HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2015

SECRETARY-GENERAL ADDRESSES MILAN WORLD EXPO ON WORLD FOOD DAY, CALLS HUNGER A TERRIBLE INJUSTICE

• The Secretary-General today delivered the keynote address at the World Forum of Local Economic Development in Turin, Italy. He said that the global goals for sustainable development will only be achieved if there are the right local environment and solutions.
• From Turin, the Secretary-General and his delegation travelled by train to the Milan World Expo. The Secretary-General spoke about World Food Day at the Milan Expo and he stressed the link between sustainable development and food.
• He encouraged everyone to redouble their effort and participate in the Zero Hunger challenge. The Secretary-General added, “Hunger is more than a lack of food – it is a terrible injustice.”
• While at the Expo, the Secretary-General met with President Mattarella of Italy, with whom he discussed Libya and the situation facing migrants and refugees in Europe.
• Following an official lunch, the Secretary-General delivered an address at a “finance for food” event organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
• In his speech, the Secretary-General stressed that agriculture is essential to making progress across the new Sustainable Development Goals, from food security to climate change and women’s empowerment. 

U.N. OFFICIAL SAYS RECENT VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST IS “EXTREMELY CONCERNING”

• The Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Tayé Brook Zerihoun, briefed the Security Council in an open meeting on the Middle East today on the recent violence among Israelis and Palestinians, which he called “extremely concerning”.
• He noted that today, a large group of Palestinians set fire to the compound containing the holy site of Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus.
• He said that the Secretary-General strongly condemns this reprehensible act and calls on those responsible to be swiftly brought to justice. Mr. Zerihoun called on all sides to respect the sanctity of all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem.
• He detailed the recent attacks among Israelis and Palestinians, including stabbing attacks on Israeli civilians and the killings of Palestinians by security forces. As of yesterday, a total of seven Israelis and 32 Palestinians were killed, and some 124 Israelis and more than 1,118 Palestinians were reportedly injured since 1 October.
• Mr. Zerihoun noted that the impact of social media and irresponsible rhetoric has played a dramatic role in escalation. On this count, he said, both sides have much to be blamed for, but he welcomed efforts by leaders in the past days to tone down their statements.

SYRIA: U.N. ENVOY CONTINUES WITH MEDITATION EFFORTS FOR DE-ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE

• The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has in recent days travelled to Moscow, followed by Washington, DC, where he held productive meetings at all levels.
• Mr. de Mistura and his team, in consultations with partners in the region and beyond, continue to actively pursue every possible avenue for de-escalation of violence and the acceleration of a political process.

OVER HALF A MILLION CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN YEMEN AT RISK OF SEVERE MALNUTRITION, SAYS U.N. CHILDREN’S FUND

• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 537,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of severe acute malnutrition in Yemen, which represents a threefold increase from 160,000 in March. This means that one in eight children under five is at risk of severe malnutrition.
• Almost 1.3 million children under five are moderately malnourished compared with 690,000 children prior to the crisis.
• Yemen’s alarming malnutrition levels are aggravated by the limited availability of, and lack of access to food, due to blocked or damaged delivery routes and restrictions on food and fuel imports.
• At the same time, livelihoods have been disrupted, unemployment has risen, fuel and water prices have surged and availability remains erratic.
• To address increasing malnutrition levels, aid agencies have scaled up assistance and treated 97,000 children for severe acute malnutrition in the past six months, while 65,000 children have been treated for moderate acute malnutrition.
• About 3.8 million children have received food supplements, and 933,000 pregnant and lactating women benefited from supplementary feeding.

U.N. STRESSES NEED FOR PROPER RECEPTION FACILITIES IN GREECE FOLLOWING DEATHS OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said today that up to seven people – four of them children – have been killed in a collision between a smuggling boat and a Greek coast guard vessel off the coast of Lesvos.
• In a separate incident, UNHCR staff had to be evacuated from a crowded registration site after violence flared up yesterday as frustration among refugees and migrants boiled over.
• These events took place amid the continuing arrival of thousands of refugees and migrants by sea from Turkey, which has increased pressure on the government's already overstretched reception and registration facilities on the island.
• UNHCR said that both incidents underscore once again the urgent need to rapidly establish proper reception facilities in Greece for receiving, assisting, registering and screening all new arrivals.

MALI: U.N. MISSION WELCOMES RECENT DIALOGUE BETWEEN GROUPS

• The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) welcomed the meetings that took place these last days in Anefis, between the groups knows as Coordination of the Movements of Azawad and the Plateforme.
• The Mission adds that this is a positive step in the inter-Malian peace process. It is also commends the leaders of both parties for choosing dialogue.
• MINUSMA encourages them to continue with this path, in accordance with the Agreement on Peace and National Reconciliation in Mali and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.

U.N. MISSION REPORTS NEW CLASHES IN BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

• The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reported that on yesterday, inter-communal clashes erupted in Bangui around the PK5 neighbourhood.
• The clashes reportedly left at least three people killed, several others wounded, and a number of houses burned.
• MINUSCA immediately deployed its troops to the scene and prevented a further deterioration of the security situation by blocking access to the area to protect the civilian population.
• Also yesterday, in the 2nd district of Bangui, unidentified perpetrators fired upon a UN vehicle with three staff members inside. No injuries were reported.  
• The situation in Bangui today is reported to be calm but tense and the Mission continues to be on high alert.
• The Humanitarian Coordinator in the country and the humanitarian community there has strongly condemned the attack on a Doctors without Borders (MSF) team on the night of 14 October in Bangassou, Mbomou province.
• According to our humanitarian colleagues, the assailants attacked staff members, four of whom were kidnapped and released 30 minutes later. An international staff member was seriously injured during the attack but his condition is now stable after emergency surgery.
• The humanitarian community is urging the Central African people to facilitate access and assistance provided by aid agencies who are working under the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, independence and impartiality.

SOMALIA: U.N. AND EUROPEAN UNION TO HOLD PLEDGING CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK

• On Wednesday, 21 October, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Union will hold a pledging conference for Somalia in Brussels.
• They are expected to present a plan of action to prepare for the sustainable returns of Somali refugees from the region and to rebuild areas of return. This plan will require US$500 million and will cover efforts until the end of 2017.
• Today, more than two million Somalis remain displaced in the region, including an estimated 1 million in their own country.
• The majority are in Kenya. Nearly a quarter of a million of them are in Ethiopia and another 200,000 are in Yemen. So far, some 26,000 Somali refugees have returned home, fleeing the violence in Yemen.

NEPAL: AID AGENCIES RUSH TO DELIVER ASSISTANCE TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES AHEAD OF WINTER

• The Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal today warned that aid agencies face a race against time to deliver food and shelter to communities in high altitude areas before winter conditions cut off access.
• The recent monsoon season limited air and road access to some areas, leaving 1,200 metric tons of shelter and household items still needing to be delivered to earthquake-affected communities.
• The humanitarian community is working to address acute fuel shortages and to increase its capacity to deliver the supplies.