UN Daily Press Briefing: Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, Haiti & More

Secretary-General's Travel and UN System

• ✈️ The Secretary-General is in Denmark to chair the UN Chief Executives Board meeting, meeting with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and touring UN City.
• 🤝 Denmark's cooperation with the UN, including its role as a host for UN agencies and a non-permanent member of the Security Council, was appreciated.
• 🌍 The Secretary-General and UN system heads are attending a welcome dinner hosted by the King and Queen of Denmark.

Yemen Peace Efforts

• 🕊️ The UN welcomes Oman's announcement regarding an agreement between the US and Houthis in Yemen.
• 🚢 The UN calls for restraint, de-escalation, and an immediate cessation of Houthi attacks on merchant vessels, reaffirming maritime navigation rights under international law.
• 🤝 Commitment remains to support Yemeni parties in reaching a negotiated political settlement, encouraging constructive engagement with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg.

Sudan Humanitarian Crisis

• ⚠️ Deep concern is expressed over ongoing drone strikes in Port Sudan, a critical hub for humanitarian operations and aid entry.
• ✈️ UN Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) flights to and from Port Sudan have been suspended since May 4th due to safety concerns, impacting humanitarian personnel movement.
• ⚡ Drone attacks have also affected Kassala and River Nile states, causing displacement, temporary suspension of aid activities, and power blackouts leading to shortages.

Gaza Humanitarian Situation

• 😥 The situation in Gaza is worsening daily, with continued attacks on schools sheltering displaced people, resulting in casualties.
• 💔 Community kitchens are shutting down due to dwindling supplies, and malnutrition prevention supplements are depleted, with treatment stocks also at risk.
• 🏫 Over 95% of school buildings in Gaza have sustained some level of damage, and 90% of families assessed are facing water insecurity.
• 📦 Over 240,000 metric tons of supplies are ready to be dispatched, but humanitarian access inside Gaza is hampered, with three-quarters of UN requests denied.

Ukraine and Haiti

• 💥 Air strikes in Ukraine have caused civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure, with aid organizations providing emergency support and transit centers assisting evacuees.
• 🇭🇹 In Haiti, assistance is being mobilized for people displaced by violence in the Artibonit department, though ongoing insecurity forces displacement sites to close and hampers response efforts.

Security Council and Innovation Forum

• 🇰🇵 The Security Council is scheduled to discuss the 90-day report on the work of the DPRK sanctions committee.
• 💡 The multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development goals has begun, highlighting innovative solutions for global challenges.