HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 3 MAY 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Secretary-General arrived in Nairobi late last night, coming from the Afghanistan meeting in Doha.
He has spent much of the day at the UN compound in Nairobi where he met with the senior leadership of the UN in the country, including the Director General of the UN Office in Nairobi, Zainab Hawa Bangura, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, Inger Andersen, and the Executive Director of UN Habitat, Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
He also met with UN staff, including those recently temporarily relocated from Sudan. He thanked the staff for all the work they do on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable people. The Secretary-General emphasized his solidarity with Kenya, which is suffering from both the impact of climate change and an unfair international financial system.
Speaking at a press conference, the Secretary-General reiterated the immediate need for aid to be allowed into Sudan with secure and immediate access, so that humanitarians can distribute it to people who need it the most.
Noting the turmoil and the violence, the Secretary-General called for an immediate stop to the fighting. “All parties must put the interests of the Sudanese people first — that means peace, prosperity and a return to civilian rule,” he said.
In a short while, the Secretary-General will meet with President William Ruto of Kenya.
And tomorrow, the Secretary-General will open the bi-annual meeting of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is also in Nairobi chairing the UN Sustainable Development Group’s annual session. Discussions focused on how to boost our country teams’ ambition and support countries’ transitions in key areas such as energy, climate, food systems, education, jobs and social protection.
UN leaders agreed that this joint effort must be topped by funding for the Sustainable Development Goals ahead of the SDG Summit in September, with Ms. Mohammed stressing that the Summit will be a key moment to encourage ambition for more impact with seven years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
SUDAN
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, visited Port Sudan today to reaffirm our commitment to address the humanitarian needs of the Sudanese people.
While in Port Sudan, Mr. Griffiths and Volker Perthes, the Special Representative for the Secretary-General in Sudan, had calls with Generals Abdelfattah Al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and with civil society leaders. Mr. Griffiths stressed that humanitarian aid must reach all people in need, but that we need strong guarantees on the safety and security of aid workers and supplies.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization tells us that 80 metric tonnes of emergency medical supplies are awaiting customs clearance in Port Sudan. This includes nearly 60 metric tonnes of IV fluids, 8 metric tonnes of trauma kits and more than 12 metric tonnes of kits to treat severe acute malnutrition. Expedited customs clearance has been negotiated to ensure the quick release of these supplies.
In the coming days, the World Food Programme plans to provide food assistance for 384,000 people who were already refugees, newly displaced people, and host communities in the states of Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala and White Nile.
In Port Sudan, WFP has at least 8,000 metric tonnes of food ready to dispatch as soon as possible. Before the fighting broke out, the agency had more than 80,000 metric tonnes of food in Sudan. Nearly 17,000 metric tonnes have been looted - WFP is still trying to establish what quantities remain.
SECURITY COUNCIL
Speaking at the High-level open debate of the Security Council on Futureproofing Trust for Sustaining Peace, Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that history offers us a warning, but also a way forward.
The UN Charter aimed to “futureproof” the world against repetition of the devastating wars, global recession and imperialism that had preceded it, he said. He added that full compliance with human rights is the best antidote to the inequalities, unaddressed grievances and exclusion which are often at the root of instability and conflict.
As the UN prepares for the Summit of the Future, including a new Agenda for Peace, Mr. Türk said he hopes the Council – and all Member States – will make effective use of the trust-building potential of human rights in addressing peace and security concerns.
YEMEN
In conclusion of his two-day visit to Sana’a, Yemen, Special Envoy to the country, Hans Grundberg, said he had positive engagements with the de facto authorities. He underscored that any agreement needs to deliver tangible benefits for all Yemenis.
The Special Envoy’s next stop is Aden, where he will engage with the Government of Yemen and hear their views on the way forward. He will also discuss the way forward with Saudi and Omani officials.
Mr. Grundberg added that after a year of unprecedented calm in Yemen, the parties need to take the next bold steps toward ending the conflict.
MYANMAR
The Special Envoy on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, made her first visit to Beijing this week, on 1 and 2 May. During the visit, Special Envoy Heyzer held discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, and the Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deng Xijun.
Ms. Heyzer stressed that a robust international response to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar requires a unified regional effort involving neighbouring countries that can leverage influence towards a cessation of violence, civilian protection and stability in Myanmar.
In line with the Security Council resolution 2669 (2022) on Myanmar, the Special Envoy continues to closely cooperate with the ASEAN Special Envoy to seek a peaceful and inclusive process towards de-escalating the violence and reaching a sustainable political solution guided by the will and needs of the people.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Catriona Laing of the United Kingdom as his new Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia- UNSOM. She will succeed James Swan of the United States of America, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedication and steadfast leadership of UNSOM during his tenure.
Ms. Laing brings to this position over 35 years of experience in diplomacy, development and international relations, including having held United Kingdom government policy roles in various departments at the national and international levels. Most recently, from November 2018 until April 2023, she served as British High Commissioner to Nigeria.
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Today is World Press Freedom Day. In his message, the Secretary-General says that this day highlights a basic truth, which is that all our freedom depends on press freedom.
Freedom of the press, he adds, is the foundation of democracy and justice. But in every corner of the world, it is under attack.
As a reminder, ten years ago, the United Nations established a Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists to protect media workers and end impunity for crimes committed against them.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Japan, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates have made payments to the regular budget. Their payments take us up to 102 fully paid-up nations.
NOON BRIEFING GUESTS
Toby Harward, the Principal Situation Coordinator in Darfur for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees briefed reporter on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Also, Arif Husain, the Chief Economist at the World Food Programme, and Máximo Torero, the Chief Economist for the Food and Agriculture Organization, joined the noon briefing virtually to brief on the Global Report on Food Crises for 2023.
GUEST TOMORROW
Tomorrow, the Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, Dr. Lucica Ditiu, who will brief reporters on the global impact of tuberculosis, particularly in conflict areas.
