UN Noon Briefing: Sudan, Guatemala, Gaza, Syria, and More (August 29, 2025)

Condemnation of Violence in Sudan

• 💔 The UN condemns the killing of five humanitarian personnel near Al Koma, North Darfur, during an attack on a WFP-UNICEF convoy carrying food and nutrition supplies.
• ⚠️ This attack, which destroyed multiple trucks and damaged critical supplies, marks the first UN humanitarian convoy to El Fasher in over a year and is a violation of international humanitarian law.
• ⚖️ The UN calls for an urgent investigation and accountability for the perpetrators, emphasizing the need for safe operating conditions and respect for international humanitarian law in all conflict zones.

Concerns Regarding Guatemala and CICIG

• ⚖️ The Secretary-General expresses concern over arrest warrants issued against former officials of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), including its former commissioner Iván Velásquez.
• 🤝 The UN reiterates that CICIG international personnel enjoy immunity from legal process for acts performed in their mission, and Guatemala agreed to protect CICIG staff from reprisals.
• 🔍 The Secretary-General is troubled by reports of criminal prosecutions against those who investigated corruption and worked to strengthen the rule of law in Guatemala.

Humanitarian Situation in Gaza and West Bank

• ⚠️ The UN is concerned that an intensified Israeli offensive in Gaza City could have horrific impacts, noting the discontinuation of daily tactical pauses and the threat to lives and aid operations.
• 🆘 Forcing people to move further south is seen as a recipe for disaster and could amount to forcible transfer, with aid workers facing impediments to movement within Gaza.
• 📈 In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, high levels of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians are documented, leading to injuries, property damage, and displacement, with settler violence being a main driver of displacement.

Updates from Syria and Lebanon

• 🏘️ The UN Special Envoy for Syria is closely monitoring developments in Damascus's Sumaria neighborhoods, urging restraint and prioritizing civilian protection in addressing complex issues related to housing, land, and property.
• 🚚 A humanitarian aid convoy successfully reached Suweida governorate via the main highway from Damascus, the first on that road since July 12th, carrying essential supplies.
• 🕊️ UNIFIL continues operations in southern Lebanon, noting the discovery of an unauthorized mortar bomb and a weapons cache, and reiterating that acts endangering peacekeepers are unacceptable.

Personnel Announcements and International Days

• 🌍 Dian Keta of Guinea has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), succeeding Natalyia Cannam.
• 🇨🇾 The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, will travel to Cyprus to meet with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders.
• 🕊️ Today is the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, and tomorrow is the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, followed by the International Day for People of African Descent on Sunday.