Noon briefing of 23 March 2016

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH 2016

U.N. REQUESTS GOVERNMENT OF MOROCCO TO COMPLY WITH ITS INTERNATIONAL LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

• The Spokesman said that the United Nations had sent a note verbale to Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, in reply to the note verbale sent by the Government of Morocco on 16 March.
• The note made clear that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned that the recent actions taken by the Government of Morocco are contrary to Morocco’s legal obligations as agreed under the Status of Mission Agreement for the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
• That agreement includes a legal obligation for Morocco to ensure that the members of MINURSO “shall whenever so required by the SRSG have the right to enter into, reside in and depart from the Mission area.”
• The Executive Office of the Secretary-General strongly requests the Government of Morocco to comply immediately with its international legal obligations under the UN Charter, the General Convention and the MINURSO Status of Mission Agreement and to work together in a spirit of cooperation.

U.N. ENVOY IN D.R.CONGO TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL COUNTRY IS AT CRITICAL JUNCTURE

• The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Maman Sidikou, told the Security Council that the country was at a critical juncture with elections expected at the end of the year.
• He said the electoral process was at an impasse and that a credible and meaningful political dialogue was needed to overcome it. In particular, he pointed to the need to identify clear and realistic conditions under which the UN could support a revision of the voters’ registry, which he said can help enhance the credibility of the process and prevent this from becoming another obstacle to timely elections.
• Mr. Sidikou also said he was optimistic regarding the spirit of enhanced cooperation with the Government and noted that early progress could be made on the priority armed groups through improved cooperation between the UN Mission in the country, MONUSCO, the Government and the Congolese army, and with the support of other partners.
• Concerning the UN Mission, he asked Council members for their support for the Secretary-General’s recommendation to reduce an additional 1,700 military personnel. He said that, according to assessments, a further reduction of MONUSCO military personnel can be envisaged without compromising the Mission’s ability to implement its mandate to protect civilians, including through the neutralization of armed groups.

AID DISTRIBUTION BEGINS IN YEMEN’S TAIZZ AREA

• Earlier this week, the UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR), sent thirteen trucks carrying blankets, mattresses, and other badly needed emergency relief items to Yemen’s Taizz governorate in the highlands of the country’s southwest. This was a breakthrough, since it was the first time a UNHCR convoy made it through all the way from Aden to Taizz.

• Distribution is starting this week for 500 displaced people, others who have returned to Taizz, plus local families who have been affected by the conflict.
• For months, UNHCR has been advocating for regular and sustained humanitarian access to Taizz city and governorate. Now, with key roads into Taizz reopened since 11 March after nine months of blocked access, UNHCR is taking advantage of the opportunity to get help to people who desperately need it. This includes aid, vital protection and shelter help.

SYRIA: $19 MILLION ALLOCATED TO HELP 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE

• Nearly $19 million has been allocated to humanitarian partners today through the Syria Humanitarian Pooled Fund. This allocation of funds will finance water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, health, food security and agriculture, education and other projects to help almost 1.4 million people.
• This was the first allocation of funds this year and it is also the biggest one to date. The U.N. strategy was to prioritize projects that are implemented directly and in hard-to-reach and besieged areas.
• In 2016, 13.5 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 4.6 million people in hard-to-reach areas-- half a million of whom live in besieged communities where needs are most dire.

WHO: ZIKA MAY HAVE SEVERE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

• The Director of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, briefed the media on 22 March in Geneva on the Zika situation. She said that in less than a year, the status of Zika has changed from a mild medical curiosity to a disease with severe public health implications.
• To date, 12 countries and territories have reported an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and the virus is currently circulating in 38 countries and territories.
• Dr. Chan said that based on our present knowledge, no one can predict whether the virus will spread to other parts of the world and cause a similar pattern of foetal malformations and neurological disorders, she said.
• Dr. Chan updated the press on developments in science and the Zika evidence base that have built up since 1 February. She said that a shift in thinking was needed, away from the management of individual cases and towards the longer-term building of capacities.

HEALTH WORKERS AMONG FASTEST GROWING EMPLOYMENT SEGMENTS

• The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern over cutbacks in health-related investments in some countries despite growing evidence that demand for health workers will only increase in the future.
• It said that in many countries, the health sector has created jobs at a faster rate than other sectors over the past 10 years, particularly for women.
• According to WHO, about half of the new private sector jobs created in the United States between 2001 and 2012 were in the health sector. In the European Union, the health and social sectors employ 20 million people, or about 10% of total employment.
• In January 2016 WHO’s Executive Board reviewed “Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030”, which will be considered by the World Health Assembly in May.
• The strategy aims to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals by giving countries policy options to ensure that all people can access health workers where and when they need them.

AUTOMATED DRIVING TO BECOME REALITY

• A major regulatory milestone towards the deployment of automated driving was attained on 23 March with the entry into force of amendments to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
• Automated driving technologies will be allowed now in traffic, if these technologies are in conformity with the United Nations vehicle regulations or can be switched off by the driver.
• According to UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), automated driving will be the next revolution in the field of mobility.
• Human errors are the main reason for road traffic accidents and it is expected that computer controlled driving will make the road transport safer. It has also the potential to be more environmentally friendly, efficient and accessible.

U.N. COMMISION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS CONCLUDES ITS 59^TH SESSION

• The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) concluded its 59th session in Vienna with a reminder of the UN General Assembly special session on the world drug problem to be held here at the UN headquarters in April.
• The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov said that the special GA session in New York should be used to create the necessary cooperation among member-states to address the world drug problem and to link the activities of his agency to the overall work of the United Nations in achieving sustainable development.
• It should be noted that during the 59th session of the Commission additional seven substances were scheduled under the international drug control conventions following recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO).

*** The Guest at the Noon briefing was Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.