Noon briefing of 4 November 2009

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES GOVERNMENTS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES ON MIGRATION

• In Athens, the Secretary-General today addressed the Third Meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, and he called for policies on migration to be founded on evidence, not fuelled by prejudice.
  

• He warned that the conditions in which many migrants move and live continue to be treacherous. He spelled out three major challenges facing migrants worldwide. First, on the economic front, the global recession has highlighted the vulnerability of migrants, particularly recent migrants. Second, on climate change, he said that the effects of global warming will be far-reaching and could prompt further migration. And third, he said that we must devote special attention to the most vulnerable migrants of all: victims of human trafficking, especially women and girls. Human trafficking injures, traumatizes and kills, the Secretary-General said.
  

• He also made remarks to the press after his speech at the Forum, where he stressed the need to deepen our common values of inclusion, social acceptance and understanding.
  

• The Secretary-General met later with George Papandreou, who is the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Greece. He told reporters afterward that they discussed, among other things, climate change, migration and development, Cyprus, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, UN peacekeeping operations and reform, piracy and the Millennium Development Goals.
  

• On Cyprus, the Secretary-General said he told the Prime Minister that he appreciates his commitment to help Cypriots achieve a settlement. He added, “I believe the talks are making reasonably good progress, and this momentum must be kept up.”
  

• The Secretary-General also attended a luncheon hosted by Greek President Karolos Papoulias. On Thursday, he is scheduled to address the Greek Parliament on the United Nations and renewed multilateralism in the 21st century.

GREECE/F.Y.R.O.M.: U.N. ENVOY IN TOUCH WITH PARTIES TO SET UP MEETING ON NAME DISPUTE

• During the Secretary-General’s press encounter today with the Greek Prime Minister, he noted that his Personal Envoy for the talks between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Matthew Nimetz, is set to restart discussions on the name issue, as soon as both parties are ready.
  

• The Secretary-General said he was encouraged that the Greek Prime Minister had told him that Greece is ready and will fully support Nimetz’s ongoing facilitation role.
  

• In that regard, Nimetz reports that he is in touch with the parties and has proposed to them the holding of meetings, either joint or separate, in New York at a time to be determined.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISMAYED AT CONTINUED ISRAELI ACTIONS IN OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM

• In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Secretary-General said he was dismayed at continued Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem, including the demolition of Palestinian homes, the eviction of Palestinian families and the insertion of settlers into Palestinian neighbourhoods. The eviction of a Palestinian family in East Jerusalem is just the most recent incident, said the Secretary-General.
  

• These actions stoke tensions, cause suffering and further undermine trust. He calls on Israel to cease such provocative actions. He further reiterates his call on Israel to implement its Road Map commitments by freezing all settlement activity, including natural growth; dismantling outposts; and reopening Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem.

AFGHANISTAN: U.N. REVIEWING SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS

• Asked about security arrangements for UN staff in Afghanistan, the Spokeswoman noted that this was a concern that was raised by the Secretary-General when he met on Monday in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
  

• The UN Mission in Afghanistan has been reviewing the security arrangements, notably in Kabul but not limited to it, with a view to enhancing immediately the security of all UN premises and guest houses, she said.
  

• Montas said that meetings with the Afghan authorities have been held, including by the Secretary-General, and we have requested more security forces to protect the UN. All 93 guest houses in Kabul have been surveyed after the attack of 28 October in order to consolidate the number of guest houses and reduce the risks. Some staff have been already relocated to other safer guest houses, she said. The number of guest houses being used will be significantly decreased.
  

• She added that UN staff has not been evacuated from Afghanistan, but staff who specifically came to support the elections are leaving or have left.
  

• Asked about budget expenses for additional security costs, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations is analyzing risk factors in a number of duty stations, not simply those in Afghanistan, and is making requests about the budget accordingly.
  

• Asked about recent remarks made by the Secretary-General regarding the elections in Afghanistan, the Spokeswoman noted that he called on the President to form an inclusive Government and to deal with corruption.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN DISARMAMENT DRIVE IN SOUTH SUDAN

• Significant progress is being made in the UN-backed disarmament drive in south Sudan but much remains to be done still. That assessment was made by the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, in remarks to members of the Roundtable Partnership on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration.
  

• Qazi said that several assembly sites for former combatants have been set up and many more are planned. He added that other areas of southern Sudan are being considered for an expansion of the disarmament effort.
  

• Qazi, however, noted that an enduring funding shortfall at UNICEF was threatening to upset recent gains in the demobilization of child soldiers. The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) says that 15,000 former combatants have been now disarmed and demobilized. Overall, the programme is aiming to demobilize and reintegrate into civilian life some 180,000 members of the Sudanese forces and the South Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
  

• The Roundtable Partnership on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration brings together UN and Sudanese officials, as well as members of the international community.

W.F.P. DELIVERS FOOD ASSISTANCE BY AIR TO SOUTH SUDAN

• The World Food Programme (WFP) is continuing air drops of food assistance into Southern Sudan in a fresh effort to feed thousands of people cut off by current rains in areas hit by conflict, high food prices and poor harvests because of drought.
  

• The airdrops, which began last Thursday, will benefit 155,600 people in three of Southern Sudan’s 10 states and will continue for two and a half months.
  

• Many roads are in bad condition and cannot be used during the April to December rainy season. Increased tribal fighting has also blocked road and river access to some areas.
  

• These are the first air drops by WFP into Southern Sudan since 2007. Specially trained teams will be ready to collect the food from the drop zone and organize distributions.

PHILIPPINES: U.N. AIMS TO REACH 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED BY STORMS

• In the Philippines, the United Nations continues its efforts to assist recovery in the aftermath of Typhoon Mirinae and a series of storms that battered the archipelago, which was still in recovery mode following the effects of Typhoons Ketsana and Parma.
  

• The World Food Programme (WFP) has revised its estimates of emergency and early recovery needs, and is asking for an additional 44,000 metric tonnes of food to assist survivors of the typhoons through March 2010.
  

• WFP plans to reach 1.5 million affected people, including assistance to 100,000 of the poorest farmers and their families, who lost their entire rice harvest.
  

• To reach the most vulnerable children between 23 months and 6 years, WFP is preparing to establish a supplementary feeding programme in coordination with the National Nutrition Council.
  

• As of 2 November, the Philippines Flash Appeal 2009 is funded at 35 percent, or $25 million, of the requested $74 million. A Flash Appeal revision is ongoing.

U.N. ASSESSES HUMANITARIAN NEED IN VIET NAM AFTER HEAVY RAINS

• Tropical Storm Mirinae also affected parts of Viet Nam, bringing on heavy rains, particularly Binh Dinh province. There was also a risk of floods, flashfloods and landslides in Quang Nam, Ninh Thuan and Gia Lai provinces.
  

• Initial reports from the UN Country Team suggest that 87 people have been killed, 74 people have been injured and 23 people gone missing after Tropical Storm Mirinae. These are just preliminary figures, which will be updated.
  

• The United Nations Country Team remains in close contact with the Government of Viet Nam concerning the humanitarian situation and response.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL ENDS VISIT TO LEBANON, HEADS TO ETHIOPIA

• Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro is in Addis Ababa, where she arrived earlier today from Beirut. While in Lebanon on Tuesday, she met with President Michel Sleiman and with regional coordinators of UN programmes. She also addressed the meeting of the Regional Coordination Mechanism.
  

• In her remarks, she noted that the UN is setting up the Global Impact Vulnerability Alert System (GIVAS) to provide real-time data and analysis on how regional crises are affecting the poorest and most vulnerable. She invited regional governments to work with the UN toward an effective and efficient early warning system.
  

• She also appealed to local and UN officials to remain engaged in the Middle East efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals, which can be compromised by poor responses to crises.

MEETING HELD IN GALI ON INCIDENT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

• The United Nations on Tuesday chaired the eighth meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM). The purpose of this mechanism is to bring together the Georgians, Abkhaz, and Russians, as well as representatives from the UN and European Union, on a periodic basis, to discuss security matters.
  

• The Tuesday meeting took place in the town of Gali. Among other things, the movement of the local population between the Gali and Zugdidi districts, including by public transport, was discussed. Participants exchanged views and information on crossing procedures and requirements. They agreed that civilians needing medical assistance should be given unhindered passage for treatment.
  

• The next meeting, also to be held in Gali, will take place on 17 November.

U.N. LAUNCHES NEW POST-CONFLICT EMPLOYMENT POLICY

• A new policy for sustainable employment in post-conflict situations is being launched today in Geneva.
  

• The United Nations Policy for Post-Conflict Employment Creation, Income Generation and Reintegration aims to contribute to lasting peace in volatile post-conflict settings, through gainful employment and steady incomes.
  

• It follows a three-year consultation and drafting process, led by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The policy will be implemented in five initial countries emerging from conflict: Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.

HEAD OF U.N.D.P. DISCUSSES MDGs, CLIMATE CHANGE DURING VISIT TO CHILE

• UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark today addressed the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Santiago, Chile.
  

• She said that persistent gender inequality worldwide is hampering efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. She also stressed the need to address development and climate issues together.
  

• Clark met Tuesday with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in Santiago, where the two discussed the upcoming climate talks in Copenhagen in December. They also spoke about the progress that Chile and other Latin American countries are making towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS: Asked about the involvement of people of faith in UN work, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General spoke at Windsor Castle on Tuesday because he believes that it is important to be in touch with faith-based organizations on crucial issues like climate change. He will continue to reach out to them, as well as to other non-governmental organizations.

POLITICAL COMMITMENT NEEDED IN COPENHAGEN: Asked whether the Secretary-General no longer expects an agreement on climate change in Copenhagen, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations remains hopeful about progress on some key issues at the Copenhagen meeting and will continue to press for that. “A lot can be achieved in Copenhagen,” she said. She added that, if a legally-binding agreement cannot be obtained in time for that meeting, it is important to reach a strong political commitment in Copenhagen.

SCREENING OF DOCUMENTARY “HOME”: On Thursday at 6:00 pm, in Conference room 4, there will be a special screening of HOME, a documentary film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the filmmaker known for his "Earth From Above" books. HOME, which shows spectacular aerial views from more than 50 countries, highlights the diversity of life on Earth and how humans are threatening the ecological balance of the planet.

NO NOON BRIEFING ON 20 NOVEMBER: The Spokeswoman, in response to a question, said that her staff would move offices, in accordance with the Capital Master Plan, on 20 November, and would not hold a press briefing that day.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

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New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055