Ukraine, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

Good afternoon.
We will be joined shortly by Angelique Ashrakar, the Deputy Executive Director of the Joint Program on HIV AIDS, better known to all of us as UN AIDS.
She will be here to brief you on the UN AIDS report entitled Global AIDS brief with the latest data on HIV AIDS from last year.
Our Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed arrived in Dakar Sengal this morning where she met today with President Basiro Dame Pi and they exchanged views on matters pertaining to regional security, development of the UN Senegal relationship, cooperation.
The Deputy Secretary-General commended Senegal's continued commitment to multilateralism, its role as a bridge builder in the region, and its leadership in advancing peace and sustainable solution, including as co host of the 2026 UN Water Conference.
While in Dakar, she also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the government of Senegal and the United Nations regarding the new UN House in that country.
Signing is an important milestone in the longstanding partnership between the UN and the government and people of Senegal.
The House brings together 29 UN entities together under one roof in the spirit of one UN aligned with the UN 80 initiative, strengthening cooperation, reducing duplication, and improving how the UN delivers for the people of Senegal.
At the signing of the Deputy Secretary-General reaffirm our continued support for Senegal's effort to deliver on the 2030 agenda.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, she also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs SihYang to discuss progress on the UN AD initiative, as well as collaboration between the UN and Senegal to accelerate implementation and financing of the sustainable development goal.
She also, of course, met with our colleagues from the country team and thank them for their hard work and commitment.
She will be returning to New York this Sunday.
I just want to flag on Ukraine.
The UN Human Rights monitoring Mission in Ukraine today said conflict related violence in Ukraine last May killed at least 274 civilians and injured 1,763 by their count.
This is more than in any other month in the last four years.
The mission said that the use of powerful weapons in urban areas by the Russian Federation was the main reason for the high casualty count in May.
Turning to Lebanon, the UN interim force in Lebanon continues to observe extensive Israeli defense forces military activity across its area of operations.
Those activities are characterized by high density armored movements, large scale engineering and demolition works, and sustained logistical traffic.
Yesterday, UNIFIL reported intensive air activities involving fighter aircraft in various unmanned aerial systems across the area of operations.
UNIFIL recorded 72 violations of Lebanese airspace by the IDF amounting to over 110 hours of overflight, a total of eight airstrikes were carried out by IDF fighter aircraft in UNIFILs area of operations yesterday.
Peacekeepers reported 531 trajectories yesterday, 526 originating from IDF positions south of the blue line and within its UNIFILs area of operations, and five trajectories presumably launched by Hezbollah with one actually crossing the blue line.
On the humanitarian front, UNIFIL facilitated nine humanitarian missions in coordination with OCHA and in liaison with the IDF.
Eight of them were in Sector West mainly to Tyre, and one was done in Sector East.
Also, yesterday, a UNIFIL funded and UNESCO led campaign to counter mis and disinformation was launched in Beirut in cooperation with the Lebanese Lebanese Ministry of Information.
The campaign features short video clips broadcasts on Tilley LB and all promoting fact checking and the responsible use of free expression.
It aims to encourage the public to verify information before sharing content online and raise awareness for misleading information that is circulating.
On the broader humanitarian front, we remain deeply concerned by the continued impact of hostilities on health care, people's access to essential services.
Yesterday, reported strike near Haram Hospital entire district in South governed injured ten staff members and damaged the hospital's buildings and impacted its vehicles as well.
This is at least the fifth reported incident affecting Haram Hospital since the escalation started on March 2nd.
That's what authorities are telling us.
Our colleagues at the World Health Organization report that across Lebanon, 17 hospitals have been damaged during the escalation, including all three hospitals entire.
In addition, 135 health care workers and first responders have been killed, nearly 400 others injured.
Hospitals and medical personnel must be protected at all times, according to international law, as we have said numerous times in many conflicts around the world.
Our humanitarian partners in Lebanon continue to support affected families across the country.
Since the escalation began, more than 182,000 people have received essential relief items.
Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, OSHA warns that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including aid workers in their premises and assets continue to be exposed to Israeli airstrikes, shelling and gunfire, resulting in reports of casualties and damage.
Yesterday, a structure in D Elbala belonging to a humanitarian organization sustained minor damage by an Israeli airstrike that hit nearby.
Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.
Also, yesterday, the entry of goods into a Gaza, the Krim Shalom Karimam Abu Salam crossing was reduced due to ongoing infrastructure work.
This week, we and our humanitarian partners have taken food, medicine, hygiene items into Gaza to be distributed to the most vulnerable families.
WHO and our partners also supported the medical evacuation of 26 patients and their companions.
Meanwhile, people's access to water sanitation services across the West Bank remain constrained due to settler violence, movement restrictions, demolitions and damage to infrastructure, particularly in the northern West Bank, and in Masafra ata in the South and herding communities across Area C.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 incidents involving demolitions or settler violence have resulted in damage to over 190 water and sanitation structures, including pipelines, irrigation systems, water tanks.
We reiterate that Palestinians should be protected and their access to essential services must be respected and safeguarded, not obstructed or destroyed.
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the head of our peacekeeping mission there, James Swan, today concluded a visit to Goma where he reaffirmed the mission's continuing engagement in support of peace efforts in the eastern DRC in line with the peacekeeping missions mandate.
During his stay in Goma, he met separately with representatives of the Alliance Alliance flow of Congo, M 23, as well as the commander and other members of the expanded joint verification mechanism.
As part of ongoing efforts to advance ceasefire monitoring and verification arrangements, he also had exchanges with views with our colleagues to review the security, the political, and the humanitarian situation, and to assess the mission's operational priorities in the current environment, including Ebola response.
During his visit, Mr.
Swan reiterated the importance of advancing and ensuring coherence among regional, international and national peace efforts, including the Washington, the Doha, and the African Union processes.
He underscored Monusco's readiness within its mandate to support implementation measures for peace processes.
Also, Mr.
Swan visited the Uruguay Contingent space where he congratulates Sergeant Matias Reyes, who you saw up on the screen during the 2026 peacekeeper awards, as you know, he was the recipient of the Captain Abidjan Medal for his exceptional courage under fire.
On the broader humanitarian front, our OCHA colleagues warned that escalating violence in the eastern DRC is impacting civilians and undermining efforts to manage the Ebola outbreak.
In North Kivu, an armed attack in B this morning killed at least five civilians.
It's what local civil society is telling us.
Elsewhere in the province, renewed clashes in Masisi territory have triggered further displacement and forced humanitarian organizations to restrict their movements in several areas.
This significantly limits access to people in need and disrupts Ebola response activities.
In South Kivu provinces, hostilities in Kabare territory over the past three days have also resulted in civilian casualties and new displacement.
The hostilities have forced the World Food Program and our partners to delay planned food distribution in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, in Ituri, the peacekeeping mission is reinforcing its protection of humanitarian workers, medical teams, and health facilities responding to the Ebola outbreak.
Since June 4th, the mission has deployed a mobile military base in Mong excuse me, Mong Walu in Dugu territory, one of the epicenters of the Ebola outbreak.
While the mission continues to coordinate with Congolese national police to protect health care facilities in other affected areas, the presence of peacekeepers has already deterred armed groups from the presence of peacekeepers, excuse me, has already deterred armed groups from intimidating health care efforts and civilians and it has helped ensure dignified and safe burials for victims.
Despite these efforts to improve security, a health worker in the health zone was taken by members of an armed group on June 8th and forced to perform a postmortem procedure without any protective equipment.
The incident highlights the serious risks faced by frontline workers.
This week, our humanitarian coordinator at interim Damien Mama was in Euri to support the response efforts, stressing that Ebola response must be integrated in the broader humanitarian response to sustain essential services for vulnerable populations.
Despite these challenges, we and our humanitarian partners, together with local communities, continue our efforts to contain the outbreak.
Again, we call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, ensure safe, sustained and unhindered access for medical and humanitarian teams.
It's essential that surveillance, contact tracing, transport of lab samples, medical referrals, emergency deployments, safe and dignified burials can continue without interruption.
Couple of things I want to flag to you before I turn it over to you.
The International Labor Organization today adopted the decent work on the Platform Economy Convention 2026.
A very important accomplishment.
It establishes the first International Labor Standards for work performed through digital labor platforms.
The convention was adopted the closing of the 114th meeting of the International Labor Conference, which brings together government employers, and working delegates from the organization's 187 member states.
The new convention responds to the rapid growth of the platform economy, which has transformed the world of work by creating new opportunities for income generation, while also exposing workers to decent work deficits.
It applies to digital labor platforms and platform workers regardless of their employment classification.
And establishes a global framework for promoting decent work in that sector.
The Landmark Convention addresses a wide range of issues affecting platform workers, including their rights, protection against violence and harassment, fair remuneration, social protection, and transparency and accountability in the use of algorithms and automated decision making.
Also earlier today in Geneva, our friend Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights, launched his office's annual report, which says that in 2025, the UN Human Rights Office carried out more than 5,000 human rights monitoring missions.
The report adds that the Human Rights Office documented tens of thousands of human rights violations, influence nearly 140 legal and policy reforms, contributed to the release of 5,000 people from arbitrary detention.
Mr.
Turk also raised the severe funding cuts affecting his office, which has direct consequences on lives and freedoms.
Today is the International Day against child labor and this year's theme is red card to child labor, Fair Play for children, decent work for adults.
Despite progress, the IO notes that 138 million children remain in child labor worldwide, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work.
Tomorrow is also the International Albinism Awareness Day.
The theme this year is proudly My Skin Celebrating All skin tones, which draws attention on how color based discrimination can affect dignity, safety, and mental well being.
Sunday, extend your arms because it is World Blood Donor Day.
This year's campaign, one drop of humanity, give blood, save lives, places humanity at the heart of every blood donation.
It is important.
We have a quiz for you today because we have some money.
All right, now you're paying attention.
Built around 2,600 BC, a city in this country is widely credited as having one of the first and most advanced plumbing and urban sanitation systems in the ancient world.
The city is called Mohenjo Daro.
No clue.
It's not far from you.
We say thank you to our friends in Pakistan and our friends in Islambad for their full payment to the regular budget.
We now have 114 paid up member states.
Pakistan paid 3,913,201 American dollars, and we appreciate every one of those dollars.
A Ali and Marian.
Thanks, Seth.
I have two questions.
First, maybe too early for a comment, but since we're here, the Prime Minister of Pakistan just announced that text of the peace deal between the US of Iran has been agreed.
Any comment? We've seen that announcement.
We saw also the announcements from the president of the United States yesterday.
I think given the sensitivity of the situation and the fact we've been close before, we will hold off on any comment, but we're encouraged by the general tone of what we're hearing.
Second topic, Elon Musk became today the first trillionaire in the world.
Any thoughts from the Secretary-General in a world where not so many people have so much money? I mean, it does underscore the issue of inequality that the Secretary-General has been speaking about and the responsibility of some of those who are on the positive side of the inequality to do whatever they can to support everyone.
Madam.
Thank you, staff.
Happy Friday.
Question on Afghanistan, as you may have been following what's happening in Iraq, there are some protests going on and the Taliban have been opening fire on people, two people have been killed and so many of the women who were arrested, families don't know about their whereabouts.
Is Secretary-General following the situation? Besides the statement from UMA, do you have anything else? Obviously our UMA colleagues are on the front lines.
The situation is indeed very concerning, lethal force should never be used against peaceful demonstrators and we'll continue to watch it closely.
Volodymyr.
Thank you, Stephan.
I have two questions.
The first one is less trivial, perhaps.
Following Armenia's recent elections, Russia has increased pressure on Armenia through trade restrictions, energy related threats and intensified propaganda campaigns targeting the country's democratic and European aspirations.
Today, Moscow has banned the import of all plant products from Armenia.
What is your reaction to this action? Listen, we've seen the results of the elections.
These are bilateral issues and I don't have a particular comment.
There's another question.
Yes, sir.
Today, Putin once again claimed the following.
It was NATO that unleashed the war.
We did not start the hostilities with the beginning of this special military operation.
The Secretary-General respond? Look, I think the Secretary-General was very clear in his statement when this phase of the conflict started, when we saw the Russian troops crossing into Ukraine.
Our focus is not so much as to the origins of the war, but to ensure that there is an end to this war in a way that is sustainable and that recognizes also the territorial integrity of Ukraine and follows all the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
I will go on the screen.
I see Mike walking about as you're getting your steps in, but go ahead, Mike.
Just getting my quiet step.
I reached out to URA on the release about the 70 terminated workers.
My contact over there is out of the office, so I'm coming to you.
The release was unclear.
It said that they were terminated not for punitive measures and not because there was evidence against them, but because of the safety and security of the agency.
What does that mean in English? Well, as you well know, English is not my native language, so I'm not sure I can help you.
I can help you with that.
I would refer you back to what Arno is saying.
I mean, Christian Saunders' decisions are based in the best interest of the organization.
I will try to talk to Arnois see if we can get you a bit more, but I feel this statement is as clear as it can be.
But if it's not punitive and there's no evidence, then why would you terminate 70 people otherwise? I think the situation in otherwise is rather complex and challenging and sometimes the Commissioner General has to take decisions that are not easy to take, but that are in the best interest of the organization.
Were there threats to cut funding? Is that the reason? Well, I mean, I think the funding the funding issue has always been challenging, but this is not linked to funding issues.
I will leave it at that, Mike.
Anyone else online? Okay.
I don't see anybody else, please stand by.
We'll go to our honored guest, and I would ask her please to come