HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

FRIDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2015

 

MALI: SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS HORRIFIC TERRORIST ATTACK IN BAMAKO

  • In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General condemned the horrific terrorist attack at the Radisson hotel in Bamako which killed an unknown number of civilians and injured many more.
  • He expressed his sincere condolences to the Government of Mali and the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded victims of this attack. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has been assisting the Malian authorities in the handling of this crisis.
  • The Secretary-General noted with concern that these attacks are taking place at a time when the peace process is making good progress and the signatory groups to the Agreement on peace and reconciliation in Mali, in particular the Coordination des Mouvements de l'Azawad and the Plateforme, were in Bamako to attend the sixth meeting of the Comité de suivi de l'Accord (CSA) with the Malian Government and international partners.
  • The Secretary-General deplored any attempt to derail the implementation of the Agreement. He expressed his full support to the Malian authorities in their fight against terrorist and extremist groups.
  • He welcomed the statements of the signatory parties to the Agreement that they remain committed to its implementation. He also reiterated the commitment of the United Nations, through MINUSMA, to support the Malian Government and the parties to the Agreement at this critical juncture in the peace process.

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED FOR NEW APPROACH TO MANANGE FLOW OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

  • The Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly, noting that a record 60 million people have been forced from their homes and that tragedies are multiplying – especially for the Syrian people.
  • He stressed the need for a new approach to manage the challenges of global mobility, built on equitable responsibility sharing.
  • The Secretary-General spotlighted the need to address root causes; manage large flows of migrants and refugees; protect human rights; increase financing; and adopt a global approach.
  • He noted that next February, he will co-host a conference in London on the crisis in Syria, a key root cause.
  • The Secretary-General said that he has asked the High Commissioner for Refugees to convene a Resettlement Plus conference in March to galvanize pledges to resettle or help place the more than 3 million people who have been displaced as a result of the conflict in Syria and violence in the region.
  • He also said that in September, he proposes to convene a High-Level Summit on managing large-scale movements of migrants and refugees.

U.N. AGENCIES CONCERNED OVER RESTRICTIONS IN BALKANS AGAINST MOVEMENTS OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

  • In a joint statement today, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) voiced concern over restrictions put in place by Governments against movements of refugees and migrants from Greece through the Western Balkans and further northwards.
  • These restrictions include profiling on the basis of nationality, which the agencies say is becoming increasingly untenable from every point of view – humanitarian, legal, and also safety related, not least in light of falling temperatures and the risks for children and others with specific needs.
  • The statement noted that such measures are creating tensions at border crossings and a domino effect, leaving in total limbo some refugees and migrants stranded at different border points.
  • These measures by States are creating tension at border crossings and a domino effect, leaving in total limbo some refugees and migrants stranded at different border points.
  • The UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM, who are working to increase reception capacity and strengthen child protections systems, remain concerned by a shortage of places to accommodate people along the route should the movement be slowed down and crowding result.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN KILLED OR MAIMED DUE TO CONFLICT IN SYRIA, WARNS HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR

  • The Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria crisis, Kevin Kennedy, said tens of thousands of Syria’s children have been killed or maimed in the conflict there. Children have lost their lives to air strikes, mortars, artillery, shooting, car bombs and improvised explosive devices.
  • He said that parties to the conflict in Syria should stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools, education facilities and personnel.
  • He noted that a quarter of schools in the country can no longer be used because they are destroyed, damaged, sheltering thousands of displaced families or being used for military purposes.
  • Mr. Kennedy warned that we are closer than ever to losing a whole generation of children to “despair, illiteracy and darkness.”

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS TERROR ATTACKS IN ISRAEL AND WEST BANK

  • In a statement issued last night, the Secretary-General condemned yesterday's terror attacks in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
  • He expressed his condolences to the families of the five people killed - three Israelis, a Palestinian and an American - and hopes for a full and speedy recovery for those injured. It is imperative now to restore calm.
  • The Secretary-General called upon all political, religious and community leaders to speak out against such brutal acts and refrain from incendiary language.
  • He reiterated that only a negotiated solution to the conflict can bring peace and security to the peoples of this troubled land.

SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON HEALTH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND ACCESS

  • The Secretary-General announced the establishment of a High-Level Panel on health technology innovation and access, made up of 15 eminent, well-respected individuals with a deep knowledge and understanding of the broad range of trade, public health, human rights and legal issues associated with access to treatment.
  • He has appointed Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, and Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana, as co-chairs of the Panel.
  • In order to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being of people of all ages, as set out in Sustainable Development Goal 3, new modalities are urgently needed to ensure that everyone can have access to quality treatment at affordable costs.
  • The panel is expected to hold its first meeting in December 2015 and to engage in extensive consultations with stakeholders. A set of recommendations will be presented to the Secretary-General in June 2016.
  • The Secretary-General will make the report available to the General Assembly and take any further action, as appropriate.

WORLD REMAINS DEEPLY UNFAIR PLACE FOR POOR AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, U.N. SAYS ON CHILDREN’S DAY

  • On Universal Children’s Day, a new report by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that the world remains a deeply unfair place for the poorest and most disadvantaged children despite major advances since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
  • The report, For every child, a Fair Chance: The Promise of Equity, presents a statistical picture of how the world’s most marginalized children have fared against basic human development indicators.
  • A team of UNICEF Ambassadors are raising their voices or activating their social media networks to help spur action as part of UNICEF’s "Fight Unfair" campaign.
  • They include actors Liam Neeson and Susan Sarandon, singers Shakira and Ricky Martin, and tennis champion Novak Djokovic.

VIET NAM: U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE ALARMED AT REPORTS OF ARRESTS OF DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA NATIONALS

  • The UN Human Rights Office expressed its alarm today at reports that nine nationals from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), including an infant and a teenager, were arrested in Viet Nam last month and transferred to China.
  • There are fears that they may be, or may already have been, repatriated to the DPRK, where the Office said they would be at risk of very serious human rights violations.
  • The Office urged Chinese and Vietnamese authorities to publicly clarify the fate of the nine DPRK nationals and also urged all concerned governments to refrain from forcibly returning individuals who have fled the DPRK.

THAILAND: U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE CONCERNED OVER DEPORTATION OF CHINESE REFUGEES

  • In response to a question about the deportation of two Chinese activists, both of whom are recognized as refugees, by Thai authorities, the Spokesman said that the UN Human Rights Office today is deeply concerned over their deportation, as well as the risks associated with their being sent back to China.
  • The Office has expressed its concerns to the Government of Thailand over the deportation, which comes just a few months after it expressed its concern over the Government’s deportation of more than 100 ethnic Uighurs to China.
  • It noted that Thailand is a party to the Convention against Torture, which contains the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of a refugee to a country where he or she is likely to face persecution or torture.  
  • The Office strongly urged the Thai Government to stop deporting individuals, including potential refugees and asylum-seekers, to countries where there are substantial grounds to believe that they would face an imminent risk of grave human rights violations, including torture.

PEACEKEEPERS FROM QUICK REACTION FORCE RE-DEPLOYED TO U.N. MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

  • The UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) said that 250 Senegalese peacekeepers from its Quick Reaction Force will be re-deployed to the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) starting on 25 November 2015.
  • This is a temporary deployment, for 6 to 8 weeks, under inter-mission cooperation arrangements, which was requested in light of the ongoing tense security situation in the Central African Republic.

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