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

FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2015

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF MYANMAR ON PEACEFUL, HISTORIC ELECTIONS

• In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General warmly congratulated the people of Myanmar for their peaceful, dignified and enthusiastic participation in the historic elections of 8 November.
• He welcomed this as a significant achievement in Myanmar’s democratic transition.
• He acknowledged, in particular, the courage and vision of President Thein Sein whose leadership in the reform process has helped achieve progress to this defining stage.
• The Secretary-General also commended the Union Election Commission, political parties, domestic and international observers and all others who tirelessly contributed to making these elections such a significant success.
• While saying this, he is regretfully aware that a large number of voters from minority communities, in particular the Rohingya, were denied the right to vote and some were disqualified as candidates.
• The Secretary-General extended his warm congratulations to the National League for Democracy and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for their landmark performance at the elections and to the Union Solidarity and Development Party for its dignified acceptance of the verdict of the people.
• As Myanmar begins the process of forming its next government, the Secretary-General urged all national stakeholders to maintain a calm atmosphere and uphold human rights and the rule of law.

LEBANON: SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK IN BEIRUT

• In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General condemned the terrorist attack in the Beirut suburb of Burj al-Barajneh.
• He is deeply saddened at the reported high numbers of fatalities and injured, and extends his condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Lebanon. He wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
• The Secretary-General reiterated the need for all parties to continue to work to preserve Lebanon’s stability and security, as called for by the Security Council. He called for those responsible for this terrorist act to be swiftly brought to justice.
• The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag, also condemned the attack, saying that Lebanon’s unity, stability and security need to be supported and shielded at all times. She added that the international community stands by Lebanon.

JOINT INVESTIGATION MECHANISM FOR CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN SYRIA BECOMES FULLY OPERATIONAL

• The Joint Investigation Mechanism dealing with chemical weapons in Syria has proceeded with the recruitment of its core and administrative staff, following its initial planning meeting.
• In the last month, it has also moved to set up its offices in both New York and The Hague, as well as a light presence in Damascus.
• The Joint Investigation Mechanism is now sufficiently staffed to declare itself fully operational as of today. A letter to that respect was sent by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on 10 November. 

HEAD OF PEACEKEEPING STRESSES ROLE OF U.N. POLICE IN PROTECTING CIVILIANS

• The Security Council discussed today the challenges of policing within a protection of civilians mandate.
• The Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, said that perhaps the most important reservoir of protection expertise was found among the world’s police officers. He added that these were the women and men who receive training to engage with communities, analyse potential threats, and, if necessary, take action.
• He said that ten peacekeeping operations have a protection of civilians mandate and that the police in particular have an important role to play in protecting civilians, especially as their numbers and responsibilities expand.
• During the last decade, the number of police authorized for deployment nearly tripled to over 13,000, and their mandates are increasingly multidimensional.
• The Police Commissioners for the UN Missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and in Liberia (UNMIL) as well as the Deputy Police Commissioner for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) also addressed the Council.

U.N. MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WARNS SITUATION IN BATANGAFU REMAINS TENSE

• The UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reported that the situation remains tense in Batangafo, following clashes between anti-Balaka and ex-Seleka combatants inside a camp for internally displaced persons on Wednesday.
• A majority of the displaced have fled, including some 5,000 who are at the Mission’s camp and some 12,000 are in Non-Governmental Organizations’ camps.
• In response to the violence, the Mission dispatched reinforcement by helicopter to strengthen its position in Batangafo.

MALI: HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR CONDEMNS INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST AID AGENCIES

• The Humanitarian Coordinator in Mali, Mbaranga Gasarabwe, has condemned the recent increase of violence against humanitarian organizations in the country.
• Some 30 attacks have been directed against aid workers and their facilities since the beginning of the year, most of them in recent months.
• In the latest incident, an explosive device was set off at the entrance of a building housing a Non-Governmental Organization in Menaka, in the Gao region.
• The Humanitarian Coordinator said that hindering the work of humanitarian organizations affects first and foremost vulnerable people - the men, women and children for whom humanitarian assistance is often a question of survival.
• She added that attacks against the personnel and facilities of humanitarian organizations are violations of international humanitarian law.
• Some 140 aid organizations work in Mali, about 100 of which are located in the north. They provide essential water, food, health services, education, shelter and livelihood support to hundreds of thousands of people.

U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT TO ESTABLISH CEASEFIRE IN COLOMBIA

• The High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres welcomed the announcement by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to establish a bilateral and definitive cease-fire in the coming weeks.
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reiterated its offer of support to the negotiating parties in their discussions aimed at restoring and guaranteeing the rights of displaced people and refugees.

GREECE: U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY CONCERNED OVER RISING NUMBER OF ARRIVALS IN LESVOS

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned that despite dangerous sea conditions, the number of refugees and migrants arriving on Lesvos, Greece, continues to be high, at an average of 3,300 people per day so far in November.
• Of the 660,000 refugees and migrants who have reached Greece this year more than half have landed at Lesvos. UNHCR also warns that with winter approaching, reception conditions and capacity there remain overstretched and inadequate.
• Despite the challenges, UNHCR is working with its partners to provide newly-arriving refugees with immediate life-saving help, and continues to appeal to authorities to create additional accommodation and reception capacity urgently.

UKRAINE: 700,000 CHILDREN COULD BE AT RISK IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS WHERE WATER NETWORKS ARE DAMAGED

• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that the lives an estimated 700,000 children and others in Ukraine’s conflict-affected regions could be at risk if repairs to the water network in those areas are not urgently made.
• Damage to pipelines and infrastructure, as well as debris from destroyed bridges due to conflict in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk are hampering the flow of water, and could result in a shutdown of the system, affecting water, heating and electricity supplies.
• UNICEF has called for more access to areas where water infrastructure is damaged, ahead of the winter months.

MEASLES VACCINATION HELPS TO SAVE MORE THAN 17 MILLION LIVES SINCE 2000

•  According to new data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Measles & Rubella Initiative, measles vaccination has helped to save an estimated 17.1 million lives since 2000.
• From 2000 to 2014, the number of measles-related deaths has decreased by 79 per cent, with vaccination against the disease playing a key role in reducing child mortality. However, overall progress towards increasing global immunization coverage has recently stagnated.
• WHO warned that based on current trends, the 2015 global milestones and goals set by Member States will not be achieved on time.