HIGHLIGHTS OF
THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
BAN KI-MOON STRESSES NEED TO OVERCOME PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION, STIGMA IN FIGHTING HIV/AIDS
This morning, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
addressed the opening of the General Assembly’s review of progress and
challenges in the global AIDS response.
He reminded the General Assembly that three years ago,
leaders gathered here to forge a landmark commitment, pledging their
determination to achieve the goal of universal access to comprehensive HIV
prevention services, treatment, care and support by 2010.
He said there was encouraging progress in that global
effort. But, he added, there are still nearly five new infections for every
two people put on treatment.
The Secretary-General said that the economic crisis
should not be an excuse to abandon commitments.
He also stressed the importance of overcoming
prejudice, discrimination, stigma in fighting HIV/AIDS – noting that
one-third of Member States still have no law in place to prohibit
HIV-related discrimination.
He called on all governments to review their legal
frameworks to ensure compliance with the human rights principles on which a
sound AIDS response is based.
Later at a stakeout with the Executive Director of
UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, the Secretary-General discussed his own
efforts to attack prejudice, discrimination and stigma.
Among them, he said he met regularly with UN staff who lived with HIV and that he is pushing for all people living with HIV to participate in society without fear of discrimination.
MANDATE OF U.N. MISSION IN GEORGIA CEASES AS OF MIDNIGHT
The
Security Council yesterday evening
failed to extend the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),
due to the veto by a permanent Council member, Russia. Ten countries had
voted in favour of a resolution extending UNOMIG, while four countries
abstained.
In a
statement issued after the vote, the Secretary-General took note of the
lack of agreement within the Security Council. In accordance with this
outcome, the Secretary-General has instructed his Special Representative to
take all measures required to cease the operations of the United Nations
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), effective today.
The Secretary-General regrets
that the Security Council has been unable to reach agreement on the basis of
a package of practical and realistic proposals he submitted to the Security
Council aimed at contributing to a stabilization of the situation on the
ground.
The Secretary-General extends
his appreciation to all the men and women who served the mission, and to the
countries that provided them. In particular, he expresses his profound
tribute to the memory of those who have lost their lives in the service of
peace there.
Speaking to reporters today, the Secretary-General said he has
instructed his Special Representative, Johan Verbeke, to take all necessary
administrative measures, in close consultations with the parties concerned.
He voiced his hope that we can continue to find ways and means to ensure
peace and security in the region, adding that he will consult with Security
Council members on the matter.
A liquidation plan - which effectively disposes of
mission assets and examines the possibilities for redeployment of personnel
to other missions - will be put together as soon as possible. Personnel
drawdown will happen accordingly, depending on operational needs.
UNOMIG has a total of 483 budgeted personnel, including
136 military observers, 20 UN police, 115 international staff and 210
national staff.
Asked about the actions the United Nations has
been taking to end UNOMIG’s operations, the Spokeswoman said that the
Department of Field Support (DFS) has already begun liquidation planning.
DFS representatives will be part of Assistant
Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet's visit to the
region next week. Mulet's mission was planned before the recent turn of
events, but the nature of the visit has obviously changed, leading to the
addition of DFS staff to his visit.
Furthermore, Okabe said, the budget for the liquidation exercise is in discussion now in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly.
IRAN: GENUINE WILL OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE FULLY RESPECTED
Asked about the dispute over the elections in
Iran, the Spokeswoman noted that, in his press comments today, the
Secretary-General said that he has
taken note of recent statements from Iran and elsewhere, and that he is
closely following the situation.
He reiterated that the genuine will of the
Iranian people should be fully respected, in a most transparent, objective
and fair manner, she said.
He also noted that Iran’s religious leaders have
instructed the authorities to look into the matter.
Asked about the reported deaths during the demonstrations in Iran, she said that the Secretary-General consistently advocates peaceful solutions to all disputes.
PAKISTAN: UNITED NATIONS OFFICES REOPEN IN PESHAWAR
The United Nations offices in
Peshawar, which were temporarily closed following last week’s suicide
attack, have reopened today.
Throughout this period, the
United Nations humanitarian work has continued uninterrupted, with United
Nations offices elsewhere performing the functions of the Peshawar office.
The United Nations intends to
strengthen its humanitarian work for the internally displaced persons (IDPs),
who are in much need of urgent assistance, while taking the necessary
security measures to safeguard the lives of its humanitarian workers.
Asked about the displacement
numbers in Pakistan, the Spokeswoman recalled that, according to the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than two
million people have been displaced by the recent fighting, some 90 percent
of whom are living with friends and relatives. More shelters have been set
up recently for the displaced, so more of the displaced could live in
shelters.
Okabe added that the needs on the ground remain large, and that the UN humanitarian appeal for Pakistan remains about 25 percent funded.
CAMEROON AND NIGERIA TO MEET TODAY WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL ON BAKASSI PENINSULA
The Secretary-General is meeting today with high-level
Nigerian and Cameroonian delegations to the Follow-Up Committee to the
Greentree Agreement of 12 June 2006 on the resolution of the territorial
dispute between the two countries.
It will be the first such high-level meeting between the Secretary-General and representatives of both countries since the successful and peaceful completion, on 14 August 2008, of the transfer of authority over the formerly disputed Bakassi Peninsula.
SOME 42 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UPROOTED WORLDWIDE
The UN Refugee Agency,
UNHCR, today released a
report showing that the number of people forcibly uprooted by conflict
and persecution worldwide now stands at 42 million people at the end of last
year.
This represents a drop of about 700,000 over the
previous year. But UNHCR says that new displacements this year – in
countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Somalia - have already more than
offset the decline.
The agency’s annual “Global Trends” report also
highlights a sharp slowdown in repatriation and the fact that some conflicts
have become more prolonged, resulting in protracted displacement.
The report further reveals that the vast majority of
refugees and displaced people are in developing countries.
And in the run-up to this year’s World Refugee Day, which falls on this Saturday, 20 June, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie has released a new video to highlight the plight of refugees worldwide.
ONE BILLION CHILDREN LIVE IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS WORLDWIDE
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, and UNICEF are calling for urgent action to protect children affected by armed conflict. This call comes as they launch today the Machel Study 10-Year Strategic Review.
Graça Machel, appointed as an independent expert by the
Secretary-General, submitted her report to the General Assembly entitled
“Impact of Armed Conflict on Children”, which led to the establishment of
the
Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children
and Armed Conflict.
According to the ten-year review of this document, one
billion children live in countries or territories affected by armed conflict
– almost one sixth of the total world population.
The report also says that with the changing nature of
armed conflict, the impact of war on children is more brutal than ever. They
are affected by the proliferation of small arms and armed groups, recruited
as combatants, targeted during attacks against schools and hospitals and
also face sexual violence.
The report recommends that all states uphold their responsibility to protect their youngest citizens by stepping up efforts to develop legislation, policy, and action on behalf of children at the national level.
GUINEA-BISSAU: SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES CREDIBLE INQUIRY INTO RECENT KILLINGS
The Secretary-General’s
latest
report on Guinea-Bissau is out as a document today. It reviews the work
of the UN Peacebuilding Office in that country as well as recent political
developments there.
Among other things, the
Secretary-General recommends that Guinea-Bissau consider a number of
measures, including a credible commission of inquiry, to end the cycles of
violence and impunity in the country.
He also appeals to the
international community to provide resources to help Guinea-Bissau out of
the crisis.
And he urges the people of Guinea-Bissau to meet their civic responsibilities as they prepare for presidential elections later this month.
TOP U.N. PEACEKEEPING OFFICIAL MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SIRLEAF IN LIBERIA
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping
Operations, Alain Le Roy, continues his visit to Africa, with a visit today
in Liberia, where he is meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Earlier he met with senior officials of the UN Mission
in Liberia, (UNMIL),
and government officials to discuss key issues regarding the police, the
military and overall security sector reform.
The Under-Secretary-General also met with
representatives of Liberia’s main political parties.
Le Roy expressed the UN’s determination to continue to
support Liberia’s security agencies as well as the judicial sector to
re-establish full state authority in all parts of the country.
But, he stressed that “the UN cannot do all, some have
to come from the national budget; donors want to help those who help
themselves.”
He also called for transparency in the management of
public funds, pointing out that “corruption deters donors.”
He concludes his visit to Liberia today and departs for Mali tomorrow.
INT'L CRIMINAL COURT CONFIRMS TRIAL OF FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT BEMBA OF DR CONGO
The International Criminal Court has
confirmed charges of war crime and crimes against humanity against
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, the former vice-president of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
Bemba is to stand trial at a date still to be
determined. ICC judges found that he had the “necessary criminal intent”
when in 2002 he ordered his armed group, the Movement for the Liberation of
Congo (MLC), into the Central African Republic to back up embattled leader
Ange-Félix Patassé.
According to the I.C.C., MLC fighters committed war
crimes and crimes against humanity on that mission, with Bemba “effectively
acting as military commander.”
The alleged crimes include rape, murder and pillaging.
The Court says that, for lack of evidence, it did not uphold other charges
including torture.
Bemba was arrested in May 2008. He was transferred to
the ICC in July.
His alleged responsibility covers crimes committed
between October 2002 and March 2003 in the Central African Republic.
He has denied all charges against him.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME SAYS ATTACK ON FOOD CONVOY WAS MAJOR BLOW TO WORK IN SUDAN
The World Food Programme (WFP) has deplored a recent
attack of its aid convoy in South Sudan, saying the incident is
indicative of worsening humanitarian conditions there.
A number of Sudanese escort police officers were killed
Friday when a WFP barge was attacked on a river by local ethnic fighters,
some of whom were also killed. The convoy of 27 boats was carrying some 735
tonnes of food intended for some 19,000 displaced people. Eleven of the
boats remain missing.
WFP says the attack was a “major blow” to its work in South Sudan.
As a result, the agency will now seek to move food aid by air, a move that will greatly affect the quantity of the deliveries as planes can only carry 5 tonnes at a time.
SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR END TO CYBER-HATE
Earlier this morning, the Secretary-General Ban
opened the United Nations Department of Public Information's seminar on
" Cyber Hate: Danger in Cyber Space."
In his remarks, the Secretary-General said that while
the internet had brought enormous good and transformed the way we live and
work, there were also a few dark alleys along the information superhighway.
There are those who use information technology to
reinforce stereotypes, to spread misinformation and to propagate hate,” he
added.
The Secretary-General stressed the impact that cyber-hate and electronic harassment can have on young people. He called on parents, the Internet industry and policy makers, among others, to help stop hate speech and bullying on the Internet and through other forms of modern technology.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT CONFERS AWARDS AT U.N.R.W.A. CEREMONY IN GAZA: Former US President Jimmy Carter officiated Tuesday at an awards ceremony for the best performing students in Gaza who are being educated in human rights by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA expressed its appreciation for President Carter's participation and said it was proud of its record in providing human rights education in Gaza.
UNICEF HELPS AFRICAN YOUTH TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS: A new report says that some 30 percent of African youth, aged from 15 to 17, are afraid to voice their opinions. In response, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners are expanding and enhancing the existing Speak Africa platform and re-launching their website with exciting new features. The platform allows more of Africa’s youth to participate meaningfully and initiate debates on the critical issues affecting their continent.
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