Noon briefing of 7 July 2016

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

THURSDAY, 7 JULY 2016

IN CHINA, SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGES LEADERS TO CREATE SPACE NEEDED FOR CIVIL SOCIETY

• The Secretary-General is in China today, where he spoke to reporters after a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with whom he discussed the situations in Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and elsewhere.
• He added that they had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, which remains a grave concern for the region and the world. The Secretary-General continues to call for dialogue as the best path to break the cycle of provocation.
• The Secretary-General also expressed his deep condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the latest flooding in several provinces in China and expressed the hope that the many displaced can return to their homes as soon as possible.
• The Secretary-General also encouraged China’s leaders to create the space needed for the civil society to play a crucial role. He said that environmental activists, human rights lawyers and defenders, government watchdogs and other civil society groups can act as a catalyst for social progress and economic growth. He added that the world will look to China to complement its remarkable economic advances by giving citizens a full say and role in the political life of their country.
• The Secretary-General also spoke at an event marking the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As of 27 June, there have been 165 ratifications of the Convention – which, the Secretary-General noted, also means that 28 Member States have still not ratified. He urged them to do so without further delay, as a matter of basic human dignity and solidarity.

SYRIA: MORE THAN 941,000 CIVILIANS IN HARD-TO-REACH AREAS SINCE BEGINNING OF YEAR

• Since the beginning of this year, the UN and partners have delivered humanitarian assistance through inter-agency operations to more than 941,000 Syrian civilians in besieged, hard-to-reach and other priority cross-line locations with dire humanitarian needs. Many people have been reached more than once.
• A total of 64 UN inter-agency convoys have taken place, reaching more than 822,000 people. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, has also delivered 30 convoys with assistance to 19,000 people, including thousands of residents in and from Yarmouk.
• In addition, through 64 World Food Programme-led airdrops, 1,140 metric tons of humanitarian supplies have been delivered to besieged parts of western Deir Ezzour city. Since 1 June, airdrops have provided sufficient materials to support more than 42,000 people in need as part of a second round of food distribution, which aims to reach a total of 110,000 beneficiaries.
• The UN continues to call for unconditional, unimpeded and sustained access to the 5.47 million Syrian men, women and children in hard-to-reach locations, including close to 600,000 in 18 besieged locations..

SPECIAL ENVOY STAFFAN DE MISTURA WELCOMES ALL EFFORTS TO BRING ABOUT A TRUCE IN SYRIA

• The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, extended his wishes to the Syrian people on Eid el-Fitr and welcomed all efforts, including by the International Syria Support Group co-chairs, to bring about a hudna, or truce, throughout the country in respect of the spirit and true message of peace.
• He said that this would enhance the prospects of meaningful negotiations towards a political settlement.
• Mr. de Mistura continues to closely monitor the situation in Syria. In this regard, and despite some initial reports of potential violations, he says he urges all parties to the Cessation of Hostilities to abide by these days of silence for the sake of all Syrians.

U.N. HEAD IN SOUTH SUDAN TO VISIT WAU ON SATURDAY

• The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports that the situation in the city of Wau remains volatile.
• Earlier today, heavy mortar shelling and machine gunfire was heard to the south of the UNMISS compound in Wau, prompting an additional 200 to 250 people to flee to the protection area adjacent to the UNMISS base, where an estimated 19,000 internally displaced people continue to shelter.
• In meetings with local officials yesterday, the UN continued to call on the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to provide unrestricted access to the Mission and humanitarian actors in order for them to provide physical protection and humanitarian services, and help create the conditions for displaced people to return home.
• The Special representative, Ellen Margrethe Loej, said she will travel to Wau on Saturday to assess the situation. She added a call for an end to violence.

EL NINO AND CLIMATE ENVOYS STRESS NEED FOR CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO IMPACTED COUNTRIES

• More than 60 million people worldwide, about 40 million in East and Southern Africa alone, are projected to be food insecure due to the impact of the El Niño climate event.
• The recently appointed Special Envoys for El Niño & Climate, Ambassador Kamau of Kenya and Mary Robinson, have just completed missions to Papua-Guinea and Timor-Leste, and Ethiopia.
• At an El Niño conference in Rome after his recent mission to Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste, Ambassador Kamau said that impacted communities are under extreme strain, reserves have been eroded and the drought is forcing them to rely on humanitarian assistance.
• As for Mary Robinson, she just completed a three-day visit to Ethiopia to witness the devastating impact of the El Nino drought, the worst in 50 years.
• Ms. Robinson said that the Ethiopian Government has taken impressive steps to respond early to the crisis, including with substantial amounts of funding from their own budget, but that it it critical that the international donors stay engaged.

GLOBAL PER CAPITA FISH CONSUMPTION RISES ABOVE 20 KILOGRAMS A YEAR

• The new State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was released today.
• It finds that global per capita fish consumption has risen above 20 kilograms a year, thanks to stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, as well as record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage.
• Yet despite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world9;s marine resources has not improved, with almost a third of commercial fish stocks now fished at biologically unsustainable levels.