"TRIBUTES"

The UN flag flew at half-mast at the Organization’s offices around the world in memory of the 101 staff members of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) killed in Gaza since 7 October. UNIFEED / UNTV CH / UNIS VIENNA

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths said, “what we've seen unfold over the last 26 days in Israel and in the occupied territories is nothing short of what I think I would call a blight on our collective conscience.” UNIFEED

Visiting the birthplace of Gautama Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal, Secretary-General António Guterres issued a call “to reflect on the teachings of Lord Buddha and to consider what his message of peace, interdependence, and compassion, means in today’s troubled world.” UN NEPAL

As the opening of the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza enabled a first convoy of trucks to bring in urgently needed aid, a UNICEF official in Egypt said the 40,000 litres of water delivered today are “a drop in the ocean” that will allow UNICEF to reach “about 27,000 people with one day supply.” UNIFEED / FILE

The Secretary-General said that the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to Narges Mohammadi, is “an important reminder that the rights of women and girls are facing a strong pushback, including through the persecution of women human rights defenders, in Iran and elsewhere.” UNIFEED

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim Wane, said the process of withdrawal is “proceeding well” and “every effort is being made” to ensure that it is completed by the deadline of 31st December 2023. UNIFEED

Marking the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, UN chief António Guterres paid respect to all those lost or harmed through terrorist attacks around the world, and paid tribute to the “extraordinary work of those victims and survivors who have resolved to use their experiences to bring about change.” UNIFEED

The head of the Peace Operations department, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said, “the role of military components in the Protection of Civilians through prevention and response is a key one for the importance of peace operations.” UNIFEED

The UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) kicked off today at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome with a high-level opening ceremony attended by over 20 heads of State and Government, and a strong call for accelerating action to transform global agrifood systems. FAO