Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-UNRWA
-Occupied Palestinian Territory
-Abyei
-Ukraine
-DSG Travels
-Security Council
-Democratic Republic of the Congo
-Migrants
-Honour Roll
UNRWA
As the Secretary-General made clear over the weekend, the United Nations is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations made against several staff members from UNRWA [UN Relief and Works Agency]. The contracts of the staff members directly involved have been terminated, as we told you on Friday. An investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated.
The Secretary-General has remained very active on this issue throughout the weekend and this morning.
A few moments ago, he met with the Under-Secretary-General and head of OIOS to ensure that the investigation will be done as swiftly and efficiently as possible.
Any employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. And as we said, the Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals, in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation.
The Secretary-General has also been engaging with the UNRWA leadership and donors to UNRWA, as well as regional leaders, such as King Abdullah of Jordan, whom he spoke to a short while ago, and President Sisi of Egypt, with whom he will speak a bit later this afternoon.
The Secretary-General is personally horrified by the accusations against employees of UNRWA, but his message to donors, especially those who have suspended their contributions is to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations, as we have tens of thousands of dedicated staff working throughout the region.
The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.
At this point, the outlook for UNRWA and the millions of people it serves, not only in Gaza, but also in East Jerusalem, in the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria is very bleak.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, said that the people of Gaza have been enduring unthinkable horrors and deprivation for months. In a post on social media, he said their needs have never been higher – and our humanitarian capacity to assist them has never been under such threat.
“We need to be at full stretch to give the people of Gaza a moment of hope. Now is not the time to let them down,” he said.
In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, heavy fighting was reported near the Nasser and Al Amal hospitals, with Palestinians reportedly fleeing to the overcrowded town of Rafah, despite the lack of safe passage. Hospitals in Khan Younis are at risk of closure due to intense hostilities and the issuance of evacuation orders in surrounding [areas].
The seven partially functional hospitals in the south of Gaza are operating at three times their normal capacity, while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel.
Also, the World Health Organization reports that only 14 of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning – including seven in the north.
Humanitarian partners continue to report obstacles to their attempts to access the northern and central parts of the Gaza strip. These include excessive delays for humanitarian aid convoys before or at Israeli checkpoints and heightened military activity in central Gaza.
Frequent threats to the safety of humanitarian sites and personnel are also impeding the delivery of time-sensitive and life-saving aid.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=29%20January%202024
Highlights:
-UNRWA
-Occupied Palestinian Territory
-Abyei
-Ukraine
-DSG Travels
-Security Council
-Democratic Republic of the Congo
-Migrants
-Honour Roll
UNRWA
As the Secretary-General made clear over the weekend, the United Nations is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations made against several staff members from UNRWA [UN Relief and Works Agency]. The contracts of the staff members directly involved have been terminated, as we told you on Friday. An investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated.
The Secretary-General has remained very active on this issue throughout the weekend and this morning.
A few moments ago, he met with the Under-Secretary-General and head of OIOS to ensure that the investigation will be done as swiftly and efficiently as possible.
Any employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. And as we said, the Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals, in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation.
The Secretary-General has also been engaging with the UNRWA leadership and donors to UNRWA, as well as regional leaders, such as King Abdullah of Jordan, whom he spoke to a short while ago, and President Sisi of Egypt, with whom he will speak a bit later this afternoon.
The Secretary-General is personally horrified by the accusations against employees of UNRWA, but his message to donors, especially those who have suspended their contributions is to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations, as we have tens of thousands of dedicated staff working throughout the region.
The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.
At this point, the outlook for UNRWA and the millions of people it serves, not only in Gaza, but also in East Jerusalem, in the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria is very bleak.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, said that the people of Gaza have been enduring unthinkable horrors and deprivation for months. In a post on social media, he said their needs have never been higher – and our humanitarian capacity to assist them has never been under such threat.
“We need to be at full stretch to give the people of Gaza a moment of hope. Now is not the time to let them down,” he said.
In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, heavy fighting was reported near the Nasser and Al Amal hospitals, with Palestinians reportedly fleeing to the overcrowded town of Rafah, despite the lack of safe passage. Hospitals in Khan Younis are at risk of closure due to intense hostilities and the issuance of evacuation orders in surrounding [areas].
The seven partially functional hospitals in the south of Gaza are operating at three times their normal capacity, while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel.
Also, the World Health Organization reports that only 14 of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning – including seven in the north.
Humanitarian partners continue to report obstacles to their attempts to access the northern and central parts of the Gaza strip. These include excessive delays for humanitarian aid convoys before or at Israeli checkpoints and heightened military activity in central Gaza.
Frequent threats to the safety of humanitarian sites and personnel are also impeding the delivery of time-sensitive and life-saving aid.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=29%20January%202024