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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

FRIDAY, 12 JUNE 2026

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL 

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, arrived in Dakar, Senegal, this morning, where she met today with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and they exchanged views on matters pertaining to regional security, development and UN-Senegal cooperation. The Deputy Secretary-General commended Senegal’s continued commitment to multilateralism, its role as a bridge-builder in the region, and its leadership in advancing peace and sustainable solutions, including as co-host of the 2026 UN Water Conference. 

While in Dakar, she also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Senegal and the �鶹APP, regarding the new UN House in that country. The signing is an important milestone in the long-standing partnership between the UN and the Government and people of Senegal.            

The House brings 29 �鶹APP entities together under one roof in the spirit of One UN and aligned with the UN 80 initiative, strengthening coordination, reducing duplication and improving how the UN delivers for the people of Senegal. 

At the signing the Deputy Secretary-General reaffirmed our continued support for Senegal’s efforts to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. 

On the sidelines of the ceremony, she also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cheikh Niang, to discuss the progress on the UN 80 Initiative as well as the collaboration between the UN and Senegal to accelerate implementation and financing of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

She also of course met with our colleagues from the country team and thanked them for their hard work and commitment.

She will be returning to New York this Sunday.

UKRAINE 

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine today said that conflict-related violence in Ukraine last May killed at least 274 civilians and injured 1,763 by their account. This is more than in any other month in the last four years. The mission said that the use of powerful weapons in urban areas by the Russian Federation was the main reason for the high casualty count in May. 

UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON 

Turning to Lebanon. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to observe extensive Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military activity across its areas of operations. Those activities are characterized by high-density armoured movements, large-scale engineering and demolition works, and sustained logistical traffic. 

Yesterday, UNIFIL reported intensive air activities, involving fighter aircraft and various unmanned aerial systems across the area of operations. UNIFIL recorded 72 violations of Lebanese airspace by the IDF, amounting to over 110 hours of overflight. A total of eight airstrikes were carried out by IDF fighter aircraft in UNIFIL’s area of operations yesterday. 

Peacekeepers reported 531 trajectories yesterday: 526 originating from IDF positions south of the Blue Line and within UNIFIL’s area of operations, and five trajectories presumably launched by Hizbullah, with one actually crossing the Blue Line. 

On the humanitarian front, UNIFIL facilitated nine humanitarian missions, in coordination with the �鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and in liaison with the IDF: eight of them in Sector West, mainly to Tyre, and one in Sector East. 

Also yesterday, a UNIFIL-funded and UNESCO-led campaign to counter mis- and disinformation was launched in Beirut, in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of Information. The campaign features short video clips, broadcast on Tele Liban, all promoting fact-checking and the responsible use of freedom of expression. It aims to encourage the public to verify information before sharing content online and to raise awareness of misleading information that is circulating.  

LEBANON

The UN remains deeply concerned by the continued impact of hostilities on healthcare and people’s access to essential services in Lebanon. 

Yesterday, a reported strike near Hiram Hospital in Tyre district, in South Governorate, injured 10 staff members and damaged the hospital’s buildings and impacting vehicles as well. This is at least the fifth reported incident affecting Hiram Hospital since the escalation started on 2 March. That is what authorities are telling us. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that across Lebanon, 17 hospitals have been damaged during the escalation, including all three hospitals in Tyre. In addition, 135 healthcare workers and first responders have been killed, and nearly 400 others injured. 

Hospitals and medical personnel must be protected at all times, according to international law, as we have said numerous times in many conflicts around the world. 

Humanitarian partners continue to support affected families across the country. Since the escalation began, more than 182,000 people have received essential relief items. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the �鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including aid workers and their premises and assets, continue to be exposed to Israeli airstrikes, shelling and gunfire, resulting in reports of casualties and damage. 

Yesterday, a structure in Deir al Balah belonging to a humanitarian organization sustained minor damage by an Israeli airstrike that hit nearby. 

Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.   

Also yesterday, the entry of supplies to Gaza at Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing was reduced due to infrastructure works. 

This week, we and our humanitarian partners have taken food, medicine and hygiene items into Gaza to be distributed to the most vulnerable families. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners also supported the medical evacuation of 26 patients and their companions. 

Meanwhile, people’s access to water and sanitation services across the West Bank remains constrained due to settler violence, movement restrictions, demolitions and damage to infrastructure, particularly in the northern West Bank, Masafer Yatta in the south, and in herding communities across Area C. 

Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 incidents involving demolitions or settler violence have resulted in damage to over 190 water and sanitation structures, including pipelines, irrigation systems and water tanks. 

The UN reiterates that Palestinians should be protected and that their access to essential services must be respected and safeguarded, not obstructed or destroyed. 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 

The Head of the �鶹APP Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), James Swan, today concluded a visit to Goma where he reaffirmed the Mission’s continued engagement in support of peace efforts in eastern DRC, in line with peacekeeping mission’s mandate. 

During his stay in Goma, he met separately with representatives of the Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 as well as the commander and other members of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism as part of ongoing efforts to advance ceasefire monitoring and verification arrangements. He also held exchanges with our colleagues to review the security, political and humanitarian situation and to assess the Mission’s operational priorities in the current environment, including the Ebola response. 

During his visit, Mr. Swan reiterated the importance of advancing and ensuring coherence among regional, international and national peace efforts, including the Washington, the Doha and the African Union-led processes. He underscored MONUSCO’s continued readiness, within its mandate, to support implementation of these peace processes. 

Also, Mr. Swan visited the Uruguayan contingent’s base, where he congratulated Sergeant Matias Reyes, who you saw up on the screen during the 2026 peacekeepers awards. As you know, he was the recipient of the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal, for his exceptional courage under fire. 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO/HUMANITARIAN 

The �鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is impacting civilians and undermining efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak.  

In North Kivu, an armed attack in Beni this morning killed at least five civilians. That is what local civil society is telling us. Elsewhere in the province, renewed clashes in Masisi Territory have triggered further displacement and forced humanitarian organizations to restrict their movements in several areas. This significantly limits access to people in need and disrupts Ebola response activities. 

In South Kivu province, hostilities in Kabare Territory over the past three days have also resulted in civilian casualties and new displacement. The hostilities have forced the World Food Programme (WFP) and our partners to delay planned food distribution in the affected areas. 

Meanwhile, in Ituri, the peacekeeping mission is reinforcing its protection of humanitarian workers, medical teams and health facilities responding to the Ebola outbreak. 

Since 4 June, the Mission has deployed a mobile military base in Mongbwalu, in Djugu territory, one of the epicenters of the ebola outbreak, while the Mission continues to coordinate with Congolese national police to protect healthcare facilities in other affected areas. The presence of peacekeepers has already deterred armed groups from intimidating healthcare efforts and civilians and has helped ensure dignified and burials for victims. 

Despite these efforts to improve security, a health worker in the health zone was taken by members of an armed group on June 8th and forced to perform a post-mortem procedure without any protective equipment. The incident highlights the serious risks faced by frontline health workers.                       

This week, the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, Damien Mama, was in Ituri to support the response efforts, stressing that the Ebola response must be integrated into the broader humanitarian response to sustain essential services for vulnerable populations. 

Despite these challenges, the UN and its humanitarian partners, together with local communities, continue efforts to contain the outbreak. 

Again, the UN calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure safe, sustained and unhindered access for medical and humanitarian teams. It is essential that surveillance, contact tracing, transport of laboratory samples, medical referrals, emergency deployments and safe and dignified burials can continue without interruption. 

DECENT WORK IN THE PLATFORM ECONOMY CONVENTION 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) today adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026. A very important accomplishment. It establishes the first international labour standard for work performed through digital labour platforms. The Convention was adopted at the closing of the 114th meeting International Labour Conference, which brings together government, employer and worker delegates from the Organization’s 187 Member States.  

The new Convention responds to the rapid growth of the platform economy, which has transformed the world of work by creating new opportunities for income generation while also exposing workers to decent work deficits. It applies to digital labour platforms and platform workers, regardless of their employment classification, and establishes a global framework for promoting decent work in that sector. 

The landmark Convention addresses a wide range of issues affecting platform workers, including their rights, protection against violence and harassment, fair remuneration, social protection, and transparency and accountability in the use of algorithms and automated decision-making.  

HUMAN RIGHTS 

Earlier today in Geneva, Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, launched his Office's annual report, which says that in 2025, the UN Human Rights Office carried out more than 5,000 human rights monitoring missions. 

The report adds that the Human Rights Office documented tens of thousands of human rights violations, influenced nearly 140 legal and policy reforms, and contributed to the release of 5,000 people from arbitrary detention.  

Mr. Türk also raised the severe funding cuts affecting his Office, with has direct consequences for lives and freedoms. 

INTERNATIONAL DAYS 

Today is World Day Against Child Labour, and this year’s theme is “Red card to child labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults”. Despite progress, the ILO notes that 138 million children remain in child labour worldwide, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work. 

Tomorrow is also the International Albinism Awareness Day. The theme this year is “Proudly in my skin:  celebrating all skin tones”, which draws attention on how colour-based discrimination can affect dignity, safety and mental wellbeing. 

And Sunday, it’s World Blood Donor Day. This year’s campaign, “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.”, places humanity at the heart of every blood donation. It is important.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION &�Բ�����;

Pakistan’s payment to the Regular Budget brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 114.  

**The guest at the noon briefing was Angeli Achrekar, the Deputy Executive Director of the Joint �鶹APP Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).  She briefed journalists on the UNAIDS report entitled “Global AIDS Brief” with the latest data on HIV/AIDS from last year.