Noon briefing of 26 January 2026

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 26 JANUARY 2026

SECURITY COUNCIL 

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. 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. 

AFGHANISTAN  

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 

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 UNFPA, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and 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 with the UN Population Fund, 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 reentry and scale-up of humanitarian assistance. 

LAST ISRAELI HOSTAGE IN GAZA 

In response to questions about the reports about the remains of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili, having been recovered, the Spokesman said 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, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 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.  

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 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 automative 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, our peacekeeping mission there  -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 fueling ethnic tensions and risks drawing civilian communities into the conflict.  

The Peacekeeping mission 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 estimates that more than 1,000 people were displaced by clashes between the 20th and 24th of this month from the besieged cities of Kadugli and Dilling, all in South Kordofan. 

Since October, more than 65,000 people have been uprooted across the wider Kordofan region. The UN Refugee Agency also observed that 6,500 people have crossed into South Sudan since early December. 

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 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, 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  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 degrees Celsius. 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, 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 roadmap 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 

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.  

MOZAMBIQUE 

From Mozambique, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that the floods continue to impact hundreds of thousands of people across the country’s southern and central regions. According to authorities, more than 650,000 men, women and children are now estimated to be impacted by the floods, with some 100,000 people being hosted in 99 temporary accommodation centers. 

The UN Humanitarian Air Service has activated emergency flights to flood-affected areas in the south to support the humanitarian response. 

We, along with our humanitarian partners, continue to support the Government-led response. Yesterday, nearly 90 metric tonnes of UNICEF humanitarian supplies arrived in the country.  

The supplies, which will support 50,000 people, mainly children and their families, include tents, nutrition, health, and wash, sanitation and hygiene supplies.  

SHIPWRECKS/CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN 

Our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration tell us that they are deeply concerned by reports of multiple deadly shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean in recent days, which IOM is currently verifying. Severe weather significantly hampered search and rescue operations.  

IOM said that in Lampedusa, Italy, three deaths have been confirmed following a search and rescue operation involving a boat that departed from Sfax, Tunisia. Survivors from the same operation reported that another boat departed from the same location and at the same time as theirs but never arrived.  

In addition, the Italian Coast Guard is reportedly coordinating search operations to locate other boats reported missing or in distress in recent days.  

Separately, reports indicate that at least 51 people are feared to have lost their lives following a shipwreck off the coast of Tobruk, Libya. While IOM is still seeking official confirmation, the scale of the reported fatalities points to yet another major tragedy in the Central Mediterranean. 

IOM noted that these tragedies once again underscore the lethal consequences of migrant smuggling and trafficking networks that continue to operate with impunity, deliberately sending people to sea on unseaworthy and overcrowded boats. IOM emphasized the urgent need for the international community to intensify efforts to dismantle these criminal networks and prevent further loss of life. 

HONOUR ROLL 

The payments from Singapore, Slovakia and the United Arab Emirates bring the number of Member States on the Honour Roll to 27.                       

 **Guests 

UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, Ted Chaiban and the World Food Programme’s Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau briefed reporters about their recent visit to Gaza.