Noon briefing of 5 May 2011

HAITI: SECRETARY-GENERAL TO CONVENE U.N. TASK FORCE TO STUDY FINDINGS OF PANEL’S REPORT ON CHOLERA SOURCE

• The report of the Independent Panel of Experts to investigate the source of the cholera outbreak in Haiti was made public on Wednesday, after it had been first presented to the Government of Haiti earlier in the day.
  

• The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to the Independent Panel of Experts for its efforts and will carefully consider its findings and recommendations. To that end, the Secretary-General intends to convene a task force within the United Nations system, to study the findings and recommendations made by the Panel to ensure prompt and appropriate follow-up.
  

• The cholera outbreak has caused significant loss of life and wide-spread infection throughout the country. On behalf of the UN family, the Secretary-General reiterates his deepest sympathies to the victims of the epidemic and their loved ones.
  

• The Secretary-General reaffirms the continuing commitment of the United Nations to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government and people of Haiti in the ongoing fight against the cholera epidemic and expresses his gratitude to the many countries and organizations that have helped to combat the disease.
  

• Asked about the UN’s responsibility for the outbreak, the Spokesperson said that the report concluded that the cholera outbreak was caused by a confluence of circumstances and was not the fault of any group or individual person, including the UN.
  

• The Report, Haq said, focuses on public health issues. It was not designed to address legal issues and does not do so.
  

• The report does not present any conclusive scientific evidence linking the outbreak to the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) peacekeepers or the Mirabelais camp.
  

• Asked whether the United Nations would pay compensation to Haiti, the Spokesperson said that the UN’s focus is and will continue to be on combating and containing the cholera outbreak. The United Nations will continue to work closely with the Government and people of Haiti to address the crisis and to guard against the further spread or future outbreak of cholera.
  

• The United Nations, he added, continues to respond to requests from the Haitian authorities and other humanitarian actors for medical, logistical and security assistance. MINUSTAH has been enabling humanitarian access through ground and air transport. MINUSTAH and the UN country team have also been assisting in the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief items including the distribution of hundreds of thousands of liters of potable water. Equally important, with support from other partners, MINUSTAH has helped to establish a number of cholera treatment centres.
  

• The UN and its partners are committed to supporting the Haitian Government as long as necessary, Haq said.

CLIMATE CHANGE, NUCLEAR SAFETY TOP BAN KI-MOON’S TALKS WITH BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER

• The Secretary-General has arrived in Bulgaria and has met with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, parliamentarians and the mayor of Sofia.
  

• The Prime Minister and the Secretary-General discussed climate change, nuclear safety, disaster risk reduction and the fight against corruption. They also took questions from the press afterwards.
  

• The Secretary-General also delivered a lecture at Sofia University, in which he urged students to raise their sights and become global citizens as well as proud Bulgarians.
  

• He told them that, visiting Tunisia and Egypt recently, he saw the euphoria and the same sense of fresh possibility that Bulgaria experienced two decades ago. These revolutions, he said, represent one of the greatest opportunities to advance human rights and democracy in a generation.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S ACTIONS SAVED THOUSANDS OF LIVES IN LIBYA, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

• In a message delivered to the Contact Group on Libya meeting that took place in Rome today, the Secretary-General says that the ability of the international community to act decisively and swiftly to date in Libya has saved thousands of lives and prevented a humanitarian catastrophe.
  

• He emphasized the need to ensure unrestricted access for humanitarian assistance and to coordinate international efforts in this regard. He also highlighted the UN’s work with all stakeholders to put in place a political process that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people, and its planning for peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.
  

• The Special Envoy for Libya, Abdul Ilah Al-Khatib, has continued to negotiate with both parties with the aim of achieving an immediate ceasefire. The Secretary-General said that there is consensus that any ceasefire agreement should be credible and verifiable, and consistent with resolution 1973. The actions we are pursuing seek to do just that, the Secretary-General said.

HUNDREDS EVACUATED FROM MISRATA, SAYS U.N. HUMANITARIAN ARM

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that on Wednesday, 800 third-country nationals and 50 wounded people were evacuated from the Libyan port city of Misrata.
  

• Some 125 metric tons of food have been delivered to help more than 13,000 people living in shelters or with relatives in the Western Mountains areas.
  

• Distributions are ongoing and further World Food Programme (WFP) convoys are expected to follow; the supply route is facing challenges due to insecurity in some areas. There also remains a lack of fuel for the transportation of humanitarian assistance.

U.N. OFFICIAL VOICES DEEP CONCERN OVER HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BAHRAIN

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, expressed deep concern today about the continued detention of hundreds of activists in Bahrain, the prosecution of scores of medical professionals, and the sentencing to death of four protestors after a closed-door military trial.
  

• The High Commissioner said that the application of the death penalty without due process and after a trial held in secrecy is illegal and absolutely unacceptable. She said that the defendants are entitled to fair trials before civil courts, in accordance with international legal standards and in keeping with Bahrain’s international human rights obligations.
  

• Ms. Pillay said that she was particularly worried about reports of the death of at least four persons in custody. Her office has also received reports of severe torture against human rights defenders who are currently in detention.
  

• She added that there must be independent investigations of these cases of death in detention and allegations of torture.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS SENIOR OFFICIAL FOR U.N. OFFICE IN BURUNDI

• The Secretary-General has appointed Ms. Rosine Sori-Coulibaly of Burkina Faso as Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB) and the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Resident Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator for Burundi.
  

• Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Sori-Coulibaly has served as an economist in Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, as well as a member of the Social and Economic Council.
  
  

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS COMMENTED ON DEATH OF BIN LADEN: Asked about the death of Osama bin Laden, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General’s views are reflected in his remarks on Monday. He said that the United Nations did not have firsthand information concerning that incident. He noted, in response to further questions, that the United Nations expects that all counter-terrorism operations will be carried out in conformity with international law.

LEADERS OF GREEK CYPRIOT, TURKISH CYPRIOT COMMUNITIES AGREE ON TREATY GUIDELINES: The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities today agreed on guidelines on international treaties binding on a united Cyprus, said Lisa Buttenheim, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative. The leaders will meet again next week, she said.

U.N. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES LAUNCHES JOB CREATION SCHEME IN AFRICA: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today in Cape Town, South Africa, launched a new initiative to boost job creation through pro-poor business development that engages low-income people in Africa as customers, employees, producers or entrepreneurs. The African Facility for Inclusive Markets opens the way for several thousands of small and medium scale enterprises in agriculture, industry and the distribution sector, targeting women and young people in rural areas.