HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 1 JUNE 2021
GAZA
Today, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, visited the Gaza Strip, in the context of maintaining calm. He is continuing his engagements on political and recovery efforts.
The Special Coordinator remains in close contact with all relevant parties, including the Palestinian and Israeli leadership, on how to move forward on the political file.
Meanwhile, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that the Erez crossing is open for authorized international personnel. However, it remains closed to Palestinian humanitarian workers and to medical cases. We are, of course, very concerned that the closure, especially on the medical end, and advocacy continues to allow patients requiring urgent medical treatment in the West Bank to cross through Erez.
We understand there are a number of permits that have been filed for for patients, Palestinian patients have not been able to come in.
Regarding two other crossings: the Kerem Shalom crossing is open today for the passage of humanitarian and commercial goods. That latest figures I have areum from yesterday, where 150 trucks crossed, bringing food, animal fodder and other assistance into the Gaza strip. The Rafah crossing – in the south between Egypt and Gaza – is also open for the crossing of goods and people.
MALI
Turning to Mali, the UN Mission in Mali reports that earlier today, its premises were targeted by unidentified assailants in Aguelhok, in the Kidal region. Preliminary reports from the ground describe a complex attack against a number of UN Mission locations in Aguelhok, and that attack involved indirect mortar and small arms fire. UN peacekeepers retaliated, forcing the assailants to flee. No casualties or material damage have been reported on the UN side.
Separately, the UN Mission continues to closely monitor political developments in the country. We have taken note of the communiqué issued at the end of Sunday’s Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and we reiterate our commitment to work with ECOWAS and the African Union towards a return to constitutional order through the holding of free and transparent elections.
The Mission said it is imperative, as stressed by ECOWAS, that the timetable for the transition be respected and that it is concluded within the 18-month deadline agreed with ECOWAS, and in accordance with the charter of the transition.
To achieve this goal, the Mission says it is important that the new government, headed by a civilian prime minister, be inclusive and enjoy the broadest possible support.
The UN peacekeeping mission joins ECOWAS in reiterating the demand for the immediate lifting of the house arrest measures to which certain individuals are still subjected to, as well as for the immediate and unconditional release of aides and staff.
We will continue to provide unwavering support for the people of Mali as the country continues to pursue its efforts to combat insecurity, support the implementation of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, and help stabilize the country, in line with the UN peacekeeping mission’s mandate in the country.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Tomorrow, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, together with senior officials from the African Union, the European Union and the Economic Community of Central African States, will begin a four-day high-level visit to the Central African Republic with a view to providing unified support to efforts to revitalize the peace process.
During the joint visit in Bangui, they will meet various stakeholders, including national authorities, political parties, including the political opposition, civil society and women’s groups.
Meanwhile, the UN Mission in the CAR is telling us that, yesterday, the National Electoral Authority published provisional results for the May 23rd legislative elections. Forty-four candidates were declared provisionally elected, out of the 50 seats that were up for grabs in this particular round of elections. The final results are expected to be proclaimed by the Constitutional Court by 28 June. A second round of elections is scheduled for the 25th of July in the remaining six constituencies where no candidate obtained an absolute majority.
ETHIOPIA
On Ethiopia, the World Food Programme (WFP) said today it has provided emergency food assistance to 1 million people since starting distributions in the Northwestern and Southern zones of Tigray region, and that started in March. WFP will scale-up operations to reach 2.1 million people in need across the area.
WFP is also leading the emergency nutrition response with partners across all of Tigray and is scaling up to reach as many as 70 districts. The World Food Programme says that access remains the primary challenge and stressed that it needs $203 million to continue to increase the response.
In a related note, Henrietta Fore, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), warned in a statement today that the magnitude and gravity of child rights violations taking place across Tigray shows no sign of abating. She said that more than 6,000 unaccompanied or separated children have so far been identified and registered for protection and assistance.
Ms. Fore noted that much of Tigray remains inaccessible to humanitarian workers. She said that since the beginning of April, at least 31 missions by mobile health, nutrition and water teams supported by UNICEF and its partners have been blocked, either due to insecurity or because they were harassed or just denied passage.
NIGERIA
I’d been asked about the recent abductions in Nigeria, and I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns the abduction of students from the Islamic School in Tegina town, in Nigeria’s Niger State that took place on Sunday, 30 May. He is disturbed by the frequency of abductions for ransom of children from schools by extremist groups and criminal networks. This is developing into an abhorrent pattern, with serious impacts on the children’s well-being and development, as well as for teachers and the families.
The Secretary-General reiterates that this constitutes a violation of the rights of children to education and underscores the need to hold perpetrators accountable.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I have an update for you on the eruption of the Nyiragongo Volcano in the eastern part of the DRC. Seismic activity has decreased, but scientists warn that the risk of another eruption cannot be ruled.
Local authorities are telling us they have now registered more than 232,000 people who have displaced in the towns of Sake, Rutshuru, Lubero, Minova and Bukavu – that’s in the North and South Kivu provinces.
The humanitarian response is under way, consisting of food assistance, water and sanitation, health and protection, including family reunification and nutrition.
There are 35 suspected cases of cholera in the Kirotshe Health Zone, where the town of Sake is located. Since Saturday, there has been a rapid increase, with 18 suspected cases in just two days. Given the movement of people between Sake and Goma, humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to prevent a cholera outbreak by setting up water and chlorination points.
On Friday, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, allocated $1.2 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The Fund will support the World Health Organization and UNICEF to ensure access to drinking water and reduce the risk of outbreaks of communicable diseases, including a further spread of cholera.
MYANMAR
In Myanmar, four months since the military seized control over the Government, the UN Country Team said today that it remains concerned by the continued use of lethal force against civilians, as well as other serious violations of human rights.
The UN Human Rights Office says that, as of today, at least 840 civilians, many of them women and children, have been killed in the violence since 1 February. Thousands more people have been injured.
Nearly 4,500 people remain in detention, including politicians, authors, human rights defenders, teachers, healthcare workers, monks, celebrities and just ordinary citizens trying to express themselves.
Our colleagues in Myanmar call on the security forces to ensure the protection of civilians given that widespread and systematic breaches of human rights law – including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention and torture – are continuing.
AFGHANISTAN
This morning, the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that heavy civilian casualties recently documented by the Mission underscores the need for progress in peace negotiations and for all parties to do much more to protect civilians from harm.
UNAMA says at least 23 civilians were killed and 49 injured in just seven recorded incidents that took place over a three-day period last week in Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Sari Pul, Parwan and Kapisa provinces.
The UN Mission says that many civilians are being killed and injured by indirect fire from both Afghan National Army and the Taliban. UNAMA says that it is sharing its findings with the parties, urging them to take all measures to protect civilians.
TIMOR-LESTE/FLOODS
From Timor-Leste, the UN there with our partners joined the Government today to launch a $32 million joint appeal to help 65,000 people – nearly half of whom are children – and those are people who were impacted by the floods in April.
The funds will go towards managing camps; providing emergency shelter, water and sanitation; and protecting women and children. We along with our partners are also helping on the food, nutrition and health fronts.
According to official figures, the April floods destroyed or damaged nearly 34,000 houses. The disaster coincided with a surge in COVID-19 cases, with the capital Dili having been in strict lockdown since March.
The UN team is working with authorities to reduce the spread of COVID-19, as well as water and vector-borne diseases.
COVAX
A quick COVAX update for you:
Burkina Faso received 115,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from COVAX on Sunday. Healthcare workers, people with comorbidities and people hoping to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj, will receive priority to be vaccinated with these doses.
The UN team, led by the Resident Coordinator, Metsi Makhetha, has supported authorities respond to the pandemic and its consequences. We are also helping to develop a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination plan and has provided personal protective equipment, respirators, and refrigeration for vaccines.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, Jamaica and Mexico also received vaccines in recent days.
Jamaica received its third batch of vaccines for its national vaccination campaign. Currently, Jamaicans who are over 50 and older, healthcare workers and other workers are eligible to be vaccinated.
Mexico received its second batch of doses last week, bringing the total number of COVAX doses to more than 3.3 million. In total, more than 50 million vaccines are due to be shipped to Mexico to vaccinate 25 million people.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
The Secretary-General is appointing Bernardo Mariano Jr. of Mozambique as Chief Information Technology Officer. This appointment is at the Assistant Secretary-General level.
The Secretary-General conveys his deep appreciation to the former Chief Information Technology Officer, Atefeh Riazi of the US, and the current Acting Chief Information Technology Officer, Patrick Carey of Ireland, for their work and dedication to the Organization.
Mr. Mariano brings to the position 28 years of experience within the UN system and international organizations. He served most recently as the Chief Information Officer and Director for Digital Health and Innovation at the World Health Organization, where he led WHO’s digital transformation journey.
GLOBAL DAY OF PARENTS
Today is the Global Day of Parents, and I hope my children are listening to me! The Day provides an opportunity to appreciate all parents for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship.
The Secretary-General, in a tweet this morning, said that parenthood has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of his life. He saluted all parents worldwide for their commitment to raise, nurture and protect their children, despite the difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
So we thank our parents, whether they are here with us or no longer with us.
PRESS BRIEFING
This afternoon at 3:00 p.m., Ambassador Sven Jürgenson, the Permanent Representative of Estonia and who has the pleasure of being President of the Security Council for the month of June, will be here to brief you on the Council’s work for the month of June.
