HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
WEDNESDAY, 13 APRIL 2016
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME CARRIES OUT TWO SUCCESSFUL AIRDROPS IN DEIR EZZOUR, SYRIA
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The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is scheduled to meet the delegation of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) today in Geneva. The Special Envoy and the delegation of the HNC are expected to hold a press stakeout afterwards, about an hour from now.
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Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) this week carried out two successful high-altitude airdrops over the besieged eastern city of Deir Ezzour in Syria, dropping a total of 40 metric tonsne of urgently needed food assistance – enough to feed 4,300 people for one month.
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The first airdrop took place on Sunday, as you might recall, when 26 pallets of food supplies were dropped, out of which 22 pallets were collected by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. WFP is working to find out what happened to the other four pallets.
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The second airdrop, this time using U.S.-supplied parachutes, was completed today, with a 100 percent success rate. All 26 pallets carrying 20 tonnes of food, enough for 2,000 people for one month, were collected by the Red Crescent. The supplies are being checked before distributions begin.
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At the same time, the number of people in Syria being assisted by UN cross-border convoys from Turkey and Jordan continues to grow.
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The average number of people receiving food assistance through UN cross-border convoys each month now stands at nearly 376,000 people – almost twice the average number of people compared to the same time in 2015.
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Since the launch of UN cross-border deliveries in 2014, convoys have provided more than 2.7 million people with food assistance; 2.3 million people have received non-food items; and over 2 million people have been provided with water and sanitation supplies. Despite this progress, much more is required to reach the 13.5 million people in Syria who are in need of aid.
HEAD OF JOINT INVESTIGATIVE MECHANISM BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL ON PROGRESS MADE REGARDING CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN SYRIA
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The Head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, Virginia Gamba, briefed the Security Council on the progress made with regards to the implementation of resolution 2235, concerning chemical weapons in Syria.
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Since the last progress report in March, the Mechanism’s Leadership Panel and the investigative team visited Syria and other countries in the region to discuss relevant information on the nine cases under the Mechanism’s investigation.
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The visits to the region -- made possible by the Member States' contributions to the Voluntary Trust Fund -- will continue during the course of the investigation. Cooperation with the Syrian Government remains essential for the success of the Mechanism’s mandate.
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A progress report on the ongoing work of the investigative teams is expected in June, followed by a comprehensive report in August.
CONGO: U.N. RIGHTS CHIEF ALARMED AT REPORTS OF MASS ARRESTS AND TORTURE IN BRAZZAVILLE
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The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, said from Geneva today that very alarming reports have been coming out of the Republic of Congo regarding an apparent Government security operation in an area of southern Brazzaville known as “the Pool.”
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There have been reports of mass arrests and torture in detention, as well as the killing and displacement of people from the Pool. The reports have been difficult to verify, given a lack of access to the area by independent actors.
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Mr. Zeid urged the Government to ensure that humanitarian actors are urgently able to access the Pool and to ensure that security forces act in full accordance with the Republic of Congo’s obligations under international human rights law.
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He said that any incidents involving the use of force, particularly lethal force, by the security forces must be thoroughly, promptly and impartially investigated.
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He also call on the Government, political leaders and their supporters to endeavour to resolve all differences peacefully and within the law, and to eschew violence in the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
AID ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED OVER DISPLACEMENT IN NORTH KIVU, D.R. CONGO
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The Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that humanitarian agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have voiced concern over the fate of more than 35,000 people who, in the past three weeks, have fled areas of North Kivu province, following clashes between the Congolese army and armed groups.
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Since 27 March five sites for internally displaced persons (IDP) have been emptied, forcing thousands to seek safety in surrounding villages. Access to the area has been difficult but needs assessment missions are being conducted.
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The renewed displacement is taking place amid a shrinking of humanitarian funding while needs remain great, with about 781,000 displaced in North Kivu province alone.
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The United Nations Special Coordinator on improving the UN response to sexual exploitation and abuse, Jane Holl Lute, arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following her visit to the Central African Republic.
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Yesterday, in Kinshasa, she met with the leadership of the UN Mission in the country, (MONUSCO) as well as with the international community and local authorities. Today, she travelled to Goma in the eastern DRC where she met with the UN country team and the Mission's leadership.
UKRAINE: U.N. MOBILIZES ALL CHANNELS TO ENSURE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF STAFF MEMBER HELD CAPTIVE IN DONETSK
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The United Nations has expressed a deep concern that one of its staff members is being held captive in Donetsk. According to the available information, the staff member is being treated well.
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The UN has mobilized all channels to ensure his immediate and unconditional release. The UN appeals to all parties, including the media, to respect the staff member and his family in this sensitive phase of the discussion around his release.
HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING AFFECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN PARAGUAY
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In Paraguay, extended rains which started in November 2015 have caused flooding affecting tens of thousands of people across the country. The United Nations deployed today a team of disaster response experts to support the Government-led response.
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Some 63,000 people remain displaced in 125 temporary shelters, while 7,000 people have found shelter with relatives and neighbours.
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Weather forecasts - aggravated by El Niño - indicate more rains in April in the north of the country, increasing the risk of further overflows of the rivers Paraguay and Paraná.
INVESTING IN TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY LEADS TO FOUR-FOLD RETURNS – WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
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A new led by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, for the first time, both the health and economic benefits of investing in treatment of the most common forms of mental illness globally.
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The study finds that every dollar invested in scaling up treatment for depression and anxiety leads to a return of 4 dollars in better health and ability to work. It estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$1 trillion each year.
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Joint events co-hosted today and tomorrow by the World Bank and WHO in Washington D.C. bring together ministers of finance, development agencies, academic experts and practitioners to discuss how to put mental health at the centre of the health and development agenda.