HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

MONDAY, 18 JULY 2016

 

AIDS: SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR NEW ERA OF FAST-TRACK RESPONSE

• The Secretary-General was in South Africa today for the AIDS2016 Conference, where he met with Government officials, including South Africa’s Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, civil society organizations, health professionals and scientists working against the epidemic. In a press conference at the event, he stressed that remarkable global progress had been made. Today is Nelson Mandela Day, and the Secretary-General recalled that Madiba had brought his towering courage to this cause, supporting all people affected by HIV. That was a turning point, he said.
• He called on Durban 2016 to mark the commitment to a new era when we finish what we started: the era of a fast-track response. To end this epidemic, we must close the gaps that keep people from accessing services and living with dignity. He said that we have to expand resources, science and services, and we have to protect and promote the rights of people living with HIV, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who inject drugs and prisoners.
• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today that despite remarkable global progress in tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic, much work remains to be done to protect children and adolescents from infection, sickness and death.
• Since 2000, concerted action to prevent mother-to-child transmission in countries with high HIV/AIDS, including in sub-Saharan Africa, prevalence has brought the transmission rate down by roughly 70 per cent worldwide.
• But the numbers of AIDS-related deaths among adolescents 15-19 years have more than doubled since 2000, reports the agency. Globally in 2015, there were on average 29 new infections an hour among those in this age group.

TRADE, FINANCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INVESTMENT CAN BE POSITIVE FORCES TO END POVERTY: SECRETARY-GENERAL

• On 17 July, the Secretary-General participated in the opening in Kenya of the 14th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD. He said that UNCTAD – with its integrated approach to trade and development – has a vital role to play in implementing the 2030 Agenda and added that trade, finance, technology and investment can be positive forces to end poverty.
• The Secretary-General also addressed the press in Nairobi following a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta. He welcomed the Kenyan Government’s commitment to abide by its international obligations regarding the voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation of refugees from Somalia. He also thanked President Kenyatta for his leadership and personal engagement alongside the United Nations to ensure that peace returns to Juba and the rest of South Sudan. 

REGION AND WORLD MUST SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE TO END VIOLENCE IN SOUTH SUDAN: SECRETARY-GENERAL

• During the African Union Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, the Secretary-General met with several leaders of the region, including the Presidents of Chad, Uganda and Rwanda, as well as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, among others. South Sudan was a central topic in the discussions of the Secretary-General.
• During an extraordinary Summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), he said the people of South Sudan need to hear the region and the world speak with one voice to end the mindless violence in the country. He added that the hopes and dreams of the South Sudanese had been tarnished at the expense of warring parties enriching and empowering themselves.
• He reiterated the need for the Security Council to take action on three fronts: impose an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan, enact additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders working to unravel the peace process, and fortify the UN Mission in the country. He also said that the restoration of the Transitional Government of National Unity will depend on the full demilitarization of Juba. He added that what this conflict needs is a viable political solution. 

SOUTH SUDAN: DAMAGE TO HUMANITARIAN FACILITIES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST AID WORKERS UNACCEPTABLE

• The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports that the situation in Juba remains calm but tense. The Mission also reports instances of sporadic firing in Leer over the weekend, including near UNMISS' temporary operating base.
• Further to previous search operations for weapons at the UN Tomping compound, the Mission reports that a similar exercise was conducted in the Protection of Civilians site 1 adjacent to UN House on 16 July. The operation resulted in a number of items confiscated, including small arms and ammunition rounds, machetes, and military uniforms.
• Meanwhile, a total of 140 non-critical UNMISS staff have been temporarily relocated from Juba. The Mission continues to carry out all its critical operations.
• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reports new arrivals into several of the sites for internally displaced people in Juba, including both UN sites (UN House and Tomping). The number of people displaced following the recent fighting is now estimated to be nearly 15,000, including more than 10,830 at the UNMISS sites and more than 4,100 outside. Humanitarian organisations continue to respond in several of the affected locations.
• The humanitarian community condemns the recent looting of the World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warehouses in Juba, which stored food for at least 220,000 people and livelihood support for thousands of vulnerable families across South Sudan. Humanitarians also condemn the looting of humanitarian compounds in Leer during the recent fighting. They note that these incidents will have a substantial impact on the humanitarian operations at a time when needs are growing. They stress that the destruction and damage to humanitarian facilities and violence against aid workers are unacceptable and must stop.

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS INTO EAST ALEPPO CRITICAL: OCHA

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) informs that violence continues in Syria’s Aleppo city, with aerial attacks on east Aleppo city and hundreds of mortars and projectiles launched on west Aleppo city in the past week, causing numerous civilian deaths and injuries. Hospitals have also reportedly been affected by the fighting.
• Due to the closure of the Castello road, the last access road into east Aleppo city, humanitarian assistance and commodities cannot get in. The freedom of movement of an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people in east Aleppo in urgent need of assistance is also curtailed.
• While there is enough food in east Aleppo city for at least 145,000 people for one month and enough essential medical supplies for approximately four months, replenishing fuel supplies is crucial to power medical facilities, water facilities and bakeries. Rationing of supplies has already been reported. Access to fresh food, including fruit and vegetables, is limited, according to reports. One cross-line convoy has been approved by the Government of Syria.
• Safe, unimpeded, and sustained humanitarian access into east Aleppo city through the most efficient means is critical to save lives and reduce suffering.

U.N. MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WELCOMES RELEASE OF CAMEROONIAN HOSTAGES

• The UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) today welcomed the release of the 11 remaining Cameroonian hostages that were held by the Democratic Front for the Central African People armed group for two years.
• The mission also called for the release of several Central African local officials, including the mayor of Baboua, still detained by the same group. It called on all armed groups to renounce violence and to join the dialogue process initiated by the Government.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS UPON IRAN TO AVOID BALLISTIC MISSILE LAUNCHES

• Jeffrey Feltman, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, briefed the Security Council this morning on the follow-up one year after the adoption of resolution 2231 (2015), which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed to between six nations and Iran on non-proliferation.
• The Secretary-General’s first report on the implementation of resolution 2231, which was issued today, informs the Security Council that, since 16 January 2016, the Secretary-General has not received any report, nor is he aware of any open source information, regarding the supply, sale, transfer or export to Iran of nuclear-related items undertaken contrary to the provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and resolution 2231.
• Also since 16 January, Mr. Feltman told the Council, the Secretariat has received no information regarding the supply, sale, transfer or export to Iran of ballistic missile-related items undertaken contrary to the provisions of resolution 2231.
• However, in early March 2016, during military exercises, Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles. While it is for the Security Council to interpret its own resolutions, Mr. Feltman noted that the Secretary-General stressed that we must maintain the momentum created by the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, consistent with its constructive spirit. In this regard, the Secretary-General calls upon Iran to avoid such ballistic missile launches, which have the potential to increase tensions in the region.

YEMENI PEACE TALKS RESUME IN KUWAIT

• The Yemeni peace talks hosted by the State of Kuwait resumed on 16 July at the request of the Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, in a plenary session with delegations from the Yemeni Government, the General People's Congress and Ansar Allah.
• The Special Envoy said the forthcoming phase will focus on the consolidation of the complete and comprehensive cessation of hostilities, the activation of the De-escalation and Coordination Committee and the Local De-escalation committees, in addition to the formation of the security committees that will supervise withdrawal and the handing over of weapons and on the opening of safe corridors for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that the parties are to continue holding meetings in Kuwait for an additional two weeks.

DONORS COMMITTED TO SUPPORT LEBANON IN MITIGATING IMPACT OF SYRIAN CRISIS: U.N.

• The Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Philippe Lazzarini, released the latest update of donor support provided to the country since the beginning of the year. The funding level mid-year indicates a continued high commitment by donors to support Lebanon in mitigating the impact of the Syrian crisis.
• As of end of June, available resources stood at $1.17 billion, with $828 million disbursed this year and $344 million carried over from last year.
• Donor support has been translated into important results since the beginning of the year, including the provision of food assistance to almost 865,000 people; the enrolment of 197,000 Lebanese children and 150,000 refugee children in public schools for the 2015-2016 academic year; the extension of some 86 km of publicly-owned water supply networks, bringing safe water to almost 670,000 people; and improvements to municipal solid waste management systems, benefiting over 350,000 people.

2030 AGENDA: EVERY COUNTRY NEEDS TO ACCELERATE IMPLEMENTATION, SAYS DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

• The Deputy Secretary-General spoke this morning at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Noting how ambitious the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is, he said that every country needs to accelerate the pace of implementation.
• He stressed the need for strong leadership to make the 2030 Agenda truly transformative. He further said that the UN system would continue to support Member States as they work to implement the goals and make a difference for people and the planet.   

MORE ACTION NEEDED ON NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: WHO

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a new survey highlighting the need to intensify national action to meet the global targets governments have agreed to protect people from heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and lung diseases.
• Globally, these four non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent the largest cause of death in people under the age of 70, posing a major threat to sustainable development.
• The survey also points out that some countries are making remarkable progress, including through measures to protect people from exposure to tobacco use, harmful effects of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

MORE POSITIVE INTERACTIONS NEEDED BETWEEN FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE: FAO REPORT

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today released its State of the World's Forests (SOFO) report at the opening of the 23^rd Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) which started today in Rome.
• Its key message focuses on the urgent need to promote more positive interactions between forestry and agriculture, which remains the most significant driver of global deforestation, to build sustainable agricultural systems and improve food security.

NELSON MANDELA DAY: SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES EVERYONE TO DO MORE TO BUILD PEACEFUL WORLD

• Marking Nelson Mandela International Day today, the Secretary-General urged everyone to take action and inspire change, and do more to build a peaceful, sustainable and equitable world for all.
• He added that we should seek to continue building on Mandela’s legacy of selflessness and deep sense of shared purpose as the world sets out to implement the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• The Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, and UN Messenger of Peace (MoP) Stevie Wonder attended a General Assembly commemorative event. Mr. Eliasson stressed that the best tribute we can give to an extraordinary man is to be a part of the Mandela movement to make the world a better place.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

• In response to a question about the policy regarding the placement of staff in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, the Deputy Spokesman explained that the General Assembly, in resolution 57/305, approved Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s proposal to grant discretionary placement authority of staff leaving the Executive Office at the end of their service.
• In his proposal, Secretary-General Annan had explained that in staffing the Executive Office, the required expertise was often available within the Organization, and while the Secretary-General could bring staff into his Executive Office outside established procedures, this action separated the staff from their posts in their previous office. The Secretary-General was of the view that, logically, there should be a corresponding arrangement, allowing him authority to outpost staff from his Office as well, which would ensure that the career opportunities of these staff are not jeopardized by service in the EOSG. In addition, such placement facilitates providing an incoming Secretary-General with the possibility of selecting staff of his or her choosing. The decision remains in force until and unless the General Assembly decides otherwise.
• Since the Assembly’s decision, the Secretary-General has exercised the authority granted in certain cases. In the interest of good administration and transparency, a Secretary-General’s Bulletin was recently promulgated, setting forth the eligibility criteria for placement and the process.