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.
**Trip Announcement
Good afternoon. I have a trip announcement. On Saturday 1 September, the Secretary‑General will leave for a visit to China, where he will speak at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and that is a summit that is being held in Beijing. During his visit, the Secretary‑General will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior Chinese officials. He will also meet with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, and other African leaders on the margins of the Summit. The Secretary‑General will be back in New York on Tuesday evening, 4 September.
**Security Council
This afternoon, at 3 p.m., the Secretary‑General will join members of the Security Council for a minute of silence in honour of former Secretary‑General Kofi Annan. The Council will then hold an open meeting and then consultations on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Office of Counter‑Terrorism, and Michèle Coninsx, the Executive Director of the Counter‑Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, will brief on the Secretary‑General’s strategic‑level report on the threats posed by Da’esh [ISIL]. Shortly before that, at approximately 2:45 p.m., Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, will brief reporters at the Security Council stakeout.
**Venezuela
Today, the head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, and the Director General of the UN Migration Agency (IOM), William Lacy Swing, appealed for greater support from the international community to the countries that are receiving Venezuelan refugees and migrants. More than 1.6 million Venezuelans have left the country over the past three years, with 90 per cent of them having stayed in countries in South America. Mr. Grandi and Mr. Swing commended countries in the region for generously hosting Venezuelans arriving at their borders. However, they also expressed concern over recent developments including new passport and border entry requirements in Ecuador and Peru, as well as changes to the temporary stay permits for Venezuelans in Peru. The current situation underlines the urgent need to increase international engagement and solidarity in support of the Governments’ response plans, Mr. Swing and Mr. Grandi said jointly.
**Peacekeeping
Just to let you know that the Secretary‑General last week sent a Declaration of Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping Operations for endorsements to the Member States and relevant international and regional organizations.
The Declaration is part of the Secretary‑General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative and aims to renew political support for UN peacekeeping operations. It spells out specific commitments that are vital in their success such as enhancing their political impact and strengthening the protection they provide.
Pakistan was the first country to endorse the Declaration, on the day after its issuance. The UK endorsed it yesterday during the Secretary‑General’s meeting with the UK Foreign Secretary. And Ukraine just confirmed their endorsement today. The Secretary‑General has requested that Member States convey their endorsements by 14 September, ahead of the Heads of State and Government Event on Action for Peacekeeping scheduled for 25 September.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo — Ebola
On the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], our humanitarian colleagues tell us that as of 21 August, some 103 cases of Ebola have been reported — 76 confirmed and 27 probable. This includes 61 deaths. Suspected new cases continue to emerge in Mabalako and Oicha areas of North Kivu. New alerts are under investigation in three more provinces — Mongala, Haut-Uele and Haut Katanga.
A joint United Nations‑Ministry of Health team is implementing activities to combat the Ebola outbreak including investigations; vaccinations; water, sanitation and hygiene education; as well surveillance of the spread of the disease; and [psychological] assistance is being provided to the affected families. Since 8 August, more than 2,000 people have been vaccinated.
A joint response plan by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the DRC authorities is finalized with funds secured from donors and humanitarian partners. The countrywide humanitarian response plan, which requires $1.67 billion to respond to the needs of 10 million people, is however only 24 per cent funded.
**Slave Trade Day
Today is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. 23 August marks the anniversary of the 1791 insurrection of enslaved men and women in the western part of the island of Santo Domingo, which, on proclaiming its independence reverted to its original Amerindian name: Haiti. The uprising conveyed a universal demand for freedom. It speaks to humanity as a whole, without distinction of religion, and continues to resonate now with undiminished force.
**Press Conference Today
Just to flag that there will be a press conference today relating to the sixty‑seventh UN DPI/NGO [Department of Public Information/non‑governmental organizations] Conference which concludes this evening. Following the end of the conference, at 6:15 p.m., there will be a press briefing here with Under‑Secretary‑General for Global Communications, Alison Smale, along with the Conference Chair, Winnie Byanyima, the head of Oxfam International, and they will be joined by other people. If you’re looking for more information, contact Jeff Brez in DPI.
**Honour Roll
And today we say thank you to our friends in Sierra Leone, which have paid their dues in full and which brings us up to 123. Khalas. Yes, sir.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Yeah, thank you, Stéphane. Do you have any update about the response to the invitation of Mr. Griffiths for the Geneva talks on 6 of September?
Spokesman: No. We know the invitation went out. I don’t have any updates on responses. Evelyn.
Question: Thank you, Stéph. Is there any update on a memorial service for Secretary‑General Annan?
Spokesman: No…
Question: … either here or in Geneva?
Spokesman: Obviously, the family will announce the plans for the funeral and the memorial service, wherever that is held. We’re waiting for information on that. And then the General Assembly will, obviously, schedule a tribute to him at a time. Nizar?
Question: Yeah. After the call of OCHA [Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] yesterday for the Yemeni situation… the cholera situation and the aid, is there any response from the Saudi‑led coalition to allay or to… to help in the population in Hodeidah particularly and other areas in western coast of Yemen?
Spokesman: No, I’m not aware of any specific response we received from them. Yes, Ben.
Question: Just the latest on the debt problems the UN is having. Has that gone down a bit? Are members paying up?
Spokesman: We’re getting, we’re getting regular payments. We’re also getting payments to peacekeeping. Those letters went out… went out recently, but the situation continues to be not the best it should be, but there is money coming in. Yes, sir.
Question: Hi. Wondering if you could… or, hopefully, you haven’t already mentioned any update on the two high‑level meetings that are coming up on NCDs, noncommunicable diseases, and tuberculosis. There should still be preparations occurring, negotiations still occurring here. Do you have any…?
Spokesman: No.
Question: … knowledge of that?
Spokesman: That’s a question best addressed to our colleagues in the General Assembly President’s office. Nizar.
Question: Yeah, there are reports that six bottles of chlorine have been moved from Turkey into Khan al‑Asal area in northern Syria, and the White Helmet organization have declared mobilization, total mobilization, in the area. Do you have an up… any information about what’s happening there and whether there is… there is a risk of using these bottles for any…?
Spokesman: We have no way…
Question: … potential chemical attack…?
Spokesman: We have no way of confirming the information that you mentioned about these, these barrels of chlorine. Obviously, we stand firmly against any use of chemical weapons by whatever party. Yes, S.J.
Question: Good afternoon, Stéphane. Matthew Lee reports he’s been banned for life. Is that the current state of affairs?
Spokesman: I think we’ve briefed already extensively on Mr. Lee. His accreditation was removed for issues of — behaviour issues and violations of clearly established guidelines. Thank you. And, unless there is breaking news, we may give you a break tomorrow and not brief. By this announcement, I’ve probably invited breaking news, but there you go.