HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
MONDAY, 19 DECEMBER 2016
 
SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION VOICING ALARM AT DEVASTATING SITUATION IN SYRIA’S ALEPPO

• This morning, the Security Council adopted a resolution in which it expressed its alarm by the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in Syria’s Aleppo and by the fact that urgent humanitarian evacuations and assistance are now needed by a large number of the city’s inhabitants.
• The resolution requests that the UN and other relevant institutions carry out adequate, neutral monitoring and direct observation of evacuations, as well as stressing the need for the importance of voluntary, safe and dignified passage of all civilians from eastern Aleppo or other areas.
• It also demands that all parties allow the United Nations and its partners complete, immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered access to deliver humanitarian aid.
• Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien voiced hope that with the passing of the resolution, all parties and those with influence over them will finally and unequivocally ensure that civilians in Aleppo who have suffered so much and for so long are afforded all necessary protection and assistance.
• He says that the United Nations is on the ground monitoring and assisting the displaced people coming out of remaining besieged neighbourhoods of Aleppo. We stand ready to scale up our presence and efforts across the entire city, in line with the resolution and international humanitarian law. This can be done immediately, but only if the parties live up to this resolution and their most basic legal obligations.
• As the number of those dying, displaced and fleeing continues to rise, we need the whole international community to come together to bring an end to this crisis, reiterating the need for a political solution to the crisis.
• Regarding the evacuations, those being carried out by Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the ICRC are ongoing as buses departed from east Aleppo heading towards the Al Rashideen area on the outskirts of West Aleppo and Idleb. UN teams continue to be present at the Ramousseh checkpoint in Aleppo as the evacuations are ongoing.
• After ten hours of waiting, the first round of buses departed from east Aleppo at 11pm local time yesterday, 18 December.
• As of 3:45pm today, local time, over 100 buses carrying thousands of people, including men, women and children have departed from besieged neighbourhoods of Aleppo, with more evacuations expected to continue in the coming hours.
• People arriving in Al Rashdeen and Idleb will be met by Syrian and international humanitarian partners of the UN that will be providing displaced people with immediate humanitarian assistance.
• Protection of civilians leaving these areas remains the greatest concern. All remaining civilians must be allowed to safely leave if they so choose. Access to people in need to provide them with life-saving humanitarian assistance is also urgently needed.
• UNICEF’s Regional Director, Geert Cappelaere, said today that all 47 children – some in critical condition – who were trapped in an orphanage in East Aleppo were evacuated to safety.
• He called this a glimmer of hope amid a grim reality for the children of Syria, adding that their safe departure is a testimony to the relentless efforts of humanitarians on the ground, working around the clock for children and their families.
• For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has rushed in to provide hot meals, bread and food rations to thousands of people in East Aleppo.
• Beyond Aleppo, WFP is supporting more than four million Syrians affected by the conflict, but there are nearly one million people in besieged areas that it cannot reach on a regular basis.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO SPEAK AT SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON SOUTH SUDAN

• The Secretary-General will attend this afternoon’s open meeting on South Sudan, where he is expected to deliver remarks on the deteriorating situation in the country. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Stephen O’Brien, is also expected to speak at that meeting.
• Earlier in the day, following the adoption of the resolution on Syria, the Council met on the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), and Afghanistan.
• On Afghanistan, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said that Afghan citizens are returning home in record numbers with hopes.
• He stressed that despite all the efforts by the international community and the Government, a better future is not possible without peace, stressing that the conflict in Afghanistan has no military solution.
• This afternoon, the Council will receive briefings by the Chairs of its subsidiary bodies.

D.R. CONGO: U.N. ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DEADLY ATTACK KILLING PEACEKEEPER, NATIONAL POLICE OFFICER

• The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today strongly condemned an attack by the Mayi-Mayi militia in the country’s east which resulted in the deaths of a UN peacekeeper and a member of the National Police, as well as the injuries of two peacekeepers.
• Maman S. Sidikou, who also heads the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and to the Governments of DRC and South Africa.
• Underlining that attacks against peacekeepers are considered a war crime and that perpetrators will be held accountable, he reaffirmed that this heinous attack will not undermine the commitment and determination of the UN mission to fulfil its mandate.
• Also on the DRC, the Mission reports that the situation across the country is tense, but remains relatively calm in the capital, Kinshasa, as well as in other urban areas.
• It says that there is a high security presence in the capital, and has also received reports of arrests of demonstrators in Goma in the country's east and following up on these reports.
• MONUSCO has also increased its numbers of its day and night patrols in the country and has deployed mobile assessment teams in main Congolese cities.
• The High Commissioner for Human Rights over the weekend issued a statement calling for rights to be upheld as the President’s mandate ends.

MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE FORCED TO FLEE IRAQ’S MOSUL – U.N. RELIEF WING

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) say that more than 104,000 people are internally displaced as a result of the on-going Mosul operations, which began on 17 October.
• Food and water shortages persist in retaken neighbourhoods of eastern Mosul city, affecting approximately 250,000 people.
• Humanitarian partners have continued to provide assistance in affected areas where access allows. UNICEF partners are trucking water to eastern Mosul city, delivering approximately 450,000 litres of water per day to some 45,000 people.
• Aid agencies continue to support health facilities receiving casualties, but the main health centre in Mosul's Zahraa neighbourhood is reportedly overwhelmed, receiving over 1,700 consultations in one day.

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW LEBANESE GOVERNMENT

• In a statement issued yesterday evening, the Secretary-General welcomed the announcement of the formation of a new Government of national accord in Lebanon.
• He congratulated Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the swift process and encouraged the country’s political leaders to build on the momentum of national unity.
• The Secretary-General expressed hope that the new Government will ensure that the country’s forthcoming parliamentary election is successfully conducted within the timeframe set by the constitution.
• In a statement issued on Saturday, which was the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement, the Secretary-General commended all Libyans who engaged in the process, in the spirit of reconciliation, inclusion and human rights.

U.N. LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN FUNDS FOR OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

• The Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), together with the Palestinian Minister of Social Development, today launched the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017 calling for nearly $550 million.
• Almost 70 per cent of that amount targets Gaza.
• This year’s plan aims to provide aid to 1.6 million Palestinians in the occupied territories.
• Nearly 2 million people need protection  and  1.6  million  people  are food  insecure.  In Gaza, over 50,000 people are still displaced  from  the  2014  hostilities and need shelter assistance.

I.A.E.A. HEAD MEETS IRANIAN LEADERS

• In Iran yesterday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) met with top officials, including the President, Vice-President, Foreign Minister and President of the country’s Atomic Energy Organizations.
• IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano’s discussions focused on the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and he stressed the vital importance of full implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments in order to make the implementation sustainable.