HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2021
SECRETARY-GENERAL/CLIMATE
The Secretary-General is back in Glasgow for the final days of the UN Climate Change Conference.
Today he, along with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, met with a group of observers of the UNFCCC process and then with a group of ministers co-facilitating the different tracks of the negotiations.
He also met with the Prime Minister of Fiji and the First Minister of Scotland. In addition, the Secretary-General met with the US Congressional Delegation led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US, Nancy Pelosi, and he also met with the Environment Minister of South Africa.
This afternoon, he did an Instagram Live with Nicole Becker, a young climate activist from Argentina. Tomorrow he scheduled to speak at the High-Level Event on Global Climate Action.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghans in need of health care services can now benefit from a new UN Development Programme (UNDP) initiative that has injected acutely needed funding into the deteriorating healthcare system of the country. This allows the system to continue to provide essential health services across the country. The support to Afghanistan’s health system has been delivered under an agreement with the Global Fund, which has provided $15 million to ensure continuity of critical health services.
As a key part of the emergency initiative aiming to keep the health system functioning, UNDP transferred salaries for the month of October to more than 24,000 workers involved in the health system, including 7,300 women, in nearly 2,200 health facilities.
The initiative is being implemented in 31 out of 34 provinces across Afghanistan, in cooperation with civil society organizations who are working in the health sector. It aims to reach 26,000 health workers by the time it is fully implemented.
In addition to the salary disbursements, UNDP has also financed the procurement of essential medicines and health supplies for the participating health facilities.
AFGHANISTAN/HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that while violence has reduced in the last quarter across Afghanistan, reports of children killed and injured by unexploded ordnance continue to be reported throughout the country. The UN Mine Action Service and their local and international partners in mine action continue activities to limit the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices.
In September, the UN Mine Action Service established the UN Emergency Mine Action Coordination Centre for Afghanistan. The aim is to ensure that an effective and efficient mine action cooperation mechanism remains in place, in addition to telephone hotlines where people can report threats across the country. More than 4,000 de-miners are continuing to work around Afghanistan since the de facto authorities assumed control on 15 August.
In positive news related to money, the Flash Appeal for Afghanistan, which seeks $606 million to help people through the end of 2021, is currently 86 per cent funded. Generous contributions and conventions into cash have been made by 19 Member States, as well as the private sector. The breakdown is available on the OCHA website.
LIBYA
The Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, is traveling to France to represent the Secretary-General at the Paris Conference on Libya on November 12th.
The Conference aims to show the support of the international community to Libyans and the peace process.
Ms. DiCarlo is expected to reiterate the UN’s support for inclusive and credible parliamentary and presidential elections on 24 December, as envisaged under the Political Roadmap adopted in 2020, and mandated by Security Council resolution 2570.
SECURITY COUNCIL
At a Security Council briefing focusing on UN Police, the head of our Peace Operations department, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that this annual briefing is an opportunity to reaffirm the vital role that UN Police play across the conflict prevention spectrum, from peacekeeping to peacebuilding.
As the meeting also focused on Women, Peace and Security in the context of UN police operations, Mr. Lacroix told Council members that with the support of Member States, the UN Police has already achieved its gender parity targets for 2025. He added that he is pleased that five of our police components are currently headed by women, and he called on Member States to continue to assist the UN to sustain and expand these numbers.
BELARUS-POLAND BORDER
The Secretary-General is following with concern the situation at the Belarus-Poland border, and he reiterates the importance of ensuring that migration and refugee issues are dealt with according to humanitarian principles and international law. Such situations should not be used for political purposes and become a cause of tension between States.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, today said that she is appalled that large numbers of migrants and refugees continue to be left in a desperate situation in near-freezing temperatures at the Belarus-Poland border. She urged the States involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate and resolve this intolerable situation in line with their obligations under international human rights law and refugee law.
Ms. Bachelet stressed that the strong security-focused and politically charged responses on both sides – including through the increased deployment of troops – and accompanying inflammatory rhetoric, serve only to heighten the vulnerability and risks that migrants and refugees face.
The High Commissioner noted that several people have already died over the past few months and emphasized that governments in the region cannot stand by and allow more lives to be lost.
SOUTH SUDAN
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today corrected an inaccurate claim made by a political party in South Sudan, that the UN Peacekeeping Mission is withdrawing its security presence from the Malakal Protection of Civilians site.
Unfortunately, this claim was reported as fact by local media and this could cause unnecessary concern among those displaced.
Given the improvement in the security situation, the Mission has gradually transitioned most of its Protection of Civilians sites into conventional displacement camps, which fall under the responsibility of the transitional Government.
However, the Mission has consistently said it will take more time to redesignate the Malakal Protection site because of the complex political and security situation in the area. Therefore, no decision has been made to “withdraw” the UN presence.
HAITI
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Haiti, Bruno Lemarquis, said that the current blockage of fuel supplies in Port-au-Prince’s seaports is making it very difficult for humanitarians, including the UN, to continue to provide assistance to approximately 700,000 people in the country. He said the situation is deeply alarming, adding that people recovering from the earthquake in the South of Haiti are particularly impacted.
In addition to challenges created by the security situation, fuel shortages are a serious obstacle to the provision of essential services, as well as to the movement of people and goods. Mr. Lemarquis warns that hospitals and health centres are particularly impacted.
The rehousing of some 7,000 people displaced by the violence last June in the capital has also been slowed down because of the situation.
The UN remains committed to helping all those in need, and we reiterate our urgent appeal to all those who have influence on the current situation to ensure that fuel can be delivered so that these vital services can continue.
SIERRA LEONE
In Sierra Leone, the UN team visited the site of the deadly fuel tanker collision that took place on Friday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is providing medical supplies, with the first delivery of 6.6 metric tons having arrived in Freetown, over the weekend.
The UN is working on a joint assessment and coordination plan with local partners. We are also engaging with the authorities to provide support and coordination in the aftermath of the incident.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
New findings by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that, without additional assistance, the food crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could worsen in the coming months.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis – known as the IPC - some 27 million people – one quarter of the country’s population - face crisis or emergency food insecurity. This is fueled by poor harvests, displacement, disease and collapsing infrastructure,
The number of people in the country who fall in the food insecurity crisis phase is higher than any other country analyzed by the IPC.
FAO has already scaled up its support to the most vulnerable in the country.
For its part, WFP plans to reach 8.7 million people in the DRC this year with food, nutrition and cash-based assistance. This is nearly two million more than last year.
NEPAL/COVID-19
In Nepal, the Country Team, led by Resident Coordinator Sara Beysolow Nyanti, continues to support the Government’s multifaceted response to the outbreak.
The UN is helping with the national vaccination campaign - boosting cold chain capacity by providing more than 2,500 refrigerators, freezers, cold boxes, ultra-cold chain equipment and vaccine carriers.
As of this Monday, 16.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Nepal. More than 40 per cent of eligible people have received a first dose and nearly 38 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The UN helped to deliver more than 4.2 million doses of vaccine through COVAX throughout Nepal.
SRI LANKA
In Sri Lanka, the UN is monitoring the impact of rain, floods and landslides that are causing widespread damage and casualties around the country.
While no formal request for international assistance has been received, UN agencies and partners in Sri Lanka stand ready to provide help in support of the Government’s efforts.
The Government reports that at least 20 people have died in the past two weeks while more than 5,000 people have been evacuated. Nearly 1,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today released a report showing that there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities around the world. According to UNICEF, the new global estimate is higher than previous estimates, and is based on a more meaningful and inclusive understanding of disabilities, which considers difficulties across several domains of functioning, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.
WORLD SCIENCE DAY FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
Today is the World Science Day for Peace and Development. With climate change becoming a serious threat to the lives of billions of people and the planet, this year’s theme is “Building Climate-Ready Communities”.
The aim is to bring science closer to society by highlighting some key scientific aspects and possible solutions provided by science, technology and innovation to the major global challenges societies are facing today.
ANNIVERSARY OF NOVEMBER 1938 POGROM
Tomorrow, at 1:00 p.m., there will be panel discussion of the production called “Stories from the Violins of Hope”. The online event is organized by the Holocaust and the UN Outreach Programme to mark the anniversary of November 1938 Pogrom in Europe.
Created by The Braid, a Jewish story company, with music from the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, this brings together theatre and music to tell the story of a collection of stringed instruments that survived the Holocaust.
The discussion will be moderated by Melissa Fleming, the Head of the Global Communications Department. Speakers will include Ambassador Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, Ronda Spinak, the Artistic Director of The Braid and Amnon Weinstein, Violin maker and the founder of Violins of Hope.
A limited, free online screening of the production will be offered until 13 November 2021.
