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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

FRIDAY, 22 MAY 2026

UKRAINE/RUSSIA

We are following with concern the reports of the overnight attack on college building and dormitory in the town of Starobilsk in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, under temporary occupation by the Russian Federation, resulting in multiple deaths and persons injured, including children.

We strongly condemn any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur. As the Secretary-General has repeatedly underscored, such attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must end immediately.  We urge all concerned to refrain from any actions that would further escalate the already dangerous situation.

SECURITY COUNCIL 

This afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to meet on Ukraine, at the request of the Russian Federation. 

Edem Wosornu, the Director of the Crisis Response Division, together with the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier.  

And this morning, the Security Council heard a briefing on Libya by the ICC. ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan briefed via VTC.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/AZERBAIJAN 

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, participated today in the closing ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku. She stressed that the next decade of the New Urban Agenda demands greater ambition, increased climate resilience and faster execution. 

Ms. Mohammed also joined a discussion entitled “the Women’s Roundtable on Adequate Housing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.” In her remarks, she underscored the need to place women and girls at the heart of housing and urban development, and to ensure that this is reflected in discussions and outcomes across the World Urban Forum. 

Later in the day the Deputy Secretary-General visited Azerbaijan’s “ASAN Khidmat”, a network of one-stop, citizen-friendly service hubs that bring multiple government services together under one roof. The concept has received international recognition and serves as an inspiring model for other countries. 

This evening, the Deputy Secretary-General will be travelling to the United Arab Emirates to meet with senior government officials.  

EBOLA 

Today, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated up to $60 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to accelerate the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the wider region. A first tranche of $10 million has just been released for the DRC. 

The humanitarian community is fully mobilized, he said, with the World Heath Organization (WHO) leading the response on our side. Mr. Fletcher said we are applying lessons from previous outbreaks: containment depends on fast, coordinated action at the community level. More staff from key UN agencies and partners are deploying this weekend to reinforce the effort.  

This Ebola outbreak is happening in some of the most difficult operating environments in the world, Mr. Fletcher said.  

We are working to secure safe and sustained access for frontline responders, including to areas controlled by armed groups. It is essential that there is no obstruction of our response.  

Community trust is essential, he said. We will continue delivering wider humanitarian support to people affected, engage closely with them to understand their needs and preposition supplies where possible.  

In Geneva this morning, Dr. Tedros, the Head of WHO, said they are now revising the outbreak’s risk assessment to very high at the national level, high at the regional level and low at the global level. 

On the ground, he said WHO is supporting national authorities with every pillar of the response, including contact tracing, establishing treatment centres, risk communication, community engagement and more. 

WHO is also working with its partners to review the pipeline of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. 

In Eastern DRC, we have details from colleagues at the World Food Programme (WFP), who are continuing to scale-up their emergency response.  

The UN Humanitarian air service, managed by WFP, has already helped to transport hundreds of first responders and humanitarians, as well as dozens of metric tonnes of medical cargo to frontline areas.  

Bunia, in the Ituri province, is the central logistics hub, with more than 46 metric tonnes of cargo received to date and essential supplies despatched to at least 14 locations to support Ebola response efforts. 

WFP says that additional operations and vital assistance to the most vulnerable in the outbreak zone are ramping up quickly. 

This includes more aircrafts to reach remote and restricted areas; new flights between Kinshasa and Bunia; extra trucks and storage, such as Mobile Storage Units to handle rising volumes of critical equipment and aid; restoration of access to priority areas such as Mongbwalu, where helipad repairs will enable vital air operations soon. 

WFP is also scaling-up emergency food and nutrition assistance for over 146,000 people in the Ituri Province and in communities affected by the outbreak. This includes assistance for patients, affected households and other vulnerable groups. This assistance is designed to ensure families are able to comply with health measures without losing access to food.  

Containing Ebola requires more than treatment alone, WFP said. It requires food, access, transport and logistics so frontline teams can move fast and affected families can safely follow public health measures. 

MONUSCO 

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Major General Otávio Rodrigues de Miranda Filho, former Force Commander of our peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in 2023 and 2024, who was a highly respected officer of the Brazilian Armed Forces. &�Բ�����;

During his tenure with MONUSCO, he remained firmly committed to the protection of civilians and to supporting stabilization efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

At this difficult time, we extend our sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, as well as to the people and authorities of Brazil.  

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN 

From Lebanon, OCHA reports that hostilities continue to exact a heavy toll on civilians, including frontline responders, across the country. 

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health says yesterday’s Israeli strike in the vicinity of Tebnine Governmental Hospital in southern Lebanon injured nine people, including seven hospital staff members. The strike damaged the emergency room, intensive care unit, chemotherapy department and ambulances parked outside. This is at least the third time that this facility, the only operating trauma hospital in the area, has been damaged as a result of hostilities. 

A total of 171 attacks on healthcare have been recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO) since March 2nd, resulting in 120 deaths among on-duty health workers – including 22 since the April 17th ceasefire announcement.                                                  

Yesterday, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on the Protection of Health Care in Lebanon, calling for the safeguarding of medical facilities, personnel and patients amid ongoing hostilities, and urging all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure uninterrupted access to essential health services. 

The humanitarian community continues to provide assistance in the face of insecurity and operational constraints. Since March 2nd, our partners have distributed more than 10 million hot and cold meals, as well as nearly 140,000 thermal blankets and more than 138,000 clothing kits across Lebanon.  

UNIFIL 

Moving to the south of Lebanon. Our UNIFIL peacekeepers reported 211 firing incidents attributed to the Israel Defense Forces and 30 trajectories of projectiles attributed to Hizbullah, along with five observed projectile interceptions across the area of operations. 

UNIFIL also observed extensive IDF military and indirect fire activities across the area of operations, including high-density armoured movements, large-scale demolition and engineering works, sustained logistical traffic, and persistent artillery shelling, mortar fire, and rocket impacts. 

This morning, a presumed Hizbullah drone detonated within metres of UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura in Sector West. All personnel present were immediately relocated to bunkers; fortunately no injuries or damage to UN premises have been reported. 

Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces obstructed a street near UNIFIL’s perimeter wall in Naqoura with iron barricades for approximately three hours, before removing them and clearing the road for passage. We reiterate that the freedom of movement of peacekeepers must be fully respected to enable UNIFIL to carry out its mandated tasks. 
Yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers observed significant air activity, including multiple airstrikes in the vicinity of Al Mansouri in Sector West, as well as heavy machine-gun fire from helicopters and activity in various areas in Sector East. 

Despite the security situation, the UNIFIL-OCHA civil-military coordination cell facilitated four humanitarian missions to assist affected populations in the Tyre area. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that aid workers’ ability to support people in Gaza continued to be hindered. &�Բ�����;

As an example, only half of the aid trucks coming from Egypt can offload at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing, which is controlled by the Israeli authorities. This is based on data recorded by logistics partners for the first 18 days of May, and it does not cover bilateral donations or commercial imports. &�Բ�����;

When trucks are sent back to their point of origin, fewer supplies go in, and time and money are lost. &�Բ�����;

On food production, in a social media post yesterday, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that the number of small livestock in Gaza has increased for the first time since October 2023. &�Բ�����;

Since November of 2025, the number of sheep increased by 33 per cent and the number of goats increased by 8 per cent. While the numbers are still far below previous levels, the latest increase reflects the positive impact of emergency agricultural assistance provided by FAO and its partners. &�Բ�����;

Humanitarians have been providing animal feed, veterinary kits and cash support to help Palestinians restore and increase local food production. But for a full recovery of the agricultural sector, Israeli authorities need to approve the entry of further inputs and equipment by both the humanitarian and the private sectors. &�Բ�����;

Meanwhile in the West Bank, in the week ending this past Monday, OCHA documented more than 50 Israeli settler attacks that resulted in casualties or property damage. These included arson attacks that damaged a mosque, homes, farmland and vehicles.                  

OCHA reports that one of those attacks led to the displacement of 22 Palestinian families, nearly 140 people, from the village of Jiljiliya near Ramallah. These families had already been displaced due to settler violence in 2023. &�Բ�����;

Since the beginning of 2026, there have been on average six settler attacks per day, resulting in casualties or property damage. &�Բ�����;

Our humanitarian partners are assisting those displaced or otherwise affected through shelter support, psychosocial services and other essential assistance. &�Բ�����;

BANGLADESH 

Turning to Bangladesh, OCHA tells us that the country is grappling with a widespread measles outbreak. 

Since March of this year, more than 8,000 cases have been confirmed across 64 districts, with over 57,000 suspected cases. Children under the age of five account for 80 per cent of the cases. 

The Government, with support from our humanitarian partners, has vaccinated more than 18.3 million children through a nationwide measles-rubella campaign. 

But transmission remains high across the country. In camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, where some 1.1 million Rohingya refugees are living in already difficult conditions, nearly 600 suspected cases and five deaths have been reported.             

Our partners continue to support the response by deploying frontline health workers, setting up temporary triage and isolation facilities, running awareness campaigns and delivering critical medical supplies and equipment. 

We urgently need additional funding to support the humanitarian response. The 2026 Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis Joint Response Plan calls for $711 million to reach 1.6 million people, but is only 38 per cent funded, leaving a gap of $440 million. 

AFGHANISTAN 

Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warned today against the continuing trend of involuntary returns of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers from host countries to Afghanistan, in violation of international human rights and refugee law.  

According to UNHCR, since the beginning of the year, almost 270,000 Afghans have been deported to Afghanistan, mainly from Iran and Pakistan.  

Women and girls, individuals affiliated with the former government and its security forces, media workers, civil society, and members of the LGBTIQ+ community, are among those who remain at grave risk of reprisals and human rights violations and abuses. 

Mr. Turk urges States to abide by their international legal obligations and to protect Afghans by not taking any action that exposes them to irreparable harm upon return. 

He also expressed alarm at mounting reports that some countries in Europe are now resuming or considering deportations.  

NIGERIA 

Turning to Nigeria, the Humanitarian Country Team there is warning that the country is facing a deepening hunger crisis, with millions at risk as the lean season approaches. 

Nearly 1 in 7 people, that is 35 million people nationwide, are likely to face acute food insecurity during this year’s lean season, which runs from June to August. This makes Nigeria one of the world’s largest hunger crises, with the burden falling overwhelmingly on northern Nigeria. 

If assistance is further delayed, millions of families will be forced to further reduce meals, sell assets and withdraw their children from school. 

Across north-west and north-east Nigeria, an estimated 6.4 million children are likely to be acutely malnourished this year.  

We and our humanitarian partners are appealing for urgent funding to scale-up life-saving assistance. The already hyper-prioritized $516 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just over 40 per cent funded, with $215 million received. 

CUBA 

We have an update on Cuba, where our World Food Programme (WFP) colleagues are closely monitoring the food security situation.  

As you know, Cubans receive basic commodities through the state-owned rationing system, in a context where close to 80 per cent of the island’s food is imported. Shortages and distribution delays are continuing and as Cuban households rely more on high-priced, dollar-indexed markets, access to food has become increasingly unequal, with those not receiving remittances hit hardest.  

To address critical gaps, WFP is now delivering assistance to 900,000 people across Cuba. The agency is now ready to resume distributions in the eastern part of the country, enabled by 15,000 litres of fuel sourced locally this week through the private sector. 

As we are about to enter the hurricane season, prepositioning of food and other supplies are at risk, as major shipping lines have temporarily suspended services to Cuba to ensure regulatory compliance under the sanctions framework.  

WFP continues to work closely with national authorities to safeguard the most vulnerable, even as fuel shortages and constrained land transport hinder the movement and distribution of food. This agency is also providing dedicated logistic support to the UN community on the island. 

COLOMBIA 

Turning to Colombia, our OCHA colleagues warn that the humanitarian situation is worsening as non-state armed groups fight for territorial control, with civilians caught in the middle. 

Between January and May of this year, more than 653,000 people were affected by conflict and violence across the country. 

Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities in remote areas controlled by armed groups in the south-western regions of Cauca, Nariño, Choco and Caquetá have been among the hardest hit. Children are bearing the brunt of the violence. 

OCHA is alarmed by the sharp increase in the use of armed drones and other explosive devices, which are increasing the danger to civilians. 

Violence is restricting people’s movements, cutting off their access to basic services and making it harder for humanitarian workers to reach remote communities. 

Despite these challenges, we and our humanitarian partners reached more than 200,000 people across 129 municipalities between January and May of this year. More than 94,000 people received food assistance, while over 37,000 people were supported with clean water and hygiene services. 

As needs rise, OCHA urges donors to continue funding the $287 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which aims to help 1.2 million people and is currently just over half funded. 

BIOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY 

Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity. Climate chaos, pollution and the relentless exploitation of land, oceans and freshwater ecosystems are pushing the natural world toward breakdown. 

This year’s theme, “Acting locally for global impact,” highlights the critical role of communities in protecting nature. In his message, the Secretary-General underscores that Indigenous Peoples and local communities, women and young people, academia, businesses, cities, and regions all have a vital role to play in safeguarding and restoring biodiversity. 

INTERNATIONAL DAYS 

Tomorrow is the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, which is one of the most serious and tragic childbirth injuries. Ending fistula means ensuring every woman has access to quality maternal health care. 

Sunday is the International Day of the Markhor, an iconic and ecologically significant species found across the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia. A screw-horned goat.

And finally, Monday is World Football Day. Few things transcend borders, languages and politics quite like football. It remains the world’s most universal language, spoken fluently in joy, heartbreak and last-minute goals.  

**Briefing - today 

Today at 6:30 p.m. in this room, there will be a joint briefing by Ambassador Do Hung Viet, President of the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. 

Also, the UN is closed on Monday for the Memorial Day Holiday, so there will be no Noon Briefing that day, but we will have a Noon Briefing on Tuesday.