HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 26 MARCH 2024
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MIDDLE EASTÌý
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, today briefed the Security Council by video teleconference about the ongoing fighting in Gaza.Ìý He said that he was appalled by the immense scale of death, destruction, and human suffering wrought by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, with civilian killings at a rate that is unprecedented. And he once again condemned the horrific armed attack by Hamas and other groups on 7 October. Nothing can justify these acts of terror, he said. The remaining hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.Ìý
Mr. Wennesland added that he is concerned over what may be violations of international humanitarian law, including possible non-compliance with the requirements of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack.Ìý
The Special Coordinator welcomed the opening of a maritime corridor to deliver much-needed additional humanitarian assistance by sea but reiterated that for aid delivery at scale, there is no meaningful substitute to delivery by land.Ìý
Mr. Wennesland said that the enormity of the humanitarian, security, and political challenges we face requires a collective, creative, and immediate response. He said that we must urgently address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. He regretted that, despite intensive diplomatic efforts, we have not seen an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.Ìý
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that the UN and its partners continue to do everything possible – wherever and whenever we can – to address surging needs, despite tremendous obstacles to our aid operations in Gaza.
Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners evacuated two six-year-old patients and their caregivers from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. One of the children has leukemia, while the other has cystic fibrosis, and both will now receive treatment abroad.Ìý
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus once more appeals for sustained and safe medical transfers in Gaza to ensure all children and sick patients in need of urgent care have a chance to survive. To date, about 3,400 patients have been evacuated out of Gaza. That’s out of some 9,200 people who urgently require medical evacuation.Ìý
Meanwhile, as hunger soars in Gaza, aid organizations continue to screen and treat children under the age of five for acute malnutrition. The 51³Ô¹Ï Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is carrying out screenings at shelters in Deir al Balah and plans to expand into Al Mawasi and shelters in Khan Younis. Between mid-January and mid-March of this year, more than 28,000 children under the age of five had been screened for acute malnutrition. The nearly 2,000 children diagnosed with acute malnutrition are currently receiving the required treatment.Ìý
On Saturday, WHO delivered treatment kits for severe acute malnutrition – as well as therapeutic milk – to the stabilization centre at Kamal Adwan Hospital.
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE/REPORTÌýÌý
The report of the Secretary-General on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, covering the year 2023, has been published today.Ìý
As in previous years, the report provides details on system-wide efforts to strengthen our capacity to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, in line with the Secretary-General's strategy.ÌýÌý
For example, many UN agencies, funds and programmes have introduced or updated their strategies to institutionalize safeguards against all forms of sexual misconduct. However, despite this progress, the report notes that the lack of adequate and sustained resources continues to impede the effective implementation of initiatives across the UN system, particularly at the field level.ÌýÌý
Our approach, which is centered on the rights and needs of victims, continues. We are intensifying efforts to uphold the rights of victims, and to end impunity. This also includes engagement with Member States to facilitate the resolution of paternity claims.Ìý
With an unprecedented rise in humanitarian crises around the world, the report states there is an urgent necessity to recalibrate our approach to funding in this area.Ìý
The Secretary-General’s Special Coordinator on improving the 51³Ô¹Ï response to sexual exploitation and abuse, Christian Saunders, has commissioned a comprehensive assessment to determine how to best to integrate the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in all UN activities and programmes. This assessment will propose a strategy to ensure sustainable, effective prevention work across the UN system and options for predictable and adequate resourcing at headquarters and in the field.ÌýÌý
And today, in a video message, the Secretary-General said sexual exploitation and abuse violate everything the 51³Ô¹Ï stands for. It is up to all of us to eradicate sexual exploitation and abuse from our work, support victims, and hold perpetrators and their enablers to account, he added.
HAITIÌý
The World Food Programme (WFP) says that yesterday, together with their local partners, they delivered hot meals to 18,500 displaced people in Haiti, making it their largest distribution in March. However, access to people in need remains sporadic. Between the 20-22 March, WFP reported that it was not able to reach some 18,000 people in need with food due to roadblocks and insecurity.Ìý
Since 29 February, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have distributed some 1.7 million liters of water for more than 15,000 people in Port-au-Prince.Ìý
On the health front, the monitoring of disease outbreaks continues in sites for displaced people across the capital. Our health colleagues warn that the distribution of medicine and medical supplies, including supplies to respond to cholera, remains a critical need, with insecurity hindering the replenishment of stocks.Ìý
Meanwhile, UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, warned today that violence and instability have consequences far beyond the risk of the violence itself, as the current context is creating a child health and nutrition crisis that could cost the lives of countless of children.
SOUTH SUDANÌý
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is concerned about incidents that continue to impede the humanitarian response in South Sudan. In a new report, OCHA recorded more than 30 incidents curtailing humanitarian access in South Sudan last month. Nearly half of these incidents involved violence against humanitarian staff and assets.Ìý
OCHA warns that this is causing delays in the movement of aid and personnel in South Sudan, and even the suspension of some programmes. This comes at a time when the country is grappling with an influx of returnees due to the conflict in Sudan. These new arrivals are stretching response capacities and putting additionalpressure on host communities.Ìý
Meanwhile, funding constraints are compounding the challenges that humanitarian organizations are facing. This year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for South Sudan has received just $335 million – less than 20 per cent of the $1.8 billion required. This funding level is much lower than last year.
UKRAINEÌý
In Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that attacks continued in the south and east of the country yesterday and today, impacting civilians and critical infrastructure. Several people have been injured in the cities of Odesa and Kharkiv, according to local authorities.Ìý
Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power, mainly in Odesa and Kharkiv Regions. Authorities estimate that restoring the power to its full capacity will take months. Humanitarian organizations are on the ground, providing emergency aid to people affected.
YEMENÌý
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that, nine years into the conflict in Yemen, almost 10 million children remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.ÌýÌý
While the reduction in active conflict since April 2022 has led to a decrease in civilian casualties and distress across communities, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political settlement, UNICEF says. That’s especially critical at a time when more than half of the population - 18.2 million people, including 9.8 million children – remain in need of lifesaving support.Ìý
UNICEF notes the persistent malnutrition in the country, where over 2.7 million children are acutely malnourished and 49 per cent of children under five suffer from stunting or chronic malnutrition.
MIGRATIONÌý
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today released a report showing that in the last 10 years, more than 63,000 deaths and disappearances were documented during migration, and more deaths were recorded in 2023 than in any prior year.ÌýÌý
According to the report, more than one-third of deceased migrants whose country of origin could be identified come from countries in conflict or with large refugee populations, highlighting the dangers faced by those attempting to flee conflict zones without safe pathways. Ìý
The International Organization for Migration said that these figures demonstrate the urgent need for strengthened search and rescue capacities, facilitation of safe, regular migration pathways, and evidence-based action to prevent further loss of life. IOM added that action should also include intensified international cooperation against unscrupulous smuggling and trafficking networks.
GUEST/TOMORROW ÌýÌý
Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).ÌýÌýÌý
She will brief on the situation in the DRC, following her participation in the Security Council meeting on MONUSCO tomorrow morning.Ìý
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONSÌý
Croatia and Peru paid their dues to the regular budget. This take us to 92 fully paid-up Member States.Ìý
