HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Thursday, July
17, 2008
BAN KI-MOON
PRAISES INT’L CRIMINAL COURT ON TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today
praised the
International Criminal Court for its accomplishments on the tenth
anniversary of the establishment of the Court’s Rome Statute, saying that
its creation is unquestionably one of the major achievements of
international law during the past century. But this young Court remains a
work in progress, he says, calling it a fragile part of a crucial and
ongoing effort to entrench international law and justice.
He said that, in strengthening the Court, we must seek
to strike the correct balance between the duty of justice and the pursuit of
peace. Impunity for crimes can never be tolerated; amnesties for
international crimes are unacceptable. When confronted with these dilemmas,
we must never sacrifice justice; crucially, the search for a balance between
justice and peace should never be influenced by the threats and postures of
those seeking to escape justice.
Furthermore, he said, the Court must continue to
demonstrate a purely judicial character, as well as total independence, and
he stressed the need to further improve cooperation between the Court and
the United Nations in ways that take into account the legitimate interests
of both partners.
PROTECTING CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT A
MORAL TEST FOR MEMBER STATES
The Secretary-General earlier today
addressed the
Security Council’s open debate on the protection of children in armed
conflict, saying that subject is a litmus test for the United Nations and
the Organization’s Member States. “It is a moral call, and deserves to be
placed above politics,” he said.
While lauding progress made in protecting children
during armed conflict, the Secretary-General stressed that we have only
begun to scratch the surface. He said he hoped that the Security Council
will consolidate the gains that have been made, and move forward to cover
all grave violations and all situations of concern.
Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative for
Children and Armed Conflict, also briefed the Council and said that her
recent visits to Iraq and Afghanistan have convinced her that the nature of
warfare is changing, that there are different and more difficult challenges
ahead to protect children, and the Council must play its part. And Assistant
Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet detailed the
child protection efforts by UN peacekeeping operations.
Also today, the Secretary-General will meet with the
members of the Security Council for their monthly luncheon.
NEWLY-ARRIVED
CHINESE PEACEKEEPERS DEPLOY IN SOUTH DARFUR
The African Union-UN mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
reports today that the Chinese Engineering Company have arrived in Nyala
in South Darfur as scheduled. This deployment of 172 engineers brings the
number of the Chinese contingent in Darfur to 315 and the total number of
military personnel on the ground to 8,000.
The Chinese contingent will primarily work towards the
completion of the camp in Nyala and expand other camps, which will allow
more troops to come in. They will also assist in the implementation of
Quick Impact Projects such as well-drilling. Joint Special Representative
Adada and the Force Commander travelled to Nyala to welcome the troops
today.)
UNAMID also reports that in the past 24 hours,
peacekeepers conducted 21 security and confidence-building patrols in the
region and humanitarian activities are ongoing as well.
Regarding the shooting death of a UNAMID peacekeeper,
which we reported yesterday, the mission today says the incident involved
unknown gunmen in five vehicles. During the time of the shooting, the
peacekeeper was leading a patrol in his area of operation. No other
injuries were sustained, and investigations are still ongoing.
From Khartoum, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reports
that the withdrawal of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan People's
Liberation Army (SPLA) forces from Abyei continues under the terms of the
Abyei Roadmap, with UNMIS monitoring. Both parties agreed at yesterday’s
Area Joint Military Committee to complete withdrawal by 30 July.
UNMIS also reports that 1,500 people took part in
demonstrations today in Khartoum. The demonstrations were peaceful, and the
demonstrators dispersed after going to the UNDP there.
In response to a question
about whether one Special Representative headed all UN operations in Sudan,
the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations had two Special Representatives
posted in Sudan heading two missions mandated by the Security Council.
Ashraf Qazi is the Special Representative who heads the UN Mission in Sudan
and deals with the peace agreement between North and South Sudan, and he is
based in Khartoum. Rodolphe Adada, she said, is the Joint UN-AU Special
Representative for the joint peacekeeping operation in Darfur, and he is
based in El Fasher.
SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS “PREMEDITATED,
DELIBERATE” ATTACK ON DARFUR PEACEKEEPERS
Yesterday afternoon, the Security Council
condemned in the strongest possible terms the 8 July attack on UNAMID,
the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, expressing its concern that the
largest ever attack on the force so far was “premeditated, deliberate and
intended to inflict casualties”.
At the outset of the meeting, the Council, through its
President, paid tribute to the outgoing Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who plans to give his farewell
press briefing on 29 July.
KOSOVO: UNITED NATIONS TO KEEP
SUPPORTING CONSOLIDATION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
The Secretary-General’s latest periodic
report on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)
is available today.
In it, the Secretary-General says that the ability of
UNMIK to operate as before and perform its functions as an interim
administration has been fundamentally challenged because of actions taken by
both the authorities in Pristina and the Kosovo Serbs. Nonetheless, UNMIK
will continue to support Kosovo in its effort to consolidate democratic
governance institutions, advance economic growth and move towards a future
in Europe as part of the western Balkans, he says.
Noting that the building of a society in which all
communities can coexist in peace remains a difficult and long-term challenge
in Kosovo; he calls upon the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade and
representatives of all of Kosovo’s communities to continue to work together
with UNMIK. He also calls upon the members of the Security Council and the
broader international community to support Kosovo in this effort.
The Secretary-General also highlights the importance of
dialogue with Belgrade on issues of mutual concern.
CÔTE D'IVOIRE, SIERRA LEONE RECEIVE NEW
PEACEBUILDING FUNDS
The
Secretary-General has approved an additional allocation of $5 million from
the Peacebuilding Fund for reintegration projects in Côte d'Ivoire. The
funds will also be used to support facilitation efforts under the
Ouagadougou Political Agreement.
Most of the money will support reintegration
activities, such as counseling, income-generation, micro-projects for former
combatants, and centers for skills training.
Meanwhile, the
Peacebuilding Fund’s Steering Committee for Sierra Leone has approved
seven new projects, valued at nearly $17 million. The projects will support
the implementation of the Reparations Program in Sierra Leone, women and
children’s empowerment, reforms, rehabilitation and improvements to the
corrections system, as well as capacity building for corruption-fighting
efforts and for energy and power.
PEACEKEEPERS
HELP IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURES IN EASTERN DR CONGO
Local infrastructures in the eastern provinces of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo have
greatly improved, thanks to the work of five military engineering units
from the UN’s peacekeeping force there. That’s the assessment from the
Mission, which notes that the infrastructure rehabilitation work also boosts
economic activity and helps stabilize the country.
Among the recently completed projects are new airports,
bridges and roads in Ituri province as well as three new military bases in
South Kivu. Upcoming projects include 14 additional roads and several new
bridges in South Kivu and a plan to ensure the maintenance of the Bunia
airport. These are expected to be completed in the next 6 months.
MYANMAR: MORE
THAN $33 MILLION SOUGHT IN AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT
With Myanmar urgently needing agricultural support
ahead of the main planting season, the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) is
appealing for $33.5 million to help cyclone-affected households restore
their livelihoods and resume food production during this crucial period.
FAO says that, with a reduced rice harvest unlikely to
meet the needs of the affected population, food security will depend on
providing support to farming households in alternative crop strategies and
rapidly restoring livestock-, fisheries-, aquaculture- and forestry-based
livelihoods.
Overall needs for relief and recovery activities in
farming, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry over the next 12 months total
$51 million under the revised appeal for Cyclone Nargis response for Myanmar
launched last week, which called for a total of $303 million for all sectors
including agriculture.
As additional resources are urgently required to expand
its assistance, FAO has revised its funding requirements from $10 million,
of which nearly three-quarters have been met by donor funding, to $33.5
million.
The revised appeal will help boost food production of
small-scale farmers through the rapid distribution of paddy rice seed,
summer crop seeds, fertilizers, draught animals, water pumps, and equipment
to accelerate land preparation and planting.
MORE THAN 2.5
BILLION PEOPLE LACK ACCESS TO IMPROVED SANITATION
The World Health Organization/UNICEF Joint Monitoring
Programme for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation released its latest
report today. The survey
notes that more than 2.5 billion people suffer from a lack of access to
improved sanitation. Roughly half of them still practice open defecation,
the riskiest sanitary practice of all.
UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman notes that, if
current trends hold, the world will fall short of the Millennium sanitation
target by more than 700 million people.
Meanwhile, the number of people lacking access to
improved drinking water sources has fallen below one billion for the first
time since data compilation began in 1990. 87 percent of the world
population now has access to such sources; and current trends suggest that
more than 90 percent of people will have it by 2015.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
GREENTREE ACCORD BETWEEN
CAMEROON AND NIGERIA STANDS: Asked whether
Nigeria is expected to follow through on the Greentree Accord, which it agreed
to with Cameroon, the Spokeswoman said that the accord stands. She noted that
the previous Secretary-General had been personally involved in the signing of
the accord, while the current
Secretary-General has a Special Representative involved in the follow-up.
CRUCIAL HELP
FROM U.N. DRUG OFFICE HAS AFGHANS SEIZE HEROIN-PRODUCING CHEMICALS: In
Afghanistan, a
recent operation supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
resulted in the seizure of more than three tons of chemicals used to produce
heroin. Other recent successes of UNODC’s broader regional effort to counter
Afghan opium trafficking include the seizure of chemicals in the southern
Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, and in Karachi, Pakistan.
MISSION IN IRAQ
CALLS FOR PROBE OF KURDISH POLITICIAN’S MURDER: The UN Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)
today expressed its concern at the killing of Abbas Kadhim, a member of the
Political Bureau of the Democratic Shabak Assembly, on 12 July. UNAMI urges the
Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to initiate a prompt
and thorough investigation, adding that it will closely follow the course and
result of this investigation.
ENVIRONMENT WATCHDOG LAUNCHES PAINTING COMPETITION FOR
CHILDREN: The U.N. Environment Programme has launched its 18th International
Children’s Painting Competition. This year’s theme is climate change.
Children between the ages of five and 13 are eligible to compete for the top
prize of two thousand dollars cash; six regional winners will receive one
thousand dollars each.
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