Yemen, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea & other topics - UN Daily Press Briefing final

Highlights:
- Secretary-General
- Yemen
- Lebanon
- Sri Lanka Papua New Guinea
- Climate/Sustainable Development Goals
- World Food Programme Transport Training Centre

SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Secretary-General, António Guterres, will travel to Istanbul, Türkiye, this evening as part of his efforts to ensure full global access to Ukraine’s food products and Russian food and fertilizer.

YEMEN
The Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has intensified his engagements with the parties to support the implementation of all elements of the truce and to explore possibilities for an expanded and extended truce beyond 2 August.
He said that an extended and expanded truce will increase the benefits to the Yemeni people. It will also provide a platform to build more confidence between the parties and start serious discussions on economic priorities, particularly on revenues and salaries, as well as security priorities, including a ceasefire. Ultimately, he added, the aim is to move toward a political settlement that comprehensively ends the conflict.
He said that the truce has largely held for almost four months, marking the longest period of relative calm in more than seven years and a significant decrease in the number of civilian casualties. Both sides have nevertheless raised concerns about alleged violations and incidents across multiple frontlines.

LEBANON
Joanna Wronecka, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, briefed the Security Council in person this morning in closed consultations on the Secretary-General’s latest report on that country.
Meanwhile, a new report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that, although Lebanon has managed to stave off a total collapse of its water infrastructure, water supply systems remain on the brink, putting the health of millions of people, particularly children, at risk.
In the report, UNICEF says that prospects for a solution will remain bleak while the power crisis continues, as electricity shortages make it impossible to pump sufficient water, and in some cases cause pumping operations to shut down completely.

SRI LANKA
In Sri Lanka, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, is responding to the needs of millions of people impacted by the ongoing economic crisis.
Ms. Singer-Hamdy also acknowledged the constitutional transfer of power to a new President. She called on all stakeholders to engage in broad and inclusive consultations to resolve the current economic crisis and the grievances of the people. She noted that a peaceful and stable Sri Lanka will require dialogue, full respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, including respect for the freedom of assembly and expression.
The situation in the country continues to deteriorate, with over 70 per cent of households either losing their source of income or having their income reduced. In June, food inflation stood at 80 per cent.
The Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan (HNP) launched in June, has reached 57,400 people – or 3.4 per cent of the targeted 1.7 million people. However, fuel shortages in Sri Lanka are a major operational constraint for the humanitarian response.
Also, an estimated 960,000 people are in need of protection services. To meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) distributed 1,500 dignity and maternity kits to bridge the gap in commodities that are currently out of stock, and to ensure continued protection of survivors of gender-based violence

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