Noon briefing of 5 February 2015

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

THURSDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2015

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO DEPART FOR SAUDI ARABIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• The Secretary-General will depart for Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Friday, 6 February, to convey his condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia, who have recently lost their leader, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
• During his two-day stay in Saudi Arabia, the Secretary-General will also meet with country’s new leader, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and other high-level officials, to discuss the continued close cooperation between the UN and the Kingdom, including in addressing the crises in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Middle East.
• On 8 February, he is expected to speak to the media in Riyadh before departing for the United Arab Emirates, where he will address the opening of the 2015 Government Summit in Dubai. The Summit will focus on ensuring that states, as well as institutions such as the United Nations, are properly equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
• On 9 February, the Secretary-General will meet with high-level officials in the UAE, including the Vice President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
• The Secretary-General is expected back in New York on Tuesday, 10 February.

UKRAINE: SECRETARY-GENERAL VOICES GRAVE CONCERN OVER PLIGHT OF CIVILIANS TRAPPED IN DEBALTSEVE

• In a statement issued yesterday evening, the Secretary-General says that he remains gravely concerned over the situation in eastern Ukraine, particularly the plight of civilians trapped without basic services in the city of Debaltseve.
• The rebel offensive continues and civilians are dying on a daily basis. He condemns in the strongest terms reports of indiscriminate shelling and calls on both sides to immediately move their military positions away from densely populated civilian areas.
• The Secretary-General stands with others in the international community in support of the proposal by the Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for a temporary truce that would allow for the immediate evacuation of civilians from Debaltseve. He notes that this proposal can only gain ground through good-faith negotiation.
• The Secretary-General reiterates his call for a sustainable cease-fire to take hold and for urgent diplomatic and political action. The signatories of the Minsk accords and the entire international community need to assume their responsibilities to ensure that this conflict ends. The United Nations stands ready to continue to support the consolidation of a sustainable and lasting peace process.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES PARTIES TO OVERCOME IMPASSE TO PAVE WAY FOR PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN YEMEN

• The Secretary-General has sent a letter to the heads of parties to the Peace and National Partnership Agreement in Yemen, which was read in Sana’a today by his Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar.
• In the letter, the Secretary-General tells the party heads that they have a tremendous burden and responsibility to steer Yemen through this challenging period. He said that they have to overcome the current impasse so that the peaceful democratic transition that was launched in 2011 can be fulfilled.
• He says that the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference captured the aspirations of the Yemeni people for a democratic state, based on respect for human rights and the rule of law. He urges the leaders to act in the national interest and reach an agreement on a peaceful way forward that meets the expectations of the Yemeni people and ensures the continuation of the peaceful political transition of Yemen.

CLIMATE CHANGE, SUSTAINBLE DEVELOPMENT TWO SIDES OF SAME COIN, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS DELHI SUMMIT

• The Secretary-General spoke via videolink to the Fifteenth Delhi Sustainable Development Summit which began in the Indian capital today.
• He noted that the UN will convene a Special Summit on Sustainable Development in September, and, in December, world leaders will go to Paris with the goal of securing a meaningful, universal climate change agreement.
• The Secretary-General stressed that addressing climate change and embracing sustainable development are complementary and interdependent, adding that they are just two sides of one coin.
• He also said that combatting climate change is an opportunity for low-carbon growth that will benefit people and the planet.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SPOTLIGHTS CRUCIAL ROLE OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

• The Secretary-General today spoke at the commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development. He stressed that the outcome of the Summit, which took place in Copenhagen, underscored the multidimensionality of social development.
• He added that subsequent conferences and intergovernmental commitments, including the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), have been inspired by all that was agreed in Copenhagen.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW MIDDLE EAST ENVOY, EBOLA CRISIS MANAGER FOR SIERRA LEONE

• The Secretary-General is announcing today the appointment of Nickolay Mladenov of Bulgaria as his Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and his Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority.
• Mr. Mladenov succeeds Robert Serry of the Netherlands to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service and excellent leadership of the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO).
• Mr. Mladenov brings with him extensive experience in public service and international affairs. He is currently Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, UNAMI.
• The Secretary-General is also announcing the appointment of Bintou Keita of Guinea as Ebola Crisis Manager for Sierra Leone for the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, or UNMEER.
• Ms. Keita succeeds Amadu Kamara of the United States, who will return to the UN Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia. The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Mr. Kamara for his exceptional work in Sierra Leone and his commitment and dedication to fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

U.N. POLITICAL CHIEF VISITS BURKINA FASO

• The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, visited Burkina Faso yesterday with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas.
• They met with the transitional authorities and representatives of political parties and underscored that the United Nations are committed to provide Burkina Faso with the necessary support to organize free, transparent and democratic elections.
• Mr. Feltman said that it is essential that transitional institutions continue to respect the aspirations of the Burkinabe people and ensure full respect for human rights and the physical integrity of all citizens.
• He encouraged the transitional authorities to do everything possible to implement the Transition Charter in an inclusive manner and in a spirit of national cohesion and unity.

RECENT MASSACRES BOLSTER U.N.’S DETERINATION TO FIGHT ARMED GROUPS IN EASTERN D.R. CONGO – U.N. ENVOY

• The Head of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler, said that the recent massacres in Aru and Beni only reinforced the UN determination to fight armed groups in eastern DRC with the Congolese Army.
• Meanwhile Said Djinnit, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, was in Rwanda yesterday. He said countries in the region should remain united in efforts to neutralise all negative forces in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and support military action against the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda or FDLR.
• He further expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda on the repatriation of the ex-M23 combatants, and highlighted the importance of promoting confidence-building and economic cooperation between the countries in the region.

SENIOR U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL WRAPS UP VISIT TO SOUTH SUDAN

• The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic, wrapped up a visit to South Sudan.
• Speaking to reporters in Juba earlier today, he said that chose to visit Bentiu and Malakal during this mission because that was where most violations of human rights had taken place since his last visit. He said that he went to UN protection-of-civilians sites and talked to displaced persons, especially victims of various forms of violations.
• Mr. Simonovic also said he had been encouraged by his meetings with President Salva Kiir, yesterday in Juba, as well as with Riek Machar, earlier in Addis Ababa, who both told him that they would push for peace and justice.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REPORTS SPIKE IN EBOLA CASES

• The World Health Organization (WHO) says that there was a surge in Ebola cases this past week, for the first time in 2015.
• This shows that as we work to reach zero cases, numbers may vary up and down. The strategy implemented by national governments and the international community is working but Ebola is not gone in any country until it is gone in every country, and still represents a grave threat to Africa and to the world.
• To get to zero cases, every chain of transmission must be tracked with a focused intensive effort.
• GUINEA-BISSAU MUST GEAR UP FOR END TO GLOBAL SUPPORT, U.N. ENVOY TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL
• Miguel Trovoada, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Guinea-Bissau, briefed the Security Council this morning on the work of the UN Integrated Bureau working in that country, known as BINUGBIS.
• He said that it is evident that the international community’s support for Guinea-Bissau will not last indefinitely and stressed the need to create the conditions that can permit the country to do without it. He added that the consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau will require joint efforts, as well as patience and perseverance.

MYANMAR: U.N. OFFICIAL DEEPLY CONCERNED BY CONFLICT-AFFECTED CIVILIANS

• The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, Renata Dessallien, today expressed her deep concern over the plight of civilians affected by the fighting in Hpakan Township in Kachin State that started in mid-January.
• She appeals to all parties to the conflict to allow the displaced people and other civilians who remain in close proximity to the area of conflict to be permitted to move to a more secure location. She also asks for them to allow for humanitarian assistance to reach this population in the safe areas.
• The Coordinator also appeals to all parties to the conflict to ensure that civilians are protected and reminds them of their obligations under international humanitarian law.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF: BETTER LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION OVERHAUL CAN HELP ADDRESS ROOTS OF CONFLICT

• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called today for better leadership and a fundamental global rethinking of education as a means of combatting the causes of the conflicts and atrocities occurring across the world.
• In a major speech delivered at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., High Commissioner Zeid said the world needs “profound and inspiring leadership” driven by a concern for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people. And he stressed the need for education that goes beyond reading, writing and arithmetic to include skills and values that can equip people to act with responsibility and care.
• All children, from a young age, should be taught human rights, the High Commissioner suggested, saying that children everywhere need to learn what bigotry and chauvinism are, and the terrible wrongs they can produce.

JANUARY GLOBAL FOOD PRICES DIPPED BELOW PREVIOUS MONTH – U.N. AGENCY

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today that its Food Price Index continued to decline in January, 1.9 percent below its December 2014 level.
• Lower prices of cereals, meat, dairy products, vegetable oils and sugar reflect strong production expectations.
• FAO raised its 2014 forecast for world cereal production to a record high and noted that early indications for crops in 2015 are favourable.
• The index has been on a downward path since April 2014. The January decline was partly influenced by robust inventories, continued strength in the U.S. dollar and weak crude oil prices.

FRANCE, PARAGUAY LATEST MEMBER STATES TO PAY DUES IN FULL

• France and Paraguay are the latest Member States to have paid their regular budget assessments in full, bringing the total number of such States to 31.

***The guest at today’s Noon Briefing was John Ging, Operations Director for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who spoke to reporters about his recent trip to the Ebola-affected countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.