Secretary-General

Noon briefing of 25 January 2008

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.