HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

TUESDAY, 19 APRIL 2016

SECRETARY-GENERAL IS ON TWO-DAY VISIT TO NETHERLANDS

  • In the Hague, the Secretary-General spoke at the United Nations World Class Lecture, underscoring the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) and international cooperation.
  • He called on students gathered at the lecture to rise to the challenges of their generation, act for our common future and give back as global citizens.
  • Later in the day, the Secretary-General held a joint press stakeout with Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, during which he expressed his deepest condolences for the victims of today’s terrorist attack in Kabul, adding that there is no justification whatsoever in attacking civilians.
  • The Secretary-General also spoke at the official opening of the Permanent Premises of the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling the inauguration a milestone in global efforts to promote and uphold human rights and the rule of law.
  • The Secretary-General also met with Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and this evening he is to attend an event hosted by King Willem Alexander.
  • On 20 April, the Secretary-General will participate in the 70th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as well as receive the World Leader Cycle Award 2016 at the University of Rotterdam.

U.N. MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN CONDEMNS KABUL TERRORIST ATTACK

  • The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the Taliban attack in Kabul.
  • The mission has reiterated its call for the Taliban to immediately cease all attacks in civilian-populated areas, and reaffirmed its continued support to the people of Afghanistan.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS IMPLICATIONS OF WORLD DRUG PROBLEM

  • Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General at the opening of the Special General Assembly Session on the World Drug Problem, the Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said that the drug problem affects every nation and all sectors of society.
  • Drug trafficking and organised criminal networks, he said, fuel violence and feed corruption. They weaken institutions and the rule of law and have serious human rights implications.
  • The Deputy Secretary-General stressed that ultimate goal of the international drug control conventions is to ensure the health and welfare of humankind. In applying these conventions, we must therefore balance security and public safety concerns with considerations of health, human rights and development, he said.
  • The Special General Assembly session runs through Thursday, 21 April and is seen as a milestone in the UN efforts to eradicate the world drug problem.

SOMALIA: U.N. REPRESENTATIVE BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL, WARNS AL SHABAB REMAINS A THREAT

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Michael Keating, briefed the Security Council on the situation in the country.
  • Highlighting progress in the electoral process, Mr. Keating said that the process needs to be completed in 2016 in preparations for elections in 2020. He also underscored the need to build the capacity of the Somalis to take over from the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), as well as to generate jobs and revenues for a sustainable state.
  • Despite the progress, the Special Representative warned that the country continues to face great insecurity as Al Shabab remains a threat.
  • He called on the international community to continue supporting the African Union and Somali troops.

U.N. MISSION IN MALI CONDEMNS DEATH OF TWO PROTESTERS

  • The UN Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, deplored the death of two demonstrators on 18 April in Kidal, following a violent protest. Four people were also wounded.
  • The Mission said that demonstrators entered the restricted area of the Kidal runway, burning and destroying security installations.
  • The Mission said that it is determined to establish the facts and that an investigation is underway.
  • The Mission is also in contact with the Malian authorities as well as community leaders in order to ease tensions.

SOUTH SUDAN: NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES REPORT INCREASE OF REFUGEES

  • The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said that all of the countries neighboring South Sudan have reported a rise in the number of South Sudanese refugees since the beginning of the year.
  • For example, an estimated 52,000 South Sudanese have fled into Sudan since late January, exceeding planning projections for 2016. And Uganda has seen a sharp increase in refugee arrivals from South Sudan since January, sometimes as many as 800 individuals per day.
  • South Sudanese fleeing the conflict in Western Equatoria have also crossed the border to the Central African Republic. As of 11 April, UNHCR had registered 10,454 South Sudanese refugees in the town of Bambouti, located in a difficult-to-reach area of the Central African Republic.
  • UNHCR says it is extremely worried because the Regional Response Plan is funded at just 8 per cent and many life-saving services are threatened.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES PARTIES IN YEMEN TO ENGAGE WITH U.N. ENVOY TO START TALKS

  • The Spokesman said that the Secretary-General urged all parties to the peace process in Yemen to engage in good faith with his Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed, so that talks can start without further delay.
    The Secretary-General recalled the commitment of all parties to a cessation of hostilities, which took effect on 10 April, and to the convening of inter-Yemeni talks in Kuwait on 18 April.
  • He noted that the Yemeni Government delegation has arrived in Kuwait and looks forward to the participation of the Houthi and representatives of the General People’s Congress (GPC) in the talks.
  • The Secretary-General is convinced that seizing this opportunity to move the process forward will help resolve outstanding issues and bring the end of this prolonged conflict closer. The Yemeni people and the region deserve no less.

U.N. RELIEF AGENCIES ASSESS EARTHQUAKE AFTERMATH IN ECUADOR

  • The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, is in Ecuador to see the impact of the major earthquake that struck several provinces late on 17 April.
  • The area of Manabí is the worst affected. Pedernales, an administrative region in Manabí with an estimated population of 55,000, has been declared a "disaster zone" - nearly 60 per cent of the area's electrical service is still out.
  • The World Food Programme (WFP) has already sent a convoy with food assistance for some 8,000 people, enough for 15 days, and additional food assistance will be delivered shortly to 12,000 people and more than 1,000 hospital patients.
  • Meanwhile, UNICEF estimates that at least 150,000 children were impacted by the earthquake, which damaged 119 schools and destroyed hospitals.
  • Teams on the ground say they are concerned about health, water and sanitation conditions in the coastal areas – which are already considered hotspots for Zika, Dengue, Malaria and Chikungunya.
  • The health system has been placed on maximum alert and the World Health Organization (WHO) has also deployed an emergency team, at the request of the Government.

MYANMAR: U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE WELCOMES RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

  • The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, warmly welcomed the recent release of a second wave of 83 prisoners by Presidential amnesty in Myanmar.
  • The Human Rights office (OHCHR) said that continued release of political prisoners and the commitment to take preventive measures are important steps in the right direction.
  • It encouraged the Government to build upon these human rights gains to ensure that everyone in the country enjoys their fundamental freedoms.
  • OHCHR reaffirmed its commitment to provide expertise to support efforts by the Government and the Parliament to reform remaining laws that do not conform with international standards.

U.N. COORDINATOR ON MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS CONDEMNS BUS BOMB ATTACK IN JERUSALEM

  • Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, strongly condemned the terrorist bomb attack on a bus in Jerusalem yesterday, which reportedly injured at least 16 Israelis, two of them seriously.
  • He urged all leaders to work together to avoid escalation and counter the extremist forces seeking to destabilize the situation. And he added that it was unacceptable that some have praised this act that will only fuel more hatred and further undermine prospects for peace.

SYRIA: INTER-AGENCY CONVOY DELIVERS AID TO BESIEGED TOWNS

  • A convoy led by the UN and partners to Syria’s Kafr Batna sub-district is currently underway, bringing food, nutrition, health, protection, education, water, sanitation and hygiene support, and basic relief items for over 28,000 beneficiaries.
  • The inter-agency convoy is to deliver the assistance to two besieged towns - Saqba and Hazzeh - and two hard-to-reach towns: Beit Sawa and Hammura.
  • The convoy will complete assistance for 50,000 people in the sub-district following a previous convoy on 16 April.
  • Certain medicines and supplies, including surgical items including painkillers, were not allowed to be included in the latest inter-agency humanitarian convoys to Kafr Batna as well as Afrin. 
  • This practice continues to lead to unnecessary suffering and loss of life and the UN continues to press the Syrian Government to allow the inclusion of all necessary medical supplies to convoys.

***The guest at the noon briefing was Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)***

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