Friends of Football, Football, SG Travels & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

There we go.
Good afternoon.
Just a couple of programming notes.
After the briefing, we will be joined by our friend Shantanu Murkje, who as you know, is the Director of Economic Analysis and Policy Division in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
He will also be joined by Innkre Pterley senior economist and officer in charge of the Global Economic monitoring Branch and they'll be here to brief you on the World Economic S and Prospects report as of mid 2026.
Also want to flag to you that there will be an event in the An event at the General Assembly Hall this afternoon at 3:00 P.M.
Representatives from member states, permanent observers, particularly ambassadors, as well as high ranking guests from the Secretariat and top soccer players will participate in the marking of World Football Day, and the event this year focuses on refugees and soccer.
The event has been co hosted by Bahrain and Tajikistan, who are the co chairs of the UN Friends of Football.
Starting at 5:00 P.M.
There will be a soccer tournament taking place on the North lawn with permanent representatives, more junior diplomats, and a number of former professional soccer players as well as the president of the General Assembly herself.
They'll be competing against each other under regional groups using a knockout system, 5:00 P.M.
North Lawn.
Be there, wear your jerseys and ahead of Also on the same topic, the UN refugee agency today announced its game changing team, a symbolic team comprised of soccer players who have backgrounds as refugees or displaced people.
The team embodies hope, courage, resilience, and the power of what is possible when people displaced by war and persecution are met with safety, opportunity, and welcome.
It highlights the power of football to be more than a game for young refugees, it can be healing, it can bring hope, and it can bring belonging.
It also has the power to change lives.
This team has been captained by UNHR Goodwill Ambassador Alfonso Davies.
Was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled war in Liberia.
You all know that he is the current captain of the Canadian National Football Team.
The Secretary-General is in Tokyo for another two days or another day, depending on the calendar.
Today, this morning, he chaired the bi annual session of the UN System Chief Executive Board for coordination, known as the CB, which brings together the heads of all UN agencies for better coordination across the system.
During these sessions, CB members reflect on the current world affairs as they affect and relate to the UN system while engaging on deliberations on mega trends transforming the world, as well as the UN AD initiatives.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will have an audience with, um with His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan.
He will also meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr.
Toshimitsu.
Before leaving Japan, he will also hold a press conference at the National Press Club in Tokyo and we'll of course, share those remarks with you.
As I've been asked this morning about the deadly events that took place in San Diego yesterday, and I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns yesterday's deadly attack on a mosque in San Diego, in California in which three people were killed.
The Secretary-General reaffirms that attacks on places of worships are particularly heinous and stresses the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.
He stands in solidarity with the Muslim community and calls for full investigation into the attack.
I have not a quick, but I do have an update for you on our efforts around the Ebola outbreak in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
As we speak, the World Health Organization is holding the first meeting of the emergency committee that was convened by doctor Tedros, WHO's Director General.
I After today's meeting, the emergency committee will advise on recommendations to be issued by WHO and its member states.
On the ground earlier today, doctor Ann Ansa, who is WHO's representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reiterated that this new Ebola outbreak is occurring in a highly complex epidemiological, operational, and humanitarian context marked by insecurity, population displacement, and both densely populated and remote areas.
She said WHO is working closely with government, local leaders, and other partners to listen and work with communities.
Community engagement is key.
To address any sort of outbreak and getting it under control.
WHO is supporting the scale up of surveillance, contact tracing, testing, clinical care, and cross border preparedness.
The agency has deployed experts to the field alongside with national responders and 12 tons of supplies, including personal protective equipment for frontline health workers.
WHO is also working with partners such as the NGOs Alema and MSF to set up treatment centers and expand care in affected areas.
For its part, the UN Children's Fund has mobilized 50 tons of infection prevention and control supplies such as disinfectant soaps, personal protective equipment, and water purification tablets and water tanks in Bunia a multidisciplinary emergency rapid response team is also scheduled to arrive imminently to provide technical assistance in priority areas, including support for risk communication and community engagement activities.
A UNICEF says over 2000 community health workers are already in place, but additional capacity and resources are urgently needed to ensure effective coverage, particularly in hard to reach areas.
For its part, the UN refugee agency reminds us that more than 2 million internally displaced people and returnees live in Etoria North Kivu provinces in the eastern DRC.
UNHR is particularly concerned that capacity for healthcare in these provinces has been severely weakened, leaving displaced communities with severely reduced access to medical care, disease surveillance, and isolation capacity, as well as referral systems.
The outbreak also raises serious concerns for refugees living in these affected areas.
In North Kivu, particularly, UNHR is closely following the closure of the Goma Giseneni and Bukavu borders.
They're assessing implications for cross border movements, voluntary repatriation and humanitarian access while strengthening prevention measures at the Goma Transit Center in the DRC.
Over in Uganda, our team there is supporting government led efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak under the leadership of the resident coordinator, Leonard Zulu with WHO leading the Technical Health Response or UN team together with NGO partners, has activated a coordinated system wide response to support national authorities in containing the outbreak and stopping further spread of this disease.
The UN system in Uganda has already repurposed some $3.5 million in existing resources and is mobilizing additional support to strengthen response efforts on the ground.
Agencies and partners are providing operational, logistic, and community level support, including contact tracing, cross border surveillance, risk communication, infection prevention measures, food assistance, protective equipment, and medical supplies for the affected communities, as well, of course, for the frontline responders.
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Ukraine.
In her remarks, Kyoko Goto, the Director for Europe Central Asia Division in the Department of Political and Peace Building Affairs said that war in Ukraine is becoming deadlier by the day.
Last week alone, she said we witnessed one of the largest aerial bombardments of Ukraine since the Russian Federation's full scale invasion of that country in February 2022.
Inside the Russian Federation, reported Ukrainian airstrikes have also led to increasing civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings.
She called for negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation to resume without delay, to prevent further escalation and to make meaningful progress towards a full immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Also briefing was Adam Wosornu, the director of OCHA Crisis Response Division.
She told council members that humanitarian workers in Ukraine came under repeated attacks last week.
She detailed the incidents including where two separate and clearly marked UN convoys were hit while carrying lifesaving assistance to civilians in need.
She added that other humanitarian missions were hit, injuring humanitarian workers, and damaging humanitarian assets.
These attacks are intensifying, she said, and called on all parties to urgently assess these incidents so they do not happen again.
3:00 P.M.
The Security Council will reconvene for a briefing on the situation in the Middle East as requested by Bahrain.
The International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi is scheduled to brief members via VTC on the weekend incident in the UAE.
We're trying to get his remarks for you.
If we can get them, we will share them with you.
Moving to Lebanon, the force commander of our peacekeeping mission in Southern Lebanon, Major General Ydato Albara held a meeting with ambassadors of UNIFIL troop contributing countries as well as the permanent, the representatives of the Permanent five Security Council members, ambassadors in Beirut.
General Albana briefed them on the situation on the ground in Southern Lebanon, UNIFILs operations under resolution 1701, and our continued support to local communities in Southern Lebanon.
Today, until 4:00 P.M.
Local time, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported a total of 206 firing incidents originating from IDF positions and seven trajectories attributed to Lebanese non state actors presumed to be Hezbollah.
They also detected five airstrikes in our own area of operations.
Yesterday, UNFLPeacekeepers observed multiple airstrikes in the vicinity of Al Mansuri, Fronbat, hun, and Krika.
Additionally, two airstrikes were reported north of the Liani River in the vicinity of autar Al Khaba And yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers observed 384 firing incidents attributed to the IDF, 43 trajectories from Lebanese non state actors presumed to be Hezbollah.
They also observed 21 projectile interceptions over our area of operations.
We continue to urge all actors to fully respect the cessation of hostilities, cease any further attacks and comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.
This should be done at all times and without exception.
Over the past day, three security cameras installed at UNIFIL headquarters in Nekora were seen to be removed by IDF personnel.
These cameras show the immediate vicinity of UNIFIL headquarters and are critical to ensuring the safety and security of both our premises and our military and civilian peacekeepers who are living inside the compound.
We remind the Israeli defense forces of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and to respect the inviability of our premises.
Amid continued violence, UNIFIL peacekeepers have facilitated the delivery of food, water, hygiene kits, medicines, medical supplies to hundreds of families.
Yesterday, a UNIFIL OCHA civil military coordination cell facilitated multiple missions by humanitarian organizations to assist affected populations in and several villages in the eastern sector of Unifil.
Also on the humanitarian front in Lebanon, our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that continued hostilities are driving casualties, forcing people to flee, deepening humanitarian needs.
Some 95,000 people have fled as a result of the repeated displacement orders issued since last weekend.
Healthcare also continues to come under fire.
Yesterday, double strike in the city of Mark in South Governoate reportedly killed one paramedic on 16 May strike hit a health response point in the city of Khana, as well as other areas near a hospital in Nabati governed in Lebanon.
Since March 2nd, the World Health Organization has recorded 169 attacks on health care, resulting in 116 deaths, 263 injuries, including 23 attacks and 18 deaths since the cease fire was announced, further undermining people's access to lifesaving services.
Our partners continue to respond how and where they can.
Since March 2nd, They've distributed nearly 10 million meals as well as 170,000 blankets and 130,000 mattresses, but the humanitarian response is significantly underfunded.
The Lebanon flash appeals receive just over half or that's about $158 million of what is actually needed.
In light of the continued hostilities, the rising needs, the humanitarian country team in consultation with the Lebanese government is working to extend the flash appeal, which initially set to run for only three months.
So that aid can continue to be delivered to those who need it.
But for that, we need cash.
Turning to the occupied Pasian territory, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that yesterday 20 patients and over 40 of their companions were medically evacuated through the Rafah crossing with support of the World Health Organization and its partners.
As a reminder, thousands of people still need medical services that are unavailable in Gaza.
Once referrals to the West Bank resume, including East Jerusalem, more patients will be able to access care.
Meanwhile, scaling up health services within Gaza remains a top priority, which requires facilitating the entry of critical equipment.
Also, yesterday, the International Organization for Migration said that in collaboration with local partners, it continued to increase emergency shelter intervention in April using repurposed wood and metal pallets that are used to bring in humanitarian goods into Gaza.
This has enabled the production of 73 large family kits, which include high quality durable plastic sheets, nails, wires, and rope for securing material.
It's also enabled insulation of safer and more insulated shelters for high risk households that include newborns.
You'll recall that about 900,000 people across the strip remain in need of emergency shelter assistance.
At present, partners are managing around a third of the 1,652 sites across the strip.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, or Otra colleagues tell us that a 32-year-old Palestinian died from his wounds yesterday after having been shot by Israeli forces in Hebron, where he had attempted to access the Israeli a access Israel irregularly the day before.
That's what his families told OCHA and he was apparently trying to seek work in Israel.
In 2026 and as of April, an average 11 Palestinians per month have been injured while attempting to cross the barrier.
Moving to Africa and South Sudan, the newly appointed special representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan, Anita **** Gabejo told the press in Juba that the UN mission in South Sudan has decided to retain peacekeepers for now in Akobo despite drawdown plans, given the security situation or insecurity situation in Jolee state.
This means she said that tensions have been reduced, civilians are no longer at imminent risk of harm.
I and conditions are in place for humanitarian partners to support affected communities.
Since the conflict escalated in Jangles state this January, more than 304,000 people have been displaced, particularly in Oor, Neural, Ay, Duque, and Akobo counties.
Since then, nearly 79,000 people have returned to their areas of origin, including more than 44,000 from Ethiopia's Gambea region with Akobo being seeing the largest number of returns.
Moving closer to these shores, particularly Haiti, humanitarian colleagues said that following intensified armed violence, the situation continues to deteriorate in Cite Sole which is a commune, as you know, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
The International Organization for Migration says that more than 10,000 people were displaced between May 10th and 15th, nearly doubling initial estimates of 5,300 people.
More than 70% of those displaced are sheltering across 20 sites, including five newly established ones while others are hosted by already overstretched communities.
Our humanitarian colleagues warn of a rapid increase in humanitarian needs across many areas.
Assessments conducted by our partners highlight high level of children being separated from their families.
Many displaced women fled without their belongings, including essential hygiene items.
At the same time, local organizations say that entire families remain trapped in affected neighborhoods without any access to the most basic necessities.
There are also reports of property being systematically destroyed.
Rising displacement is already straining very limited access to health care.
Just 11% of inpatient facilities, 11% of inpatient facilities remain fully operational in the Port-au-Prince area.
OCHA is supporting our partners to assess needs rapidly and ramp up the response despite significant access and security constraints.
For its part, WFP is telling us that in the past few days, its teams have been able to distribute day rations containing rice, beans, oil, and fortified flour to about 3,300 people who are taking shelter in temporary displacement sites in the capital.
WFP has also provided dry commodities to local organizations providing hot meals to displaced people.
This new wave of displacement worsens an already critical food insecurity situation in Haiti.
As a reminder, the latest IPC food security analysis released in March says that more than half of an entire population doesn't have enough to eat.
If you're looking for something to listen to while I drone on, the Secretary-General Scientific Advisory Board has just launched a new podcast called Science Forward.
The first episode features Joshua Benjo professor at the University de Moreal and a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel and Charlotte Sticks, an AI policy expert.
Their discussion focuses on the growing risks of deceptive AI where AI systems mislead users or developers about what they know, intend, or are capable of doing.
You can find it on most platforms.
Lastly, there's a bit of a reward.
There's a quiz.
First, are you ready? Beat, are you ready? Okay.
This the capital city of this country this country has the highest capital city in Europe with an elevation of 1,023 meters.
In Europe, Madame.
Yes.
Very good, Emily.
What else makes Andora very specific, one of only two countries to have this system of government.
It has two heads of states.
Who are the two heads of states? And who else? The Spanish Bishop of Urgel.
All right.
Let's get back to basics here.
Ed, even though Bolivia is not in Europe.
I missed you saying here.
Yes, yes, yes.
But is Bolivia higher than much higher.
A question about Lebanon.
In a case where you have the Israeli defense forces firing 384 projectiles and Hezbollah firing 46 back and this going on for days, isn't it a bit of a joke to say that there's still a cease fire in Lebanon Well, listen, there was a cessation of hostilities agreement.
I think how it's being respected or disrespected is a matter of fact.
You know, it's a situation of a lesser fire.
We will continue to call for the agreement to actually be respected and not be ignored.
Is the UN is UNIFIL talking daily to both parties? I What I do know is that there are constant contact between you to Phil and the parties.
Gabriel, Thank you, Steph.
During the Security Council meeting this morning, the permanent representative from the Russian Federation said that the Foreign Minister of Russia sent a letter to the Secretary-General on May 1st asking clarification on 12 points related to the UN's posture with the war in Ukraine.
Has the Secretary-General received that letter? Yes, that letter has been received and a response is being drafted.
And he also said the permanent representative from Russia also again called on the Secretary-General to do more to give Russia lists of victims from Butcha As you know, Russia contests the narrative on what transpired in Butcha at the beginning of that conflict four years ago.
He again was critical of the Secretary-General for not fulfilling Russia's request that the UN help gather the names of the victims out there.
This is an issue that has been raised publicly.
It has been raised privately with the with the Secretary-General directly by Foreign Minister Lavrov.
Our position, I think, which I elaborated early in September of last year is unchanged, but we are in the process of responding to the letter sent by the foreign minister to the Secretary-General, which raises the questions that were raised publicly.
Mr.
Vacara, Thank you, Stephan.
A the flotilla intercepted today.
Today, the Turkish President Togan said that condemned in the strongest terms Israel piracy and banditry against what he described as the voyager of hope.
What the Secretary-General think about this new interception, what he thinks about the word used by President Erdoğan? We're not here to do color commentary on words that various heads of states or government use.
Our position, and I think Fan spoke to this yesterday is that we're concerned about the situation.
We're very concerned about the safety of all those on board.
They need to be protected and they need to be kept safe.
International law on the high seas needs to be respected.
Let's remember the best way to get humanitarian aid in is through official channels.
And for that to happen at greater volume, we need to see Israel remove a number of the impediments and barriers that have been in place, which doesn't allow us to bring the aid that we need in.
Notably, we keep talking about spare parts for generators, for pumping stations, heavy equipment to deal with the literal mountains of solid waste that are accumulating in Gaza, the material that needs to be brought in to rebuild shelter, durable at scale, so we don't have to reuse wood and metal that has been used in pallets.
No, you didn't finish.
From the Israeli side, the Israeli foreign minister described Gaza as floated with aid and said basically that there is in the last weeks there has been aid, the Israeli government accuses the flotilla to basically doing all this to help Hamas.
Look, I mean, Stefano, I'm sure you listen to the daily updates we give from Gaza.
That's our position.
That's the reflection of what we see.
That's a reflection of what our colleagues who on the ground see every day.
It's a reflection of what they try to do every day.
I will let you and your other journalists to do the compare and contrast.
Then the last question, that's something else.
Ebola.
How much the Secretary-General is worried to 1-10, one being the lowest and ten the highest.
I'm not giving you numbers of scale.
Of course it's worrying.
I think we've been giving you updates that we have.
What is worrying is that all too often we don't have the financial resources right now to react.
I mean, I think doctor Tedros and WHO have been extremely proactive.
There was the emergency meeting today that happened very quickly.
He's mobilizing the whole system very quickly.
I think it's also a demonstration of the importance of international global health infrastructure of international global health cooperation because Ebola doesn't really care about borders like other health crises.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Steph.
If I may just to follow up on the flotilla just for a little bit more granularity.
We know that Farhan yesterday issued a statement saying that calling for respect of maritime routes and, again, calling for the release of all detained activists.
Would the Secretary-General be insistent on calling the apprehension of the flotilla activist a violation of international law doesn't I don't think we have all the details of how this was done, but it doesn't look like this was done in full respect of international law.
Yes, sir.
Follow up to Gabriel's question on Butcha.
Is the UN withholding the identities of the butcha list of butcha victims or you don't have the information? I remember excuse me.
I remember there was a UN investigation into the so called Butcha massacre.
I believe in any investigation, first thing first would be the identification of the victims, right? Look, there is information that we have.
There's information we don't have.
What is important is our colleagues at the Human Rights Office who are in the lead on this, they need to follow strict guidelines which respects the principles, ensuring informed consent and respecting the confidentiality of victims and their families.
But I can tell you that the Secretary-General and his staff are hard at work at answering the points raised by Minister Lavrov.
Alex, Thanks.
I really quick follow up on the same topic.
So the Secretary-General hasn't responded yet.
You're still in process? Yes.
As far as I mean, I've been gone for a few days, but I don't think the letter has been mailed yet, but I will double check as soon as I'm done.
Thanks.
Okay.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Stepan.
Has the Secretary-General received the first report from the Board of Peace on Gaza? And do you have any comment about the level of progress in the board's work until now.
There will be security council meeting on this.
My understanding is that the Board of Peace has submitted a report to the Security Council for circulation, but I have no further comment at this point.
Okay.
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you, Steph.
This is Lei Zu with China Central television.
I have a question about the renewed tension around Iran.
Could you give us an update on what the Secretary-General personnel envoy for the Middle East conflict has been doing recently? Sure.
To tell you the truth, I don't have an update at my fingers, but I will get one for you, which I'll share to you this afternoon.
Yes, please.
Thank you, Steph.
I would like to go to Europe.
How does the UN Secretariat view European Union restrictions on Russian media outlets, including accreditation problems faced by some Russian journalists from the same point of freedom of expression and media pluralism and does it see risk that measures presented as protecting democracy from disinformation and foreign influence could in practice become a pretext for limiting alternative or inconvenient viewpoints.
Dennis, we stand firmly and unconditionally for freedom of the press, for journalists to be allowed to do their work wherever they are, and to do it without any threat of having more difficulties thrown in their way.
Yes, sir.
Good afternoon, Prudence, Ara News agency of Nigeria.
Over the weekend, armed groups abducted dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Nigeria across multiple schools.
Two of the teachers have been murdered, as we speak.
Over the same period, US and Nigerian military conducted strikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria.
How concerned is the Secretary-General about the terrorist activities in Nigeria and what specific support is the UN providing to Nigeria to strengthen protection of schools from these recurring attacks? Remember Dabchi you remember Cheboch abduction and even last year.
Yes, we're of course very concerned.
We have seen the continued attacks on children, on places of education in Nigeria by extremist groups, which, as you can imagine, has devastating impact on the communities.
The UN country team in Nigeria, in all its components has been working with the government in the impacted region to find ways that we can support and strengthen and help make schools more safe for students, and we will continue to work in that vein.
Okay.
I will leave you with our DEA colleagues.
Do not move.
I'm sure the world economic situation prospects will be very good.