HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON
FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Monday, September 22, 2008
BAN
KI-MOON TO ADDRESS WORLD LEADERS TOMORROW
Tomorrow,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will address the
General Assembly about the need to respond to the global financial,
energy and food crises with collaboration and global leadership.
In that speech,
he will highlight the need to galvanize global awareness and action to
realize the Millennium Development Goals; to respond to the global food
crisis and to ongoing peacekeeping challenges with new resources; and to
tackle climate change.
REACHING
DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN AFRICA STILL ACHIEVABLE
The Secretary-General this morning
opened a High-Level Meeting that he is convening on Africa’s development
needs, saying that he is convinced that through concerted action by African
Governments and their development partners, the
Millennium Development Goals remain achievable in Africa.
The Secretary-General said that it will cost about $72
billion per year in external financing to achieve the Goals by 2015. “This
price tag may look daunting,” he said, but it is affordable, and falls
within existing aid commitments.
He added that perseverance is needed to build peace,
and he paid tribute to the people of Zimbabwe for negotiating a Government
of national unity. Similar perseverance is needed to resolve other crises,
the Secretary-General added, such as those in eastern Democratic Republic of
Congo and Somalia.
BAN KI-MOON, SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMN
TERRORIST ATTACK IN PAKISTAN
In a
statement issued Saturday, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the
heinous terrorist attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, which
has reportedly killed and injured a large number of people.
He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families
of the victims of this appalling attack, as well as to the Government and
people of Pakistan. No cause can justify the indiscriminate targeting of
civilians.
And today, the Security Council President also read a
Presidential Statement about Saturday's terrorist attack in Pakistan.
SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES CAR BOMBINGS
IN SPAIN
The Secretary-General strongly
condemns the recent series of car bombings in Spain, which have resulted
in one fatality and the wounding of several others.
He expresses his sympathy for the victims and their
families and his solidarity with the Government and people of Spain in the
face of such terrorist violence.
U.N. OFFICIALS NOTE DETERIORATING
SECURITY SITUATION IN DARFUR
The Secretary-General and African Union (AU) Commission
Chairperson Jean Ping convened a meeting on Darfur at midday Sunday to
review the security and humanitarian situation, the political process,
deployment of the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)
and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court's decision to seek an
arrest warrant for the Sudanese President.
The Under-Secretaries-Generals for Peacekeeping and
Humanitarian Affairs noted the deteriorating security situation on the
ground and the impact on their operations to assist the people on the ground
in need. The joint AU-UN Special Representative for Darfur Rodolphe Adada
noted calm over the past two days.
On the political process, they reviewed the joint
mediator's activities, the Qatari initiative, and the Sudanese national
peace initiative, and expressed the need for an early normalization of
Sudan-Chad relations. The participants highlighted the need to expedite the
political process and for all parties to meaningfully engage in that
process.
The status and challenges of the deployment of UNAMID
was also discussed. The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support outlined
efforts to expedite deployment and pressed for much-needed peacekeeping
personnel and critical assets.
On International Criminal Court developments, the
Secretary-General emphasized the need for justice to run its course in
parallel with the peace process. The AU Commission Chairperson raised the
AU’s concerns surrounding the case and explained the AU Peace and Security
Council’s position on this issue.
The United Nations and African Union agreed to use the
window of opportunity in the coming months and to keep close coordination to
make as much progress as possible on all these fronts.
The Secretary-General had met the joint mediator
Dijbril Bassole first thing Sunday morning to be briefed on the status of
the political process and to discuss the strategies on the way forward.
BAN KI-MOON HIGHLIGHTS NEEDS OF
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
The Secretary-General this morning
addressed the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which deals with assistance to
the Palestinian people.
Noting that the Palestinian Authority is facing a
budget crisis, he stressed that more predictable donor commitment is needed.
He also said the United Nations will continue to do everything in its power
to create and support those who work towards the goal of a better
socio-economic environment for the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
says it is increasingly concerned by the situation facing some 30,000
Palestinian refugees, who were displaced by fighting last year at the Nahr
el Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon.
UNRWA reports that, unless funds are found in the
coming weeks, it will have to stop food distributions to 3,100 families and
halt rental subsidies for about 27,000 people by the end of October.
UNRWA says that many of these refugees have already
been displaced three times.
AFGHANISTAN: GUNS FALL SILENT ON
INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
said that yesterday, guns fell silent across much of the country, as
soldiers and Taliban all ceased fighting during the International Day of
Peace, allowing UNICEF and the World Health Organization to begin a polio
vaccination campaign.
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Kai
Eide, said that the halt to fighting, and marches yesterday in support of
peace, showed the huge demand that exists for peace in Afghanistan. He noted
that, this week, as many as 1.8 million children stand to benefit by
receiving their polio vaccinations.
Eide asserted, “A window for peace has been opened,
through which the people of Afghanistan are making themselves heard.”
Meanwhile, the response to the text messaging campaign
for the International Day of Peace was a resounding success. Overall, we
have received over 145,000 text messages and online messages about peace
from people living in 132 countries. The Secretary-General sent a text
message himself on Friday.
Meanwhile, also on Afghanistan, the
Security Council held consultations today to discuss a draft resolution
on extending the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) in that country. The resolution was adopted unanimously in the early
afternoon.
SOMALI PARTIES REACH AGREEMENT UNDER
U.N. AUSPICES
Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government and the
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia have completed a second round of
talks in Djibouti.
In a joint
communiqué, the parties said their meeting, which was chaired by the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou
Ould-Abdallah, led to an agreement to conduct field assessments and further
consultations.
Although they failed to sign a formal ceasefire, they
agreed to meet again within two weeks to develop the modalities for an
eventual cessation of hostilities.
They also agreed to press ahead with the talks through
their respective high-level and joint security committees.
D.R. CONGO: UNICEF DEMANDS UNCONDITIONAL
RELEASE OF 90 ABDUCTED SCHOOLCHILDREN
Regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNICEF
has
appealed for the immediate and unconditional release of 90 children
abducted last week by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The agency is very
concerned that the children will be forced to fight or support fighting in
the ranks of LRA, thus putting their lives at risk.
The abductions are believed to have occurred last week
during concerted attacks on villages in Province Orientale. The 90 children
were forcibly removed from classrooms at local primary and secondary
schools.
One village chief and 2 Italian missionaries were also
abducted, 3 civilians were slain, local health centers were looted, and the
village of Kiliwa was burnt to the ground. Survivors fled to nearby
villages and UNICEF is now working on an emergency response to the crisis.
Meanwhile, the UN Organization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) confirms that fighting with heavy
artillery has continued over the weekend and intensified this morning in the
northeast. The fighting involves the Government and rebels led by General
Laurent Nkunda.
NUCLEAR WATCHDOG AGENCY HOPES D.P.R.K.
CAN RETURN TO NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei, today
addressed that body’s Board of Governors in Vienna. He told them that,
this morning, the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK) asked the Agency’s inspectors to remove seals and surveillance
equipment at Yongbyon, to enable them to carry out tests at the reprocessing
plant, which they say will not involve nuclear material.
ElBaradei said he still hopes that conditions can be
created for the DPRK to return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty at the
earliest possible date and for the resumption by the Agency of comprehensive
safeguards.
He added that the IAEA has not been able to make
substantive progress on the alleged studies and associated questions
relevant to possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme. These
remain of serious concern.
U.N. AGENCY
ADDRESSES LACK OF MIDWIVES IN DEVELOPING WORLD
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International
Confederation of Midwives have
launched an initiative to address the severe lack of midwives in
developing countries.
The project will focus on education and training of
midwives, as well as developing practice standards and strengthening
national midwifery associations.
Every year, half a million women die in pregnancy or
childbirth, and between 10 and 15 million women suffer serious or long-term
illness or injuries. Three million newborns die during their first week,
while another three million are stillborn. It is estimated that skilled
attendance at delivery, backed up by emergency obstetric care, could reduce
the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth by 75 per cent.
The three-year, $9 million initiative will start in 11
of the hardest-hit countries, all in Sub-Saharan Africa, then expand to
include 30 countries, if funding allows.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is holding a
Roundtable Breakfast with First Ladies and Women Leaders on Maternal Health
this Thursday.
NEARLY 3 DOZEN COUNTRIES TO SIGN, RATIFY
OR ACCEDE TO AT LEAST ONE TREATY
In conjunction with the General Assembly General
Debate, the 2008 Treaty Event will also begin tomorrow at UN Headquarters.
As part of the annual campaign, nearly three dozen Member States have
indicated that they intend to sign, ratify or accede to at least one
international treaty.
Updates and photos of all signings will be available at
the Office of Legal Affairs’ new treaty website,
treaties.un.org.
BAN KI-MOON TO ENCOURAGE ADHERENCE TO
TEST-BAN TREATY
The Fourth Ministerial Meeting to promote the early
entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) will
take place at UN Headquarters on Wednesday.
It will be attended by the Secretary-General and
leading international figures.
The goal is to promote the treaty that would outlaw all
nuclear weapons testing on Earth. In the meeting, the Secretary-General will
urge all countries that have not done so to sign or ratify the CTBT so that
it can finally enter into force.
BAKASSI PENINSULA MEETING
WILL NOT TAKE PLACE
In light of the fact that
the President of Nigeria, Mr. Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, will not be attending
this year's ordinary session of the General Assembly, the High Level Meeting
on the Bakassi Peninsula between the Secretary-General the Nigerian
President and Cameroonian President Paul Biya, initially scheduled for this
afternoon, will not take place as planned.
Asked when the
Secretary-General learned that the Nigerian President would not be present
in New York, the Spokeswoman said that he received that information on
Sunday.
She added that
the Secretary-General had intended to congratulate the Nigerian and
Cameroonian Presidents on the Bakassi agreement and to follow up on what had
happened since its implementation.
HORN OF AFRICA FACING WORST HUMANITARIAN
CRISIS SINCE 1984
The World Food Programme today
appealed for $460 million to feed the hungry in Ethiopia through next
March.
WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran notes that the
Horn of Africa region is facing its worst humanitarian crisis since
1984. Many of those most affected live in the arid Somali Region of
Ethiopia, where it has not rained for three years.
NO MEETING
REQUEST BY ALASKA GOVERNOR
In response to a
question, the Spokeswoman noted that there was no request received for
Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to meet with the Secretary-General.
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