UN Daily Press Briefing: Syria, Gaza, Sudan, Mozambique, Bangladesh & More (January 21, 2026)

Syria: Calls for Civilian Protection

• ⚠️ We are closely monitoring developments in Syria, reiterating that the protection of civilians must be paramount.
• 🤝 All parties are urged to avoid actions endangering civilians, inflaming tensions, or triggering displacement, and to uphold the ceasefire.
• 🕊️ The Secretary-General calls for de-escalation and implementation of understandings with respect for the rights, safety, and dignity of all communities.

Gaza: Humanitarian Crisis and Health Concerns

• 🥶 Another child death due to hypothermia in Gaza brings the season's total to nine, prompting calls for urgent solutions like allowing entry of energy sources for heating.
• 🍎 Over 860,000 people have received food packages this month, with 1.6 million hot meals provided daily.
• 💉 A vaccination campaign aims to protect children under three, while over 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, await medical evacuation.
• 💧 Approximately 70% of Gaza City's water production is disrupted due to issues with the Mekorot water supply line, with repair requests denied.
• 🌍 OCHA reiterates the need for expanded access, including for critical items deemed "dual use," to improve basic services like safe water.

Deputy Secretary-General's Travels and UN Initiatives

• ✈️ Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is traveling to Copenhagen to address the Danish Parliament on "The Future of the United Nations in a Turbulent World" and to discuss the 2030 Agenda.
• 📚 She will also attend a UNESCO event in France focused on youth's role in co-creating inclusive education systems.
• 📈 Global foreign direct investment rose 14% in 2025, but UNCTAD notes this overstates recovery, with fragile real investment activity and widening divides between economies.
• 💰 Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Switzerland are recognized for their full payments to the regular budget, bringing the honor roll to 22 member states.

Sudan: Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Access

• 🚨 OCHA expresses concern over thousands of civilians cut off from aid in North Darfur due to escalating conflict, with local partners reporting families trapped.
• 🚶 Nearly 3,000 people displaced in South Kordofan, with cities under siege and extreme food insecurity, including famine conditions confirmed in Kadugli.
• 🆘 OCHA calls for immediate protection of civilians and infrastructure, and rapid, unhindered humanitarian access.
• 💧 In White Nile State, new arrivals in Kosti strain services, and OCHA appeals for $2.9 billion for the humanitarian needs and response plan.

Mozambique and Bangladesh: Flood Impact and Refugee Camp Fire

• 🌊 In Mozambique, 600,000 people are impacted by floods, with overcrowded shelters and nearly 80,000 homes destroyed or damaged.
• 👶 UNICEF warns that flooding poses deadly threats to children through waterborne diseases and malnutrition.
• 🔥 In Bangladesh, a fire in a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar affected over 2,000 refugees, damaging shelters and infrastructure, with relief efforts underway.

Security Council and International Relations

• 🇭🇹 The Security Council will meet for an open session on Haiti, with briefings from the head of the political mission and the acting executive director of UNODC.
• 🤝 The UN reiterates its commitment to improving its work for all stakeholders and pursuing peace in accordance with international law.
• 🌍 Regarding the "Board of Peace," the UN acknowledges its existence but states it is too early to tell its impact and that the UN continues to abide by Security Council resolutions, particularly concerning Gaza.
• 🇺🇳 The UN emphasizes its own mandated tasks and partnerships with various global bodies, not being worried about other groupings.