HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE MONTAS,
SPOKESPERSON FOR
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Friday,
October 9, 2009
BAN KI-MOON
CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT OBAMA ON NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WIN
The following
statement was delivered this morning by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
“I would like to wholeheartedly welcome and
congratulate U.S. President Barack Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize
for 2009. This is great news for President Obama, for the people of the
United States, and for the United Nations.
"We are entering an era of renewed multilateralism, a
new era where the challenges facing humankind demand global common cause and
uncommon global effort. President Obama embodies the new spirit of dialogue
and engagement on the world's biggest problems: climate change, nuclear
disarmament and a wide range of peace and security challenges.
"President Obama's commitment to work through the
United Nations gives the world's people fresh hope and fresh prospects. We
at the United Nations highly applaud him and the Nobel Committee for its
choice.
"I look forward to further deepening the US-UN
partnership as a key building block to a better and safer world for all.
Again, I send my deepest and wholehearted congratulations to President
Obama. I wish him continued success.”
The Spokesperson, in response
to a question, said that the Secretary-General will be sending a
congratulatory letter to President Obama.
SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES PAKISTAN BOMB ATTACK
The Secretary-General
condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s bomb attack at a market
in the Pakistani town of Peshawar which reportedly killed at least 49
people, including children and women, and injured many more.
No cause can justify such indiscriminate violence.
The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the
families of the victims and to the Government of Pakistan, and wishes those
injured a full recovery.
PAKISTAN:
SAFETY DEPARTMENT LOOKING INTO CIRCUMSTANCES BEHIND ATTACK ON U.N.
Asked if there would be an independent investigation
into security issues around the bombing of the World Food Programme (WFP)
compound in Islamabad, the Spokeswoman said that she had no information
about any independent probe.
She noted however that the UN Department for Safety and
Security was investigating the security conditions and circumstances leading
to the incident, as well as the living conditions for UN personnel in the
country.
Asked if the Secretary-General was aware of Pakistan's
proposal to move all UN offices in Islamabad to a secure compound under
Pakistan's "One Roof Programme", the Spokeswoman said that he was and that
there have been ongoing discussions about the wider United Nations community
in Pakistan moving to a different location. So far, however, none of the
options have been large enough to accommodate all WFP staff.
Asked if the Secretary-General had been informed of
Pakistan's concerns that the security of UN personnel was not up to the
threat level in Islamabad, Montas said that he was fully aware of that and
had asked for an assessment . However, the bombing of the WFP compound, one
of the best-protected in Pakistan, occurred before that could take place.
"There is a continuous risk assessment at UN
facilities around the world," Montas noted.
SITUATION IN NORTHERN YEMEN IS DIRE,
TENSE, VOLATILE
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR)
reports that the situation in northern Yemen remains dire, tense and
volatile, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the ongoing
conflict.
Today, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs
John Holmes
visited a camp in northern Yemen, where over 6,000 internally displaced
persons are being sheltered.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) reports that around 30 newly displaced families are arriving daily to
the northwestern town of Haradh. Some have traveled by foot through the
mountains for as long as five days, arriving exhausted.
Having moved to areas where there is little basic
infrastructure, such as clean water sources, and with scant means of
supporting themselves, the newly displaced are largely dependent on
humanitarian aid for their survival, OCHA says.
OCHA adds that, with the latest clashes, the total
number of internally displaced persons has swollen to some 150,000.
UNHCR says its operation to deliver aid from Saudi
Arabia to displaced Yemenis stranded near the border is scheduled for
tomorrow. UNHCR has already positioned tents, mattresses, blankets and other
items for more than 2,000 people on the Saudi side of the border.
Meanwhile, the flash appeal issued in response to this
crisis remains only 16% funded, OCHA notes.
HUMANITARIAN
CHIEF TO HEAD TO STORM-HIT PHILIPPINES
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes will arrive in the Philippines on
Monday on a two-day mission to review the strong emergency response to
Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma.
There, Holmes is scheduled to meet President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo and cabinet ministers, including the Chairman of the
National Disaster Coordinating Council and the Secretary of Defense, the UN
Country Team, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
team and donors.
Holmes’ mission comes in the context of recent reports
of a serious situation in northern Luzon as a result of the incessant
rainfall exacerbating the floods and the number of people in need of
immediate humanitarian assistance.
The Flash Appeal for US$74 million to address needs in
13 sectors in support of the Government’s relief efforts has so far been
funded with $13.6 million, 18% of the amount that is actually needed.
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Yesterday, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman
visited the Philippines to see the damage done by a tropical storm and
subsequent massive flooding.
She visited a number of small villages affected,
including Santa Cruz village in metro Manila where during the first few days
after the storm hit, the school was home to 700 people, 300 of them
children.
UNICEF has provided the city authorities with family
kits and kits with essential medicines, water and hygiene kits.
During the visit Veneman also met with the President of
the Philippines to discuss response efforts and the emergency relief needs
that UNICEF could meet, as well as ongoing efforts to promote the rights of
all children in the country.
HUMANITARIAN
RESPONSE PLAN LAUNCHED FOR INDONESIA
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) says the international humanitarian community today launched
a $38 million humanitarian response plan to complement the Indonesian
Government’s efforts in meeting the needs of earthquake-hit communities in
West Sumatra.
The Humanitarian Response Plan targets some of the most
affected areas, including Padang City and Pariaman City, for the next three
months.
Eleven UN agencies, the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) and 18 international NGOs are requesting funds for 74
humanitarian projects.
As international search and rescue teams continued to
depart and an increasing number of humanitarian teams arrive in Padang, the
United Nations Disaster and Assessment Coordination team’s focus has shifted
to humanitarian coordination.
IRAQ: HUMAN
RIGHTS OFFICE WELCOMES RELEASE OF IRANIAN GROUP’S MEMBERS
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
today welcomed the Iraqi Government’s release of 36 members of the People’s
Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, who were detained when Iraqi security
forces forcibly took control of Camp Ashraf at the end of July. Eleven
people were killed and dozens wounded during that operation.
The Office of the High Commissioner added that the
fundamental rights of this refugee camp’s occupants should be respected --
including the right not to be forcibly returned to their home country, Iran,
so long as there is a risk of torture.
Along with the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI),
which had been very active in this case, the Office of the High Commissioner
says it will continue to monitor the situation in Camp Ashraf over the
coming months.
U.N. AGENCY
CALLS ON CONGOLESE REFUGEES IN BURUNDI CAMP NOT TO RETURN HOME JUST YET
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) has
renewed its call to the Congolese refugees formerly residing at the
Gihinga camp in Burundi not to return to their native Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC) just yet.
UNHCR is reacting to an incident yesterday at the
Burundi/DRC border in which some 400 Congolese from the Gihinga camp were
prevented from entering the DRC by immigration officials.
While details remain sketchy, it appears that the 400
Congolese denied entry into their own country are part of a group of
refugees who had earlier refused to move to a new UNHCR camp further into
Burundi. For its part, UNHCR continues to urge them not to leave Burundi as
it fears that neither the Congolese government nor UN agencies would be able
to ensure their safety inside Congo at this time.
Meanwhile, in the DRC proper, a World Food Programme
(WFP) convoy was able to reach the northeastern town of Dungu after a 1,000-
kilometer journey from Uganda through Southern Sudan. The convoy is
delivering food aid to some 160,000 displaced people. The agency thanks the
Government of Southern Sudan for facilitating this operation.
U.N. AGENCY
DISTRIBUTES FOOD IN SOMALIA
The World Food Programme (WFP) has
distributed more than 22,000 tons of food aid to some 1.3 million
Somalis, and that within the past month alone. WFP says it could have made
more food available to vulnerable Somalis but its September requirement for
48,000 tons to feed 3 million people received less than half of the needed
funds, forcing it to cut down rations and the scope of its interventions.
The agency now says that it urgently needs 195 million
dollars to provide food aid to 3.3 million Somalis through April next year.
Asked to react to reports
that the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia is recruiting children
in Kenya to fight the armed Islamist opposition, the Spokesperson said that
this matter is of great concern to the Organization. The UN envoy for
Somalia, Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, is closely following it.
GUINEA: HUMAN
RIGHTS CHIEF CONSIDERING MODELS FOR POSSIBLE PROBE
Regarding the recent violence in Guinea, the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that High Commissioner Navi
Pillay is considering how to assist with an investigation -- and make sure
that it is credible -- in view of the security and political situation on
the ground.
She is concerned about possible risks and harm that may
come to Guineans if an investigation is launched without the necessary
security guarantees for witnesses and those who provide information.
There also needs to be free access throughout the
country, and full independence. Much would depend on the cooperation of the
Guinean authorities who have just announced the creation of their own
Commission of Inquiry, the High Commissioner’s office adds.
For now, Pillay is gathering information on the
incidents through a multitude of sources, in consultation with other parts
of the UN system, and considering various models for a possible probe. She
hopes that an investigation will take place as soon be possible.
In the meantime, her office has a human rights advisor
on the ground in Guinea, who has been there since 2008.
COTE D’IVOIRE:
MISSION DELIVERS FINAL LOAD OF ELECTORAL EQUIPMENT TO CAPITAL
The Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI)
is appealing to Ivorians and other stakeholders in the planned November 29th
election to give electoral technical teams the necessary time to complete
voter lists.
The Mission reiterated its readiness to continue to
provide, within the limits of its mandate, whatever assistance the country
needs to complete this process. Responding to concerns that some 3 million
people have yet to be included on the voter lists, the Mission said that
there is still time to work out the difficulties surrounding this issue. It
also appealed to the authorities to publish as soon as possible the
completed provisional lists.
Meanwhile, the Mission says it has delivered the final
load of electoral equipment to the capital Yamoussoukro just yesterday. The
delivery includes polling booths, ballot boxes and kits.
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative,
Young-jin Choi, will be updating the Security Council next week on recent
progress and outstanding challenges in the UN’s work in Côte d’Ivoire.
LATEST U.N.
CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS RESULT IN MORE CLARITY ON ARCHITECTURE NEEDED FOR ACTION
The latest UN Climate Change negotiations have
resulted in more clarity on the architecture needed for action -- but
decisions on finance and mid-term targets remain outstanding.
That is according to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
which wrapped up today a two-week negotiating session in Bangkok.
Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the Convention,
said that bold leadership must open the roadblocks around the key issues of
reduction targets and finance in order for negotiators to complete their
work. It is time now to step back from self-interest and let the common
interest prevail, he added.
De Boer also said that countries were leaving this
negotiating session with a much clearer idea of the options before them. He
stressed that the willingness they had shown to discuss a concrete climate
action architecture must now be turned into achievable, believable
decisions.
There are now five days of climate change negotiations
left before the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.
The last session will take place from 2 to 6 November,
in Barcelona.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFERENCE
MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AGREES WITH INTERNAL WATCHDOG’S FINDINGS: In response
to questions about a news report on the Department of General Assembly and
Conference Management (DGACM), the Department says that the Office for Internal
Oversight Services (OIOS) evaluation to which the news report refers was carried
out at DGACM's request. The Department says it is largely in agreement with the
findings contained in the report. As stated in the news report, the Department
says it "does not share the pessimistic tone and tenor of the report regarding
the very existence of integrated global management." It says visible progress is
underway. The Department notes improvements, which are mentioned in the OIOS
evaluation on page 7 but which the news report chose to ignore Furthermore, the
Department is currently examining how best to implement the recommendations
contained in the report.
UNITED NATIONS OBSERVES WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY:
Tomorrow will be World Mental Health Day. In a message to mark this occasion,
the Secretary-General says that this day is an important opportunity to mobilize
international resources to meet the goal of providing adequate mental health
care. He adds that the need is high but the care is care is inadequate in
developing countries. The Secretary-General calls for a scaling up of mental
health services and the involvement of primary health care systems in delivering
mental health services worldwide.
UNITED NATIONS OPTIMIZES VACANT SPACE AT HEADQUARTERS:
Asked why carpeting work was being done on the 23rd floor of the Secretariat
building at a time when staff is being relocated out of the building, the
Spokesperson explained that the Organization is optimizing vacant space on that
floor for interim office space or "touch down" accommodations for temporary UN
staff and others who need to be in the Secretariat building, while additional
swing space is in the procurement process or being prepared for staff
relocation. A few offices on the 23rd floor temporarily used by UN staff have
therefore received new carpet tiles. She added that new carpet tiles being laid
down cost the Organization just $500 and will also be used in the future
renovations.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
10 - 16 October 2009
Saturday, 10 October
Today is World Mental Health Day.
Starting today and until 13 October, the Deputy
Secretary-General will be in Brussels. Among other activities, she will launch
the EU-UN Partnership Report on Monday.
Sunday, 11 October
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy, will be
arriving in Singapore today to participate in the opening of the 78th INTERPOL
General Assembly which is dedicated to "The Role of International Policing in
Building Sustainable Peace".
Monday, 12 October
In
Geneva, the Human Rights Committee will hold its ninety-seventh session until 30
October.
Starting
today and until 16 October, the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families will hold its eleventh session in
Geneva.
From 6
p.m. to 8 p.m., the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will sponsor the
opening of a major exhibition on violence against women around the world. The
show, to be attended by the Secretary-General, is also intended to observe the
15th anniversary of the Cairo International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD), and will follow a full-day session of the General Assembly
commemorating the anniversary.
Today and
tomorrow in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization will hold a High-Level
Expert Forum entitled “How to Feed the World in 2050.”
The guest
at the noon briefing will be Janos Pasztor, Director of the
Secretary-General's Climate Change Support Team.
This morning, Ms. Naela GABR, Chairperson of the Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will address the General
Assembly’s Third Committee.
Starting today and until 18 October, the UN Special Rapporteur
on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Ms. Najat
M’jid Maalla (Morocco), will undertake a country visit to the United Arab
Emirate.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Mr. Olivier De
Schutter, will visit Brazil until 18 October.
In Vienna, a two-day International Workshop of National
Counter-Terrorism Focal Points on “Better linking national and global
counter-terrorism efforts” will begin today.
Tuesday, 13 October
This
morning the Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution on the United
Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and on the Panel of experts on
Sudan sanctions. It will then hold consultations on the United Nations Operation
in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI).
Starting
today and until 15 October, Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations,
Alain Le Roy, will be in India to carry out a series of meetings with government
officials and national authorities, as part of an official visit to Troop
Contributing Countries.
From 10
a.m. to 1 p.m., the joint Council of Europe/United Nations study on trafficking
in organs, tissues and cells and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of
the removal of organs will be launched in the Economic and Social Council
Chamber.
Following
the noon briefing, there will be a press conference to launch
Joint Council of Europe/UN Study on Trafficking in
organs, tissues and cells and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of the
removal of organs.
The UN Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Gay
McDougall, will visit Canada until 23 October 2009, at the invitation of the
Government.
Wednesday, 14 October
Today is
the International Day for Disaster Reduction.
The
Security Council will hold a debate on the situation in the Middle East today.
The Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will launch today its 2009 hunger report,
this time jointly produced with the World Food Programme (WFP).
Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special
Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, will
present her report on the protection of children to the Third Committee.
Following that, she will brief the press on the report as the guest at the noon
briefing.
This afternoon, Ms. Yanghee LEE, Chairperson of the
Committee on the Rights of the Child will address the
General Assembly’s Third Committee.
The World Health organization (WHO) and UNICEF will
launch a joint in New York on a new strategy to reduce child deaths from
diarrhea.
Thursday, 15 October
This
afternoon, the Security Council will hold a debate on the United Nations Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK).
Today,
the General Assembly is expected to elect five non-permanent members of the
Security Council.
From
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m, in Conference Room 8, the Office of Internal Oversight
Services (OIOS) and UNU-ONY will organize a high-level panel discussion to
commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of OIOS. The Secretary-General is expected
to make opening remarks.
From 1:15
to 2:45 p.m., in Conference Room 6, there will be a panel discussion on
“Combating the six grave violations against children in armed conflict”
organized by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Children and Armed Conflict.
Friday, 16 October
Today is
World Food Day. The theme this year is “Achieving food security in times of
crisis.”
The United Nations Campaign “Stand up and take action
against poverty” will start today and run through 18 October.
Today, the Security Council will hear a briefing and then
hold consultations on the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC).
At 11.30
a.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by Under-Secretary-General
for Public Information Kiyotaka Akasaka and Eric Falt,
Director of the Outreach Division at the Department of Public Information (DPI).
They will brief on UN4U, a DPI initiative to foster understanding of, and
appreciation for, the work of the UN among youth audiences in New York City
public high schools.
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