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.
**Secretary-General’s Travel
All right. Our Secretary-General, António Guterres, had just landed in Bridgetown, Barbados, a few minutes ago, where this evening he will speak at the opening ceremony at the forty-eighth Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, better known as CARICOM.
In his remarks, he is expected to highlight three key areas where, together, we must drive progress — peace and security, the climate crisis and sustainable development.
Also today, he will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, our host.
And tomorrow, he will also have a closed discussion with CARICOM leaders on pressing issues in the region, such as Haiti.
And we expect him back in New York tomorrow afternoon.
**Deputy Secretary-General’s Travel
The Deputy Secretary-General [Amina Mohammed] arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, earlier today to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting on behalf of the Secretary-General. Ms. Mohammed will underline support for multilateral cooperation and the South African G20 presidency and reinforce the case for dialogue and joint action to address common challenges, including trade, tax, debt, and financing climate action. On the margins of the meeting, she is expected to meet with senior Government officials from G20 members and guest countries.
From Johannesburg, she will head off to Nairobi, Kenya, to hold meetings with a wide range of stakeholders and UN entities in preparation of the second UN Food System Summit Stocktaking and to meet with Kenyan Government officials.
On 26 February, Ms. Mohammed will head back to South Africa — but this time to Cape Town to attend the G20 Finance Ministers meeting and meeting with Central Bank Governors, and she will open the Finance in Common Summit 2025 on behalf of the Secretary-General. We will have her back here on 27 February.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Meanwhile, an update for you from Gaza, where the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) tell us that the emergency polio outbreak response in the Gaza Strip is continuing, with a mass vaccination campaign scheduled to begin on Saturday and continue until 26 February. The novel oral polio vaccine type 2 will be administered to more than 591,000 children under 10 years of age to protect them from the disease. The campaign aims to reach all children under 10 — including those previously missed — to close immunity gaps and end the outbreak.
Meanwhile, partners supporting water, sanitation and hygiene services are working to increase the production and distribution of water for drinking and domestic purposes to improve the lives and conditions in the Strip and of course minimize public health risks.
There are now more than 1,780 operational water points across Gaza. Over 85 per cent of them are used to support water trucking activities by our partners.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that our partners are also training and deploying mobile teams and volunteers at aid distribution points to ensure that vulnerable groups — including people with disabilities — have safe and dignified access to humanitarian assistance. More than 100 such teams are operating at nearly 70 aid distribution points throughout Gaza.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA says that Israeli forces’ operations in northern [areas] continue, causing further destruction and displacement among Palestinian residents.
Yesterday, for example, in Tulkarm refugee camp, our humanitarian partners report that Israeli forces demolished at least five homes, and several others also slated for demolition.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Moving to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that between 5 February and yesterday, over 11,000 people in South Kivu have sought refuge in Kalonge health zone, which is south-west of Bukavu in Kalehe territory. Most of the displaced people live with host families, and our partners are currently conducting rapid assessments for these people.
In addition, local authorities say that yesterday, 20,000 people fleeing violence in South Kivu have arrived in Kalemie territory, in Tanganyika province.
Meanwhile in North Kivu, OCHA says that renewed fighting between the Congolese Army and M23 in Lubero territory has led to new displacement. Fighting also continues to impact humanitarian access, as one would expect.
And in Goma, partners report that between late January and early February, an estimated 70,000 people left displacement sites to return to their villages in Masisi territory. Many of them need food and financial means to meet their most basic needs.
And I want to flag that this afternoon, the Special Representative for the Secretary-General and Head of the Peacekeeping Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), Bintou Keita, will brief the Security Council in an open session. Also briefing will be the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, who will also brief on his portfolio.
We are efforting to get you those remarks ahead of time to improve your reporting capacities. If that’s possible.
**Children in Eastern and Southern Africa
And just another bleak update from UNICEF focusing on children in eastern and southern Africa. Our colleagues across the street tell us that public health emergencies, including outbreaks of cholera, Mpox and, more recently, viral haemorrhagic fevers are posing significant threats to the well-being of millions of children across Eastern and Southern Africa.
This year, 17 countries in these regions are grappling with multiple public health emergencies, the majority of which are outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio, measles and diphtheria.
The region is experiencing major outbreaks of viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Marburg virus disease in Tanzania and Ebola in Uganda. Additionally, Mpox continues to be a significant health concern, particularly in Burundi and Uganda. Furthermore, cholera is currently affecting 12 countries in the region, recording the highest number of cholera deaths globally. More information is online.
And UNICEF tells us that years of stagnating and declining immunization rates across many countries in the region have resulted in a resurgence of these preventable diseases.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, and to answer a question that I think was raised by Ibtisam who is not here, but hopefully is listening somewhere, but interesting to all of us and that was regarding famine in some parts of Sudan:
According to the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed that there is reasonable evidence of famine conditions in at least five areas of Sudan: Zamzam, Abu Shouk and Al Salam camps in North Darfur and two locations in the Western Nuba Mountains — which is impacting both residents and internally displaced persons.
There are reports of people dying of starvation in some areas like Darfur, Kordofan and Khartoum. Currently, around 638,000 people are confirmed to be in catastrophic hunger conditions — which classifies as IPC phase 5.
All of this, to say the least, is a very horrific and sad situation. A record 4.7 million children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls are suffering from acute malnutrition in Sudan. People in Zamzam camp, which as you know — as we’ve told you — had been regularly bombed, are resorting to extreme measures to survive because food is so scarce. Families are eating peanut shells mixed with oil which is typically used to feed animals.
That’s why we keep calling on all of parties to silence the guns and put the interest of their people first and foremost.
We urgently need to expand access and open new corridors — both cross-border and across conflict frontlines — to provide assistance and save people from dying of starvation.
And on cross-border, we welcome the decision by the authorities in Sudan to keep the Adre border crossing open.
**Libya
Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefed the Security Council on Libya this morning. She said that entrenched divisions, economic mismanagement, continued human rights violations and competing domestic and external interests continue to erode Libya's unity and stability.
She noted that on 9 and 10 February, the UN Mission, UNSMIL, convened in Tripoli the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Committee dealing with removing obstacles to elections in Libya. In parallel, the UN Mission is also taking steps to convene a structured dialogue among Libyans on ways to address longstanding drivers of conflict and develop an inclusive, bottom-up vision for their country's future.
Ms. DiCarlo urged Council members to extend their support to the newly appointed Special Representative for Libya, Hanna Tetteh.
Ms. Tetteh, who will be taking up her functions in Tripoli tomorrow, will work to help break the political impasse, resolve Libya’s protracted crisis and support the Libyan people towards unifying Libya’s institutions and holding inclusive national elections.
**Myanmar
Turning now to Myanmar, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that internal displacement is at a record high, with more than 3.5 million people having been forced to leave their homes due to the conflict.
In addition, more than 15 million people face acute food insecurity, education and health services are severely disrupted, and millions of people lack safe shelter and drinking water.
Last year, despite severe underfunding and other challenges, humanitarian partners reached more than 4.2 million people with assistance.
This year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan aims to reach 5.5 million people with critical assistance, requiring $1.1 billion.
**Central America
Turning to Central America, we and our partners in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have launched this year’s Humanitarian Response Plans to assist 2.2 million people in need, seeking a total of $306 million.
These three countries continue to face food insecurity, extreme weather events and mixed movement of people.
In El Salvador, the plan aims to assist 400,000 of the most vulnerable people — this requires $67 million.
In Guatemala, the crisis is most severe in areas impacted by climate shocks and human mobility, and the plan seeks $100 million to help 1 million people there.
And in Honduras, violence and climate-related risks continue amid high levels of poverty and inequality. The response plan asks for nearly $140 million to support — in collaboration with national authorities — 800,000 vulnerable people.
**Ukraine
And just moving to Europe, and Ukraine: As we approach the three-year mark of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the devastating toll of the war on civilians and civilian infrastructure is immense, with dramatic humanitarian consequences.
Our OCHA colleagues tell us that today that aid organizations rushed to respond to an overnight attack on Odesa City that injured a number of civilians, including a child. Authorities say the attack left a large residential area without electricity and heating, affecting at least 160,000 people in the midst of winter.
Multiple apartment buildings were damaged, as well as a children’s hospital, and a kindergarten. For our part, we are providing emergency shelter materials, hot meals, psychosocial support, legal aid, and child protection services.
Medical teams are conducting quick health checks and distributing medicines. In the meantime, schools remain closed until power and heating are restored.
Further towards the east, in Kherson, aid workers continue to respond to an attack that took place on 17 February and damaged a critical energy facility. 2,500 residents were left without electricity, heating, and water.
The full-scale war has been having a devastating impact on women and girls, in particular. According to UN-Women, 6.7 million women are now in need of humanitarian assistance. Gender-based violence has surged 36 per cent since 2022. In 2023, women made up 72.5 per cent of the unemployed.
UN-Women is providing humanitarian assistance, psychosocial and protection services, and responds to these needs.
**Guest tomorrow
Tomorrow, our guest will be Abdallah Al Dardari, UNDP’s (United Nations Development Programme) Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States.
He will join us virtually to brief on the socioeconomic impact of the past 14 years of conflict in Syria.
**Financial Contribution
This newly paid-up Member State… Benno, are you listening? And shut your computer, because I don’t want you to google anything. Thank you.
Early in the evening across this country, people leave their homes to take a xhiro. Where are we? [responses from the crowd]
No Greece. Some place between Greece and Italy. Albania! […] Cyprus is not between Greece and Italy.
We thank our friends in Tirana for taking us to 62 fully paid-up nations.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Yeah. And you will regret that you give me the first question.
Spokesman: That's okay. That's all right.
Question: May I?
Spokesman: Yeah. You may. You won.
Question: In the light of recent remarks by US President [Donald] Trump, does the Secretary-General see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a dictator?
Spokesman: President Zelenskyy sits in office after duly held elections. Michelle?
Question: On that similar note, who does the Secretary-General believe is responsible for starting the Ukraine war?
Spokesman: Well, we keep… if you rewind the tape, we just talked about “Russia's invasion of Ukraine”. Amelie, then Edie.
Question: Thanks, Steph. About Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is expected to hold a meeting later this week to declare a parallel government. Any comment from the Secretary-General on that and the fact that they will have this meeting in Kenya, which the Government of Sudan has criticized quite a lot about it?
Spokesman: Listen, we've seen these rather extensive reports about the anticipated announcement by the Rapid Support Forces and others to establish a parallel government or a parallel governing body. We're very deeply concerned about any further escalation of the Sudanese conflict and any steps like this one, which would increase the fragmentation of the country and risk making this crisis even worse. I just read, I think, three pages about famine in Sudan. We keep talking about Zamzam and other places where starving people are being killed and being bombed. For us, preserving the unity of Sudan, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity remains a key ingredient for a sustainable resolution of the conflict and the long-term stability of the country in the wider region. We yet again renew our call for an immediate cessation of hostilities to spare the Sudanese people any further arms [sic].
Question: Thank you, Steph.
Spokesman: Any further harm. Excuse me. I dropped the H. Edie?
Question: Thank you, Steph. Does the Secretary-General believe that calling President Zelenskyy a dictator and accusing Ukraine of starting the war will help or hinder efforts to end the war?
Spokesman: The Secretary-General, or spokesperson, are not colour commentators for all the statements we see coming out of different places around the world. What I can tell you is that what we are looking for, and I think the Secretary-General, his representative, Mr. [Miroslav] Jenča, said a couple of days in the Council, is for a dialogue to end this conflict, a dialogue that will obviously need to involve both Russia and Ukraine. And the Secretary-General's position is that he wants to see an end to this conflict in line with General Assembly resolutions, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and international law.
Question: And on Sudan, what access does the United Nations have to these five areas where famine is basically taking place?
Spokesman: Extremely limited. As you'll recall, we've had some convoys towards the Zamzam camp. WFP, I think, had one a while ago, but the road, it takes weeks and weeks and weeks to reach these places. It is extremely challenging terrain in normal times. It is almost impossible terrain as the conflict rages on. Dezhi?
Question: Few questions on Gaza. About the polio campaign by UNICEF and WHO, last year in September and October, we had two rounds of vaccination, which according to the report already covered 95 per cent of target group, which should have immunity now. Then why this?
Spokesman: Some were missed. Some were born, and some we may not have known about.
Question: That's fifth… 591,000 more?
Spokesman: That's the data I've been given.
Question: Okay. So will UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Workd Agency) help this whole campaign this time?
Spokesman: I don't… this is a campaign led by UNICEF and WHO. Obviously, every part of the UN family is working towards the same goal.
Question: So speaking of UNRWA, I'm sorry. Is there any new communications between the UN and Israel on the situation of UNRWA? And what is the latest updates or latest status of UNRWA’s working now?
Spokesman: Not aware of any more contacts. I did my daily check-in with my UNRWA colleague this morning. UNRWA operations across the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, are continuing.
Question: Business as usual?
Spokesman: I think I answered your question. Okay. Edie?
Question: You said yesterday that UN officials were going to meet with Israeli authorities on the… well, the entry into the training school and the attempted entries into the three other schools in East Jerusalem. Did that meeting take place?
Spokesman: I’m trying to get an update. I have not received an update to share with you. Okay. Oh, Evelyn. Sorry. And then we'll go
Question: Right. What's the main reason that there are no vaccines in East Africa?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, there it's a question of fewer vaccination rates that… I mean, the reasons can be multiple. It can be funding. It can be access, and it could be, you know, the disinformation that we've seen all around the world about the effectiveness of vaccines.
Question: And one more. While the UN is sending aid to Gaza, the rubble is certainly preventing a decent life there. Do you know of any plans that the UN is involved in that could help clear that?
Spokesman: Well, I think we're focusing on right now is the immediate needs — obviously, tarpaulins, tents. There's an effort to bring in mobile homes or caravans or more, let's say, more permanent temporary housing, to put it that way. Obviously, there are discussions that are being led by Egypt and the Arab League on the reconstruction of Gaza, which the Secretary-General very much supports. Hasta la vista, people.