Noon briefing of 13 December 2017

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2017

SECRETARY-GENERAL ARRIVES IN JAPAN FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE FORUM

• The Secretary-General arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday night.
• Tomorrow, he will attend the opening of the high-level session of the Universal Health Care forum organized by the Government of Japan. He’s expected to tell the audience, which will include Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, that universal healthcare is at the centre of our vision of a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future.
• While in Tokyo, the Secretary-General will deliver a lecture on human security at Sophia University, where he will also have an opportunity to engage in a dialogue with students.
• The Secretary-General will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Abe, to be followed by an official lunch hosted by the Mr. Abe.
• During his stay in Japan, the Secretary-General will have discussions with the Japan Civil Society Network on the Sustainable Development Goals, and he will also meet with parliamentarians and other senior Japanese officials.
• He’s expected to hold a press conference before departing to New York. The Secretary-General will be back at Headquarters on Friday.

• On the occasion of this Universal Health Care forum in Tokyo, our colleagues at the World Bank and the World Health Organization released a new report today, showing that at least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services.
• The report “Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2017 Global Monitoring Report” also reveals that each year, large numbers of households are being pushed into poverty because they must pay for health care out of their own pockets.
• Currently, 800 million people spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member.
• For almost 100 million people these expenses are high enough to push them into extreme poverty, forcing them to survive on just $1.90 or less a day.

• The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa, Francois Lounceny Fall, told the Security Council this morning that the overall situation in the region remains marked by tense socio-political situations, economic difficulties and continued attacks and horrific abuses carried out by armed groups against civilian populations, including Boko Haram and the Lord Resistance Army.
• Regarding Cameroon, he stressed the need to redouble our prevention efforts to ensure that prevailing tensions do not deteriorate in the context of the 2018 elections, with the situation in English-speaking regions of the country of particular concern.

• In a briefing to the Security Council yesterday afternoon, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman outlined some key considerations involving the return of Rohingyas to Myanmar from Bangladesh.
• He said that returns must be supported by reconciliation efforts, and the time frame must allow for this and other measures to ensure that return is sustainable. Returns should be to the ‘original place of residence’ or to a safe, secure place near to their destination of choice, as envisaged by the arrangement reached between the Governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• Mr. Feltman said that the reference to freedom of movement in the arrangement is positive, but the qualifier ‘in conformity with existing laws and regulations’ which are currently extremely restrictive, is a serious limitation. He added that eligibility criteria for return must be applied in the broadest possible manner, and he underscored the important role that the UN, through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), can play in all aspects of a return operation.

• The Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launched today an appeal for US$1.72 billion to provide critical and life-saving assistance in 2018 to 6 million people affected by conflict, displacement, hunger and a deteriorating economy in South Sudan.
• Since the conflict in South Sudan began in December 2013, about 4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including nearly 1.9 million people who have been internally displaced and more than 2 million people who have fled as refugees to neighboring countries.
• As the conflict continues, rates of hunger and malnutrition have risen, and food security partners report the risk of famine as significant for thousands of people in multiple areas, if early actions are not taken.
• Also marking four years since the outbreak of South Sudan’s civil war, the High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi appealed for urgent action by all sides to settle the conflict and put an end to the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis and Africa’s largest refugee crisis. The world cannot continue to stand by as the people of South Sudan are terrorized by a senseless war, he said.

• The Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to call for the urgent medical evacuation of some 500 people in besieged eastern Ghouta in Syria.
• Yesterday, our health partners reported the death of a 29-year old woman, who was suffering from cancer. She is the fifteenth person identified for urgent medical evacuation in eastern Ghouta to die due to a reported lack of adequate medical care. Her death comes one day after a 9-year girl reportedly died while waiting for evacuation.
• Eastern Ghouta remains under siege, with nearly 400,000 children, women and men in need of life-saving assistance. Civilians must be able to seek medical care. The UN calls on all parties to the conflict to facilitate immediate medical evacuation of the sick and wounded in a safe, timely and systematic manner, everywhere in Syria.

• The UN Migration Agency (IOM) has released a new study that shows that 90 per cent of displaced Iraqis are determined to return home. This is similar to the long-term intentions recorded in 2016.
• More than 1.3 million internally displaced persons have returned to their places of origin so far in 2017. In total, since the start of the crisis in 2014, IOM estimates that more than 2.8 million displaced Iraqis have returned, while more than 2.9 million people remain displaced.

• The Secretary-General is closely following developments in Honduras. He is concerned about the incidents of violence following the 26 November election and trusts that the authorities will uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights.
• The Secretary-General calls upon the country’s political leaders, and particularly the presidential candidates, to exercise their leadership with responsibility in this crucial moment for the future of Honduras. He encourages them to resolve their differences through dialogue within the mechanisms established by the Electoral Law.
• The Secretary-General also calls on all Hondurans to exercise restraint and maintain the commendable civic spirit demonstrated with their participation in the elections.
• The Secretary General expresses appreciation for the efforts of international observers and others supporting the process.

• UNICEF today warned that three months after hurricanes Irma and Maria barreled through the Caribbean, 350,000 children remain in need of support across the region.
  In Dominica, over 35 per cent of children - particularly those living in shelters - are yet to be enrolled in education activities.
• In Antigua & Barbuda, many children and families remain in shelters and are unable to return home.
  Working in collaboration with Governments and NGO partners, UNICEF has been providing not only immediate humanitarian relief to affected populations but also working to ensure longer term recovery and resilience.
  

• A new report released today by our colleagues from the International Telecommunications Union and the UN University says that electronic waste rose by eight per cent in just two years. Meanwhile, only 20 per cent of this waste is being recycled.
• The report shows that a staggering 44.7 million metric tons of e-waste were generated in 2016 - up from 3.3 million metric tons in 2014. This is equal in weight to almost nine Great Pyramids of Giza, 4,500 Eiffel Towers, or 1.23 million fully loaded 18-wheel 40-ton trucks, enough to form a line from New York to Bangkok and back.
• Experts foresee a further 17% increase - to 52.2 million metric tons of e-waste by 2021 - the fastest growing part of the world's domestic waste stream.

FUNDS FOR VACCINATION INITIATIVE HAVE DOUBLED IN THE PAST YEAR, U.N.I.C.E.F. REPORTS

• UNICEF today announced that funding for its Vaccine Independence Initiative (VII), a mechanism to help countries secure a sustainable supply of life-saving vaccines, has more than doubled in the past year, increasing from $15 million to $35 million.
• The increase was made possible especially by a $15 million financial guarantee from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, adding to a capital base that also includes recent contributions from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the United States Fund for UNICEF.
• Over 60 low-income countries currently benefit from Gavi support to purchase life-saving vaccines. As countries’ economies grow and transition away from Gavi support, the Vaccine Independence Initiative gives them access to short-term bridge “loans” so that they can purchase vaccines while waiting for the release of national budget funds.
• In addition, it provides countries assistance to strengthen the planning and budgeting processes to manage their essential supplies procurement moving forward.
• The Vaccine Independence Initiative is one tool to help countries minimize vaccine stock-outs and ensure more children receive vaccines on time. Since 2016, it has helped provide an estimated 91 million doses to children in 23 countries faster than would have otherwise been possible.