HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

THURSDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2014

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF FIJIAN PEACEKEPERS HELD IN GOLAN

  • In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomes the release of the 45 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) peacekeepers who had been forcibly taken on August 28 of this year by armed elements from United Nations Position 27 and detained. He appreciates the efforts of all concerned to secure their safe release.
  • The Secretary-General emphasizes to all parties the impartiality of the United Nations peacekeepers. UNDOF is on the ground to monitor the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria. The Secretary-General demands that all parties respect UNDOF’s mandate, freedom of movement and the safety and security of its personnel.
  • At 1430 hrs local time, the 45 Fijian peacekeepers who had been detained were handed over to UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at Position 80 in the Golan Heights.
  • Subsequently, the peacekeepers crossed to the Bravo side at Position 37B and are currently at Camp Faouar undergoing medical attention. We understand they are in good condition.

NEW U.N. SYRIA ENVOY MEETS PRESIDENT ASSAD

  • Staffan de Mistura, the Special Envoy for Syria, met today in Damascus with President Bashar al-Assad. He spoke to the press afterward, saying that they had a long and useful meeting. He has also met in recent days with the Syrian Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister.
  • Mr. de Mistura said that the figures received on Syria from a range of reliable sources are shocking, with more than 190,000 people dead, 3 million refugees, half of the population in need of help and 9 million people displaced.
  • He said that after his meetings in Damascus, he will travel throughout the region and come to New York to report to the Secretary-General about the suggestions that he has been getting, both in and outside Syria. He emphasized that the United Nations will take even more seriously the priority of trying to reduce the violence and end the suffering of the Syrian people.

SPEAKING WITH AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, SECRETARY-GENERAL SPOTLIGHTS NEED TO AGREE ON UNITY GOVERNMENT

  • Yesterday, the Secretary-General had separate telephone calls with both Afghan presidential candidates, Dr. Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.
  • In his conversations, he stressed the need for both of them to abide by their public commitments and conclude the political agreement on a government of national unity. The Secretary-General said that the audit, which is currently on-going and is being supported by the United Nations, was robust, comprehensive and consistent with international best practices.
  • The Secretary-General asked both of them to think of the future of Afghanistan and its people.  He reassured them that the United Nations and the international community were united in their support of a peaceful transition in Afghanistan.
  • The Secretary-General also spoke to outgoing President Hamid Karzai. He told him that the UN would remain committed to a partnership with Afghanistan. He also expressed the hope that Mr. Karzai would continue to remain involved as an elder of the country.

AFGHANISTAN: U.N. POLITICAL CHIEF DISCUSSES NEED TO WRAP UP ELECTION PROCESS

  • The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, was in Kabul today where he also met with the two Presidential candidates.
  • Together with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš, he discussed with the candidates the way forward and expressed the Secretary-General’s support for a successful completion of the election process. He said that the candidates have reaffirmed their commitment to get a political agreement on a national unity government.
  • Mr. Feltman emphasized that it was important that the candidates follow through on their public commitments to accept the audit results, which should be announced in the next few days. He stressed that the UN intends to remain an active and supportive partner of Afghanistan through its political and security transitions, and well beyond.
  • Also on Afghanistan, the UN mission in that country (UNAMA) has expressed its condolences to the families of the civilians who were killed and injured in airstrikes in the eastern province of Kunar. The Special Representative, Kubiš, has urged authorities to make all efforts to ensure the protection of civilians and for a prompt and transparent investigation into the incident.

TOP U.N. OFFICIAL STRESS NEED TO CONCLUDE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

  • The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the high-level stocktaking event on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
  • The Secretary-General said that at the Rio+20 Conference last year, Member States made clear that they want to be in the driver’s seat when planning the new development agenda.
  • The Secretary-General said that countries have been working constructively together to identify the most important challenges that we need to tackle together, and that the UN stands ready to continue serving Member States in the coming negotiations.
  • He said that we have an intense and important year ahead, and that we need to build a framework that will sustain and finish what has been accomplished by the Millennium Development Goals in our fight against poverty, hunger, ignorance and disease.
  • Also speaking at the event was the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, who said that we have a historical opportunity to correct our unsustainable development path. We must show that we are sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the nations and peoples of the United Nations, he added.

U.N. PEACEKEEPING CHIEF IN LIBERIA TO ASSESS HOW U.N. CAN STEP UP EFFORTS TO FIGHT EBOLA

  • The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, is in Liberia, to assess how UN Peacekeepers (UNMIL) can further support the fight against Ebola in the country. Mr. Ladsous had a meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and other high-level officials. Tomorrow he will be travelling to Accra, Ghana, to visit a logistics hub which has been setup to respond to the regional Ebola crisis.
  • Also on Ebola, Valerie Amos said that the Humanitarian Affairs department has allocated $3.8 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to the fight against Ebola.
  • The funding will allow the World Food Programme (WFP), which runs the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), move humanitarian personnel, medical supplies and equipment, and other essential humanitarian cargo rapidly and efficiently to multiple remote locations within Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
  • The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that reduced commercial travel in the region has hindered the urgent deployment of healthcare personnel and supplies, and has severely affected the scale up of the urgent life-saving response.
  • On the ground, WHO says that hospitals in affected countries are urgently in need of additional beds to accommodate more patients.
  • WHO and its partners have supported the construction of a new Ebola treatment centre in Monrovia that will be able to accommodate 120 patients. More such centres are expected to open in the coming weeks.

WINDOW ON HAITI ELECTIONS SOON CLOSING, U.N. ENVOY TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Haiti, Sandra Honoré, told the Security Council this morning that after a period of deadlock concerning the holding of elections in the country, there seemed to be renewed willingness on this topic.
  • However, she said that given the time needed for logistic preparations, the window for holding the elections before the end of the year was now rapidly closing. She added that this was particularly worrisome since, without elections, parliament would be rendered dysfunctional on 12 January of next year.
  • Regarding the drawdown of the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Ms. Honoré said she was confident that the recommended reconfiguration would ensure adequate stabilization presence to support Haitian institutions. She said the UN Mission would work with the Government, the UN country team and Haiti’s international partners to develop a comprehensive transition plan that underpins the gradual reduction of the Mission’s footprint.

IN LIBYA, U.N. ENVOY STRESSES NEED FOR PERMANENT CEASEFIRE

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino Leòn, is in Tripoli, where he met with key political actors, including members of the parliament today.
  • During his discussions, Mr. Leòn called on all parties to address the current political situation through negotiations, and reiterated the need for a permanent ceasefire, for those negotiations to bear fruit.
  • Mr. Leòn also travelled to Tobruk and al-Baida earlier this week, where he held talks with the head of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the Constitution-Drafting Assembly. He stressed strong UN support for the House as the sole legislative authority in the country and addressed the Assembly, praising its role as an example of dialogue and consensus.
  • Mr. Leòn is expected back in New York in mid-September to brief the Security Council.

U.N. ENVOY DISCUSSES LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH YEMENI LEADER

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, began a new visit to Yemen today. Earlier today, he met with President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, and discussed the latest developments. He expressed his deepest regret over the loss of lives due to the unfolding events in the past few days.
  • He urged all Yemenis to make genuine and credible efforts to settle their disagreements, and to reach a solution that will serve the greater national interest, which should supersede all other interests.
  • His visit to Yemen aims at continuing cooperation with President Hadi and all political parties in order to reach a peaceful solution based on the Transition Agreement, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and Security Council resolutions.

U.N. RELIEF CHIEF CONFERS ON JORDAN HUMANITARIAN SITUATION WITH TOP OFFICIALS

  • Valerie Amos, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, is in Jordan, where she met senior Government officials including the Prime and Foreign Ministers to discuss the humanitarian situation in the region.
  • She also visited the al Ramtha border crossing, where she saw a convoy of humanitarian assistance cross into southern Syria.

U.N. ASSESSES HUMANITARIAN, DEVELOPMENT NEEDS IN MYANMAR’S RAKHINE

  • Two UN officials wrapped up a two-day visit to Myanmar’s Rakhine State today to review the humanitarian and development needs of the people there, as well as to assess efforts to increase cohesion and peaceful existence between communities.
  • Haoliang Xu, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), said that stability and sustainable peace can be achieved in Rakhine when the needs of all communities are met.
  • Also on the mission was John Ging, Director of Operations of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He said that the humanitarian situation is still unacceptably dire for far too many people, but that the humanitarian situation is now stabilizing thanks to the outstanding efforts of aid organizations.

CHILDREN IN SOUTH ASIA PAYING HEAVY PRICE, SAYS NEW U.N.I.C.E.F. REPORT

  • A new report by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on South Asia finds that though there has been huge progress, strong inequalities persist and children in the region pay a heavy price.
  • More than 2 million children in South Asia die before their fifth birthday and these deaths are preventable.
  • Nearly 40 per cent of all children in the region are chronically malnourished.
  • South Asia is also one of the riskiest places in the world to become pregnant or give birth.
  • Karin Hulshof, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, said that the good news is that we have the knowhow and innovative approaches to make positive changes in the lives of children in South Asia.

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