Category: United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica Dennis Zulu said that Hurricane Melissa has caused “unprecedented” devastation across its path in Jamaica, calling international community for support.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, The Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dennis Zulu, spoke to reporters today via a video link today (29 Oct).

He said, “There’s been massive dislocation of services. We have people living in shelters across the country. And at the moment, what we are seeing in preliminary assessments is a country that’s been devastated to levels never seen before.”

Zulu said at the moment the United Nations is working in partnership with the national authorities and other partners, both bilateral and multilateral partners, to undertake the first assessment of the extent of the problem.

This aims to see how the UN can respond expeditiously to alleviating those who are in need.

At the moment, the Resident Coordinator said that the UN does not have the actual figures of how many people are impacted, “but we estimate to be a very large number,” Zulu added.

The Resident Coordinator reiterated, the devastation is calling upon “all partners in goodwill wishes across the world to support Jamaica.”

He added, “Jamaica has been making tremendous progress towards sorting out its economic situation. It was upward looking – sorted out its debt issues. But now with what has happened, it will take a lot of resources to be able to reconstruct and get it back on the upward trajectory.”

“So the country of Jamaica and the government, the people of Jamaica need the support of all of us really to get them back to some state of normality,” Zulu stressed.

Asked about challenges, the Resident Coordinator said, “we’ll see now is how does Jamaica finance this unprecedented devastation to the country,” adding that this will definitely need additional financial resources.

He also noted that Hurricane Melissa has negatively impacted tourism, adding that “we are obviously going to see reduced arrivals because the facilities, the resorts that were accommodating the tourists have been affected and they did affect Montego Bay, which is a principal destination here and the Ocho Rios”

There will be a reduction of incomes coming in from tourism, Zulu added.

Agriculture will be seriously affected as well, the Resident Coordinator said, “we’re bound to see a spike in agriculture products. And that obviously is not good for the economy.”

“It will have to be a lot of soul searching around how we can get this economy back on its feet and how we can finance the devastation that has been caused by Melissa going forward,” Zulu said.

He also noted that some of the roads have been cut off, making it difficult to reach certain area.

“This impacts us quite badly because we can’t undertake the needed assessments that we need to do. And secondly, we can’t get the resources that these people need in those areas that have that affected,” the Resident Coordinator explained.

He also mentioned the fear of landslide as the soil is still wet. “So at the moment, what we’re trying to do is trying to see how safe it is, to get to these areas. And we’ll have to assess this using drones, for instance, but also some satellite imaging, which some of the UN agencies are providing, as well as other development partners, to be able to ascertain the level of damage.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8QaZo4sedw

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Hurricane Melissa /Secretary-General
CEB
Sudan
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Ukraine
Adaptation Gap Report
Climate Change / Health
Brazil
Peacekeeping
Care and Support Day

HURRICANE MELISSA

From the Caribbean, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Hurricane Melissa is now battering Cuba. The storm made landfall overnight near Santiago de Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of some 120 miles per hour. The hurricane is anticipated to cross the Bahamas later today and continue to bring winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall across the region, including Turks and Caicos and Haiti.

Yesterday, it struck Jamaica as the strongest storm to make landfall on the island and one of the strongest on record in the Atlantic. You’ll hear more shortly from our guest.

Turning to Cuba, authorities have reported the evacuation of some 735,00 people to 900 shelters and other locations. With the Anticipatory Action Plan activated ahead of landfall, UN agencies have been able to deliver early assistance made possible by a $4 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund

The World Food Programme transported and pre-positioned nearly 700 metric tons of food, including rice, grains and oil, for more than 180,000 people for 12 days.

UNICEF delivered 1,300 hygiene kits for 6,500 people and deployed portable water-treatment plants serving 16,000 people per day. Public messaging campaigns are underway and learning materials for more than 20,000 children are being distributed.

The Food and Agriculture Organization moved agricultural inputs and seeds to the east of the country to help farmers protect irrigation systems.

The Pan American Health Organization airlifted 2.7 tons of medical supplies, including emergency health kits, generators and water tanks, from Panama.

The UN Development Programme has sent tarpaulins, generators and mattresses, while the UN Population Fund is distributing sexual and reproductive health and dignity kits.

Two OCHA staff are now in Havana to support the Resident Coordinator and UN agencies. A UN Plan of Action to support 170,000 is being finalized.

And turning to Haiti, the Haitian government has declared a public holiday today to allow emergency teams to focus on operations.

Authorities warn of possible flooding and landslides in several departments. Early information from our partners shows damage in the West department. In the commune of Petit-Goâve, authorities report 20 deaths, including 10 children.

OCHA is working closely with authorities and humanitarian partners to share information, plan collectively and monitor local conditions, despite limited logistical capacity in several areas. Our partners have pre-positioned key supplies, including hundreds of hygiene kits in the departments of Artibonite and North-West departments, as well as in the town of Cap-Haïtien. The International Organization for Migration is preparing to help 2,000 households in Gonaïves with shelter materials and other essential items, while the World Food Programme plans to distribute cash assistance for about 4,000 households in the same area. The Haitian Red Cross and UNESCO are supporting community outreach and public information campaigns. OCHA Haiti continues to coordinate response efforts, ensuring that the Government and our partners work together efficiently to reach people in need and avoid duplication.

CEB

On Thursday and Friday, the Secretary-General will chair the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), bringing together the heads of the UN system organizations. The CEB session will be held at the Greentree Estate in Manhasset, NY.

CEB Members will reflect on current world affairs as they affect and are related to the UN system, and they will engage in deliberations on the “Impact of the present disruptions in the global economy on the Sustainable Development Goals” and “State of Play of the UN80 Initiative”.

Full highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1C5Ew5srUk

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Joint stakeout by the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis, following a meeting of the group. Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, Sérgio França Danese, Permanent Representative of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the United Nations, and other representatives from Global South countries.

The Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis reaffirmed, “only a negotiated political solution, including through inclusive diplomacy and political means based on the UN Charter, can bring this conflict to an end.”

The Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis held a joint press encounter today (29 Oct) after a meeting. Ambassador Sérgio França Danese of Brazil and Ambassador Fu Cong of China spoke on behalf of the Group. Other representatives from Global South countries were present at the press encounter.

Brazilian Ambassador Sérgio França Danese said, “Our group has consistently called for an early peaceful settlement of the conflict, remained dedicated to fostering dialog and engagement, and actively engaged with relevant parties with a view to promoting common ground across the international community.”

“All efforts have been guided by our strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any States and the peaceful settlement of disputes,” Ambassador Danese reiterated.

He reiterated that the Group remains committed to “promoting the spirit of solidarity and partnership between nations that’s emphasized by the Bandung Principles inter alia.”

Ambassador Danese also said, “Deeply troubled by the prolonged hostilities and the immense negative impacts, this Group was among the first to call for an immediate and complete ceasefire – a call we firmly reiterate today.”

He underscored the need to “observe principles for de-escalation and the importance of non-expansion of the battlefield, and non- intensification of fighting.”

The Brazilian Ambassador said, “We believe that avoiding actions that could further fuel the conflict, including the proliferation of weapons and other means of war into the parties of the conflict, would help pave the way toward a ceasefire and political settlement.”

For his part, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said, “The shared goal must be to find a comprehensive, just and lasting solution – one that addresses mutual concerns of the parties of the conflict and leads to a peace agreement, negotiated directly by and acceptable to them.”

He said that the Group “stands ready to support the next steps agreed by the relevant parties to the conflict, including the possible discussion on the roadmap.”

“We believe that the UN has a role to play in fostering the diplomatic efforts, and in the implementation of any peace agreements,” Ambassador Fu said.

The Group also called for “increased humanitarian assistance and the strengthening of the protection of civilians, in particular women, children and the humanitarian personnel.”

“All parties are obligated to strictly, comply with international humanitarian law. Civilian infrastructure and objects, including nuclear facilities and other installations containing dangerous forces, must never be the target of military operations,” Ambassador Fu said.

The Group also stressed that all parties are “bound by the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities”

The Group emphasized the “obligation of the humane treatment of prisoners, and encourage and support initiatives to facilitate the safe exchange of prisoners of war as a confidence building measure that alleviates human suffering,” Ambassador Fu concluded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nlDx8IHPmE

Source: United Nations (video statements)

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) announced the appointment of Professor Brian Cox as United Nations Champion for Space.

As the Champion for Space, Prof. Cox will assist UNOOSA in promoting space as a tool for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. He told UN News that he would use his new role to explain why space is ‘vitally important and wonderful to as wide an audience as possible.’

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/82kCR_6DbwU

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Thirty years after Copenhagen, the world comes together again — this time in Doha — for the Second World Summit for Social Development. At a time of rising inequality and global uncertainty, leaders, innovators, and communities unite under the Doha Political Declaration to accelerate social progress and put people back at the center of development.
Join us in Doha, Qatar, from 4–6 November, as the world recommits to dignity, opportunity, and justice for all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXr25vn6Z0M

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Hybrid press briefing by Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 (oPt). following their presentation to the General Assembly’s Third Committee. Ms. Albanese briefs reporters virtually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBUMalWIx78

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Hybrid press briefing by the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, following their presentation to the General Assembly’s Third Committee. Speakers are Ms. Navanethem Pillay (South Africa) and Mr. Chris Sidoti (Australia), who both briefed reporters virtually.

Chris Sidoti, one of the members of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) said the 20-point “peace proposal” for Gaza, was “precarious right from the start” and “with fighting taking place in Rafah and Israeli bombing having resumed in the Rafah area, it is more precarious than ever.”

Sidoti and Navi Pillay, who is also a member of the COI, briefed reporters in New York virtually after presenting their report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee.

Pillay said, “analysis concluded that the State of Israel is responsible for the commission of four genocidal acts in Gaza with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza. We also found that the Israeli President, Prime Minister, and former Defence Minister have incited the commission of genocide.”

She said, “these findings remain fully valid and continue to serve as a cornerstone of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to ensure accountability.”

Pillay, who is a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, “Israeli officials have demonstrated a clear and concise intent to establish permanent military control over Gaza and to change its demographic composition.”

She expressed deep concern that “changes already made to land and borders have not been meaningfully reversed, despite the recent ceasefire, and statements by Israeli officials make it clear that objections of ethnic cleansing and the establishment of settlement in the Gaza Strip remain firmly in place.”

Sidoti for his part said, “the criminal activities of both the Palestinian militant leadership and the Israeli political and military leadership must end, and they will only end when those who are responsible for the crimes are held to account.”

He said, “one of the failures of the 20-point proposal is that there is no provision for accountability. There can be no peace in Israel and Palestine without accountability. There can be no justice in Israel and Palestine without accountability.”

Sidoti said, “the hostages have been released – apart from 12 bodies that are still being sought; the Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released; but humanitarian and aid has not been resumed at the levels of were agreed and there is not a complete ceasefire taking place.”

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory was established by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged violations of international law and human rights abuses in the region.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gblHJ2mOWQE

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Hybrid press briefing by Mariana Katzarova, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, following the presentation of her report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee.

"Russia is now run through a state-sponsored system of fear and punishment where dissent is erased and civic space is dismantled,” said Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, briefing correspondents following the presentation of her report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee.

Special Rapporteurs and other human rights experts appointed under the special procedures mandate of the Human Rights Council are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They receive no salary for their work.

Katzarova outlined what she described as an expanding network of repression targeting journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens in Russia. She said that “the most fashionable tool, if you wish, for repression, has become the abuse of the national security legislation,” citing charges such as treason, espionage, confidential cooperation with a foreign organization or foreign state, and broad applications of counter-terrorism and extremism laws.

According to the Special Rapporteur, these measures are designed to create a chilling effect. “People from different professions, different walks of life, just simply for posting or reposting messages on social media against the war have been penalized,” she said. “At first with administrative offenses, then with criminal offenses, imprisoned for their opposition against the war. And this works as a preventive mechanism for other people really to be afraid to show their true sentiments.”

Katzarova also drew attention to the plight of Ukrainian civilians held in Russian detention, saying, “Thousands of Ukrainian civilian detainees, we don’t know the exact count, because the Russian authorities are not revealing it, are lavishing in Russian detention, virtually disappeared.” Many of those known to be held, she added, remain without access to families or the outside world. She also raised concern over the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. “POWs are not recognized in the Russian Federation as prisoners of war, because Russian authorities do not recognize this as a war, but just as a special military operation. Therefore, the POWs do not enjoy the protections of the Geneva Conventions.”

The Rapporteur noted that “Russia is the third in the world biggest jailer of journalists,” adding that “29 probably 28 because one actually was released recently,” referring to Vladislav Yasipenko, a journalist from Crimea who “spent four years in Russian detention being tortured to secure confession.”

Katzarova said punitive psychiatric treatment reminiscent of Soviet-era practices had returned “as a tool against antiwar voices.” She said her team documented 51 cases of activists subjected to forced psychiatric measures since 2022, including journalist Maria Ponomarenko, who “was ordered to undergo compulsory psychiatric treatment for maintaining her antiwar stance in prison.” The journalist subsequently tried to commit suicide three times in one week, according to Katzarova.

She emphasized that “counter terrorism and extremism laws are really used to punish speech, not danger.” She said the repression now extended to the digital sphere. “Coupled with, of course, the absolute crackdown of Russian authorities – this is now intensifying – is freedom of the internet. So, for example, there is now a new law on extremism for searching extremist materials on the internet.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv5EHg2paSo

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Secretary-General/Cameroon
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Sudan/Humanitarian
Hurricane Melissa
Central African Republic
Afghanistan
Nationally Determined Contributions Synthesis Report
Women Peacekeepers
Peace Circle
Democratic Republic of the Congo

HURRICANE MELISSA
Thanks to the pre-positioning of relief supplies ahead of the hurricane season, the World Food Programme (WFP) is coordinating a sea-lift operation from Barbados carrying supplies from WFP, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). An airlift of some 2,000 relief kits is also planned for deployment once airports reopen and the weather conditions permit flights.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that a joint warehouse established earlier this year in Barbados by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and the WFP, with support from the European Union and Canada, is already proving to be instrumental in this unfolding disaster.

Additional relief stocks are available at the UN Humanitarian Depot in Panama from UN agencies, NGOs and international cooperation partners.

In Cuba, where the hurricane is expected to make landfall overnight in the eastern part of the island, preparations and prepositioning of supplies and assets are still underway, and authorities plan to evacuate about half a million people to safer ground. OCHA also said that two staff members have arrived in Cuba today to support UN agencies that are already there. and national authorities ahead of the impact.

And in Haiti, authorities have placed the departments of South and Grand’Anse on red alert, while other areas remain on orange alert.

More than 3,600 people are sheltering in emergency sites in the Grand Sud département, with IOM supporting sheltering of 3,000 people preventively and the setting up of 100 shelters.

Our humanitarian colleagues are coordinating with Haitian authorities, UN agencies and humanitarian partners to support preparedness and early action. WFP has pre-positioned more than 800 metric tons of food to assist 86,000 people in Haiti for two weeks. UNICEF has pre-positioned water, sanitation and hygiene kits for about 14,500 people and nutritional supplies for more than 4,000 children. For its part, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has stocked reproductive health kits for 5,000 people and dignity kits for 4,000 people, while the Pan American Health Organization provided medical kits for about 11,000 people.

SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
In answer to questions about the number of civilians killed in El Fasher, the Spokesperson said the UN Human Rights Office said that they have documented some 1,850 civilian deaths in North Darfur, of these, an estimated 1,350 were in El Fasher.

This is considered, however, an under-representation of the real number of conflict-related deaths in El Fasher, and North Darfur, given the challenges related to telecommunications and just access issues on the ground.

Although access to El Fasher remains blocked and humanitarian capacity continues to shrink as needs soar, we and our humanitarian partners remain committed to scaling up the much-needed support across Darfur and reestablishing a presence on the ground and soon as it is practicable.

Many civilians flee toward Tawila seeking relative safety or whatever humanitarian assistance they may receive. Humanitarian workers continue to operate under extraordinary danger to assist them. In Tawila, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners report that families, and especially children, are arriving malnourished, they are arriving sick and they are arriving traumatized after a dangerous journey to safety. UNHCR is providing essential assistance and vital services to displaced families, and that includes shelter.

In a statement issued today, the UN and its humanitarian partners urged the international community for urgent action to protect civilians and for humanitarian workers in Sudan, and to guarantee safe passage and humanitarian access to people trapped in El Fasher as well as scaling up funding to support humanitarian operations in El Fasher and elsewhere in Sudan.

Fighting has also intensified in North Kordofan State. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 2,500 people fled Bara town over the weekend, and up to 1,000 others were newly displaced from Zuraiba village yesterday due to heightened insecurity.

The UN stresses once again that civilians must be protected wherever they are, whether they decide to seek safety or whether they have to stay.

Full highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-10-28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA_9KaK6DWI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Following reports of intensified fighting in El-Fasher, in the Darfur region of Sudan, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Denise Brown, today (27 Oct) called on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias “to allow safe passage” for civilians to leave the city.

Brown reported that yesterday, “a few hundred people arrived in trucks just outside of Tawilah” and noted that “civilians escaping, fleeing El-Fasher are often held for ransom along the road, part of the road being controlled by militia.”
She stressed that “there are civilians in El-Fasher. It is a fact,” and said, “these individuals are increased risk of being injured or killed.
Brown said, “the RSF needs to demonstrate respect for international humanitarian law and let those people leave. Alternatively, they need to let us in, and we have asked for that multiple times,” and noted that “more than 120 aid workers” have been killed since the war began in April 2023.
She said, “the blockade of humanitarian assistance and food aid in particular is tantamount to using starvation as a weapon of war,” and “people are getting on a very dangerous road because we have not been given guarantees of safe passage.”
Brown said, “it’s the people of the Sudan who are suffering the consequences of this war. Those consequences are widespread. They’re affecting not only individuals, but families and communities. And a peaceful solution needs to be found,” adding that a humanitarian response alone “is not a solution to the war.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUZe1vBPqk0