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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 1 JUNE 2026

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME 

Today in Rome at the World Food Programme, it is transition day, as Cindy McCain takes leave of her post as Executive Director and Carl Skau will take over as the acting Executive Director. 

On this day, I just want to, on behalf of the Secretary-General, express his deep appreciation to Ms. Cindy McCain for her dedicated service as she steps down from her role as Executive Director of the World Food Programme. 

Under her leadership, WFP became leaner, became faster, and became more agile in responding to global crises. She strengthened accountability, fostered innovation, and advanced humanitarian diplomacy, while sustaining life-saving operations reaching nearly 100 million people each year. Her tenure also helped secure new sources of funding, expand critical partnerships, and prioritize the safety and wellbeing of staff and beneficiaries worldwide. 

The Secretary-General is grateful for her steadfast commitment to the fight against global hunger and malnutrition. He wishes her all the very best in the future. 

The Secretary-General welcomes Carl Skau as Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme.      

Mr. Skau has served as WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer since May 2023. He assumes his responsibilities at a critical moment, when more than 360 million people worldwide face acute food insecurity. 

The process of identifying a new WFP Executive Director, a process that is run jointly by the Secretary-General and the Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organization, will now get underway. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL/QUADRENNIAL COMPREHENSIVE POLICY REVIEW 

This morning, the Secretary-General presented his report on the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review to ECOSOC's Operational Activities for the Development Segment.  

The Secretary-General noted that the report reflects a shared journey over nearly a decade. Together, with the strong support and guidance of Member States and colleagues across the system, he said we have reshaped how we operate. 

The Secretary-General pointed out that the UN development system today is more coherent, it is more accountable and it is more closely aligned with national priorities than it has ever been before. But with less than 1,700 days until the 2030 deadline of the Sustainable development goals, the Secretary-General warned that many countries face growing pressures and that this is a defining moment.                                           

His full remarks were shared with you, and the full report on the QCPR [Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review] is available on the ECOSOC website.  

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION 

And this afternoon, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, in her role as Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), will present her report on development coordination to ECOSOC’s Operational Activities Development Segment, complementing the Secretary-General’s landmark report delivered this morning.  

Together, these reports tell a story of transformation. Since 2019, the reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system has made the UN more coherent, more efficient and more aligned with national priorities. Recognition of the Resident Coordinators as effective entry points to the UN system has surged from 62 per cent to 90 per cent since the reform launched.  

The UN development system delivered in 2025: 121 million people were reached with food assistance; 191 million children were vaccinated against measles, often in war-like conditions; social protection was extended to 84 million people; and over half a billion more people were covered by essential health services since 2018.  

The Deputy Secretary-General’s full report, including an interactive version, is also available on the Development Coordination Office website. 

BIENNIAL MEETING OF STATES ON THE PROGRAMME OF ACTION ON SMALL ARMS & LIGHT WEAPONS  

Also this morning, the Secretary-General had a video message for the Biennial Meeting of States on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.  

He told participants that for 25 years, this programme has been a cornerstone of global disarmament and peace efforts.  

But, he added, our world has fundamentally changed over the last quarter century and new threats are rapidly emerging — including 3D-printed arms and untraceable “ghost guns” circulating on the black market.    

Diversion, the focus of this year’s meeting, remains the primary method of acquiring weapons that fuel terrorism, crime and gender-based violence, while killing peacekeepers and blocking humanitarian access.     

Using the Programme of Action as a base, the Secretary-General called on countries to act together to end this scourge, and to ensure the Programme of Action is fit for today’s challenges.  

LEBANON/ISRAEL 

Moving to the news in Lebanon, the UN is deeply alarmed by the escalation in military activities across southern Lebanon and beyond. Israeli warnings of imminent strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs are deeply concerning and have heightened fear and uncertainty among the population in Lebanon. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructures must not be targeted.  We urge all actors to respect the cessation of hostilities and avoid further escalation. We condemn all the loss of civilian lives. 

There is no alternative to a diplomatic solution to break this cycle of violence and to achieve sustainable stability on both sides of the Blue Line. The US‑sponsored Lebanon–Israel negotiations resuming tomorrow must be given a real chance to succeed. 

The Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plascheart, continues to engage all parties to de-escalate tensions, reinforce commitments to the cessation of hostilities that had been agreed to, and advance practical confidence‑building measures.  

Later today, the Security Council will convene an emergency session at the request of France to address the situation in Lebanon. They will be briefed on behalf of the Secretariat by  Martha Pobee, our Assistant Secretary-General for Africa. She will brief the Council on behalf of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and underscore the above messages. She is also expected to reiterate that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are the only legitimate armed force in Lebanon, and to continue calling for increased international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and other state security institutions to enable them to assume their responsibilities to ensure security across all of Lebanon’s territory. 

Meanwhile on the ground, in the south, our UNIFIL peacekeepers are increasingly concerned by the continued escalation. Yesterday, they recorded 744 trajectories, including 683 attributed to the IDF, with the remainder attributed to non-state armed groups. From midnight to 4:00 local time today, 402 trajectories were detected, of those: 380 for the IDF, 22 non-state actors, as well as 12 airstrikes and 59 airspace violations of the Lebanese airspace. 

UNIFIL peacekeepers are observing also intensive IDF air and ground operations across the area of operations. Over the weekend, they reported airstrikes in Sector West and Sector East. Local roads were also targeted in some areas. We recall once again that civilian infrastructure, including road networks, must be protected at all times in line with international humanitarian law.  

Yesterday saw also a significant surge in IDF indirect fire, including artillery, mortars and rockets, across the area of operations. Fire by non-state actors was also recorded in Sector East. 

The mission also observed notable IDF movements along routes leading north toward Beaufort Castle, which is beyond the UNIFIL area of operations. 

And just to flag that earlier today, the Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations [Jean-Pierre Lacroix] and the UNIFIL Force Commander Major General Abagnara, briefed the UNIFIL Troop Contributing Countries including on force protection measures. 

On the options for the Future of the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, the Secretary-General’s letter to the Security Council is expected be delivered a bit later on today.    

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN 

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian side, our colleagues are witnessing heavily congested roads in various areas of Lebanon, as families flee with their belongings following renewed Israeli evacuation orders and threats of strikes in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Collective shelters in Tyre and Saida are reportedly full, with scores of people reportedly trying to shelter in open areas. 

And in Beirut’s southern suburbs, UNHCR tell us that people are leaving by car, motorcycle and on foot, carrying only essentials as they seek safety, many returning to already overcrowded shelters, mainly within Beirut. UNHCR remains on the ground, supporting the government-led emergency response.  

Since the beginning of the conflict in early March, UNHCR and its partners have reached hundreds of thousands of people across Lebanon with protection services, emergency cash assistance, shelter support, and other types of relief, especially for families enduring repeated displacement and trauma. But as displacement continues and needs grow, sustained support remains critical. 

More people are likely to be forced to leave the areas where they are currently sheltering in the coming hours and days if the scale of insecurity persists, and we are concerned that large numbers of people are once again being forced to flee under intolerable conditions. The scale and lack of clarity of the evacuation orders issued by Israel are causing panic and distress, forcing families to make very difficult choices.                          

Over the weekend, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said at least 88 people were reportedly killed. Attacks affecting healthcare continue to be reported. An airstrike near Hiram Hospital, close to Tyre, reportedly injured at least 13 staff members and damaged the facility. According to WHO, five attacks on healthcare were recorded in the last three days, resulting in one health worker reportedly killed and 19 injured. 

International humanitarian law is clear: civilians, including health workers and including first responders, must be protected. 

Authorities and our humanitarian partners are coordinating to respond to growing needs. For its part, WFP is rapidly scaling up its response nationwide, but the situation remains fragile.  

On average, WFP has supported close to 150,000 people per day since 2 March, but ongoing daily bombardments and large-scale displacement are constraining the delivery of critical assistance, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. 

And just to note, there will be a launch on Friday in Geneva of the revised Flash Appeal for Lebanon, launched jointly with the Government. And that is an effort to scale up humanitarian assistance over the next three months. If you will recall, the Secretary-General launched a $308.3 million flash humanitarian appeal while he was visiting Beirut in March. Now the needs are significantly greater, as you can easily imagine. 

 OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that yesterday, an airstrike hit the rooftop of a UN school building in Nuseirat, in Gaza, which is used to shelter displaced families, resulting in damage. Luckily, no injuries were reported. 

Meanwhile, Zikim crossing will remain closed this week for a second week, leaving only the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem as the only entry point for cargo that we can use. 

In the West Bank, OCHA reports that yesterday, a Palestinian trying to cross the Israeli Barrier into East Jerusalem – reportedly in search of job opportunities – was shot and killed.  

Since October 2023, when the authorities revoked or suspended most permits issued to Palestinians to access East Jerusalem and Israel for work and other purposes, OCHA has documented the killings of 17 Palestinians and the injury of over 290 others who were reportedly attempting to cross the Barrier. And that is as of 11 May. 

We also saw the reports yesterday on what is described as a ramming attack that injured two Israeli girls, in which Israeli forces killed the Palestinian driver. 

We remind all parties that civilians must always be protected; and in law enforcement contexts, lethal force must be a last resort. Perpetrators of these attacks must be held to account. 

SUDAN 

Turning to Sudan, the UN is deeply concerned by reports that dozens of civilians were killed over the Muslim holiday of Eid Al Adha as violence further continues to escalate across parts of the Kordofan and Darfur regions. And we condemn all of these civilian killings unequivocally. 

Our humanitarian colleagues say that in North Kordofan State, clashes in Bara reportedly killed at least a dozen civilians, forced families to flee their homes, and increased already acute humanitarian needs for the population. 

In South Kordofan, the International Organization for Migration says more than 2,200 people were reportedly forced to move in search of safety in recent days. 

In West Kordofan, local sources report that a drone strike in the Kadam area killed at least eight civilians and injured many others, while in Central Darfur State, at least 10 people, including three children, were reportedly killed in a drone strike on the town of Um Dukhun on Saturday.                                                                                                                                          

Intercommunal violence in Central and South Darfur states has reportedly caused additional casualties and additional displacement, forcing families to flee across the border into Chad. The escalating insecurity is also disrupting humanitarian operations. In Central Darfur, for example, humanitarian activities serving approximately 21,000 people had to be suspended following clashes. 

At the same time, a suspected cholera outbreak in West Kordofan continues to spread, with more than 300 suspected cases and 77 reported deaths recorded as of yesterday. Our partners are responding, but are constrained by shortages of critical supplies and resources. 

As a reminder, in March, authorities declared an end to the country-wide cholera outbreak involving more than 124,000 cases and more than 3,500 deaths.  

The risks of cholera and other water-borne diseases will likely increase during the rainy season, which begins this month, and as attacks on essential infrastructure make it even more difficult to access clean water for people who so desperately need it. 

We continue to call on all the parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to facilitate humanitarian access. 

We also urgently need more funding: nearly halfway through the year, we’ve only received just 22 per cent of the $2.9 billion that is needed for our humanitarian appeal.  

HAITI 

OCHA points out that armed attacks in the department of Artibonite have triggered new displacements and put additional pressure on already very vulnerable communities in the area.  

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1,100 people were displaced following violence on May 26th in the commune of Petite Rivière de Bayonnais. Those who fled have sought refuge with host families within the city of Gonaïves, further straining threadbare resources available in these communities. 

Many of those who fled the violence last week have been displaced repeatedly. As we can imagine, or just try to imagine, they need shelter, food and water, but they also need healthcare, they need psychosocial support and protection services, including  for survivors of gender-based violence. And we have told you repeatedly the horrific situation regarding that in Haiti. 

While we and our humanitarian partners continue to respond under challenging conditions, the pace and the scale of needs are rising rapidly. 

NICARAGUA 

In answer to questions received, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General is saddened by reports of the death in custody in Nicaragua of Mr. Brooklyn Rivera and extends his condolences to Mr. Rivera’s family and the Miskito community.  

The Secretary-General reiterates the need to respect human rights in Nicaragua, including due process and humane treatment in detention, and calls for a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Rivera’s death.  

SECURITY COUNCIL/AFTERNOON  

Also just a programming note. At 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, there will be a Security Council meeting on Threats to International Peace and Security that was requested by the Permanent mission of Romania. For our part, Kayoko Gotoh, the Director for the Europe and Central Asia division at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, will brief Council members. 

NEW RESIDENT COORDINATORS - BRAZIL, MALAYSIA, MAURITANIA AND ZIMBABWE 

The Secretary-General has appointed Nikolas Myint of Germany as the new United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Igor Garafulic of Chile as Resident Coordinator in Brazil, Jutta Hinkkanen of Finland as Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, and Rosemary Kalapurakal of India as Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe. Mr. Myint’s appointment is effective 31 May, while the others took up their posts today. All with decades of experience across development, humanitarian and leadership roles, they will serve as the Secretary-General’s representatives on development at the country level, leading the country teams and coordinating system-wide support for nationally led efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Their full biographies are available online.                                                                    

GLOBAL DAY OF PARENTS 

Today is the Global Day of Parents. This year’s theme, “Together for Parents”, highlights the vital role parents and caregivers play in raising children and building stronger communities, creating supportive family environments where children can fully develop their personalities and well-being. 

**Briefing 

The President of the Security Council, Ambassador Leonor Zalabata, the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations and the President of the Security Council for the month of June briefed reporters on the Council’s programme of work.