HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2020
SECURITY COUNCIL – PROTECTION OF CILIVIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT
At the Security Council this morning, the Secretary-General said his latest report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict shows little progress. Last year, more than 20,000 civilians were killed or injured in just ten conflicts, he said, adding that this figure, which is limited to incidents verified by the UN, is just a fraction of the total.
The report documents millions of people forced from their homes or displaced for a second, third or even fourth time. Again, last year, women and girls were subject to appalling sexual and gender-based violence. Tens of thousands of children were also victims of conflict.
As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches every corner of the world, the Secretary-General warned that those already weakened by years of armed conflict are particularly vulnerable. The virus is not only spreading sickness and death, he said, it is pushing people into poverty and hunger. In some cases, it is reversing decades of development progress.
The Secretary-General said he is encouraged by expressions of support for his global ceasefire call. However, he added, this support has not been translated into concrete action. Where armed conflict continues, COVID-19 makes the protection of civilians more challenging than ever – and our support more important than ever. His full remarks have been shared with you.
Discussions at the Security Council today will be followed by a series of online thematic side events on strengthening the Protection of Civilians in armed conflict from tomorrow until Monday. More details and registration are available on OCHA’s website.
HIGH-LEVEL EVENT ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
Tomorrow the Secretary-General, along with the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, are convening the High-Level Event on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond. It seeks to accelerate our global response to the significant economic and human impacts of COVID-19. The Secretary-General will stress that we must respond to the pandemic with unity and solidarity, which is a key aspect of financial support.
The High-Level Event will look at six areas of action to mobilize financing. These include expanding liquidity across the global economy; addressing debt vulnerabilities; stemming illicit financial flows; increasing external finance for inclusive growth and job creation; and strategies for countries to recover better.
The event will happen starting at 8:00 am and likely end around 1:00 p.m. Following the conclusion of the High-Level Segment, the Secretary-General will be joined by the Prime Ministers of Jamaica and Canada for a virtual press briefing to answer your questions. We expect the press briefing to start about 15 minutes following the end of the official event and the press briefing will of course take the place of our usual noon briefing. And you will be able to watch all of the events on the UN webtv.un.org web platform.
ECOSOC
This is the final day of the virtual Operational Activities Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Over five days of meetings and discussions, the Segment has gathered hundreds of delegates online in an interactive intergovernmental discussion on the operational activities for development led by the UN throughout the world.
Speaking to ECOSOC today, the Deputy Secretary-General said that she and her colleagues have not only ensured timely changes to the working modalities and policies of their entities in response to the guidance of the General Assembly; they have also led critical workstreams of the UN Sustainable Development Group.
Amina Mohammed said she and the Secretary-General are heartened by the Member States’ continuing support and commitment for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. She added that the COVID-19 pandemic could have hindered our efforts, but it has not. Thanks to your leadership and determination, she said, the segment has highlighted how the pandemic underscores the urgency of our efforts and the imperative to act.
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN PEACEBUILDING
This morning, the Deputy Secretary-General also spoke at an event to promote women’s participation in peacebuilding. This year was set to be a milestone one for gender equality and the empowerment of women, she said. But instead, attention has shifted to fighting the pandemic, and we have quickly realized that inequalities in all forms are shaping the way in which the virus is impacting us individually and as communities. In the case of gender equality, Ms. Mohammed added, the crisis is putting at risk the limited gains that have been made in recent years.
She highlighted a series of actions that States can take to support women’s participation. These include prioritizing the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda; maintaining support for the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and supporting innovative methods for inclusive peace processes to continue.
As entire countries and economies look to rebuild after the Covid-19 crisis, Ms. Mohammed said in conclusion, our combined efforts must be directed to build more peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
AFGHANISTAN
Over the holiday weekend, the Secretary-General welcomed the announcement by the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban of a ceasefire to enable the Afghan people to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday, and to celebrate it in peace, of course. The Secretary-General urged all parties concerned to seize the opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. Only a peace settlement can bring an end to the suffering in Afghanistan.
CYCLONE AMPHAN
We also issued a statement over the weekend expressing the Secretary-General’s sadness at the loss of lives and destruction as a result of Cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh, in which he extended of course his condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones and wishes those injured a quick recovery.
AIRLINE CRASH
The Secretary-General, in a separate statement, also said he was saddened by the loss of life and injury in a passenger airline crash in Karachi on May 22nd.
AFRICA DAY
In a message issued for Africa day, marked on 25 May, the Secretary-General reaffirmed his total solidarity with the people and Governments of Africa in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and paving the way for recovery and a better future for all. The Secretary-General noted that African countries have demonstrated commendable leadership through a swift and coordinated response. He welcomed the African Union’s support for his call for a global ceasefire to fight the pandemic, and also welcomed the support of countries for his call for peace at home.
SYRIA
Turning to Syria, the UN remains concerned over the impact of COVID-19 on people across that country. Since 22 May, the Syrian Ministry of Health has reported 63 new cases - all from repatriated Syrian nationals. This brings the total number of reported cases by the Ministry of Health to 121, and that includes, sadly, four fatalities. The UN is also concerned over those in the northeast and northwest. Another six cases have been recorded in the northeast, including one fatality. Some 1.3 million surgical masks have now been delivered into northwest Syria, but it represents only 17 percent of the 7.5 million that are needed through the end of December. WHO is leading our efforts to support preparation and mitigation measures across all of Syria, including in the northwest and the northeast. It remains a priority to support the increase in testing; to build up the country’s limited laboratory and case investigation capacities; also to reinforce these efforts across Syria.
PEACEKEEPING SUPPORT TO COVID-19 RESPONSE
Updates from our colleagues in our peacekeeping missions on the support they are providing to various Member States fighting the pandemic.
The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has provided food and hygiene supplies, for a total of 2,100 food packages, and 1,450 hygiene packages, intended for communities in all municipalities. These donations are part of a month-long assistance drive, which also included the donation of personal protective equipment and technological tools.
Our colleagues in South Sudan (UNMISS) report that Peacekeepers are supporting national-led efforts by the Committee of Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE) to respond to misinformation by sensitizing communities on key steps that need to be taken to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus.
The Mission is coordinating with local authorities and trade unions, and is running promotional trucks across busy residential and market areas, broadcasting through loudspeakers key safety and prevention measures. UN police officers from the Women’s Network in Wau contributed financially and used their own sewing skills to make 250 face masks, which they handed over to leaders of the displaced community there.
And in Mali, the mission in that country launched an outreach initiative, using WhatsApp, to engage communities on virus prevention and safety, as well as to improve their understanding of the UN Mission and its role.
The pilot project called "MINUSMA Kounafoni blon" - or MINUSMA Information Box - was launched on May 20th. Participants include civil society associations as well as individuals.
The UN Mission also reports that, working in collaboration with the Malian authorities, they inaugurated the COVID-19 Medical Centre near the airport in the capital, Bamako.
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
The World Meteorological Organization and some of its partners have called for stronger preparation to keep people safe in hot weather without increasing the risk of spread of COVID-19. WMO and experts from the Global Heat Health Information Network have developed a series of recommendations to help governments respond to [how] the rise in temperatures will affect the pandemic response. More information online.
ILO
The International Labour Organization (ILO) said today that more than one in six young people have stopped working since the onset of the pandemic. According to the agency’s latest analysis regarding the virus impact on the labour market, those youth who remain employed have seen their working hours cut by 23 per cent. The ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, warned that “the COVID-19 economic crisis is hitting young people – especially women – harder and faster than any other group.” More information on the ILO’s site.
JOINT STATEMENT ON 'KEY WORKER' DESIGNATIONS
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as the International Labour Organization (ILO), yesterday issued a joint call to governments on the need for 'key worker' designations for essential air and sea personnel The aim is to exempt them from travel restrictions, to ensure their access to emergency medical treatment and, if necessary, to facilitate emergency repatriation. The call comes as COVID-19 restrictions continue to curtail air travel and border movements. Ports and airports are being closed and ships and aircraft are being denied entry, with entire transport hubs being affected.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Today, WHO welcomed the creation of the WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making entity. Headquartered in Geneva, the Foundation will support global public health needs by providing funds to WHO and trusted implementing partners, to deliver on WHO’s “triple billion” goals.
UN PEACEKEEPERS DAY
On Friday, the UN will mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. And here are a few details about what is planned for that day. The Secretary-General will lay a wreath to honour all UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.
He will also preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to the 83 military, police and civilian peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2019.
In a video message recorded to mark the day, the Secretary-General pays tribute to the more than one million men and women who have served as UN peacekeepers and the more than 3,900 who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This year’s theme - Women in Peacekeeping – highlights their central role in our operations, he added. And as the pandemic impacts countries where peacekeeping operations are, the Secretary-General highlights that the missions face one of the greatest challenges ever: delivering on their peace and security mandates while helping countries address the coronavirus.
On Friday, the Secretary-General will also award the ‘2019 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award’ to Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo, a Brazilian naval officer serving with the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, and to Major Suman Gawani from India, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). This is the first year the award has gone to more than one peacekeeper. Over the weekend, we shared the details with you about the [recipients].
And finally, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will be our guest here, at the daily briefing on Friday.
UNAFFILIATED WEBSITE
In response to questions about a website related to something called the United Nations New World Order project, the spokesperson said the following: "I just want to state and say this very clearly that this project and website is in no way sanctioned by the United Nations."
BUDGET
Tonga has paid this year's regular budget contribution in full. This brings us up to 92 Member States who have paid in full.
OBITUARY
The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the passing of Miles Stoby, who had served as an Assistant Secretary-General in the UN for many years and had also been seconded to the UN from Guyana’s foreign service. Following his time as Assistant Secretary-General, he also served as Ambassador and Permanent Observer of CARICOM to the United Nations. The Secretary-General said that Miles Stoby was a true citizen of the world, who touched others through his legacy of serving the international community. He expressed his condolences to his family, including his wife, Lyutha al-Mughairy, who was a dear colleague of ours in the Department of Public Information, as it was then called, and later served with distinction as the Permanent Representative of Oman to the UN. They were a couple not only deeply dedicated to each other, but also to a life of public service for the greater good of humanity. We do send our condolences.
