HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2022
PAKISTAN
The Secretary-General will be leaving for Pakistan tonight for a solidarity visit with the millions of men, women and children impacted by historic floods in the country. He will arrive in Islamabad on Friday, 9 September, and is scheduled to meet senior government officials. He will then travel to the areas most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe.
The Secretary-General will meet with displaced families and will also witness how we, along with our partners, are supporting the government’s relief efforts to provide assistance to the millions of people who need it. He will be back in New York on Sunday, 11 September.
SECURITY COUNCIL/SOMALIA
The Security Council held an open meeting on Somalia this morning and was briefed by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, James Swan. He said that the political climate in Somalia is now more conducive to addressing key national priorities following the conclusion of the contentious electoral process in May. He stressed that the UN is committed to supporting Somalis in achieving their national priorities.
Mr. Swan noted that the new Somali administration has identified security as its top national priority. This comes at a time when Al Shabaab has demonstrated increased boldness, including recent targeted assassinations, complex attacks, and large-scale military actions along the border with Ethiopia.
Mr. Swan also noted that Somalia is facing a humanitarian catastrophe with some 7.8 million Somalis – nearly half of the country’s estimated population – impacted by the worst drought in at least four decades. He called on all parties in Somalia to facilitate humanitarian access and for an urgent increase in funding.
SECURITY COUNCIL/UKRAINE
In his briefing to the Security Council yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General warned that any damage, whether intentional or not, to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia could spell catastrophe, not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond.
As a first step, he said, Russian and Ukrainian forces must commit not to engage in any military activity towards the plant site or from the plant site. The Zaporizhzhia facility and its surroundings must not be a target or a platform for military operations. As a second step, he added, an agreement on a demilitarized perimeter should be secured.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
Today in Egypt, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke at the International Cooperation Forum and Meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment in preparation for COP27. She said that, as many parts of the world are simultaneously facing the fury of climate change and a cost-of-living crisis, it’s time for implementation at scale and with a sense of urgency.
We must go beyond statements, she said and act on concrete initiatives, with clear pathways to investments.
Future generations will not remember today’s speeches, she said, but they will remember our actions.
Ms. Mohammed also met today with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli to discuss the country’s efforts to advance sustainable development and prepare for the forthcoming COP 27.
She also met with Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP27 President to continue discussions on the forthcoming high-level week of the General Assembly as well as diplomatic and substantive preparations of the COP27.
The Deputy Secretary-General is scheduled to return to New York tomorrow.
BURKINA FASO
In a statement, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the improvised explosive device (IED) attack that took place on 5 September between the towns of Djibo and Bourzanga, in the north of Burkina Faso. The Secretary-General expresses his sincere condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the people of Burkina Faso and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Secretary-General calls on the Burkinabè authorities to spare no effort in identifying and bringing the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice.
DAY OF CLEAN AIR FOR BLUE SKIES.
Today is the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. This year’s theme is “The Air We Share” and focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution, stressing the need for collective accountability and action.
In his message, the Secretary-General said that clean air, a stable climate and healthy nature are human rights. However, air pollution is denying billions of people of these rights, he said, and called on all countries to work together to invest in renewable energy and swiftly transition away from fossil fuels.
And there is also a message from the Chief Scientists of the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to mark the Day, which you can find online.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Seychelles has now paid its regular budget dues and that takes us to 123 fully paid-up nations.
***The guests at the Noon Briefing were Anita Bhatia, Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Katie Tobin, the Senior Programme Manager for Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). They spoke to reporters about the “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot.”
