Yemen, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (6 November 2026) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Secretary-General’s Travel - Climate - United Nations Relief and Works Agency - Yemen - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Sudan - Western Sahara - Food Price Index - International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict Secretary-General’s Travel Today, the Secretary-General continues his visit to Spain. He is in Salamanca, where a few hours earlier, he was awarded an honorary doctorate this morning by the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest universities in the world. At the ceremony, the Secretary-General said it was a great honour to receive the honorary degree, adding that he accepted the distinction on behalf of the women, men of the United Nations. In his address, he reflected on the five decisive tests facing multilateralism today, peace, dignity, equity, climate justice, and control over technology, stressing the need to subject force to the law and power to the common good to overcome these challenges. He underscored the importance of international law, cooperation, and solidarity. Speaking to many students in the audience, he called on young people to play a full part in the decisions that will shape not only their future, but everyone's. Climate Also, I want to flag that ahead of the opening of the COP (Conference of Parties) 31, the climate COP in Anatolia, in Türkiye, the Secretary-General this week had a video conversation with Dr. Maxime Geoffroy, the Chief Scientist of the winter leg of the Tara Ocean Foundation’s Polaris Arctic expedition. The expedition is adrift in the central Arctic Ocean aboard the Tara Polar Station. The crew of 12 is spending more than eight months together during one of the expedition's most demanding phases, given the four-months-long polar nights. The expedition will help understand the health of our planet's only polar ocean and of our planet itself. During the conversation, the Secretary-General and Dr. Geoffroy discussed the findings of the project and the impacts of climate change in the Arctic. The scientist sent a message to COP31 emphasizing the importance of science. The Secretary-General noted that the central battle we now have is the battle for truth and the battle for science, and this is particularly evident on the question of climate. We shared the video of the interaction with you this morning. Also related to climate, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is calling for urgent action to protect millions of refugees and other forcibly displaced people who are increasingly exposed to devastating climate impacts, warning climate finance is failing to reach many of the communities most at risk. According to UNHCR's latest report, nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people, three in four globally, are living in countries facing high to extreme exposure to climate-related hazards, including severe drought, deadly floods, and extreme heat. UNHCR noted that many have already fled conflict, they fled violence, and they fled persecution, only to find themselves facing yet another crisis in places where resources and opportunities to adapt are severely limited. United Nations Relief and Works Agency Just a one note on the Middle East, on Israel and Palestine, I've been asked about the Secretary-General's position on UNRWA following recent reports about UNRWA's future, and I can tell you that the Secretary-General is fully committed to defending UNRWA and the exercise of its fundamental role in support of Palestine refugees. He once again calls for UNRWA's vital work to be fully funded. Yemen Turning to Yemen, our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that people continue to flee their homes across several governorates in the west and the northwest of the country. More than 313,000 people - that's 13,000 more than the last time we updated you - have now been displaced since the beginning of August. Ta’iz Governorate has taken the largest share, with more than two in five of those displaced seeking shelter. Civilians, as one would expect, are sadly continuing to pay the price. The UN Human Rights Office has verified 281 civilian casualties since the beginning of August, with 69 people killed and 212 injured. Children account for more than a third of those casualties. We and our humanitarian partners continue to reach people wherever access allows us to do that, providing families with ready-to-eat food, hygiene supplies, and other emergency items to help them cope. We reiterate our call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, to respect international humanitarian law, and to allow for the safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access so aid can reach those who so urgently need it. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-11-06


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