HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2016
 
U.N. OFFICIALS CALL FOR END OF BOMBING IN ALEPPO, SYRIA

• The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, told the Security Council today that the last seven days have seen an intensification of attacks across Syria. From airstrikes in Deir Ezzour, to airstrikes and ground attacks in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Idleb and Rural Damascus and other governorates, fighting has intensified despite a one-week lull when the cessation of hostilities was reinstated, albeit with violations on all sides. He said that nowhere has the fighting been more intense in the last days than in besieged east Aleppo, where estimates are that some 320 civilians were killed and 765 injured in the first days of the offensive.
• Ramzy Ezzeldine Ramzy, the Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, spoke to reporters in Geneva today and reiterated the need for the bombing in Aleppo to stop and for the cessation of hostilities to be restored. He said that many hospitals in Aleppo have been damaged by air strikes, and medical supplies are dwindling. It is estimated that many of the 600 wounded cannot be provided with adequate treatment. And just yesterday, two of the remaining eight hospitals in eastern Aleppo were reportedly hit by shelling, taking them out of service. It is clear, he said, that medical evacuations of the most severely wounded are urgently needed. Mr. Ramzy added that food stocks are also running out. Many bakeries are remaining closed, and only 14.000 rations remain in Eastern Aleppo, enough for only a quarter of the population.
• In a statement issued today, Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of UNICEF, said that in Aleppo, 96 children were killed and 223 injured in merciless attacks this week alone. Doctors were forced to let some children die while saving others with scarce medical supplies.
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) strongly condemned the parties responsible for the shelling of one of its schools in Khan Eshieh in Syria.
• Yesterday, the Salameh Girls Preparatory School took a direct hit that resulted in one eighth grade student being injured, as well as two teachers, one of whom was seriously wounded.

SHIMON PERES WAS A VOICE OF CALM AND REASON, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

• The Secretary-General spoke today at the ceremony in honour of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, and said that throughout his tenure as Secretary-General, he had the privilege to benefit from Mr. Peres’s wisdom. He said that Mr. Peres was a constant source of optimism and hope, and inspiration, who was always a voice of calm and reason.
• The Secretary-General said that Shimon Peres’s clear-eyed perspective – of reaching across the table, of compromising with your neighbour, of finding common ground for the greater good – has never been more needed. That kind of leadership is one that we long for – and one that we will surely miss.

• The UN Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, today condemned the killing of at least 15 civilian men and the injuring of at least 13 others, including at least one boy, in an air strike conducted yesterday which targeted Da’esh, in the eastern district of Achin.  Government sources report that Da’esh personnel also died in the attack.
• UNAMA reiterates the need for all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.
• The UN Mission calls on the Government and international military forces to launch a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent, and effective investigation into this incident. The Mission expresses deepest condolence to the families of those killed in this incident and wishes a speedy recovery for all those injured.

• Following demonstrations and tensions in Kaga Bandoro yesterday, the UN Mission in the Central Africa Republic (MINUSCA) reports that it is reinforcing its positions at key locations in the town and in Nana-Grébizi prefecture as part of its efforts to protect civilians and provide support to internal security forces.
• Meanwhile, the Mission continues to monitor the situation in Koui in Ouham-Pendé prefecture following violence between anti-Balaka and armed elements on Tuesday, which apparently resulted in the death of at least seven people, including six civilians. The UN Mission reports that unidentified assailants fired upon peacekeepers at checkpoint near Koui yesterday, wounding one peacekeeper. Peacekeepers returned fire, driving away the attackers.
• In Bria Haute-Kotto prefecture, ahead of next week’s General Assembly of Civil Society in the North-East, a UN Mission patrol yesterday briefly detained four ex-Séléka individuals, who were in violation of Bria’s weapons-free zone.

• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced today that it is more than doubling its funding appeal to provide life-saving assistance for children in northeast Nigeria. The agency’s humanitarian appeal was increased from US$ 55 million to US$ 115 million to assist an additional 750,000 people who can now be reached across conflict-affected areas in the northeast of the country.
• As new areas open up to humanitarian assistance, the true scale of the Boko Haram-related crisis and its impact on children is being revealed. An estimated 400,000 children under five will suffer from severe acute malnutrition in three states across the northeast this year. More than 4 million people are facing severe food shortages and 65,000 people are living in famine-like conditions. Nearly one million children are now displaced across the northeast.
• UNICEF has increased its response in the areas worst-affected by the Boko Haram conflict. However, only US$ 28 million of the US$ 115 million appeal has been received, which presents a serious obstacle to UNICEF’s scale-up plan.

• On 30 September, immediately following the Noon Briefing, there will be a press briefing by H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

• Dominica paid its regular budget dues in full today. This takes the total number on the Honour Roll to 126.