HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARTIN NESIRKY
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
BAN KI-MOON
STRONGLY CONDEMNS BOMB ATTACKS IN IRAQ
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was asked this morning
about the bomb attacks that struck
Baghdad. He
said that he was very shocked, and he condemned the bombings in the
strongest terms possible. He also said that this was an “unacceptable,
horrendous terrorist bombing against civilians”.
In a statement issued later, the Secretary-General
condemns in the strongest terms the bomb attacks in Baghdad today that
have left over 120 people dead and scores more injured. No cause can justify
these attacks on civilians. The attacks appear to be aimed at undermining
the election process, including the political progress in Iraq. The
Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of those
killed and wishes for the full and speedy recovery of those who were wounded
by these criminal acts.
The Secretary-General appeals to the people of Iraq to
remain steadfast in the face of these attacks and to continue their
determined efforts to achieve national reconciliation. The United Nations
remains committed to supporting them.
BAN KI-MOON
EXPECTS ROBUST AGREEMENT, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, FROM COPENHAGEN
This morning, the Secretary-General
spoke at UN headquarters about the
climate
change negotiations in Copenhagen.
He said he’s expecting a robust agreement that will be
effective immediately and include specific recommendations on mitigation,
adaptation, finance and technology. He said this agreement should have an
immediate operational effect as soon as it is agreed.
The Secretary-General says he is encouraged and
optimistic. He said that never have so many different nations of all sizes
and economic status made so many firm pledges together.
The Secretary-General was also asked about the recent
email hacking incident. He’s very clear on this. He said that nothing that
has come out in public has cast doubt on the basic scientific message on
climate change. That message is quite clear; climate change is happening
much faster than we realized and we human beings are the primary cause.
Asked whether the Secretary-General supports the
creation of a World Environmental Organization, the Spokesperson said that
the Secretary-General is aware of the proposals and may convene a high-level
panel following the Copenhagen conference to see how UN bodies can move
forward in dealing with climate change. There are many UN bodies dealing
with environmental issues which may need to adapt their roles to deal with
changing demands, he noted.
THIS YEAR IN
TOP 10 WARMEST YEARS SINCE 1850
Today at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen,
Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO),
reported that 2009 was likely to rank in the top 10 warmest years since
1850. He added that since 1980 every decade has been warmer than the
previous one. He also stressed that greenhouse concentrations were highest
now than at any time over the last 800,000 years.
Negotiations are underway in Copenhagen. The aim is to
get as much work done as possible before the second stage of the conference
when Ministers will arrive to resolve outstanding political issues. These
ministerial negotiations will officially start on Tuesday.
Ministers will then have two days before the final
stage when Heads of State and Government will be in Copenhagen to engage in
further negotiations to maximize the level of ambition regarding emission
targets and the level of support for action in developing countries.
DANISH GOVERNMENT OFFSETTING CARBON EMISSIONS FROM
COPENHAGEN CONFERENCE
In response to a question
asked yesterday about the carbon emissions generated by the participation in
the
Copenhagen Conference, the Spokesperson said the conference is expected
to cause around 40,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, mostly caused by travel to
Copenhagen. He added that the Danish Government says it is offsetting the
emissions through a project in Bangladesh that reduces emissions in a brick
manufacturing plant. The offset more than covers all the travel and
emissions related to the Conference.
Also according to the Danish
Government, the Conference is promoting organic vegetables, the use of
public transport and of less paper. In the lead up to the Conference, the
conference center where delegations are gathering reduced its CO2 emissions
by 20%, and more than 50% of hotels in Copenhagen and nearby Sweden have
become environmentally certified. The carbon emissions were calculated by
the Danish Government. More information on this can be found at
www.sustainability.cop15.dk
NEW PROGRAMME
PROMOTES LOW-EMISSION AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
And finally, also on climate change, the Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) has
launched a programme to support climate change mitigation in developing
countries.
This is a multi-donor programme which aims to promote
sustainable low-emission agriculture in developing countries over the coming
five years. FAO says that agriculture is a key source of global greenhouse
gas emissions, accounting for 14%. But the sector also has a high potential
to reduce greenhouse gases.
DRUG
TRAFFICKING COULD REVERSE GAINS IN AFGHANISTAN, HAITI, AMONG OTHERS
The
Security Council held an open debate this morning to discuss drug
trafficking as a threat to peace and security.
Addressing the Council members, the Secretary-General
said that drug trafficking does not respect borders. He said: “It is a
menace to societies and individuals alike and it is associated with the
horrific abuse of women in particular.” States must share intelligence,
carry out joint operations, build capacity and provide mutual legal
assistance to deal with drug trafficking, he said. He also urged the
international community to focus on reducing demand for drugs and the harm
done by them.
The Secretary-General also told the Security Council
that drug trafficking now threatened to reverse advances in peacebuilding
efforts in Afghanistan, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and
elsewhere.
Afterward, the members of the Security Council will
have their monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General.
At 3:00 this afternoon, the Security Council expects to
hold a formal meeting to consider a Presidential Statement on Côte d’Ivoire.
UNITED NATIONS
CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON PEACEKEEPERS IN DARFUR
The Secretary-General
placed on record his strong condemnation of the 5 December attack the
second in two days, on troops from the African Union-United Nations Hybrid
Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
The second attack took place at Shangil Tobaya in North
Darfur, where the UNAMID troops were providing water to local civilians.
Two UNAMID military personnel from Rwanda were killed and another
peacekeeper was wounded as a result of the ambush.
The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the
AU-UN mission to carry out its important work in Darfur. He notes the
Government of Sudan’s rapid action to apprehend the alleged perpetrators and
renews his call that those guilty of these cowardly attacks should be
brought to justice immediately.
The Secretary-General expresses his condolences to the
families of the peacekeepers who lost their lives and to the Government of
Rwanda and reiterates his appreciation for their service and commitment to
the search for peace in Darfur.
Yesterday, the
Security Council members, in a press statement, condemned in the
strongest terms the recent attacks on those peacekeepers that had resulted
in the death of five Rwandan soldiers. They took note of the action taken
already by the Government of Sudan and encouraged it to ensure that all the
perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice.
Asked about the UNAMID staff
that has been held hostage, the Spokesperson recalled that the
Secretary-General on Sunday made a phone call to President Omar al-Bashir to
raise his humanitarian concern about their situation. The peacekeepers have
been held for more than 100 days, and one of them is seriously ill. Nesirky
said that the Secretary-General wants to ensure that as much is done as
possible to secure their release.
U.N. WILL
ENGAGE WITH D.R .CONGO ON FUTURE DIRECTION OF MISSION
The Secretary-General’s most recent
report on the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is out
on the racks today.
The Secretary-General notes that the DRC is now largely
at peace, with the exception of the Kivus and pockets in Orientale province,
and is ready to embark on the reconstruction and rebuilding phase. In
recognition of these realities, he says, the United Nations will engage with
the DRC in detailed discussions on the future direction and configuration of
the UN mission, and that recommendations will be presented to the Security
Council in April 2010.
In the meantime, he recommends a six-month mandate
extension.
The Security Council will take up the report next
Wednesday.
PAKISTAN: NO
RESTRICTIONS ON BHUTTO COMMISSION’S ACCESS
Asked about
complaints from the Pakistani People’s Party that the fact-finding
commission dealing with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto had faced
restrictions on its access, the Spokesperson said that, according to the
Bhutto Commission, there were no restrictions on the team’s access. The team
says that they are pleased with the cooperation by the Pakistani
authorities.
Asked whether the Commission
will need more time in light of security challenges, Nesirky responded that
the security situation in Pakistan is complex. Some additional time may be
needed to evaluate the situation and put in place more comprehensive
security measures.
U.N. IS TRYING
TO HAND OVER POLICING RESPONSIBILITIES IN TIMOR-LESTE
Asked about an International Crisis Group report on
policing in Timor-Leste, the Spokesperson said that the report was preaching
to the converted, since the United Nations has for some time been trying to
hand over policing responsibilities to the Timorese.
Regarding the hand-over
process, he said that the Government of Timor-Leste and the UN Mission (UNMIT)
agreed on specific criteria for the hand-over of primary policing
responsibilities from the UN police to the national police. Since May of
this year, four districts and the Police Training Centre have been handed
over to the national police in accordance with those criteria.
Nesirky said that the United
Nations strongly desires to hand over all security responsibilities to the
national police in the shortest possible timeframe. At the same time, it
will also take into account the need to not jeopardize the foundations laid
towards sustainable police development through the ongoing training and
mentoring process.
A Department for Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO) Police Division team is currently visiting Timor-Leste to
review the resumption process and future downsizing of the UNMIT police
component, the Spokesperson said. The upcoming technical assessment mission
to UNMIT in January will, jointly with UNMIT and in consultation with the
Timorese authorities, look at how the UN can best support Timor-Leste in
strengthening the capacity and institutional development of its national
police and ensuring sustained assistance through bilateral and other means.
SECRETARY-GENERAL PRESENTS SUGGESTIONS ON DISARMAMENT
The Secretary-General this morning attended a breakfast
meeting in support of his Five-Point Action Plan on Nuclear Disarmament and
Nuclear Non-Proliferation.
He
presented specific suggestions as the next steps of developing his
action plan to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in general,
and to facilitate the success of the upcoming 2010 NPT Review Conference.
He also encouraged Member States to seriously consider
the proposal by Costa Rica and Malaysia for a nuclear weapon convention.
LEBANON: U.N.
FORCE COMMANDER MEETS WITH PARTIES
The Force Commander of the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
Major-General Claudio Graziano, met with senior officials from the Lebanese
Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces today at the UN Position at the
border crossing at Ras Al Naqoura.
They discussed the
implementation of resolution 1701, especially the recent incidents and
violations, with a view to preventing the recurrence of such events. They
also discussed the marking of the Blue Line.
There was also discussion of
the village of Ghajar. Graziano said afterward, “We are hopeful that we will
soon reach an understanding on the UNIFIL proposal that will facilitate
Israel’s withdrawal from the northern part of the village of Ghajar.”
ETHIOPIA: 4.8
MILLION PEOPLE STILL REQUIRE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs, (OCHA),
reports that, an estimated 4.8 million people would still require emergency
food assistance throughout the first half of next year.
This assessment is based on the findings of
Ethiopia’s Multi-Sectoral Contingency Plan for January to June 2010,
which was launched in Addis Ababa on Monday. The plan took into account the
observed rainfall performance and its impact on crop production and the
overall food security situation.
Financially, this would require about US$270 million
for the total net projected emergency food and non-food needs.
SOME 36 MILLION
CURED OF TUBERCULOSIS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS
Some 36 million people have been
cured of tuberculosis (TB) over the past 15 years, according to the
World Health Organization (WHO) which says that this is the result of the
rigorous approach to treatment it has endorsed.
But WHO also says that millions of people are still
unable to access high quality care. TB remains second only to HIV/AIDS in
terms of the number of people it kills.
REBECA GRYNSPAN
OF COSTA RICA APPOINTED U.N.D.P. ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR
The Secretary-General has appointed Ms. Rebeca Grynspan
of Costa Rica as Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the
UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Ms. Grynspan will replace Mr. Ad Melkert, who has been
appointed as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq.
Since March 2006, Ms. Grynspan has served as the
Assistant Administrator and Regional Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for
Latin America and the Caribbean, where she has been a strong advocate for
the Millennium Development Goals, for system-wide coherence and an
organization more responsive to developing countries needs. She has also
served in the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and, prior to that,
in several ministerial level positions with her government, culminating in
her appointment as Vice President of Costa Rica.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
UNITED NATIONS IS DOING AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE SAHARAWI ACTIVIST’S SITUATION:
Asked about the situation of Saharawi activist Aminatou Haidar, the Spokesperson
said that the Secretary-General and the United Nations are doing as much as
possible to resolve matters. He noted that High Commissioner for Human Rights
Navi Pillay had spoken on the issue.
CORRUPTION IN AFGHANISTAN MUST
BE DEALT WITH: Asked about the fight
against corruption in Afghanistan, the Spokesperson said that the
Secretary-General has made clear that corruption must be dealt with and a strong
Afghan Government must be put in place.
QUARTET MEMBERS HAVE HAD
WORKING LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ON SETTLEMENTS:
Regarding the question on the Quartet, there has been no Quartet statement on
Israeli settlement activity. There have been some working-level discussions
among Quartet members in recent weeks.
REACTION TO REPORT BY
D.R.CONGO PANEL WILL COME FROM SECURITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE:
Answering a question from yesterday regarding the UN Panel of Experts on the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Spokesperson said that the Panel was a
subsidiary organ of the Security Council. It will be up to the Council’s
sanctions committee on the DRC to respond to the report, he added.
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