ETHIOPIA
The UN has seen the reports of a UN convoy being shot at in Tigray province. These are alarming reports, and we are engaging at the highest level with the Federal Government to express our concerns and avoid any such incidents in the future.
In the statement issued yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General said he is very concerned about the current situation in Tigray.
He’s been on the phone with a number of regional leaders, UN representatives on the ground, and of course with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, with whom he spoke early yesterday afternoon.
The United Nations remains steadfast in its call that it is essential that the delivery of public services be re-established, and unfettered humanitarian access be guaranteed, among others.
The UN remains totally committed to supporting the African Union initiative, and remains fully committed to mobilizing the full capacity of the UN to provide humanitarian support to refugees, displaced people and all populations in distress.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the dire shortage of food, water, fuel and cash in the Tigray region is seriously affecting people, including humanitarian workers.
In many areas, people have been living for more than a month now with no electricity, running water, banking or communications.
OCHA has raised concerns regarding the lack of essential medical supplies, which is hampering healthcare workers’ ability to support the population and disrupt critical services, including for women who are pregnant or giving birth.
In Afar, preliminary findings from our teams carrying out assessment missions indicate that water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as medical supplies, are among the immediate priorities of people newly displaced or affected by the conflict. Power and fuel shortages have forced health facilities to close, while telecommunications remain down in the areas neighbouring the Tigray province.
CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the High-Level Pledging Conference for the Central Emergency Response Fund.
The Secretary-General called CERF unique, adding that it is quick and non-bureaucratic. CERF also reaches the under-funded emergencies that have fallen off the world’s radar – or were never on it.
With this being a year like no other due to the pandemic worsening crises caused by conflict and climate change, the Secretary-General called the CERF a resounding success.
In 2020, it gave more than $820 million to fund life-saving assistance to people in 52 countries, which is the highest amount ever allocated in a single year.
The General Assembly in 2016 endorsed the target of raising $1 billion annually for the Fund.
But this year, the Secretary-General said that, while the world faces its worst humanitarian crisis in many decades, we are only halfway to our target with $495 million received.
If all Member States and partners allocate a small percentage of their humanitarian funding through the CERF, he said we can reach our target. An investment in the CERF is an investment in humanity.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council met in a virtual platform on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, or UNITAMS.
The Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, noted that Sudan is at a critical juncture, stressing that the country can move forward decisively in its transition, but that the process can still be derailed by the many challenges it faces.
She said the new Mission began to deploy to Khartoum in October and is continuing its consultations with transitional authorities.
As the Joint UN Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, draws down, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said he believes that its presence averted large-scale violence in the difficult terrain and operating environment it faced.
He said that it is the responsibility of the Transitional authorities of Sudan and the parties to the Juba Peace Agreement, with the support of the international community, to safeguard the gains made in the history of UNAMID.
CLIMATE
This morning, the Secretary-General addressed, in a pre-recorded video message, the Caring for Climate High-Level Meeting which is convened by the Global Compact, UN Environment, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UN High-Level Climate Champions.
He said it is encouraging to see how businesses are responding to the twin crises of the pandemic and climate change. Through the “Business Ambition for 1.5” initiative, more than 340 CEOs are aligning their companies’ emissions targets with a 1.5-degree future and the goal to reach net zero well before 2050.
The Secretary-General said that much more needs to be done and added that he looks forward to further ambitious commitments being announced at the Climate Ambition Summit this Saturday.
GHANA
The Secretary-General is closely following the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana. He is encouraged by the peaceful manner unfolding in the process so far.
He commends the commitment of national stakeholders to preserve Ghana’s status as a beacon of democracy in the region by conducting peaceful, transparent, and credible elections.
The Secretary-General is also encouraged by the signing of the peace pact on 4 December by the two main Presidential candidates, committing to peaceful elections and recourse to exclusively peaceful means to resolve any disputes emanating from the process.
LEBANON
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon reports that a contingent which is part of the Mission’s Force Commander Reserve unit distributed some 4,000 educational kits to 30 schools and started necessary renovations to school buildings in southern Lebanon. These initiatives, together with other donations of school supplies at the request of local authorities, facilitate the continuity of education during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19/MOLDOVA
The UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Simon Springett, has supported national efforts to address the pandemic with technical expertise, while providing equipment for the health system, including front-line workers.
The effort has totaled $12.8 million, backed by more than 16 donor countries. The UN team has also re-programmed its own measures to address the impacts of the pandemic.
We have delivered more than 1 million surgical masks, half a billion N95 masks with respirators, nearly 180,000 body shields, almost 1,000 thermometers, and more than 50 ventilators, among other items. These were distributed to authorities for use in prisons, border points, schools, shelters and NGOs assisting vulnerable groups.
The UN Population Fund provided personal protective equipment for a network of more than 40 youth-friendly health centres from all over the country. The UN, along with its partners, including the World Health Organization, the UN Children’s Fund, GAVI, and the World Bank Group, is also supporting the Government to undertake the Vaccine Readiness Assessment Tool.
COVID-19/EDUCATION
UNICEF today warned that the number of schoolchildren affected by COVID-19-related school closures surged by 38 per cent in November. The agency says that this is placing significant strain on the learning progress and well-being of an additional 90 million students globally. In contrast, in October the number of schoolchildren impacted by school closures decrease nearly three-fold.
UNICEF pointed out that when schools close, children risk losing their learning, support system, food and safety, with the most marginalized children paying the heaviest price.
TOBACCO
The World Health Organization today launched a year-long global campaign for the World No Tobacco 2021 DAY. The theme this year is “Commit to Quit.” To mark the start of the campaign, WHO released a new Quit Challenge on WhatsApp and a publication entitled “More than 100 Reasons to Quit Tobacco.”
