HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 27 JANUARY 2023
HOLOCAUST
This morning, the Secretary-General paid tribute to Holocaust survivors at the General Assembly ceremony in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. He said that the rise of National Socialism in Germany 90 years ago was made possible by the indifference – if not connivance – of so many millions of people. Today, he warned, we can hear echoes of those same siren songs of hate.
The Secretary-General said that the painful truth is that antisemitism is everywhere. In fact, it is increasing in intensity, with survey after survey showing antisemitism at record highs. And what is true for antisemitism is true for other forms of hate, Mr. Guterres added.
He also said that he is issuing an urgent appeal to everyone with influence across the information ecosystem: to stop the hate. Set up guardrails. And enforce them. Many parts of the Internet are becoming toxic waste dumps for hate and vicious lies, he said.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, El-Ghassim Wane, the head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) briefed the Security Council. He discussed security in the country, the Mission’s ability to contribute to the improvement of the situation, as well as Mali’s critical year on the road back to constitutional order.
This afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., the Security Council will hold consultations on Afghanistan. Council members will hear from Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, and the Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari on the trip they undertook last week with the head of UN Women, Sima Bahous, to Afghanistan and a number of other countries.
After that, the Council will hold consultations on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine. Council members will receive an update from the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The UN condemns the new military offensive by the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and reiterates its call on the armed group to cease all hostilities and to withdraw from the occupied areas, in accordance with the decisions made at the mini-summit held in Luanda.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today noted that, according to initial reports from partners, some 90,000 people have been displaced by the clashes between Congolese forces and the M23 in and around Kitchanga, in North Kivu. Many of those displaced are seeking refuge in nearby Mweso, in schools, churches and with host families.
As more displaced people arrive in Mweso, humanitarian organizations are concerned about the spread of cholera there, following last month’s outbreak.
The clashes have also impeded road access, making it very difficult to deliver humanitarian aid. The UN peacekeeping Mission in the country is continuing to provide physical security and immediate assistance. That includes shelter, water and medical care, to about 500 Congolese civilians who are currently in and outside the UN base in Kitchanga.
The UN also reiterates the Secretary-General's call on all armed groups to lay down their weapons and join the national Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization programme.
HAITI
The UN team in Haiti has strongly condemned the targeted and deliberate attacks by members of armed gangs who have resulted in the deaths of several police officers on duty. The UN offers its condolences to the bereaved families and to the Haitian national police, and also calls on the authorities to do everything possible to identify the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and to prosecute them.
AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY IN TEHRAN
The UN condemns the attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran, which reportedly resulted in multiple casualties, including one fatality. The UN expresses its condolences to the family of the person who was killed and wish a speedy recovery to all those injured. The UN emphasizes that attacks against diplomatic missions are strictly prohibited under international law. In particular, the UN recalls the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and the obligations of host Governments, including under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage, and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity.
The UN also notes that the Iranian authorities have quickly launched an investigation and hopes perpetrators, or the perpetrator, will be held to account.
SOUTH SUDAN
The head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, has described 2023 as a ‘make or break’ year for the country. He spoke at a meeting of regional peace partners.
In a separate development, the UN Mission reported that the Government has formally requested the UN to provide assistance for the preparation and conduct of peaceful, credible and inclusive elections as envisioned in the peace agreement. In its request, the Government noted an immediate need to finalize the electoral legal framework and reconstitute the National Elections Commission, given that elections are due to be held in December next year.
The Mission reiterates that this will not be a United Nations-run process, but a South Sudanese-administered election with our support. UNMISS looks forward to working with the Government, national institutions, civil society, political parties and the media in assisting them with South Sudan's first electoral process as a sovereign state.
DJIBOUTI
In Djibouti, the UN team there, led by Resident Coordinator Jose Barahona, is supporting authorities in the drought response. Since June last year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), as well as the World Food Programme (WFP) and partners have reached nearly 90,000 people with urgent food and nutrition support, protection, agricultural assistance, water, sanitation, and health support.
The UN has also been providing critical food assistance to 52,000 people along with distributions of animal food and animal health kits to ensure livestock survival as well as the protection of families whose livelihoods depend on crops and livestock raising. On the health front, the UN team delivered nutrition services to more than 21,000 children and pregnant and lactating women via mobile health clinics, treating a total of 5,600 children for severe acute malnutrition. The UN has also been rehabilitating water points in vulnerable areas around Djibouti.
CHAD
In Chad just last week, with support from the UN team, the Government adopted its first-ever action plan for the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, which was adopted 22 years ago. Authorities have also pledged to strengthen women's participation in the political transition, which will include a revision of the country's constitution and presidential and parliamentary elections by the end of 2024. Prior to the adoption, the UN team on the ground actively contributed technically and financially to the different stages of the process.
SYRIA
The Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley, arrived in Syria this week. He appealed to the world to invest in the Syrian people and communities to get them on their feet and off food assistance.
According to WFP, Syria now has the sixth highest number of food insecure people in the world, with 2.5 million people who are severely food insecure, and their lives are at risk without food assistance. WFP notes that 12 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from. Another 2.9 million people are at risk of sliding into hunger.
Mr. Beasley warned that if we don’t address the humanitarian crisis in Syria, things are going to get worse than we can possibly imagine.
UKRAINE
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, just finished his trip to Ukraine with a call for donors to stay the course and support the people who are suffering acutely. This was his third visit since the start of the Russian invasion.
He travelled through the south and east of the country. The High Commissioner witnessed Ukrainian officials and citizens repairing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure. He also discussed with the authorities the situation of unaccompanied and separated Ukrainian children in the Russian Federation.
Mr. Grandi said that UNHCR and other partners will seek further access to them and advocate for solutions in their best interest, notably family reunification. He also reiterated that, in a situation of conflict, giving nationality and opening avenues for formal adoption of children violates international norms and practices.
HONOUR ROLL
Denmark, the Russian Federation and Singapore have paid their contribution to the regular budget and are on the Honour Roll.
PRESS BRIEFING ON MONDAY
On Monday at 11:00 a.m., there will be a hybrid press briefing with Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. He will be joined by Janti Soeripto, the President and CEO of Save the Children US; Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro, the Secretary General of CARE International and Omar Abdi, the Deputy Executive Director for Programmes of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). They will discuss their recent visit to Afghanistan.
