate de-escalation and urges Houthis to refrain from any further attacks or other escalatory actions, in line with Security Council resolution 2722 and subsequent relevant resolutions concerning attacks against commercial vessels and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

International navigational rights and freedoms in and around Bab al-Mandab must be fully restored.

Meanwhile, Hans Grundberg, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Yemen, said that over the past weeks, he's engaged intensively with Yemeni, regional and international actors. His priority remains to preserve the gains of the 2022 truce, to prevent a return to a wider conflict, and create the conditions for an inclusive political process.

Mr. Grundberg said it is still possible to change course and move towards negotiations that address Yemen's political, economic and security challenges and put the interests of people at its centre. A negotiated political settlement in Yemen would also contribute to greater stability in the region.

**UN Office for Project Services

Meanwhile, want to flag a statement released by our friend Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Executive Director of UNOPS. He said that the UN Task-force for the Strait of Hormuz that he has been coordinating has developed, in consultation with relevant parties, a practical confidence-building mechanism to facilitate safe, orderly and predictable maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with a specific focus on fertilizers and related raw materials to prevent a massive food crisis.

In the last four months, the Task Force team has consulted extensively with Member States and has received overwhelming support, particularly from the most vulnerable countries.

This Mechanism is ready to become operational, subject to the will of all parties in the conflict and in the region.

Mr. Moreira da Silva said it is time to give a chance to an operational mechanism to build confidence and to build trust.

He continues to engage with all relevant parties through the Task Force, while reiterating the Secretary-General's own call for restraint and de-escalation.

**Seafarers

And a couple of other things on related matters I want to flag for you, Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, unequivocally condemned the latest reported attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea area.

These attacks are indefensible, he said. They endanger the lives of seafarers, while threatening the security of international shipping,of the safety and security of marine environment and the stability of the global supply chains.

Meanwhile, Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, also called for urgent action to remedy the plight of thousands of stranded seafarers who are facing a dire humanitarian and human rights crisis across the Strait of Hormuz.

He said his Office has received information that some seafarers have been abandoned at sea by shipowners who have left them without support, without repatriation plans or even without paying their wages.

**West Bank

Turning to the West Bank, the occupied West Bank. Ramiz [Alakbarov], who as you know, is our Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said today that the continued loss of civilian life across the occupied West Bank is deeply alarming.

He said today's violent incidents south-west of Nablus, which resulted in the killing of four Palestinians and two Israelis, injuries to several others, and extensive damage to Palestinian property, underscore the urgent need to protect civilians and prevent further escalation in the occupied West Bank.

Mr. Alakbarov said Israel must take immediate steps to prevent settler violence, to protect civilian communities and ensure those responsible for attacks are held accountable. And he said Palestinians must unequivocally reject violence and incitement to take immediate steps to prevent attacks against Israelis.

The full statement is online.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

I also want to flag some humanitarian updates from Gaza, and especially regarding water shortages. Our colleagues at UNICEF say they've installed two water wells connected to the water network and power supply at the Netzarim displacement site in Gaza. The well will provide water to 6,500 displaced people, half of those are children. That comes as part of a wider relief efforts to establish 10 new wells for displaced families across Gaza.

On the health front, we and our humanitarian partners collected more than [eight] truckloads of medical supplies and temperature-sensitive medicine from Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing on Wednesday.

And the World Health Organization, which facilitated the entry of insulin syringes, baby aspirin and other essential supplies. However, critical shortages remain, such as cardiovascular medicines, blood pressure monitors.

Meanwhile, during the second and third weeks of this month, our partners continued to provide essential services for patients in Gaza. However, WHO and our partners report that just 60 per cent of hospitals and field hospitals are operational, and only partially.

Further, since the beginning of the year and as of end of June, WHO in Gaza has recorded 28 health attacks on healthcare, mostly in Khan Younis and Rafah, resulting in casualties affecting health transport and health facilities.

And finally, just want to correct something I said at the briefing, and I'm sure you have been paying attention: Our humanitarian partners providing emergency assistance to displaced families in Deir al Balah, with support from the UN Humanitarian Fund, have plans to reach about 20,000 families across Gaza and not people, as I said yesterday.

**South Sudan

Turning to South Sudan, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Guang Cong, undertook a visit to Juba, to engage with senior Government officials in South Sudan and other stakeholders on the Joint Political and Security Mechanism [JPSM] between Sudan and South Sudan, as well as other Abyei-related issues.

The discussion focused on the importance and urgency of resuming the JPSM, and the demilitarization of the Abyei area, and the differing views of the two Governments regarding the participation of Abyei residents in elections in South Sudan, which are scheduled for December of this year. The Special Envoy welcomed the commitment of both Governments to restart the JPSM and encouraged its resumption as soon as possible.

**Sudan

And in Sudan, just wanted to flag some announcement from UN-Women who tell us they are gravely concerned by the emerging pattern of violence against women and girls in El Obeid, in Sudan, where drone attacks during the day and sexual violence at night have left no safe window for women and girls to collect water. That mirrors the atrocities documented in El Fasher last year.

UN-Women has heard from women and girls in El Obeid that, due to drone strikes targeting water sources and distribution points during daylight hours, they areforced to wait until after nightfall to collect water. Thesewomen and girls have been harassed, they've been raped, they've been subjected to other forms of sexual violence, as they are just trying to get water.

UN-Women's data shows that the number of women and girls requiring gender-based violence services in Sudan has quadrupledsince the conflict began, now reaching an estimated 12.7 million women and girls this year alone.

**Burundi

And we often flag here the dangers of funding shortfalls for our humanitarian work, and today's update from Burundi shows us why. Our colleagues at the World Food Programme (WFP) warn that food assistance for more than 130,000 refugees in Burundi risks drawing down unless urgent funding is received. Families who crossed the border in search of safety and food and shelter could now possibly lose the very assistance they depend on to survive.

WFP urgently needs $35 million to sustain food and nutrition support for refugees through August of next year. Without new resources, life-saving food distributions will end entirely in October of this year.

Since violence renewed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in late 2025, more than 100,000 human beings have been forced to flee into neighbouring Burundi, more than doubling the number of refugees WFP supports.

**Venezuela

And you'll hear a lot more from Venezuela from our guest, but I just wanted to flag some things from OCHA. They tell us that humanitarian needs remain immense for tens of thousands of families. Since the first hours of the emergency, we and our partners have worked with authorities to support people in need. Partners have reached more than 117,000 people with food, healthcare, safe water, sanitation, temporary shelter, education, nutrition and psychosocial support. This includes people in temporary camps, particularly in La Guaira, the state hardest hit by the disaster. According to authorities, the international community mobilized 3,000 metric tons of aid, while more than 30 countries deployed rescue teams and other technical experts.

Humanitarian organizations continue to support communities impacted by the quakes and people already in need of humanitarian assistance across the country.

We are grateful for the local volunteers, as well as Member States and private sector partners whose generosity and support helped drive the response during the first month, as today marks the first month since the earthquakes. With humanitarian needs remaining one month on, continued international support will remain critical. The humanitarian appeal launched following the quakes has received just over 40 per cent of the funds needed. Additional resources are needed.

**Ukraine

Quick update from Ukraine where today along with our humanitarian partners, we sent a humanitarian convoy carrying six metric tons of cargo consisting of medicine, dignity kits, clothing and hygiene kits to a front-line community in Kherson. This year alone, we and our partners have delivered more than 10 humanitarian convoys to support 10,000 front-line residents in Kherson region alone.

Also, last year, despite funding challenges, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund was able to allocate more than $200 million worth of assistance to 660,000 people across the country. This included life-saving evacuations of people from front-line areas. Seventy per cent of the funding went to national responders.

Meanwhile, over the last 24 hours, our humanitarian colleagues note that attacks and hostilities across Ukraine have killed several civilians and injured more than 100 others. The attacks also caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure. Our partners have provided support and shelter material to those who need it.

**Climate

One more, two more notes. Just to flag this morning, the General Assembly, they had an Informal Interactive Dialogue on Accelerating the Global Energy Transition: Advancing Renewables and Mobilizing Investment.

Addressing the Dialogue, Selwin Hart, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Climate Action, stressed that the renewable energy revolution is unstoppable and irreversible.

The question before us, he emphasized, is no longer whether the transition will happen. The question is will it happen fast enough, fairly enough, and whether every country will have an equal opportunity to benefit.

Also addressing the meeting was Simon Stiell, the Executive Director of the UNFCCC.

He noted the realities of fossil fuel dependency play out in real-time, it is increasingly clear that faster energy transitions are core business for Governments, and core to national security strategies.

**International Days

Number of international days.

First, World Drowning Prevention Day, very important. The theme this year is "Unite to Turn the Tide". Drowning takes more than 300,000 lives a year and almost a quarter of them are children under 5. This day reminds us that drowning prevention depends on all of us doing our part.

Tomorrow is the International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent, which calls for renewed global action to eliminate racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

And this is a new one for me, tomorrow is the International Day on Judicial Well-Being. It is essential to ensuring a fair and effective justice system. Yet, 76 per cent of judges say they lack enough time to care for their physical and mental health. This day not only aims to support judges, but it pushes forward anti-corruption, access to justice, and sustainable peace.

You learn something every day. Even in this room. Even in this room. How about Spokesperson well-being day? Every day is my well-being day.

I will answer questions, should you have any. Amelie, please.

**Questions and Answers

Question: Thanks, Steph. I know you were already asked a question linked to that yesterday, but about Volker Türk and the decision this afternoon at the General Assembly. Now Russia has introduced an alternative text proposing to extend the mandate only until the end of this year. The argument seeming to be that the next Secretary-General should be the one deciding on the next High Commissioner. What is the Secretary-General position on that?

Spokesman: Well, listen, Member States will live up to their responsibilities. They will vote on resolutions for or against. We're not going to comment on the various proposals that are put forward. What I can tell you is that the Secretary-General is doing things in a very transparent manner, in following the rules and his authority as laid out in the relevant General Assembly resolution. Consultations were had with Member States prior to this, with regional groups. Now the General Assembly will make the decision, adopt the resolution that they'll adopt. Ephrem.

Question: Thank you so much. On the new mechanism that was developed by UNOPS, to facilitate the safe passage of especially fertilizers, do we know any more details about this mechanism? What it looks like? And, also, when he says subject to the will of the relevant parties, what needs to happen now to get such mechanism in motion?

Spokesman: This is a reminder that Jorge and the Task Force put together this mechanism, now a few months ago, right? It is ready to deploy. But obviously we need the agreement of the parties. It would include verification mechanisms, trust-building mechanisms. This is what UNOPS does. They're ready to deploy fairly quickly. And I think the point of reminding the parties of the existence of this is the fact that we are in this position right now where there's just a stranglehold on commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. We saw it in the beginning of this conflict. We saw the impact it had on price of fertilizers and food going out. So, it's just a very, I think, vocal and clear reminder that this option exists. Islam.

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. And just to follow up on the same question. Since you brought up that mechanism, and also, has been in touch, has been talked with the sides in that regard, is there any time frame, especially when the tension is increasing over there and, also in the Red Sea other tension is also involving in this conflict?

Spokesman: The time frame that we have from our side is that this can be deployed in a matter of weeks, right? If not, very, very quickly. The point is we can't impose anything. So, it's a matter of when the parties, the belligerents in this conflict say, yes, this is a good idea. We want to go forward with this.

Question: And if I may ask another question, Stéphane. Yesterday, the six candidates for the next Secretary-General participated in a debate. I understand, we understand that the Secretary-General doesn't wish to involve in this process. But listening to those candidates and especially considering the unprecedented times, what is the Secretary-General's hopes? Can you reiterate again for the future of this organization, as well as for the international peace?

Spokesman: The Secretary-General hopes that the Member States will select the best possible candidate. And I think the Secretary-General has also spoken in the past, as has the Deputy Secretary-General about the need to finally have a woman helming this organization. But in the end, it is in the hands of Member States. Okay, any questions online?

Correspondent: Yes, I have a question.

Spokesman: Yes, go ahead, Abu Sufian.

Question: I think you noticed that on India, there is a protest going on, I think, nearly one month. It's lasting nearly one month. And Indian police already injured hundreds of students. And they are demanding the resignation of the Education Minister, and you know, changes of the education system. So, what's the UN position on this particular issue?

Spokesman: We're obviously very much aware of the protests that we've seen in New Delhi. It is important that people wishing to protest peacefully be allowed to do so without the fear of harassment, the fear of arrest, or the fear of injury. And it is incumbent on security forces, there as it is everywhere, to ensure that those rights are protected.

Thank you all.