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

THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2016

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES CYPRIOT LEADERS TO CONTINUE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIND COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION

  • The Secretary-General met in Davos today with the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci and his Special Adviser, Espen Barth Eide, in first meeting with both leaders together.
  • He said afterwards that he encouraged the leaders to continue working tirelessly towards finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as possible, for the benefit of all Cypriots. He also called on all interested parties to do their utmost to facilitate and support the leaders in their quest for overcoming the division of Cyprus.
  • In a meeting earlier this morning, the Secretary-General announced the establishment of a High Level Panel for Women’s Economic Empowerment, which will be co-chaired by President Luis Guillermo Solis of Costa Rica and by Ms. Simona Scarpaleggia, CEO of IKEA Switzerland.
  • The Panel will make action-oriented recommendations on how to improve economic outcomes for women in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promote women’s leadership in driving economic growth, and galvanize political will.
  • At the same time, the Secretary-General announced the establishment of the Every Woman Every Child High-Level Advisory Group, which is designed to place the Every Woman Every Child initiative into the new context of the 2030 Agenda.
  • Its members are leaders from governments, the business community, philanthropy and civil society. President Michelle Bachelet of Chile and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia will serve as co-chairs.
  • At another event, the Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, jointly announced their intention to form a new panel to mobilize urgent action towards the Sustainable Development Goal for water and sanitation and related targets. The panel will be co-chaired by the Presidents of Mauritius and Mexico.

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES TRILATERAL MINISTERIAL MEETING TO ADDRESS DISPUTE BETWEEN EQUATORIAL GUINEA AND GABON

  • The Secretary-General today welcomed the holding of a trilateral ministerial meeting on the dispute between the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Gabonese Republic on 19 January 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
  • He congratulated both parties for their demonstrated political will to instil new momentum in the process and to finalize a special agreement for submission to the International Court of Justice.
  • The Secretary-General noted the progress made to date and the parties’ willingness to do their utmost to come to a mutually agreeable solution to this longstanding dispute before the end of his mandate. He reiterated his readiness to provide good offices to help resolve this dispute.

SOUTH SUDAN: NEW HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT SHOWS WIDESPREAD VIOLATIONS AND ABUSES

  • A new report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) shows that widespread human rights violations and abuses have been committed by all parties to the conflict since December 2013, including hundreds of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, forced recruitment and indiscriminate attacks against civilians.
  • The report says that “very few places in areas of conflict have been safe, as the parties have intentionally attacked traditional safe havens, such as places of worship, hospitals and, from time to time, United Nations bases.”
  • The new report adds that the attacks reveal a shocking disregard for civilian life, with an increasing number of armed groups and communities being involved in the violence.
  • It says that since the middle of 2015, a new pattern emerged, particularly in the central and southern counties of Unity State, with entire villages being burned down, food crops destroyed and livestock looted.
  • The Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Loej, said that she hoped the report would inform the emerging processes aimed at the implementation of the IGAD-facilitated Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) that was signed by the parties last August.
  • The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, stressing the importance of accountability and justice, said that the current regional and international peace efforts offer some hope that this perpetual cycle of bloodshed and misery can be brought to an end. He urged all sides to negotiate in good faith.
  • UNMISS said that fighting broke out in Yambio town, in Western Equatoria State, earlier today reportedly between the Sudan People's Liberation Army and a group called South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM).
  • As a result, approximately 2,000 civilians are estimated to have sought protection at an NGO compound adjacent to the Mission’s Yambio base.
  • The Mission carried out a number of patrols into Yambio town today and reported it as deserted with all businesses closed.

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT ON FORMATION OF GOVERMMENT OF NATIONAL ACCORD IN LIBYA

  • The Security Council yesterday issued a statement, welcoming the announcement by the Presidency Council of the formation of the Government of National Accord.
  • Council members have expressed support for the full implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement, the full endorsement of the Government, and have stressed that the Government of National Accord should be based in the capital, Tripoli.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED OVER REPORTED ISRAELI STATE LAND AUTHORIZATION IN OCCUPIED WEST BANK

  • In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General expressed concerns about reports of the Israeli Government authorising the declaration of 370 acres in the West Bank, south of Jericho, as so-called "state land".
  • If implemented, this declaration would constitute the largest land appropriation by Israel in the West Bank since August 2014.
  • The Secretary-General reiterated his call for substantial policy changes on the ground by Israel that will improve the lives of Palestinians.
  • Settlement activities are a violation of international law and run counter to the public pronouncements of the Government of Israel supporting a two-state solution to the conflict.

SYRIA: HEADS OF U.N. AGENCIES AND PARTNERS APPEAL FOR END TO CARNAGE

  • The heads of the United Nations’ main humanitarian branches, as well as leaders of major humanitarian non-governmental organizations, came out with a joint appeal on Syria today, appealing to governments and citizens around the world to add their voices in urging an end to the carnage there.
  • More than ever before, they say, the world needs to hear a collective public voice calling for an end to this outrage.
  • Until there is a diplomatic solution to the fighting, the joint appeal says, there needs to be unimpeded and sustained access for humanitarian organizations to bring immediate relief to all those in need inside Syria.
  • The groups also called for humanitarian pauses and unconditional, monitored ceasefires; a cessation of attacks on civilian infrastructure; and freedom of movement for all civilians and the immediate lifting of all sieges by all parties.

U.N. MISSION CONDEMNS SUICIDE ATTACK AGAINST MEDIA ORGANIZATION IN AFGHANISTAN

  • The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the suicide attack against media workers in Kabul yesterday. An estimated eight civilians were killed and another 24 were injured during the attack targeting a minibus transporting staff of the Tolo media organization.
  • The mission has called on all parties to the conflict, including the Taliban, to rescind any threats against the media, adding that civilians, including journalists, should never be the object of attack or threats.

COLOMBIA: SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES DECISION TO REQUEST ESTABLISHMENT OF POLITICAL MISSION

  • In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General welcomed the joint communiqué issued by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) in Havana yesterday announcing their decision to request the Security Council to establish a political mission in Colombia.
  • The Secretary-General also welcomed the parties’ request to the members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to contribute international observers to the mission to be established by the United Nations.
  • The Secretary-General congratulated the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP on yet another significant step toward the peaceful resolution of the armed conflict.
  • He reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to continue to support their efforts in the search for peace.

OVER 50 U.N. AND ASSOCIATED PERSONNEL KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY IN 2015

  • At least 51 United Nations and associated personnel were killed in 2015 in the line of duty, according to the Standing Committee for the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service of the United Nations Staff Union. 
  • Among those killed were 27 peacekeepers, including two police officers, and 24 civilians, including contractors, in deliberate attacks.

 

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