Noon briefing of 8 February 2018

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2018

IN SEOUL, SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR NEW DEAL FOR FAIR GLOBALIZATION

• This morning the Secretary-General went to Yonsei University in Seoul to deliver remarks at the inaugural Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum on Sustainable Development. In his remarks, the Secretary-General called for a new deal for fair globalization. He told the audience, which included former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the General Assembly, Miroslav Lajčák, that engagement is essential if you really want to transform the Sustainable Development Goals into a blueprint that can be a basis for a new deal for fair globalization.
• He added that the combination of increased globalization and technological advancement has led to meaningful improvements in many people’s lives but has also dramatically increased inequality and left us with a number of tough problems to solve – youth unemployment being one of them.
• While at Yonsei University, the Secretary-General had an opportunity to meet with his predecessor, Ban Ki-moon. The current and former Secretaries-General, along with the President of the General Assembly, met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Lee Nak-yon.
• Before leaving Yonsei University, the Secretary-General met with representatives of the United Nations country team based in the Republic of Korea.
• Departing Seoul, the Secretary-General and his delegation drove to the site of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. On site, he toured the Olympic village at Gangneung, where he was able to meet with a number of athletes, including Cheyenne Goh, the first Singaporean ever to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games. The Secretary-General also met and encouraged competitors from Switzerland, Hungary and China.
• In the evening, the Secretary-General attended the official dinner hosted by the President of the Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, for visiting dignitaries.

• Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Office on Counter-Terrorism, briefed the Security Council on the Secretary-General’s recent report on the threat posed by Da’esh, and he said that the fight against Da’esh is entering a new phase. But despite setbacks in Iraq, Syria and the southern Philippines, Da’esh and its affiliates continue to pose a significant and evolving threat around the world.
• Da’esh, he says, is no longer focused on conquering and holding territory. It has been forced to adapt and focus primarily on a smaller and more motivated group of individuals, and it is now organised as a global network with a flat hierarchy and less operational control over its affiliates.

• The Secretary-General, along with his Special Envoy Nickolay Mladenov, would like to express their gratitude to the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for their prompt and generous contributions to the urgent UN appeal aimed at averting an imminent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. This contribution will ensure that the vulnerable people of Gaza are able to access life-saving health, water and sanitation services.
• However, to achieve a sustainable solution to the critical humanitarian and socio-economic challenges that plague Gaza, it is critical to move forward with intra-Palestinian reconciliation, on the basis of the recent agreement brokered by Egypt, including the return of Gaza under the control of the legitimate Palestinian Authority.

• In response to a question on the response by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to Israeli construction activity near the Blue Line, the Spokesman said that, according to UNIFIL, the Israeli Defense Forces construction works are taking place south of the Blue Line and not in sensitive areas.
• UNIFIL leadership has been fully engaged with both parties in order to find a common solution to this issue. It is of paramount importance for the parties to take advantage of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination arrangements to find solutions aimed at preventing violations, decreasing tension and maintaining stability.
• During the Tripartite meeting held in Ras Al Naqoura on 5 February, the Israeli Defense Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces confirmed their commitment to further use the Tripartite and liaison and coordination mechanisms to address any issues that could increase tension.
• UNIFIL’s troops are on the ground to monitor the situation which is calm.

• The UN remains deeply concerned by the continued intense fighting in eastern Ghouta and its impact on close to 400,000 civilians in the besieged enclave.
• Over the past 48 hours, intense airstrikes and shelling have reportedly resulted in scores of civilian deaths and injuries, as well as damage to civilian infrastructure, particularly in the towns of Duma, Hamourieh, Kafr Batna and Sawa.
• Meanwhile, since 20 January, tens of thousands of people have been displaced in Afrin due to ongoing hostilities, with 2,000 people being reported as displaced elsewhere in Aleppo governorate. While numbers inside Afrin are extremely difficult to verify, displaced people are reportedly sheltered in schools, mosques and public buildings. The main needs of displaced people include food, medicine and winter items.

• Today in Abuja, Edward Kallon, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, launched the Humanitarian Response Plan for the north-eastern part of the country. The appeal is for $1.05 billion to reach 6.1 million people with assistance.
• Some 7.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in the worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. This includes 3.7 million people who are expected to be severely food insecure during the lean season starting in June. Mr. Kallon said these are people who have been displaced and are living in camps or host communities, people who have returned home to nothing, and people living in other areas that are hard to reach for humanitarians.
• The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s north-east is one of the most severe in the world today and is now in its ninth year.

U.N. AGENCY SEEKS $1.06 BILLION TO HELP COMMUNITIES IN 26 COUNTRIES FIGHT HUNGER

• The Food and Agriculture Organization today launched a $1.06 billion-dollar appeal to help vulnerable communities in 26 countries fight back against hunger.
• The agency hopes to reach some 30 million people who rely on agriculture and have been affected by climate-related shocks in countries like Bangladesh, Somalia and Yemen. It will do this through activities that include: providing seeds, tools and other materials for crop farming; providing veterinary care for livestock; land and water management, and giving at-need families cash so they can immediately access food.

• Today, in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, countries are celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
• In a video message, the Secretary-General told attendees that while both boys and girls have the potential to pursue ambitions in science, systemic discrimination means women occupy less than 30 per cent of research and development jobs worldwide. He said efforts are needed to overcome stereotypes and biases and stressed the need to support and invest in women as scientists and innovators.

• Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Lisa Filipetto of Australia as Head of the UN Support Office in Somalia, known as UNSOS. Ms. Filipetto will succeed Hubert Price, to whom the Secretary-General expresses his gratitude for his dedication and effective leadership of UNSOS.
• Ms. Filipetto brings to this position more than 30 years of experience within the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where she served in a variety of posts at headquarters, including as Assistant Secretary, European Union and Western Europe Branch.

• Morocco has paid its 2018 regular budget dues in full, which brings the Honour Roll to 45.