HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Friday, December 4, 2009
INT'L CRIMINAL
COURT PROSECUTOR ASKS FOR SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT
ON ARREST OF INDICTED DARFUR SUSPECTS
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the Prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court, today provided the
Security Council with an update on his work dealing with Darfur. He said
that all efforts in recent months have encouraged Sudan to respect its
responsibilities as a UN Member State and to put an end to crimes and arrest
people indicted by the Court.
He noted that President Omar al-Bashir, one of the
indicted suspects, has been unable to travel to certain States where he may
be arrested. Moreno-Ocampo added that the process of marginalization of
indicted criminals is a way towards the ultimate implementation of the
Court’s arrest warrants.
At the same time, the Prosecutor warned that he needs
the Security Council’s full support to ensure that the attention remains on
the need to arrest the indicted suspects and to end crimes in Darfur.
SECURITY
COUNCIL CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK IN SOMALIA
The
Security Council on Thursday afternoon received a briefing from
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios on the
bomb attack that took place earlier that day in Mogadishu.
Afterward, the Council held a formal meeting to adopt a
Presidential Statement in which it condemned that terrorist attack in
the strongest terms, and urged that a thorough investigation be conducted
and the perpetrators brought swiftly to justice. The Council underlined its
determination to continue to support the people of Somalia and the
Transitional Federal Government, three of whose Cabinet ministers were
killed in the attack.
TWO
PEACEKEEPERS KILLED IN ATTACK IN DARFUR
The joint African Union-United Nations mission in
Darfur (UNAMID)
reports that two Rwandan Peacekeepers were killed and others wounded today
in an attack by unidentified armed men while collecting water at Saraf Umra
in North Darfur.
The mission is evacuating the dead and wounded to El
Fasher. Reports are preliminary at this time.
BAN KI-MOON:
VIOLENCE IN GUINEA UNDERSCORES NEED TO RESTORE CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER
Asked about reports that the leader of the junta in
Guinea, Moussa Dadis Camara, has been shot, the Spokeswoman said that the
Secretary-General is aware and following the situation. This latest
violence underscores the urgent need to move swiftly towards the restoration
of constitutional order in Guinea in a peaceful and consensual manner, she
said.
The Secretary-General calls
for calm and reiterates the need to avoid violence and to respect the rule
of law, Okabe said. He has instructed his Special Representative for West
Africa, Said Djinnit, to remain actively engaged with national and regional
stakeholders in the search for a solution that provides the people of Guinea
an opportunity to elect their leaders in a democratic manner.
U.N. OFFICIAL
ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT TO VISIT SRI LANKA
Special Envoy on
Children and Armed Conflict, Major General (ret) Patrick Cammaert, is
scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from Sunday, on behalf of the Special
Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy.
His six-day mission, at the invitation of the
Government of Sri Lanka, is aimed at following-up on the recommendations of
the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict on Sri
Lanka within the framework of Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005).
Cammaert will report to the Security Council Working
Group upon return from this mission.
During his visit, he will ascertain firsthand the
situation of the children affected by the recent conflict with a view to
ensure greater child protection.
Particular attention will also be paid to the situation
of displaced children and the reintegration of children formerly associated
with armed groups into civilian life. He will meet with Government
Officials, nongovernmental organizations, civil society representatives and
children themselves.
U.N. REFUGEE
AGENCY REPORTS THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED ARE LEAVING CAMPS IN SRI LANKA
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
says that it is encouraged by the Sri Lankan Government's long-awaited
decision this week to allow increased freedom of movement for some 135,000
internally displaced people (IDPs) remaining in 20 closed camps in the north
of the country.
UNHCR field staff reported that over
7,000 IDPs from the Menik Farm camps in Vavuniya and another 25 people from
the camp in Trincomalee left the IDP sites the first day that the new policy
came into force. The Agency’s teams are in the process of assessing the
number of IDPs exercising their new freedom of movement over the past few
days, and it reports that people continue to leave the camps.
According to UNHCR teams on the ground,
many people left their belongings in the camps, which is an indication that
they intend to return to the camps. While authorities say that there is no
time limitation to the freedom of movement, there were reports that IDPs
would only be allowed to stay away from the camps up to ten days.
The teams also report that, in general,
people are happy to go back to their areas of origin where more basic
services, such as health clinics and schools, are reopening.
In response to a question on Sri Lanka, asking if a
letter from the Elders -- Desmond Tutu and others -- had been received, the
Spokeswoman confirmed that it has.
DEPUTY U.N.
HUMANITARIAN CHIEF TO VISIT ZIMBABWE
Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs
and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg, will undertake a
three-day mission to Zimbabwe beginning Monday, 7 December.
According to the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
the mission is aimed at reviewing the humanitarian situation in the country
and acquiring an overview of the linkage between humanitarian work and early
recovery efforts by UN agencies and partner organizations.
Bragg will meet senior Government officials and
humanitarian actors to explore ways of improving humanitarian response. She
will also visit some humanitarian projects and meet the donor community.
On 7 December, Bragg will launch the Consolidated
Appeal (CAP) for Zimbabwe for 2010.
TOP REFUGEE
OFFICIAL APPEALS TO SPAIN, MOROCCO ON AMINATOU HAIDAR CASE
In light of the rapidly deteriorating condition of Ms.
Aminatou Haidar, of Laayoune, who is on hunger strike, the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, is
appealing to the Governments of the two states directly concerned, Spain
and Morocco, to consider any measure that could facilitate her movement and
end the current impasse.
UNHCR adds that this appeal is on the basis of UNHCR’s
good offices and is on strictly humanitarian grounds. Aminatou Haidar has
been on hunger strike at the airport in Lanzarote since 16 November.
SPOKESWOMAN:
UNAMID PROVIDED SUPPORT TO PANEL OF EXPERTS FOR DARFUR
In response to a question, the Spokeswoman said that
the AU-UN Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)
has been the principal provider of logistical and other support for the
Panel of Experts since it was established by the Security Council in 2005.
In this respect UNAMID has provided hundreds of hours of direct support to
the Panel in the form of air and ground transport, briefings and meetings.
The work of the Panel is extremely important aspect of international
engagement with Sudan. The United Nations Secretariat and peacekeeping
operations will continue to support the work of the Panel in this regard.
In his congressional testimony (done in his personal
capacity), Enrico Carisch alleged that the United Nations prevented the
Panel from working for a period of time and delayed granting the Panel
access to the Sudan and Darfur for security reasons. The period referred to
in the testimony was an extremely volatile moment in Darfur. Movements and
deployments were limited to those personnel who were directly involved in
the protection of civilians. The movement of all UNAMID civilian staff was
seriously curtailed and deployment of new staff to the Mission was virtually
suspended, based on the level of security risk in the Mission area.
The UN Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS) in El
Fasher reports that, during its visit to Darfur, the Expert Panel was
provided with all possible support, facilities, including provision of field
security and escort, in all UNAMID-covered areas. Concerning areas devoid of
UNAMID presence, the Mission was informed by all parties on the ground that
these were no-go areas, as Panel security could not be ensured and
guaranteed. In some cases, rebel movements not only advised against access
but banned it outright for the same security reasons.
U.N. MISSION IN
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/CHAD TO REPATRIATE NEPALESE MAJOR IMMEDIATELY
In response to a question at Thursday’s briefing about
the deployment of a Nepalese officer to the United Nations Mission in the
Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT),
the Spokeswoman said that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)
vets all senior appointments to its missions.
However, with more than 115,000 personnel currently in
the field, it is impossible to vet each and every peacekeeper deployed.
Therefore, the United Nations relies on its troop and police contributing
countries – which ultimately have the mandated responsibility for the good
conduct, order and discipline of their forces – to screen all contingent
members nominated to take part in peacekeeping operations in accordance with
international norms and standards.
With regard to one specific case, due to the serious
nature of the allegations against Major Niranjan Basnet, who was deployed as
a member of the Nepalese contingent, a decision has been made to repatriate
him immediately.
BAN KI-MOON TO
ATTEND HIGH-LEVEL SESSION AND SUMMIT AT COPENHAGEN
Asked when the
Secretary-General will travel to Copenhagen for the climate conference, the
Spokeswoman said that the dates are still being worked out.
He is to attend the
high-level session and the summit, for which some 100 heads of state or
government are confirmed to attend so far, she added.
Asked about a controversy
concerning emails on climate change by academic experts, the Spokeswoman
said that, according to the Secretary-General’s senior adviser on climate
change, Janos Pasztor, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is
looking into the relevant emails. The science on climate change, she noted,
has not changed.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECRETARY-GENERAL SALUTES CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTEERS: Saturday, 5 December,
is International
Volunteer Day. In a message to mark the occasion, Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon says that “volunteerism is a source of community strength, resilience,
solidarity and social cohesion. It can bring positive social change by
fostering respect for diversity, equality, and the participation of all. It is
among society’s most vital assets.” Furthermore, the Secretary-General salutes,
in particular, the 8,000 UN Volunteers who support the work of the United
Nations. He paid tribute to the two UN Volunteers who were killed in Afghanistan
in October.
W.H.O. LAUNCHES TOBACCO CONTROL EFFORT IN AFRICA:
The World Health Organization (WHO)
is launching a new tobacco control effort in Africa. WHO’s goal is to prevent
tobacco use from becoming as prevalent there as it is in other parts of the
world. According to WHO, tobacco use kills more than 5 million people per year.
Unchecked, it will kill more than 8 million people per year by 2030, with more
than 80% of those deaths occurring in developing countries.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday, 5 December
Today is the International Volunteer Day.
Sunday, 6 December
Starting today and until 11 December, Special Envoy Major
General (ret) Patrick Cammaert will be visiting Sri Lanka on behalf of the
Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, at the invitation of the
Government of Sri Lanka.
Monday, 7 December
In
Copenhagen, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15) will start today and run
through 18 December.
This
afternoon, the Security Council is expected to hold consultations on Côte
d’Ivoire.
At 4.15
p.m. in Room-S226, Bernard Kouchner, Foreign Minister of France, will brief the
press following his meeting with the Secretary-General.
In
Geneva, the Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
for 2009 will be held from today to 11 December.
In
Geneva, the International Labour Organization (ILO) will launch the "World of
Work Report 2009: The Global Jobs Crisis and Beyond".
Starting
to day and until 16 December, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the
independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Carina Knaul de Albuquerque e
Silva, will be visiting Colombia.
In Cairo, the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) will organize a regional UN
workshop on implementing Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), until 10
December.
Tuesday, 8 December
Today,
the Security Council will hold a debate on peace and security in Africa: drug
trafficking as a threat to international security.
In
Geneva, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will hold a press
conference ahead of Human Rights Day.
At 3 p.m.
in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by Mark Bowden, UN Resident and
Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.
The
United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will launch its
annual study on shipping transport, focusing this year on Africa.
Wednesday, 9 December
Today is
the International Anti-Corruption Day.
This
morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on United Nations
Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
In
Istanbul, the World Health Organization (WHO) will launch its report on the
Global Tobacco Epidemic 2009.
Thursday, 10 December
Today is
Human Rights Day.
This
morning, the Security Council will hear a briefing on its 1737 Committee. It
will also hear a briefing and hold consultations on the UN Integrated Office in
Burundi (BINUB).
The guest
at the noon briefing, John Holmes, will discuss the humanitarian impact of
climate change.
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