HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY听ST脡PHANE DUJARRIC鈥,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANT脫NIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL/ ISRAEL/ OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
One month after the horrific events of 7 October, the Secretary-General reiterates his total condemnation of the acts of terror committed by Hamas in Israel for which there can be no justification. He will never forget the horrendous听images of civilians,听being killed and maimed and others being dragged away into captivity. He reiterates his appeal for their immediate and unconditional release.听
The Secretary-General remains extremely distressed by the killing of civilians in Gaza听and the听humanitarian catastrophe that continues to unfold in there, with an unimaginable toll on civilians.听He also reiterates his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY/HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that yesterday, 50 trucks carrying food, medicine, health supplies, bottled water and hygiene products crossed into Gaza from the Rafah crossing, in Egypt. 听
This brings the number of trucks that have entered Gaza through Rafah since October 21st to 526. And a reminder that 鈥 still today, no fuel has entered Gaza through Rafah. 听
And just to flag that the Government of Egypt has consented to the deployment of a UN technical humanitarian team to provide advice to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society on the delivery of aid to Gaza. The UN team will be based in Al Arish.
Overcrowding in UN facilities in Gaza remains a major concern. Just to give you one example, in the Khan Younis Training Center, where 22,000 displaced men, women and children have sought shelter, the space per person is less than two square metres, and there is one toilet for 600 people. The听United Nations Relief and Works Agency听for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that worsening sanitary conditions, along with the lack of privacy and space, pose great risks to the health and safety of people sheltering there.听
On the West Bank, OCHA tells us that, since 7th October, 147 Palestinians have been killed, including 44 children. Those killings have been done by Israeli forces; and an additional 8, including one child, have been killed by settlers.
The UN also continues to see displacement in the West Bank with over 900 people displaced, since October 7th, amid settler violence or access restrictions.听
Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will be representing the Secretary-General at an international humanitarian conference on Gaza. This meeting is taking place on Thursday, in Paris, and will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.听
For his part, Volker T眉rk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights has started a visit to the Middle East to engage with Government officials, civil society, and others on the human rights situation in the region. He is in Cairo today and is scheduled to visit Rafah 鈥 on the border with Gaza 鈥 tomorrow, before travelling to Amman on Thursday.
The High Commissioner has also sought access to Israel, the Occupied West Bank as well as Gaza.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO听
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) today said that they have launched听a joint operation with the Congolese armed forces in North Kivu to secure the key regional towns of Goma and Sake. Operation Springbok 鈥 as it is called - is being undertaken in response to ongoing clashes between members of the M23 militia and armed groups in the province as well as advances made by the M23 towards Sake. UN peacekeepers and the Congolese armed forces are patrolling in key areas to protect the population and deter further advances by the M23. The Mission has also established security perimeters near the Kitchanga base to help protect 25,000 people who have sought refuge in that base and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
SUDAN听
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today said that听4.5 million people have been internally displaced in Sudan, while 1.2 million others have fled to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan, as well as Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. That is almost six million people who have been forced to move since the start of the fighting in April of this year.听
UNHCR described the unfolding humanitarian crisis as unimaginable across Sudan, adding that they are very concerned that recent fighting in the Darfur region has caused even more displacement, where many do not have access to food, shelter, clean drinking water or other basic essentials, and sadly at least four children are still dying every week in White Nile State, as essential medicines, personnel, and supplies are lacking. 听
And a reminder that the Regional Refugee 听
Response Plan for the humanitarian needs in all these neighbouring countries that are receiving Sudanese refugees is currently only 39 per cent funded. 听
UNHCR is appealing for $1 billion for 64 partners in five countries. A separate appeal for the humanitarian needs inside Sudan is only a 33 per cent funded. That appeal aims to reach 18.1 million people and requires $2.6 billion.
NEPAL听
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that four days since the earthquake, the UN continues to support the Government-led response by providing shelter, food and medical supplies.听
The UN Children鈥檚 Fund (UNICEF) said that almost half of those reported killed and injured in the earthquake are children. Most homes have been damaged, along with schools, health centres and other infrastructure. 听
UNICEF has also distributed emergency supplies to 2,000听families including hygiene kits, buckets, mugs and water purifiers, as well as tarpaulins and blankets. Further, two medical tents have been set up in Nalgad municipality for the resumption of health services.听
Additional supplies, including 667 sets of WASH supplies have reached Rukum West area while 3,000 tarpaulins and blankets, as well as two medical tents have been dispatched to the affected areas.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is returning from Saudi Arabia today where she participated in the Opening Ceremony of the International Conference on Women in Islam.听
In her remarks, she discussed the importance of women's rights in Islam, highlighting the historical contributions of Muslim women and emphasizing the need for education, economic empowerment, and women's leadership, including a call to include women at the peace table.
LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES REPORT听
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) today released a report calling on the global community to urgently address the critical financial challenges faced by the world鈥檚 46 most vulnerable nations. 听
The Least Developed Countries Report warns that multiple global crises, the climate emergency, growing debt burdens, dependence on commodities and declining foreign investments into LDCs have strained their finances. 听
The report notes that the upcoming Loss and Damage Fund, set to debut at the COP28, could be a game changer if Least Developed Countries are among the main beneficiaries, enough resources are available, and disbursements are swift. 听
But UNCTAD warns that their financing requirements go far beyond climate concerns, encompassing broader economic and social challenges.
SENIOR PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENT鈥听
Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Indrika Ratwatte of Sri Lanka as his new Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan. 听Mr. Ratwatte will also serve as the Humanitarian Coordinator. 听
Mr. Ratwatte succeeds Ramiz Alakbarov of Azerbaijan, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service. 听The Secretary-General also recognizes the service of Daniel Endres as 听ad interim Deputy Special Representative, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. 听
Mr. Ratwatte brings over 30 years of experience in humanitarian affairs and protection in complex and crisis settings, including over 14 years of working on Afghanistan and regional issues. 听听
His most recent positions have included Director of UNHCR鈥檚 Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, where he previously also served as Deputy, and UNHCR鈥檚 Representative in Pakistan.
EVENT听
This afternoon, at 2:15pm, the Department of Political Affairs and the UN Human Rights Office are co-organizing an event听on 鈥淓nhancing the Quality and Effectiveness of Mediation Efforts through Human Rights鈥.The event will take place at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea, and the Under-Secretary-General for Political and 探花精选building Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York, Ilze Brands Kehris, will deliver remarks.听
This event will explore how human rights can enhance the quality and effectiveness of mediation efforts, including through opening space for political negotiations, strengthening ongoing peace processes and reinvigorating stalled efforts.听This will also be available on the webcast.
***The guest at the Noon Briefing was Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).听She spoke to reporters on the findings of her recent mission to Chad where she met with gender-basedviolence and fistula survivors, as well as women leaders.听听听
