HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANIE TREMBLAY

ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2022

SECRETARY-GENERAL AT COP27
Today, at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Secretary-General spoke at the launch of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore's climate TRACE initiative which seeks to track global greenhouse gas emissions. The Secretary-General said that initiatives like this one will be ushering in an era of radical transparency for emissions tracking, making it more difficult to greenwash or to cheat, as he said, and he added that this should be a wake-up call for Governments and the financial sector, especially those that continue to invest in and underwrite fossil fuel pollution.
The Secretary-General also heard from his Youth Advisory Group and the COP27 Youth Constituency.  He stressed to them that their activism in the streets and on social media is crucial to the fight against climate change. He urged them to not give up and promised he wouldn’t give up fighting the cause either. 

UKRAINE
In Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues are concerned about an increasing number of incidents involving mines and explosive ordnance, particularly affecting people in areas where Ukraine recently regained control. 
Our colleagues say they received reports of at least five incidents in the first two days of November alone, all in the Kharkiv region, compared to four similar cases in the second half of October. 
Since the beginning of the war, hundreds of civilians have been killed, injured or maimed due to accidents involving explosive ordnance. Yesterday, for example, two people were killed and two others injured while doing repair work on a road in Chuhuivskyi District, in the part of the Kharkiv region recently retaken by Ukraine.                                                
Accidents involving farmers that are trying to get back to their land – until recently under Russian control – are becoming increasingly common, our colleagues say. 
Aid organizations are supporting authorities to increase awareness about the risk of mines in Ukraine, which was already one of the world’s most mine-contaminated countries even before February. 
Together, the UN and our partners have reached more than 3 million people with critical information about the risk of mines, in addition to demining and services to support survivors. 
Authorities tell us that more than 150,000 explosive devices have already been removed and destroyed since March 2022, but there are millions more. Clearing landmines in Ukraine could take decades, they say.

SOUTH SUDAN
In South Sudan, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, Courtney Rattray, concluded their four-day visit with a press conference today in Juba.  
Mr. Lacroix noted the positive steps made in the peace process but he stressed that more needs to be done to fully implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement and to ensure that free, fair and credible elections can be held at the end of the transitional period. He expressed concern over the persistent intercommunal violence in many areas of the country, in addition to an already dire humanitarian situation which has been exacerbated by devastating floods.  
Mr. Lacroix emphasized the importance of keeping the situation in South Sudan high on the international agenda on the humanitarian front as well as a commitment to supporting the implementation of the peace agreement that will lead to a stable and durable political environment, peace, and development. 
On the next leg of his trip, Mr. Lacroix will travel to Sudan, to Khartoum, for meetings with government officials about the situation in Abyei. He will also discuss with local authorities and local communities the ongoing efforts to protect civilians, to promote peace and to facilitate humanitarian assistance.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
From the Central African Republic, our peacekeeping colleagues tell us they are continuing to support the national authorities in preventing and reducing violence at the community level. 
The peacekeeping mission – MINUSCA - says that preparations for the next phase of the programme to reduce violence at the community level are under way. The Mission has registered more than half of the 4,300 people – including 1,200 women – who will take part in it. This programme offers people, including young people, an alternative to violence through vocational training, income-generating activities, and voluntary surrender of weapons. 
Separately, the Mission is also helping to organize the Bangui Court of Appeal’s second criminal session of the year.
Overall, the security situation in the country has remained relatively calm, though tense in certain parts of the country. UN peacekeepers are patrolling to protect the population and to secure fragile areas, with nearly 1,700 patrols carried out over the past week, including some jointly done with the Central African armed forces.

SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council held an open meeting on Libya.   
Council members were briefed by Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
And after a short dry spell, I am happy to thank our friends in Podgorica for sending a cheque with Montenegro’s dues to this year’s regular budget. 
Their payment takes us to 136 fully paid-up Member States.

EDIE LEDERER
I am really honoured to tell you about a forthcoming event which some of you, maybe all of you, might like to attend. 
On 16 November, five new members will be inducted to the New York Journalism Hall of Fame.  One of them will be our very own Edie Lederer, Bureau Chief at the UN for the Associated Press. 
The New York Journalism Hall of Fame was conceived as a lifetime achievement award recognizing reporters, writers, correspondents, editors, publishers and media executives whose work had made a significant contribution to American journalism.
I think there is no doubt about your own contribution, Edie, so we are delighted that you are to receive this award, and please accept our congratulations.
And if I may add, just on a personal note, the first time that I set foot at the UN twenty years ago as a young journalist working for Canadian media, when I first heard about you, met you, I must say that I was very impressed and always looked up to you, as I’m sure many young journalists and people here in this room probably do.
So, congratulations, we are very happy for you.