HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 11 AUGUST 2022
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
The Secretary-General has arrived in the Republic of Korea. Tomorrow he will meet President Yoon Suk Yeol, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
And earlier today in an interview in Ulaanbaatar he expressed his gratitude to the Government and the people of Mongolia for their hospitality and for their support for the UN’s work, as well as the country’s commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
ZAPORIZHZHIA
In a statement this morning, the Secretary-General said that he is gravely concerned about the unfolding situation in and around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine. He has appealed to all concerned to exercise common sense and reason and not to undertake any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant – the largest of its kind in Europe. Regrettably, he said, instead of de-escalation, over the past several days there have been reports of further deeply worrying incidents that could, if they continue, lead to disaster.
The Secretary-General calls for all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant to cease immediately and not to target its facilities or surroundings. He urges the withdrawal of any military personnel and equipment from the plant and the avoidance of any further deployment of forces or equipment to the site. The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, urgent agreement is needed at a technical level on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area. The United Nations continues to fully support the critical work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its efforts to ensure the safe operations of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The Secretary-General urges the parties to provide the IAEA mission with immediate, secure and unfettered access to the site. We must be clear that any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia or any other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, or anywhere else, could lead to catastrophic consequences not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond. This is wholly unacceptable, he said.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., the Security Council will hold a meeting on the situation in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will brief the Council members.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/KENYA
In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General congratulated the people of Kenya for the peaceful voting during the General Elections on 9 August 2022. He trusts that all political stakeholders and the Kenyan people will continue to demonstrate the same level of calm, patience and respect for the electoral process as they await the announcement of the results of the polls in accordance with the legal timeframe.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, had earlier been in Nigeria on leave, but she will now undertake informal consultations with leaders in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region to discuss the crisis in the Sahel, as well as how to strengthen the collaboration between the UN and the governments of the region to better address security and development challenges.
She is scheduled to travel with Special Representative Mahamat Saleh Annadif to Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali and Togo, where she will meet Heads of State and Government, and will be back in New York on 22 August.
AFGHANISTAN
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that between January and June 2022, almost 23 million people received at least one form of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. This is 94 per cent of the 24.4 million people that need help. Food assistance has also been stepped up to reach nearly 22 million people this year.
Following the 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the south-eastern region of Afghanistan on 22 June, humanitarian partners have reached 85,000 people, which represents 85 per cent of those directly affected, with food, emergency shelter, health care and other critical assistance.
OCHA adds that the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund have played a pivotal role in preventing a collapse of the health and education sectors by ensuring essential workers
continue to be paid. So far in 2022, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund has provided $189 million to partners delivering life-saving assistance.
Despite this massive response, the scale of needs in Afghanistan far outstrips the capacity of humanitarian partners, Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said today in a statement.
Mr. Alakbarov stressed that this tragic reality will continue unless a functioning economy and banking system is restored, girls are officially able to return to school, and women and girls can meaningfully and safely participate in all aspects of social, political and economic life, including humanitarian work.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our humanitarian colleagues there tell us that they are very concerned about the continuing deterioration of the security situation impacting civilians in the eastern province of Ituri. Since early July, armed groups have killed at least 100 civilians, kidnapped more than 93 people, including many children, and caused the displacement of over 96,000 people, according to partners on the ground.
Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the impacted people no longer have access to their farms, the main source of income for the vast majority of civilians. The most urgent needs of those affected include protection, food, shelter, non-food items and healthcare services.
And security constraints continue to affect humanitarian operations. Two international Non-Governmental Organizations have withdrawn from Ituri. That took place last weekend, impacting the delivery of critical assistance to more than 44,000 displaced men, women and children.
Our humanitarian colleagues are intensifying their advocacy efforts with the authorities to ensure that the protection of civilians remains a priority.
SOMALIA
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), along with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), today said that more than 755,000 people have been internally displaced in Somalia because of the severe drought this year. This brings the total figure to 1 million people now registered as displaced within the country since January 2021 when the drought began.
UNHCR and NRC noted that the number of people facing crisis hunger levels in Somalia is expected to rise from some 5 million to more than 7 million in the coming months, worsened by the effects of climate change, and rising food prices because of the conflict in Ukraine.
In June, UNHCR announced that it needs $9.5 million for Somalia, as part of its regional appeal for the Horn of Africa, to help displaced communities affected by the catastrophic drought.
SENEGAL
In Senegal, the UN team led by Resident Coordinator Siaka Coulibaly, is boosting support to authorities there to tackle the effects of the surge in fuel prices and food prices at the local level - due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the impacts of climate change.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Women, and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) are working with authorities to support producers affected by the changing rainfall and temperature patterns. This joint UN programme has benefitted over 14,000 food-insecure households in eight regions of Senegal. For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) is providing meals for over 230,000 students in more than 1,200 rural public schools. Meanwhile, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) reached out to nearly 300,000 farmers from over 600 organizations to boost productivity and incomes with an initial funding of $25 million.
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
The Secretary-General has appointed Rear Admiral Guillermo Pablo Ríos of Argentina as Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, otherwise known as UNMOGIP.
Rear Admiral Ríos succeeds Major General José Eladio Alcaín of Uruguay to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his contribution to UN peacekeeping efforts.
LEBANON
The Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Aroldo Lázaro, today chaired a tripartite meeting with senior officers from the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces at the UN position in Ras Al Naqoura.
In today’s discussions, the Force Commander focused on incidents along the Blue Line, continuing air violations, as well as other developments and issues within the scope of the UN Security Council resolution 1701 and other related resolutions.
In addressing incidents along the Blue Line, the UNIFIL chief urged both parties to avoid any action which could put the cessation of hostilities at risk.
