Noon briefing of 23 April 2018

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 23 APRIL 2018

IN SWEDEN, U.N. CHIEF HAILS PREDECESSOR DAG Hammarskjöld AS ‘MY REFERENCE AND INSPIRATION’

• The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York, where he should land in a few hours from Sweden.
• This morning, he had a meeting with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. In a press conference following that, he said that the Security Council had two days of very constructive discussions in Sweden, which helped to cool matters down and help Council members to move forward in relation to key objectives. That includes, in the case of Syria, fully supporting a political solution and working to achieve the success of the Geneva intra-Syrian talks.
• Over the weekend, the Secretary-General held his retreat with the Security Council in the estate of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, in southern Sweden. He expressed his deep gratitude to the Swedish Government for organizing this event, saying this venue was highly symbolic.
• He also gave the Dag Hammarskjöld’s lecture in Uppsala yesterday afternoon, during which he described the former Secretary-General as his reference and inspiration: a man of action, an extremely sophisticated diplomat and a man of culture. He also spoke about the new challenges facing our time: global terrorism, climate change, inequalities, cyberwarfare and the need to reestablish the integrity of the refugee protection system.

• The Secretary-General, in his press comments in Sweden today, said that the Security Council’s unity on Korea had helped put us on track for a peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He said that the unity of the Security Council, which was able to come together and to have a strong and meaningful set of sanctions, to a certain extent made the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) realize that it was necessary to come forward and to enter into dialogue with the international community, and especially with both the Republic of Korea and the United States of America.
• Over the weekend, the Secretary-General welcomed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s decision to suspend nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. He said that this positive step forward contributes to building trust and the longer process leading to the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He reiterates the commitment and support of the United Nations system in this endeavour.

• Staffan de Mistura, the Special Envoy for Syria, briefed the Security Council members at their Sweden retreat, following his travel earlier to Moscow and Tehran. He said that the past week was a dangerous one and we need to bring down the temperature internationally and regionally.
• The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) visited one of the sites in Douma, Syria on Saturday to collect samples for analysis in connection with allegations of chemical weapons use on 7 April 2018. The OPCW will evaluate the situation and consider future steps including another possible visit to Douma.
• The samples collected were transported to the OPCW Laboratory in Rijswijk and then dispatched for analysis to the OPCW’s designated labs. Based on the analysis of the sample results as well other information and materials collected by the team, the FFM will compile their report for submission to the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention for their consideration.

• This morning, the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed spoke at the opening session of the Financing for Development Forum, where over the next four days, Member States will be reviewing how resources can be mobilized more effectively to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• Ms. Mohammed said that even though the global economy is growing, weaknesses in the economic system are putting the development prospects of hundreds of millions of people in jeopardy. She said that a systemic response is needed which involves countries mobilizing domestic resources to achieve the 2030 Agenda, enabling a global environment that supports long-term investments, and an increase in partnerships between Governments and the private sector to address financing challenges. She added that the UN is committed to supporting countries in their efforts to finance and implement the Sustainable Development Goals.

• This morning, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, spoke to Members of the Security Council on the findings of the independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security.
• She said the report points to two key issues that need immediate attention: 1. the growing mistrust from young generations towards formal political institutions, and 2. the exclusion of young people from political, civic and economic life.
• The study also shows that only a small minority of youth ever engages in violence, and many are actively engaging in their own local initiatives to bring peace to their communities. “I believe we can all agree that my generation represents promise - not peril. We should be seen as an asset - not a problem,” she told Council members, and added that the report’s findings and recommendations are an opportunity for the Council to redress the mistrust between young people, their governments, and the multi-lateral system by opening up new paths for meaningful participation and contribution.

• Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addressed the Second Session of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee in Geneva today.
• She said that the Secretary-General is currently developing his agenda for disarmament, which is aimed at re-energizing the international discourse. On the matter of nuclear weapons, she added, the Secretary-General is exploring how he can use his moral authority to support our common norms against nuclear weapons, including against any proliferation, testing or use.
• He also intends to seek ways of facilitating the resumption of dialogue on strategic arms control and disarmament, as well as the promotion of practical measures to prepare for a world free of nuclear weapons.

• Peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) intervened on Sunday in the prefecture of Mambéré Kadeï, in the western part of the country, to stop the movement by armed fighters from the Siriri group near the locality of Gamboula, where they intended to occupy the local gendarmerie.
• Upon arrival at the village of Nassolé, where members of the Siriri group had erected a barricade, the peacekeepers were the target of enemy fire. The UN peacekeepers fired back, causing casualties among the attackers. A dozen motorcycles as well as weapons were recovered by the Force.

• Yesterday a statement was issued in which the Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of many civilians.
• The Secretary-General said those who were behind this attack must be swiftly brought to justice and they must not be allowed to succeed in deterring Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in forthcoming elections.

• Yesterday, the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action, Michael Bloomberg, announced a contribution of $4.5 million dollars to the UN’s Climate Change Secretariat, the UNFCCC.
• In a tweet, the Secretary-General said he was “very grateful to Michael Bloomberg, not only for his generous support to the United Nations, but also for his global leadership on climate action.”
• The contribution will go towards general operations, including assisting countries to meet targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

• Matthew Nimetz, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, will meet jointly on Wednesday with H.E. Mr. Nikos Kotzias, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, and H.E. Mr. Nikola Dimitrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, at the United Nations Office at Vienna.
• The meeting is part of United Nations’ ongoing efforts to assist the sides in finding a mutually acceptable solution to the “name” issue.

• Today we celebrate both English and Spanish Language Day. At 3:00 p.m. in Conference Room 6, there will be a forum discussion on “Gender-inclusive communication in Spanish, challenges and opportunities” organized by the Mission of Paraguay, which you are welcome to attend.
• Today is also World Book and Copyright Day, and coincidentally 23^rd April is the date in which Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

• The UN Refugee Agency today said it’s deeply concerned by the deportation of 82 Venezuelans by Trinidad and Tobago over the weekend. Many of the people that were deported are registered asylum-seekers or have declared an intention to apply for refugee status, making their return to Venezuela a breach of international refugee law.
• UNHCR said it is in contact with the authorities in Trinidad and Tobago and is seeking clarification on the legal process that led to the deportations of this group. The agency also said it will continue working closely with the Government to complement its efforts aimed at developing, strengthening and implementing its asylum policy, as well as helping people in need of international protection.

• Antigua and Barbuda has paid its full balance to the regular budget for 2018. This payment takes the Honour Roll to 84.