Trip Announcement/Syria, Security Council, Syria/Transitional Justice & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right.
Let's get down to business.
I think you saw that this morning we issued a note on the Secretary-General upcoming travel to Syria.
He will arrive in Syria later this week at the invitation of the government of Syria.
In Damascus, he's scheduled to meet with President Ahmad al-Sharaa as well other government officials, including Foreign Minister Assad Al Shaibani.
This will be Antonio Gutierrez' first visit to Syria as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Throughout his stay in Syria, he will reaffirm the UN's commitment to supporting the Syrian government and the Syrian people at this defining period in the country's history.
He will also underscore the importance of respecting Syria's sovereignty, its unity, and its territorial integrity.
The visit will offer the Secretary-General an opportunity to witness both the hope and the challenges of the political transition and recovery, as well as the impact of the enduring years of conflict.
During the visit, he will hear firsthand from representatives of Syrian civil society, women's organization, and diverse communities.
While in Syria, the Secretary-General also plans to visit a um our colleagues from the UN disengagement Observer Force, otherwise known as Uf.
And we will continue to keep you informed of more details on the visit as it happens.
This morning, the Security Council also met to discuss Syria, Claudio Cordon, the Secretary-General Deputy Special envoy for Syria, brief from Damascus and told council members that despite challenges, the opportunities for Syria are indeed real.
He said in the past months has demonstrated both the opportunities and the fragility of Syria's transition.
He told council members that institutional milestones have been reached, but building confidence will require an effective and balanced system of governance with the meaningful participation by women and all components of Syrian society, continued progress on accountability and transitional justice, tangible improvements in the daily lives of the Syrian people.
Um, Mr.
Cordon also reiterated our support for the Syrian led and the Syrian owned political transition, adding that sustained commitment from international community, including the Security Council remains critical.
Also briefing was our colleague Edem Wosornu, as you know, is OSHA's Director of crisis response.
She also briefed on the humanitarian situation in the country.
Since December of 2024, she said some 1.7 million refugees 1.9 million internally displaced people have returned to their communities, but recovery is not measured only by how many people returned.
It is measured by whether or not they can stay, whether they can rebuild, and whether they can survive.
For many families in the country, she said daily life continues to be defined by difficult choices and uncertainty.
She asked council members for sustained and predictable humanitarian funding, investments in the foundations of recovery.
Finally, she called on them to prevent further instability, protect civilians, and preserve humanitarian access.
Those remarks have been shared with you.
Also staying on Syria There is a sorry, there will be a Aria formula meeting of the Security Council on Transitional Justice and the issue of missing people in Syria.
Our friend, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk will be briefing.
He will stress that justice and inclusivity centered on victims and survivors and the families of the missing are essential to rebuilding trust and securing a more peaceful future for all Syrians.
His remarks will be shared with you and posted online.
Um, Staying in the region, I can tell you that the Secretary-General remains deeply concerned by the continuing and expanding military escalation between Iran and the United States over the past few days.
The crisis has already affected Iran, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, placing pressure on trade systems, placing pressure on humanitarian access on transport costs, and the price of fuel and basic commodities in those countries and beyond.
The Secretary-General is particularly concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran, including a nuclear power plant under construction and a desalination plant and also across the region, we've seen attacks on power plants and desalination plants in Kuwait and other places.
Such attacks are unacceptable and must stop immediately.
The Secretary-General reiterates once again that there is no military solution to this conflict, and he calls for intensifying diplomatic efforts towards a peaceful and durable settlement.
Such a settlement should include the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz, vital infrastructure on which civilians rely for survival, including hospitals, water supplies must be spared.
All parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.
Um, I was just given a senior appointment today.
The Secretary-General has appointed Damien Mama of Bina as his ad interim deputy Special Representative for the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the ad interim resident coordinator in the DRC.
He will also serve as humanitarian coordinator, triple hatted, as we call them.
Mr.
Mama takes up his ad interim eointment following the departure of Bruneult Marquis of France, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his leadership and dedicated commitment to advancing humanitarian development efforts in the DRC.
Mr.
Mama brings more than 25 years of experience in development, humanitarian affairs, peace operations, and strategic leadership across the country.
His last post was resident representative of the UN Development Program in the DRC.
Back to the Middle East and Lebanon, our humanitarian colleagues on the ground tell us that many displaced families still cannot return home safely due to continuing attacks with more than 400,000 human beings still displaced across Lebanon.
That includes 30,000 people living in collective shelters.
Our partners continue to report that displaced families still have significant humanitarian needs.
During recent visits to collective shelters, families described to our colleagues worsening shelter conditions, reduced access to water and hygiene services, and limited opportunities to earn an income.
Many also said they're increasingly relying on borrowing funds to meet basic needs, including the purchase of essential medicines.
Families have also said that repeated attempts to return home have often been reversed due to insecurity, damaged infrastructure, and limited access to basic services back in their home areas.
Many also reported challenges accessing adequate water, nutrition, and other basic services for children.
We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
Humanitarian assistance must be sustained and facilitated for families to be able to return home safely and in dignity.
Turning to Sudan, a quick update on the activities of Peka Haveso, the Secretary-General personal envoy for Sudan.
He concluded this week a four day visit to Uganda, during which he met with President Museveni and other senior Ugandan officials.
During their meetings, Mr.
Davesto and the president discussed Sudan, obviously, ongoing mediation efforts and the refugee situation.
Mr.
Davesto also reaffirmed his commitment to maintain close cooperation with Uganda and the region with a view to helping end the conflict in Sudan.
While in Uganda, Mr.
Davesto also met with Sudanese political actors and representatives Sudanese civil society, including women's group, youth groups, refugees, and members of resistance committees.
Sorry, I should have included this after Lebanon, but I'll go to the occupied Palestinian territory.
Our colleagues at the Humanitarian Affairs Office tell us that over the past few days, several people have been reportedly killed and injured in the Gaza strip.
Last Friday, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured in an Israeli drone strike outside of a grocery store west of the Nusrat refugee camp.
Strike coincided with mourners leaving a nearby funeral prayer when the area was crowded.
Again, we condemn all killings of civilians.
Earlier last week on Wednesday, a teacher was injured after reportedly being shot at receiving fire by Israeli forces while she was working inside a temporary learning center just west of Han Yunus.
According to our partners supporting education, some 26 education related incidents have been reported since the beginning of the year.
We reiterate again that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
Despite persistent security issues and despite severe operational constraints, our humanitarian partners are continuing to restore and expand access to basic education wherever possible.
After more than two years of prolonged disruption to learning, during the first half of this year, our partners helped 435 1,000 pre primary and school age children, including approximately 9,300 children with disabilities, get access to structured learning through 610 temporary learning spaces.
Around 344,000 children will also receive essential learning and teaching materials.
Our partners also support 11,000 teachers and education personnel through initiatives focused on education in emergencies, disability, inclusive programming, quality learning, and safe learning environments.
Yesterday, our deputy humanitarian coordinator Susannah Tikk met with the leadership at the Emirate Hospital in Rafah to discuss some practical solutions for strengthening medical waste management in Gaza.
They discussed addressing risks linked to safe collection, handling, and disposal of medical waste, which is a big problem.
This amid continued pressure on health facilities throughout Gaza strip.
Further, on the health front, the World Health Organization and its partners yesterday, supported the medical evacuation of nine child patients and 15 of their companions to Jordan, as well as one adult patient to Companion to Turkey.
Since October of 2023, 12,700 patients, including 61163 children have been evacuated abroad to more than 30 countries for treatment.
Many more people need to be evacuated from Gaza to receive medical help they cannot get currently there.
A quick update from Afghanistan where humanitarian colleagues are responding to the impact of heavy rainfall and flash flooding that hit certain parts of the east of the country yesterday.
Preliminary reports indicate that more than 40 people were killed, dozens are injured, and many remain missing.
The flooding also caused extensive damage to homes, public building, and businesses.
Search and rescue operations are continuing in the worst affected area.
While we and our humanitarian partners are conducting assessments and planning for the response, our immediate humanitarian priorities include emergency shelter, food assistance, health services, essential household items, and psychosocial support.
Mobile health teams have already been deployed, health facilities have been placed on alert, and additional medical, nutrition, food supplies are being mobilized.
OCHA Ts are coordinating with partners and local authorities through though damaged roads in difficult terrain makes the response that much more difficult.
In Rwanda, we and our humanitarian partners are continuing to support the government led efforts to strengthen preparedness measure against Ebola.
While no Ebola cases have been confirmed in Rwanda, the country remains at risk due to its proximity to affected areas and the movement of people across borders.
The government supported by ourselves and our humanitarian partners have a national Ebola preparedness plan which calls for $40 million.
We're supporting their work in surveillance, lab capacity, case management, and infection prevention, control water sanitation, and risk communication.
The UN emergency response fund allocated $2 million last week to support these efforts.
And in Venezuela, nearly four weeks after the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, our OCHA colleagues tell us that we and our partners are doing all we can to scale up support for impacted communities as needs remain significant in areas hardest hit by the disaster.
Our estimates is that some 117,000 human beings have been reached with critical aid so far, including nearly 40,000 in LaGuria, the worst impacted state.
Water, sanitation and hygiene support makes up the largest share of assistance that's been provided.
We and our partners are providing vital relief through five temporary camps in LaGuria as well as surrounding communities.
Since the onset of the emergency, the World Food Program has reached 97,000 people with food assistance, while IOM has reached more than 88,000 through shelter, site coordination, health, protection, and other services.
Meanwhile, our partners at the Pan American Health Organization are coordinating the response of emergency medical teams.
To date, 16 such teams have been deployed, providing consultation and treatment including some 250 surgeries to more than 17,000 people.
Again, we call for the international community to show solidarity and help fund our humanitarian appeal, which includes a six months plan to assist 1.3 million people impacted by the earthquakes.
The appeal is less than 40% funded.
And we and our colleagues we and our colleagues at UNHCR deeply saddened concerned the reports that 144 human beings are either dead or missing as a result of the tragic maritime accident off the coast of Mauritania last week.
UNHCR national authorities and humanitarian partners were there for the three rescue and disembarkation which took place last week.
387 people were safely brought out.
It's a stark reminder that despite sustained efforts, By various partners to save lives, the route from West Africa towards the Canary Islands is one of the world's deadliest mixed movement corridors with refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe facing the highest risk.
Against this backdrop, the rescues in Mauritania, as we said here many times, and concerted efforts need to be targeted towards creating alternatives to dangerous sea crossing, including meaningful quicker access to legal pathways as well as increased labor and educational opportunities.
Speaking of educational opportunities, Iy, waiting to be taught.
Thank you, Steph.
Two questions.
First, is the Secretary-General personally involved in trying to promote a restoration of diplomacy in the Iran conflict? I think his message, both publicly and privately is the same through contacts he's had, contacts that his personal envoge has had and continues to have.
Is that we are teetering.
We do not want to see a return to a full scale conflict.
We're seeing the price of commodities rise again.
I think our friends from the food agencies gave a pretty sober assessment of food security in the world currently.
I think it's incumbent on the Secretary-General and all parties to do whatever you can to push for a return to diplomacy and we're very thankful at the mediating lead that Pakistan has taken assisted by others in that regard.
Has he been speaking to any leaders that you can tell us about? I have nothing to share with you at this point.
And my second question is, is the Secretary-General planning any other stops in the Middle East after he's in Syria? Nothing to share with you on that.
As you will recall, we had announced a trip to Cyprus, which will take place in the same calendar zone as the trip to Syria.
Gabriel, Thanks, Steph.
On the conflict in the Gulf, just some more specifics.
Did the Secretary-General receive the letter from the permanent representative from Qatar in the last 24 hours and does he have any specific reaction to it? I mean, I know we've received a number of letters which have been circulated.
The letters will be answered.
But obviously, the Secretary-General, as we said, is extremely concerned by the attacks we've seen on civilian infrastructure in places like Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and other places, as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran.
And you said that the Secretary-General does not want to return to full scale hostilities, I think was the word whatever word you want to use Similar.
Fair point.
My question is, how do you define that? We've had bombing by the United States on Iran for ten straight days now in some way, shape, or form, including some from Iran to other regional countries.
How do you define when we get to that point? Listen, I think, Gabriel, yours is a fair point as well.
It's a moving line.
Do we call this a full return to war? Could it be worse? Could it be better? Clearly.
But I think we've seen since the start of the conflict, we have seen periods of much higher intensity kinetic activity involving more countries.
We do not want to go back to that.
We do need to see a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible based on the historical freedom of navigation that should exist.
Yes, please, San.
Thank you, Steph.
I have a question regarding IG's visit to Syria.
You said he's going to meet diverse communities.
I was wondering if he's going to meet these diverse communities in Damascus, or is he going to, for example, coastal area, meet the Alawites communities and in South and northeastern.
I think most of his meetings will take place in the Greater Damascus area.
The Secretary-General, I should say Antonio Gutierrez has a long history with Syria as High Commissioner for refugees.
He spent a lot of time there, a number of visits.
Also at the point back then to thank the Syrian people for their generosity in hosting many Iraqi refugees.
I think if it was up to him, he would go to a lot of different places.
But obviously, the constraints and security constraints, especially that exist, really limit him, for the most part to the Greater Damascus area, but he hopes to meet as many representatives that reflect the diversity of Syria.
Anybody online? Okay.
That's me, Stefano.
Thank you, S.
Mr.
Vara, please.
Yes.
I hope they didn't ask you this question before, Mayor Madani recently declared that that he's looking into the possibility that an NYPD could arrest the premier of Israel Netanya when he's coming in September.
Again, then President Trump said, this is absolutely is not going to happen.
So what is the position of the Can you hear me? I can hear you.
I'm just waiting for you to finish your question.
What the position of the Secretary-General on this kind of a debate in the possibility or not that Premier Netanyahu could be arrested in New York? We will not get in between the debate between our host mayor and the president of our host country at this point.
Yes.
But there is I don't know, what is the preparation, when the premier of Israel or any leader of a country come to the UN? There is any advises that the UN gives them to do or not to do when they are in the city of.
We do not tell our visiting dignitaries where they should go, what they should do outside of the UN.
We let them do their own program, we are responsible for them while they are inside the United Nations.
The rest is a coordination of a mix of federal, state, and city authorities.
I would encourage you to ask any one of those entities outside of the gates of this place.
Okay.
Thank you all.
Esta? Yeah? Okay.