HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

FRIDAY, 14 JUNE 2024

SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVEL 
A few moments ago, the Secretary-General participated in the outreach session of the G7 summit in Italy.  
As outlined in his press conference in Geneva, the Secretary-General carried a number of messages to the G7, notably on climate change, Artificial Intelligence, and reform of the international financial architecture  
He encouraged the G7 to step up and go further, faster in climate action by showing greater climate solidarity by finance, technology transfer, and so forth. 
He reiterated his call for real reform of the international financial architecture so that it better represents developing countries and responds to their needs. 
On Artificial Intelligence, he told the gathering that these technologies must support human rights, sustainable development, and benefit all humanity - instead of racing ahead of regulation, exacerbating power imbalances, further concentrating wealth and raising tensions and divisions. He highlighted the recommendations of his Advisory Panel on Artificial Intelligence in that regard.  
The Secretary-General is also scheduled to hold some bilateral meetings later in the day. 
 
LEBANON/ISRAEL 
On Lebanon and Israel, we remain very concerned by the recent escalation across the Blue Line and beyond. 
In her engagements this past week with key Lebanese and international interlocutors, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, conveyed her deep concern at the escalating situation across the Blue Line.  
The Special Coordinator calls on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action or statement that could further fuel tensions. She also stresses the urgency of ensuring the protection of civilians. 
UNIFIL peacekeepers remain on the ground conducting their mandated operational activities and working at all levels to de-escalate tensions. 
Since October, we have seen too many lives lost, families uprooted, and neighbourhoods destroyed. The danger of a wider conflagration is very real. 
We continue to engage with the parties and urge all actors to avoid hostile actions, return to a cessation of hostilities under the framework of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), and work towards a diplomatic solution. 
   
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that displaced families continue to face dire conditions and significant challenges in accessing basic services. That’s according to multiple humanitarian assessments carried out over the past month. 
OCHA led two such assessments last week at informal displacement sites in Deir al Balah, where thousands of people are sheltering. Families there said that shelters are overcrowded and lack sanitation infrastructure. Food distributions are irregular, and residents reported a range of health issues, such as hepatitis A, skin diseases, and respiratory illnesses. Access to water is also critically low.  
Our partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene in Gaza report that critical infrastructure continues to sustain significant damage. They say the recent intensification of military operations has resulted in additional losses of key water and sanitation assets, including five water production wells in Jabalya, in the north, as well as two water wells and two desalination plants in Rafah, in the south. 
These partners estimate that over the past eight months, more than two-thirds of water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged due to the conflict.  Once again, OCHA underscores that humanitarian operations in Gaza must be fully facilitated and all impediments must be lifted. 
To give you just one example of these challenges – UNICEF’s spokesman, James Elder, said that one of the agency’s trucks carrying medicines and nutrition supplies for 10,000 children in Gaza was turned back on Wednesday – despite approvals for the mission. Mr. Elder says they were held for eight hours at checkpoints, and it took 13 hours to move just 40 kilometres.        
 
YEMEN 
A group of senior UN officials and heads of international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) issued a statement yesterday in which they called for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel held in Yemen by the Houthi de facto authorities.  
The officials in the joint statement said that they are extremely concerned about the Houthi de facto authorities’ recent detention of 17 members of the UN and international NGOs and many others associated with civil society organizations, national and international NGOs, and other organizations supporting humanitarian activities.  
These detentions are unprecedented – not only in Yemen but globally – and directly impede our ability to reach the most vulnerable people in Yemen, including the 18.2 million people who need humanitarian aid and protection. 
They asked the de facto authorities to confirm the exact whereabouts of those detained and the conditions in which they are being held, as well as for immediate access to them. All those detained must be immediately released, they added. 
The signatories included the heads of UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP, WHO and the Human Rights Office. 
  
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVEL 
This weekend, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will travel to Paris, France to take part, on Monday, in the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee and the opening of the Transforming Education Summit Stock-take aimed at galvanizing global efforts to transform education and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4.  
While in Paris, the Deputy Secretary-General will also meet with senior government officials and other stakeholders including on issues relating to development finance, debt and global taxation issues. 
She will return to New York next Tuesday.     
  
SUMMIT ON PEACE IN UKRAINE  
At the invitation of the President of the Swiss Confederation, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, will travel to Switzerland over the weekend to attend, as an observer, the Summit on Peace in Ukraine to be held in Bürgenstock.   
The United Nations reiterates its support for a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions.  
 
SECURITY COUNCIL  
This morning, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, briefed Security Council members on the implementation of Resolution 2686, on tolerance and international peace and security. Among other issues, this Resolution refers to the importance of combating intolerance, promoting inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, advancing human rights, promoting women’s full, equal, meaningful and safe participation and leadership at all levels of decision-making; strengthening education for peace; and addressing and countering hate speech.  
Ms. Nderitu encouraged Council members to continue the consideration of hate speech, including by requesting more regular briefings on this topic by relevant UN entities. She also encouraged them to continue engaging with tech and social media companies to emphasize their roles and responsibilities in tackling online hate speech. And to continue supporting the inclusion of women in the peace and security agenda, including on issues related to countering hate speech against women.   
Ms. Nderitu’s briefing comes ahead of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which is next Tuesday.  
 
This afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., the Security Council will reconvene for a briefing on threats to international peace and security.  
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu is expected to brief Council members.  
   
SUDAN 
Turning to the situation in Sudan, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, warned that the humanitarian nightmare in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is worsening by the hour. In a social media post, he said he hopes the Security Council resolution adopted yesterday will ease the suffering of civilians in the city. 
Mr. Griffiths stressed that they must be protected, aid must be able to reach them, and the fighting must stop now. 
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme in Sudan is underscoring the urgency of getting food to people in need before rains cut off access to remote areas. The agency reports that a convoy carrying aid for some 160,000 people crossed into Darfur this week from Chad.   
It's the third convoy to enter the country through the Tine border crossing in the past two months. That assistance is bound for Central, East and West Darfur. 
WFP says food distributions are also underway for over 50,000 people in South Darfur and an estimated 200,000 people in Aj Jazirah State. The distributions there are the first since conflict spread to the state capital Wad Medani and other parts of Sudan's breadbasket in December.    
 
SOUTH SUDAN 
The peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, recently held a three-day electoral administration skills training session in Yambio, Western Equatoria, as the country prepares for elections.  
The training, attended by civil society representatives and members of the National Election Committee, focused on understanding standards, principles, and administrative techniques crucial for the smooth functioning of the electoral process. 
Meanwhile, the Mission recently built and handed over a new police post in Yambio to support local authorities in strengthening the rule of law and protection of civilians.  
  
ETHIOPIA 
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, today called for concrete measures to halt the human rights violations and abuses that continue to endanger reconciliation and peace in Ethiopia. 
His call came as his office issued an update that presents an analysis of the human rights situation across Ethiopia from January 2023 to January this year. 
The update says that violent conflicts, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions, have led to serious human rights violations and abuses in 2023.  
In the northern Tigray region, there was a significant improvement in the human rights situation following the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in November 2022, but the human rights office says that concerns persist regarding ongoing violations by members of the Eritrean Defence Forces. 
You can find the update online. 
 
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION   
And the Human Rights office has also issued a report which found that the global fight against female genital mutilation is being undermined by the practice of crossing national borders and beyond to have girls undergo the procedure.    
The report adds that although many States have intensified their efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation, the practice continues across the world, in part due to “the clandestine nature of cross-border and transnational female genital mutilation”. 
An estimated 4.3 million girls were at risk of being subjected to this practice in 2023.     
The full report is online. 
 
INTERNATIONAL DAYS 
Today is World Blood Donor Day, and the theme this year is ‘20 years of celebrating giving: thank you blood donors!’  
The World Health Organization points out that blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. Providing safe and adequate blood should be an integral part of every country’s national health care policy and infrastructure. 
Tomorrow is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, with the theme ‘Spotlight on Older Persons in Emergencies’, emphasizing the urgent need to protect and support older individuals during crises.  
And Sunday is the International Day of Family Remittances, which highlights the economic impact of this money on households, communities, and nations, and recognises the sacrifice, separation and generosity often involved.   
And then Monday is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.  
In his message, the Secretary-General notes that the security, prosperity and health of billions of people rely on thriving lands supporting lives, livelihoods and ecosystems. But we’re vandalising the earth that sustains us, he says, adding that every second, around four football fields of healthy land are degraded. 
   
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION 
Another Member State has paid its dues. 
We thank our friends in Thailand for taking us to 115 fully paid-up Member States.
  
ALAN BULKATY 
Seasons change, and reporters have to move on, but it still makes me a little sad to say goodbye to Alan Bulkaty, who has been here as the UN correspondent for RIA-Novosti and is now returning to the Russian Federation. 
Alan has been a valued participant at the noon briefing and, even when he had to ask us questions on weekends or late in the evening, he was always unfailingly polite and considerate.  Alan has been a gentleman in the truest sense of the word, and I wish him the best even as he leaves New York. 
 
GUEST
Mohamed Moustapha Malick Fall, the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria,  briefed reporters on the situation in the country.