91ÖÆƬ³§

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 10 JUNE 2025
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ROME TRIP ANNOUNCEMENTÌý
The Secretary-General landed in Rome a short while ago – after he concluded his program in Nice at the Ocean conference.Ìý
Tomorrow, Wednesday 11 June, he will be in Vatican City for an audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The Secretary-General looks forward to continuing the cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See, notably on efforts to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Ìý
The Secretary-General will return to New York tomorrow. Ìý
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OCEAN CONFERENCEÌý
During a press event at the Ocean Conference, the Secretary-General told journalists we are in Nice on a mission – to save the ocean to save our future. Ìý
He warned that the Ocean is approaching a tipping point, adding that powerful interests are pushing us towards the brink. Ìý
We are facing a hard battle with a clear enemy: greed, Guterres told journalists. A greed that sows doubt, that denies science, that distorts truth, that rewards corruption and destroys life for profit.Ìý
He added we are in Nice this week to stand in solidarity against those forces and reclaim what belongs to us all. Ìý
The Secretary-General said we have a moral duty to ensure future generations inherit oceans swarming with life, and he called for stronger global cooperation, for action on plastic pollution and for the fight against climate change to extend to the seas. Ìý Ìý
He also encouraged those countries that have yet to sign the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction to do so without delay. With ratifications coming in at a record rate, the treaty’s entry into force is now within sight.Ìý
Before leaving Nice, the Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with Mohamed Al-Menfi, the Head of the Presidential Council of Libya and with Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, the Vice-President of Tanzania.Ìý

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORYÌý
Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that hostilities and hunger continue to fuel desperation among more than two million people who are being denied the basics necessary for their survival, amid reports of ongoing Israeli military operations.  Ìý
In northern Gaza, Israeli military operations have intensified in recent days, with mass casualties reported. Hungry and displaced people have also reportedly been killed while risking their lives to access food at militarized distribution hubs.  Ìý
Meanwhile, four new displacement orders have been issued by the Israeli authorities for northern areas of Gaza since 6 June. The last of these was said to be in response to reported Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. Combined, they cover about eight square kilometres but largely overlap with previously issued orders.Ìý
OCHA underscores that civilians must be protected, including those fleeing and forced to leave through displacement orders and those who remain despite those orders. Civilians who flee must be allowed to return as soon as circumstances allow. OCHA reiterates that civilians must be able to receive the humanitarian assistance they need, wherever they are. All of this is required by international humanitarian law. Ìý
Yesterday, some supplies, mainly flour, were collected from the Kerem Shalom crossing. The aid was bound for Gaza City but was taken directly from the trucks by hungry and desperate people who have now endured months of deprivation. Ìý
Separately, there have also been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which are completely unacceptable. OCHA reiterates that Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility with regards to public order and safety in Gaza. That should include letting in far more essential supplies through multiple crossings and routes, to meet humanitarian needs and help reduce looting.ÌýÌý Ìý
Today, additional supplies have been sent to Kerem Shalom, and humanitarian partners continue their efforts to pick up supplies when they are allowed access by the Israeli authorities.Ìý
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities continue to deny many humanitarian movements within the Strip to provide whatever limited services available to the population. Yesterday, they rejected 11 out of 18 attempts by the UN to coordinate such movements. These included trucking water, retrieving fuel, carrying out a rescue mission in Khan Younis, and repairing roads.  Ìý
In the West Bank, today, at around midnight, Israeli forces launched an operation in Nablus, focusing on the Old City. They imposed a curfew, conducted house-to-house searches and reportedly used a school as an interrogation centre. ÌýAt least 20 homes have been searched, with reports of damage to property. Ìý
Yesterday in Jenin, the Israeli authorities announced an imminent plan to demolish nearly 96 structures – most of them residential – in Jenin camp. Over 280 families who stand to be affected have been given 72 hours to retrieve their personal belongings.Ìý
In Tulkarm, Israeli operations have intensified in its camps – Tulkarm and Nur Shams – since 6 June, coinciding with Eid al Adha. The forces have implemented demolition orders for 58 structures. More than three dozen buildings have been demolished so far, according to UNRWA, with destruction extending beyond the original orders issued at the start of the month.Ìý
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MYANMARÌý
Julie Bishop, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, briefed the General Assembly this morning and said that fighting across Myanmar continues and that the humanitarian crisis impacting its people is far worse than when she briefed last October.Ìý
There has been no end to the violence, let alone any significant pause in the conflict between the warring parties, and the scale of the conflict has escalated over the four years since the military takeover in February 2021, she said. And she warned that if there is no end to the violence, Myanmar is on a path to self-destruction.Ìý
A zero-sum approach persists on all sides, Ms. Bishop said, adding that the flow of weapons into the country is fueling the expectations that a military solution is within reach.Ìý
She reiterated the call from the UN Security Council, articulated in Resolution 2669, for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi. Ìý
Regarding the recovery from the earthquake, she said that midway into 2025, the UN Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which covers the entire country, is less than eight per cent funded. Without urgent funding, the Special Envoy said, recovery efforts risk stalling, particularly as monsoon rains and floods heighten the risk of disease.Ìý

IRAQ Ìý
This morning, the Security Council held an open briefing on the situation in Iraq. Mohamed Al Hassan, the Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), spoke about the progress made in Iraq in preparing for the national parliamentary elections set for November, and said that UNAMI will provide the most professional technical support needed.Ìý
With just over six months remaining before UNAMI’s mandate ends, Mr. Al Hassan assured the Council members that the Mission continues to pursue a structured transition according to schedule and in close cooperation with the Government of Iraq Transition Team. Ìý
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SUDAN Ìý
Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is alarmed by intensifying violence in the greater Kordofan region and the growing humanitarian impact of the fighting there. Air strikes have reportedly hit residential areas of Al Obeid city in North Kordofan state, in recent days, injuring civilians. OCHA reports that conflict in the Kordofan region continues to hinder aid operations, leaving many people in need out of reach. Ongoing battles have brought the fighting closer to critical pastoral routes, which herders use to move their livestock. Ìý
The humanitarian situation elsewhere in the country also remains dire. In Northern state, partners report that nearly 6,000 people newly displaced from North Darfur – many of them older, wounded or suffering from chronic diseases – arrived in Ad Dabbah locality during the last two weeks of May. They urgently need healthcare, safe drinking water and protection services, including support for survivors of gender-based violence. Ìý
In Khartoum state, cholera remains a threat, despite recent progress in the response by the UN, our partners and local authorities. Over 1,300 new cases were recorded by health authorities there between May 26th and June 1st, down from 7,000 the previous week. While the fatality rate has declined, partners warn that underreporting may be masking the true scale of the outbreak. Ìý
OCHA also reports that while displacement remains staggering, there has been a slight decline in the overall number of people uprooted by the conflict. Since December, about 1.2 million internally displaced people have returned to their areas of origin — a nearly 90 per cent increase since April. Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý
The majority returned to Al Jazirah, followed by Sennar and Khartoum states. Basic services remain very limited in these areas, and returnees will require significant support. Ìý
The UN once again calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian access across conflict lines and borders. In addition, greater national and international support is urgently required to scale up the response and meet rising needs across Sudan. Ìý
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ABYEI Ìý
The UN Mission in Abyei (UNISFA) reports that a Joint Women’s Committee of Ngok Dinka and Misseriya women was launched this week in Todach, marking a key step toward inclusive peace and security in the region. Ìý
The committee will promote women’s participation in peace dialogue, conflict prevention, and reconciliation, while addressing security concerns and advocating for empowerment. Ìý

UKRAINE Ìý
Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that according to local authorities, between June 5th and today, several civilians were killed and injured, including children, across urban centres and front-line areas of the country. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa – Ukraine’s most populated cities – were particularly impacted. In the capital Kyiv, several first responders were reportedly killed and others wounded on duty while responding to earlier strikes. In Odesa, three health facilities—an emergency medical services station, a maternity hospital and a blood centre—sustained damage, according to the World Health Organization. Since the escalation of the war in February 2022, WHO has verified 2,446 attacks on health care across the country. On June 6th, in Kherson region, local authorities report that a clearly marked Ukrainian Red Cross vehicle was destroyed in a strike. No personnel were injured.Ìý
Meanwhile, in the west of the country, the regions of Rivne, Ternopil and Volyn, previously less impacted by hostilities, also came under attack over the weekend. Civilians were injured and thousands were left without electricity following the attack. The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned the attacks, calling them a stark reminder of the terror Ukrainians across the country experience daily.Ìý
In all affected locations, we, along with national and international humanitarian organizations, distributed emergency shelter materials, hot meals and provided psychosocial support. Assistance continues amidst intensifying violence. Ìý

HAITI
Turning to Haiti, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the country is entering the 2025 hurricane season with no emergency stockpile amid lack of funding.
The World Food Programme reports that for the first time ever, its teams have no prepositioned food stocks in the country, nor the cash liquidity to mount a swift humanitarian response in the case of a hurricane or extreme weather event.
In previous years, WFP could rapidly assist between 250,000 and 500,000 people in the immediate aftermath of a shock. The current lack of contingency stocks and operational funds leaves Haiti’s most at-risk communities dangerously unprotected at a time of heightened vulnerability
The UN and partners have pre-positioned water, hygiene and sanitation kits for over 100,000 people and health supplies for 20,000 people across the country. ÌýHowever, these items, while important, are not sufficient on their own to meet life-saving needs in an emergency, especially in the absence of food. Limited logistics capacity further compounds the risk of catastrophic delays in the critical first hours of any new emergency.
This shortfall comes as Haiti faces a deepening humanitarian crisis. Armed violence has displaced over 1 million people and continues to severely disrupt access to basic services. Food insecurity remains widespread, with more than 5.7 million people—nearly half the population—facing acute hunger, including 2.1 million in IPC Phase 4 (emergency levels). Haiti is one of only five countries worldwide with people facing famine-like conditions.
The country’s extreme vulnerability to natural disasters adds another layer to the crisis.
OCHA stresses that humanitarians remain committed to supporting affected communities. Alongside national authorities, they continue to deliver food, clean water, healthcare, hygiene kits, shelter, and psychosocial support despite insecurity and severe underfunding. OCHA calls on international partners to act urgently to fill these critical gaps and help ensure a timely and effective response as the hurricane season unfolds.
The $908 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Haiti is currently just over 8 per cent funded with $75 million received.
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COLOMBIAÌý
The Secretary-General strongly condemned the attempt on the life of Miguel Uribe Turbay, the Colombian presidential precandidate, in Bogota on 7 June. Ìý
The Secretary-General hopes for Mr. Uribe Turbay’s full recovery and expresses his solidarity with his family and the Colombian people.  This deplorable act of political violence must be fully investigated and those responsible brought to justice. The coming elections present an opportunity for Colombians to further strengthen their democracy through a peaceful electoral process. Ìý

RESIDENT COORDINATOR/ECUADOR  Ìý
The UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) says that on 8 June, Laura Melo of Portugal took up her new post as UN Resident Coordinator in Ecuador. Her appointment follows the host Government’s approval. ÌýShe brings more than 20 years of experience in development and humanitarian work, with a focus on supporting the most vulnerable. ÌýShe most recently led WFP’s operations in Venezuela after holding similar roles in Guatemala and Cuba.  Ìý
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BIRTH RATES Ìý
The United Nations Population Fund today released a report showing that millions of people are unable to have the number of children they want, but not because they are rejecting parenthood. According to UNFPA, economic and social barriers are stopping them. Ìý
The report finds that one in five people globally don’t expect to have the number of children they desire. Key drivers include the prohibitive cost of parenthood, job insecurity, housing, concerns over the state of the world, and the lack of a suitable partner. UNFPA notes that a toxic blend of economic precarity and sexism play a role in many of these issues. Ìý
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DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS Ìý
Today is International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. Ìý
In his message, the Secretary-General says that on this first International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, we celebrate the rich diversity of civilizations as a force to promote mutual understanding and global solidarity. Ìý

PROGRAMMING NOTEÌý
Tomorrow Sharon Birch, the Spokesperson for the President of the UN General Assembly, will brief reporters.Ìý
Also, tomorrow, at 12:45 p.m., in this room, there will be a hybrid Press Briefing by Bob Rae, the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ÌýHe will be here, in person, to brief on Haiti and on the Joint Meeting of ECOSOC and the 91ÖÆƬ³§building Commission on Haiti.  Ìý