Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Press conference by Andrew Saberton, UNFPA’s (United Nations Population Fund) Deputy Executive Director for Management. He briefed reporters on his recent mission to Chad and the situation for women and girls in the country.

Eastern Chad is facing a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis as 927,452 refugees have crossed into Chad since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, bringing the number of displaced people in Chad to approximately 1.3 million.

Women and children make up 75 percent of the refugee population, underscoring the deeply gendered impact of the humanitarian crisis.

Among the displaced are approximately 68,880 pregnant women, while more than 91,000 babies are expected to be born in refugee camps over the next year.

Chad already records one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world—860 deaths per 100,000 live births—and the current influx is pushing an already fragile and overstretched health system to its limits.

Overcrowded camps and limited healthcare are sharply increasing risks for women and newborns, turning every delivery into a potentially life-threatening event.

During a seven-day high-level mission to Chad, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director for Management Andrew Saberton travelled to: the capital N’djamena, as well as Abeche and Adre in eastern Chad; and to Idrimi Refugee Camp in Iriba, to witness the scale of the emergency firsthand.

UNFPA teams are on the ground supporting the Government of Chad to strengthen emergency reproductive health services; deploy mobile clinics and set up safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence.

However, operations are increasingly constrained by a mammoth funding gap for UNFPA’s humanitarian response with just 2.5 percent of UNFPA’s Chad programmes funded. This represents a 44 percent drop on our poor funding in 2025.

Despite its own severe economic and humanitarian pressures, Chad continues to keep its borders open to people fleeing violence.

UNFPA expressed deep appreciation for the Government of Chad and existing donors supporting the response, while warning that current resources remain far below what is needed.

UNFPA calls on the international community to sustain and scale up support and ensure that the needs and dignity of women and girls remain at the centre of the humanitarian response.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAHoA1NXs8c

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:

Secretary-General/Travel
UNIFIL
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Sudan
Sudan/Humanitarian
South Sudan
Nigeria
Ukraine
Haiti
Republic of Korea
Financial Contribution

SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVEL

The Secretary-General is in Addis Ababa, where he is wrapping up his day. Earlier he participated in the 10th African Union-United Nations High-Level Dialogue, alongside the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

In his opening remarks, the Secretary-General said that this was a moment of great emotion for him, as it most likely would be his last summit with the African Union as Secretary-General. He told the African Union delegation that they could count on the United Nations to support the AU fully in their initiatives and ensure that the international community understands that Africa’s success is absolutely essential for global success.

Following a working lunch, the Chairperson and the Secretary-General publicly signed a Declaration Reaffirming the Principles of the Joint Frameworks. The declaration reaffirms the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, emphasizing their shared commitment to multilateralism, African leadership, and the integrated pursuit of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.

In remarks to the press afterwards, the Secretary-General said that from the start of his mandate, he has taken steps to build a unique strategic partnership with the African Union.

The Secretary-General reiterated his call for fairer representation of Africa among the Security Council’s permanent members. “This is not about privilege or symbolism,” the Secretary-General said. “This is about ensuring that the Council is fit for purpose and able to act with legitimacy and effectiveness.”

Referring to a number of conflicts on the continent, the Secretary-General enumerated the various examples of the close cooperation between the UN and the AU in support of the African Union’s “silencing the guns” initiatives.

In concluding his opening remarks, the Secretary-General said he had always believed that Africa should be seen for what it is: a continent of immense richness and promise. In answer to a question from a journalist on foreign interference in African conflicts, the Secretary-General said that it was absolutely intolerable that countries external to Africa interfere in African conflicts, providing weapons and political support, only to serve their own strategic or economic interests.

Later in the afternoon, the Secretary-General, along with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, were joined by President Emmanuel Macron for a meeting. During the meeting, they discussed the needed reforms of the multilateral and international financial architecture in an effort to make it more fair to those on the African continent, and beyond. They also exchanged views on the impact of the current conflict in the Middle East and how to mitigate it for African countries.

UNIFIL

Our peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon say they are increasingly concerned about the activities of Hezbollah members and Israeli soldiers near UN positions, including the increased use of drones, which has resulted in explosions in and around their bases and that puts peacekeepers at risk.

On Monday, three presumed Hizbullah drones detonated in an area where Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers could have been present, within metres of UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters. Another drone detonated in the same area on Tuesday.

A few minutes later, a presumed Hizbullah drone detonated inside UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters. No one was injured, but some buildings were damaged.

UNIFIL continues to remind all actors to avoid operating in proximity of United Nations positions and personnel, and further urge all actors to avoid any actions that could put peacekeepers in danger. UNIFIL protested IDF presence, activities, and movement of personnel and vehicles near the headquarters. Peacekeepers have also protested the activities of non-state actors near our positions to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Despite the challenges, peacekeepers continue to impartially report what is happening on the ground in south Lebanon to the Security Council.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-05-13

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFOlWm5MNuk