Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General Travel
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Ukraine
South Sudan / Peacekeeping
South Sudan/ Humanitarian
Mozambique
Capital Punishment Trends
Contingent-Owned Equipment Working Group
Honour Roll
SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVEL
The Secretary-General is currently near Geneva, Switzerland, where he is meeting with his Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys. Following these meetings, he will return to New York and has cancelled his planned trip to Davos due to a bad cold.
On Saturday, the Secretary-General was in London, where he addressed a special commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly. The event, organized by the UN Association of the UK, took place in Methodist Central Hall, the very place where the first meeting was held.
In his remarks, he said that we must ensure full respect for international law and defend multilateralism and strengthen it for our times. Mr. Guterres pushed for reform of the UN system to reflect the world of 2026 and not 1946. He said, “As global centres of power shift, we have the potential to build a future that is either more fair — or more unstable.” He added that it is manifestly in the interests of those who hold the most power to be on the frontlines of reform. He warned that those trying to cling to privileges today risk paying the price tomorrow.
As we move forward in a moment when the values of multilateralism are being chipped away, he said, it is up to us, in our capacity as professionals, as voters, and as members of civil society, to take a stand.
Later that day, the Secretary-General was hosted by the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, for a working lunch, during which they discussed a wide range of issues, including Ukraine, Sudan and UN reform.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the ceasefire agreement – which has crossed the 100-day mark – must hold so that more civilian lives can be saved. As we have been telling you, the scale-up of humanitarian work continues to be held back by restrictions and impediments, with recent harsh weather also setting back some of the progress.
In a statement issued today, the World Food Programme warned of how fragile the situation remains, even as the agency reaches more than one million people every month through food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals and school meals – making real progress in pushing back famine. WFP called for additional safe humanitarian corridors from Egypt and Jordan, and along the Salah Ad Din Road inside Gaza, to increase volumes and reduce insecurity.
Yesterday, our colleagues from the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) launched the second round of a routine immunization catch-up campaign, together with our partners and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This round will run until next Thursday and aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. The campaign is being delivered by 170 teams at nearly 130 health facilities, with seven mobile teams deployed to hard-to-reach areas. A third and final round is planned for April 2026.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA says Israeli forces have placed an estimated 25,000 Palestinians under curfew in parts of the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron city, as they launched a large-scale operation today. Initial reports point to a heavy deployment of military vehicles and snipers on rooftops, as well as the closure of six internal roads.
As a result, four bakeries have been forced to suspend their operations, and two shops where about 4,000 people regularly obtain essential supplies through UN-issued vouchers remain closed. Education in more than a dozen schools has also been suspended, affecting thousands of students.
OCHA adds that the area has been affected by a major electricity cut since the weekend, following damage to a local power station. With a curfew now in place, efforts are underway to allow technicians into the area to restore electricity. Steps are also being taken to facilitate emergency medical evacuations and for students to attend school online where possible. Meanwhile, families are confined to their homes, making it difficult for them to obtain food, medicine and other essential supplies.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-19