Noon briefing of 22 April 2015

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

WEDNESDAY, 22 APRIL 2015

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS WAVE OF XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

• In a statement issued today, the Secretary- General condemned the wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa that has resulted in the deaths of at least seven people in the past few weeks. He expresses his condolences to the families of the victims.
• The Secretary-General noted the actions and statements of the President of South Africa and the Government to address the violence.
• He welcomed the public expressions of the many South Africans who have been calling for peaceful coexistence and harmony with foreign nationals. He urged all efforts are made to avert future attacks, including any incitement leading thereto, and encourages peaceful solutions.

RELIGION DOES NOT CAUSE VIOLENCE, PEOPLE DO, STRESSES SECRETARY-GENERAL AT INTERFAITH DEBATE

• The Secretary-General spoke at the opening of the second day of the General Assembly thematic debate on Tolerance and Reconciliation today.
• Addressing interfaith leaders gathered today, the Secretary-General said that as men and women with great influence, the leaders can and must do more to foster peaceful, inclusive societies, and counter violent extremism.
• He stressed that religion does not cause violence but people do. He added that there is a direct line between prejudice and extremism, and between racism and genocide.
• He urged faith leaders to use their wisdom and leadership to make differences - first, by promoting dialogue as an antidote to sectarian tensions, and second, by addressing the factors that enable violent extremists to gain new recruits.
• The Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, Sam Kutesa, and the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, will speak at the General Assembly media stakeout today.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES EUROPE TO TAKE COMPREHENSIVE AND BOLD COLLECTIVE ACTION TO END TRAGEDY AT MEDITERRANEAN

• The Secretary-General wrote to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, in advance of tomorrow’s meeting in Brussels. In the letter, the Secretary-General expressed his sadness and concern at that continuing loss of life in the Mediterranean.
• He urged the European Union to continue to take comprehensive and bold collective action to put an end to the humanitarian disaster at sea. The Secretary-General also said that “the safety, protection needs and human rights of migrants and refugees must be at the centre of the response.”
• He told President Tusk that the United Nations stands ready to work closely with the European Union, as well as transit and origin countries to alleviate the immediate plight of migrants.
• We all have a moral imperative to act swiftly, the Secretary-General said in the letter, which he asked to be circulated all the members of the European Council.

2015 CRITICAL TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MOTHER EARTH DAY

• In his message for International Mother Earth Day, the Secretary-General said we are increasingly aware of the damage our species has wrought but have yet to change our ways.
• He said 2015 brings a critical opportunity to do just that, and that the big decisions that lie ahead are not just for world leaders and policy-makers but for each and every one of us.
• The President of the UN’s Economic and Social Council, Martin Sajdik, also said that on this day, Earth Day, we must work as one and deliver for all.

AID AGENCIES CONTINUE TO FACE ACCESS CONTRAINTS IN YEMEN

• The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 1,080 people have been killed, and 4,352 injured between 19 March and 20 April in Yemen.
• Due to insecurity today in Aden city and the spread of street fighting, one aid agency was unable to distribute household items to displaced people staying in schools.
• Another relief organization successfully delivered hygiene items to one of Aden’s major public hospitals. Water trucking has started today for vulnerable people in Al Dhubayiat area of Al Dhale’e governorate, which has had no water and electricity for more than a month.

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON WESTERN SAHARA

• The Security Council this morning held consultations on Western Sahara and received a briefing from Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Christopher Ross. It will discuss Côte d’Ivoire this afternoon.

ARMENIA: SECRETARY-GENERAL FIRMLY BELIEVES IN COMMEMORATING AND REMEMBERING TRAGIC EVENTS OF 1915

• In response to questions on Armenia, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General is mindful that on 24 April 2015, the Armenian nation and others around the world commemorate the centenary of the tragic events of 1915. He is also fully aware of the sensitivities related to the characterization of what happened in 1915.
• He firmly believes that commemorating and remembering the tragic events of 1915, and continuing to cooperate with a view to establishing the facts about what happened, should strengthen our collective determination to prevent similar atrocity crimes from happening in the future.
• The UN remains committed to strengthening the capacity of the international community to prevent such atrocity crimes from ever occurring again.
• The Secretary-General acknowledges the forward-looking statement made by the Prime Minister of Turkey H. E. Mr. Davutoglu yesterday.
• He also encourages both Turkey and Armenia to make all possible efforts to normalise relations between their countries, in line with the 2009 Protocol on the Development of Relations between Armenia and Turkey.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME CONCERNED ABOUT MISSING STAFF IN SOUTH SUDAN

• The World Food Programme (WFP) has deep concern over the fate of three staff members who disappeared in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State on April 1, en route to a food distribution.
• The disappearance comes amid generally deteriorating security and increasing harassment of humanitarian workers throughout the country.
• Ten humanitarian workers have been killed in Upper Nile State since the start of South Sudan’s conflict more than 16 months ago. Another WFP staff member was abducted at gunpoint in October 2014 and hasn’t been heard from since.
• WFP aims to assist roughly 3 million people throughout the country in 2015.
• The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported that fighting erupted in Malakal, in Upper Nile State, on Tuesday evening and continued throughout most of the morning and early afternoon.
• The residence of the Upper Nile State governor was reportedly shelled by mortar rounds and two of his security officers were also wounded.
• At least 1,500 unarmed civilians have arrived at the UN protection site outside Malakal, which brings the total numbers of civilians being protected there to an estimated 28,000 people.

SECRETARY-GENERAL REITERATES APPEAL FOR CREDIBLE ELECTIONS IN BANGLADESH

• In response to questions asked about reported attacks on the motorcade of the leader of the Bangladesh National Party leader, Khaleda Zia, the Spokesman said that the UN is aware that the responsible authorities are investigating the incidents.
• The Secretary-General reiterates his appeal for transparent, inclusive, and credible elections, which are only possible in a secure and safe environment for campaigning.

WHO WARNS GLOBAL VACCINATION TARGETS FAR OFF AHEAD OF WORLD IMMUNIZATION WEEK

• The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that progress towards global vaccination targets for 2015 is far off-track with 1 in 5 children worldwide still missing out on routine life-saving immunizations, ahead of World Immunization Week.
• An estimated 1.5 million deaths could be averted each year from preventable diseases, and WHO is calling for renewed efforts to get progress back on course throughout the world.

**The guest at the noon briefing was the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonovic, who briefed on his recent trip to Afghanistan.