HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

WEDNESDAY, 29 APRIL 2015

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRONGLY CONDEMNS SHELLING OF YARMOUK, CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS

• In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the shelling and aerial bombardment of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus on 28 April despite assurances from the Syrian Government that the camp would not be attacked while civilians remained inside.
• Thousands of civilians in the camp are besieged by terrorist and other armed groups on the inside and Government forces on the outside.
• The Secretary-General called on the Government to immediately end any military operation that could endanger the lives of civilians in Yarmouk camp and abide strictly by its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians during armed conflict.
• He also called on all parties to stop the violence so as to grant secure and sustained humanitarian access to civilians inside the camp.
• The Secretary-General urged the Security Council and Member States with influence on the parties on the ground, including the Syrian Government, to do all in their power to protect civilian lives. The Government's adherence to commitments it has already made is critical to its role as an interlocutor for the international community.

DEATH PENALTY HAS NO PLACE IN 21^ST CENTURY, REITERATES SECRETARY-GENERAL FOLLOWING EXECUTIONS IN INDONESIA

• In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General expressed deep regret at the executions carried out in Indonesia on 29 April despite numerous calls in the country and internationally for a reprieve. He again urged the Government to exercise its authority and commute all death sentences.
• The Secretary-General reaffirmed his belief that the death penalty has no place in the 21st century. This is also the conviction of a growing majority of the international community: a record 117 States voted in the UN General Assembly in December 2014 for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
• The Secretary-General urged all countries where the death penalty is still in place to join this movement and declare a moratorium on capital punishment with a view toward abolition.
• The Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that Indonesia appeals for clemency when its own nationals face execution in other countries, so it is incomprehensible why it absolutely refuses to grant clemency for lesser crimes on its own territory.
• The Office added that it is extremely regrettable, extremely sad, that these people have been deprived of their lives. Under international law, if the death penalty is to be used at all, it should only be imposed for the most serious crimes, essentially those involving intentional killing.
•  Drug-related offenses are not considered to fall under the category of 'most serious' crimes. The Office appealed once again most strenuously to Indonesia to reinstate its moratorium on the death penalty.

STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

• In a statement issued today, the UN said that through its Office of Human Rights in Bangui, it has conducted a human rights investigation in late spring of 2014, following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by French military personnel, prior to the establishment of the UN peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic.
• The resulting report was provided to an external party in mid-July 2014 in unedited form, which included the identities of victims, witnesses and investigators.
• The unedited version was, by a staff member’s own admission, provided unofficially by that staff member to the French authorities in late July, prior to even providing it to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) senior management.
• This constitutes a serious breach of protocol, which, as is well known to all OHCHR officials, requires redaction of any information that could endanger victims, witnesses and investigators.
• There is also an internal investigation into the handling of this matter by OHCHR, including the manner in which the confidential preliminary findings were initially communicated to external actors, and whether the names of victims, witnesses and investigators were conveyed as part of that document.
• One staff member has been placed on administrative leave with full pay pending the results of the investigation. The UN’s preliminary assessment is that such conduct does not constitute whistleblowing.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SCIENCE PO STUDENTS TO SPEAK UP AND CLAIM THEIR FUTURE

• The Secretary-General opened the formal session of the UN Chief Executive Board’s meeting, hosted this year by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• He held a bilateral meeting with President Francois Hollande, and is expected to speak to the media following that meeting. This evening, President Hollande will host a dinner for the Secretary-General and the rest of the Chief Executives Board.
• Earlier today, the Secretary-General addressed students at the Institut des Sciences Politique in Paris. He encouraged the students to speak up and claim their future, saying that they are part of the largest generation of youth in history and are connected, global citizens who can shape our future. 
• The Secretary-General shared with the students his strong focus on climate change in the build-up to the Paris conference in December. He pushed the students to become global citizens with a global vision and compassionate leadership.
• At the UNESCO headquarters, the Secretary-General participated, along with Director-General Irena Bokova, in a ceremony designating CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, focusing on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ROAD SAFETY

• The Secretary-General has appointed Jean Todt of France as his Special Envoy for Road Safety. Mr. Todt is currently the president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.
• Every year, some 1.3 million people are killed and up to 50 million people are injured on the world’s roads. Half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. 
• Road traffic deaths are also the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29, and road traffic injuries are the eighth leading cause of death globally.
• Beyond human suffering, road traffic deaths and injuries impose significant economic and financial losses to societies. Low and middle-income countries are the hardest hit. In 2010, the UN General Assembly proclaimed a Decade of Action for Road Safety.  The goal of the Decade (2011-2020) is to stabilize and then reduce the forecast level of road traffic deaths around the world. 
• As Special Envoy, Mr. Todt will mobilize sustained political commitment towards road safety.  He will also advocate and raise awareness about the United Nations road safety legal instruments, and share established road safety good practices, through his participation in global and regional conferences on road safety.

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE OF NEPAL, AID ORGANIZATIONS APPEAL FOR $415 MILLION

• The Secretary-General today spoke by phone with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushil Koirala. He expressed to the Prime Minister the UN’s solidarity with the people of Nepal at this difficult time and discussed the work being done regarding search-and-rescue efforts and humanitarian aid.
• The UN and its partners today urgently appealed for $415 million to support the Government of Nepal to provide vital relief to people affected by the devastating earthquake.
• The funds will go towards a joint action plan to address the most critical needs over the next three months in the areas of shelter; water and sanitation; emergency health; food; and protection.
• More than 5,000 people have lost their lives and more 10,000 people have been injured in the earthquake and in the many aftershocks that followed.
• The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal, Jamie McGoldrick, said that the timing of the intervention remains of the essence.
• He added that although he is heartened and encouraged by the progress of the response to date, efforts need to be maintained and stepped up to ensure vital assistance reaches all the affected, especially those in the remote areas.
• Today’s appeal reflects both the scale of the needs and the significant logistical challenges in reaching mountainous areas. Emergency shelter will be provided for 500,000 people who remain in the open; emergency health services and medical supplies and facilities; and safe drinking water and sanitation facilities urgently needed for up to 4.2 million people.
• Up to 1.4 million people will benefit from food assistance, while some 2.1 million children and 525,000 women will benefit from protection assistance.

YEMEN: AID ORGANIZATIONS WARN THAT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS WILL CEASE UNESS FUEL SUPPLIES ARE RESTORED

• Aid agencies warned that humanitarian operations will cease unless supply of fuel to Yemen is restored. The country’s health, water and sanitation systems are at imminent risk of collapse due to shortages of fuel for generators and water pumps.
• The consequences of the arms embargo must be urgently addressed to enable both humanitarians and the commercial sector to resume the import of critical supplies into Yemen. 
• The Yemen Public Telecommunications Corporation said that unless the fuel crisis is resolved, telecommunication services including mobile phones, internet and land lines will shut down within a week.
• The disruption in communications will hamper the flow of information on humanitarian needs and operations as escalation of conflict continues.
• Meanwhile, health partners report that 1,244 people have died and 5,044 have been injured in Yemen between 19 March and 27 April. The number of displaced people has risen to 300,000.

U.N. ENVOY BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL, PROVIDES UPDATE ON PEACE TALKS

• The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino León, briefed the Security Council during consultations this morning. He spoke to the media at the stakeout following the meeting and provided an update on the dialogue process.
• Earlier this week, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) circulated a draft proposal for a political agreement to parties engaged in the dialogue.
• The proposal builds on discussions that took place over the past three months. It is anchored on a number of key principles, including on the inviolability of the democratic process.
• The Mission has noted initial feedback on the draft agreement and reminds all parties that the document remains a work in progress until there is consensus on what constitutes a viable political settlement.
• The Mission reiterated its steadfast commitment to continue working closely with all parties to ensure a successful conclusion of the dialogue process. Mr. Leon will be consulting with all parties over the next few days to decide on a date for the resumption of the dialogue.

AID ORGANIZATIONS CONTINUE TO HELP DISPLACED FAMILIES IN IRAQ’S ANBAR PROVINCE

• The Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been informed by the Anbar Provincial Council that the number of Iraqis displaced from Ramadi is stabilizing, with 114,000 people estimated to be displaced. Small numbers of people continue to return to residential areas.
• Aid agencies continue to provide relief to displaced families. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) provided relief items including blankets and shelter materials to more than 1,000 people in Baghdad Governorate and 3,600 people in Anbar Governorate.
•  Also in Anbar, the World Health Organization (WHO) provided 88 health kits to the Khaldiyah area. Since the start of the crisis in Ramadi, WHO has dispatched 166 kits in total, benefitting 135,000 people for three months.

ENVOY FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION WELCOMES RELEASE OF GIRLS ABDUCTED BY BOKO HARAM

• The Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, has welcomed the release of 200 girls from captivity by Boko Haram and he once more called for the immediate release of all abducted girls.
• He said that it is time to end the nightmare. For a year, families have not known whether their daughters are dead or alive, married off, sold off or violated as a result of their captivity. Now that some girls have been released, he said, we want all girls released.
• The Special Envoy said that he will talk to Nigerian President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari tomorrow about how the international community can provide help to free the girls.
• He will also discuss the need for safe schools, at a time when 10 million children don’t go to school in Nigeria. He said that by creating safe schools? ?and communities? ?where girls are free of fear, we can get every child into school and learning.

IMPROVED ANIMAL DISEASE PREVENTION BOOSTS SOMALIA’S LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today announced that heavy investments in animal disease prevention have helped Somalia export a record 5 million livestock in 2014. This is the highest number of live animals exported from Somalia in the last 20 years.
• An investment in livestock means an investment in economic growth for the whole of Somalia, says FAO adding that livestock remains the mainstay of the Somali economy, contributing 40 percent to the country's Gross Domestic Product.

NEW REPORT FINDS GAPS IN SYSTEMS TO COMBAT ANTIBIOTICS RESISTANCE

• A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that systems to combat antibiotic resistance lacking in all regions. The WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Security, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, stressed that all types of microbes, including many viruses and parasites, are becoming resistant to medicines, and that this is the single greatest challenge in infectious diseases today.
• The report is the first to capture governments’ own assessments of their response to resistance to antimicrobial medicines used to treat conditions such as bloodstream infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), malaria and HIV.

PORTUGAL PAYS ITS DUES TO U.N.

• Portugal became the 81^st Member State to pay its regular budget dues in full. 

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