HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 14 JULY 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVEL
Today, the Secretary-General took part in the second UN-EU High-Level Dialogue, which wrapped up a few hours ago.
They started the day with a session focused on climate, followed by discussions on peace and security, the digital transition, as well as ways to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and reforms of international financial institutions.
And last night, just before the start of the high-level dialogue, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Secretary-General made a statement to the press.
He said the meeting is taking place at a time when international cooperation is challenged at its core. We live in an ever more multipolar world, he added, and the European Union must be an essential pillar of this new global order.
He called for a transformation of the global financial system to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals, adding that he sees the European Union as a potential engine for that transformation, based on equity and solidarity.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUCEMENT
On Monday, the Deputy Secretary-General will arrive in N’Djamena, Chad, leading a high-level inter-agency delegation, including Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme and other senior UN officials.
The main objective of the visit is to underscore the UN’s solidarity with the government and people of Chad in light of the massive influx of Sudanese refugees in the eastern region of the country over the last few months. Another key objective is to support national efforts towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals throughout Chad.
The delegation will visit eastern Chad to interact with local authorities and representatives of refugee and host communities. In N’Djamena, the delegation will meet with transitional authorities and international community partners.
On her way to Chad, the Deputy Secretary-General will also make a brief stopover in the Republic of Kenya, where she will meet with senior Government Officials and African Union representatives, as well as UN Officials on the sidelines of the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union. The Deputy Secretary-General will engage in conversations on how to best advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at this important mid-way point with a focus on climate and financing.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence and Conflict, Pramila Patten, briefed Council members.
She said that rising militarization and arms proliferation are bringing conflicts across the globe to a boiling point, creating the conditions for unimaginable and unrelenting cruelty. Gang rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence are being used as a tactic of war, torture, and terrorism, to subjugate and displace populations.
Ms. Patten said that until we effectively raise the cost and consequences for committing, commanding or condoning sexual violence, we will never stem the tide of such violations, and underscored the need to harness the preventive power of the rule of law.
She added that we must focus political resolve and resources in a global context of unremitting violence in order to ensure that Council resolutions are implemented. “We must act urgently, and with sustained resolve, to save succeeding generations from this scourge,” she said.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The 24 UN entities comprising the UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict Network - led by Ms. Patten today issued an urgent call for immediate action to protect women and girls and prevent the use of sexual violence in and around internally displaced persons camps in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The UN Action Network is deeply concerned about the dramatic increase in recorded cases of sexual violence in eastern DRC and the targeting of women and girls by armed men in and around IDP camps as they search for food, water and firewood.
The UN Action Network calls on the Government of the DRC to take necessary measures to end impunity and reinforce access to justice for survivors by identifying and holding perpetrators accountable, regardless of the perpetrator’s rank or affiliation.
DPR KOREA
Khaled Khiari, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific briefed Council members yesterday afternoon on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
He said that unannounced launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles – including the latest one on Wednesday - represent a serious risk to international civil aviation and maritime traffic.
He added that the status quo is alarming.
SYRIA
The United Nations confirms receiving the letter from the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic granting the UN permission to use the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to deliver assistance from across the border with Türkiye to north-west Syria.
The UN is continuing to look at it and we are consulting with a number of partners on this. The UN is committed to delivering life-saving assistance to millions of people in need in north-west Syria, guided by humanitarian principles and using all available means and delivery modalities.
SUDAN
The United Nations and partners continue to deliver critical humanitarian assistance, including health supplies and seeds for planting despite the ongoing insecurity and bureaucratic impediments,
This week, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs facilitated the movement of 26 trucks to various locations in Sudan. Ten of those trucks made deliveries to North and South Kordofan, with the rest reaching parts of eastern Sudan.
Tomorrow marks three months since the start of the current hostilities in Sudan, in which hundreds of people were killed and thousands more injured. The UN continues to call on all parties to stop the fighting and address all issues through dialogue.
OCHA warns that health care continues to be limited by the ongoing fighting, as well as shortages of supplies, damage or occupation of facilities and assaults on medical staff.
Over the past three months, the World Health Organization has verified some 50 attacks on health care.
The lack of access to health care in many parts of the country is also compounding the growing risk of disease outbreaks. These dangers are particularly acute with the onset of the rainy season.
DR CONGO PEACEKEEPING
The UN peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo says that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General there, Bintou Keita, is on a visit to the eastern part of the country. Yesterday, she met with the Governor of North Kivu in Goma with a view towards strengthening partnerships to improve peace and security in the province. She also met with women’s groups in Sake, North Kivu, to discuss MONUSCO’s continued support, including in relation to the protection of civilians. She also visited a youth centre supported by the Mission where she heard from youth, many of whom are survivors of conflict and sexual violence, and who are receiving training in entrepreneurship. Today, Ms. Keita traveled to the town of Munigi to meet with women and community representatives at camp for internally displaced persons.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA - CHILDREN
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today that the number of children who have lost their lives while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe has doubled in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. According to UNICEF, this year, 289 children have died at sea. This is equivalent to about 11 children dying each week – far beyond what we hear in the news headlines.
UNICEF pointed out that this is nearly double the number of children dying at sea compared to last year - 150. In the first six months of this year, the UN Children’s Fund estimate that 11,600 children made the crossing – again, nearly twice as many as in the same period in 2022.
UNICEF noted these figures from the first six months of this year are likely to be underestimated.
Many shipwrecks on the Central Mediterranean Sea crossing leave no survivors or go unrecorded, making the true number of child casualties practically impossible to verify.
JORDAN
The World Food Programme sounded the alarm today saying that an unprecedented funding crisis is forcing it to significantly scale back its monthly food assistance for the 465,000 refugees it supports in Jordan.
WFP said that starting in August it will gradually prioritize the poorest families, excluding approximately 50,000 individuals from the assistance, in order to stretch the limited available funding.
WFP faces a critical funding shortfall of US$41 million until the end of this year. Without the necessary funds, WFP will be compelled to reduce its response further.
Last month WFP was forced to cut assistance to 2.5 million of the 5.5 million people in Syria due to funding crisis.
GUATEMALA
The Secretary-General is closely following developments in Guatemala's elections. He welcomes the certification of the results of the first round; however, he notes with concern reports of attempts to impact the second round of elections, and the growing tension this is causing, despite their certification. He urges all the actors to continue their work with responsibility and impartiality in the lead up to the presidential runoff and underscores the right to freely vote and be elected in democratic processes.
UNDP REPORT
The UN Development Programme today launched their policy brief, “The Human Cost of Inaction: Poverty, Social Protection and Debt Servicing, 2020–2023”.
The policy brief examines the current debt crisis in developing countries by looking at debt servicing, social protection, and poverty. It presents new poverty estimates with a staggering 165 million additional people falling into poverty between 2020 and 2023 as a result of the cumulative crisis.
The report proposes a “debt-poverty pause” for developing economies to mitigate shocks and redirect debt service to replenish their fiscal space and support social spending.
WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY
Tomorrow is World Youth Skills Day. In his messages to mark the Day, the Secretary-General made calls to ensure that teachers gain the education and professional development opportunities they need as they help young people make the transition from school to the workplace. He recently launched the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession to provide recommendations to help achieve this.
GUESTS TODAY
Noon briefing guests today are from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, known as UN-Habitat.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat will be joined by Ambassador Szczerski, the Permanent Representative of Poland and Co-chair of the Group of Friends of UN-Habitat.
They will talk to you about the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 11, which deals with Sustainable Cities and Communities.
