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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 13 APRIL 2026

MIDDLE EAST 

After weeks of destruction and distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East. 

While no agreement was reached at the talks hosted by Pakistan between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad, the discussions themselves underscored the seriousness of their engagement and constituted a positive and meaningful step toward renewed dialogue. 

Given the deeply rooted differences, an agreement cannot be reached overnight, and the Secretary-General calls on the talks to continue constructively for an agreement to be reached. 

At the same time, the ceasefire must absolutely be preserved. All violations must cease. 

He thanks the continued efforts of the mediators – Pakistan, which hosted these talks, as well as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye – and calls for the international community to support those efforts.  

The Secretary-General stresses that all parties to this conflict must respect freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, in line with international law. 

We need to remember that some 20,000 seafarers have been caught up in this conflict and are currently stranded on ships and facing increasing hardships daily. 

Disruptions in the maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz have already had direct effect well beyond the immediate region, with increased global economic fragility and insecurity in many sectors.   

The disruption of fertilizer and related raw material is already having a very negative impact on agriculture, worsening the perspectives of food insecurity. With that in mind, the Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, working with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Chamber of Commerce, continues engaging extensively with relevant parties to design and operationalize the mechanism we announced for the Strait of Hormuz on 27 March. 

For his part, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Jean Arnault, remains actively engaged in the region, consulting closely with key stakeholders and continuing his outreach in support of a comprehensive and durable agreement. 

IRAN 

On Iran, OCHA says that the UN and its partners continue to support the Government-led humanitarian response humanitarian in the face of sharply rising needs. 

UNICEF has been working with its partners to support children and families, including by increasing psychosocial support.  

As needs grow, UNICEF is also helping to restore access to essential health services. In coordination with the Ministry of Health, two mobile health units, eight primary healthcare tents, and more than 80 emergency primary healthcare kits have been deployed. Tents and emergency kits are also being delivered, helping reach more than 225,000 people.  

The World Food Programme (WFP) has supported 33,500 refugees with food and cash assistance. 

Over the weekend, the principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which brings together UN agencies and our NGO partners, expressed their alarm by the sustained violations of the rules of war and international humanitarian law. In a statement, they noted that thousands of civilians have been killed, with many more displaced. Health workers and facilities have been targeted, while global supply chains are also impacted, driving up food and fuel prices. The principals spoke out against all attacks on civilians. “Even wars have rules,” they said, “and these rules must be respected.” 

LEBANON/ISRAEL 

Negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese authorities are expected in DC. 

We encourage both Lebanon and Israel to leverage all available diplomatic avenues at their disposal to immediately end hostilities and address outstanding provisions of Security Council resolution 1701. We stand ready to work with the parties to facilitate efforts in this regard.   

The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, continues her good office’s role in support of the parties towards the full implementation of resolution 1701 towards a permanent ceasefire and long-term solution to the conflict. We call on all parties to engage constructively in this regard.  

Meanwhile, UNIFIL continues its operations on the ground in support of de-confliction, protection of civilians and humanitarian access, to the extent possible amid ongoing hostilities. Peacekeepers continue to report rocket fire towards Israel and airstrikes in UNIFIL’s area of operations, including around Shama, At Tiri, and Bint Jbeil in Sector West, where heavy clashes continue.  

Peacekeepers continue to encounter obstruction and aggressive behaviour. Earlier today Israel Defense Forces soldiers attempted to block the passage of a UNIFIL convoy in Shama. The UNIFIL convoy was able to pass after a few minutes. Separately, today Israel Defense Forces soldiers fired “warning shots” over a UNIFIL position in At Tiri. These follow the two incidents yesterday in which Israel Defense Forces tank rammed UNIFIL vehicles near Shama.                  

The UN reminds all sides of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.  

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN 

On the humanitarian front, as high-intensity hostilities continue, as you can imagine humanitarian needs continue to deepen across the country and civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. Israeli military activity remains particularly intense in southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa governorate. 

As of yesterday, more than 2,000 people have been killed and over 6,500 injured, as casualties continue to rise, according to the Government. 

Civilian infrastructure continues to be damaged. Our colleagues at UNICEF report at least 18 incidents affecting water systems across the country, damaging reservoirs, pumping stations and main supply lines, and disrupting people’s access to safe water.                

Despite severe access constraints and ongoing hostilities, our humanitarian partners continue to deliver assistance. 

Since March 2nd, UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) have reached some 100,000 people in hard-to-reach areas, providing life-saving support to children and their families. UNICEF has also helped more than 30,000 children by supplying educational, recreational and play materials across 174 shelters, helping to provide a sense of stability. 

Our partners working in water and sanitation have provided more than 110,000 hygiene kits. 

We reiterate again that we need an immediate de-escalation of hostilities; the protection of civilians, including healthcare and humanitarian workers; sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access; and urgent funding so we can reach everyone who needs aid. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that the Israeli authorities have reopened Zikim crossing into northern Gaza after it was closed for more than 40 days. Supplies were already offloaded there over the weekend, and UN cargo collection inside Gaza resumed earlier today, starting with food, nutrition and other humanitarian items administered by the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF. This helps address a critical need by allowing supplies to enter northern Gaza directly.  

But major constraints remain. These include Israeli requirements related to customs clearance, which is often delayed; insufficient scanning capacity, which makes it difficult to secure approval for many critical items; and blanket bans on specific UN agencies and NGO partners that are central to the joint humanitarian response.  

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners supported the medical evacuation of more than two dozen patients and over 40 of their companions through the Rafah crossing. You will recall that WHO suspended its support to medical evacuations led by the Ministry of Health following a security incident in which a person contracted to provide services to WHO in Gaza was killed. WHO said the resumption followed commitments from relevant parties to ensure the safety of patients and staff.  

Thousands of people still need medical services that are unavailable in Gaza. Our health partners tell us that more approvals are needed for equipment and other essential items to help the local health system recover so patients can access critical care inside Gaza. 

And yesterday, the UN and our partners offered medical care, and information on food, water and psychosocial services to nearly 70 people who returned to Gaza through the Rafah crossing.  

IRAQ 

Turning to Iraq. Some of you asked me about the election of the new President there, Mr. Nizar Amidi, by the Council of Representatives. I can tell you that this is an important step towards the formation of a new government following the 11 November 2025 parliamentary elections. 

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/NIGERIA 

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is back in New York, after a visit to Nigeria, where the country’s displacement crisis and untapped economic potential were in focus. 

Travelling to Zamfara and Benue with the UN Country Team, the Deputy Secretary-General met communities on the frontlines of insecurity and displacement, witnessing firsthand both the scale of needs and the efforts underway to respond.   

Ms. Mohammed reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting Nigerian-led solutions, with the UN Country Team set to remain closely engaged. 

SUDAN/BERLIN CONFERENCE 

The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, arrived in Berlin today and will remain there to attend the third International Sudan Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, 15 April. Our Humanitarian Chief, Tom Fletcher, will also attend.  

The conference marks the tragic milestone of three years since the war in Sudan began, creating the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. You will hear more from Denise Brown on the humanitarian situation in Sudan. The Secretary-General will deliver a video message to the Conference, which we will share under embargo in advance. 

SECURITY COUNCIL 

This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations: European Union. Briefing Council members, Khaled Khiari, our Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, noted that the European Union, conceived as a project of peace, integration and cooperation in the aftermath of the Second World War, has evolved into a major economic and diplomatic actor and a strong advocate of multilateralism. 

Mr. Khiari pointed out that in an increasingly complex and uncertain international environment, sustained engagement, dialogue and trust-building are essential. He stressed that respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations remains central to addressing shared challenges, and the European Union plays an important role in advancing these principles. 

HAITI  

The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Nicole Boni Kouassi, expressed her profound sadness following the tragedy that occurred at the Citadelle Laferrière on Saturday, where a crowd surge reportedly resulted in the deaths of around thirty people and left several dozen others injured. 

Her office offered its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and its solidarity with the Government of Haiti and with the Haitian people as a whole. It also calls for survivors to receive appropriate medical care and adequate support. 

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT/UNMISS 

I would like to read into the record that on Friday evening, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Ms. Kiki Gbeho of Ghana as his Special Representative for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).   

Ms. Gbeho will succeed the late Nicholas Haysom of South Africa, to whom the Secretary-General is profoundly grateful for his dedication, effective leadership of UNMISS and distinguished service that he rendered to the United Nations in the cause of peace over the course of more than two decades. 

Ms. Gbeho brings over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, coordination and management in political, development and humanitarian affairs at United Nations Headquarters and in diverse conflict and post-conflict settings, including Angola, Cambodia, Iraq, Namibia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.  

Since 2024, she has been serving as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in UNMISS, as well as Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator in South Sudan. During this time, she has periodically served as Officer-in-Charge.  

CYPRUS 

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is monitoring the situation in the Pyla plateau. Its peacekeepers have stepped up patrols and are maintaining a visible presence on the ground, following the observation of unauthorized entry by Turkish Cypriot security personnel into the United Nations buffer zone.  

The UN Peacekeeping Force reiterates that unauthorized entry, presence or activity within the buffer zone constitutes a violation of the Mission’s mandate. Respect for the Mission’s mandate is essential to maintaining stability in this sensitive area. 

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force is actively engaging with all relevant parties to restore the status quo ante and prevent actions that could adversely affect calm and stability in the area. Maintaining calm and stability across the buffer zone remains UN Peacekeeping Force’s highest priority.          

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 

Turning to the Central African Republic, our colleagues from the peacekeeping Mission in the country, MINUSCA, tell us that since this Saturday, they have been supporting the deployment of electoral sensitive material as well as polling stations stationeries’ kits to remote areas in the country. The materials were received by the National Electoral Authority on 8 April at Bangui M’Poko International airport and include ballot papers and tally sheets for the second round of legislative elections and by-elections scheduled for 26 April.  

To date, more than 10 metric tonnes of electoral material have already been delivered to six prefectures, marking a decisive milestone in the preparations for the second round of the elections.   

As part of the Integrated Elections Security Plan, the UN Mission and the national defense and security forces are finalizing preparations for the elections’ security, taking stock of lessons learned from the successful first round of elections that took place on 28 December 2025. 

UKRAINE/CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 

The Under-Secretary-General Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG/CAAC), is in Ukraine this week [13-17 April] to engage with representatives of the Government of Ukraine to discuss the protection of conflict-affected children in Ukraine and new opportunities for collaboration. She will also engage with civil society organizations, the UN community and other stakeholders. 

AFGHANISTAN 

And from Afghanistan, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that explosive ordnance and ongoing hostilities continue to claim civilian lives. Last week, one child was killed and three were injured when a rocket shell detonated in Mardi Khalil village in the province of Khost.  

Similarly, during the same period, a civilian was injured when an unexploded ordnance detonated, while six others were injured by cross-border shelling in Kunar province. We and our mine action partners continue to emphasize reducing these risks, including through mine risk education and clearance activities. 

Meanwhile, our humanitarian colleagues note that last Thursday, 11 people were killed and 11 others injured, including women and children, when unidentified gunmen attacked civilians near a Shia shrine in the province of Herat.                      

The injured patients were taken to the nearby Herat Regional Hospital where the World Health Organization (WHO) had pre-positioned supplies necessary to address mass casualty incidents.  

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called for an investigation of the attack and stressed that communities must be safe from violence. OCHA reiterates that civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected. 

FOOTBALL FOR THE GOALS 

Brazilian football legend Zico is leading a delegation from the Rio de Janeiro-based Clube de Regatas do Flamengo to the United Nations to receive the club's Football for the Goals certificate of membership from Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming in the General Assembly Hall today. 

Flamengo is the latest professional football club to join Football for the Goals, and its leadership is at the UN today to officially receive the club's Football for the Goals certificate of membership. Zico will also be named a Football for the Goals Champion, joining a select group of influential individuals from the world of football who use their platforms to advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals.   

**Guests today and tomorrow 

Noon briefing guest is Denise Brown, who as you know is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, to brief on the three-year mark of the conflict in Sudan. 

Then, tomorrow, the guest will be Julius Van Der Walt, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He will join us virtually to brief on the situation in the West Bank and Gaza as it concerns unexploded ordnance and access.