HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 21 JUNE 2018
 
IN RUSSIA, SECRETARY-GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR MULTILATERALISM TO FACE TODAY’S CHALLENGES

• This morning in Moscow, the Secretary-General held a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at which he stressed the need for multilateralism to address the dramatic challenges that we face today, such as climate change and terrorism. He also said that the UN and Russia will continue to work closely together on a number of issues, including towards conflict resolution in Syria, where he said the objective is to achieve a Syria in which territorial integrity is preserved, which can run its own destiny and where all groups can feel included.
• After the briefing, the Secretary-General gave a speech at the Valdai discussion club, where he talked about how the UN is responding to conflict in the world today.
• In the afternoon, the Secretary-General met with the heads of UN agencies in Russia to commemorate 70 years of UN presence in the country. He also met with hockey legend Vyacheslav Fetisov, who was recently designated UN Environment Patron for Polar Regions and who presented the Secretary-General with a pair of skates and his own hockey stick. Next spring, Mr. Fetisov is heading what is called the “last ice-hockey game” for the Arctic and North Pole to highlight the urgency to take climate action, as climate models project that the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free by 2040.  
• Yesterday, the Secretary-General and President Vladimir Putin met and discussed the state of international relations and multilateral institutions, as well as the situation in the Middle East, including Syria.
• The Secretary-General is now on his way back to New York.

• In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomed the positive steps taken recently by Ethiopia and Eritrea to resolve the outstanding issues regarding the normalization of relations between the two countries.
• The Secretary-General commends the efforts of the leaders of both countries to achieve sustainable peace and good neighbourly relations which, in turn, will have positive repercussions in the entire Horn of Africa region.
• The Secretary-General stands ready to provide all support that may contribute to advancing and consolidating the process of engagement between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

• The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener wrapped up her first official visit to Myanmar. 
• She met among many others State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as well as conflict-affected communities and families in Rakhine state, the United Nations country team, the diplomatic community and international NGOs.
• In all meetings, she stressed the need for inclusive solutions that integrate the views and important voices of women.
• In this first visit, the Special Envoy focused on listening to all sides to better understand their diverse perspectives with a view to building trust and confidence, and establishing positive relations while promoting the key principles of the United Nations.
• In all discussions, Ms. Schraner Burgener underlined the importance of accountability, which she highlighted was essential for genuine reconciliation.
• She urged for credible fact-finding measures, and highlighted the readiness of the United Nations and the international community to cooperate in this regard.

• The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Central African Republic, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, briefed the Security Council this morning. He said that since February, there had been outbreaks of violence across the country and that armed groups continue to exert a negative influence over vast stretches of the territory, adding that the volatile security situation is negatively impacting the political process.
• Mr. Onanga-Anyanga warned that the humanitarian situation remains dire: more than 688,000 people are internally displaced, and another 568,000 are refugees in neighbouring countries. Attacks against humanitarian workers make the CAR the deadliest humanitarian context in the world. Meanwhile, only 4 per cent of the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded.
• Mr. Onanga-Anyanga told Council members that the risk of escalating violence and the unnecessary suffering inflicted on the population demand our full attention and support. The country cannot afford more clashes among armed groups seeking opportunity to pillage and exploit natural resources, he said. He added that as long as the hands of the State will not be stronger than the illegitimate groups and criminal organizations, our efforts to establish lasting peace and stability in CAR will continue to be seriously challenged.

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that fighting in Yemen continues mainly in districts south of Hodeidah City, while the situation in the city was somewhat calmer over the last 24 hours. If fighting reaches more urban areas, civilians will be at greater risk.
• Emergency response continues across Hodeidah governorate. As of yesterday, partners had provided nearly 1,000 emergency kits to displaced people. Altogether, over 7,000 people have benefited from different emergency assistance programmes.
• The risk of a cholera outbreak remains an immediate threat. Hodeidah was one of the centres of the recent epidemic, and even before the recent violence, several districts had been identified to be at highest risk of a renewed outbreak. As part of their obligations under international humanitarian law, parties to the conflict must take care not to damage water and sanitation infrastructure. This is especially important in the current environment.

• The United Nations is deeply concerned for the safety and protection of an estimated 750,000 people in southern Syria, where hostilities are endangering civilians and causing displacement.
• Today, fighting and shelling continued to be reported in many towns on the eastern and western side of Dara’a governorate. Yesterday, on 20 June, shelling and fighting in several areas of Dara’a governorate reportedly resulted in the deaths of 20 people, including 11 in Dara’a city; many others were injured.
• The fighting has led to the displacement of people from northern Dara'a governorate to rural Quneitra governorate, as well as towards the border with Jordan. There are reports of restrictions on movement due to the increase in hostilities.
• The United Nations and its partners continue to deliver assistance despite the increase in hostilities, reaching hundreds of thousands of people in need each month from across the border in Jordan.
• The United Nations calls on all parties to take all necessary measures to safeguard civilian lives, allow freedom of movement, and to protect civilian infrastructure, as required by international humanitarian and human rights law.

• In response to questions on Western Sahara, the Spokesman confirmed that Horst Köhler, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, will travel to the region again from 23 June to 1 July 2018.
• He will visit Algiers, Nouakchott, Tindouf, Rabouni, Rabat, Laayoune, Smara and Dakhla.
• The purpose of the visit is twofold: to further increase his understanding of the reality on the ground and discuss the way forward on the United Nations-led political process, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2414 (2018).