HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2014

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONVENES MEETING OF WORLD LEADERS TO DISCUSS URGENT EBOLA RESPONSE

• According to the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of cases in the current Ebola outbreak is 6,263 cases and 2,917 deaths.
• World leaders met at the invitation of the Secretary-General to contain and stop the spread of the virus, treat those who are infected, ensure essential services, preserve stability and prevent outbreaks in other countries.
• The Secretary-General said that there is overwhelming international political momentum for the United Nations to play a leading role in coordinating the global response to the outbreak. He added that we will play this role and meet this challenge. The Secretary-General said that within 24 hours of a call for staff to deploy, the United Nations had received 4,000 applications.
• The Presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone participated in the meeting, either via teleconference or in person. Other participants included US President Obama, the President of the World Bank, representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, among others.

TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE ON DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE THROUGH COOPERATION – SECRETARY-GENERAL

• This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at event bringing together his Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Advocacy Group.
• The Group, co-chaired by the President of Rwanda and the Prime Minister of Norway, comprises of eminent personalities who are leaders in promoting the MDGs in areas such as education and women’s empowerment.
• The Secretary-General said that we can be proud of what we have achieved in fighting poverty and improving health, education and gender parity.
• But he also said that with 462 days until the deadline of reaching the MDGs, we must do more to achieve our targets on hunger; child malnutrition; child and maternal mortality; as well as access to sanitation.
• The Secretary-General also spoke at an event on the post-2015 development agenda.
• He said that the MDGs have proven that when we work together, transformational change is possible, adding that the post-2015 development agenda presents the chance to recalibrate our efforts.

LIBYA’S POLITICIAL TRANSITION FACING BIGGEST CHALLENGES SINCE 2011 REVOLUTION, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

• At a high-level meeting on Libya today, the Secretary-General said that the country’s political transition process is facing its biggest challenges since the 2011 revolution.  Speaking to high-level delegates, the Secretary-General noted that the past months have seen unprecedented violence between rival armed fractions.
• So far, more than 300,000 people have been displaced. Airports, government buildings and other vital infrastructure have been destroyed. And hospitals do not have adequate medical supplies. 
• The Secretary-General added that although most international missions, including the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), have had to temporarily relocated from the country, his Special Representative, Bernardino León, will continue to shuttle between the parties in Libya to promote dialogue as the only way out of the crisis.

SECRETARY-GENERAL REPEATS CALL ON SOUTH SUDAN’S LEADERS TO FIND INCLUSIVE POWER-SHARING ARRANGEMENT

• The Secretary-General spoke at the High-Level meeting on South Sudan, again calling on the leadership of both sides to find an inclusive and mutually agreed power-sharing arrangement to start a transitional phase of governance.
• He added that an agreement leaving key stakeholders outside the transition will not bring sustainable peace, and that it cannot be imposed.
• The Secretary-General said that a peace agreement will also have to address convincingly the causes of the conflict, and that those responsible for atrocities must face justice through a mechanism that meets international standards.
• He also stressed that the leaders must protect civilians, allow humanitarian access and guarantee the safety of aid operations.

IRAQ: SENIOR U.N. OFFICIAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST EXECUTION BY I.S.I.L. OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER

• From Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, condemned the ISIL’s brutal, cold-blooded slaying of Iraqi human rights defender Sameera Salih Ali Al-Nuaimy, who was publicly executed by a masked firing squad in central Mosul earlier this week. He also condemned the continuing detention, sexual exploitation and sale of hundreds of women and girls in areas captured by the extremist groups.
• Human rights officials with the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) have received numerous other reports of the executions of women in Mosul and in other areas controlled by extremist groups after perfunctory “trials.” Educated, professional women seem to be particularly at risk.
• The High Commissioner also expressed his deep dismay at the situation facing hundreds of captured Yezidi women and girls, as well as some from other ethnic and religious groups, who have reportedly been sold into slavery, forced into marriage and repeatedly raped by fighters since their home areas were overrun in August.

ARMS TRADE TREATY REVEIVES NECESSARY RATIFICATIONS FOR ENTRY INTO FORCE IN MOVE WELCOMED BY SECRETARY-GENERAL

• Today, the Arms Trade Treaty marked a milestone, receiving the 50 ratifications needed to enter into force, which is now set for December.
• In his message today, the Secretary-General said that in adopting the Treaty, Member States have come together to support a robust, legally binding commitment to provide a measure of hope to millions of people around the world.
• Adopted in April of last year by the General Assembly, the landmark treaty aims to regulate international trade in conventional arms.

SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES NEW SENIOR U.N. OFFICIALS FOR AFGHANISTAN, HUMAN RESOURCES

• The Secretary-General has appointed Nicholas Haysom of South Africa as his Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). He will succeed Jan Kubiš.
• The Secretary-General has appointed Carole Wainaina of Kenya as Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management in the Department of Management.  She succeeds Catherine Pollard.
• In a joint appointment by the Secretary-General and the African Union Commission Chairperson, Abdul Kamara of Sierra Leone has been named as Deputy Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Mr. Kamara succeeds Joseph Mutaboba of Rwanda.

SECRETARY-GENERAL MOURNS DEATH OF LONG-SERVING U.N. OFFICIAL

• The Secretary-General learned with profound sadness of the passing of Margaret Vogt who served as his Special Representative in the Central African Republic from 2011 to 2013.
• The Secretary-General pays tribute to Ms Vogt’s long and rich career in the United Nations, the African Union and academia. He recalls that Ms Vogt was known for her tireless work, unmatched kindness and the incredible courage she displayed in the many dangerous duty stations where she served.
• The Secretary-General salutes Ms. Vogt’s leadership, including during very turbulent times in Somalia and the Central African Republic. She saved lives, inspired others and brought joy to those she met. Her many friends, colleagues and admirers, in the UN and elsewhere, will always remember her profound decency and humanity.
• The Secretary-General conveys his deepest condolences to Ms. Vogt’s family.

***The guest at the Noon Briefing was Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education. He spoke to reporters about his Global Education Initiative.