HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE
MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN
HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday, November 7, 2008
BAN KI-MOON:
CENTRAL AFRICA CAN’T AFFORD TO BE DRAGGED BACK INTO CONFLICT
The Secretary-General this afternoon concluded a press
conference in Nairobi, telling reporters that he had come to Nairobi with a
very heavy heart, but is now able to return with some encouragement, after
seeing the strong will and commitment demonstrated by leaders of the region.
In Nairobi, Kenya today, the Secretary-General
told a regional summit meeting on the situation in the eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that, for far too long, peace and
security in Central Africa has been threatened by armed groups, domestic and
foreign, present on that country’s soil. Neither the DRC, nor Rwanda, nor
the rest of Central Africa can afford to be dragged back into conflict, he
argued.
The Secretary-General outlined three priorities. First,
he spoke of the need to take urgent measures to contain the present crisis
created by the upsurge of fighting in the eastern DRC. The UN Mission in the
DRC (MONUC)
will continue to work to the full measure of its capacity, with the
Congolese Government and with other parties concerned, to ensure that a
maximum of civilians are protected.
The Secretary-General also drew attention to the huge
humanitarian crisis worsened by the recent fighting on the ground, saying
that the United Nations and its international partners are mobilizing all
possible resources to provide urgent assistance. He exhorted all parties to
ensure that international humanitarian law is observed and that access to
suffering populations is guaranteed.
And third, he emphasized the need to tackle the root
causes of the crisis, saying that it is only at the political level that
lasting solutions can be found. We need to end the conflict in the east, he
said, and prevent it from spilling over into the wider sub-region.
To assist in this task, the Secretary-General presented
former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, his Special Envoy for eastern
DRC, saying that Obasanjo will work very closely with regional leaders to
reach comprehensive and durable solutions to the problems created by the
continued existence and destructive activities of the illegal armed groups.
Prior to the start of the African Union-sponsored
meeting on Friday, the Secretary-General had a number of bilateral meetings,
including with President Joseph Kabila of the DRC and President Paul Kagame
of Rwanda. He also met with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, who is
also the Chair of the African Union, as well as the Chairperson of the
African Union Commission, Jean Ping. Special Envoy Obasanjo joined him in
those meetings.
D.R. CONGO:
U.N. MISSION REPORTS CONTINUING FIGHTING
Intermittent fighting continued in North Kivu this
morning, according to the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC).
A counter-attack last night landed the Congolese army the upper hand in
Nyanzale, which had yesterday fallen to rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda, who
have now retreated the town’s outskirts.
There are concerns that 65,000 displaced civilians at
the Kibati camps, just north of Goma, are increasingly in harm’s way, as
heavy artillery fighting intensified overnight in the area. Thousands of
camp residents who had
fled the rattling of guns last night are now said to have regained their
shelters. But the situation remains tense and unpredictable.
The latest estimates by the Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), meanwhile, places at 250,000 people the
number of North Kivu civilians displaced by the violence since September.
The bulk of the recently displaced came from Rutshuru and Kiwanja. In
response, UN agencies and their partner NGOs have stepped up relief
operations, handing out food, health supplies, shelter equipment and water
and sanitation equipment. As of today, the World Food Prgramme continued
food distribution to some 135,000 people in six camps, including those at
Kibati.
With more cases of cholera reported at camps for the
internally displaced, UNICEF is increasing the availability of clean water
and of water purification tablets and is installing more latrines. Diarrhoea
and measles among children remain top concerns, and UNICEF is launching
today a vaccination campaign for some 13,000 children at the Kibati camps.
It hopes to reach a total of 73,000 children in coming days.
ENVOY FOR
GENOCIDE PREVENTION ALARMED BY ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN D.R. CONGO
Within the context of his responsibilities, the Special
Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Francis
Deng, has closely followed the situation in the eastern region of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Noting the tragic history of loss of life
in the region over at least the past 15 years, including on the basis of
ethnicity, the Special Adviser has been especially alarmed by the escalation
of violence in the past few weeks.
The Special Adviser notes that the intention to destroy
an ethnic population group, in whole or in part, is a grave crime under
international criminal law - one which the international community,
including Member States in the region and beyond, has an obligation to
prevent and to punish when it does occur. He emphasizes that the
belligerents in Eastern Congo must refrain from actions that might encourage
genocide and that they, and any actors who provide material support, will be
held accountable if they fail to do so.
The Special Adviser welcomes the initiative launched in
Nairobi to resolve the current crisis. He is also in contact with relevant
authorities to indicate his own intention to visit the countries of the
region as soon as possible to assess recent developments from the
perspective of his mandate and to provide advice and support accordingly.
CHILDREN
INCREASINGLY VICTIMIZED BY FIGHTING IN D.R. CONGO
“Children are increasingly victimized and traumatized
by the recurrent hostilities in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,”
said Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. She urges the parties to
the conflict to halt fighting and to take all necessary measures to protect
civilians including children.
“The population in the Kivus is terribly vulnerable,
especially children. They have to flee the fighting, are internally
displaced and are subject to extreme violence,” said Coomaraswamy.
The Special Representative raised specific concerns
about the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and child
soldiering. “Widespread recruitment of children by the troops of Laurent
Nkunda and the Mai Mai continues. Forcing them to participate in the
hostilities is a war crime,” she underlined.
Coomaraswamy welcomed the High-level Summit Meeting in
Nairobi and urges international community to ensure robust peacekeeping to
protect civilians. “All necessary measures should be taken to stop the
suffering of the population, especially children. The protection of the most
vulnerable should be an integral part of the peace negotiations including
the immediate release of all children associated with fighting forces as a
priority,” concludes Coomaraswamy.
BAN KI-MOON TO
ATTEND QUARTET MEETING IN EGYPT
Upon leaving Nairobi, the Secretary-General will head
for Sharm el-Sheikh, where the Egyptian Government will host a Quartet
meeting. On Sunday, members of the Quartet will be briefed by the parties to
the Annapolis process.
The Secretary-General will be in New York on Monday and
will brief the press on Tuesday at his regular monthly press conference.
The Secretary-General will attend on Wednesday the
Plenary of the General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Culture of Peace.
ISRAEL SHOULD
FREEZE ALL SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY
Available today are two related reports by the
Secretary-General on the Middle East. The first
report concerns Israeli settlements. It recommends that Israel
immediately dismantle settlement outposts erected since March 2001 and
freeze all settlement activity. It also says Israel should take action to
halt attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.
The second
report deals with Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the
Palestinian people. It notes the worsening human rights situation in the
occupied Palestinian territory. It also says the General Assembly should
seek help from the Security Council in implementing the
International Court of Justice’s 2004 advisory opinion on the Legal
Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory.
These two reports were prepared at the request of the
General Assembly.
BAN KI-MOON TO
VISIT LOS ANGELES
Next week, the Secretary-General is set to embark on
his first visit to Los Angeles, California, as part of an overall United
States outreach.
During his brief two-day stay, he will meet with
leaders of the Los Angeles community and beyond, including the Governor of
California and the Los Angeles City Mayor. As a part of the programme, the
Secretary-General will reach out to Hollywood and meet with representatives
and leaders from the creative community and the entertainment industry.
These meetings aim to build partnerships to highlight issues of global
concern and tell the UN story.
Also during his stay, the Secretary-General hopes to
commend and encourage Los Angeles’ leading role in promoting climate change
and sustainable economic development.
He will also speak at the University of California Los
Angeles (UCLA), where he is to receive a UCLA medal in recognition of his
contribution to world peace and security. The Secretary-General will address
the common goals of the United Nations and the United States, and the
indispensability of a close relationship in a new era of UN-US relations.
From Los Angeles, the Secretary-General will travel to
Washington D.C., to attend the G20 Summit meeting on the global financial
crisis.
Asked whether the Secretary-General would be pushing to have Hollywood make
movies about the United Nations, the Spokeswoman said that he would meet
with the Writers Guild while on this visit as part of an effort to have the
creative community involved with the United Nations.
She noted that a meeting the Secretary-General had earlier this year in
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with movie producers, already resulted in the making
of eight short films about the
Millennium Development Goals.
FACT-FINDING
TEAM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DARFUR MISSION
The UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)
has released information about the ongoing African Union Fact-Finding
Mission, currently in Darfur, which is in the region to mend relations
between Chad and Sudan.
Speaking to UNAMID, the leader of the mission, former
Burundian President Pierre Buyoya, said that he was encouraged by the
comprehensive agreement reached on the deployment of UNAMID, saying, “We can
now be optimistic that UNAMID is going to work in better conditions.”
SOMALIA: U.N.
OFFICIAL HORRIFIED BY STONING OF RAPE VICTIM
Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed conflict,
said she was horrified by the stoning to death of a young Somali girl on
27 October. She strongly condemned the incident and urgently called for
better protection of children in Somalia.
UNICEF
reported that a 13-year-old Somali girl, Aisha Duhulow, was stoned to
death in a stadium of spectators in Kismayo on 27 October 2008 after having
been found guilty of adultery. However, reports indicate that she had been
raped by three men while traveling on foot to visit her grandmother in the
war-torn capital, Mogadishu. Following the assault, she sought protection
from local leaders, who then accused her of adultery and sentenced her to
death.
“The incident highlights the extreme nature of violence
against children and women in Somalia, which has been heightened by the
increasing lawlessness,” Coomaraswamy stated.
The Special Representative also raised serious concerns
about widespread recruitment and use of children by all parties to the
conflict. She also said that children were killed and maimed on a daily
basis in military operations.
“It is the duty of the international community and the
local authorities to stop these violations and to ensure better protection
for children. No efforts should be spared”, Coomaraswamy concluded.
CHAD:
MALNUTRITION HIGH AMONG UNDER-5 CHILDREN
Malnutrition is now very high among children under the
age of 5 in Chad’s western Kanem region, said Kingsley Amaning, the UN
Humanitarian Coordinator for Chad. Amaning
appealed for an urgent response to the emerging crisis, calling the
results of a recent health survey in the region alarming. According to that
survey, 3 children under 5 die every day for every 10,000 people in western
Chad.
Chad is already experiencing grave humanitarian crises.
They concern over 315,000 Sudanese and Central African refugees and nearly
180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), who are heavily reliant on
humanitarian aid for their survival. Except for approximately 57,000 Central
African refugees in the south, all IDPs and Sudanese refugees live in the
arid lands of eastern Chad.
PEACEKEEPERS
NEED SUPPORT, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS
The Deputy Secretary-General today made
remarks at the General Assembly’s Commemorative Meeting on the 60th
Anniversary of Peacekeeping.
She said peacekeeping has evolved into one of the
cornerstones of international diplomacy, with more than 100,000 UN
peacekeepers deployed in 18 missions across the globe. But she stressed that
peacekeepers need support. They need clear and achievable mandates, as well
as the political will and material resources of Member States.
The Deputy Secretary-General concluded by paying
tribute to the more than 2,500 peacekeepers and other personnel who have
given their lives while serving the United Nations.
SECURITY
COUNCIL TO TAKE UP NEPAL
At 3:00 this afternoon, the
Security Council will hold a formal meeting, followed by consultations,
to discuss the work of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Nepal, will
brief the Council on the work of that Mission.
After simultaneous separate
meetings on Thursday, the Security Council and the
General Assembly re-elected two judges whose terms were due to expire
and chose three new judges to serve on the
International Court of Justice. The five elected judges came from
Brazil, France, Jordan, Somalia and the United Kingdom.
ALL COUNTRIES
HAVE AN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING CLIMATE-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES
A High-level Conference on Climate Change: Technology
Development and Technology Transfer is taking place today and Saturday in
Beijing. The Conference is co-organized by the Department of Economic and
Social Affairs and the Government of China.
In his keynote address, Under-Secretary General for
Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang delivered a
message from the Secretary-General. In it, he stressed that technology
is one area that unites the interests of developed and developing countries
alike.
All countries have an interest in the rapid
development, deployment and diffusion of climate-friendly technologies,
which enhance the ability of countries to take effective mitigation actions
and pursue adaptation strategies, he said.
HONDURAS:
URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED TO HELP FLOOD SURVIVORS
On Honduras, the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
reports that Tropical Storm Paloma has caused flooding in new areas of
the country, bringing the total number of people affected by floods to
almost 320,000.
OCHA says that urgent support is needed to avert a
further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
So far, the World Food Programme has delivered food aid
to nearly 16,000 families living in shelters in isolated areas. The World
Health Organization is mobilizing medical teams and purchasing emergency and
general medicines. The Pan-American Health Organization has also mobilized
regional experts in water and sanitation, and disaster management.
UNICEF is also providing assistance, while OCHA and the
U.N. Development Programme have provided more than $200,000 dollars in
cash. This is in addition to an allocation of $1.5 million from the Central
Emergency Response Fund.
I.M.F.
ARRANGEMENT WILL GIVE HUNGARY ACCESS TO NEEDED FUNDS
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has
approved a Stand-By Arrangement for Hungary. Over the next 17 months,
the country will have access to more than twelve billion Euros.
Approved under the fast-track Emergency Mechanism, the
funds are expected to help Hungary rapidly reduce stress on its financial
markets.
The IMF says its support, combined with commitments
from the European Union and the World Bank, should provide Hungary with
sufficient reserves to meet external obligations, even in extreme market
circumstances.
YOUNG PEOPLE
FIGHT RACISM THROUGH SPORT
Representatives of the project “Youth Voices against
Racism”, an initiative of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), have
presented to the European Parliament ten recommendations to counteract
racism in and through sports.
One of the recommendations involved printing antiracist
slogans on containers of drinks sold in stadiums. The recommendations
emerged from a meeting with young people between the ages of 15 and 18.
W.F.P. WELCOMES
INDIAN DONATION FOR AFGHANISTAN
The World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a $12
million contribution from the Government of India that will be used to
provide fortified biscuits made from Indian wheat for 1.2 million school
children in Afghanistan.
The biscuits, which were produced in India, will be
shipped to Afghanistan through Pakistan. This marks a major transportation
breakthrough, opening a new route for humanitarian aid from India to
Afghanistan.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISCUSSION HELD ON SOMALIA: The Spokeswoman
confirmed that the Secretary-General had spoken with the head of the
International Maritime Organization on Somalia. The Secretary-General’s own
views on Somalia would be sent to the Security Council, she added.
BAN KI-MOON INTENDS TO SPEAK WITH BARACK OBAMA:
Asked whether the Secretary-General has spoken by phone with US President-elect
Barack Obama, the Spokeswoman said that they had not spoken, noting the
Secretary-General’s current travels, but added that he intends to do so.
U.N. RENOVATION DUES HAVE BEEN PAID: Asked
about the
Capital Master Plan, the Spokeswoman said that the planned
financial contributions for the renovation of UN headquarters have been paid,
and she added that personnel at UN Headquarters will be relocated to the North
Lawn, the library building or other nearby locations.
IMMUNITY NOT APPLIED IN LIBERIA CASE: Asked
about a former staff member working at the UN Mission in Liberia who was accused
of not paying child support, the Spokeswoman said that UN immunity had not been
applied in that case, which was unrelated to official duties.
**The guest at noon was Edmond Mulet, Assistant
Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, who provided an operational
update on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,
following his recent visit.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
08 November – 14 November 2008
Sunday, November 9
The Secretary-General is in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to
attend a meeting of the Middle East Quartet.
Monday, November 10
The guest at the noon briefing is Ian Martin, Special
Representative of the Secretary-General in Nepal and Head of the U.N. Mission in
Nepal.
In observance of the 70th anniversary of the
Kristallnacht Pogrom, there will be a panel discussion on “Nowhere to Turn” from
1 to 3.30 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium. At 6 p.m., in the
same location, there will be a screening of the documentary film “My Opposition:
the Diaries of Friedrich Kellner”.
From today through Friday, the Special Rapporteur on
the Question of Human Rights and Extreme Poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona,
visits Ecuador at the invitation of the Government.
Tuesday, November 11
At 11 a.m. in Room S-226, the Secretary-General holds
his monthly press conference.
At 12.30 p.m. in Room S-226, the President of the 63rd
Session of the General Assembly, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, briefs on the
upcoming High-Level Meeting on the Culture of Peace.
This morning, the Security Council is scheduled to
hold a debate on the U.N. Mission in Kosovo.
From 3 to 6 p.m. in Conference Room 2, there will be a
panel discussion on “Overcoming Economic Insecurity”.
Wednesday, November 12
Today and tomorrow, the General Assembly holds a
High-Level Meeting on the Culture of Peace.
This morning, the Security Council holds a debate on
its 1267, 1373 and 1540 Committees.
At 2 p.m. in Room S-226, Aminata Touré, Chief of the
Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch of the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA),
discusses UNFPA’s State of the World Population 2008 report, which is
being launched today.
In Geneva, the International Telecommunication Union
hosts a high-level meeting on climate change, information and communication
technologies, and cybersecurity.
Thursday, November 13
The Secretary-General is in Los Angeles, where he is
scheduled to meet with the city’s mayor, the governor of California, and other
leaders. He is also scheduled to speak at the University of California at Los
Angeles.
At 11 a.m. in Room S-226, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu,
Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, briefs on the
General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on the Culture of Peace.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Conference Room 2, the
General Assembly’s Second Committee holds a panel discussion on “Post-Conflict
State Capacity: Reconstructing Public Administration for Conflict Prevention,
Recovery and Development”.
Friday, November 14
From today through Sunday, the Secretary-General is in
Washington, D.C, for the meeting of the leaders of the G-20 countries on
financial markets and the global economy.
This morning, the Security Council is scheduled to
hold a debate on the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Multi-National
Force.
The guest at the noon briefing is Staffan de Mistura,
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq.
Today is World Diabetes Day.
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