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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

 


    BY MICHELE MONTAS,

SPOKESPERSON FOR
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

 

UN HEADQUARTERS,
NEW YORK
 

Monday,
October 12, 2009
 


 BAN KI-MOON DISCUSSES GAZA WAR REPORT WITH
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT

  • In response to
    questions about whether Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had spoken recently
    with the President of the Palestinian Authority, the Spokeswoman confirmed
    that the Secretary-General had a telephone conversation with President
    Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday and discussed issues relating to the Goldstone
    report and the current situation in Jerusalem. 
     

  • During the call, Montas clarified later, the
    Secretary-General affirmed his support for President Abbas and for the
    Palestinian Authority as a credible partner for peace in the Middle East. 
    He also expressed his support for President Abbas’s engagement with Member
    States on a proper process for the consideration of the Goldstone Report.
     

  • She added that President Abbas brought to the
    attention of the Secretary-General a statement by Special Rapporteur
    Richard Falk, to which the PA President took strong exception.
     

  • Asked about the Secretary-General’s opinion of the
    Goldstone report, the Spokeswoman said that he would not express his views
    on the report while the relevant bodies, including the Human Rights Council,
    are seized of the issue. She noted that the Security Council would hold a
    periodic discussion of the Middle East on Wednesday, during which the
    Goldstone report may come up.

 

BAN KI-MOON MEETS WITH U.S.
SENATOR BARBARA BOXER
 

  • Asked about the Secretary-General’s meeting with
    U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer this morning, the Spokeswoman said that the
    Secretary-General and Senator Boxer discussed climate change and violence
    against women.
     

  • On the latter, the Secretary-General said he was
    actively seeking early appointment of a Special Representative who would
    deal with violence against women and the early establishment of a single
    entity dealing with the status of women.
     

  • On climate change, the Secretary-General listened
    to the Senator's update on global warming legislation in the US Congress and
    voiced his hope that progress could be made before the Copenhagen

    climate change summit
    .

     

TOP HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL VISITS STORM-HIT PHILIPPINES

  • The Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief
    Coordinator, John Holmes,

    arrived
    in the Philippines today on a two-day mission to see first-hand
    the strong emergency response to tropical storm Ketsana and typhoon Parma.
     

  • There, he met senior Government representatives, including President Gloria
    Macapagal-Arroyo, and the Humanitarian Country Team. He also visited some of
    the flood-affected areas in Pasig City, where he was able to meet families
    living in evacuation centers as well as others still living in flooded
    areas.
     

  • In his meeting with President Arroyo, Holmes expressed sympathy for 6
    million-plus people who have been affected by the storms, and conveyed his
    condolences to the Government and families of the more than 500 people who
    lost their lives.
     

  • Reiterating that UN agencies are glad to be able to help the Government’s
    relief efforts in this major crisis, Holmes commended the excellent response
    to the disaster by the Government of the Philippines, especially the
    extensive search and rescue operations and quick release of emergency relief
    supplies.
     

  • The UN

    Flash Appeal
    for US$74 million to support government efforts to address
    the humanitarian needs of those affected has so far attracted $14.2 million
    in funding - 19 percent of the total amount requested.
     

WOMEN AND CHILDREN REMAIN AT HIGH RISK IN YEMEN CONFLICT

  • Yesterday, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency
    Relief Coordinator John Holmes concluded his three-day mission to

    Yemen
    .
     

  • He met with President Ali Abdullah Saleh and other senior officials, and
    said that he remains particularly concerned about the people whom we are
    unable to reach, especially those who are trapped in the conflict zones.
    Thousands of civilians in the Sa'ada Governorate in particular face threats
    from violence, increasing food and fuel prices, and limited access to health
    care. The risk of communicable disease outbreaks is rising, since many
    health facilities are not functioning.
     

  • Holmes said, “Civilians are at high risk from the conflict and it is women
    and children, who comprise about 80% of the displaced population, who are
    most vulnerable.” He urged all involved in the conflict to ensure the
    protection of civilians in line with international humanitarian law, to
    allow us to reach those who need assistance, rapidly and without hindrance,
    and to enable civilians to leave insecure areas.
     

  • A $23.7 million

    Flash Appeal
    issued in response to this crisis has received
    approximately $10 million in terms of commitments and pledges since it was
    launched on 2 September. 
     

U.N. MOURNS PEACEKEEPERS KILLED IN HAITI PLANE CRASH

  • Concerning the plane crash in Haiti on Friday in which 11 peacekeepers died,
    the UN Mission in the country will hold a memorial ceremony in their honor
    tomorrow morning. This weekend all the bodies were recovered from the crash
    site—which remains protected by the United Nations.
     

  • The Spokesperson issued a

    statement
    on the plane crash on Friday, and the Security Council also
    issued one over the weekend.
     

AFGHANISTAN ELECTIONS MARRED BY WIDESPREAD FRAUD

  • Kai Eide, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan,
    yesterday spoke to the press about the country’s difficult elections
    process, which, he said, has been marred by widespread fraud.
     

  • He stressed the importance of continuing the process of installing democracy
    in Afghanistan.
     

  • Eide noted that the staff of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA)
    made great efforts and took great risks to collect information on Election
    Day. At the same time, he said, the quality of much of the information that
    was collected had variable reliability and often could not be verified.
     

  • He underscored that all Afghans should be given the chance to vote, and the
    valid votes cast by them, at considerable risk sometimes, should be counted.
     

  • Asked whether Eide agreed with his former deputy,
    Peter Galbraith, that fraud had taken place in Afghanistan, the Spokeswoman
    recalled that Eide had repeatedly mentioned electoral fraud in Afghanistan,
    including in his discussions with the Security Council last month. Where
    Eide and Galbraith differed, she added, was in their approach to how the
    United Nations would deal with the fraud allegations.
     

  • Montas said that Eide believes that the United
    Nations should support the Afghan electoral institutions, and that he had
    made it clear that this is an Afghan process.
     

LACK OF CLARIFY IN IRAQ ELECTION LAW RAISES CONCERNS

  •  Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General’s Special
    Representative for Iraq, today expressed concern that, with 96 days before
    the Iraqi election, there remains no clarity on the election law.
     

  • The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
    believes that significant changes to the institutional set-up in the
    Commission would severely disrupt the ongoing electoral preparations to the
    point that it would not be possible to hold credible elections until a
    considerably later date.
     

  • The UN Mission is optimistic that, with its
    continued and expanded support, the Elections Commission should be able to
    deliver credible election results in January 2010 that will be broadly
    accepted by all political factions and the Iraqi voters.  But to achieve
    this, preparations will need to be accelerated in a number of areas. 
     

  •  At the same time, Melkert once again urged
    the Council of Representatives to clarify the legal framework for the
    elections in the coming week.
     

WOMEN’S ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES REMAINS “MORE A GOAL THAN A
REALITY”

  • The Secretary-General delivered

    remarks
    this morning at the General Assembly’s commemoration of the 15th
    anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development.

     

  • Highlighting the importance of this Conference which took place in Cairo in
    1994, he stressed that it was there that, for the first time, governments
    acknowledged that every person has the right to sexual and reproductive
    health. He noted the progress made in women’s health but said the Cairo
    consensus remains more a goal than a reality.
     

  • The Secretary-General said that to fully carry out the Cairo Programme of
    Action means providing women with reproductive health services, including
    family planning. It means backing poverty-eradication initiatives and it
    means preventing rape during wartime and ending the culture of impunity, he
    added.
     

  • And tonight, the Secretary-General will participate in the opening of a
    major exhibition on violence against women around the world, sponsored by
    the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
    which also commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Cairo International
    Conference on Population and Development.
     

U.N. & INTERPOL SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT ON POLICING COOPERATION

  • The Secretary-General had a video

    message
    this weekend welcoming a new agreement between the United
    Nations and International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
    to enhance policing cooperation in post-conflict areas. Ban Ki-moon called
    the two organizations “natural partners” in boosting security and peace.
     

  • He said that an action plan on global police peacekeeping is essential. And
    he appealed for continued support to help victims of conflict and promote
    greater respect for the rule of law.
     

  • The UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy,
    attended the meeting in Singapore and signed the agreement on behalf of the
    UN. Representatives from some 60 countries at that meeting are also expected
    to endorse a special Declaration setting a roadmap for police to play its
    full role in meeting today's peacekeeping challenges.
     

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES THAW IN TURKEY/ARMENIA RELATIONS

  • Over the weekend, we issued a

    statement
    attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on
    the Armenian-Turkish normalization process.
     

  • In that statement, the Secretary-General welcomes the signing today in
    Zürich of the two protocols aimed at normalizing the relations between
    Armenia and Turkey. This historic decision constitutes a milestone toward
    the establishment of good neighbourly relations and the development of
    bilateral cooperation between both countries. The Secretary-General is
    confident that this development will also contribute to peace, security and
    stability in the South Caucasus.
     

  • The Secretary-General hopes that both protocols will be swiftly ratified by
    the Parliaments of Armenia and Turkey to ensure full normalization of their
    bilateral relations. 
     

 TRAFFICKING IN COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES A THREAT TO WORLD PUBLIC HEALTH

  • The Secretary-General had a

    message
    to the “Call of Cotonou” meeting on the trafficking of
    counterfeit medicines. The message was delivered by Abdoulie Janneh, the
    Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
     

  • In it, the Secretary-General described the trafficking in counterfeit
    medicines a global crime and a threat to international public health.
     

  • He said that counterfeit medical products undermine the credibility of
    health systems, waste resources and diminish confidence in the authorities
    responsible for public safety.
     

  • He noted that developing countries are hit hardest and pledged UN support to
    international agencies, drug and law enforcement bodies, among others, to
    address this problem.
     

SOMALIA JOINT SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETS IN NAIROBI

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for

    Somalia
    , Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, addressed the opening of the Somali
    Joint Security Committee this morning in Nairobi. He urged Somali leaders to
    continue their commitment to dialogue and working together more closely to
    achieve peace and stability.
     

  • He stressed the need for a professional and well-organized security force to
    be established by August 2011, the end of the transitional government’s
    mandate.
     

  • He also urged the International Community working in Nairobi to remain
    focused on key priorities including security, humanitarian assistance, human
    rights as well as development, particularly job creation. He also paid
    special tribute to the African Union Mission in Somalia for his courageous
    work under adverse conditions. “The courage of the AMISOM troops and their
    heroic conduct will never be fully appreciated at their true value,” he
    said.
     

 TIMOR-LESTE’S PROGRESS AND STABILITY STILL FRAGILE

  • The Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council on the United Nations
    Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste is out on the racks today.
     

  • The Secretary-General stressed that progress and stability in the country
    remain fragile. He commended the efforts of President José Ramos-Horta to
    promote continued dialogue across the political spectrum and among all
    segments of society. And he reiterated that his good offices will continue
    efforts to promote constructive political dialogue and a united effort among
    all political actors on important national issues.


  • The Secretary-General said he believed that the present strength and
    composition of

    UNMIT
    formed police units should be maintained, especially given that
    the national police special units are undergoing the organizational reforms
    required under the new national police organic law.

 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION MUST IMPROVE TO FEED GROWING WORLD POPULATION:
Agriculture production must improve to feed a much larger world population while
responding to the daunting environmental challenges ahead. That was the message
delivered today by Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) at the

opening
of a two-day High-Level Expert Forum on How to Feed the World in
2050. He noted that the combined effect of population growth, strong income
growth and urbanization is expected to result in almost the doubling of demand
for food, feed and fibre. According to the FAO, world population is projected to
rise to 9.1 billion in 2050 from a current 6.7 billion, requiring a 70-percent
increase in farm production. The two-day Forum starting today will contribute to
the debate and outcome of the World Summit on Food Security scheduled at FAO
headquarters in Rome, on November 16-18.

 

INFORMAL EMPLOYMENT CURBS TRADE BENEFITS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
Informal employment in the developing world curbs countries’ ability to benefit
from trade. That’s according to a new joint study from the International Labour
Organization (ILO)
and the World Trade Organization (WTO). It

notes
that although trade has contributed to growth and development
worldwide, this has not automatically translated in an improvement in the
quality of employment. The study says that trade opening needs proper domestic
policies to create good jobs. It adds that the high incidence of informal
employment in the developing world suppresses countries' ability to benefit from
trade opening by creating poverty traps for workers in job transition.
 

UNICEF APPOINTS ACTOR ORLANDO BLOOM GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: Actor Orlando
Bloom was

appointed
a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador today, in recognition of his
commitment to the rights of children around the world. Bloom has already seen
the work UNICEF is doing in Nepal, Russia, and Sarajevo. He has said he wants to
be an active Ambassador for the children’s organization. The actor follows in
the footsteps of other actors and celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Roger
Moore, David Beckham and Mia Farrow.
 

U.N. IS MONITORING REPORTS OF NEW NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH:
Asked about reported missile tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK), the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations is aware of the media
reports and is closely monitoring the situation. She expressed the hope that all
countries, including the DPRK, would refrain from actions that might contribute
to heightening security tensions in the region.

 

 

**The guest at the noon briefing today was Janos
Pasztor, Director of the Secretary-General's Climate Change Support Team.

 

 

 

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