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UN leader and senior officials highlighted at briefing; SG supports new General Assembly president and stresses humanitarian priorities
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Summary
The UN spokesperson relayed the secretary-general’s congratulations to Annalena Baerbock as incoming General Assembly president, noted senior officials’ travel and meetings on African development and disaster risk reduction, and addressed follow-up questions on detainees, UNRWA review timing and other diplomatic items.
At Friday’s UN briefing, the spokesperson summarized internal and diplomatic items from the secretary-general and senior UN officials.
The secretary-general congratulated Annalena Baerbock on her election as president of the General Assembly for the eightieth session and pledged full support for her leadership. The spokesperson also said the secretary-general thanked outgoing General Assembly president Philemon Yang for his leadership during the seventy-ninth session.
The briefing noted Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed (transcribed as Mina Mohammed) was in Marrakesh attending a high-level gathering focusing on financing Africa’s development and would travel to Geneva to participate in the eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. The special coordinator for Lebanon, Janine Hennesse Plaschert, was reported to have begun a visit to Israel for consultations related to implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and wider stabilization efforts.
In response to journalists’ questions, the spokesperson said 23 UN personnel remain detained in Yemen (see Yemen article), said the strategic review of UNRWA led by Ian Martin was still expected around mid-June and that the office would provide an update when available, and declined to speculate on certain hypothetical diplomatic scenarios. The spokesperson also said the UN condemns acts of antisemitism, including a violent attack in Boulder, Colorado and vandalism in France, and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
The briefing included routine diplomatic travel notes and replies to reporters’ follow-ups about meetings by UN envoys and consultations with Security Council members. The spokesperson said the UN stands ready to assist negotiating processes such as the Turkey–PKK talks if both parties request UN help.
Journalists pressed for clarifications on specific cases and reviews; the spokesperson pledged to follow up with additional details as they become available.
