HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2019
ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
The Secretary-General welcomes the 20th anniversary on 1 March of the entry into force of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – a Convention that has saved countless lives, stopped mutilation and injury and enabled the revitalization of livelihoods.
The Secretary-General commends the commitment of the States parties to rid the world of a weapon that kills and maims indiscriminately, while seriously impeding peace and development. He congratulates the 31 States who have declared their country to be mine-free and urges all States that have not done so to accede as soon as possible to the Convention.
The Secretary-General calls for accelerated efforts to render anti-personnel mines a relic of the past. He also appeals to States to ensure access to sustainable assistance and services for thousands of mine victims.
SYRIA
Geir Pedersen, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefed the Security Council in an open meeting this morning and said that it is essential to have direct and effective engagement with the Government of Syria and the opposition. He welcomed the readiness of the parties to work with him, and said he believes that there is a shared sentiment that the battlefield developments may be winding down, although the conflict is far from over.
The Special Envoy said he senses a wide acceptance of the notion that convening a credible, balanced, inclusive and viable Syrian-led and -owned Constitutional Committee under UN auspices in Geneva can be important to revitalize the political process. It can be a door opener to a deeper dialogue and genuine negotiations, he said.
SECURITY COUNCIL
Today, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea Bissau (UNIOGBIS) for one year, until 28 February 2020.
SILENCING THE GUNS IN AFRICA
Yesterday, the Council adopted resolution 2457 (2019) in support of the Silencing the Guns in Africa Initiative of the African Union. The resolution represents substantial political backing from the Security Council to the top priorities of the African Union.
We welcome the readiness of the Security Council to contribute to the African Union’s effort to build on existing progress and achieve the goal of a conflict-free Africa towards the realization of Agenda 2063 and the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.
The Secretary-General looks forward to strengthening the strategic partnership with the African Union to further advance peace, security and sustainable development in Africa.
ZIMBABWE
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock – during a three-day mission to Zimbabwe – today announced the allocation of US$10 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help reach more than 5.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Zimbabwe following drought and a number of economic shocks.
Mr. Lowcock made the announcement during the launch of a Flash Appeal by the UN and the Government today; the Appeal requires $234 million to provide food, health, water, sanitation, hygiene and protection support for 2.2 million people over the next six months.
EBOLA
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros, says he is deeply concerned following an arson attack last night on an Ebola treatment facility managed by Doctors Without Borders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC), North Kivu Province.
This is the second such attack in days; last Sunday, another Ebola treatment facility in Katwa – also run by Doctors Without Borders – was partially burned down.
Following last night’s attack, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, has reinforced security in the area.
NIGERIA
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that at least 10,000 people reportedly returned to Nigeria’s northeastern town of Rann from Cameroon yesterday. These civilians were among more than 40,000 Nigerian women, men and children who originally fled Rann following the deadly attacks by non-state armed groups in December 2018.
According to OCHA, reports indicate that hundreds more people are en route to Rann from Cameroon, which is eight kilometres away by foot. All of these people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including shelter, food and safe drinking water.
International and national humanitarian organizations have not been able to return to Rann to provide the needed humanitarian assistance due to ongoing insecurity since 17 January.
HAITI
In Haiti, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mamadou Diallo, and the Prime Minister, Jean-Henry Céant, launched the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti. It seeks US $126 million to provide critical humanitarian assistance and protection services to 1.3 million Haitians this year.
SPECIAL PURPOSE TRUST FUND
The Resident Coordinator Special Purpose Trust Fund web portal was launched this week to increase transparency and accountability in the UN system. The website displays – in real time – the commitments, contributions and expenditures recorded for the Special Purpose Trust Fund, which manages all the financial transactions of the new Resident Coordinator system.
The URL for the portal is is soc.un.org/SPTF.
ROAD SAFETY
The United Nations Road Safety Strategy was launched in Geneva today. The strategy is based on an approach that manages the interaction between speed, road infrastructure, and road-user behavior to prevent crashes.
Worldwide, road traffic crashes claim the lives of 1.35 million people every year. This means that more people die from road injuries than from HIV/AIDS, TB and diarrheal diseases. And in the context of the UN, the UN operates over 25,000 vehicles around the world, and data shows that UN personnel are twice more likely to be killed by road traffic crashes than by a terrorist act, with an average of 12 staff members every year killed in road crashes.
HONOUR ROLL
Our thanks go to the Marshall Islands for paying their budget dues in full, bringing the Honour Roll up to 69.
SIR BRIAN URQUHART
Today, we join the Secretary-General in wishing a very happy 100th birthday to Sir Brian Urquhart, the legendary long-time UN official. The Secretary-General in a statement, said that Sir Brian’s imprint on the United Nations has been so profound as that of anyone in the Organization’s history. As one of the Organization’s earliest employees, he set the standard for international civil service: principled, dedicated and impartial. Sir Brian’s commitment to peace was forged in part during the Second World War, where he was among the Allied soldiers present shortly after the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen death camp.
With warmth and generosity and encouragement, the Secretary-General said, Sir Brian has been an inspirational figure for UN staff and countless young people as they pursued careers. As we mark this milestone, we are grateful for his brilliant and incomparable contributions as a stalwart servant of “we the peoples”.
