HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 10 AUGUST 2022
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
The Secretary-General is wrapping up his travels in Mongolia. As he prepares to visit the Republic of Korea tomorrow, the Secretary-General expressed his deep solidarity with the Government and the people of the Republic of Korea and offered his condolences to the families of all those who perished in the devastating floods that we have seen in the last few days there. He spent today in Mongolia, where he attended cultural events with President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa.
GAZA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that the Erez crossing is open for pedestrians and the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for goods for the second day, as before the escalation. The transfer of patients is ongoing, and the Palestinian Red Cross and Red Crescent have transferred four children who were critically injured during the escalation from Gaza to Jerusalem and West Bank hospitals.
Meanwhile, OCHA stressed that the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for the occupied Palestinian territory, requesting $510 million, is only 26 per cent funded.
CUBA
In Cuba, the UN team on the ground is providing support to authorities to address the impacts of the fire that broke out in the province of Matanzas on August 5, followed by multiple explosions of fuel tankers. The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have already delivered emergency medical supplies. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have also identified emergency resources to provide an integrated response to demands, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) continues to support the national authorities to strengthen security and justice and accountability in the country. The Mission said that today it deployed a rapid reaction force close to Ndélé in Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture to protect civilians, amid reports of possible attacks by armed groups. And earlier in the week on Monday, with the Mission’s support, hearings in the Special Criminal Court resumed in a case against three alleged members of the 3R group following the killings of approximately 40 civilians in Lemouna and Koundjili, in the West, in May of 2019.
MINUSCA continues to reinforce community protection mechanisms, including in Ouadda-Djallé in Vakaga prefecture, through training on the early warning system which has helped enhance security in the area.
SOUTH SUDAN
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) joins the South Sudanese Government in expressing grave concern over reports that four officers from the rebel South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) have been summarily executed in Mayom County, Unity State, in the north of the country.
The executions, which took place on 7 August, were allegedly in response to a 22 July attack by the SSPM/A on the Mayom County Commissioner.
Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for South Sudan, said that anyone who is suspected of a crime must be subject to a proper trial as part of a fair judicial process. He added that extrajudicial killings must be condemned because they cannot be a basis for restoring law and order.
Mr. Haysom stressed the importance of building strong local justice systems across South Sudan.
MALI
In response to questions from media, we want to clarify the authorship of the final report by the Panel of Experts of the Sanctions Committee on Mali, which is due to be published today. This document is drafted by independent experts appointed under Resolution 2590 (2021), relating to the sanctions regime, to report directly to the sanctions committee established under Resolution 2374 (2017) and the Security Council on their findings. They operate under a process that is distinct from the mandate provided by the Security Council to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Their report is not a MINUSMA report.
GRAINS
And, just to clarify, related to a question raised yesterday, related to the grain deal and a possible discount afforded to Turkey’s purchase of Ukrainian grain. We did much research, as much research as possible, and I can tell you that there was no discount built into the Black Sea Grain Initiative agreement that was signed in Istanbul. Furthermore, we are not aware of any other agreement that would guarantee such a discount.
