HIGHLIGHTS OF
THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
Friday,
January 25, 2008
BAN KI-MOON
CONDEMNS LATEST LEBANON ATTACK
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly
condemns the
terrorist attack today in Lebanon that killed an officer of the Internal
Security Forces and reportedly five others and injured 20. He extends his
sincere condolences to the families of those killed and the Government of
Lebanon.
This latest act of terror should not be allowed to
undermine the security, stability and sovereignty of Lebanon.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the people
of Lebanon to continue exercising restraint and for those behind this and
previous attacks to be brought to justice.
BAN KI-MOON SAYS 2008 IS THE YEAR OF THE
“BOTTOM BILLION”
The Secretary-General today
addressed the
press in Davos, Switzerland, pressing his call for
2008 to be the year of the “bottom billion,” the people he described as “the
forgotten ones, the nearly one billion left behind by global growth”.
He said that he is launching a
new initiative this September, when the United Nations will host a high-level
meeting on the Millennium
Development Goals, with a special focus on Africa. He said, “We will bring
together world leaders and, together, demand action.”
Before leaving Davos, the
Secretary-General conducted several bilateral meetings with the leaders
attending the World Economic Forum, including British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
This evening, he travels to
Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where he will meet with the Prime
Minister, Janez Jansa, and the two of them are to hold a joint press
conference afterward. This is his first visit as Secretary-General to
Slovenia, which currently holds the Presidency of the European Union.
Also from Davos, several of the companies at the World
Economic Forum and the UN launched two initiatives to promote greater support
from the private sector for humanitarian relief operations.
One initiative is a set of Guiding Principles for
coordinating such efforts. The other is a joint collaboration involving
leading transport companies, who will help with emergency response logistics
in the wake of major natural disasters.
FUEL SHORTAGES HAMPER PEACEKEEPERS’ WORK
IN ETHIOPIA & ERITREA
The Security Council
today held consultations on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),
and received a briefing on the Mission by Azouz Ennifar, the acting head of
that Mission.
Ennifar discussed recent developments and presented the
Secretary-General’s latest
report on
UNMEE, which went to Council members yesterday.
In that report, the Secretary-General says that UN
peacekeepers in Eritrea are facing serious difficulties in sustaining their
operations and reliable communications, because they have not received any
fuel from suppliers in Eritrea since 1 December 2007.
The latest imposed fuel shortage has forced UN
peacekeepers to cut back on key operational activities, including patrols,
demining and administrative support to regional locations and team sites.
In light of this and some 45 other restrictions on UN
peacekeepers, the Secretary-General recommends a one-month technical roll-over
of the mandate of the Mission.
The Secretary-General says he will review developments on
the ground and the challenges facing the Mission, and prepare specific
recommendations on the future direction of the Mission, including possible
withdrawal or relocation.
He adds that the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia
remains very tense, as the parties continue to move troops along their shared
borders.
SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS
ON SITUATION IN GAZA
This afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to hold
consultations at 3 p.m. to continue their discussion of a draft Presidential
Statement on Gaza.
GAZA: CROSSINGS REMAIN CLOSED, POWER
CUTS CONTINUE
On Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) reports that all three crossings for goods from Israel into
Gaza were closed today. As a result, the World Food Programme will be unable
to give a full ration of food to 10,000 of its poorest beneficiaries on
Sunday.
Three hundred thousand liters of industrial fuel did make
it into Gaza today. But due to limited reserves, the Gaza power plant has
reduced its power output, causing power cuts of eight hours a day. Fuel
reserves are expected to run out on Sunday, according to OCHA.
OCHA also reports that about half of Gazan households
have access to running water for only one or two hours a day.
In addition, Gaza’s waste water system is currently only
partially functioning, leading to the daily dumping of 30 million liters of
untreated sewage into the sea.
Asked what the
Secretary-General is doing to alleviate the humanitarian problems in Gaza, the
Spokeswoman noted that the Secretary-General has been talking to all parties
concerned. She noted in particular his call earlier this week to Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and his meeting with Israeli leaders, including the
President and Foreign Minister, while he was in Davos.
Meanwhile, Okabe added, UN
humanitarian agencies are doing what they can on the ground in Gaza to meet
the urgent needs of the people.
WOMEN & CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM VIOLENCE
IN KENYA
Children, teenagers and women have borne the worst of the
violence in Kenya.
UNICEF
says today that
while they have been reluctant to talk about sexual attacks, the reality of
their being abused in the midst of the political crisis is all too evident.
Preliminary reports suggest that girls and women in camps
for the internally displaced are trading sex for food, protection or
transportation, according to UNICEF. Women, young and old, are raped while
trying to use public toilets at night. Some boys have also been sexually
assaulted, the agency says, adding victims most often do not report these
attacks for fear of reprisals.
To date, UNICEF has allocated $1.2 million dollars in
emergency supplies. The agency also says that while the Kenyan government has
been trying to close down camps for displaced people in Nairobi, many among
the displaced have expressed fear about returning home.
The World Food Programme (WFP), meanwhile,
continues
emergency food distribution in camps for the internally displaced, now
reaching some 168,000 people in the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
Meanwhile, the number of registered Kenyan refugees in
Uganda is still above 6,000. Registration for new arrivals has been suspended
while those already registered are being transferred to camps deeper inside
Uganda.
MYANMAR: U.N. ENVOY HOLDS CONSULTATIONS
IN BRUSSELS
Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser
dealing with
Myanmar, arrived today in Brussels for consultations with European Union
(EU) counterparts, including EU High Representative Javier Solana, the Office
of the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and the EU
Presidency.
From Brussels, Gambari is expected to travel to New
Delhi, where he will meet with Indian officials from 29 to 31 January.
He also intends to visit Beijing during the month of
February.
Gambari’s meetings are a continuation of his high-level
consultations with key interested Member States in the implementation of the
Secretary-General’s good offices mandate in Myanmar.
Asked about reports of
additional arrests in Myanmar, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations
was not in a position to verify those reports independently. However, she
said, Gambari was continuing to work toward a resolution in Myanmar.
FORMER BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDER TRANSFERRED
TO NORWAY
Vidoje Blagojevic,
a former Bosnian Serb Army commander in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, was
today transferred
to Norway to serve his sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for his role in the
1995 Srebrenica genocide.
On 17 January 2005, the Trial
Chamber sentenced Blagojevic to 18 years’ imprisonment for aiding and abetting
the persecution, forcible transfer and murder of the Bosnian Muslim population
of the Srebrenica enclave in July 1995. He was also found guilty of aiding
and abetting the murders of Bosnian Muslim men and boys from the Srebrenica
enclave who were taken to nearby town of Bratunac after the enclave fell.
Blagojevic was the commander of
the Bratunac Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army in the Bratunac and Zvornik
municipalities in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina
ALLEGATIONS LEAD TO TENSIONS BETWEEN
GEORGIAN & ABKHAZ SIDES
The Secretary-General’s latest
report on
the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia is out today.
In it, he says that there have been no recent incidents
between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides. Nevertheless, allegations concerning
the deployment of forces on both sides of the ceasefire line generated
tensions during the reporting period.
In that regard, the Secretary-General said that the
disconnect between the realities on the ground, on the one hand, and media
reports or official statements, on the other, is a matter of concern.
For its part, the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),
despite its limited resources, has made strenuous efforts to verify as many
reports as possible concerning events in its area of responsibility. The
Secretary-General said the Mission’s findings should be fully taken into
account by the sides.
NUCLEAR INSPECTORS VISIT SOUTH AFRICA
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
experts have completed a visit to the Pelindaba nuclear facility in South
Africa, following an invitation from South African authorities to exchange
views on the lessons learned after armed men broke into the complex on 8
November, 2007.
The team reported that there was no evidence that
sensitive nuclear areas were under any threat at any time during the incident.
It recommended specific proposals for security training and equipment to the
South African authorities.
RELIEF RESPONSE NEEDED FOR BANGLADESHI
CYCLONE SURVIVORS
Regarding Bangladesh, the World Food Programme is
warning that, for many families in areas affected by last year’s Cyclone
Sidr, access to food remains an urgent priority.
A new WFP assessment finds that prices for locally grown
wheat and rice have risen since the storm destroyed crops and food stocks.
More than one fifth of the population is suffering from malnutrition,
according to WFP.
The agency is calling for a continued and strong relief
response. It urgently needs more than 20 million dollars to continue
delivering assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable through mid May, when
the next harvest comes on the market.
BAN KI-MOON STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
This Sunday will mark the third International Day in
Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, which was unanimously proclaimed in
2005 by the General Assembly.
In a
message,
the Secretary-General says he stands in solidarity with Holocaust survivors
and victims’ families around the world.
He adds that, to those who claim that the Holocaust never
happened, or has been exaggerated, we respond by reiterating our determination
to honor the memory of every innocent person murdered at the hands of the
Nazis and their accomplices.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and its Trust Fund to End Violence
Against Women are the beneficiaries of a new online
campaign by the UN Foundation. As part of the “Say No to Violence Against
Women” campaign, the Foundation will donate one dollar for each of the first
100,000 signatures to its online campaign. People can sign up at
www.saynotoviolence.org.
NORTH KOREA PANEL TO PRESENT
FINDINGS IN MARCH: Asked about a U.S.
Senate hearing on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and UN
Development Programme (UNDP), the Spokeswoman declined to comment until an
independent panel, headed by Miklos Nemeth, comes out with its own findings on
that issue. The panel is expected to complete its work in March.
BAN KI-MOON IS FOLLOWING
SECURITY COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS ON IRAN:
Asked about the Secretary-General’s views on the need for a new resolution on
Iran, the Spokeswoman said that his position has not changed for Iran to
comply fully with the relevant Security Council resolutions. She also said he is
following what kind of action the Security Council will take on this issue.
MALAWI
FUNDRAISING EVENT TO TAKE PLACE ON U.N. LAWN:
Asked about an event taking place on the UN Headquarters’ North Lawn, the
Spokeswoman said that "A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and UNICEF" will take
place there on February 6. The event is being underwritten and hosted by Gucci,
as part of a celebration of the opening of its New York Fifth Avenue Flagship
store, she said. Okabe noted that UNICEF has a longstanding partnership with
Gucci.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday, January 26
The Secretary-General is on an official visit to Slovenia
today.
Through 30 January, the Special Rapporteur on the adverse
effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and
wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, Okechukwu Ibeanu, visits Tanzania at
the invitation of the Government (trip began 21 January).
Sunday, January 27
Today and tomorrow, the Secretary-General is on an official
visit to Slovakia.
Today is the International Day of Commemoration in Memory
of the Victims of the Holocaust. Numerous events are taking place at
Headquarters and at duty stations around the world.
Monday, January 28
At 11 a.m. in Room S-226, the Holocaust Remembrance Stamp
will be launched by Ariel Atias, Minister of Communications of Israel; Amb. Dan
Gillerman of Israel; Under-Secretary-General for Management, Alicia Barcena; and
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Kiyotaka
Akasaka.
From 1.15 to 2.30 p.m. in Conference Room 4, there will be
a roundtable discussion on “Financing for gender equality”.
From 1.30 to 4.30 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library
Auditorium, there will be a panel discussion (organized by B’nai B’rith
International) on "Holocaust education in action" and a screening of the
award-winning film “Paper Clips”.
From 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall, the
Holocaust Remembrance Day Memorial Ceremony and Concert will take place.
The UN Special Envoy for the Darfur Peace Process, Jan
Eliasson, is in Brussels, Belgium, to brief European Union Foreign Ministers on
his recent trip to Darfur, as well as on the overall situation of the political
process there.
From today through 1 February in Bali, Indonesia, the
states parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) attend a
high-level conference to review progress in enforcing the UNCAC.
Tuesday, January 29
The Secretary-General is on an official visit today to
Rwanda, where he will visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali.
This morning, the Security Council is scheduled to hold
consultations on the UN Observer Mission in Georgia.
From 6 to 8 p.m. in the UN Visitors’ Lobby, two new
exhibits are scheduled to open. They are “BESA: A Code of Honor, Muslim
Albanians who Rescued Jews during the Holocaust” and a “Carl Lutz and the
Legendary Glass House in Budapest”.
From today through 31 January, the Secretary-General’s
Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari is in New Delhi, where he will meet with Indian
officials to discuss the situation in Myanmar.
Wednesday, January 30
From today through Friday, the
Secretary-General is on an official visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he
will tomorrow give a speech at the opening of the African Union Summit.
This morning, the Security
Council is scheduled to adopt a resolution on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and
Eritrea, followed by a debate on the Middle East and consultations on the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At 10 a.m. in Conference Room 3,
there will be a Special Meeting of States Parties to the 1982 UN Convention on
the Law of the Sea, to elect one member of the International Tribunal for the
Law of the Sea.
From 1.15 p.m. to 2.45 p.m. in
Conference Room D, there will be a UN University-UN Forum on “Intercultural and
interreligious dialogue: The pathway to peace”.
From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the third
floor of the UN Conference Building, the opening of the Permanent Holocaust
Exhibit takes place.
From today through 8 February,
the Special Rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, visits Equatorial Guinea, at
the invitation of the Government.
Thursday, January 31
Today is the last day of Libya’s Security Council presidency.
At
11 a.m., in Room S-226, George Clooney, UN Messenger of Peace, will be
introduced by Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public
Information, Kiyotaka Akasaka.
From 6 to 9 p.m. in the Dag
Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a screening of the academy
award-winning documentary “Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the
Kindertransport”.
Friday, February 1
Today is the first day of Panama’s Security Council
presidency.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
