Source: United Nations (video statements)
Media stakeout by Ibrahim Olabi, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations, on the situation in Syria.
UNRWA, Palestine, Syria, & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (20 January 2026) | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
UNRWA
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Ukraine
Mozambique
Sudan
Security Council
United Nations Development Programme
**UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli authorities’ actions to demolish the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound. As he has repeatedly and unequivocally stated, including in his letter to the Prime Minister of Israel on 8 January 2026, the Sheikh Jarrah compound remains United Nations premises, and is inviolable and immune from any form of interference.
The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israel’s clear obligations under international law, including under the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
The Secretary-General urges the Government of Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the UN and its partners continue to help people in need despite daily impediments that continue to affect the speed and scale of humanitarian operations.
Over the past week, UN partners distributed more than 1,300 tents, 7,000 tarpaulins, and thousands of mattresses, blankets and warm clothes across the Strip as families continue to be exposed to winter conditions without adequate shelter.
UN partners estimate that last week’s storms also impacted 80 displacement sites across the Strip, with at least 4,000 families’ shelters damaged or destroyed. The UN and its partners delivered emergency food supplies, tents and tarpaulins, as well as hygiene and cooking supplies to more than 660 families.
The UN reiterates the urgent need for sustainable shelter solutions, including repairing damaged homes, clearing rubble to make more land available, and restoring water and sanitation systems.
On the health front, over the past week, the UN and its partners supported the setting up of 140 specialized surgical and physical rehabilitation beds at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, as well as five beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Awda Hospital in Deir al Balah.
Meanwhile, UN partners working on improving access to education report that nearly 450 temporary learning spaces are now operational, accommodating around 40 per cent of children. They also distributed half a million bars of soap to educational facilities across Gaza.
And today, OCHA reports that the Israeli military dropped leaflets in Bani Suhaila in eastern Khan Younis, which is located east of the so-called “Yellow Line,” ordering people to evacuate immediately. OCHA estimates that more than 400 families remain in the area, and our partners have not yet observed any movement of people. OCHA reiterates that civilians must always be protected and allowed to flee safely. They must also be allowed to return when conditions permit, if they wish to do so.
**Syria
In response to questions about the fighting in Syria the Deputy Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General is following with great concern the continuing violence in northeast Syria. He strongly calls for full respect for international law and the protection of civilians. He also stresses the importance of securing detention facilities.
The Secretary-General urges the parties to continue dialogue and to move forward in good faith and work together to secure the implementation of all agreements.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-20
Syrian Arab Republic on the situation in Syria – Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Media stakeout by Ibrahim Olabi, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations, on the situation in Syria.
How to lead forces for peace, with Cheryl Pearce | UN ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser
Source: United Nations (video statements)
After enlisting at 18, Cheryl Pearce battled rigid gender barriers to rise through the military ranks. Now the UN’s Acting Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, the Australian-born Lieutenant General is the highest ranking woman in uniform within the United Nations.
“Peace for me, is seeing communities having food security, having water security, education, knowing, you know, as a mum myself, knowing that my children can grow up to feel like that. They can have a life and a future and fulfill their dreams and goals.”
Lieutenant General Pearce knows what it takes to serve in some of the most difficult places on earth, from East Timor to Afghanistan. In this episode, she reflects on the sources of her mental and physical resilience, on making a robust case for peacekeeping in an age of disinformation, and shares why her family wants her to show her chaotic side once in a while.
#podcast #UnitedNations #awakeatnight #peacekeeping #women
UN Chief on entry into force of the agreement on marine biodiversity in international waters (BBNJ)
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for the entry into force of the agreement on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
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Today marks a watershed moment for the ocean.
The Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, the BBNJ Agreement, is now in force.
This is a historic achievement – for people and planet; for international cooperation and the United Nations.
This treaty establishes the first legal framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national borders.
We now have binding global rules to share fairly the benefits from marine genetic resources;
Establish and enforce marine protected areas;
Conduct rigorous environmental impact assessments;
And provide capacity and technology to those that need it most.
In a world of accelerating crises – climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – the Agreement fills a critical governance gap to secure a resilient and productive ocean for all.
I commend the Parties to the Agreement and urge all States to join.
Let us now move swiftly to universal and full implementation, and honour the promises of the Agreement for people everywhere.
Thank you.
Darfur: People subjected to collective torture – ICC Briefing | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Nazhat Shameem Khan said, “Darfuris, as we speak, are being subjected to collective torture.”
Addressing the Security Council virtually today (19 Jan) Khan reported that the situation in Darfur “has darkened even further.”
She said, “The fall of El Fasher to the RSF has been accompanied by an organized, calculated campaign of the most profound suffering, targeting non-Arab communities in particular.”
She continued, “Rape, arbitrary detention, executions, mass graves, all perpetrated on a massive scale. Many of these crimes have been filmed and celebrated by those committing them. This dreadful situation is still ongoing.”
She highlighted, “War crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in El Fasher, including in particular in late October as a culmination of the siege of the city by the Rapid Support Forces.”
She stressed, “This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur. It will continue until this conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, are stopped.”
She said, “If we are to ensure that the conviction of Ali Kushayb sets the basis for further accountability, the expanded and active cooperation of our partners will be essential. The scale of suffering and criminality in Darfur at present can only be addressed if we work together.”
She added, “The Government of Sudan must work with us seriously, with focus, to secure the arrest of those individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants presently in Sudan: Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein. I underline again that Mr. Harun in particular must be given priority.”
#UN Human Rights Chief meets sexual violence survivors in #Sudan
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk briefed journalists in Nairobi following a five-day mission to Sudan where “a chronicle of cruelty is unfolding before our very eyes."
Mr. Türk visited the Al Afad IDP camp in Northern State of Sudan, as the situation in the country has triggered the world’s largest displacement of populations.
The UN Human Rights Chief heard accounts of sexual violence being used as a weapon of war.
He called on ‘all those who have any influence, including regional actors and notably those who supply the arms and benefit economically from this war’ to act urgently to bring it to an end.
Davos, Palestine, Syria & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (19 January 2026) | United Nations
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
ICC Caucus on Sudan and South Sudan – Media Stakeout | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Informal comments to the media by ICC Caucus on behalf of the members of the Security Council that are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC): Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Greece, Latvia, Panama, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Liberia, on the situation in Darfur.
Gaza: restoring power is an urgent priority – UNOPS Press Conference | United Nations
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press conference by Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), virtually from Jerusalem, on his ongoing trip to the region.
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UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva visited the Gaza Strip and met with UNMAS teams at a site in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, alongside the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramiz Alakbarov.
Da Silva also visited the headquarters of Gaza’s main and only power generation company, inspecting the plant that has been out of service since the outbreak of the war in October 2023. The visit comes as part of UN efforts to support the restoration of critical energy infrastructure in the Strip.
Da Silva stated that energy is a key enabler for all vital sectors, including health and education, and that rehabilitating the power plant is an urgent priority.
He added that immediate support to repair the plant, its fuel tanks, and the electricity grid could be provided with a sum not exceeding $10 million, emphasizing the need to allow all necessary spare parts to be brought in to ensure a sustainable return of electricity to Gaza’s residents.