HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

THURSDAY,  SEPTEMBER 2022

SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNUAL REPORT 
The Secretary-General’s annual report on the Work of the Organization is out. The report presents our work to drive Our Common Agenda, the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals, amplify climate action, promote gender equality, protect human rights, advance peace and security, coordinate humanitarian assistance, promote justice and international law, among other priorities. 
The report also provides an overview of our system-wide efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
The report is available online at www.un.org/annualreport.   

QUEEN ELIZABETH II REMEMBRANCE 
Turning to the Secretary-General. He spoke this morning at the General Assembly’s remembrance event for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  
On behalf of the United Nations, the Secretary-General conveyed his sincere condolences to the Queen’s bereaved family, the Government and people of the United Kingdom, and the wider Commonwealth. 
The Secretary-General described the Queen as an anchor of stability across decades of often turbulent history. She was a consummate diplomat, he added, and often wielded her skills as the only woman in the room.   
For seven decades, Queen Elizabeth transcended her role to connect at the most human level with everyone she met — world leaders and ordinary people alike.  
The Queen’s legacy is an inspiring example of leadership that serves, the Secretary-General concluded.   

UKRAINE 
In Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says they continue to expand the response to reach people impacted by the war, including those close to the front lines and in areas that have recently shifted control back to the Ukrainian authorities. 
Over the last couple of weeks the UN, along with our partners, have delivered about 1,400 shelter kits and 35,000 food kits that have been distributed by the authorities to families in villages of Khersonska oblast. Each food kit has enough food for one person for one month. Until recently, these villages in [Khersonska] oblast were inaccessible for humanitarian workers due to hostilities. 
The deliveries follow requests received by the Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, during her recent meetings with authorities in different areas of eastern and southern Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities, the main needs of people living in these areas include shelter, food, water and specific supplies for the cold season, which has already begun in Ukraine. 
  
SECURITY COUNCIL: ARMENIA/AZERBAIJAN 
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Armenia and Azerbaijan.  The Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, briefed Council members.  He said that yesterday evening it was announced that a cease-fire had been agreed starting at 8 pm local time. Mr. Jenča said we welcome this agreement and hope the ceasefire will hold. 
He noted that both countries have written to the Secretary-General and to the Security Council alleging violations of the ceasefire brokered by Russia, back in 2020, and of their territorial integrity. We are not in a position, however, to verify or confirm the specifics of these reports, but we remain deeply concerned over this dangerous escalation, including its possible impact on civilians, Mr. Jenča told Council members.
 
This afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., there will be a Security Council briefing on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. We expect the briefers to be the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths; The Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley; and the Food and Agricultural Organization Chief Economist, Máximo Torero Cullen, whom I think we’ve had here a number of times. 

YEMEN 
The UN in Yemen is concerned about reports of the confiscation and destruction of civilian-held land and farms in Houthi-controlled areas in the district of Bayt al-Faqih south of Hudaydah. 
Reports of civilian casualties, detentions and forced displacement among the residents of these villages are very disturbing, and we are taking steps to verify these disturbing reports. 
We remind the Houthis that they should act in accordance with international human rights law. 
 
UGANDA 
From Uganda, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Susan Namondo, continues to support authorities to tackle the impacts of climate change and restore degraded forest lands. 
In the northeastern region of Karamoja, which is affected by climate change-induced drought and food insecurity, we have helped rehabilitate 122 hectares of land.  
We are also working with our partners to help nearly 42,000 farmers across 33 districts. We are helping in areas including improving irrigation systems and on clean and energy-saving technologies, such as the use of biogas. 
The UN is boosting the capacity of animal health institutions with veterinary epidemiology training. Under the programme, we have empowered veterinary 
professionals as the first line of defense to strengthen their preparedness, detection and rapid response to diseases. 

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY 
Today is the International Day of Democracy. In a message, the Secretary-General notes that across the world, democracy is backsliding, civic space is shrinking, distrust and disinformation are growing, and polarization is undermining democratic institutions. 
He notes that this year’s theme focuses on a cornerstone of democratic societies – free, independent, and pluralistic media. He points out that attempts to silence journalists are growing more brazen by the day – from verbal assault to online surveillance and legal harassment – especially against women journalists. 
The Secretary-General stresses that without a free press, democracy cannot survive, without freedom of expression, there is no freedom. He calls on all to join forces to secure freedom and protect the rights of all people, everywhere.                          
 
BRIEFINGS TODAY AND TOMORROW 
At 12:10 p.m., the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, joined by Leonardo Garnier, the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General for the Transforming Education Summit, and Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director General for Education, briefed reporters on the Transforming Education Summit.At 1:00 p.m., the Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, alongside Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate, briefed reporters.

Tomorrow at 11:15 a.m., the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, will brief reporters on the US' priorities for the General Assembly.   
The guest at the briefing tomorrow will be David Nanopoloulos, the Chief of the Treaty Section, in the Department of Legal Affairs. He will brief reporters on the annual Treaty event.