Spain, Korean Peninsula & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (5 November 2026) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: Secretary-General/Spain Korean Peninsula Yemen Yemen detainees Security Council/Abyei Sudan Sudan-South Sudan/Wunthou crossing Central African Republic Occupied Palestinian Territory Lebanon Ukraine Water/Conflicts Briefings World Tsunami Awareness Day SECRETARY-GENERAL/SPAIN This morning, the Secretary-General addressed the 30th Ibero-American Summit in Madrid. He spoke about the power of culture to bring people together, stressing that the diversity of the Ibero-American community shows that unity does not require uniformity, and that loving our own does not require fearing others. Mr. Guterres stressed that culture can help societies reconcile with former adversaries, it can help welcome refugees and migrants with dignity, and reinforce communities. In his final address to an Ibero-American Summit as Secretary-General, he underscored the power of culture to strengthen our shared humanity, and to foster dignity, reconciliation and peace. And as I speak, the Secretary-General is meeting with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain. We will share a readout of that meeting. Tomorrow, he will travel to Salamanca, where he will be awarded an honorary degree by the University of Salamanca, and he will be speaking about the importance of International Law in Salamanca. KOREAN PENINSULA The Secretary-General remains concerned about the situation in the Korean Peninsula, including potential escalation of tensions across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Secretary-General encourages relevant parties to initiate the resumption of communication channels, including military-to-military communications, all of this in order to avoid unintended accidents or miscalculations. Diplomatic engagement and renewed dialogue remain the only pathway to reduce tensions and to achieve sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula. YEMEN In Yemen, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that people continue to flee their homes across several governorates, with nearly 135,000 displaced people. That is more than 40 per cent of all people recently uprooted in the country. Those people are still displaced within the governorate of Ta’iz. Yesterday, the International Committee of the Red Cross delivered four trucks carrying essential medical supplies, including surgical kits, to hospitals in Ta’iz city to help treat injured people and to support health facilities under severe pressure from ongoing hostilities, that we have been telling you about. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners have launched an emergency meals initiative in Ta’iz city, with locally sourced ingredients, aiming to initially reach 2,000 vulnerable families across three districts in that city. UN partners working in shelter have so far provided emergency shelter to about 5,600 displaced families – just over one in ten of the more than 51,000 families displaced since August. Shelter kits and tents are set to be distributed to another 4,600 families. Security concerns continue to affect our work. Yesterday, a missile struck one kilometre from Qa’tabah city, near several areas hosting displaced people. Initial reports indicate that civilians were injured in the strike. As a precaution, the planned delivery of humanitarian assistance to the district and nearby camps for displaced people were suspended. The UN reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and for the safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, particularly to displaced people and communities increasingly affected by ongoing hostilities. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...