HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ
ASSOCIATE
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN HEADQUARTERS,
NEW YORK
Tuesday, April
1, 2008
BAN KI-MOON
URGES TRANSPARENCY IN ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been closely
following the
situation in Zimbabwe, where results are still emerging from last weekend’s
elections.
As the counting and tabulation of votes continues, he
calls for continued calm and he urges the utmost transparency be exercised so
that the people of Zimbabwe can have full confidence in the process.
Asked whether the United
Nations would provide support in case a run-off election round was held, the
Spokesperson said that would depend on whether the authorities in Zimbabwe
requested any assistance. He noted that there had been no request for UN
electoral assistance in the round that had been held.
SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED BY REPORTED
REBEL MOVEMENTS
ACROSS CHAD-SUDAN BORDER
The Secretary-General is deeply
concerned
by reports of continued movement of rebel groups
across the Chadian/Sudanese border and by the possibility that these groups
may launch cross-border attacks.
The Secretary-General calls on the Governments of Chad
and Sudan to uphold their commitments under the 13 March Dakar Accord and to
make every effort to ensure that rebel groups do not use their territory as a
staging ground for incursions.
The Secretary-General calls on the Contact Group,
established under the Dakar Accord, to work with the parties in facilitating
the implementation of the Accord and he reminds the parties that the United
Nations stands ready to do everything within its capacity to assist them in
stabilizing the border region.
BAN KI-MOON HEADS TO ROMANIA FOR
AFGHANISTAN MEETING
The Secretary-General is scheduled to arrive in
Bucharest, Romania, tomorrow, where on Thursday he will attend an
international meeting on Afghanistan.
This meeting will be attended by Afghan President Hamid
Karzai and key international stakeholders, including high-level
representatives of the NATO membership, of non-NATO contributing nations of
the International Security Assistance Force, and representatives of key
international organizations, such as the European Union and the World Bank.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will conduct bilateral
meetings with some of the leaders attending the NATO Summit that is also
taking place in Bucharest. While he is in the country, the Secretary-General
will also meet with the President and Prime Minister of Romania.
Asked whether the
Secretary-General would call for more troops in Afghanistan, the Spokesman
said that the Secretary-General would hold talks in Bucharest with a variety
of NATO and non-NATO leaders, as well as with President Karzai, about
expanding assistance to the Afghan people.
The United Nations is also
trying to increase its assistance to Afghanistan, Haq added, through the work
of its new Special Representative, Kai Eide and in accordance with the mandate
provided last month by the Security Council.
IRAQ: U.N. ENVOY WELCOMES CALM IN BASRA
Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Iraq, today
welcomed
the call made by Sayed Muqtada al Sadr for a stand-down of the armed presences
in Basra and other flashpoints in the country, enhancing the climate for a
ceasefire, and he acknowledged that the government’s quick response was a
positive measure.
De Mistura hopes that the return of calm will allow the
Iraqi Government, the United Nations and other bodies to accelerate the
delivery of emergency aid into the affected areas.
Yesterday, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq,
David Shearer, arrived in Basra to work with the Iraqi authorities and an
emergency cell that was set up by the Government of Iraq to deal with the
humanitarian situation, to make a rapid assessment and develop an appropriate
response.
De Mistura also expressed concern over human rights
violations committed during the armed clashes and emphasized to all those
involved their obligations to minimize harm to civilians.
Asked whether the United
Nations would criticize any side for the recent violence, the Spokesman said
that the UN’s focus was on making sure that the recent signs of calming in and
around Basra could allow it to help coordinate the delivery of humanitarian
assistance to that area.
ANY VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO IS UNACCEPTABLE,
BAN KI-MOON SAYS
The Secretary-General’s latest
report on
the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is now available. In
it, he reiterates that, since Kosovo’s declaration of independence, UNMIK
continues to operate on the understanding that resolution 1244 remains in
force, unless the Security Council decides otherwise.
The Secretary-General adds that Kosovo’s declaration of
independence and subsequent events have posed significant challenges to
UNMIK’s ability to exercise its administrative authority in Kosovo. He says
the evolving reality is likely to have significant operational implications
for UNMIK. Pending Security Council guidance, there might be a need for UNMIK
to adjust its operational deployment to deal with developments and changes on
the ground in a manner consistent with resolution 1244.
Also in the report, the Secretary-General stresses that
any violence, whether directed at UNMIK personnel or facilities or against
members of any of Kosovo’s communities, is unacceptable and cannot be
tolerated. In that context, he urges all sides to reaffirm and act upon their
commitments to refrain from any actions or statements that could endanger
peace, lead to violence or jeopardize security in Kosovo and the region.
He concludes by saying that the UN’s efforts in Kosovo
are aimed at ensuring that the political and security situation in Kosovo and
the wider region remains stable, and that the safety and security of the
population are preserved.
MANY COUNTRIES STILL NOT ON TRACK TO
MEET DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In his
remarks to the
General Assembly’s Thematic Debate on the
Millennium Development Goals
this morning, the Secretary-General stressed that although a real difference
has been made to achieve the Goals, the world is still falling short of its
capabilities, and many countries remain off track.
Reiterating that 2008 should mark a turning point in
progress towards the Goals, the Secretary-General said that the United Nations
is working to increase internal coordination and streamline procedures to help
countries achieve the goals.
Adding that various forums, including September’s
high-level meeting on Africa’s development, are set to convene this year, the
Secretary-General expressed hope that this kind of gathering will send a
strong message to governments to rise to the challenge of providing financing
for development.
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CONCLUDES SESSION
IN GENEVA
The Human Rights Council
concluded its seventh session today in Geneva by hearing closing
statements and adopting its report to the General Assembly.
During this session, the Human Rights Council adopted 36
resolutions. It decided to create a new mandate, that of the independent
expert on access to drinking water and sanitation. It also asked the High
Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake two new studies -- one compiling
relevant existing legislations and jurisprudence concerning defamation of and
contempt for religions, and the other on the relationship between climate
change and human rights.
The Human Rights Council also asked its Advisory
Committee to recommend new measures to promote the realization of the right to
food.
NEARLY 3 MILLION IRAQIS CURRENTLY
INTERNALLY DISPLACED
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) says that,
according to a report by the working group on internally displaced persons
(IDPs) in Iraq, it is estimated that more than 2.77 million people are
currently displaced inside that country.
Of these, 1.2 million were displaced before 2006 and more
than 1.5 million were displaced in 2006 and 2007. Most of the post-2006
displaced persons come from Baghdad and Diyala.
The report notes that new displacement is continuing at a
much lower pace than in the previous two years, although new secondary
displacement has been reported in Baghdad.
AGENCY CHIEF HIGHLIGHTS SOARING FOOD
COSTS IN AFRICA
World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran
is in Ethiopia today. She is on a three-day visit to that country and to
Kenya to highlight
the impact of soaring food and fuel costs.
Today, she addressed the joint African Union/Economic
Commission for Africa conference on the impact of spiraling food and fuel
prices in Africa. She was also scheduled to visit a wheat distribution centre
and meet with grain traders and local residents.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian says that
food security in Ethiopia continues to be a concern, despite rainfall in some
areas. Ethiopians are resorting to borrowing food and slaughtering calves,
OCHA says.
Tomorrow, Sheeran heads to Kenya for a two-day visit to
WFP’s current operations there, including those in response to post-election
violence.
U.N. AGENCIES HELP CYCLONE SURVIVORS IN
MADAGASCAR
Regarding relief efforts in
Madagascar, following Cyclone Ivan, the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs says that relief items are being distributed in the
affected areas, mainly in the east of the country.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has started an air
operation, while UNICEF has distributed blankets to more than 1,400 families.
It has also hired a helicopter to conduct intensive vaccination activities and
delivered 6,000 mosquito nets to village leaders and mayors.
In addition, some 150,000 affected people received water
and sanitation kits, including buckets, water purifiers, and metal cups.
UNICEF also set up 25 tents to speed up the return of children to school.
WORLD COURT HANDLES LATIN AMERICAN
DISPUTES
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) yesterday fixed
deadlines for the filing of initial pleadings in the maritime
dispute between Peru and Chile. The Court has asked Peru to submit its
filing by 20 March 2009 while Chile was given until 9 March 2010 to file its
counter-claim.
The Court said this decision came after consulting with
the parties and reassessing the circumstances of the case.
This case begun in January when Peru filed a complaint
against Chile over “the delimitation of the boundary between the maritime
zones of the two States in the Pacific Ocean” and sought to have its
jurisdiction recognized over a “maritime zone lying within 200 nautical miles
of Peru’s coast,” a perception that is disputed by Chile.
Also yesterday the ICJ confirmed that Ecuador has seized
the Court of its
dispute with Colombia over Colombia’s alleged aerial spraying of toxic
herbicides at locations near, at and across its border with Ecuador.
Ecuador is seeking redress because the spraying, it
claims, has caused serious damage to people, crops, animals, and the natural
environment on the Ecuadorian side of the frontier, and poses a grave risk of
further damage over time.
EMPLOYEES OF PRIVATE COMPANY ABDUCTED IN
SOMALIA
Asked whether UN
staff had been abducted in Somalia today, the Spokesperson said that two men
had been abducted this morning who were employees of a private company, the
Genysis International Corporation. Genysis, he said, has been contracted by
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to carry out an aerial survey and
prepare maps that will assist in bringing help to populations affected by the
regular flooding of the Juba and Shabelle rivers.
Haq added that FAO
confirmed that the incident took place on the road between Saakow and Bu’aale
in Middle Juba and that one British and one Kenyan national were involved.
FAO says it is up to Genesys to confirm the names of the two individuals.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SOUTH AFRICA ASSUMES SECURITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENCY: With the start of a new month, there is a new
Security Council President. South
Africa replaces Russia as Council President for April. Ambassador Dumisani
Kumalo of South Africa is holding bilateral discussions with other Council
members today on the programme of work for this month, and the Council expects
to hold consultations on that topic tomorrow.
NO COMMENT ON
CHAD PARDONS: The Spokesman declined to
comment on pardons provided by Chad in the case of the Arche de Zoe workers,
noting that UN agencies had commented on the affair in the past and had worked
to reunite the children affected in that episode with their families.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
