HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Secretary-General has just landed in Dubai, to take part in the UN Climate Change Conference –COP28 - which got underway today.
He welcomes the decision taken at the opening of COP28 to operationalize the new Loss and Damage Fund – an essential tool for delivering climate justice to the most vulnerable. He calls on leaders to make generous contributions and get the Fund - and the Climate Conference - started on a strong footing.
Earlier today, he addressed - by pre-recorded video message - the launch of the World Meteorological Organization’s report entitled the “State of the Global Climate 2023”.
He said things are moving so fast that a full month before the end of the year, we can already declare that 2023 is the hottest year recorded in human history.
We are living through climate collapse in real time – and the impact is devastating.
Record global heating should send shivers down the spines of world leaders, he said, and it should trigger them to act.
We have the roadmap to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the worst of climate chaos.
He renewed his call on leaders to set clear expectations for the next round of climate action plans and to commit to partnerships and finance to make them possible.
Today’s report shows we’re in deep trouble, the Secretary-General added. Leaders must get us out of it – starting at COP28.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will speak at the opening ceremony and at the Local Climate Action Summit. He will also have a live conversation with Indian actress Dia Mirza, who is also an SDG Advocate and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador.
GAZA
The humanitarian pause has now entered its seventh consecutive day.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that it has enabled a major increase in the delivery of basic supplies into and across Gaza, primarily by the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies and UN agencies. However, as the Secretary-General told the Security Council yesterday, the level of aid “remains completely inadequate to meet the huge needs of more than two million people.”
Yesterday, UN agencies delivered lifesaving medicines and surgical supplies to two hospitals in Gaza city - Al Ahli and Al Sahaba - which are estimated to be sufficient to meet the urgent health needs of 100 patients at each facility. The two hospitals also received a total 10,500 litres of fuel, enough to operate generators for about seven days.
Despite the pause, there has been almost no improvement in the access of residents in the north to water, as most of the main water production facilities remain shut down, due to the lack of fuel and some also due to damages.
Enhanced aid distribution, including fuel to hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, and IDP shelters, also continued in areas south of Wadi Gaza, where the vast majority of IDPs are staying. Cooking gas, which has been entering daily from Egypt since the start of the pause, has been available in the market at one distribution centre in Khan Younis, but in quantities well below demand.
Yesterday, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated his concern about the high risk of infectious diseases in IDP shelters, attributing this to severe overcrowding and the disruption of health, water, and sanitation systems. He noted that more than 111,000 cases of acute respiratory infection, 36,000 cases of diarrhoea in children under five, and 24,000 cases of skin rash had been recorded since the start of the crisis.
YEMEN
The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, met today in the Saudi Arabian capital with the Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid Bin Salman.
In Riyadh, he discussed with the Saudi official the progress towards an agreement between the parties to the conflict in Yemen on improving the living conditions of Yemenis, reaching a sustainable nationwide ceasefire, and resuming an inclusive, Yemeni-Yemeni political process under UN auspices.
Mr. Grundberg stressed the need for continued concerted regional support to Yemen on the path towards sustainable peace and a future that meets the aspirations of all Yemenis.
MALI
The process of withdrawing from Mali continues, with the expectation that all personnel, other than those associated with the liquidation process, including guard units and the rear parties of troop and police contributing countries, will leave the country by 31 December.
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will travel to Mali to see first-hand the progress being made with the withdrawal. He is expected to express his deep gratitude to all peacekeepers who have served the Mission since 2013 as well as pay his respect to those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. A visit by Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare is planned from 7th to 15th of December to prepare for the liquidation phase.
Nearly 9,800 personnel of 13,871 have left the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Most recently, on 22 November, MINUSMA handed over two satellite camps associated with its Mopti base in the Centre to Mali’s civilian authorities, ahead of the handover of the main Mopti base scheduled in the coming days. Today is also the last day of broadcast of the Mission’s radio station: Mikado FM. Mikado FM broadcasted for eight years in seven languages in the areas of deployment of the mission and had a positive impact on the peace process, social cohesion and reconciliation.
ETHIOPIA
The Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that an estimated 1.5 million people in Ethiopia have been impacted by flooding since late October. More than 600,000 people have been displaced.
The most affected regions include Somali, South East, Gambela, Oromia, Afar and Sidama. The Somali region alone accounts for 80 per cent of those affected.
The floods have caused extensive damage to crops, livestock and vital infrastructure. Houses, shops, schools and agricultural lands are submerged. Additionally, there is a rise in health risks with increased cases of cholera, malaria, and dengue fever.
Many people are still grappling with five consecutive seasons of severe droughts in the Horn of Africa.
Earlier this week from November 24 to November 26, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov, and the head of the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission, together with UN and NGO representatives, visited areas affected by the floods to assess the situation and explore how to scale up relief efforts.
The UN and partners are supporting the Government response and providing food, shelter, water and sanitation, as well as logistics support – but the assistance is insufficient.
In addition to stepped-up logistical capacity, we also need increased funding beyond the immediate humanitarian response to support communities to adapt to climate change.
This year’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Ethiopia, calling for nearly $4 billion, is one third funded at $1.3 billion.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that today marks a significant milestone in the humanitarian response in the country, with the delivery of the 100th inter-agency humanitarian convoy since January of this year.
The Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, led this latest convoy to deliver items including food, medical supplies, shelter materials and materials to protect during winter. These supplies were delivered to the town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk Region, where some 9,000 people out of the pre-war population of 16,000 remain. They have not had water, gas and electricity for more than six months.
Since the beginning of the year, humanitarian convoys have delivered aid to some 390,000 people in the hardest-hit front-line and border communities across six of the most affected oblasts along the front line.
Meanwhile, over the last two days, more reports have emerged about civilians killed and injured. Today, the Humanitarian Coordinator visited the site of the attack in Pokrovsk. She again stressed that the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most affected people will continue as long as the war continues, and people need humanitarian support.
TAXES
The General Assembly’s Second Committee held discussions on promotion of inclusive and effective tax cooperation at the United Nations, which helps to bring the world one step closer to the international tax system we need for the future we want.
The Second Committee has today adopted, by a large majority of countries, a draft resolution establishing a UN intergovernmental committee to draft terms of reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
In September, at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit, Member States showed strong commitment to close the perilous gap in SDG financing. Aggressive tax avoidance and tax evasion have a corrosive effect on public trust, financial integrity, the rule of law and sustainable development across the globe.
A UN process is urgently needed to enable an international tax system that respects countries’ sovereignty; reckons with the real ways markets operate and business is done in our modern world; and establishes transparent international tax rules and procedures that respond to the needs, priorities, and capacities of all countries.
We call on all Member States to participate in the process going forward, so that all can benefit from their insights, experiences, and expertise.
KISSINGER
The Secretary-General was saddened to learn last night of the passing of the former US Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger.
As a prominent figure in international relations during the late 20th century, few diplomats in living memory have had a greater influence on international affairs than Dr. Kissinger.
The Secretary-General extends his condolences to Dr. Kissinger’s family.
VICTIMS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE
Today is the Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare.
In his message, the Secretary-General says that this Day must be a day of resolve to end the use of these repugnant weapons, once and for all.
BRIEFING TOMORROW
Tomorrow, at 1:00 p.m., there will be a briefing by Ambassador José de la Gasca, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of December, on the programme for the month.
