HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 2 MARCH 2023
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
The Secretary-General and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dongyu, (FAO) have appointed Cindy H. McCain of the United States as the Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
She will succeed David Beasley of the United States, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for his important contribution and service to the World Food Programme.
As you may know, Cindy McCain brings several years of experience - including being a champion for human rights – and has a long history of giving a voice to the voiceless through her humanitarian and philanthropic work. She is currently United States Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
Yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General appointed María Isabel Salvador of Ecuador as his Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
She is succeeding Helen La Lime of the United States, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her important contribution and service to Haiti.
Ms. Salvador brings to this position over 25 years of experience in managerial, advisory, political and diplomatic functions. In the private sector, she served for ten years as the General Manager and Legal Representative for Air France in Ecuador. She is currently the Director of External Relations at Universidad de Las Americas (UDLA) in Ecuador, a post she has held since 2015.
SECRETARY-GENERAL IN IRAQ
Today, in Iraq, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, visited the Jeddah Rehabilitation Centre in the Ninevah province in the northern part of the country. He heard from the centre’s residents - many of whom are women and children who have been repatriated from Syria’s Al-Hol camp.
Speaking to journalists outside the centre, the Secretary-General expressed support for Iraq’s efforts to repatriate and reintegrate Iraqi citizens from Al-Hol camp in Syria.
Iraq’s efforts are an example to people of the world, he said. Iraq is demonstrating that responsible repatriations are possible, by finding dignified solutions, anchored in the principles of both accountability and reintegration.
Nearly half of Al-Hol’s population is under 12. They are deprived of their rights, he said. The Secretary-General also underscored that they deserve a path out.
This is a matter of human decency and compassion – and a matter of security, he said, adding that the longer we let this untenable situation fester, the more resentment and despair will grow, and the greater the risks to stability and security.
From the camp, the Secretary-General also sent a message to all Member States with nationals in Al-Hol camp and elsewhere. He said it is time for them to significantly step up their efforts to facilitate the safe and dignified repatriation of their nationals, in line with applicable international law, and guided by the best interests of children.
And moments ago, he had a brief press encounter with media in Erbil where he emphasized that the need for unity and constant dialogue among all Iraqis to achieve progress.
The Secretary-General also met with various Kurdistan Region officials including President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
And late tonight, he will be heading to Doha where he will attend the fifth Conference of the Least Developed Countries.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
Our Deputy Secretary-General is in Niger for the final day of her visit. Today, she visited an innovation fair organized by the Economic Commission for Africa, in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union, UN Women and other partners. The fair took place on the sidelines of the ninth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development that took place in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
During the tour, Ms. Mohammed was briefed about the hackathon on climate change adaptation and a coding camp for the “Connected African Girls”. At the camp, more than 100 girls from Niger showcased practical solutions to a range of issues from health care, climate change, violence against women and job creation within the context of Africa’s expanding and integrating economy.
The visit was followed by an award ceremony, where Ms. Mohammed emphasized the catalytic role that digital technologies can play in bringing transformational changes, if they can leverage the participation of women and girls as digital innovators and actors for change.
To conclude her visit, she met with various influential women in the country, who are advancing women’s agenda to stop gender-based violence, promote the inclusion of women in mediation and peacebuilding, and increase women’s participation in political processes, entrepreneurship and other areas. Ms. Mohammed commended the women for acting as agents of change and urged them to come together to fight violence against women, especially at the community level.
While there, she also visited students in a primary school - to highlight the importance of transforming education. During her meetings with President Bazoum and Prime Minister Mahamadou, she discussed the developmental strides in Niger. In her meeting with UN Resident Coordinators from all over the African continent, she urged them to continue their efforts and engagements in the lead-up to the SDG Summit.
TÜRKIYE
Alvaro Rodriguez, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Türkiye, was in the town of Hatay today, a city almost completely wiped out by the earthquakes. He visited a camp and a field hospital and met with communities impacted by the earthquakes. He also met with Government officials and emergency responders.
We and our partners have been providing aid - including shelter, food and hot meals, medical assistance, water and sanitation services and psycho-social support.
We also have nine Emergency Medical Teams in Hatay and another one will be established soon. Each team treats 150 to 200 people a day, including performing surgeries.
More than 60 Urban Search and Rescue teams, many coordinated by the UN, have come to Hatay and rescued more than 100 people from under the rubble.
SYRIA
Today, 35 truckloads of aid from the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization and the UN Refugee Agency crossed into north-west Syria from southern Turkiye. In total, 535 trucks have crossed since 9 February.
Humanitarian partners continue to provide assistance across impacted areas, including family food baskets and hot meals, medical supplies, hygiene kits, tents, blankets, mattresses and winter clothes.
Our humanitarian colleagues tell us the availability of basic commodities in local markets and rising costs continue to pose a challenge.
Winterization and shelter items remain priorities for aid efforts.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Following a deterioration of the security situation in Ituri, in the East, our peacekeeping mission - MONUSCO – has conducted two missions in the communities of Katoto – which is about18km northeast of Bunia - and in Solenyama – about 9km north of Bunia. While there, our colleagues engaged with representatives of communities and discussed security concerns, including the suspension of traffic on an important road that was attacked by the CODECO armed group.
The Mission also dispatched a patrol to two sites hosting internally displaced people in Djugu, following reports of clashes between the Zaire and CODECO militias that took place. Separately, earlier this week, peacekeepers also conducted a mission to Roe, which is South of Djugu, to facilitate the opening of 28 voter registration centres. The Mission also intends to intensify patrolling there at the request of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
SOUTH SUDAN
And in South Sudan, the UN Mission there, UNMISS, today welcomed the transitional government’s renewed commitment to fully implementing all outstanding benchmarks contained within the Revitalized Peace Agreement. This took place at a meeting of the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission attended by the Government, partners, and stakeholders.
Speaking at the forum, the Deputy Special Representative Guang Cong emphasized the need to begin the delayed second phase of the graduation of the Necessary Unified Forces, as well as the constitution-making process.
He pointed to the need to allow for the reconstitution of the National Elections Commission and other indispensable bodies that are essential for a free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive process.
LEBANON
The International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG), which brings together the UN and key nations and regional groups, said today that it is gravely concerned about the ramifications of a prolonged presidential vacuum, as the presidential vacancy enters its fifth month in Lebanon.
The Group urged the political leadership and Members of Parliament to assume their responsibilities, act in line with the Constitution, and uphold the Taif Agreement by electing a new President without delay.
In addition, the group strongly condemned the violent attack against a UNIFIL convoy, which killed a peacekeeper, Private Sean Rooney, and they said they expect the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
COSTA RICA
UN colleagues in Costa Rica, led by Resident Coordinator Allegra Baiocchi, announced this week that the country will be the first in Central America to have a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, done in partnership with our team on the ground. The Government has reached an agreement with UNESCO to develop this strategy with an ethical approach to artificial intelligence, promoting innovation that fosters sustainable development and human rights.
The team continues to support the country’s efforts to combat hate speech through artificial intelligence, a partnership that led Costa Rica to launch the region’s first National Plan to Combat Hate Speech. As part of their joint work, and also using A.I., the team launched three major investigations on hate speech, discrimination against women, and xenophobia, working with civil society, the private sector, and authorities to help identify trends.
BRIEFING TOMORROW
Tomorrow, the guest at the noon briefing will be Maximo Torero, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Chief Economist.
He will join us virtually to brief on FAO’s latest Food Price Index.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Sixty-three member states have now given money to the regular budget. The four latest payments come Burundi, Lebanon, Micronesia and Namibia.
