HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ
ASSOCIATE
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Wednesday, November
25, 2009
U.N.
Headquarters will be closed Thursday 26 November and Friday 27 November in
observance of Thanksgiving and Eid al-Adha.
SECRETARY-GENERAL TO URGE COMMONWEALTH LEADERS TO REACH AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE
CHANGE
The Secretary-General is traveling tomorrow to Trinidad
and Tobago, for this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
During his three-day trip, the Secretary-General is
expected to urge the leaders to attend next month’s Climate Change Summit in
Copenhagen and seal a deal. He is also expected to urge the leaders to stay
focused and committed to reach agreement in Copenhagen that is ambitious,
equitable, and satisfies the demands of science.
The world cannot afford to fail in Copenhagen because
the costs are simply too great, the Secretary-General will urge the leaders.
Failure to seal a deal could result in increased human suffering, higher
economic losses, opportunities squandered in terms of productivity, global
competitiveness and political stability.
The Secretary-General will also engage in bilateral
talks with a number of leaders on matters of mutual interest. He and his
delegation are expected back in New York on Sunday.
AS U.S.
PRESIDENT CONFIRMS PRESENCE IN COPENHAGEN, SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES BUILDING
OF MOMENTUM
In response to a question, the Spokesperson said
that the Secretary-General welcomes the announcement that President Barack
Obama of the United States will attend the UN Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen this December.
As more and more heads of State and Government
confirm their attendance, momentum is building for a successful conclusion
to this crucial world gathering, he added. At Copenhagen, an agreement can
and must be reached to set the world on a new course that will ensure a
healthy planet, a robust and sustainable economy, and a brighter future for
all.
Haq noted that the
Secretary-General would also encourage world leaders to attend the
Copenhagen Conference during his visit to the Commonwealth meeting in
Trinidad in the coming days.
SECURITY
COUNCIL DISCUSSES WORK OF ITS D.R. CONGO SANCTIONS COMMITTEE
The
Security Council this morning discussed the work of its
sanctions committee dealing with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It was briefed on the committee’s work by its chairman, Ambassador Fazli
Corman of Turkey.
The Council then went on to an open meeting to discuss
the work of the Peacebuilding Commission.
U.N. SUPPORTS DISCHARGE PROGRAMME FOR FORMER COMBATANTS IN DARFUR
More than 300 former
combatants in Darfur, including women and disabled persons, have
participated in a three-day discharge programme organized in El Fasher, by
the Government of Sudan with some support from the African Union – United
Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur, (UNAMID).
The programme is expected to
be extended to other parts of Darfur, targeting a total of 5,000 former
combatants affiliated with signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)
who were disarmed in July 2008 when they formally surrendered their weapons
to the Government of Sudan.
The Government of Sudan is
providing cash payments of 400 Sudanese Pounds (USD 150) for each
participant, to be followed by food vouchers and other services after two
months.
UNAMID is offering
logistical support to the exercise, including security, transport and health
services.
The Mission’s contribution
will help the government in its efforts to strengthen the peace process and
improve the overall security situation across the region.
Beneficiaries of the
just-ended programme in El Fasher include members of the Sudanese Armed
Forces, People’s Defence Forces, and the Sudan Liberation Army/Mother Wing.
U.N. WARNS OF EFFECT OF CYCLONE SEASON IN MADAGASCAR
United Nations agencies in Madagascar are
raising concern over the approaching cyclone season that could seriously
affect the lives of up to 600,000 people.
Weather forecasts indicate that the country could be
hit by at least four intense cyclones during the coming season, with
potential risks to the lives and livelihoods of many people and possible
large scale damage to infrastructure.
The humanitarian community in Madagascar is therefore
urgently appealing for $6 million dollars to prepare assistance for people
in the most vulnerable regions of the country. Agencies want to pre-position
urgent supplies such as tarpaulins, medicines, water purification tablets
and health, school and recreational kits.
WOMEN AND
CHILDREN FACE WORSENING SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE
UNICEF together with the Government of Zimbabwe today
released new social development data which revealed a worsening
situation for women and children in Zimbabwe.
The Multiple Indicator and Monitoring Survey (MIMS),
which was conducted in May 2009, reported a deterioration in access to many
key social services for women and children, particularly for the poorest
populations and in rural areas.
According to the UNICEF Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr
Peter Salama, everyday in Zimbabwe, 100 children below five years of age are
dying of mostly preventable diseases. Major causes of death of children
under 5 are HIV/AIDS, newborn disorders, pneumonia and diarrhoea.
The survey also showed startling data that 1 in 2
pregnant women in rural areas were now delivering at home. The new findings
confirm the result of previous research indicating that user fees and other
financial barriers are limiting women’s access to life-saving obstetric
services.
PHILIPPINES:
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION STILL CRITICAL AFTER TYPHOONS
In the
Philippines, humanitarian situation is still critical for people
displaced by the typhoons and those who are still living in submerged
villages and in areas made inaccessible by landslides.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
says the total number of completely destroyed homes is at 46,000, while
261,000 homes are partially damaged.
As of 16 November, nearly 79,000 families, or more than
382,000 individuals, were still living in flooded areas in 871 villages.
The key humanitarian concern is access to safe water,
sanitation facilities and hygiene items in the relocation camps and in
residential areas affected by the floods.
The final report from the World Food Programme’s
Emergency Food Security Assessment, which was concluded on 20 November, will
be available by the end of this month. The preliminary results are currently
being incorporated into the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment led by the World
Bank.
Meanwhile, WFP plans to distribute rice and high-energy
biscuits in six regions for the month of November and preparation for WFP’s
supplementary feeding programme is underway. From January, some 50,000
children between 6 and 24 months will receive a monthly take-home ration of
fortified blended food, sugar and oil.
According to OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service, as of
24 November the Revised Philippines Flash Appeal 2009 is 22 percent funded,
having received US $30.95 million of the revised request for $143.77
million.
FOOD ASSISTANCE
IS SCALED UP AFTER VIOLENT CLASHES IN D.R. CONGO
The World Food Programme is
scaling up its deliveries of food assistance to northwestern Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC) and to the neighbouring Republic of Congo. WFP
aims to feed tens of thousands of Congolese people displaced by a recent
upsurge of violence in and around Dongo village in the DRC’s Equateur
province.
WFP says that more than 38,000 Congolese fled the
violent clashes in the DRC last month and crossed the river into the
Republic of Congo. Some 14,000 people are also estimated to be internally
displaced inside the DRC.
United Nations assessment missions on both sides of the
river underline the need for food assistance for people, mainly women and
children, who have been on the run for several weeks now.
In the DRC, WFP is currently assessing exact needs in
localities around Dongo and is planning to start food distributions in the
second week of December with stocks already in country.
In the Republic of Congo, a total of 23 trucks carrying
455 metric tons of WFP food have arrived, as well as 8,000 litres of fuel to
facilitate humanitarian assistance.
U.N. MISSION IN D.R. CONGO
TAKES ALL ALLEGATIONS OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS SERIOUSLY
Asked about allegations of human rights violations by
the Congolese Armed Forces in a forthcoming report by the group of experts
dealing with sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the
Spokesperson said declined to comment on the specific contents of a
report by an independent group of experts that has
yet to be published.
He reiterated that Operation
Kimia II's objective is to rid the DRC of the threat posed by the FDLR and
in that, it has achieved significant advances. The FDLR has not yet been
completely neutralized or defeated, Haq said, but its strike capacity has
been severely weakened. The operations are continuing and are expected to
move into a new phase in December.
Asked about support by the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC)
in light of the alleged violations by the Congolese Armed Forces, the
Spokesperson stated unequivocally that human rights abuses committed by
elements of those forces are unacceptable. The United Nations takes the
matter very seriously.
That is why, he said, on 1 November, during his visit
to the country, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le
Roy announced the suspension of MONUC’s support to a unit of the 213th
brigade of the Congolese Armed Forces, following a joint investigation by
MONUC and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that
implicated the unit in targeted killings. MONUC and the Armed Forces are now
launching a joint investigation into that incident.
Haq said that this measure sends a clear message that,
consistent with its mandate, and in keeping with the Secretary-General’s
policy, MONUC will not support operations by the Congolese Armed Forces if
the units involved in those operations commit violations of international
humanitarian law, human rights or refugee law.
NEW
INTERNATIONAL TREATY WILL CLOSE PORTS TO SHIPS INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL FISHING
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has
approved a new treaty that aims to close ports to ships involved in
illegal fishing.
According to FAO, this will be the first ever legally
binding international treaty focused specifically on illegal, unreported and
unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The agreement will enter into force once 25 countries
have ratified it. Eleven FAO members—Angola, Brazil, Chile, the European
Commission, Indonesia, Iceland, Norway, Samoa, Sierra Leone, the United
States and Uruguay— signed the treaty immediately following its approval.
SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Today is the official observance of the International
Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and the
Secretary-General, in a message, said that more work lies ahead in the
effort to end sexual violence. Our goal is clear, he said: an end to these
inexcusable crimes -- whether it is the use of rape as a weapon of war,
domestic violence, sex trafficking, so-called “honour” crimes or female
genital mutilation/cutting.
He said that the “UNiTE to End Violence against Women”
campaign that he launched last year is galvanizing action across the United
Nations system, and he has also just launched a Network of Men Leaders to
strengthen our advocacy.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
António Guterres
stressed today that his agency was fully committed to the prevention of
sexual violence, which he said needed a personal as well as a collective
response. He pledged that UNHCR will, along with other UN agencies,
increasingly assist states in their efforts to prevent sexual violence,
protect individuals and provide remedy to victims.
And UNIFEM Executive Director Inés Alberdi said that,
despite achievements in the fight against sexual violence, it is “shocking”
that up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence from
men in their lifetime.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
TRIAL OF HEAD OF SERBIAN RADICAL PARTY TO RESUME
MID-JANUARY: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
yesterday ordered that the trial of Vojislav Seselj, the leader of the Serbian
Radical Party, resume on 12 January 2010. The trial had been adjourned in
February on the request of the Prosecution amid allegations that witnesses had
been intimidated. The Trial Chamber yesterday decided to reconsider its decision
for adjournment, because of what it said were new facts that had emerged.
MIDDLE EAST QUARTET HAS DISCUSSED SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY:
Asked about a reported statement by the Israeli Prime Minister concerning a
proposed freeze on settlement activity, the Spokesperson said that the Quartet
(comprising the United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States)
had been recently discussing settlement activity and could possibly respond to a
formal announcement of a freeze.
SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS CALLED FOR DOMESTIC INVESTIGATIONS
INTO GAZA VIOLENCE: Asked about possible Israeli and Palestinian
investigations into the conflict in Gaza earlier this year, the Spokesperson
recalled that the Secretary-General had called for credible domestic
investigations into the violence. For his part, the Secretary-General intends to
respond to the request, in a General Assembly resolution, to report on
implementation by the parties following the issuance of the Goldstone report on
Gaza.
U.N. NOT INVOLVED IN HONDURAS ELECTIONS: Asked about
the elections scheduled for this weekend in Honduras, the Spokesperson said that
the United Nations was not involved in those elections.
*** The guest at the noon briefing today was Radhika
Coomaraswamy, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, who
briefed on her recent trip to Sudan.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
28 November-4 December 2009
Saturday, 28 November
The Secretary-General will be in Trinidad and Tobago until
tomorrow.
Starting today and until 4 December, Children’s Climate
Forum, organized by UNICEF and the City of Copenhagen, will gather160 children,
between 14 and 17 years of age.
Sunday, 29 November
There are no major events scheduled for today.
Monday, 30 November
The International Day of Solidarity with the
Palestinian People will be observed at UN Headquarters. At 10:00 a.m., there
will be a special meeting in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, during which the
Secretary-General is scheduled to speak. That will be followed by a film called
“Jerusalem – The East Side Story” at 1:00 p.m., also in the Trusteeship Council
Chamber. Then, at 3:00 p.m., the General Assembly will consider the “Question of
Palestine” in the General Assembly Hall. At 6:00 p.m., in the Visitors’ Lobby,
there will be an opening for an UNRWA exhibit, “The United Nations and the
Palestine Refugees, 60 Years Later.” At 7:00 p.m., there will be a concert by
Maqamat, an orchestra of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, in the
ECOSOC Chamber.
The Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution
on the DRC panel of experts and on Somalia. It will also hear a briefing and
hold consultations on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in
Darfur (UNAMID).
On Monday at 11 a.m. in Room-S226, there will be press
conference to launch UNICEF’s 4th
Children and AIDS Stocktaking Report and introduce the
“Children Left Behind” Symposium. Speakers will
include Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF; Eric Goosby, U.S. Global AIDS
Coordinator; Virginia Fields, President of the National Black Leadership
Commission on AIDS; Jimmy Kolker, Chief of the HIV/AIDS Section at UNICEF;
Nathan Shaffer from the World Health Organization; and Reshma Pattni, Program
Director at Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS.
The
guest at the noon briefing will be Michael Adlerstein, Executive Director
of the Capital Master Plan.
Tuesday, 1 December
Burkina
Faso will assume the monthly rotating presidency of the Security Council.
Today is
World Aids Day.
At 11
a.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference on the unveiling of a
digital art exhibit called CO2 CUBES – Visualize a Tonne of
Change.
In
Nairobi, the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation
will start today and end on Thursday.
Wednesday, 2 December
Today is
the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
At 10.15
a.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference on the 30th
anniversary of the Convention on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW) (3 December).
At 11
a.m. in Room-S226, Rob Vos from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
will hold a press conference to launch the latest
World Economic Situation
and
Prospects.
At 12.30 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a
press conference by Ambassador Michel Kafando, Permanent
Representative of Burkina Faso and President of the Security Council for
December, on the Council’s programme of work for the month.
At 2 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference to
launch the report of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific. Speakers will
include Misa Telefoni, Chairman of the Commission and Deputy Prime Minister of
Samoa; Maire Bopp, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF),
a Commission Member who is a person who is living with HIV; and Nafis Sadik, UN
Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.
Thursday, 3 December
Today is
the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Special events for the day
will start with an opening ceremony and the announcement of a new United Nations
Messenger of Peace, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., in Conference Room 4.
The
Secretary-general will make opening remarks at a special event on the occasion
of the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women, at 3 p.m., in the ECOSOC Chamber.
Friday, 4 December
At 1 p.m.
in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by Luis Moreno Ocampo,
Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
Back to the Spokesperson's Page
