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.
Good afternoon.
**Sustainable Development Goals Advocate
We are delighted to announce that President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana will now serve as co-chair of the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals Advocates. He succeeds the former Ghanaian President John Mahama.
President Akufo-Addo will be co-chair of the group along with Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway until the end of 2018.
Launched on January 2016, the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates consist of 17 eminent persons assisting the Secretary-General in the campaign to achieve the SDGs that world leaders unanimously adopted in September 2015.
A press release is available as well.
**Cyprus
As you’ve seen, the Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader resumed their talks today in Nicosia.
Those talks were held under the auspices of the Secretary-General’s Special [Adviser], Espen Barth Eide.
**Famine
The UN refugee agency is warning today that the risk of mass deaths from starvation among populations in the Horn of Africa, Yemen and Nigeria is indeed growing.
With droughts affecting many neighbouring countries and a severe funding shortfall, an avoidable humanitarian crisis in the region, possibly worse than that of 2011, is fast becoming an inevitability.
Displacement is rising, from South Sudan to Somalia, and rations cuts are affecting refugees in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda.
Inside Somalia too, the internal displacement dynamics are shifting, the country continuing to see a complex situation of both outflows and returns — mainly from Yemen.
New estimates given by UNHCR are particularly worrying: a further 1 million people are now on the brink of famine in South Sudan, 17 [million] are food insecure in Yemen, and 7 million in Northern Nigeria are in urgent need of help.
High Commissioner Filippo Grandi is attending a high-level extraordinary meeting in Berlin tomorrow, entitled “Berlin Humanitarian Call — jointly against famine”, bringing together donor countries, humanitarian partners and local responders.
On funding, just to give you an update: our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that they received 21 per cent of what is needed for the four prioritized areas — northern Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia.
As of 10 April, donors provided $984 million of the $4.4 billion requested; it is of immediate urgency that more funds are committed to avert a further descent into disaster in these acute crises.
OCHA colleagues stress that conflict is a lead driver of humanitarian crises in all four areas, and continue to ask for unimpeded access to the populations in need.
**Haiti
Back here, the Special Representative [in] Haiti, Sandra Honoré, briefed the Security Council this morning.
She said that Haiti’s political outlook for 2017 and beyond has significantly improved, but that political challenges remain the primary impediment to consistent progress in the country.
She added that the Haitian National Police, now 14,000 officers strong, has demonstrated increased capacity in the planning and execution of complex operations, and that the progress achieved during the past 13 years in Haiti’s stabilization process is notable.
It is therefore timely to reshape the partnership among the international community, the UN and Haiti, she said.
Just to let you know that Madame Honoré will be speaking at the stakeout after the Council meeting is over. And I spoke to Staffan de Mistura this morning and he promised he would stop at the stakeout tomorrow after his meeting.
**Somalia
Today, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Michael Keating, condemned the recent spate of terrorist attacks that have caused carnage among Somali communities.
Over the past ten days, at least a dozen attacks in civilian areas have been claimed by or attributed to Al-Shabaab resulting in 28 deaths and 31 injured.
Mr. Keating called the attacks on civilians “unjustifiable” and said “this is a perverse and inhumane way to make a political point and achieve nothing.”
This year, 337 people, mostly civilians, have been killed or injured by 87 improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. Civilian casualties from these devices have increased by over 50 per cent since this time in 2015.
**Syria
Our humanitarian colleagues have given us an update on Syria: we remain deeply concerned by the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation for the 400,000 people trapped in eastern Ghouta in Rural Damascus.
There have been continued reports of heavy aerial bombardment and artillery shelling which have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.
Since late March, Government forces reportedly have prevented commercial trucks from entering eastern Ghouta, resulting in price hikes of basic staples, leading to many bakeries shutting down due to lack of flour and much higher prices for fuel and gas.
It is critical that the UN and partners be given access to the area before the conditions deteriorate further.
The last UN humanitarian delivery to any of the besieged areas of eastern Ghouta was nearly six months ago, in October last year, with other areas not having been accessed since last June.
We also remind all parties of their obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure as required by international humanitarian and human rights law.
**Colombia
The UN Mission in Colombia announced yesterday that it has virtually finished the registration and identification of all the armaments the FARC has in its camps — that is nearly 7,000 weapons.
In all the FARC camps there is a 24-hour UN presence.
More than 100 days after the implementation of the cease-fire between the Government and the FARC, cessation of hostilities is solid thanks to the firm commitment and will of the parties.
** International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today warned that hundreds of migrants are being held under “slave market” conditions in North Africa.
Describing the situation as ‘dire’, the agency reported that hundreds of sub-Saharan migrants bound for Libya are being sold and bought by Libyans with the support of Ghanaians and Nigerians who work for them.
Over the past week, the agency has also learned of several cases in which migrants have been kidnapped in exchange for ransom.
The agency is raising awareness across Africa of these dangers by highlighting testimonies from migrants on local radio stations and social media.
**Questions and Answers
Masood, were you stretching or raising your arm?
Correspondent: [inaudible]
Spokesman: Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Correspondent: [inaudible]
Spokesman: Go ahead.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. The re… in view of the increasing tensions between the United States and Russia and that today Mr. Vladimir Putin particularly asked that the United Nations — what do you call — investigate the charge that the Syrian President used this nerve gas. Is the United Nations going to be doing any of the investigations, or has an investigation begun? Where does it stand?
Spokesman: Well, as you know, a couple of things. First of all, I think there are issues, texts related to this in front of the Security Council and the Council is discussing. So that's one.
On the other hand, the Fact Finding Mission of the OPCW began looking into the incidents, into the incidents that we, the horrific incidents that we saw. They're going on their work.
The way this works is that, once they're able to confirm that there have been the use of… of chemical weapons, then the joint UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism kicks in. But right now, we're still in, in early days.
Stefano.
Question: So, what you're saying, Stéphane, [inaudible] get the authorization from Security Council, and that cannot start or when a Member State, like Russia or elsewhere…
Spokesman: No, that's not what I said. What I said was that the OPCW's Fact Finding Mission is currently in the process of gathering and analysing information in accordance with the standing Security Council resolutions 2235 and 2319. The Joint Investigative Mechanism is mandated to investigate incidents where the OPCW Fact Finding Mission determines or have determined that toxic chemicals have been used in weapons in Syria.
Stefano.
Question: Can I just ask a follow‑up on that, because it, I'm still not clear. Are you saying that the Security Council does not have to specifically authorize so long as JIM's mandate remains, which I believe is until November, does not have to specifically authorize a follow‑up investigation for attributing responsibility…
Spokesman: I think…
Question: …if… if the initial Fact Finding Mission determines that there was a chemical…
Spokesman: The JIM, as far as I understand it, the JIM mandate still, still stands and basically that the Fact Finding Mission has to find that a toxic chemical, a chemical weapon has been used. The JIM does not determine whether a toxic chemical has been used or what type but, instead, its role is to identify the perpetrators.
The Security Council, as we all know and what I've read in the press, has also texts and issues in front of it. But what I'm stating to you is, is what the procedures are in place regarding the OPCW and the JIM.
Stefano.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. While I understand that Syria is always at the centre, and we saw what happened when we saw those image of the, of those children dying, but what you just say is the millions of people — so I guess hundreds and hundreds thousands of children — are in danger of dying of starvation. That's what the UN system is telling us. You've been telling us for two months. I think we saw the Secretary‑General in person coming here and doing a press conference.
Now it's been about, more than two months. So my question is, we saw what happened if a image on television show people dying and there is a lot of reaction. Why, I mean, are you satisfied with the reaction that the Secretary‑General had so far with the issue of people in danger of starving in the… or there is something that has to happen? What should happen to make this help coming more?
And then my question also is, the Secretary‑General, on the beginning of his mandate, talked about prevention — crisis prevention is most important thing for him. And he explained to us here that he was doing this press conference, not just because the people was dying in the day, but because, you know, was part of this, prevention. So again, what he has to do to make the world listen?
Spokesman: Listen, what we have do to make the world listen is, is not only incumbent on us and the Secretariat. It's incumbent on the media. It's incumbent on civil society. It's incumbent on all of us who have a voice and who need to talk about these things.
As you, as you just heard, I said the, the joint appeal of over $4 billion is only 21 per cent funded. We're obviously extremely grateful for those who have, who have contributed. We hope others will do as well.
I think, as, as the Secretary‑General said, as has, others have said, we're trying to invest and prevent a famine, which would be, obviously, that much more horrendous for the people who are already suffering but would also demand a lot more money in order to, in order to bring support to those, to those in need.
The Secretary‑General will continue to talk about these things. As you saw, he traveled to Somalia to try to grab the world's, the world's attention. He's traveled to refugee camps in Jordan and in northern Iraq where there may not, there is no famine but where there is, where there are humanitarian efforts are also underfunded. It is a drum that we will keep, we will keep beating.
Question: Can I have a very short follow‑up on what you said?
Spokesman: Same price.
Question: Is that we all hope that the alarm has listen and we will reach that month or especially month of help that needed to confront the situation. But if, instead, in, let's say, few months we see hundreds and hundreds of thousand people die anyway, so it means that the help was not there, it wasn't enough, will the Secretary‑General consider this a crime against humanity, means what the world didn't do is a crime?
Spokesman: I mean, I'm not going to, to speculate. First of all, you're implying legal, legal issues. I think what is important is that we focus on the prevention, the prevention on famine and the prevention of conflict.
What is driving these threats of famine is, obviously, are natural causes like drought, but also conflict, whether it's in Yemen, whether it's in South Sudan, whether it's in Somalia or whether it's northern Nigeria. I mean, it’s pretty plain for anyone to see.
Mr. Lee.
Question: Sure. I wanted to ask you what I was going to try to ask you yesterday about Burundi, but I first, now that you've mentioned Ghana, I wanted to ask you, can you, do you have any comment on the, the raid on the Circuit Court in that country by the Government ruling‑party‑affiliated Delta Force, and was this, this seems to be a pretty big thing. And is it in any way, did it come up in any way in… in the review of this, the announcement that you made at the beginning of the press conference about Ghana?
Spokesman: The Secretary‑General spoke to the President a few days ago. I'll have to look into the report you mentioned. I hadn't seen it.
Correspondent: Be… okay. Well…
Spokesman: I'm sure…
Correspondent: … people in human rights groups all over the world…
Spokesman: I have no doubt that… I just…
Question: Right.
Spokesman: I… mea culpa, I haven't seen it.
Question: Okay. So I wanted to ask on Burundi, what I wanted to ask you is, I'd asked previously about this recorded song of the Government militia singing that they're, to impregnate opposition women. Now the President of the Senate, Révérien Ndikuriyo, has said that, has praised the quiet disappearance of opponents in a region called Nyanza-Lac. So, again, people, I know that the UN has previously said there's a risk of genocide. That's why, I guess I'm asking you, like, who the UN system is monitoring these, these incidents that are becoming… they're reported all over the region. Is the UN doing anything about them? Have they communicated…
Spokesman: We're obviously concerned at what we've seen in terms of the increased use of rhetoric and hate rhetoric, whether it's the Human Rights Office, whether it's DPA or the office of the envoy. We're all monitoring the situation.
Question: Communicate in this case, it's by an elected official, the President of the Senate. Does anyone in the UN system…
Spokesman: I…
Question: …communicate?
Spokesman: I'm not aware that that has happened.
Yes, ma'am, and then Mr. Abbadi.
Question: [inaudible] Georgia Media [inaudible].
Spokesman: You need to turn on your, your microphone, please.
Question: Okay. It's okay?
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: So, Sunday, 9 April, Russian occupation regime in Georgia held the so‑called referendum on renaming [inaudible] region with the name South Ossetia — State of Alania. How would you comment on this?
Spokesman: Let me see. I have some, let me get back to you on that. Let me look, I will get right back…
Correspondent: Okay. Thanks.
Spokesman: …to you on that.
Correspondent: Thanks.
Spokesman: Yeah. Mr. Abbadi.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Prevention of conflict, the situation, situation in South China Sea is becoming tense with the President of Philippines announcing that the troops, his troops, will occupy an islet in the area. The subject is the domain [inaudible] Security Council, and also, you always say that the parties should negotiate. But, under Article 99, the Secretary‑General has a role to play. Is he going to play it?
Spokesman: I'm aware of Article 99. I think we're obviously watching and have been watching the situation evolving in the South China Sea for some, some time, and we would call for, for the parties to come to some common agreement on these issues that give rise to tensions.
Yeah.
Question: Stéphane, on Yemen and on countries who are facing famine, since you said and the Secretary‑General said on more than one occasion that 80 per cent of the reason of this famine is man‑made, why doesn't he more talk about the parties or put more pressure on the parties who are responsible on these conflicts to, first, donate more and to bring this into attention?
Spokesman: Well, I think he has raised the issue with major donors to try to get, to try to get more, more money. You know, the parties to the conflict in South Sudan are primarily the Government and the opposition, not parties that are, I'm not sure we can expect large amount of funding from them. What we expect from them is a respect for the, for civilians in their own country and a stop in the fighting. And there is an investment through the peacekeeping mission in Somalia working with, with the Government and supporting the AU [African Union] to try to bring peace.
We have asked and we continue to ask for more funds, and we will continue to do so.
On your question on South Ossetia, we reiterate our previous calls for the participants in the Geneva International Discussions to engage constructively in making tangible progress and to refrain from any unilateral action that may adversely impact regional peace and security and undermine the work of the discussions. We regret any such recent unilateral actions.
Ms. Lederer.
Question: Thank you, Stéph. You hinted yesterday that the Secretary‑General might do a stakeout after the Security Council lunch. Has that been firmed up?
Spokesman: If that, I'll be able to confirm that one way or another tomorrow morning.
Yep.
Question: Hello.
Spokesman: Yes, go ahead.
Question: [inaudible] from Anadolu Agency. I just wanted to ask about, what is the, the level of relationship or cooperation between the World Health Organization and the OPCW, because the WHO already put out a report suggesting that preliminary results of their analysis show, you know, use of a nerve agent in the affected area, in Khan Shaykhun, Idlib, and Turkish authorities in collaboration with the WHO experts, they've also confirmed, corroborated those findings. So, what, you know, what is the level of…
Spokesman: The OPCW has to make a, make a determination. I have no doubt they're in touch with the, they're in touch with the, with the World Health Organization, but they need to make a determination that specific agent that is banned under the various, the chemical weapons treaty has been used. So I'm sure they will use whatever information WHO has, but in order to, you know, the Fact Finding Mission is led by the OPCW, and they, they will then, if they do, that will then trigger the Joint Investigative Mechanism.
Question: Okay, follow‑up. The civilian casualties have recently, you know, in conflict areas, have recently become even more prominent, and even before this chemical attack, there were reports of a US strike in Iraq that, apparently, hit a hospital and killed over 100 people. And the US was in the process of looking into whether, you know, they had a role. And even some top US officials have conceded that they had.
And then this chemical attack happens, and scores die. And you, yesterday, you said there were concerns over 35,000 people in Atabaqa, Raqqa, if I'm not mistaken. And today you're saying 400,000 people, you know, there are concerns over 400,000 people in Ghouta.
So, do you think there's a chance that, with this, you know, increasing scrutiny over, you know, whether there was a chemical attack in Syria, do you think there would be a window of opportunity to kind of strategize about civilian casualties as well? Do you think there would be more international…
Spokesman: Well, you know, I don't know how to start, start answering your question. I think what is clearly motivating the UN's effort, and especially the UN's political effort, is to put a stop to these civilian casualties. The people who have suffered for six years running now are the civilians in Syria. They're, they're on the front, they're on the front lines, whether from barrel bombs, whether from starvation, whether from lack of access to water. The polit… I don't know what more, how much more suffering there needs to be to motivate those who sit around the table to reach a political deal.
Mr. Lee.
Question: Sure. I have three questions, so I want to just say in advance, I'd like to ask them, and you can… if that's okay.
Spokesman: Go ahead.
Question: Okay. So I wanted to ask, maybe you'll have heard of this, in Zambia, the main opposition leader, Mr. Hichilema, has been arrested by the Government on treason charges. Is there any, is DPA or any of the various envoys of the UN…
Spokesman: I don't have anything on that.
Question: Okay. Maybe you will on this. I've heard that the leader temporary operating base of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan has had both its water and electricity cut by the SPLA Government forces. And I'd like maybe if you, if you can, because it's, could you, can you ask UNMISS? It seems like if it is the kind of thing they should be saying more publicly, and if it's not…
Spokesman: I haven't gotten anything here. You're also free to contact them. They have a quite a big PIO presence.
Question: Okay. Here's… actually, this is not the third one, but I… just at 11 a.m., there was a press conference by Amnesty International about the death penalty. And they seem to say that they have no information on South Sudan, either death penalty, you know, being announced or being executed. And they seem to say, if you have a big mission there and you have a human rights component, why is it that UNMISS has not produced any information on the death penalty in the country?
Spokesman: First of all, I think the, UNMISS's reports on the human rights situation have been pretty clear and consistent on the pretty negative human rights situation. It is also incumbent on Governments to report publicly if they, unfortunately, use the death penalty.
Question: Okay. And… sorry. So… then this is sort of a… you'd said previously that the Secretary‑General had decided to extend the contract of Jeffrey Sachs as a Special Adviser on the Millennium Development Goals. So I wanted to ask you about… he has been quoted that the US President is "the quintessential short‑term populist and a nonstop font of lies." So I wanted to know, is this consistent… I guess, in what capacity does he speak? Is this something that the Secretary‑General considered…?
Spokesman: If, indeed, he said those things, that would not be in his capacity as a UN envoy, but I haven't seen those quotes myself.
Question: Well, there's a story…
Spokesman: Okay.
Question: I guess what… he didn't, he didn't choose to answer about them either to deny them, and he has written an article talking about climate change fantasy, and he called… there's a number of things that he said.
Spokesman: I understand.
Question: So I guess my question…
Spokesman: He has a role. When he speaks as a UN envoy, it's fairly clear.
Question: Right. But my question is, do you think as a recent article says, do you think this is a wise thing, by the Secretary‑General, if he’s, in fact, so concerned with continuing US funding, that he's even making post decisions for that basis, is this… what's the upside to Jeffrey Sachs that, that justify this downside?
Spokesman: A number of people have been extended for, for a year during a transition period.
Stefano and then Joe.
Question: It's about the migrant situation that you just mentioned before. The agreements that the European countries, Italy and not only Italy, trying to get with the Libyan Government and not only the Libyan Government, also with bordering country like Niger and others, if I understood well, you're saying that there is a situation where these migrants are enslaved or sold.
Now, those agreements that they doing, the, that the agreement [inaudible] out to make the migrants not arrive the, not to try to pass the… the Mediterranean but have them not… I mean, if… if they arrive to Libya, they will have to be stopped there.
Now, does, does this situation, where practically somebody already left their country, miles, miles away, and he's stopped, does this agreements with those European country maybe facilitate or help or make a situation where these people are enslaved, also because now those Governments [inaudible] to stop them?
Spokesman: I'm not fully briefed on whatever bilateral agreements were done between the EU [European Union] and countries or different countries and Libya. What is clear is that the reason these people are suffering is that, instead of having managed flows of migration and of refugees, we have non‑managed flows of migrants and refugees, which basically puts criminal elements, smugglers, slave traders, in the driver's seat. And that's what we're seeing, and that's why we're seeing all those deaths in the Mediterranean and people being smuggled in horrendous conditions, whether it's in the Americas, in Africa, or in Europe.
Mr Klein.
Question: Yes. Just going back to, excuse me, Matthew's question about Jeffrey Sachs, number one, could you tell us, if not now, perhaps in a follow‑up, what his compensation is at the UN?
Spokesman: A dollar a year.
Question: It's a dollar a year.
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: Okay. It hasn't gone up. All right.
Spokesman: Sorry?
Question: It hasn't gone up since, in the last ten years.
Spokesman: It's not adjusted for inflation.
Question: Okay. Secondly, you said that, to the extent that Jeffrey Sachs was making comments critical of President Trump, et cetera, he was not speaking in his capacity as representing the UN. I would ask you the same regarding the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who has made, on a number of occasions, critical remarks about the Trump Administration and in relation to human rights.
Spokesman: I think it's, you're comparing oranges and fish here. It's a different kettle.
Question: So you… [inaudible]
Spokesman: No, let me. I understand where, I understand the road you're… I understand what waters you're fishing in. The point is, the High Commissioner for Human Rights has a mandate, an independent mandate, to speak up and speak out on issues of human rights. I think, if you were to draw up a list of the countries of which he's been critical and has spoken out, I think it would probably match almost 193 countries. So that's one. And that, the High Commissioner for Human Rights speaks within his, his mandate.
As for Mr. Sachs, as I said, I haven't seen the exact quotes, but it's very clear when he speaks as a Special Adviser, and when he does so, it's on issues of development dealing with the UN.
Question: Actually, in the High Commissioner's speech to the Human Rights Council last month, he spent quite a bit of time denouncing the Trump Administration. And, with reference to Jordan, he had just one sentence, and it was, it related to, it related to the moratorium on… on capital punishment…
Spokesman: I think my answer to your question still applies.
Question: But he also, in… on previous occasions, while Trump was a candidate, so this wasn't relating to official US Government policy at the time, he was critical of Donald Trump and as, you know, in terms of his populist, quote, xenophobic, xenophobic appeal, wouldn't that have been really out‑of‑bounds based on the standard you articulated?
Spokesman: No, he has spoken, the High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken within his mandate on issues that he feels he needs to speak up on that have to deal with human rights, whether it's political climate as a whole or issues going on in countries. I see, he's doing, he's, the High Commissioner for Human Rights is doing his job.
Thank you.