HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022
SECRETARY-GENERAL TRIP / CANADA
On Monday, 5 December, in the afternoon, the Secretary-General will arrive in Montreal, Canada, where he will on Tuesday and Wednesday attend the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, referred to as COP15.
The first part of COP15 was held in Kunming, China, in October of last year. This second part will include the continuation of negotiations by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which we hope will lead to the adoption of an ambitious post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
In the remarks to be delivered at the opening ceremony of the Conference, the Secretary-General will underscore the importance of making peace with nature, which is our life-support system. He will also warn that if our
bottomless appetite for unchecked and unequal economic growth continues, we will risk facing mass extinction.
The Secretary-General will also call on countries and the private sector to develop bold action plans that protect biodiversity and support sustainable practices. And he will reiterate his call for developed countries to provide financial support for developing countries, many of which are custodians of the world’s natural wealth.
While in Montreal, the Secretary-General will also meet with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, as well as COP15 President, Minister Huang Runqiu of China. In addition, he will meet with representatives from civil society, including women’s groups, youth, indigenous communities and regional groups.
The Secretary-General is scheduled to be back in New York on Wednesday evening.
UKRAINE
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today raised concerns about the impact of the conflict on civilians in the eastern-most parts of the country, particularly Donetsk region, and their southern neighbours in Zaporizhzhia. While the world’s attention has been on the grave humanitarian situation in Kherson, dozens of towns on both sides of the frontline in Zaporizhzhia have been shelled daily during the past weeks, according to NGOs on the ground. People in these towns face tremendous challenges accessing gas, water and electricity in their homes.
Most people in the region of Donetsk also face extremely limited access to heating, water, health and education services following damage to civilian infrastructure. Over the past couple of days, our humanitarian colleagues have received reports from local authorities of civilians killed and injured on both sides of the front line.
Yesterday, several schools in both Ukrainian and Russian-controlled parts of the region were reportedly hit.
As temperatures continue to drop in Ukraine, heating has, as mentioned, become a major issue in the Donetsk region. On the Russian-controlled side, including the city of Donetsk, families cannot heat their homes as the centralized heating system is not operational. Piped water is also limited to a few days per week for a few hours.
OCHA notes that on the Ukrainian-controlled side, most people who stayed in the front-line cities are elderly, mainly older women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Making sure they are protected and have access to heating during the winter can be a matter of their survival.
On the response side, the UN has distributed hundreds of generators to hospitals, schools and heating points across Ukraine for people cut off from utilities.
The UN has also provided winter supplies and services, heating appliances and house repairs to over 630,000 people. Most of this work can only take place in areas under Government control and humanitarian access to the other parts of the country remains a huge challenge.
HAITI
In Haiti, the UN and its humanitarian partners have been stepping up support to the authorities to fight the cholera outbreak. The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has increased the number of cholera treatment centres it supports throughout the country from 49 to 62. It has also helped to reinforce the capacity of three laboratories able to perform cholera culture tests. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have recently launched new cholera and health sensitization activities in Croix-des-Bouquets – which is in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. They are focusing on women and girls affected by the intensification of gang violence there.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has added a helicopter to its existing fleet of two aircraft in order to increase deliveries of supplies to fight the epidemic outside Port-au-Prince.
The end of the blockade on the country's main fuel terminal has led to an improvement in the availability of fuel and other supplies in the capital but accessing and transporting goods remains a problem for our humanitarian partners. They are struggling to access medicines and oxygen, which are critical to the cholera response.
WFP has said it intends to resume maritime transport services for the humanitarian community after they were suspended for more than two months due to the security and fuel crises.
WFP also managed a delivery of 73,000 gallons of fuel from the United States to Port-au-Prince which it distributed to 19 partners on the frontlines of the cholera response. Meanwhile, the $145 million appeal for additional humanitarian funding launched last month has received only $7.5 million so far.
MALI
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reports that its temporary base near Timbuktu came under direct fire this morning. The attack was repelled by UN peacekeepers and no casualties were reported.
A quick reaction force was dispatched to the area to reinforce peacekeepers on the ground.
The temporary base was set up following an attack a day earlier in the same area against a MINUSMA convoy that resulted in two local contractors being wounded.
The Deputy Special Representative of the UN in Mali, Daniela Kroslak, said that the Mission remains determined to implement its mandate, in close collaboration with the Malian authorities.
SOUTH SUDAN
In a joint statement, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan(UNMISS) and the international community expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in Upper Nile State and the northern parts of Jonglei State, noting the impact of the deteriorating security situation on communities. They called for an immediate cessation of violence and encouraged Shilluk and Nuer community leaders to help stop the conflict.
The members of the international community also expressed serious concern over the Mission’s reports of continued attacks on camps for internally displaced persons and the increased risk of conflict-related sexual violence. They called on the national and local authorities to take immediate measures to demilitarize the area along the Nile River and ensure free movement.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Today, the Secretary-General is confirming the appointment of Natalia Gherman of the Republic of Moldova as Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), following the concurrence by the Security Council. She will succeed Michèle Coninsx of Belgium, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organization.
The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to Deputy Executive Director Weixiong Chen, who will continue to serve until Ms. Gherman assumes her position.
Ms. Gherman currently serves as Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia (UNRCCA). She brings to the job over 30 years of experience in senior leadership.
MYANMAR
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, today expressed shock that more than 130 people have now been sentenced to death by military courts behind closed doors in Myanmar since the military launched a coup last year.
At least seven university students were sentenced to death by a military court on 30 November. There are reports of as many as four additional death sentences being issued against youth activists yesterday. The UN Human Rights Office is seeking clarification of those sentences.
ANDAMAN SEA/REFUGEES
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and humanitarian partners said that they are observing a dramatic increase in the number of people attempting perilous crossings of the Andaman Sea this year. Some 1,920 people, mostly Rohingya, travelled by sea from January to November, from Myanmar and Bangladesh, compared to only 287 last year. That is a more than sixfold increase.
UNHCR warns that attempts at these journeys are exposing people to grave risks and fatal consequences. Tragically, 119 people have been reported dead or missing on these journeys, this year alone.
ONLINE VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
A new report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO) presents ways to address the growing worldwide concern of keeping children safe online. To prevent online violence against children, the report highlights the importance of implementing educational programmesdirected at children and parents.
WHO recommends implementing school-based educational programmes that have multiple sessions, promote interaction among youth and engage parents. The report also shows evidence that comprehensive forms of sex education can reduce physical and sexual aggression, in particular dating and partner violence and homophobic bullying.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. In a message for the Day, the Secretary-General notes that we need to recognize that the legacy of the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans reverberates to this day, scarring our societies and impeding equitable development. He stresses that we must also identify and eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and the use of children in armed conflict.
Tomorrow is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In a message for that Day, the Secretary-General says that our world is confronting a cascade of crises that are disproportionally impacting persons with disabilities. He emphasizes that we need transformative solutions to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.
And Sunday is the International Day of Banks.
***The guest at the Noon Briefing was Máximo Torero, the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He spoke to reporters about FAO’s latest Food Price Index.
