HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ
ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Friday, October
23, 2009
BAN KI-MOON TO
HIGHLIGHT ROLE OF PEACEKEEPING AT U.N. DAY CONCERT
Tonight, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will open the
UN Day Concert “A Tribute to Peacekeeping.”
In his remarks, he will salute the more than 115,000
men and women dedicated to bringing stability to the most troubled parts of
our world. He will also highlight the work they do behind the scenes that
help create the conditions for stability and peace.
Our peacekeepers are among the best “ambassadors” we
have, he will add.
HEAD OF U.N.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS WRAPS UP FIVE-NATION AFRICA TRIP
The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B.
Lynn Pascoe is in Kenya today wrapping up a five-nation trip to eastern and
southern Africa, focusing on UN-regional cooperation and a number of
regional hotspots including Somalia.
While in Nairobi today, Pascoe and the Somali Prime
Minister chaired a meeting of the High-Level Committee overseeing
implementation of the Djibouti peace agreements. Pascoe called for an urgent
increase in international support for Somalia, saying “Now is the time to
move to action, not the time to talk. This is an excellent opportunity to
turn around the terrible situation of the last 18 years in Somalia.”
Speaking to reporters afterward, Pascoe said that the
UN Security council was unanimously behind the Transitional Federal
Government and confident that the TFG was moving forward.
Pascoe also met today with Kenyan President Mwai Kbaki.
He underscored the importance of peace and stability in Kenya for the
broader region, and discussed particular issues such as constitutional
reforms, the electoral process and the cross-border movement of Somali
refugees.
During previous stops in Uganda and Burundi, Pascoe
expressed strong appreciation for the commitment and sacrifice of those
nations who are deploying troops to AMISOM. His mission also took him to
South Africa and Angola.
Asked about reports of killings allegedly committed by
AMISOM soldiers, the Spokesperson noted that the United Nations does not
have a presence on the ground that would allow it to verify such reports.
UGANDA:
HUMANITARIAN CHIEF STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
The UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator today
stressed the importance of disaster risk reduction to deal with climate
change.
This observation was made by John Holmes, who is also
the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, when he traveled to
Uganda’s northeastern Karamoja region, which epitomises the complex
intersection between climate change and humanitarian and development crises.
The semi-arid Karamoja region, where the majority of
the population follow a pastoralist or agro-pastoralist lifestyle, is one of
the most under-developed and politically marginalised parts of Uganda.
Whereas droughts used to occur every ten years or so,
narrowing to every five years over the past 20 years, there have now been
four consecutive years of drought and/or poor rainfalls.
In January 2009, the World Food Programme (WFP), which
has been operating in the region for over 40 years, launched an emergency
operation to provide food to more than 970,000 people, or approximately 90
per cent of the population.
FACT-FINDING
MISSION NEEDED IN SRI LANKA
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
today
reiterated its belief that something similar to Justice Goldstone’s Gaza
Fact-Finding Mission is also needed for Sri Lanka – given the widespread
concerns about the conduct of the recent war there.
The Office said it is still deeply concerned that some
250,000 displaced people are living in what are basically internment camps.
It said it hopes that the Sri Lankan Government will soon take serious
actions to fulfill its commitments to open up and properly deal with the
displaced and other war victims – as well as address underlying problems
related to anti-Tamil discrimination.
Also on Sri Lanka, the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it is on the ground and in the
process of distributing aid items to returnees. UNHCR is also carrying out a
needs assessment and is engaged in protection monitoring in the areas of
return.
Asked whether Sri Lankan soldiers who may have been
responsible for human rights violations would be admitted into UN
peacekeeping operations, the Spokesperson said that it is the responsibility
of countries that contribute troops to the United Nations that none of the
soldiers they send to UN peace operations are guilty of such violations.
BAN
KI-MOON DISCUSSES GAZA, HUMANITARIAN AND OTHER ISSUES WITH SENIOR ISRAELI
OFFICIALS
In response to a question, the Spokesperson confirmed
that the Secretary-General spoke by telephone to Israeli Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman on 22 October. On the report of the fact-finding mission
headed by Justice Richard Goldstone, the Secretary-General emphasized the
importance he attaches to addressing the issues of justice and
accountability ever since his visit to Gaza last January. He reiterated his
call for credible domestic investigations by all parties into any
allegations of serious human rights violations committed during the
conflict, Haq said.
The Spokesperson added, in response to questions, that
the Secretary-General met today with Israeli Vice Prime Minister Silvan
Shalom. They discussed a broad range of issues of mutual interest, including
Iran's nuclear programme, Lebanon and resolution 1701, the UN's Gaza
reconstruction proposal, the Goldstone report, and the Board of Inquiry
headed by Ian Martin. On the humanitarian front, the Secretary-General asked
for a positive response by Israel to the UN's Gaza reconstruction proposal,
and expressed his serious concern at the adverse impact that further delay
would cause.
Asked about Israeli settlements, Haq added that the
Secretary-General has frequently expressed his concerns on settlements to
Israeli officials.
SECURITY
COUNCIL DISCUSSES LONG-TERM PATH FOR TIMOR-LESTE
The
Security Council this morning received a briefing on the work of the UN
Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)
from the head of that Mission, Atul Khare, who noted the successful holding
of elections for community authorities earlier this month. Provisional
results indicate that some two-thirds of registered voters cast ballots in
those elections.
In his final briefing to the Security Council, Khare
said that, in the long term, the touchstone for success in Timor-Leste is
not whether or not crises occur, but how future crises are met and resolved.
The future presence and role of the international security forces needs to
be carefully taken into account in planning any modification of the
composition and strength of the UN Mission, he added.
REFUGEE
AGENCY WELCOMES NEW LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED IN AFRICA
The UN Refugee Agency and the High Commissioner for
Human Rights have welcomed the adoption today by the African Union of a
Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) in Africa.
UNHCR
says that this instrument is a groundbreaking legal framework that for
the first time codifies the rights of people displaced within their own
countries.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay,
said that the new treaty marks a significant step forward in filling the
vacuum that has traditionally been the lot of internally displaced people.
She added that until now, internally displaced people have been more or less
excluded from the system of international legal protection, even though they
are often displaced in exactly the same way, and for exactly the same
reasons, as refugees. At least in Africa, that should no longer be the case,
she said.
There are 11,6 million internally displaced people in
Africa, about 45 percent of the world’s total IDPs, according to UNHCR.
YEMEN: AS
DISPLACEMENT CONTINUES, U.N. VOICES CONCERN OVER SECURITY
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
says that displaced families from embattled Sa'ada province in northern
Yemen are continuing to arrive in Al Mazrak camp, which now houses an
estimated 8,000 internally displaced people. On average, 10 to 15 new
families arrive at Al Mazrak camp every day, the Agency says, with another
11,000 IDPs being sheltered by host families and communities in this part of
Yemen.
The security situation surrounding the
IDP camp in Khaiwan in Amran governorate remains of serious concern to
UNHCR. After a number of incidents, the Refugee Agency has requested the
Yemeni Government to reconsider further development of the site and not to
move the newly displaced persons there.
The United Nations continues to appeal
to the parties in the conflict to allow access for aid and assistance to
reach those in need in their places of displacement. An estimated 150,000
people have been affected by fighting in Yemen since 2004.
IRAQI
ASYLUM SEEKERS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED OUT OF EUROPE
The UN refugee agency is
concerned about the fact that some European states have begun forcibly
returning Iraqi originating from the region of Central Iraq over the last
few months.
According to UNHCR, in view of the serious human rights
violations and continuing security incidents throughout Iraq, most
predominantly in the central governorates, asylum-seekers from these
governorates should be considered to be in need of international protection.
UNHCR therefore advises against involuntary returns to
Iraq of persons originating from Central Iraq until there is a substantial
improvement in the security and human rights situation in the country.
PAKISTAN: U.N.
AGENCIES PREPARE FOR MORE DISPLACEMENT
According to the Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
civilians continue to flee South Waziristan, in northwestern
Pakistan, following the intensification of the ongoing military
operations there. OCHA says that local authorities have registered some
19,000 displaced families (approximately 139,400 people) in the Districts of
Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.
UN agencies and their
humanitarian partner organizations have assisted the first wave of displaced
persons from South Waziristan with emergency interventions, such as food,
household and hygiene supplies, water supplies, and vaccination campaigns.
We have also provided support to the registration exercise.
The planning figure for IDPs
who could eventually leave South Waziristan is a total of 250,000 civilians.
To respond to that probable caseload, preparations have been underway for
some time now, and relief items are pre-positioned in the area.
NEPAL-BASED
MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL VISIT U.N. MISSION IN THE COUNTRY
Karin Landgren, the Secretary-General’s Representative
for Nepal, today hosted and briefed the Nepal-based members of the Security
Council on their first collective visit since the establishment of the UN
Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)
in January 2007.
Today, Council members reviewed examples of how UNMIN
conducts the monitoring of the weapons stored by the Nepal Army in Chhauni
Barracks, and the Maoist army in Main Cantonment Site One, in containers
that are kept under electronic and live surveillance.
Landgren said that the presence of weapons containers
and arms monitors reflects the unfinished business of the peace process. The
UN Mission calls on the parties to make strengthened and sincere efforts to
create the conditions for the Mission to complete its work and for Nepal's
peace process to usher in a stable, just and prosperous future for its
people.
WINNERS OF THE
“CITIZENS AMBASSADORS OF THE U.N.” ANNOUNCED
The Department of Public Information has announced the
five winners of its video contest entitled “Citizen Ambassadors to the
United Nations”, which invited the public to engage with world leaders by
uploading video messages on the United Nations YouTube channel. Online users
were asked to upload their video messages on how to make the world a
“better, safer place.”
The final five winners were selected on 13 October by a
panel of representatives from the Department of Public Information and other
UN departments. They come from Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the USA.
They have been designated “Citizen Ambassadors,” and
are visiting United Nations HQ in New York today. They are also meeting with
the Secretary-General and will go to the UN Day Concert tonight. All five
videos can be seen
online.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
ISSUE OF RWANDA JUDICIAL ARCHIVES TO BE DECIDED BY
SECURITY COUNCIL: In response to a question yesterday, about the Deputy
Secretary-General’s visit to Rwanda, we can confirm that the
matter of the archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was
indeed raised during the Deputy Secretary-General’s visit. The United Nations is
the legal owner of the archives. However, the United Nations is fully aware of
the memorial value of the archives for Rwanda. This, as well as the issue
concerning the residual cases at the Tribunal, is an issue before the Security
Council, and the Council's decision would be required.
U.N. INVESTIGATING INCIDENT AT HEADQUARTERS:
Regarding the incident involving someone impersonating
Colonel Sanders yesterday, we are looking into all aspects of that incident and
examining how to respond. The UN would like to reiterate that it is
inappropriate to use its name or emblem for commercial purposes.
I.A.E.A. AWAITS REPLY ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
PROPOSAL: Asked about talks underway in Vienna concerning Iran’s nuclear
programme, the Spokesperson said that the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) was awaiting a reply from the concerned nations to proposals that they
had received from Director General Mohamed ElBaradei. The Secretary-General is
monitoring the situation and would respond accordingly once replies are
received.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday, 24 October
Today is UN Day.
The annual observance of Disarmament Week starts today.
Starting to day and until 4 November, the Special
Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and
consequences, Gulnara Shahinian, will visit Mauritania, at the invitation of the
Government.
Sunday, 25 October
Starting
today, the Secretary will be in Seattle on a two-day where he will engage with
local leaders, the private sector, civil society and the local community to
discuss the work of the United Nations to address global challenges,
particularly climate change as well as environmental and economic
sustainability.
The world
premiere of the Walt Disney’s animated film “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure”
will take place at 3:00pm., in the Trusteeship Council Chamber.
Monday, 26 October
Today,
the Security Council will hold an open debate on Peace and Security in Africa.
At 11.15
a.m. in Room-S226, Carolyn Hannan from the Division
for the Advancement of Women, Naila Kabeer from the Institute of Development
Studies (UK) and James Heintz from the Political Economy Research Institute at
the University of Massachusetts will launch the 2009 World Survey on the
Role of Women in Development
From 1.15
to 2.30 p.m. in Conference Room 2, a panel discussion will take place on the
occasion of the launch of the 2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in
Development: Women’s control over economic resources and access to financial
resources, including microfinance.
The guest
at the noon briefing will be Janos Pasztor, Director
of the Secretary-General's Climate Change Support Team. He will provide an
update on the climate change negotiations leading up to Copenhagen.
In Paris,
the Conference of States Parties to the International Convention against Doping
in Sport will take place at UNESCO Headquarters until 28 October.
At 1:15 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference
Martin Scheinin, UN Special Rapporteur on the
promotion and protection of human rights while countering
terrorism.
Tuesday, 27 October
This
morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on the 1559 report and on
Cote d’Ivoire sanctions.
Today is
World Day for Audio-visual Heritage.
The guest at the noon briefing will be
Walter Kaelin, Representative of the Secretary-General
on the human rights of
internally displaced persons.
From 1.15
to 2.30 p.m. in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, a panel discussion and
screening of the film “Pray the devil back to hell” will mark the ninth
anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on “Women
and peace and security.” The event is co-organized by the United States Mission
and the Permanent Mission of Liberia.
At 1.15 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by
Philip Alston, UN
Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or
arbitrary executions.
At 2 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by Ambassador Thomas
Mayr-
Harting, Permanent Representative of Austria and Chairman of the 1267 committee,
and
Richard Barrett, Coordinator of the Monitoring Team of the 1267 Committee.
Wednesday, 28 October
The
Secretary-General will hold his monthly press conference at 10.30 a.m. in
Room-S226.
This
morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on the United Nations
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
Starting
today, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, will be in Zimbabwe until 4
November, at the invitation of the Government.
At 12.10
p.m., John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will brief
on his recent trip to Yemen, the Philippines, Indonesia and Uganda.
Thursday, 29 October
Today, the Security Council will hear a briefing on the
International Court of Justice and is expected to adopt a resolution on Côte
d’Ivoire sanctions.
A special event on “Food and economic crises in
post-conflict countries” will be co-organized by the Economic and Social Council
and the Peacebuilding Commission, in partnership with the World Food Programme,
from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the Economic and Social Council Chamber.
Friday, 30 October
There are no major events scheduled for today.
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