HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 8 AUGUST 2018
 
U.N. CHIEF MEETS WITH SURVIVORS OF NAGASAKI AND HIROSHIMA ATOMIC BOMBINGS IN JAPAN

• This morning, in Tokyo, the Secretary-General met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Speaking to the press afterwards, the Secretary-General said that his visit has a very special meaning, as he is in Japan to express his deep solidarity with the Japanese people, who had to experience the dropping of two atomic bombs. 
• He also called Japan one of the United Nations’ most important partners and commended its efforts to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.
• The Secretary-General then traveled to Nagasaki, where he held a meeting with the Mayors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, as well as other local officials.
• The Secretary-General also met with several hibakusha, or survivors of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He said afterwards in a Tweet that this was an unforgettable experience, adding that he will do everything in his power to support their message that there can be no more Hiroshimas and no more Nagasakis. We must make sure that nuclear weapons are never used again, he said.
• Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will take part in the 73rd Nagasaki Peace Ceremony.

• Two months since the signing of the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the Government of Myanmar, UNHCR and UNDP are both urging the Myanmar authorities to make tangible progress to improve conditions in Rakhine State.
• The Myanmar Government’s willingness to take the lead in the implementation of this agreement is critical to creating conditions conducive for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.
• The Government has taken some encouraging steps since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 6 June, but substantial progress is urgently needed in three areas covered by that document: granting effective access in Rakhine State; ensuring freedom of movement for all communities; and addressing the root causes of the crisis.
• Confidence building measures need to take root, starting with facilitating access for UNHCR and UNDP to commence needs assessment visits to identify quick-impact projects in priority village tracts that have been agreed with the Government.
• UNHCR and UNDP remain prepared to support Myanmar in improving conditions in Rakhine State and operationalizing the Memorandum of Understanding.

• Jan Kubis, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, briefed the Security Council this morning, and he urged Iraq’s political leaders to listen to the voice of the people, seize the opportunity and accelerate the process of formation of a patriotic, inclusive and non-sectarian national government that will put all the rich resources of Iraq at the disposal and for the benefit of its people, and will ensure full sovereignty and real independence of Iraq, free from foreign interference.
• He said that, following the parliamentary elections on 12 May 2018, complaints and allegations of electoral fraud and mismanagement resulted in the decision to conduct a partial manual ballot recount, thereby delaying establishment of a new government. Mr. Kubis said he welcomed the orderly, transparent, credible and well-organised conduct of the recount.
• He also provided details of the public demonstrations that started on 8 July, in Basra Governorate, which subsequently escalated and spread to other southern governorates. Although the scale of protest has now decreased, he added, demonstrations are far from over, including around major oil installations in Basra.

• In a statement issued yesterday, on the tenth anniversary of the 2008 conflict in Georgia, the Secretary-General recalled that it is a reminder of the need to resolve this and other protracted conflicts in Europe.  This requires increased commitment by the relevant actors, backed by strong political will and a reinvigoration of mediation processes.
• The Secretary-General urged all the participants in the Geneva International Discussions to adopt a constructive, forward-looking approach that would allow this indispensable mechanism to fulfill its mandate. All concerned should prioritize progress through appropriate dialogue and refrain from divisive policies and unilateral actions that may adversely impact regional peace and security.
• The Secretary-General recalled that while the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Response and Prevention Mechanism have substantially contributed to strengthening stability in recent years, more should be done on key security and humanitarian issues, including those related to the plight of the many internally displaced persons and refugees. The United Nations will continue to fully support this important mechanism and work with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to achieve progress on all issues.

• The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, convened a consultative meeting of 22 public Yemeni figures and women activists in the United Kingdom yesterday.
• The two-day meeting, which discussed the resumption of the political process, comes within the continuous efforts of the UN Envoy to engage in consultations with all Yemeni parties. He said that the main purpose of the meeting is to have the opportunity to consult with Yemeni social and political figures who possess a unique knowledge of Yemeni society.
• Mr. Griffiths underscored that a negotiated political settlement through inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue is the only way to end the Yemeni conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

• In response to a question from yesterday on the UN’s work in Cameroon, the Deputy Spokesman said that Special Representative Francois Lounceny Fall is currently visiting Cameroon, having arrived on 5 August.  He is there to hold consultations with the Government on the situation in the country in the lead-up to the 7 October presidential election, as well as coordination of humanitarian assistance to those in urgent need.
• He has met the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Territorial Administration and the President of the National Commission for the Promotion of Multiculturalism and Bilingualism. He is scheduled to meet the Director-General of Cameroon’s electoral management body, ELECAM, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, among others.

• United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Miroslav Jenča, visited Afghanistan from 6 to 8 August 2018. He met with representatives of the Government of Afghanistan, political leaders and the diplomatic community.
• In his meetings, Mr Jenča emphasized the United Nations’ long-term commitment to Afghanistan and its people. He conveyed the United Nations’ strong support for the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts to hold transparent, inclusive and credible elections in October this year and Presidential elections in April 2019.
• He took note of the ongoing electoral preparations and areas that would benefit from further improvements, and of progress on commitments made at the 2016 Brussels Conference, which is to be reviewed at the Geneva Ministerial Conference in November. Mr. Jenča emphasized the importance of political dialogue and the shared responsibility among political leaders, the Afghan Government and the electoral institutions in creating an environment conducive to credible elections.
• Assistant Secretary-General Jenča commended the Government for its efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in the country, including through the offer of unconditional peace talks to the Taliban. In light of Afghans’ strong desire for peace and reconciliation, he discussed the Government’s vision for how to move forward on a peace process and welcomed its plan for a new ceasefire. The United Nations is ready to assist if requested.