Briefings, Sudan, Yemen & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (28 October 2026) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Briefings - Secretary-General/Remarks - Sudan - Yemen - Occupied Palestinian Territory - Spain - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Haiti - UN Biodiversity Conference - Climate Technology Progress Report - Financial Contribution BRIEFINGS At around 1:00 p.m. today, the guest is Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.  Then, at 1:45 p.m., there will be a briefing here by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, so you will want to stick around for that. And, tomorrow, at 2 p.m., there will be a briefing by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Kelley E. Currie and Nick Koumjian, Head of the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). SECRETARY-GENERAL/REMARKS This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the event on Honouring Our Values at Home, which deals with fighting against racism and sexism at the United Nations, and he said that the United Nations cannot credibly defend equality around the world unless we uphold it within our own walls. Our values, he said, can’t live only in the words we address to others. Mr. Guterres noted that a Secretariat survey in 2020 found that one in three staff members reported experiencing racial discrimination, which he said is totally unacceptable. The survey made clear that condemning racism was not enough, and that we had to become actively anti-racist, he added. Regarding gender, the Secretary-General asserted that the United Nations has achieved parity across all senior leadership, all headquarters and all professional staff. We did this not by lowering standards, but increasing opportunities, he said. Going forward, the Secretary-General said that gender gains and expertise must be protected, anti-racism must remain a priority and decisions on recruitment, promotion, assignments and retention must be transparent, consistent and bias-free. SUDAN Turning to Sudan. You will have seen that the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan today issued its new report on El Obeid while also highlighting the broader situation across the country, where civilians remain trapped between widespread violence, severe deprivation and fear. Drone strikes attributed to the RSF continue to kill and injure civilians, damage schools, displacement sites and other civilian infrastructure, and disrupt access to healthcare, electricity and water. At the same time, security forces affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have stepped up mass surveillance and arbitrary arrests, fostering fear among the civilian population. The Mission’s report comes one year after the takeover of El Fasher and surrounding areas by the RSF and affiliated actors. One year later, the RSF and the SAF bear primary responsibility for the devastation and atrocities in Sudan, external actors have fueled the war and benefited from it. The report comes amid continued deadly attacks in Blue Nile State and elsewhere across the country. We have also seen disturbing reports of drone strikes in South Darfur State on Monday, which hit a market and a residential neighbourhood in Nyala, the state capital, killing dozens of people and injuring more than 150 others. Civilians were reportedly killed and injured in two separate drone strike attacks near the airport in El Geneina, in West Darfur State, as well as in another strike in South Kordofan State yesterday. We condemn the killing of civilians and reiterate that civilians must be protected at all times, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Vital infrastructure has also come under attack. Today, in Al Jazirah State, drone strikes reportedly damaged an electricity station and fuel stations. We reiterate our call for an immediate end to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and for all parties to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law. OCHA says that despite severe funding shortfalls and insecurity, humanitarian organizations continue to deliver life-saving assistance across the country. During the first nine months of this year, humanitarian organizations reached more than 17 million people across Sudan with at least one form of assistance. However, OCHA warns that significant gaps remain in the humanitarian response. Just 3 million people, or 18 per cent of those reached overall, received assistance across multiple sectors, underscoring the impact of underfunding and other challenges in ensuring that people receive the full range of support they need. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-10-28


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