HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2024
Secretary-General Travel/COP 29
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the opening of the 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP29 – which is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Secretary-General told leaders that we are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and time is not on our side. He warned that doubling down on fossil fuels is absurd. "The clean energy revolution is here. No group, no business, and no government can stop it," he said.
He added that this is a story of avoidable injustice. The richest billionaires emit more carbon in an hour and a half than the average person does in a lifetime.
The Secretary-General told leaders that it’s time to deliver and he highlighted three priorities: emergency emissions reductions, protecting people from the ravages of the climate crisis, and delivering on climate finance.
“On climate finance, the world must pay up, or humanity will pay the price,” he said.
The Secretary-General also spoke at the High-Level Dialogue on Loss and Damage, where he said that the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund is a victory for developing countries, for multilateralism, and for justice. But its initial capitalization of $700 million doesn’t come close to righting the wrong inflicted on the vulnerable. To put this into perspective, $700 million is roughly the annual salaries of the world’s ten best paid footballers.
He also spoke at the Africa’s Green Momentum event, where he underscored the importance of making sure that Africa’s minerals that are critical to the renewables revolution are not exploited unfairly.
Tomorrow, he will participate in various events, including the High Ambition Coalition Summit event, the Small Island Developing States Summit, and the 12th Annual High-Level Meeting of Caring for Climate, which is convened by the UN Global Compact.
He will also hold a Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and an event on Early Warnings for All and Call to action on Extreme Heat.
Climate / displacement
The UN Refugee Agency today released a report warning that people forced to flee war, violence and persecution are increasingly finding themselves on the front line of the global climate crisis, exposing them to a lethal combination of threats but without the funding and support to adapt.
UNHCR noted that, of the more than 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, three-quarters live in countries heavily impacted by climate change. Half are in places affected by both conflict and serious climate hazards, such as Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Syria.
According to the report, the number of countries facing extreme climate-related hazards is expected to rise from 3 to 65, the vast majority of which host displaced people. The full report is available online.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
This afternoon, the Security Council will meet to discuss Gaza. The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris, and the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, will brief Council members.
The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that it has delivered the first aid convoy through a new crossing into central Gaza, at Kissufim. Today, WFP delivered 15 trucks carrying food parcels and wheat flour through the Kissufim crossing for the first time.
After months of negotiations for increased access, this crossing will serve as an entry point to bring aid into central and southern Gaza. Aid flows to these areas have been severely restrained due to the insecurity surrounding Kerem Shalom crossing.
October saw the lowest amount of aid entering Gaza this year.
For the second month in a row, WFP was only able to reach half the people who rely on its assistance with reduced rations. Improvements will only be seen if this crossing remains consistently open and access inside Gaza is facilitated to allow WFP to use it to the full extent possible.
After several attempts, a World Food Programme convoy yesterday managed to reach shelters in Beit Hanoun, in North Gaza Governorate, with two trucks carrying ready-to-eat rations and wheat flour and one truck with water supplies. This is the first time in over a month that people in Beit Hanoun have had access to food assistance.
The mission initially planned to take 14 trucks to deliver supplies to shelters in Beit Hanoun and the Indonesian hospital in Jabalya. However, due to delays in receiving authorization for movement and crowds along the route, the convoy was reduced.
In the end, the food was delivered to Mahdi Al Shoua shelter in Beit Hanoun and a neighbouring public shelter.
WFP was planning another mission today to reach the remaining planned shelters and hospital in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahya and Jabalya. However, these missions have been denied.
The level of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza is nowhere near what is needed to support more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, many of whom are hungry and sick. The UN continues to call for the immediate opening of more land routes into Gaza and for the lifting of administrative and physical restrictions within Gaza to efficiently reach the most vulnerable people and areas.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that our humanitarian partners are warning that the drastic reduction of commercial trucks entering Gaza has not only driven up commodity prices and threatened market stability – but it has also worsened the nutritional status of vulnerable children and women, who for months have faced severely limited access to adequate food, water and hygiene products. The humanitarian partners report that children are increasingly searching through piles of solid waste for food scraps, putting them at higher risk of not only contracting diseases but also encountering unexploded ordnance.
Lebanon
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is in Lebanon today. He started a three-day visit to the country, his priorities include expressing solidarity and support for peacekeepers, troop-contributing countries and other partners, as well as for the communities served by the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He is scheduled to meet with senior Lebanese officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and of course the Mission leadership and peacekeepers.
Also today, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, met with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib ahead of next week’s UN Security Council consultations on the implementation of Resolution 1701.
On the ground, the UN remains gravely concerned by the continued exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah. The UN continues to call for de-escalation and a ceasefire.
The increasing impact on civilians is of grave concern and the UN condemns the loss of civilian lives.
Lebanon /humanitarian
Turning to the humanitarian situation in Lebanon. A new convoy today to the city of Tebnine in the south of the country delivered essential aid supplies, including ready to eat meals, water, hygiene kits, mattresses, and blankets.
Our Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, stated yesterday that the current picture of life in the country remains grim, calling for the violence to stop and for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The UN Population Fund is also warning that, with winter approaching, pregnant women and new mothers in shelters face increasing anxiety due to the lack of hot water, winter clothing, and basic items for newborns, while protection concerns for women and girls in crowded shelters grow. UNICEF reports that 300,000 people in the country are in urgent need of nutrition support.
The UN and its partners continue to scale up efforts. The UN Refugee Agency says that since September 2024, it has distributed relief items, including blankets, mattresses, and other items, to over 150,000 men, women and children displaced across the country. UNHCR is also supporting the ongoing preparations for winter and cold weather.
For its part, UNICEF has distributed around 20 million litres of trucked water for domestic use to around 54,000 people in shelters.
Sudan
This morning, during a high-level meeting at the Security Council on the situation in Sudan, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said that the only path out of this conflict is a negotiated political solution. She noted that the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is considering another round of “proximity talks” with the warring parties, focused on commitments related to the protection of civilians. In the coming weeks, he will travel to Sudan and other locations in the region.
For his part, Ramesh Rajasingham, OCHA’s Director of the Coordination Division, spoke about the immense suffering of the millions of men, women and children in Sudan, and called on the Security Council – and all Member States with influence – to take immediate action to address this situation.
Haiti
The Secretary-General takes note of yesterday’s political developments in Haiti.
He reiterates his call on all Haitian stakeholders to work together constructively towards expediting the political transition and the restoration of democratic institutions.
Sustaining and increasing security support for Haiti remains urgent and critical. Ensuring that the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission receives the adequate strength, funding and equipment to effectively support the Haitian National Police is essential for the MSS to implement its mandate and to expand its deployment and operations.
With a new pledge from Germany of 10 million Euros, the Trust fund has now received a total of $96.9 million in pledges and $85.3 million in cash.
The UN thanks all the Member States who have contributed to the fund in support of the MSS Mission in Haiti.
On the humanitarian front, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that escalating violence is worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.
Armed groups took to the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince yesterday, with at least 20 armed clashes reported and several roadblocks erected, limiting movement across the city – and this is according to the UN partners.
After a commercial flight (Spirit Airlines) was shot at on its final approach to Port-au-Prince, the airport has been closed until November 18th.
As a result, all UN flights have been suspended, limiting the flow of humanitarian staff and resources.
The movement of 20 trucks of critical food and medical supplies to the south was also postponed.
The port remains open from the sea, but road access to the port is currently not possible.
The UN partners report that all schools in Port-au-Prince have been closed. Additionally, operations providing cash assistance to 1,000 people in Carrefour had to be cancelled amid the ongoing violence.
The UN is doing all it can to ensure the continuation of operations amidst this challenging environment, including shifting UN flights to a second airport in the country, in Cap Haïtien.
The UN calls for an end to the escalating violence, to allow for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, as well as the protection of people.
Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the city of Kryvyi Rih, in Dnipro region, in the centre of the country, sustained attacks last night. According to authorities, the attacks killed and injured civilians, including children. Humanitarian workers are on the ground and providing support.
Authorities have also reported attacks in the Donetsk region that damaged a dam in the city of Kurakhove, which is very close to the front line.
Yesterday, while evacuating civilians in the Donetsk region, a humanitarian organization's vehicle was significantly damaged in an attack. No evacuees or aid workers were injured.
As hostilities intensify in front-line areas, authorities have announced additional mandatory civilian evacuations in the Kharkiv region. Some 1,200 people have been displaced from Donetsk and Kharkiv Oblasts over the past four days. As a reminder, some 3.6 million are internally displaced across Ukraine.
For her part, Kelly Clements, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, following a visit to Ukraine, said that the needs of civilians are growing amid intense attacks and as another winter season approaches.
The Philippines
UNICEF reports that following Typhoons Kristine and Leon, that took place almost two weeks ago, thousands of families and children have been left without access to safe water and sanitation facilities. Twenty million schoolchildren have also seen their classes disrupted.
Since the end of October, UNICEF and its partners have delivered close to 3,000 hygiene and water kits to families in the most affected areas in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay in the Bicol Region. Additional hygiene and water kits will soon be delivered to 350 families.
In partnership with the Department of Education Schools Divisions of Camarines Sur and Albay, UNICEF will distribute education supplies to over 14,000 learners and more than 760 teachers in 25 schools and five Community Development Centres.
The Department of Education estimates that at least 500 schools in the Bicol Region need assistance.
While they respond to people’s needs in the aftermath of these storms, our colleagues warn that communities are preparing for the impact of more extreme weather events, aggravated by the climate crisis.
Briefing tomorrow
Tomorrow, at approximately 1:15 p.m., there will be a briefing here by the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini.
