HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2017
 
MALI: U.N. ENVOY URGES PARTIES TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO CONSOLIDATE PEACE

• The Security Council met on Mali this morning. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the country, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, said that over the past months, the debate on the revision of the Constitution, as well as clashes between the two signatories of the peace agreement, have almost derailed the implementation of the agreement. While these crises have been averted, Mr. Annadif called on all parties to redouble their efforts to re-establish confidence, commit to reforms and provide peace dividends to the population.
• Mr. Annadif warned that the UN Mission is confronted with major challenges related to the activities of extremist and terrorist groups, as well as criminal networks. These are the main obstacles to the return of peace, he said. He added that the almost daily loss of peacekeepers is becoming unbearable. He therefore reiterated the need for funding to invest in protection against indirect attacks, as well as in the improvement of surveillance, detection, early warning and alarm systems.
• Mr. Annadif also noted that only 35 per cent of the humanitarian response plan has been funded so far.

U.N. CALLS FOR EXTRA FUNDS TO HELP ROHINGYA REFUGEES, HOST COMMUNITIES IN BANGLADESH

• The UN response plan has been revised to $434 million to scale up the relief operation in Bangladesh to help 1.2 million people, including newly-arrived Rohingya refugees, refugees who arrived earlier and local host communities.
• In support of this, the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) has released an additional $12 million to help build new sites for the newly-arrived refugees.
• The number of Rohingya refugees who arrived in Bangladesh since 25 August stands at 509,000.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY DEATH OF FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT

• In a statement issued yesterday evening, the Secretary-General expressed his sadness at the news of the passing of the former President of Iraq, Jalal Talabani. 
• Mr. Talabani will be remembered as a compassionate political leader and a symbol of Iraqi unity who made a significant contribution to democracy, dialogue and mutual understanding amongst all Iraqi communities.

U.N. CONTINUES SCALING UP RESPONSE TO CARIBBEAN HURRICANES

• Ahead of the Secretary-General’s visit to the Caribbean, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that, in Dominica, UN agencies and their partners have scaled up the relief operation dramatically as access improves across the island.
• The World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed some 70 metric tons of food, covering about half the population of Dominica.
• In Antigua and Barbuda, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has mobilized $2 million to provide materials, tools and training for the permanent roofing of up to 250 houses and community buildings in Barbuda.
• Meanwhile, UNICEF is working to provide the necessary equipment for children to return to school, as well as hygiene kits, water purification tablets and safe drinking water.

SYRIA: U.N. AID OFFICIAL APPALLED BY REPORTS OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES DUE TO AIR ATTACKS

• Panos Moumtzis, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, said today that he is appalled by reports of high numbers of civilian casualties due to heavy air attacks in Syria. Hospitals, ambulances, schools and displaced people escaping violence have been targeted by direct air strikes, resulting in deaths and injuries of innocent civilians.
• He noted that September was the deadliest month of 2017 for civilians, with daily reports of attacks on residential areas resulting in hundreds of conflict-related deaths and injuries.

GLOBAL FOOD PRICES CLIMBED IN SEPTEMBER – U.N. FOOD AGENCY

• Global food prices rose slightly in September, as firmer prices of vegetable oils and to a lesser extent dairy products offset declining prices for staple cereal grains, according to the Food Price Index of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities.
• The Index is up 0.8 percent from August and marking a 4.3 percent increase from a year earlier.

ON INTERNATIONAL DAY, U.N. URGES STEPPED UP SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS

• Today is World Teachers’ Day, and this year’s theme is “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers.”
• In a joint statement, the heads of several UN agencies – UNESCO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF and UNDP – stressed how teachers are a critical foundation of every society’s long-term strength, providing children, young people and adults with the knowledge and skills they need to fulfill their potential.
• But they noted that, around the world, far too many teachers do not have the freedom and support they need.
• As the world works together to realize the Sustainable Development Goals, the statement stressed the need to raise the status of teachers around the world in a way that honors and reflects the impact they have on the strength of society.

U.N.-BACKED PANEL TO DISCUSS HOW TO STEP UP ROLE OF WOMEN IN SCIENCES

• Tomorrow, at 10am, there will be a high-level panel on “Space for Women,” jointly hosted by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and UN Women.  
• This is the final event in the three-day Space for Women Expert Meeting, jointly organized by UNOOSA and UN Women, bringing together decision-makers and experts from around the world to discuss how to increase the number of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), especially in developing countries, and how to improve women’s involvement in the space sector. The role of space technology, applications and science in the fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on “gender equality” will also be considered.
• Speakers at the high-level event will include the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, and Scott Kelly, the UN Champion for Space and former United States astronaut.