Global Dialogue on AI Governance, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right.
Good afternoon.
I hope you've all recovered from a pretty intense football weekend.
And it's not over yet.
And before we get to more football, at 1:15 P.M.
There will be a briefing here by our friend Jean-Pierre Lacroix, under Secretary-General for Peace Operations.
He will be joined by Faisal Chakhar, the UN P advisor, and they will be here to brief you ahead of the fifth UN Chiefs of Police Summit, otherwise known as UN Cops 2026.
Then tomorrow at 12:45, there'll be a briefing on the Sustainable Development Goals Report of 2026.
It'll be launched by our Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and she will be joined by the Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Lee Jun Hoa and the acting Director of the Statistics Division in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Santan Mukuje.
Meanwhile, our Secretary-General is in Geneva today.
As you know, this morning he took part in the inaugural global dialogue on AI governance.
In his remarks at the dialogues opening session, the Secretary-General said that used well and shared widely, artificial intelligence could compress decades of development into years.
He added that the choice before us is not between faith in AI or fear of it, it is between governing by design and drifting by default.
He shared four priorities for the road ahead.
First, safety, he said, he called for an AI child safety pledge so that when a child is harmed, the answer must never be the algorithm did it.
Second, the Secretary-General said we need red lines in protecting human rights.
Third, he called for capacity, adding that we cannot allow the digital divide to harden the AI divide.
The Secretary-General also added that he will submit to the General Assembly his recommendations for the global fund for AI, and finally, the Secretary-General reiterated his appeal for transparency through his AI Environmental transparency initiative.
Which calls on every AI company to ensure to measure and publicly disclose the full footprint of its systems and to commit to power every data center with renewable energy by 2030.
He also brought up the issue of lethal autonomous weapons systems or killer robots.
He reiterated his call to have them banned by international law, adding that some decisions must remain forever human, none more than taking a human life.
The Secretary-General expressed the hope that his dialogue will become the place where global participation leads to global action.
His full remarks are online, and later in the afternoon at the Paris de Nation, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at a meeting of the International Law Commission.
He said that finding legal solutions to today's crisis is a fundamental duty for us all.
Shaping the future by international law by anticipating tomorrow's challenges falls with particular weight on this commission.
All his remarks were shared with you, and throughout the day, he held a number of bilateral meetings with leaders taking part in the global dialogue, and you'll see some of the readouts we did issue.
He'll be back in New York tomorrow.
And this morning, Kourtney Rare, the chef of Cabinet, delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General at an event marking the 21st anniversary of the adoption of the commitment of the responsibility to protect, in which member states undertook a promise to take collective action, timely and decisive action in line with the UN Charter if a state fails to uphold its responsibility to protect its own people.
In those remarks, the Secretary-General told member states that the responsibility to protect commitment is now more vital than ever, with the world facing more than 120 conflicts in 2025.
He also warned that we need to be proactive and vigilant and to act before warning signs become mass graves.
Those remarks were shared with you and speaking of a critical situation, turning to Sudan and the situation around El Abaid, earlier today, Tom Fletcher, our under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, had a telephone call with the head of the Sudan Rapid support forces, General Mohammed Hamdan Gallo, otherwise known as Hamete During the call, they discussed the escalating hostilities in Sudan, including in Elbaid.
Mr.
Fletcher stressed the need to maintain safe access for humanitarians to reach those in need and for safe movement of civilians.
He also expressed concern over the impact of drone attacks on civilians and the infrastructure in which they rely on.
They also discussed challenges that are impacting our own ability and the ability of our partners from various non governmental organizations to carry out lifesaving relief efforts, including existing bureaucratic impediments.
In recent days, Mr.
Fletcher has been engaging with a range of key interlocutors to stress the need for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, as well as the protection of civilians.
Meanwhile, on the ground, our resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown wrapped up a mission yesterday to Elabid where she engaged with partners on the aid response and witnessed the impacts of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, our colleagues at UNICEF tell us that since May, at least 18 children have been killed and 17 injured in Abad alone.
Across the country, the agency says at least 330 children were killed or injured during the first six months of this year.
Just to flag that in relation to the situation in El Abaid earlier today, the Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted by consensus a resolution requesting the independent fact finding mission for Sudan to conduct an urgent inquiry into alleged violations and abuses of international humanitarian rights law and violations of international humanitarian law committed in and around that city.
They also they were also called on to provide updates to both the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in the coming months.
As the Kordofan region, the humanitarian community is fully mobilized to address the spiraling humanitarian situation.
In West Kordofan, where more than 800 cholera cases have been recorded, our humanitarian office tells us they've allocated more than $1 million through the Sudan Humanitarian Front, a fund to support water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as health interventions in response to this outbreak.
And in South Kordofan, humanitarian partners confirmed the arrival last Thursday of a humanitarian convoy to Kadugli and Dilling The convoy including 14 World Food Program trucks carrying food, three WHO trucks carrying some 8.5 metric tons of medical supplies, including cholera kits, and four planned international trucks carrying humanitarian supplies.
These are the first UN humanitarian supplies to reach these locations since early June.
And in Darfur, we're seeing continued clashes that are disrupting humanitarian operations and driving displacement.
In Kulbus locality in West Darfur, the situation remains volatile with sporadic clashes reported in the northern part of that locality.
This is forcing humanitarian partners to either suspend activities or postpone planned missions.
And in North Darfur, the International Organization for Migration estimates that insecurity displaced over 3,500 people from a village in Unbu locality on July 3rd.
We once again call for the protection of civilians, the protection of civilian infrastructure, and for all parties to facilitate rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access to all those who need it.
Turning to Ukraine, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest overnight missile and drone attacks by the armed forces of the Russian Federation in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which reportedly resulted in many civilian casualties and injuries, causing widespread destruction of residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
Any attacks against civilians, any attacks against civilian infrastructure wherever they occur are clear violation of international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.
The Secretary-General reiterates his appeal for urgent de escalation, leading to a full, immediate and unconditional cease fire.
For his part, Mats Smale, our humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, also condemned these deadly attacks, noting that they tear apart homes, take innocent lives, and must not be accepted.
And our OCHA colleagues tell us that search and rescue operations for people who might still be trapped in rubble are underway.
Local NGOs, and UN agencies are continuing to provide first aid medical and psychological support and other types of support following the attacks in Kyiv.
Turning to Venezuela, we and our partners are continuing to scale up assistance to impacted people by the earthquakes in coordination with the government.
Our colleagues from the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that some search and rescue teams remain deployed in the affected areas while other specialized support team for medical to engineering continue to arrive.
A comprehensive assessment of needs is near completion and will inform an updated response plan and resource request.
According to the government, and as of yesterday, the death toll stood at more than 3,000 people, while more than 16,000 have been injured and around 17,000 have lost their homes.
The government continues to lead the response focusing on supporting displaced people and addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
At least 79 transitional camps in major stadiums and sports centers Are now operational and they're hosting people, and aid is being provided by our UN agencies.
They are already delivering services in three camps and conducting assessments to increase to provide services to additional sites.
Health partners continue to provide primary health care, mental health, and psychosocial support, as well as sexual and reproductive health when needed.
Our humanitarian colleagues note that access to safe water and sanitation services continue to improve in transitional camps.
Distribution of hygiene kits and the expansion of sanitation infrastructure in temporary accommodations and sites also continue.
To date, humanitarian response plan for Venezuela has received $274 million, while over 32 million was contributed by private sector for humanitarian support.
This comes alongside donations in kinds of goods and services.
Turning to Lebanon, our colleagues tell us that the officer in charge of the Office of the Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jarne has begun his work in Beirut.
Last week, he met with President Joseph Aoun, a speaker of the parliament, Nabibi and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to discuss recent developments and cooperation between the UN and Lebanon.
In advancing the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.
On the ground, in the UNIFIL area of operations, our peacekeepers are continuing to observe violations of Lebanese airspace with 21 violations detected yesterday.
On Saturday, UNIFIL observed two airstrikes on a road near Derian in Sector East.
Peacekeepers continue to face high risks as well as obstruction of operations.
On Saturday, a projectile hit a sanitation facility causing structural damage to UN position in Sector East.
Thankfully, there were no injuries.
Yesterday, UNIFIL personnel encountered physical roadblocks at three locations.
And also anno Saturday, UNIFIL patrols were delayed twice by Israeli defense forces on the coastal road north of Nkorah, which as you know, is the headquarter of UNIFIL.
Following a short delay, they were able to continue.
Moreover, during the past days, UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to observe extensive IDF ground activities throughout the missions area of operations, including armored movements, as well as engineering and logistical activities.
On the humanitarian front, UNIFIL OCHA facilitated five humanitarian missions on Saturday and Sector West, following ten missions, also in both Sector West and East on Friday.
Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, over the weekend, we continue to collect food and fuel from the Krim Shalom Abu Salem crossing, but what we and the private sector can bring into Gaza to meet people's immense needs is limited, as we've been saying, because all other crossings remain closed for our cargo and restrictions on types of supplies continue to be in place.
Data from the UN 27 20 mechanism shows a decline in the overall volume of supplies that we and our partners have been able to bring in last month.
Less than 42,000 pallets down from about 46,600 in May.
Last week, only 42% of the supplies from Egypt and 65% of the supplies from Ashdod or already approved in principle, could be offloaded at Karim Shalom.
Meanwhile, concerns continue for the safety and well being of people across the West Bank, especially children.
Yesterday, Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-year-old child in Kalanda camp near Jerusalem.
Two other children were shot in the lower limbs.
This is yet just another reminder that Palestinians in the occupied West Bank must be protected as required by law, and that perpetrators of violations must be held accountable.
Also, yesterday in Ramallah governor, our human rights colleagues tell us that a four month old baby died after Israeli forces refused to open a gate blocking the main entrance to his village, delaying his access to medical care.
While an ambulance was waiting on the other side.
And just going back to the eastern part of the African continent, a quick update from our peacekeeping mission in Abe.
UNIC our colleagues there tell us that the acting head of the mission and force commander, Major General Ganesh Kumar Shresasa excuse me, has just concluded visits to South Sudan and Sudan, where he met with government officials and partners to address political and security issues and discuss cooperation on implementing UNIC mandate.
Major General Shresa underscored that the UN's commitment to continue engaging with both governments to help sustain dialogue on shared security challenges, including the resumption of the joint political and security mechanisms.
Both government expressed support for UNIC mandate and reaffirmed the commitment to dialogue, including through the mechanism.
One of the key issues discussed was the demilitarization of AB and USA's efforts to maintain an area free of weapons, including by intensifying efforts to encourage the withdrawal of all unauthorized armed forces and armed elements from the ABA area.
That's in accordance with the missions mandate granted to it by the Security Council.
While in South Sudan, Major General Shresta also met with representative of WHO to discuss the Ebola situation in the region and the organization's preparedness to support the peacekeeping mission communities in Abi should deployment become necessary.
And just staying on the topic of Ebola at this time in the DRC, Our colleagues at OCHA tell us that escalating violence in South Kivu province is driving new displacements, severely restricting humanitarian access.
Since July 4th, heavy clashes, including reported drone attacks in Fizi, Monga, and Uvira territories, have reportedly killed at least five civilians and injured dozens.
More, we condemn these attacks.
The fighting has disrupted supply routes leading to critical shortages of medical supplies needed to treat the injured.
At least 6,000 people have fled to ipupu and Manda in Hwang territory, and our colleagues are currently verifying further displacement.
The renewed fighting is also having negative impact on our operations, delaying planned humanitarian assessment in areas that are already hosting more than 200,000 displaced human beings.
Meanwhile, health authorities report that more than 1,500 confirmed Ebola cases across Etu, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri remaining the epicenter of the outbreak in the DRC.
Poor poor water sanitation and hygiene conditions and displacement sites are particularly of concern with Ebola cases in at least four sites in Ituri.
Response activities are ongoing, but humanitarian partners warn that shortfalls are limiting their work access across displacement sites in the province where more than 273,000 displaced people face acute needs.
This year's humanitarian appeal for the DRC is just 54% funded with $752 million received out of 1.4 billion that we actually need.
Um, OCHA once again calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and ensure that all parties allow for safe, unhindered and rapid humanitarian operations.
And from one more note from Africa, this one from the Central African Republic, just to let you know that we are aware of photos and videos that have been circulating on social media falsely claiming that a UN armored personnel carrier was being misused by armed groups.
We can confirm that an APC depicted in the images belongs to the UN peacekeeping mission in the CR Minusk and is located at Amdafk in Vakaga Prefecture in that country.
On June 30th, following clashes in that area between the Central African armed forces and armed elements, one Minuska APC was rendered inoperable after coming under hostile fire.
The vehicle subsequently remained immobilized in the vicinity of the incident.
Minuska personnel who were aboard the APC were safely evacuated and a position at the forward operating base.
The APC was not seized or appropriated by any armed group.
However, recovery efforts could not be undertaken immediately due to the prevailing security situation with armed groups maintaining control of a number of strategic areas in that place.
In the aftermath of the incident, Minuska focused on efforts to protect civilians and stabilizing the area, including facilitating their delivery of humanitarian assistance and supporting the evacuation of injured peacekeepers, Central African security people, and civilians.
On July 5th, the authorities from the country the state authority was re established in Amdafk following the withdrawal of armed elements.
The Zambian peacekeeping condition is currently making the necessary operational, planning to secure and get back the APC.
A quick note from Asia and this one from Myanmar, where we are receiving alarming reports of hostilities in Pokuku in Magu region.
Since July 2nd, these operations triggered the displacement of over 20,000 men, women, and children.
That's what preliminary figures were getting and on top of the roughly 80,000 who had already fled the area since May.
We're particularly concerned for the safety and protection of civilians fleeing their homes amidst reports of scale up of military operations in the area.
We and our partners are working to assess and respond to people's needs despite challenges to humanitarian access in these conflict affected areas.
We call on all parties to protect civilians and ensure safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access in line with humanitarian law.
Myanmar remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises with more than 16 million people, 16 million people in need of assistance, including almost 3.8 million people who are displaced from their homes.
Humanitarians are working to save lives, but needs continue to outpace resources of the $900,890 million required for this year.
387 has been received to date, 287 million.
A Also, senior personnel appointment for you.
I want to read into record that Thursday evening Secretary-General announced the appointment of Edward Ted Chaban Chabin of Lebanon as Deputy Executive Director for program at UNICEF effective January 1st of 2027.
He succeeds Omar Abdi of Canada, who retired the end of the year, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service.
He has been, as you know, UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations since 2023.
Congratulate him.
And today is World Rural Development Day.
Around 80% of the world's poorest people live in rural areas, many on the front lines of climate change and lacking basic services.
This day highlights the need to invest in rural development and ensure that no one is left behind.
Still awake? Gabriel, please.
Thanks, staff.
A couple of questions.
I know the Secretary-General doesn't control what happens outside of the gates of this building.
Nevertheless, on Thursday afternoon, a protester outside of the UN, set themselves on fire.
I think the word is self immolation.
Does the Secretary-General have any comment about that incident? Yeah, I mean, what happened on Thursday afternoon is absolutely tragic on a human level, on any level.
Two of our security officers who were posted who were just outside saw what happened.
They rushed across the street with the fire extinguishers.
They try to extinguish the flames.
They were the first ones on the scene that we know the New York City Fire Department police also showed up.
We're obviously saddened by the tragic incident, and we offer our condolences to his family.
Does he have any comment about the issue that the protester was out in front of the UN for or the issue he was protesting raising the issue of he was from Tibet.
Yeah, I mean, the issue of Tibet.
Listen, the uh It's hard to imagine what would propel a human being to do that to themselves.
On the broader issue, I think, for us, it is, and the Secretary-General said this many times that in any country, it is important that minorities are respected and that they are also made to feel as part of the whole.
If I could get one more Steph on a totally separate topic.
Hamas announced today that they plan to dissolve their government emergency committee, which is essentially the committee that runs Gaza on a day to day basis or has been.
It's a pretty significant political shift by Hamas.
Does the Secretary-General have any comment about that and what does he see or what would be his preferred path of who would fill that gap of the governing of Hi.
We've seen this development.
I hope to have something for you shortly.
Abdulhamid.
Thank you, Stephan.
Doctor Hassam Abu Safi is now almost on the verge of death.
He's been arrested since December 2024.
And his doctor saw him recently and he said he was beaten and broke some of his limbs, and he now needs a cane to walk.
So do you have any we've seen these horrific reports, and I think for a long time now, we've called for him obviously to get proper treatment, to be treated to be treated well and like like many administrative detainees, to just be released.
And going to Gaza again, first, there were civilians killed in Gaza.
A tent was attacked by a drone and killing two people and killing a number of children also.
And in Lebanon, also four civilians were killed in Upper Nabat.
So I see that when there are civilians killed in Ukraine, you highlight that in a separate statement.
Abdu Hamid, I just talked about Palestinians being killed in the West Bank, right? So I have.
I mean, and we update regularly on the information that we are given.
I mean, are you accusing us of remaining silent? I'm not accusing.
I'm saying that mentioning killing children or civilians here, it's also the numbers and the names and not necessarily the names, but what is highlight? What is your question? My question why there is no separate statement that highlights We highlight all of the information that we are given.
And I think we've been very strong on highlighting the killings, the condemnable killings of civilians.
And on Gaza, Is stage one, in your opinion, had been implemented so we can go to the disarmament stage and rebuilding of Gaza? You know, the first stage or the first phase is allowing humanitarian aid to arrive into Gaza in full speed, like before the war, opening all the cross points crossing points.
And allowing those injured to depart from Gaza for medical treatment.
Is that are not involved in the political negotiations on the on the political negotiations.
Our focus, as instructed by the Security Council for us when it adopted the resolution on the Trump Peace Fund is on humanitarian operations.
That is our focus currently, and I think we've been very direct in saying that the humanitarian needs in Gaza have not been met, and we've not been able to meet them.
Yes, please go ahead.
Thank you, Stephan.
I know FIFA is not the United Nations body, but does the Secretary-General have any views on the phone call that the US President Donald Trump made to FIFA's president to review a decision? Doesn't this raise the question of the autonomy of international organizations? You know, I get in enough trouble about commenting on things that we are supposed to comment on that I will continue to be an avid viewer of the football that is being played and hopefully in full respect of the rules of sport.
Okay, I see a question from Andrew Reuters.
Hi there.
Thanks for doing this.
Appreciate it.
Just real quickly, you said that the assessment is on the damages in Venezuela is close to being completed.
When exactly do you expect that and is this assessment being done together with other institutions, including the World Bank? I will get back to you, Andrew, on when we expect it to finish.
Obviously, the conditions on the ground still remain very challenging.
And the assessments is very often done with a wide array of actors within within the UN, including international financial institutions.
But I'll try to get you a bit more details on all of that.
Terrific Benno and then we'll go to.
Thank you.
I want to follow up on the FIFA question.
I know you didn't want to go into detail there, but, you know, the World Cup does what the UN wants to do.
It brings the people together.
Yeah, politicizing it is a problem for many people.
Many people reacted to it, and you didn't.
I didn't hear a question mark at the end.
What is the comment to it? Okay.
You have to you have to make a little bit of an effort.
Ben.
Listen, u Sports should never be politicized.
Unfortunately, I think there's always been a part of sport that is politicized, especially when teams play for their national flag.
I think the matches in this World Cup have been riveting, and I very much hope they will continue to be riveting and victorious for one particular team.
Who would Yes, go ahead and back.
Now we're good with Soufan.
I've got an answer on Hamas.
Follow up on self immolation protest.
Yeah.
The Tibetan reportedly set himself on fire in protest against China's new ethnic unity law, which took effect on July 1st.
So does the Secretary-General have any position on the law itself? Yeah, I mean, I think that was my answer to Gabriel, which is something that Secretary-General has said very often that in every country, minorities need to feel respected and they also need to be made feel part of the whole.
Abu Sufyan Thank you, Step.
Sorry for that.
You can't see me right now.
Can I ask that question? As long as I can hear you, that'll be sufficient.
Thank you.
Secretary-General now in Europe, and he's now joining on AI dialogue in Geneva.
But we can see lots of misinformation and misinformation using AI in South Asia.
Do you have any message for this particular issue? I would encourage you Abs Soufan to read what the Secretary-General has said about artificial intelligence today and in the previous months.
And I think you will see that he has an extreme concern for the issue that you raise.
Okay.
Oh, sorry, I need to answer your question, Gabriel.
I can tell you that we've taken note of Hamas' announcement concerning the dissolution of the government of Emergency Committee and the transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the administration of Gaza.
We welcome any step that contributes to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and advances the objectives reflected in relevant Security Council resolutions.
Including the full implementation of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid, as I was saying.
We continue to support efforts towards unified Palestinian governance under the Palestinian authority.
Okay, on that note, I wish you all a good day, and I'm sure you'll all be productive this afternoon and this evening in front of your televisions.
You're Fransfn, right? Yeah.