Noon briefing of 22 August 2016

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

MONDAY, 22 AUGUST 2016

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES INT’L CRIMINAL COURT CASE ON DESTRUCTION TIMBUKTU MONUMENTS

• The Secretary-General welcomes the landmark case before the International Criminal Court today relating to the trial of Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, an alleged member of Ansar Dine, who is charged with the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against historic monuments and buildings dedicated to religion in Timbuktu, Mali, in June and July 2012.
• This is the first time that the International Criminal Court is trying a case exclusively focused on the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against cultural property. It draws our attention to an increasingly worrying trend of deliberate destruction of cultural heritage in situations of armed conflict. Such attacks represent a callous assault on the dignity and identity of entire populations and their religious and historical roots.
• The Secretary-General strongly condemns all such acts, and call on all concerned to ensure perpetrators are held accountable.
• The Secretary-General commends the Court for bringing this significant issue to the forefront of efforts to ensure international justice and accountability.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES OLYMPICS ORGANIZERS

• The Secretary-General congratulates Brazil, the city of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian people, the Rio 2016 Local Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee on yesterday's successful conclusion of the Olympic Games.
• Having had the pleasure and honour earlier this month to attend the opening ceremony, to participate in the Olympic Torch relay, to visit the Olympic village, to meet the Olympic Refugee team and attend some of the events, the Secretary-General deeply appreciated the hospitality, diversity and capabilities of the Brazilian people and the world of sport, displayed at the first-ever Olympic Games in South America.
• The Secretary-General applauds this historic achievement and encourages all stakeholders to secure and build on the sustainable development effects of the Games.

REFUGEE ATHLETES CHANGE WORLD VIEW OF THE DISPLACED: U.N.

• The participation of ten refugee athletes at this year’s Olympics has changed world’s perception of the 65 million people who have been forced from their homes, the UN Refugee Agency said today.
• UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements said, “This team has captured the world’s attention and in a short period of time, changed the conversation about refugees.”
• Refugees form South Sudan, Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia, participated in running, swimming and judo at the games.
• A Syrian swimmer won her heat and a Congolese judo competitor qualified for a second round.
• Clements said the athletes have, “inspired all of us to do more to work for peace and help those forced to flee.”
• The refugees will also take part in the Rio Paralympics in September as members of an Independent Paralympic Team

U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ATTACK IN TURKEY

• We issued a Statement on Turkey Sunday
• The Secretary-General condemns yesterday’s terrorist attack on a wedding party in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey. This act, reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber, killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens of others. The Secretary-General expresses his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Turkey. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.

· The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this act will be quickly identified and brought to justice. He again stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to prevent and combat terrorism and violent extremism.

U.N. SYRIA ENVOY REITERATES CALL FOR 48-HOUR CEASEFIRE, SAYS U.N. READY TO SEND ASSISTANCE TO ALEPPO

• Stephen O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator briefed the Security Council this morning.
• He reiterated the call for a 48-hour ceasefire, stressing that anything shorter would not allow for a meaningful response. He said the UN is ready to move 70 trucks of assistance into eastern Aleppo, as soon as we receive the necessary security assurances. Once we have the green light, he said, we can move assistance within 48 to 72 hours.
• After making progress in reaching besieged and hard-to-reach areas since the beginning of the year, Mr. O’Brien deplored that we now appear to be in reverse gear. In August, the UN was denied access to more than 50 per cent of requested beneficiaries. Moreover, active conflict and insecurity, as well as delays in getting facilitation required to move convoys have been limiting factors. As a result, no inter-agency convoys have moved in August.
• Calling Syria “the greatest crisis of our time”, Mr. O’Brien stressed the Security Council cannot look the other way and called on the Council to ensure the full implementation of its resolutions. He said that what is happening in Aleppo and throughout Syria is “an outrage against every moral fibre in our being as human beings” and called Council members to put differences aside and stop this “humanitarian shame”.

PALESTINIANS RISK FORCIBLE TRANSFER: U.N. COORDINATOR

• The UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities
  in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Robert Piper, today warned that many Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank are facing a heightened risk of forcible transfer.
• Since 1 August, Israeli security forces have destroyed or confiscated a total of 85 civilian structures, displacing 129 Palestinians and affecting the livelihoods of at least another 2,100.
• Mr. Piper said that repeated rounds of demolitions, restrictions on access to basic services and regular visits by Israeli security personnel promoting ‘relocation plans’ are all part of a coercive environment.

FORTY SEVEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES AGREE ON ANTI-MALARIA PLAN

• All 47 member states of the World Health Organization’s African region adopted a new framework over the weekend on how to deal with malaria on the continent.
• They agreed on specific interventions and actions to reach a goal of a malaria- free Africa.
• Although previous programmes have reduced malaria deaths in Africa by 66 per cent since the year 2000, the continent still bears the biggest malaria burden.
• The disease struck 190 million people on the continent in 2015 alone, and caused 400,000 deaths.