Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York
5 August 2025
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon, everyone.
**Landlocked Developing Countries
Today, the Secretary-General officially opened the third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, known as LLDCs, in Awaza in Turkmenistan.
In his remarks at the Opening Ceremony, Mr. [António] Guterres acknowledged that despite representing only 7 per cent of the world's population, the Landlocked Developing Countries account for just over one per cent of the global economy and trade, which is a stark example of deep inequalities that perpetuate marginalization.
"This conference is not about obstacles," the Secretary-General said. "It is about solutions and about launching a new decade of ambition — through the Awaza Programme of Action and its deliverables — and fully unlocking the development potential of landlocked developing countries."
And in a joint press conference with Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister, the Secretary-General reiterated his appreciation for Turkmenistan's generosity in hosting the Conference. He also underscored that LLDC3 reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia. He added that at a time when multilateral cooperation is being tested, "this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever."
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Secretary-General held a number of bilateral meetings with leaders, including with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. They discussed cooperation between the United Nations and Uzbekistan, as well as regional developments. He also met with Mohammad Reza Aref, First Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Secretary-General welcomed the holding of the ceasefire between Iran and Israel and called on all concerned to resolve issues regarding Iran's nuclear programme through diplomacy.
The Secretary-General will depart Turkmenistan tomorrow, but the Conference will continue until 8 August.
**Plastic Pollution
The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, opened today in Geneva. The session, which will continue until 14 August, aims to finalize and approve the text of the agreement and forward it for consideration and adoption at a future Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries.
Noting that countries are negotiating a global plastics treaty to help beat plastic pollution, the Secretary-General emphasized that we need a fair deal that tackles the full life cycle of plastics, reflects the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and supports a shift away from fossil fuels.
Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), pointed out that plastic pollution is already in nature, in our oceans and even in our bodies. And plastic leakage to the environment is predicted to grow 50 per cent by 2040, she added.
If we continue on the current trajectory, Ms. Andersen warned, the world will be drowning in plastic pollution — with massive consequences for planetary, economic and human health. She stressed that agreeing to a treaty text is the first step to beating plastic pollution for everyone, everywhere.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
This afternoon at 3 pm, the Security Council will hold a briefing on the situation in the Middle East. Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča will brief, and the Council will also hear from Ilay David, the brother of a hostage who is being held in Gaza.
Meanwhile, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that people continue to struggle to survive in Gaza. With starvation on the rise, the volumes of supplies that are entering Gaza remain insufficient to meet people's needs. In addition, the UN and our humanitarian partners continue to face many impediments preventing us from bringing in aid in sufficient quantities and distributing it to communities.
Our partners working on food assistance warn that massive food shortages continue to impact people's chances for survival. As malnutrition levels are rising, children are more likely to have weakened immune systems, hindering their development and growth far into the future.
Last Thursday, 71 kitchens prepared and delivered more than 270,000 hot meals across Gaza. These included 10,000 meals delivered to health facilities, most of which are struggling to operate as mass casualties, widespread destruction and shortages of basic necessities continue to overwhelm the healthcare system.
The number of meals being provided is far below the minimum required to reach more than 2 million people in Gaza. We need an urgent scale-up of supplies, as well as an environment that allows humanitarians to reach people in need safely, rapidly and efficiently.
Our colleagues working in health say that some quantities of medicine have managed to reach Gaza in recent days. Medicine shortages place an additional strain on healthcare workers who continue to work under immense pressure and with very limited resources.
The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the number of people diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome — a rare, potentially deadly condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves - has reached 46 cases and two deaths in July, with 38 per cent of the cases requiring intensive treatment.
This syndrome can be caused by a compromised immune system, poor nutrition and hygiene-related infections. WHO is working with the Health Ministry to continue surveillance of cases and address the gaps related to diagnostics and treatment.
Yesterday, the UN was able to bring three fuel tankers to Gaza City. The fuel was offloaded in a UNOPS (United Nations Office of Project Services)-managed fuel station and will be used to power the most critical health, water and sanitation and emergency telecommunication facilities. OCHA once again stresses that much more fuel is needed daily to run emergency operations. Current levels of fuel are only allowing the UN and our partners to function at the bare minimum.
The UN and our partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene underscore that access to clean water remains limited, putting people's health and well-being at risk. Ninety-six per cent of households across Gaza surveyed by our partners in July face moderate to severe challenges in accessing clean water — whether to drink, bathe their children or wash dishes.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, today warned that with the risk of starvation on the rise in El Fasher in North Darfur State, time is running out. The Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs continues to push for a humanitarian pause to rush aid in at scale — and for the return of a full UN presence.
OCHA colleagues on the ground warn about escalating humanitarian needs driven by insecurity, disease, hunger, flooding and displacement. In El Fasher, reports indicate that sporadic shelling continues. The situation there remains deeply unstable, with civilians bearing the brunt of recent clashes between armed groups and families being trapped in one of the country's most besieged urban centres.
For its part, the Word Food Programme (WFP) pointed out that one year since famine was first confirmed in Sudan's Zamzam camp in North Darfur, families trapped inside the besieged state capital, El Fasher, face starvation. WFP noted that with trade routes cut off and supply lines blocked, basic food items like sorghum or wheat, which are used to make traditional flatbreads and porridges, cost up to 460 per cent more in El Fasher than in the rest of Sudan.
Community kitchens were set up by local groups during the war to provide hot meals to hungry people, but only very few are still functioning. WFP said that reports indicate that some families are resorting to consuming animal fodder and food waste for survival. Many who have managed to flee have cited an escalation of rampant violence, looting, and sexual assault.
As we mentioned yesterday, cholera continues to spread across Darfur. In North Darfur alone, our humanitarian partners have reported more than 3,600 cases since late June. In South Darfur, over 1,200 suspected cases and 69 deaths have been recorded. However, our partners warn that underreporting may be masking the true scale of the outbreak. The UN and our partners are responding to the outbreak, but limited access to clean water, sanitation and medical supplies is compounding the crisis.
Nutrition needs are rising fast. Recent surveys show global acute malnutrition rates above emergency thresholds in all surveyed areas of North Darfur, reaching 34 per cent in the locality of Mellit and nearly 30 per cent in At Tawaisha. These figures underscore an alarming deterioration, not just in famine-risk zones, but also in broader conflict-affected regions.
We, along with our partners, are scaling up outpatient therapeutic services and planning new stabilization centres in hard-hit areas, but urgent funding is needed to sustain and expand this work. OCHA once again urges all parties to allow humanitarian access across the country and calls on donors to scale up flexible funding to meet Sudan's soaring humanitarian needs.
**Afghanistan/Pakistan
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern over Pakistan's intention to forcibly return Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration cards. UNHCR notes that on 31 July, Pakistan confirmed that Afghan refugees would be repatriated under its ongoing 'Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan'. Over the past days, UNHCR has received reports of arrests and detention of Afghans across the country, including cardholders.
The UN Refugee Agency said that it acknowledges and appreciates Pakistan's generosity in hosting refugees for over 40 years amid its own challenges. However, UNHCR added, given that those holding Proof of Registration cards have been recognized as refugees for decades, their forced return is contrary to Pakistan's long-standing humanitarian approach to this group and would constitute a violation of the principle of non-refoulement.
UNHCR remains particularly concerned about women and girls forced to return to a country where their human rights are at risk, as well as other groups who might be endangered. The UN Refugee Agency called on the authorities to ensure that any return of Afghans to Afghanistan is voluntary, safe and dignified.
**India
At the beginning of the month, the Government of India and the UN team in the country launched the first set of projects under a new partnership to facilitate South-South cooperation and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through the UN-India Global Capacity-Building Initiative, the UN is helping to bring Indian development innovations to countries across the Global South, based on their national priorities.
With initial support from the Gates Foundation and the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, selected projects will be implemented with national partners in the Caribbean, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nepal, South Sudan and Zambia, enhancing digital health, food security, census preparedness, and vocational skills training.
**Questions and Answers
Deputy Spokesman: That's it from me. Is there any question? Yes. Dezhi?
Question: Farhan, it's been reported that the Israeli cabinet is in discussion to proceed a plan to reoccupy the whole Gaza Strip. Any reaction from the Secretary-General on this possible decision, and what could be the consequence?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we're not going to comment on something that remains speculative at this stage. As you are aware, of course, the International Court of Justice, in its advisory opinion a year ago, called on Israel to cease its occupation activities, and we would urge that Israel implement that and avoid further occupations.
Question: Would that have any impact for the UN operation inside the strip?
Deputy Spokesman: Again, I don't want to speculate on what might happen. We will have to see. You are aware that we have stayed in Gaza through nearly two years of fighting and have stood our ground and done what we can, even though it's come at tremendous cost in the loss of more than 300 lives of our people in Gaza.
Question: One last question. Is there at all any, let's say, any contact or any activity from the office of the UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process? We haven't heard them for quite a long time. Does that mean that UN has already given up the political...
Deputy Spokesman: No. Not at all. The United Nations continues to engage with the Israeli authorities, with the Palestinian authority, and will continue to do so. And as you're aware, Miroslav Jenca, our Assistant Secretary-General, will brief the Council on work in Gaza and the situation there this afternoon. Edie, and then Linda.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. There are reports that the Israelis have decided to allow commercial goods back into Gaza. And I wonder whether the United Nations has received any good news about easing up on its entry and the opening of new entry points?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we have seen the reports. We're trying to follow up on the ground, and we'll update as soon as we receive any news from our colleagues on the ground. But you're aware that we've continued to say that there needs to be an entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods through all available crossings. And so any progress in that goal would be welcome.
Question: And no information on any change in the opening of new entry points for the UN?
Deputy Spokesman: No. At this stage although we've asked for more entry points to be used, right now, we continue simply to use Kerem Shalom and Zikim. Linda and then Pam.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I was just wondering, what the SG's schedule is for the rest of the month. Will he be here? Will he be taking some time off?
Deputy Spokesman: We expect that towards the end of the week, he's going to take a few days off, but we will have another travel to another conference to tell you about. So, we'll have something to announce. Possibly a week from now. You won't see him back here in New York till later in the month. Pam and then Gabriel. Yep.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. The plastics treaty negotiations that just started today in Geneva... Let's start with the other way around. UN Geneva said the purpose was to finalize and approve the text of this legally binding instrument. I thought you said, and I have to go back and look at my notes, but that it would be finalized at a later date.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the idea is to finalize and approve the text now, and then it would be forwarded for consideration and adoption later, at what's called a Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries. But the idea is that the finalization of the document happens at these talks in Geneva.
Correspondent: But they also said approval. But so you're saying that's not right. It'll actually be...
Deputy Spokesman: No. I said finalize and approve. That happens now.
Correspondent: And then...
Deputy Spokesman: But then it would be adopted later.
Correspondent: Okay. Alright. Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Okay.
Correspondent: And I'm sorry.
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: Is the Secretary-General attending UN Geneva? That's not something, that's not the...
Deputy Spokesman: No. He's in Turkmenistan, which is quite a distance away right now.
Correspondent: Okay. Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Thanks. Gabriel and then Murad.
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Just a quick question. I know the SG is not in New York, but is anyone from the Secretariat meeting with Israel's foreign minister while he's here today?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't have a meeting to confirm by the Deputy Secretary-General. She is the head official in New York right now, but nothing's on her schedule on that.
Correspondent: Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Uh, Murad.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. In light of this plan, Israeli plan to reoccupy Gaza, what is the message to the Security Council, to the international community in regard — to make pressure on Israel on this?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, again, we're not going to speculate on what might happen. But from our standpoint, we've always been calling for a de-escalation. And what the Secretary-General has been pushing for, in fact, is to have a full ceasefire in Gaza. The people of Gaza have suffered for nearly more than 20 months. And at a time when the entire population is suffering from hunger, as I just mentioned, 96 per cent or almost the entire population is suffering from inadequate access to clean water, we need to stop the fighting and actually get aid in to two million people who are desperately in need of such aid. Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Again, I want to ask you about this plan by the cabinet to occupy Gaza, and you still call it speculation. Israel have told us when they decide on something, they go ahead and do it. Why you still insist on the word speculation?
Deputy Spokesman: Because it hasn't happened. Alex?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Completely different topic, on Moldova. So according... Moldova has sentenced the head of Gagauzia autonomy, Ms. [Yevgenia] Gutsul, to seven years in prison for financing the banned Shor party. Do have you any comments on that or you'd consider it as an internal issue?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe that this is an issue for the internal court system. If I have anything more to say on that, I'll let you know.
Correspondent: Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Have a good afternoon, everyone.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
