HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 20 JULY 2018
 
SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE

• The Secretary-General met today with the US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo.

• The Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, concluded a two-day visit to Serbia today.
• In a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Mr. Jenca reiterated the firm commitment of the United Nations to contribute to the promotion of peace and stability through preventive diplomacy in the Western Balkans.
• During his visit, Mr. Jenca also met with the Foreign Minister and other officials.

• The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, is currently wrapping up a visit to Uganda and he will travel to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, tomorrow. Mr. Khare is expected to meet senior officials of the Government of the Republic of Sudan, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of National Defence.
• From 23 to 25 July, Mr. Khare will travel to Darfur, where he will meet the Walis (Governors) of North Darfur, Central Darfur and South Darfur states as well as community leaders, internally displaced people and the leadership and personnel of the UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
• Mr. Khare will conclude his travel with a visit to Kadugli, in South Kordofan State, and the area of Abyei on 26 and 27 July, where he will meet local leaders and the leadership and staff of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that increasing violence in eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to negatively affect the humanitarian situation, forcing people to flee their homes.
• Inter-ethnic violence in Ituri province has displaced some 420,000 people this year.
• As of 20 July, the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan received only $345 million, representing 20 per cent of funding requirements.
• Armed clashes in Ituri, as well as in the neighbouring province of North Kivu have further prompted more than 92,000 people to flee to Uganda since 1 January 2018.
• Uganda hosts 37 per cent of all DRC refugees and asylum seekers neighboring countries.
• The Refugee Response Plan for the DRC refugees in Uganda seeks $220 million and is so far only 5 per cent funded.

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) urges all parties in Syria to protect and provide safe passage to civilians displaced by the recent fighting in the south of the country. An estimated 140,000 people remain displaced across the south-west and need safe passage out of the area, plus immediate humanitarian assistance, protection and shelter.
• UNHCR has also been witnessing the return of tens of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) following local agreements and in areas coming under the control of the Government of Syria.
• Amid continued fighting and new displacements during the first six months of 2018, nearly 13,000 refugees from neighbouring countries and another 750,000 IDPs are estimated to have returned to their homes in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Rural Damascus, Damascus, south-west and north-eastern Syria.  UNHCR continue to work on enhancing the response to the humanitarian and protection needs of IDPs, returnees and other crisis-affected population.
• UNHCR has taken note of Wednesday’s announcement by the Syrian and Russian authorities concerning the setting up of a centre in Syria to help refugees who return home.  UNHCR has not yet seen the details of this plan, but it is ready to engage in discussions about these plans with the Government of Syria and the Russian Federation.

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said today that, despite record global forced displacement, health services to refugees are mostly on track.
• The Annual Public Health Overview found that stepped up surveillance of health indicators are leading to prompt and effective interventions.
• However, it warned that communicable diseases, anemia and stunting are still areas of concern.
• The UN Migration Agency (IOM) said today that more than 51,000 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea between January and July of this year. This is a drop from more than 110,000 this time last year and more than 244,000 in 2016.