Noon briefing of 20 June 2011

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESPERSON’S NOON BRIEFING

BY MARTIN NESIRKY, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

MONDAY, 20 JUNE 2011

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ABYEI AGREEMENT, CALLS ON PARTIES TO DEMILITARIZE AREA

• The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement on Abyei entered into by the Government of Sudan and the Government of Southern Sudan today. The Secretary-General calls on the parties to abide in full by its provisions to demilitarize the area and establish an administration and police service and to provide their full cooperation to the United Nations and Government of Ethiopia in deploying peacekeeping troops and police to the area.
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• The Secretary-General thanks the African Union High Level Panel under former President Thabo Mbeki and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia for their efforts in facilitating the agreement with the support of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). The Secretary-General pledges the full support of the United Nations to the parties in facilitating its implementation.
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• The Secretary-General calls on the parties concerned to continue to provide their full cooperation to the AU in reaching agreement on all outstanding issues related to the CPA and post-secession arrangements, to reach an immediate cessation of hostilities in Southern Kordofan State and provide their full cooperation to humanitarian agencies in meeting the needs of the affected population.
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• In New York, the Security Council received briefings this morning on the situation in Abyei, from the head of UNMIS, Haile Menkerios, as well as from Thabo Mbeki. Both men spoke to the Security Council by videoconference. Earlier, Council members held brief consultations on Sudan sanctions.

U.N. MISSION IN SUDAN GREATLY CONCERNED OVER SOUTHERN KORDOFAN SITUATION

• The UN Mission in Sudan reports that the security and humanitarian situations in Southern Kordofan remain of great concern, as the military build-up continues in various strategic locations.
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• In Kauda, the Mission says that the Sudanese Armed Forces on Sunday dropped at least seven bombs approximately 500 meters from the airstrip. No casualties were reported.
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• The Mission reiterates its call on the parties to the conflict to cease hostilities and military operations, which are endangering the lives of tens of thousands of civilians.
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• Meanwhile, the United Nations and its partners have distributed food to 31,500 people in South Kordofan State. However, access to all the affected areas remains critical to ensure urgent delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the displaced population.

LIBYA: SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS BEGINNING OF NEGOTIATION UNDERWAY

• The Secretary-General participated by video-conference on Saturday in the third high-level meeting with Regional Organizations on Libya. He expressed strong concerns about the continuing violence and the humanitarian impact of the fighting in Libya and emphasized the importance of a coordinated international effort.
  While cautioning that a political agreement remains a long way from being concluded, the Secretary-General said the beginnings of a negotiation process are now underway under the auspices of his Special Envoy to Libya, Mr. Abdul Ilah al-Khatib.
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• On the humanitarian situation, the Secretary-General noted shortages of food stocks and fuel and growing concerns over access to water and medical care. He also noted an outbreak of measles reported recently in the south-western city of Sabha, and a lack of vaccines and other drugs in the country.
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• On Friday, the Secretary-General spoke by telephone with Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi and expressed his deep concern regarding the humanitarian situation.
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• Asked about casualties attributed to NATO, the Spokesperson recalled that Resolution 1973 concerns the protection of civilians, and stressed the need to do all that can be done to avoid civilian casualties.

NUCLEAR SAFETY IS EVOLVING PROCESS, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is holding a ministerial conference on nuclear safety in Vienna today, and the Secretary-General, in a message to that conference, says that nuclear safety is not a fixed condition, but an evolving process.
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• In the message, the Secretary-General says that the lessons of Fukushima will help to move the process of examining nuclear safety forward, so that countries will reflect on their current system on nuclear safety and a renewed nuclear safety culture will be introduced. The future of nuclear energy, he says, is critically dependent upon the maintenance of the highest safety standards.
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• The Secretary-General launched a UN system-wide study on the full implications of the Fukushima accident last month. This report is now in preparation and will be submitted to the High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security to be held on 22 September during the Sixty-sixth Session of the UN General Assembly.

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HOST MOST OF THE WORLD’S REFUGEES

• A new report says that there is a deep imbalance in international support for the world’s forcibly displaced – with four-fifths of the world’s refugees being hosted by developing countries.
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• The report was released today by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, on World Refugee Day, which also marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the agency.
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• The 2010 Global Trends report shows that 43.7 million people are now displaced worldwide – roughly equalling the entire populations of Colombia or the Republic of Korea. It adds that more refugees are stuck in exile for five years or longer than at any time since 2001.
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• In a message to mark World Refugee Day, the Secretary-General asks people everywhere to spare a thought for the millions of children, women and men who have been forced from their homes.

NEW U.N. REPORT STRESSES CRITICAL ROLE OF MIDWIVES FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH

• Every year, some 3.6 million newborn babies and 358,000 women die due to largely preventable complications, while nearly 3 million babies are stillborn every year. That’s according to the first report on the State of the World’s Midwifery, released today by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which confirms the critical role of midwives in improving maternal and child health.
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• The report adds that most of these deaths happen in low-income countries where women have no access to functioning health facilities or qualified health professionals, including midwives.
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• The report also highlights the shortage of skilled midwives in many low-income countries, and the need to train and deploy them to all parts of a country, especially remote and rural areas.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL WANTS AID TO GAZA TO GO THROUGH ESTABLISHED CHANNELS: Asked about the UN response to possible aid flotillas to Gaza, the Spokesperson recalled that the Secretary-General has sent letters to Governments of countries around the Mediterranean Sea and had expressed his belief that assistance and goods destined to Gaza should be channelled through legitimate crossings and established channels. The Secretary-General also urged the Government of Israel to take further meaningful and far-reaching steps to end the closure of Gaza, within the framework of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009).

U.N. STANDS READY TO ASSIST SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY AND LEBANON: Asked about Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Turkey, the Spokesperson said that the United Nations stands ready to assist if requested to do so. For now, the national authorities in Lebanon and Turkey are handling the situation.