Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Just a few notes today.

**Central African Republic

The Security Council is in Bangui in the Central African Republic on a mission that will take its members to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, as well as to Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.

Today, the Council delegation is meeting with the Transitional Authorities, including Catherine Samba-Panza, the Head of State of the Transition, as well as with representatives of civil society, the diplomatic corps and of course the UN Mission in the country, MINUSCA.  This is the Security Council’s first visit to the country since the Mission’s deployment last September.  Council members are on the ground to assess the progress made in stabilizing the country and the first months of operation of MINUSCA.

**Ebola

On Ebola, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are combining their forces in a new partnership in Ebola-impacted countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.  This arrangement combines the logistics strength of WFP with WHO’s public health expertise to help get the current Ebola outbreak down to zero cases in West Africa.

Today, more than 700 people are deployed in the Ebola-affected countries, which is more WHO employees than at any other point in the epidemic.  In districts with ongoing Ebola transmission, WFP is ensuring that World Health Organization disease detectives have the resources they need — computer equipment, phones and stable internet connectivity — to share information critical to tracking and stopping the virus.  The World Food Programme is also managing the fleet of rugged vehicles carrying social anthropologists and epidemiologists to isolated villages.  This joint partnership responds to the directive of WHO's Executive Board Special Session on Ebola, to develop new ways to strengthen health emergencies.

**Côte d’Ivoire

On Côte d’Ivoire, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, today urged the Government to focus on justice for victims of serious human rights violations and abuses that occurred prior to and during the 2011 conflict in the country. 

In the wake of guilty verdicts against numerous supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo, the High Commissioner said it was unacceptable that not a single individual has so far been convicted in a civilian court in Côte d’Ivoire on conflict-related human rights violations.  He also deplored that some of the alleged perpetrators continue to hold on to official positions of responsibility.  For the peace gains to be secured and sustainable, Côte d’Ivoire must prioritize equitable justice, truth and reconciliation, particularly ahead of the presidential elections later this year, the High Commissioner said in a statement.

**Peacebuilding

Here, the UN Peacebuilding Commission inaugurated today its ninth session and elected Sweden, represented by its Permanent Representative, Ambassador Olof Skoog, as its new Chair.  The new Chair noted that 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of the Peacebuilding Commission and it is a critical year for the UN peace and security architecture, with both the peacebuilding review and the peace operations review taking place.  He stressed the need to seize this opportunity and make sure that the UN is better equipped to meet the increasingly complex global security challenges.  The Chair also said that the Commission will work to ensure that the recovery efforts in countries affected by Ebola will include special attention to their peacebuilding goals.

**Agrocorridors

I learned a new word today — “agrocorridors”. Anybody knows what that means? No? I will tell you.

Our colleagues at the Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report about agrocorridors, which means development programmes fostering agriculture in territories connected by lines of transportation like highways, railroads, ports and canals.  So-called economic corridors are hardly new —– the archetype being the Silk Road — but their potential as engines of broad-based sustainable development has been largely untapped, says the report.  It reviews in detail six case studies in Asia, Africa and South America. If you want to learn about agrocorridors, go to the FAO website.

I’m done.  Matthew?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Sure.  Thanks, Stéphane.  I have a variety of questions.  But I wanted to ask first about yesterday's event that you alluded to on your way in.  I wanted to ask a couple things.  I've often been told or I've heard that that Security Council stakeout position is reserved for the Member States, i.e. the Frente Polisario, which is part of the UN-facilitated talks, has been denied the right to speak there.  I wanted to know on what basis Hillary Clinton spoke there yesterday.  I wanted to know — the flags moved but the Security Council fabric stayed — why that was… what the distinction was.  And finally, it's been argued that it is a tradition at the UN Security Council stakeout to have the UN Correspondents Association be given the first question and given especially your role previously with DPI, I'd like you to state whether you believe that is a tradition given that it does not happen other than yesterday.

Spokesman:  Okay.  As to your last question, it is tradition in this briefing room, the first question go to UNCA.  At the stakeout, it is up to the briefers.  The choice of the first question was made by the Spokesperson for Mrs. Clinton who handled the press conference.  Who gets to speak at the stakeout, you know, it's an issue that the Security Council members themselves… that authority lies with Security Council members themselves.  Broadly speaking, as long as an individual is sponsored by a member of the Security Council, the UN, the Secretariat, DPI and others will do what we can to facilitate to ensure that it goes on… it happens and it takes place.  I think in this particular context, the request was facilitated and cleared by the US Mission to the United Nations.  I know they also consulted the presidency of the Security Council.  But obviously, the initial choice of that location was made through the US Mission by Mrs. Clinton.  I think we also have to look at the need to do this stakeout yesterday in a safe environment.  I think we had about 200 journalists, so I think in terms of location, there's really no other… as much as I would have liked… as much as I would like to have 200 people at my briefings, I don't think we fit that in this room.

Question:  About the flag and the fabric distinction, and also I just want to be clear, from now on, it cannot be said the Security Council stakeout is for Member States or representatives of Member States.  Not… people that are not elected, not in office…

Spokesman:  No, I think it's… that's not what I said.

Correspondent:  Okay.

Spokesman:  You've had all sorts of people speak at the Security Council stakeout.  I think the important thing is that whatever individual speaks is sponsored by a member of the Security Council, and obviously, it's up to the Security Council members and the presidency to decide on these things.  It's not up to the Secretariat to do that.  In this case, the request was, as I said, facilitated and cleared by the US Mission and also they had discussions with the presidency of the Council.

Question:  Did they circulate that to other members?

Spokesman:  I…

Question: I only say that because…

Spokesman:  No, no, I understand that. I understand your question, but that's not for me to speak.

Question:  Just the last thing, the flag and the fabric?

Spokesman:  I think the fabric is unmovable.  It's tied to the wall.  Yes, sir.

Question:  [inaudible]

Spokesman:  With a microphone, please.

Question:  On this… after the Moscow talks, the Syrian talks, when are they… when the United Nations is going to broker some peace talks between Syrian opposition and so forth now again?

Spokesman:  Well, I understand if I'm not mistaken that there may be talks held in Moscow later in April sponsored by the Russian Government.  The UN obviously supports these efforts that are political negotiations and we are in discussions with Russian authorities on this point.

Question:  So United Nations will basically support the Moscow's efforts?

Spokesman:  We've said this before.  We welcome all efforts to find a political negotiated solution to the current crisis in Syria — especially as we close on the fourth year of this conflict.  The Russians have had one round in Moscow.  We were represented.  My understanding is there may be second round in April.  We are in discussions with Russian authorities and we will be there, I have no doubt.

Question:  On this issue that we've been talking about, the Rafah crossings which are blockaded by Israel and Egypt in Gaza, has there been any progress on lifting the so-called embargo or the crossings being allowed?  I mean, the Gazans allowed shipment of goods to…?

Spokesman:  Through the mechanism put in place, my understanding is that the goods are coming in, under the mechanisms put in place under the auspice of the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority and the Israelis.  We had, I think, if I am not mistaken, an opening of a few days of the Rafah crossing into Egypt.  That's a very important thing to allow people to leave Gaza for humanitarian reasons and other reasons.  And obviously, we repeat our calls for the opening and the relief of the blockade of Gaza.  Edie and then Stefano.

Question:  Stéphane, there's just been a press conference in the UNCA room by a group of activists who have announced plans for a peace march through the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.  Is this something that the Secretary-General would support?

Spokesman:  Let me take a look at what was announced, and I will get back to you a bit later.  Stefano and then Olga.

Question:  Yes, this is about the situation in Libya and the talks in Morocco.  Mogherini, the Representative of the European Union, the other day at the Security Council, said that a solution has to be found not within weeks but within days.  So I would like to know what you think that means.  It means this week, it has to be found this week?  Because the Representative of Libya, I believe, said by the end of the month.  So there is some… and if the solution is not found, what does this expression “a solution has to be found within days” mean?  What happens after?

Spokesman:  I think a solution needs to be found as quickly as possible, for the sake of the Libyan people, of civilians who are continuing to suffer on a daily basis.  Mr. León is facilitating the Libyan talks.  He will continue to do that.  He has been doing that tirelessly and will continue to put in every effort into finding it.  I'm not going to put a timeframe on when it has to be found.  What I'm saying is it needs to be found — a solution needs to be found and an agreement needs to be reached as soon as possible.  Olga?

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  The United States will send to Ukraine armoured Humvees and drones that Vice-President Joe Biden announced after a phone conversation with the President Petro Poroshenko.  Does Secretary-General think it is the right way to help or maybe it's better to send some humanitarian aid?  Thanks.

Spokesman:  You know, obviously, we remain on the ground trying to deliver as much humanitarian aid a possible.  We would ask and call again on the Member States to fund the UN’s humanitarian appeal for Ukraine, which like a lot… unfortunately, like a lot of humanitarian appeals is woefully underfunded and our focus remains on getting the parties to implement the package that was agreed to in Minsk.  Mr. Lee?

Correspondent: Sure.

Spokesman:  And then Masood.  Hold on, Masood.

Question:  Couple of other ones.  One, I wanted… on Mali, I wanted to ask, maybe you've seen this report that there was in Gao over the weekend two Arabic… they're described as Arab teenagers, lynched and the Prime Minister of the country is going to apologize.  At least one of the articles quotes the UN as saying they were unable to protect them.  I just wanted you to, one, state what the UN’s knowledge of this incident is and…

Spokesman:  I will take a look.  I had not seen that.

Question:  Okay.  And I wanted to ask you about Bangladesh.  There are several police units, some of whom I've asked you about, the Rapid Action Battalion and others, have publicly said that they want to repeal a law, a ban against torture of people incarcerated, because they've been accused of torture.  And I wanted to know whether this is the type of thing that would catch the attention of DPKO given that it has employed numerous officials of these very units, in a variety of peacekeeping missions.

Spokesman:  I have not seen that report.  I think the Secretary‑General's position is… principled position is obviously against torture and for Governments and States to sign on to the various Conventions against torture and to uphold that international law.  If I have anything else from DPKO, I will let you know.  Masood?

Question:  On Egypt, on the death sentences being passed on people over there, has there been any progress in any talks the United Nations has had with Egyptian authorities on human rights of these…?

Spokesman:  I have nothing new to report.  This is an issue that has been raised in discussions with Egyptian officials.

Question:  But there's no progress.

Spokesman:  I have nothing to report.  I was about to say you get an early release.  All right, Matthew, last question.

Question:  I wanted to ask you, it's reported… there's been some… some unrest back and forth between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, including the apparent deployment or use of UN peacekeepers to keep Haitian protestors from going into the Dominican Republic. But it's now reported that the UN… that MINUSTAH is playing a role in protecting the embassies of the Dominican Republic for them to reopen in Port-au-Prince.  I just wanted to know, is it true?  And is it something the UN has done in any of the other places in which it has missions?  It’s always said in the first instance, the country is in charge, and it seems like, given that they're not being targeted by, quote, terrorists, they're being targeted by people who are legitimately angry at great discrimination, should the UN be in a position of…?

Spokesman:  We'll check if that's something they're actually doing.  Thank you very much.