Egypt, Jordan, Ukraine & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (23 October 2026) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Egypt - Jordan - Ukraine - Yemen - Ethiopia - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Haiti - Iraq visit / Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations - International Day of the Snow Leopard - United Nations Day - World Development Information Day - Disarmament Week - Global Media and Information Literacy Week EGYPT The Secretary-General is leaving for Egypt today and is expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday morning. On Monday, he will meet with Egyptian leaders, including the President and the Foreign Minister, as well as the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. He will also deliver an address to students at Cairo University. JORDAN A statement is expected on the church attack in Jordan. In the meantime, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a funeral service at the church in Hmoud, Jordan, which reportedly left seven people dead and many more injured. The Secretary-General expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured. An attack not only on a place of worship but also during a funeral procession is especially heinous. The Secretary-General also calls for all those responsible to be found and held to account. UKRAINE In Ukraine, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to reach frontline communities despite continued attacks. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that two inter-agency convoys delivered food, clothes, hygiene supplies, winter kits and other essential supplies to frontline communities in the regions of Kherson and Dnipro today. Meanwhile, authorities report that civilians, including children, were killed and injured in attacks across Ukraine between yesterday and this morning. Energy infrastructure also came under attack, leaving half a million people without electricity across several regions. A power plant suspended operations after sustaining significant damage. Humanitarian colleagues also report that an attack on Kharkiv yesterday damaged vehicles and a generator belonging to an NGO. Nearly two-thirds of the more than 250 humanitarian access incidents recorded between January and August involved violence against aid workers, their assets and their facilities. YEMEN Turning to Yemen, humanitarian partners say that more than 256,000 people have now been forced from their homes since the start of the fighting in August. The fighting is continuing, and further displacement is expected. The UN Refugee Agency says that shelter is the most pressing need among newly displaced families, followed by food and cash assistance. Across five governorates, more than 2,000 displaced families do not have shelter. In Taiz, the World Health Organization warns that shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicines and medical supplies are threatening life-saving services. In Taiz City alone, 42 health facilities are facing acute shortages, putting emergency surgery, dialysis, intensive care and services for patients, including maternal and newborn care, at increasing risk. Despite severe access restrictions, UN humanitarian partners are working to keep essential services going. Since August, they have reached more than 188,000 displaced people and three in five displaced households with some form of support, including food, hygiene supplies and emergency cash. WHO says emergency medicines have reached Al Thawra Hospital, a major hospital in Taiz, while additional medical supplies are still waiting in Aden to be delivered to conflict-affected areas as soon as access becomes available. Safe, unhindered and rapid humanitarian access is needed for all those who depend on the UN and its humanitarian partners for life-saving assistance. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-10-23


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