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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 22 APRIL 2026

MIDDLE EAST 

The Secretary-General welcomed the announcement by the United States to extend the ceasefire. This is an important step toward de-escalation and an important step toward creating critical space for diplomacy and confidence-building between Iran and the United States. 

We encourage all parties to build on this momentum, refrain from actions that could undermine the cease-fire, and engage constructively in negotiations to reach a sustainable and lasting resolution. 

The Secretary-General fully supports Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating further talks, and he hopes that these efforts will contribute to creating conditions conducive to a comprehensive and durable resolution to the conflict. 

UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

The UN is deeply saddened to report that one of the two French peacekeepers who have been severely injured in an incident in South Lebanon on 18 April passed away at a hospital in Paris earlier this morning. A specialist dog handler, Corporal Anicet Girardin was 31 years old. He was seriously wounded when his explosive ordnance disposal team, operating under UNIFIL’s French contingent, came under attack while clearing a road in Ghanduriyah in order to re‑establish access to isolated UNIFIL positions.  He succumbed to his wounds days after the death of Staff Sergeant named Florian Montorio in the same incident.

And as you will recall, at the time, the UN initial assessment was that the peacekeepers came under fire from non-state armed groups, presumably, Hezbollah, during this incident.  

The UN extends its most sincere condolences to his family, to his friends and colleagues, and to the people and Government of France. Corporal First Class Girardin was the fifth UNIFIL peacekeeper to lose his life due to the current hostilities while carrying out his duties and fulling a mandate given to them by the Security Council.   

If you will recall, a third peacekeeper, who was also seriously injured during that incident, he was also repatriated to Paris yesterday and remains under medical care. A fourth peacekeeper, who sustained minor injuries, has now returned to his post with his unit in southern Lebanon.  

Attacks on peacekeepers are unacceptable and must be promptly investigated, so that those responsible can be effectively be prosecuted and held accountable. In this regard, the Secretary-General welcomes the stated commitment of the Lebanese authorities with respect to this incident.  

These attacks occur within a broader context of an unacceptable increase in hostile actions against UNIFIL premises and against UNIFIL peacekeepers. Restrictions are impacting the resupply of certain positions, raising growing concern. The UN urges all to ensure the unhindered movement of the peacekeepers so they can carry out their mandate safely and carry out effectively.   

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN 

The Â鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that the humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains severe and the needs remain high. 

Displacement remains widespread, although some movement has been observed since the ceasefire, partners report emerging secondary displacement trends, with people moving closer to their homes while still remaining displaced. To illustrate, Lebanese authorities report that more than 120,000 people are currently staying in over 640 collective shelters, that’s a slight increase of 2 per cent since yesterday.  

Parallel to this, UN partners say food prices are rising and that livelihoods continue to be disrupted. More than 22 per cent of agricultural land has now been impacted by hostilities. That is what the Ministry of Agriculture is telling us. Over three quarters of farmers in southern Lebanon have been forced to suspend their work due to damage to their land. 

UN partners continue to help civilians in impacted and hard-to-reach areas, with the support of the OCHA-managed Humanitarian Notification System, which notifies parties to the conflict of planned aid movements. 

Between the start of the conflict and today, 75 of these movements were facilitated by the System and have reached people still in hard‑to‑reach locations in southern Lebanon.  

The UN and its humanitarian partners remain committed to providing critical assistance to those most in need. 

However, the humanitarian response continues to be outpaced by the scale of needs, and the UN urges donors to give more and to give generously and thanks those who already have done so.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

The Â鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that over the past two weeks, shelter partners have continued constructing emergency shelter units for displaced families in Gaza. 

In order to do so, they are repurposing the wooden pallets that are used to carried supplies into Gaza. By the start of this week, 20 shelters of this kind had been set up across Gaza and North Gaza governorates offering some level of privacy and dignity to families. 

In March, the UN and its partners brought thousands of shelter items into Gaza, including dozens of thousands of bedding items, tarpaulins and tents, reaching more than 45,000 families in need.   

As stocks inside Gaza are limited, priority is given to the most urgent cases among the 850,000 people who need emergency shelter items.   

The UN reiterates that more robust and longer-lasting shelter solutions are needed.     

This requires the entry of emergency shelter equipment and materials to repair damaged homes.  

Meanwhile teams on the ground say that pests and skin infections among people in Gaza is still on the rise. Surveillance shows that in March, such infections have more than tripled in our own UN-run displacement sites. That is impacting almost 10,000 people compared with about 3,000 in January. And that is what UNRWA in Gaza is telling us.  

Greater access is needed for the entry of anti-lice shampoo, lotions, hygiene supplies, pesticides and insecticides, to avert an even greater public health emergency and prevent further harm to civilians.  

YEMEN 

Hans Grundberg, the Special Envoy for Yemen, today concluded a visit to Muscat, in Oman, as part of his ongoing regional engagements. There, he held talks with senior Omani officials on the way forward for Yemen’s peace process amid evolving regional dynamics. The Special Envoy highlighted Oman’s crucial role in supporting dialogue and underscored the importance of regional support for the UN-led mediation process. 

The Special Envoy also met with Mohamed Abdel Salam, Ansar Allah’s Chief Negotiator, with whom he discussed the way forward for the mediation process.  

The Special Envoy and Muin Shreim, our official leading on the issue of the still detained UN personnel, raised the continued arbitrary detention of 73 UN personnel, stressing that this issue remains a priority for us and calling for their immediate and unconditional release.       

LIBYA 

This morning, Hanna Tetteh, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, briefed the Security Council via VTC, and said that some Libyan actors continue to disregard the expectations of the Libyan public regarding their participation in political processes, or towards exercising political leadership based on democratic legitimacy.  

She warned that parallel structures have been established outside of the framework of existing agreements, which can limit the effectiveness of the UN Mission’s process aimed at institutional reunification and establishing democratic legitimacy for political leadership. 

Libya has reached a significant political, economic, and security juncture, she said. The institutions of the state remain divided, and there is not enough progress towards holding national elections. 

She called upon the Security Council to use its collective influence to ensure that Libyan leaders fulfill their obligations to unify institutions and work towards the holding of national elections. 

This afternoon, there will be a briefing on Syria in the Security Council. The Deputy Special Envoy Claudio Cordone will brief via VTC from Damascus, and Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator will brief remotely from Istanbul. Also, Council members will also hear from Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. She will be at the Security Council in person. She visited Syria earlier this year and will share information gathered during that visit. 

SUDAN 

The UN is deeply alarmed by the continued insecurity in Darfur, which is exacting a heavy toll on civilians. 

According to local sources, yesterday a drone strike hit the town of Um Dukhun in Central Darfur State, reportedly killing more than ten civilians and injuring many others. The UN strongly condemns this, and all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. 

Meanwhile, in North Darfur state, insecurity has forced dozens of people to flee their homes in a Kutum locality, and that took place last Sunday. They have sought refuge in Al Fasher, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Despite the many challenges, we and our partners continue to scale up efforts to respond to the soaring needs across Sudan.                               

The World Health Organization (WHO) is now midway through its 6-day vaccination campaign, which started last Saturday and aims to reach over 80,000 children aged 1 to 5 across eight localities in West Darfur. They are trying to reach them with life-saving vaccines for children. 

Once again, the UN reiterates the need for safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, as well as flexible funding, to reach those most in need and support the most vulnerable.  

SOUTH SUDAN 

The Â鶹APP Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), together with civil society partners, has launched a new initiative to better support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and even prevent it from happening.  

Known as the Survivor-Centered Action Lab, this initiative by UNMISS will focus on practical ways to protect people at risk, strengthen early warning and improve coordination among partners. 

This effort is part of broader work by the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan to address conflict-related sexual violence and underscores the importance of sustained investment in protection and prevention.                                                                                 

HAITI 

The Â鶹APP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that armed violence continues to force people to flee their own homes in search of safety in Haiti. 

In the Port‑au‑Prince metropolitan area, the International Organization for Migration tell us that armed clashes around Cité Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets have displaced some 5,000 people. That is just since 18 April.  About half of them have sought shelter with host families, while others have relocated to already crowded displacement sites. 

The violence has led to the suspension of schooling for children in these areas, as well as of public transportation.  

As a reminder, last month, nearly 3,000 people were uprooted by violence in the same neighbourhoods. 

In Artibonite, armed attacks are also continuing to force people to flee. Food assistance, support to host families, and access to safe water and sanitation are among the top needs that we are trying to meet. We and our humanitarian partners are delivering assistance where possible. 

OCHA is coordinating the humanitarian response in close collaboration with our partners, but, insecurity, access constraints, rising emerging needs and limited funding continue to hamper the response.  

MINE ACTION 

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of our Peace Operations department, is in Geneva today, where he opened the 29th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers. The meeting brings together participants from around 80 countries and territories. 

In his remarks, he underscored that mine action is a critical investment in peace, enabling the safe return of displaced communities, the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and the resumption of development activities. 

He also highlighted the continued human toll of landmines and explosive remnants of war, noting that thousands of people are killed or injured each year, nearly half of them children, and he called on Member States to sustain support for mine action efforts worldwide. 

The UN Global Advocate for Peace, Maryam Bukar Hassan, a Nigerian spoken word artist and poet, delivered the keynote address, underscoring through her performance the urgent need to prevent new contamination of the earth and to uphold international humanitarian law. 

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

The 40 members of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence is meeting in Madrid. That is going on today through Friday for their first in-person plenary session since the Panel was created in February. 

This 3-day meeting is an important step as the Panel members are preparing contributions toward their first report, which will be presented at the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva in July. 

Speaking by video message at a reception hosted by the Government of Spain on the margins of the meeting, the Secretary-General commended Panel members for the progress already underway. 

With AI leaping ahead, he said, every week brings new capabilities, and new uncertainties. 

This is why an independent scientific voice, trusted across borders, can help, by moving the global conversation from competing claims to shared science.  

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY 

Today is International Mother Earth Day. In his message, the Secretary-General notes that Mother Earth has given us everything, and we have repaid her with reckless destruction, polluting her air, poisoning her waters, destabilizing her climate, and pushing countless species to the brink.  

The Secretary-General stresses that we have solutions, and in most of the world, renewable energy is now the cheapest source of electricity. But we are moving too slowly. He emphasizes that we must break our dependence on fossil fuels, protect and restore nature at scale, and deliver climate justice for those who did least to cause this crisis but are suffering the most. 

EXTREME HEAT AND AGRICULTURE 

A joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Meteorological Organization says that frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat events have risen sharply over the past half century, with worrying impacts on agrifood systems and landscapes.  

The report tells us that extreme heat events currently threaten the livelihoods and health of over a billion people, causing half a trillion work hours to be lost annually, with the prospect for damage to livestock herds and crop yields set to soar higher in the future. 

FAO and WMO both warn that the full danger of extreme heat lies not only in its direct impacts, but also in its role as a risk multiplier, amplifying the effect of water stress, serving as a trigger of flash droughts and elevating the risk of wildfires, and fostering the spread of pests and diseases.