HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC​,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 21 AUGUST 2023

TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT  
The Secretary-General will be heading to Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the 15th Summit of the BRICS which is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.  
The Secretary-General has been invited to speak at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue meeting on Wednesday 24th, and he will deliver a clear message: that in a fracturing world overwhelmed by crises, there is no credible alternative to cooperation. He will ask leaders to act in solidarity and with urgency on a series of issues including climate change and the restructuring of the international financial system, among others.   
During his visit the Secretary-General will also be meeting with various leaders on the margins of the meeting. He will also hold a press conference there.

CYPRUS 
The UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus – UNFICYP - said that the situation is calm today, following last week’s assaults on peacekeepers as they tried to prevent unauthorized construction work in the buffer zone near Pyla, in accordance with their mandate. The peacekeeping force is maintaining a presence in the area and is monitoring the situation closely. The four peacekeepers injured in the incident have been released from hospital.  
Preventing tensions and ensuring the maintenance of the status quo across the buffer zone is the Mission’s top priority. In this regard, the Mission is engaging with the Turkish Cypriot side, and all concerned, to agree a mutually acceptable way forward that respects the United Nation’s mandated authority inside the buffer zone.  
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Colin Stewart, is expected to brief the UN Security Council today. 
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Secretary-General condemned the assault.

MALI 
In Mali, the United Nations Head of Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has concluded his visit to the country, after a series of meetings with senior officials from the transitional government, including Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga.  
During his engagements, Mr. Lacroix discussed the lessons learned from the first phase of the Mission’s withdrawal, which is expected to be completed by the end of this month. He thanked authorities for their cooperation, which is critical to ensuring a safe and orderly withdrawal in a tight timeframe and challenging environment and he reiterated the importance of making progress on the transfer of tasks from the Mission to the Malian authorities, UN Country Team, and other partners.  
 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the peacekeeping mission – MONUSCO – says that over the weekend they helped foil an attack by ADF armed group on the village of Luna in North Kivu.  
Working with the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), the peacekeepers repelled the assault on civilians, many of whom sought refuge in the surrounding forests. However, two civilians were unfortunately killed in the attack. Over the past two weeks, the Mission and the Congolese armed forces have repelled five CODECO and ADF attacks in Ituri and North Kivu. 

SOMALIA 
On Somalia, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the 19 August rocket attack against the Aden Adde International Airport compound in Mogadishu, which impacted several areas, including United Nations premises.  
The Secretary-General calls on the Somali authorities to investigate the attacks and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.  
He emphasizes that attacks against the United Nations may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.  
  
MIDDLE EAST 
This morning, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, briefed Security Council members on the situation in the Middle East. He said that violence continues on the upswing, with over 200 Palestinians and nearly 30 Israeli fatalities in the West Bank and Israel thus far this year. This already surpasses 2022 annual figures and is the highest figure since 2005. In addition, settlement expansion continues unabated. 
He stressed the need to restore a political horizon and concluded by saying that the fragility of the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal situation, compounded by funding shortages facing key UN agencies, threatens to worsen the plight of the most vulnerable Palestinians.  
 
UKRAINE 
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned a deadly attack that hit the main square of Chernihiv, a large city in the north of Ukraine, on 19 August. 
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has verified the deaths of seven civilians, including a six-year-old girl, as a result of this attack. Humanitarian organizations mobilized immediately to provide psychosocial support, delivered emergency repair materials and started registration for cash assistance.   
In a statement, the UN Children’s Fund noted that the attack reportedly hit a town square, a university building and a theatre as families were going about their daily lives. UNICEF stressed that attacks must stop, children must be protected, and Ukraine must be given the chance for peace and its children the chance of a future.
 
VICTIMS OF TERRORISM 
Today marks the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. 
The theme is “Legacy: Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful Future.”  
In his message, the Secretary-General pays respect to all those lost or harmed through terrorist attacks around the world and welcomed the launch of the Legacy Project, which is helping testimonies of victims and survivors be heard.  
 
GUEST TOMORROW 
Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest will be Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s Regional Bureau Director for the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes and Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation.
He will brief on the challenges faced by people displaced by conflict in that region.