UN Daily Press Briefing: US Withdrawals, Lebanon, Syria, and Global Crises (January 8, 2026)

US Withdrawal from UN Entities

• 🇺🇸 The Secretary-General regrets the White House announcement regarding the United States' decision to withdraw from several UN entities.
• ⚖️ Assessed contributions to the UN regular and peacekeeping budgets are legal obligations under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the US.
• 🌍 All UN entities will continue to implement their mandates as given by Member States, with determination.

Developments in Lebanon

• 🇱🇧 The UN welcomes the announcement by the Lebanese Armed Forces of assuming operational control south of the Litani River.
• 🤝 The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon is in contact with parties to encourage progress on Security Council Resolution 1701 and the cessation of hostilities agreement.
• 🔍 UN peacekeepers have discovered 405 weapons caches and conducted thousands of operational activities since November 2024.

Situation in Syria

• 🇸🇾 Security Council members received a briefing on the elimination of chemical weapons programs in Syria.
• ⚠️ The Deputy High Representative for Disarmament Affairs reported continued engagement and the need for sustained international support, especially for access to insecure areas.
• 💔 The Secretary-General is gravely alarmed by escalating hostilities in Aleppo, with mounting civilian casualties and tens of thousands displaced.
• 🏥 Several health facilities, including Zahi Azarak Hospital, Ibn Rashid Hospital, and Oman Hospital, have reportedly ceased operations due to damage.

Humanitarian Situation and Peacekeeping

• 🇵🇸 In Gaza, humanitarian partners distributed 7,000 dignity kits, hygiene kits, and soap to 200,000 people, alongside shelter materials for over 16,000 households.
• 📚 Over 420 learning spaces are operational, serving over 230,000 students, though scaling up depends on timely entry of essential supplies.
• 🌍 The Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations is visiting the Middle East, including Syria, the Golan Heights, Jordan, and Israel.
• 🇪🇬 In Yemen, the Special Envoy continues engagement focused on deescalation and a Yemen-led peace process, with discussions held in Riyadh.
• 🇸🇸 Renewed fighting in South Sudan has displaced approximately 100,000 people, disrupting humanitarian operations.
• 🇺🇦 In Ukraine, attacks have damaged critical energy and port infrastructure, leaving nearly 2 million people without electricity and disrupting basic services.

UN's Financial Obligations and Multilateralism

• 💰 The UN has been managing financial pressures for some time, with the US not paying dues last year.
• 🏛️ The UN Charter is not an "à la carte menu," and Member States have legal obligations to pay assessed contributions.
• 🤝 The Secretary-General believes that global challenges can only be solved through international cooperation, not by individual nations handling affairs alone.
• 🗣️ The UN relies on civil society, people, and other member states to vocally defend the organization.