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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2025

ABYEI 

Following the attack on the UN peacekeeping logistics base in Kadugli, South Kordofan, on 13 December, which resulted in the killing of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injury of nine others while on duty with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), this morning, a solemn ceremony was held at the Mission headquarters in Abyei to honour the six peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their remains are being escorted back to Bangladesh. 

The injured peacekeepers, who were evacuated from Kadugli to Abyei on 13 December, are being treated at UNISFA’s hospital. The Mission’s top priority is to ensure that everything possible is done to provide the necessary medical care for the injured. 

The Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Robert Yaw Affram, visited Kadugli today to assess the situation and to engage with the peacekeepers on the ground and other relevant parties. 

The Mission has taken all necessary steps to protect its personnel and facilities by reinforcing protection measures at the Kadugli logistics base to ensure their safety and is closely coordinating with relevant stakeholders to assess the situation. 

SUDAN 

On Saturday, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the horrific drone attacks that targeted the United Nations peacekeeping logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan. The attacks resulted in six fatalities and eight injuries – all members of the Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingent serving in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). 

Yesterday, the Secretary-General spoke by phone with the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Mr. Muhammed Yunus, to express his condolences to the Government and people of Bangladesh and to convey his solidarity following this horrific attack. 

In the statement, the Secretary-General underscored that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law, and he reminds all parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect UN personnel and civilians. Such attacks against peacekeepers are unjustifiable. There will need to be accountability.  

SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN 

Further on Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the situation across the Kordofan region is rapidly worsening, with civilians facing mounting risks as hostilities intensify. 

We are alarmed by reports that yesterday, a drone attack struck a hospital in the town of Dilling, in South Kordofan State, killing at least six people and injuring 12 others – that’s according to initial information from the UN Human Rights Office. Other reports indicate that medical personnel were among the injured. 

OCHA reminds all parties that attacks on hospitals and health workers constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law. Medical facilities and civilians must be protected at all times, and those responsible must be held to account. 

Meanwhile, in the east of Kadugli, the state capital of South Kordofan, artillery shelling was reported yesterday, posing further risks to civilians. 

The escalating violence is driving new displacement. Our colleagues with the International Organization for Migration estimate that more than 1,700 people were displaced between Thursday and Saturday from several towns in South Kordofan. 

The security situation also remains volatile in North Kordofan State, including in the state capital, El Obeid, where further attacks have been reported.  

Despite the insecurity, we and our partners continue our efforts to provide life-saving assistance as funding and access allow. With the World Health Organization and national authorities conducting a cholera vaccination campaign in South Kordofan, Abu Jubeihah locality, it is essential that sustained access is facilitated and security is guaranteed.             

Meanwhile in North Darfur State, displacement from El Fasher into Tawila continues to rise. More than 25,000 arrivals have been registered since late October, after fleeing along insecure routes where they face extreme protection risks. 

Despite severe access and logistical constraints, the World Food Programme assisted about half a million people in Tawila last month, and has consistently reached some 2 million people every month across the Darfur region – half of whom are in North Darfur, in areas surrounding El Fasher. 

Once again, we urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access across Sudan so that assistance can reach people in need wherever they are. 

OMAN 

The Secretary-General met today in Muscat, Oman, with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said. The Secretary-General thanked the Sultan for his strong and continuous support of the work of the United Nations. They also had an exchange of views on a number of regional and international issues, during which the Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for Oman’s constructive diplomatic role.   

They also discussed the overall situation in Yemen, including the UN personnel and other personnel who work for diplomatic missions and international NGOs who remain arbitrarily detained by the Houthis. 

Before flying back to New York, the Secretary-General and his delegation participated in a working dinner organized by the Foreign Minister. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVELS 

Prior to his stop in Oman, the Secretary-General travelled to Iraq and Saudi Arabia over the weekend.  

On Saturday, he was in Baghdad to attend a ceremony organized by the Iraqi Government to mark the closure, after 22 years, of the UN Political Mission in Iraq, known as UNAMI.  

The Secretary-General met with the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.  In speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Guterres said that over the past 22 years, UNAMI has acted with humility and determination to help Iraqis rebuild following decades of oppression, war and instability, fully respecting the principle of national ownership.  

As UNAMI ends its mandate the Secretary-General stressed that the UN, through its agencies, would continue its vital development work in support of Iraq and Iraqis. He added that Iraq is now a normal country, and relations between the UN and Iraq will become normal with the end of UNAMI. 

The Secretary-General later joined senior members of the Iraqi government and representative of the diplomatic corps in Baghdad, to attend an official ceremony to mark the closing of the UN’s political mission in Iraq. In public remarks at the ceremony, the Secretary-General said that, as we close this chapter, we celebrate and mark the courage, fortitude and determination of the Iraqi people, who have overcome decades of violence, oppression, war, terrorism, sectarianism and foreign interference. 

To close out the day, the Secretary-General met with President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, whom he thanked for Iraq’s support to UNAMI and the United Nations.   

On Sunday, the Secretary-General opened the 11th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Riyadh. Mr. Guterres saluted the goals of the Alliance. He said that the Alliance was launched twenty years ago to help show that humanity – in all its diversity – could talk, listen, and build together. 

Later in the day, the Secretary-General addressed member states of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilization. He encouraged Member States to engage and support the Alliance of Civilizations, including through the Voluntary Trust Fund. 

AUSTRALIA 

In a statement yesterday, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack on a celebration of Hanukkah in Sydney, Australia. He expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extends his wishes for a swift and full recovery to those injured.  

The Secretary-General unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms and reiterates that attacks on religious communities and peaceful celebrations strike at the core values of tolerance, coexistence and human dignity. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Turning to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that the UN and our partners continue to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable families. They warn, however, that needs continue to outpace the ability of humanitarians to respond, given the ongoing impediments they face. Rainstorms and colder temperatures are also exacerbating the situation across the Strip. 

In the ongoing effort to provide winterization support, we’ve been distributing packages of essential items – including food aid, hygiene materials and shelter supplies – to help weather future storms and support people after the latest rains. Between Thursday and Saturday, our partners working on improving access to dignified shelter delivered 3,800 tents, nearly 4,600 tarpaulins, and thousands of bedding items to some 4,800 families. 

Our partners are also working to address the growing risks of hypothermia in newborns, with tailored kits that are locally procured and prepared for distribution. These kits will be provided to mothers and caregivers with newborn and very young children. 

Meanwhile, our partners leading efforts to improve food security report that after the latest rainstorms hit Gaza on Thursday, some 16 community kitchens were forced to temporarily close due to the weather. Since then, most have resumed their normal operations, with 5,000 additional hot meals per day delivered to 30 sites affected by the rains across the Strip. That’s in addition to the ongoing provision of cooked meals, with nearly 1.6 million distributed on Saturday. 

In terms of regular monthly food assistance, our partners report that some 400,000 people have received these food packages so far in December. As you will recall, one package includes two food rations with staple items such as rice, lentils and oil, as well as one 25-kilogram bag of flour. 

However, since Friday – and due to ongoing restrictions affecting our ability to bring in sufficient volumes of aid – our partners have once again had to reduce the assistance being provided through such packages to one food parcel, one bag of flour, and 1.5 kilograms of high energy biscuits. This reduced package covers half of the minimum caloric needs per family for the remainder of the month. 

In parallel, our partners working to improve water and sanitation delivered 15 mobile wastewater pumps to areas that have been flooded. They are also constructing embankments, setting up sandbags, and supporting the drainage of storm- and wastewater. 

In another positive development, a temporary medical waste management facility is now operational in the “Netzarim corridor,” which runs across central Gaza from east to west. The facility was set up by the UN and our partners and will collect and safely store medical waste from health facilities in northern Gaza. 

Meanwhile, in the ongoing push to improve access to education, our partners re-opened more than a dozen temporary learning spaces to accommodate 5,000 children. However, as we mentioned last week, efforts to get children back to regular learning are still constrained due to education supplies being blocked from entering by Israeli authorities. 

OCHA once again warns that impediments continue to hamper our ability to accelerate the scale-up of the humanitarian response. These impediments must be lifted, and access must be sustained to allow the UN and our partners to reach everyone in need. 

SYRIA

Turning to Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that we and our humanitarian partners continue to respond to urgent needs in the south of the country, despite severe funding shortfalls which severely limit our operations. 

A couple of weeks before the end of the year, the $3.2 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just 30 per cent funded, with $953 million received. 

In November, we and our humanitarian partners reached more than 475,000 people with assistance, including blankets, winter clothes, cash support and winterization kits. 

Since July, UN humanitarian convoys have delivered more than 1,600 trucksloads of aid to the governorates of Sweida, Dar’a and Rural Damascus. The UN Refugee Agency and its partners have scaled up distributions of materials for the winter, while the World Food Programme supplied more than 6,600 metric tonnes of wheat flour to sustain bakery operations. 

For their part, UNICEF and its health partners have deployed more than 40 mobile medical teams, delivering over 150,000 medical procedures and treatment courses, and reached nearly 30,000 people with nutrition services. Our partners working in water, sanitation and hygiene supported water trucking and maintenance, restoring access to water for over 200,000 people, and distributed 78,000 liters of fuel to operate essential water facilities. 

Meanwhile, on displacement, OCHA reports that the number of displaced persons from As-Sweida governorate has declined since late August, with around 155,000 displaced people remaining and an estimated 20,000 returnees, mainly to Sweida and Shahba districts. However, critical funding gaps and logistical constraints are delaying shelter rehabilitation, restricting essential water, sanitation and hygiene upgrades, and curtailing health and nutrition outreach, leaving communities exposed to harsh winter conditions. 

The security situation in Southern Syria remains volatile, with sporadic incidents disrupting mobility and access. Explosive ordnance contamination continues to pose serious risks. In November, partners reported 24 casualties, including 17 children. Clearance and risk education activities are ongoing as security and funding allow. 

UKRAINE 

From Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that new attacks over the weekend severely disrupted critical services, leaving more than one million people without electricity, heating or water, mainly across the south of the country.  

Authorities report that between 12 December and this morning, front-line hostilities and attacks across the country killed at least nine civilians and injured more than 70 others, including three children. 

The Odesa region suffered repeated attacks that injured six civilians and damaged energy infrastructure. As a result, the city of Odesa, home to more than one million residents, was left without electricity, heating and water. While power has been restored for around 100,000 consumers and water supply has resumed, 20,000 residents remain without heating as of this morning.   

In the neighbouring Mykolaiv region, attacks damaged the power supply and injured five civilians, including a child.  

The Kherson region has also been severely impacted, with around two dozen civilians injured. In Kherson city, more than 40,000 residents remain without heating following damage to the combined heat and power plant earlier this month. 

Energy facilities were also hit in the region of Chernihiv in the north and the region of Kirovohrad in the center, disrupting electricity supply in dozens of towns and villages, while other frontline regions – including Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia – reported civilian casualties and damage to homes and other civilian infrastructure. 

With temperatures dropping to around or below zero and snowfall reports in parts of the country, attacks on critical energy infrastructure are driving widespread water and heating outages nationwide.      

Our humanitarian partners, with the UN’s support, are providing hot meals, bottled water, shelter materials, water-trucking and psychosocial support. 

BELARUS

We welcome the 13 December release by the Belarusian authorities of 123 political prisoners, including the 2022 Nobel Peace laureate, Mr. Ales Bialiatski, as well as civic activist Ms. Maria Kolesnikova and commend the efforts of the United States in facilitating this and other recent releases. We hope that this latest step enables greater dialogue, including on the issue of human rights, and we call for the release of all remaining political prisoners in Belarus. 

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Earlier today, in the Central African Republic, a logistical escort convoy of the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, came under attack by suspected members of an armed group (Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé) around 22 km from Zemio, in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture. Two peacekeepers were injured (from Nepal) during this attack. They were transferred to Bangui to receive appropriate care and are in stable condition.

The Head of the peacekeeping mission, Valentine Rugwabiza, has expressed her deep concern about this new attack on blue helmets in the country and recalled that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

The mission calls on the Central African authorities to spare no effort to identify the perpetrators of these acts so that they can be brought to justice.

SECURITY COUNCIL 

This morning the Security Council held an open debate on leadership for Peace.  

And as you saw, our former boss, former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, briefed the council on behalf of the Elders.  

And, a few minutes ago, at the stakeout, you heard a delegation of The Elders, who spoke to you about the selection process for the next UN secretary-general and other topics. 

GLOBAL REFUGEE FORUM 

This morning, the Secretary-General addressed the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review by pre-recorded video message.  

He told participants that since the Global Refugee Forum two years ago, we have seen more conflict, more displacement, more closed borders, and sharp cuts in humanitarian funding. 

But, he added, the Global Compact on Refugees still points the way forward.  

The Secretary-General renewed his call for increased support for host countries – especially the low- and middle-income countries welcoming nearly three quarters of the world’s refugees, for additional efforts to boost refugee inclusion and self-reliance, and for an expansion of third-country solutions, like family reunification and resettlement, recognizing that for some refugees there simply are no local solutions. 

And, he added, we must enable people to safely return home, as 1 million Syrians have done in the past 12 months. 

Mr. Guterres urged the world to do more – providing safety, opportunity, and solutions where they are needed most. 

He also expressed his gratitude to Filippo Grandi, whose mandate draws to a close. 

GUEST TOMORROW 

Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).  

She will join us virtually to brief on the new UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents. 

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION 

Pakistan paid its full dues to the Regular Budget. This payment brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 147.