HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Wednesday, October
21, 2009
GUINEA: SECRETARY-GENERAL PLANS TO DEPLOY INQUIRY TEAM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
The
Security Council this morning held consultations on West Africa.
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile
Menkerios briefed the Council members on his visit in recent days to Guinea
and the sub-region, to prepare the ground for a
Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence that took place in Guinea
on 28 September. There was broad support during that trip for an
international Commission of Inquiry among Guinean stakeholders and at the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Menkerios spoke to reporters
after the Council consultations and said that the Secretary-General intends
to deploy an inquiry as soon as possible if it is approved. He said that
Guinean President Dadis Camara promised to cooperate fully with an inquiry.
He also said that regional and sub-regional African
leaders have all expressed their full support for the commission.
Menkerios said the trip he led to Guinea and West
Africa was for two reason: first, to ascertain support from the Government
of Guinea for the setting up of the commission and second, to assess the
extent of readiness to support the implementation of the commission's work.
Menkerios further added that the commission's work
could be completed within one month, from the day it is set up.
DELAY IN ADOPTION OF ELECTORAL LAW COULD DISRUPT ELECTORAL CALENDAR IN IRAQ
The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
expressed its concern today that the delay in passing the amendments to the
2005 Election Law could considerably disrupt the electoral calendar and
preparations for the holding of parliamentary elections.
Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Iraq, emphasized that the date of 16 January is crucial
as it is still within the limits set by the Constitution. He warned, “Time
is critical.” Further delays, he said, could affect both the current
electoral timeline and the credibility of the electoral process.
He stressed that it is the collective responsibility of members of Parliament to rise to the occasion and be ready to account to the Iraqi people, who expect to exercise their right to express their preference in the upcoming elections.
DRAFT AGREEMENT TABLED ON FUEL FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH REACTORS IN IRAN
Mohamed ElBaradei, the Director General of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), today
said that two and a half days of meetings in Vienna had concluded
regarding fuel for medical research reactors in Iran. He said that he had
circulated a draft agreement that reflects a “balanced approach” on the
issue, and had given a deadline, of this Friday, to the parties to accept
that proposal.
ElBaradei said that he was optimistic about the talks, adding that they were held in a “constructive and forward-looking” spirit.
U.N. FIELD SUPPORT CHIEF VISIT MISSION IN DARFUR
The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Susana
Malcorra, has been
visiting the West Darfur headquarters of the African Union-United
Nations Mission in Darfur, (UNAMID) at El-Geneina.
Ms. Malcorra in her address to
UNAMID Forces encouraged them to do their best to defend the Mission’s
staff and civilians in Darfur according to the mission’s mandate.
She also told civilian staff that her visit was to
demonstrate the UN top leadership’s solidarity with UNAMID and its staff,
especially during these difficult times, when many continue to hope for the
release of the two colleagues held hostage.
Meanwhile, in response to question on South Sudan
regarding the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
flying some guards to Juba, UNMIS has assisted the Sudan People’s Liberation
Army, (SPLA) to relocate General Nyang and 307 soldiers to Juba, as a follow
up to the fighting in Bentiu, in South Sudan, on 2 October, between the
guards of General Matiep and the Unity State Governor. This is to help
de-escalate tensions in the area.
The relocation started on 17 October following an
agreement among the parties concerned. As of Monday 19 October, a total of
129 SPLA soldiers, including Col Nyang have left Bentiu with UNMIS
assistance.
The United Nations is concerned about the situation in southern Sudan. UNMIS is monitoring the events very closely.
TOP HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL STARTS FOUR-DAY VISIT TO UGANDA
John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency relief Coordinator, is in Uganda for a
four-day mission. During his visit, he will take part at the African Union
Special Summit of heads of state and government on refugees, returnees and
internally displaced people (IDPs) in Africa.
Today, Holmes traveled to the northern Acholi region
where he visited displaced and host communities as well as local and
regional government officials, and UN and NGO staff, according to the Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In his meetings with the displaced, he remarked on the progress that has
been made in Northern Uganda since his last visit two and a half years ago
but also said that more needs to be done to help extremely vulnerable people
return to their homes.
Holmes spoke with some returnees and noted the need for better access to basic services to make their return sustainable.
CYPRUS LEADERS DISCUSS EXTERNAL RELATIONS ISSUES
Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish
Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met today under UN auspices in Nicosia. The
Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on
Cyprus, Alexander Downer, spoke to the press afterwards.
He noted that the leaders met for three hours. They mainly discussed the issue of external relations. They will meet again tomorrow morning to discuss the question of property.
IRAQIS, AFGHANS AND SOMALIS TOP LIST OF ASYLUM SEEKERS
According to a new
report released today by UN refugee agency (UNHCR), asylum applications
in industrialized nations rose by 10 percent in the first half of 2009
compared to the previous year. And Iraqis, Afghans and Somalis top the list
of asylum seekers.
The High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres
said these statistics show that ongoing violence and instability in some
parts of the world force increasing numbers of people to flee and seek
protection in safe countries. “There is an acute need for countries to keep
their asylum doors wide open to those who are in genuine need of
international protection,” he added.
UNHCR says that a total of 185,000 asylum claims were filed in the six
months of this year across 38 European countries, the United States, Canada,
Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
As a region, Europe received 75 percent of all asylum applications although the United States remained the single largest recipient country with an estimated 13 percent of all applications filed in industrialized nations.
INFANT IMMUNIZATION AT HIGHEST LEVEL EVER
More infants are being
immunized today than ever before and vaccine development worldwide is
booming, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO),
UNICEF and the World Bank.
Immunization rates are now at their highest ever – with
a record 106 millions children vaccinated in 2008. However, a minimum of 1
billion dollars is still needed every year to reach children in the 72
poorest countries, according to the report. Life-saving vaccines, now common
in wealthy countries, still do not reach an estimated 24 million children
who are most at risk.
WHO’s Director-General, Margaret Chan, says that the divide that separates those who get life-saving vaccines and those who don’t must be overcome.
U.N.D.P. DISCUSSES WAYS TO REDUCE ARMED VIOLENCE DURING NORWAY TRIP
Earlier today in Norway, UN Development Programme (UNDP)
Administrator Helen Clark met with the Norwegian Foreign Minister to discuss
ways in which Norway and UNDP could work together to reduce armed violence.
Clark is in Oslo as part of a four-day visit to Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
Clark said that the challenge is to analyze how armed
violence evolves in a given country and support the local authorities in
addressing the root causes of the problem.
According to UNDP, armed violence kills more than two
thousand people everyday and is the fourth leading cause of death among
people between the ages of 15 and 44 worldwide.
UNDP says that this is no less than a global crisis – one that is affecting the lives and security of hundreds of thousands of people and threatening international peace and security.
W.F.P. COMMITTED TO HELPING PHILIPPINES OVERCOME SERIES OF VIOLENT STORMS
Wrapping up her visit to the Philippines, World Food
Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran today
reiterated her agency’s commitment to support the Government’s efforts
in helping the people of the Philippines overcome the series of violent
storms that devastated parts of the country.
Speaking at a press conference after touring some of
the hardest hit communities and helping to distribute vital WFP food
rations, Sheeran said as part of the UN family’s humanitarian response, WFP
is providing food relief and logistics support under the WFP-led logistics
cluster with helicopters, trucks, boats and telecommunications equipment to
reach and connect to isolated areas.
Sheeran traveled by boat in an area 65 kilometers north
of Manila and witnessed neighborhoods inundated with waist-high stagnant
water, and met people now receiving vital help from the government and
humanitarian agencies like WFP.
WFP is initially providing critical food to more than 1 million of the 8 million affected by the floods. We are distributing rice and oil, as well as high energy biscuits imported from Turkey and Ecuador, which provide vital micronutrients for vulnerable children and mothers.
STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY CAMPAIGN SETS NEW WORLD RECORD
More than 173 million people took part in the global
Stand Up Against Poverty Campaign last weekend– setting a new world
record for the largest mobilization of human beings in history.
The number is an increase of about 57 million people
over last year. Citizens gathered at over 3,000 events in more than 120
countries, demanding that their governments eradicate extreme poverty and
achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
You’ll recall that the Secretary-General led over 1,500 schoolchildren in Standing Up on Friday at the UN International School in New York, telling them that “if we take a stand -- if we act -- we can end poverty in our lifetimes.”
HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES LAUNCH $10 MILLIONS APPEAL FOR LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Humanitarian agencies in partnership with the
Government of
Lao People’s Democratic Republic today issued a Flash Appeal for US$10
million to provide humanitarian assistance over the next six months to
178,000 people affected by Typhoon Ketsana.
Typhoon Ketsana crossed into Lao PDR from Vietnam on 29
September, causing devastation as it passed through five remote southern
provinces which include some of the poorest districts in the country.
Government agencies, with support from humanitarian
organizations, launched extensive search and rescue operations and released
emergency relief stocks.
Initial assessments by humanitarian agencies have
identified the most immediate needs in the five affected provinces as food,
drinking water, health, sanitation, shelter, and road clearance for access.
The Flash Appeal will be revised once results from detailed assessments become available.
U.N. AGENCIES ASSISTS TAJIKISTAN IN IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN
UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO)
were supporting a two-week measles and rubella immunization campaign, which
just wrapped up in Tajikistan. The campaign managed to reach more than two
million children, or 97 percent of youngsters between the ages of one and
14.
More than 6,000 health workers were engaged in the
campaign.
Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs notes that Tajikistan was hit by 162 disasters during the first nine months of 2009.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CENTRAL AMERICA IS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT REGIONS IN THE WORLD: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has issued its latest Human Development Report for Central America. The report notes that Central America is one the most violent regions on earth. According to UNDP, insecurity in Central America presents a big challenge to human development. But it’s possible to rectify the situation within the framework of democracy, UNDP adds.
UNODC LOOKS LAUNCHES NEW REPORT ON OPIUM IN AFGHANISTAN: The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime entitled “Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The transitional threat of Afghan opium” which will be launched later today. The report is embargoed until 3 p.m. New York time.
SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR LEBANON MEETS HEAD OF ARAB LEAGUE: The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, met today in Cairo with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, and they discussed recent incidents in south Lebanon, including the rocket attack on Israel on 11 September and the discovery of some listening devices in south Lebanon. Williams told reporters afterward that we are disturbed by these challenges to Resolution 1701.
*** The guest at the noon briefing today was Angela Kane, Under-Secretary-General for Management, who briefed on the United Nations’ financial situation.
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