SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ANTARCTICA
From Antarctica, the Secretary-General said that Antarctica has been called the sleeping giant, but it is now being awoken by climate chaos. What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica, he said. And what happens thousands of miles away has a direct impact right here.
“Fossil fuel pollution is heating our planet, unleashing climate anarchy in Antarctica,” he said, adding that the Southern Ocean has taken the majority of the heat from global warming.
He addressed leaders attending COP28 in Dubai next week and asked them to act now to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, protect people from climate chaos, and end the fossil fuel age. We must not let all hopes for a sustainable planet melt away, he added.
Today he will be making his way back with President Gabriel Boric to the Frei Base.
Tomorrow, he will visit the scientific base Prof Julio Escudero where he will be briefed by scientists. He will be back in New York on Sunday.
GAZA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that aid supplies continue to cross into Gaza today.
Yesterday, 23 November, as of 18:00 local time, 68,383 litres of fuel and 80 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entered Gaza from Egypt.
A humanitarian pause, starting today, has been agreed between Israel and Hamas.
Over 1.7 million people in Gaza are estimated to be internally displaced. Of them, about 1 million are staying in at least 156 UNRWA shelters across the Gaza Strip. UNRWA shelters are accommodating far more people than their intended capacity and despite being unable to accommodate new arrivals, people continue to arrive.
As of 23 November, about 200 patients and medical staff remain at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahiya (North Gaza) and are awaiting evacuation. The hospital continues to be surrounded by Israeli tanks. At about 22:00 on 23 November, the hospital was hit again and sustained damage, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), spoke to the press upon his return from his second visit to Gaza since the war began.
He said that he went to Rafah and Khan Younis, where some of the streets were almost empty, with solid waste piled up everywhere, most shops and pharmacies closed and constant bombardment.
Describing one of the UNRWA shelters he saw, he said, “The place looks like an overcrowded prison with substandard living conditions with few toilets and sewage flooding.”
He added that skin diseases and diarrhoea have exponentially increased as a result of unsanitary conditions made much worse by the rain. In some places, the rates of diseases are 45 times more than it was in previous years.
LEBANON
In a statement released today, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Head, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, says he is concerned by the ongoing intensification of the exchanges of fire along the Blue Line that has already claimed too many lives, caused significant damage, and jeopardized livelihoods.
He added that peacekeepers urge those exchanging fire along the Blue Line to halt this cycle of violence, noting that any further escalation in Southern Lebanon could have devastating consequences.
He underscored that the parties must reaffirm their commitment to UN Security Council resolution 1701 and the cessation of hostilities, while pursuing long-term solutions to address the underlying causes of conflict.
SENEGAL
On 23 November, the Government of Senegal inaugurated the United Nations House in Diamniadio, a new city located some 30 kilometers outside the capital Dakar. The landmark event was chaired by President Macky Sall and attended by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and other dignitaries.
During the ceremony, Ms. Mohammed, representing Secretary-General António Guterres, expressed deep honour and gratitude for the establishment of the UN House. She highlighted the new building as a symbol of the shared vision of cooperation between Senegal and the UN, aimed at advancing peace, prosperity, and humanity for the people of Senegal and the West African region. Ms. Mohammed also commended the Government of Senegal and President Sall for their steadfast commitment to multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations.
During her visit to Senegal, Ms. Mohammed also engaged with members of the UN Country Team in Dakar. They discussed the UN’s role in promoting sustainable development, peace, and humanitarian efforts, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism and coordination. Additionally, she met with President Sall in a bilateral discussion about the dedication of Senegal to these efforts.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR - and UNICEF urgently call on all actors in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to stop the violence that is taking an enormous toll on the civilian population.
Violent clashes between non-state armed groups and government forces have forcibly displaced more than 450,000 people in the last six weeks in Rutshuru and Masisi territories in North Kivu Province.
The agencies added that the severity of the crisis is further exacerbated by the limited humanitarian access to those in dire need, primarily due to the obstruction of major routes.
They also underscored that the intensification of violence is having a devastating impact on the lives of children, who are facing an alarming number of serious violations of their rights.
UN partners and humanitarian actors are urgently scaling up humanitarian and protection assistance to tackle urgent needs stemming from overcrowding and inadequate shelter in spontaneous sites in the eastern provinces, with limited access to food and clean water. Cholera outbreaks continue, signalling concerning limitations of the humanitarian aid currently available.
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