Noon briefing of 11 May 2016

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

WEDNESDAY, 11 MAY 2016

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES MADAGASCAR TO STAY ON PATH OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND LASTING PEACE

• The Secretary-General is now on his way to Portugal, after meeting with the President of Madagascar, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, today.
• Speaking to the press after meeting the President, the Secretary-General said that during his various meetings in Madagascar, he had discussed the political situation in the country, the need to promote inclusive development and the primacy of human rights. He added that it was critical that Madagascar stay on the path of national reconciliation and build lasting peace.
• The Secretary-General also addressed a joint congress of the senate and the assembly and urged parliamentarians to fight corruption and the illegal trafficking of endangered species.
• He said that Madagascar needed to manage its wondrous biodiversity sustainably and ensure that all people benefit from these riches. He also called for dialogue and inclusiveness.
• Earlier this morning, the Secretary-General met with development partners and representatives of the business community, as well as with the International Support Group for Madagascar. He also visited a UN-supported development project that supports vulnerable populations in Antananarivo.

FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM MUST NOT INFRINGE UPON BASIC FREEDOMS, WARNS DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

• The Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, spoke at the Security Council open debate on Countering the Narratives and Ideologies of Terrorism today.
• Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, he said that terrorists and violent extremists continue to blatantly challenge the values enshrined in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• He stressed the importance of prevention, which is the focus of the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action, as well as the need for a practical and comprehensive approach to respond to the complex factors which drive people to violent extremism.
• The Deputy Secretary-General warned that the fight against terrorism must not be carried out in such a way that allows anyone to infringe upon basic freedoms, adding that violations of human rights in the name of countering violent extremism will give terrorists their best recruitment tools. He also expressed concern about young people falling prey to terrorist narratives and ideologies. He told the Council members that we must stand together in global solidarity against forces which want to divide and scare us.

IRAQ: U.N. REPRESENTATIVE CONDEMNS CAR BOMB ATTACK IN BAGHDAD

• The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, strongly condemned the car bomb attack which occurred today in a busy market in Sadr City, Baghdad, claiming many lives and leaving scores injured.
• This latest attack comes after a car bomb was detonated near a restaurant in Baquba on 9 May, which also left large numbers of casualties.
• Mr. Kubiš said that these are cowardly terrorist attacks on civilians who have done nothing but gone about their normal daily lives. He called on the authorities to do their utmost to quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.

U.N. AGENCIES TO CARRY OUT JOINT HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO SANA’A, YEMEN

• The three working groups in the Yemeni peace talks held extended sessions yesterday and their discussions are continuing today. The Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, attended the session of the working group on political issues yesterday and said that the discussion was constructive overall and that some common ground has emerged.
• The security working group was briefed by a UN expert on issues involving disarmament, while the third working group on prisoners and detainees discussed, with UN facilitation, a number of issues including proposals to release a percentage of prisoners within a short period of time as a measure of good will and confidence-building between the parties.
• They agreed in principle to explore a proposal to release 50 per cent of all detainees held by each side ahead of the holy month of Ramadan and eventually release all detainees.
• The Special Envoy commended the seriousness of all delegates in addressing the above matters and urged them to show more goodwill and flexibility. He welcomed, in particular, the progress of the third working group and hoped that it will culminate in an agreement that would enable the release of many Yemenis.
• While conflict continued in some parts of Yemen, the Cessation of Hostilities has largely held in April. This provided some opportunities for humanitarian partners to expand responses in certain areas, conduct assessments or directly monitor activities that up to that point had been monitored remotely.
• For example, in Sa’ada Governorate, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was able to re-start the rehabilitation of a water facility in Kitaf district, serving some 10,000 people, which had been damaged in airstrikes. The cessation also coincided with an ongoing food distribution to about 270,000 people.
• Emergency clean water was trucked to Taiz Governorate, benefitting over 45,000 people, and three mobile health and nutrition teams were deployed to Taiz City, where partners delivered medical supplies for over 130,000 people.
• From 12-15 May, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO) will conduct a joint mission to Sana9;a, Yemen, to gauge the current humanitarian situation and the operational response.

U.N. WELCOMES OPENING OF RAFAH CROSSING, ENCOURAGES EGYPT TO EXPAND OPENING

• Egypt opened the Rafah crossing with Gaza today in both directions for two days. The passage was opened after 85 consecutive days being closed - the longest such period since 2007. The crossing has opened partially for only 42 days since October 2014.
• Authorities in Gaza indicated that over 30,000 people, including around 9,500 medical cases and 2,700 students, are registered and waiting to cross and are only allowed to pass through Egypt.
• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) welcomed the opening, which may hopefully provide some relief to the people of the enclosed Strip, exacerbated by the longstanding Israeli blockade. The UN also encouraged Egypt to expand the opening both in time and in volume, and include a flow of much needed assistance.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION

• The Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenca, today spoke on behalf of the Secretary-General at the UN-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Geneva.
• Highlighting the Secretary-General’s priorities including the prevention of violent extremism, human rights and sustainable development, Mr. Jenca said that the UN system and the OIC must together to continue promoting a culture of peace, tolerance and understanding.
• He reiterated the Secretary-General’s call on parties to the conflict in Syria to recommit immediately to the cessation of hostilities and uphold their responsibility to protect civilians. He also urged the international community and organizations such as the OIC to help find a lasting solution to the conflict in Yemen.