Noon briefing of 19 August 2011
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESPERSON’S NOON BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ, ACTING DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2011
PAKISTAN: SECRETARY-GENERAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST SUICIDE ATTACK
- The Secretary-General condemns in the
strongest terms today’s suicide attack at a mosque during Friday prayers
in the Khyber tribal region in north-west Pakistan where more than 40
people were reportedly killed and over 100 injured. The Secretary-General is appalled at
this deliberate attack at a place of worship during the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan, and the reported use of a teenager to perpetrate the attack.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - The United Nations continues to stand by Pakistan in its efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism. The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the Government of Pakistan.
ON WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY, BAN KI-MOON PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN AID WORKERS
- The Secretary-General spoke at the observance
of World Humanitarian Day, saying that the day was a celebration of men
and women around the world who have decided to dedicate their lives to
helping others. He said that their decision shows us a glimpse of a better
world – where people help people, no matter who they are, where they are
from, or what they believe.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - The Secretary-General added that, on this
day, we pay tribute to the aid workers who have given their lives to help
others, in places ranging from Afghanistan
and Haiti to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - He emphasized the need to do more to help
people in need throughout the Horn of Africa. He warned that we are still
not reaching all the people who need our help, and the crisis has still
not peaked. Despite generous pledges, the Secretary-General said that we
still need over a billion dollars for our life-saving aid operations.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Before observing World Humanitarian Day, the Secretary-General laid a wreath in memory of those who died in the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq, eight years ago.
U.N. STEPS UP RELIEF EFFORTS FOR SOMALIS
- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been focusing this week on
delivering aid to settlements for internally displaced people in Mogadishu and in the Gedo and Middle Juba regions of Somalia.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - It says that despite the withdrawal of Al
Shabaab from many parts of Mogadishu,
the security situation means that the Agency still faces restrictions on
its movements.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - In Ethiopia,
UNHCR has scaled up its efforts to address the high mortality rates among
new arrivals from Somalia.
It is expanding existing nutritional programmes to older children and is
rushing to open a centre for severely malnourished children in Kobe camp, which has
been experiencing the highest mortality rates.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) this week launched
a supplementary feeding programme for all children under the age of five
in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - It will also start distributing food on Saturday in six drought-hit Kenyan districts to boost nutrition in all children below three years of age, as well as in pregnant women and nursing mothers.
U.N. LIBYA ENVOY BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL
- The Security
Council received an update in consultations this morning on Libya from
the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Abdel-Elah al-Khatib. He spoke to
the Council members by videoconference to discuss his recent talks with
Libyan officials in Tunisia.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - The Security Council then heard from the High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, who presented her office’s report on
alleged human rights violations in South Kordofan, Sudan. She also briefed the
Council members on Libya.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Asked about editorial changes to the report
on South Kordofan, the Spokesperson noted that, prior to its official
release, the report was shortened, and carefully reviewed by legal and
other experts. Most importantly, the report was brought in line with the
standards of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for
public reporting, including the use of appropriate human rights language.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - The Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights went to great lengths to try to cross-check the substance of the
report, Haq added. For example, when allegations were based on one witness
account, this was made clear.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Due to the extremely challenging security context and lack of access, he said, cross-checking some of the elements in the report had proved challenging. This is exactly why we are calling for a full-fledged inquiry to elucidate the circumstances of the events and establish the facts.
U.N. EXPECTS TO SEND HUMANITARIAN TEAM TO SYRIA IN COMING DAYS
- The Spokesperson clarified that while some media
accounts suggest that a human rights team would have access to go to Syria in
the coming days, that is not the case. The team that will be going from
the UN to Syria
will be a humanitarian assessment team, not a team from the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Asked when the team was expected to enter Syria, the
Spokesperson said that it could be as early as Saturday.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Asked whether President Assad’s statement that
military operations had halted was credible, Haq added that such a claim
needed to be verified, which is why the Secretary-General had once more called for a
human rights team to have access to Syria.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - Meanwhile, the local Syrian staff of the UN
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) established a temporary office in
Latakia, outside the refugee camp where fighting had taken place earlier
this week.
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>
<![endif]> - The Agency says that it has located about 6,000 of the 7,500 refugees who had been displaced by the fighting. The Agency has been able to assist the refugees with cash grants for food, medicine and accommodation. The staff report that many people, particularly the children and women, are traumatized and in poor condition.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECRETARY-GENERAL WARNS AGAINST ESCALATION IN MIDDLE EAST: Asked about the violence in Israel and Gaza, the Spokesperson noted that the Secretary-General, in his statement on Thursday, had warned against any escalation and had called on all to show restraint. The Quartet may also issue a statement on the matter, he said.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
20 – 26 AUGUST 2011
Saturday, 20 August
There are no major events scheduled for today.
Sunday, 21 August
There are no major events scheduled for today.
Monday, 22 August
There are no major events scheduled for today.
Tuesday, 23 August
Today is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
This morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the 1718 Sanctions Committee (related to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). In the afternoon, the Security Council will receive a briefing by the Department of Political Affairs in consultations.
Today, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will launch its 2011 report on UNCTAD Assistance to the Palestinian People.
Wednesday, 24 August
There are no major events scheduled for today.
Thursday, 25 August
This morning, the Security Council will receive a briefing and hold consultations on the Middle East.
At 9:30 a.m. the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will give a workshop on “Women in diplomacy” (co-organized by UNITAR and the Olof Palme Memorial Fund) in Conference Room 1 (North Lawn Building). It will end on 26 August.
Friday, 26 August
This morning, the Security Council will hold an open debate on the United Nations peacekeeping operations.