HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

TUESDAY, 19 MAY 2020

 

GRAND ETHIOPIAN RENAISSANCE DAM
The Secretary-General continues to follow closely developments related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He notes the good progress in the negotiations between the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Sudan thus far and he encourages the three parties to persevere with efforts to peacefully resolve any remaining differences and to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement.
The Secretary-General underscores the importance of the 2015 Declaration of Principles on the dam, which emphasizes cooperation based on common understanding, mutual benefit, good faith, win-win, and the principles of international law.
The Secretary-General encourages progress towards an amicable agreement in accordance with the spirit of these Principles.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The Secretary-General has written a letter to the President of the General Assembly about the forthcoming General Assembly session. In the letter, he presents options for Member States to consider in order to ensure the holding of the general debate in September.
 The decision on how to hold the debate lies with Member States. And the Secretariat will, of course, support whatever decision is taken by them.
 
POLICY BRIEF ON AFRICA
This week, the Secretary-General is looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the African continent.  
At a minute after midnight tonight, so on Wednesday morning, he will launch a policy brief that looks at areas of concerns, highlights the strengths of the African response and presents a series of recommendations.  
We will share with you copies of the embargoed report as well as the text of the video message that goes along with the report.  

AFRICA DIALOGUE SERIES
This year’s Africa Dialogue Series will begin tomorrow under the theme: “COVID-19 and Silencing the Guns in Africa: Challenges and opportunities”. 
The Secretary-General will speak at this virtual event, which is being hosted by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, in collaboration with the African Union and other partners from the UN system. 

ECOSOC
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the virtual meeting of the Economic and Social Council’s annual operational activities segment. 
In his remarks, he said that COVID-19 has exposed our world’s fragilities, with the most vulnerable suffering the most. The Secretary-General added that the task of eradicating poverty and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has never been more challenging, more urgent and more necessary. He went on to tell members of the council that we now have a triple imperative: first, to respond urgently to help countries stem the impact of the pandemic and suppress the transmission of the virus. Second, to help governments and their people safeguard development gains, mitigate the pandemic’s socio-economic impacts, and protect lives in emergency settings. And third, to work with partners to ensure that the national, regional and global recovery efforts follow the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.  
 
LIBYA
The acting Special Representative for Libya, Stephanie Williams, briefed the Security Council by video this morning on the situation in the country. She made clear that there has been no lull in fighting in Libya. Instead, she reported, fighting has escalated with an unprecedented increase in indirect fire in urban areas and a growing tide of suffering for civilians.    
Ms. Williams said that millions of Libyans – most notably the two million residents of Tripoli – are experiencing a most abnormal and terrifying [existence], under almost constant bombardment, frequent water and electricity cuts. All that compounded by restrictions of movement as a result of preventive measures around the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said that the pandemic compounds existing insecurity in addition to exacerbating longstanding vulnerabilities. The UN System is hard at work, she said, to assist national authorities, including through the provision of supplies, equipment, and training. There are now five operational labs in the country, that’s up from two, but many more are needed, including the qualified personnel to operate them. 
The acting Special Representative warned the Council that, from what we are witnessing in terms of the massive influx of weaponry, equipment and mercenaries to the two sides, the only conclusion that we can draw is that this war will intensify, broaden and deepen with devastating consequences for the Libyan people. 
  
In the afternoon, the Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock will brief the Security Council on the situation in Syria. 
 
PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS
 The UN Mission in Abyei, UNISFA, together with women’s groups, carried out a COVID-19 awareness raising campaign aimed at promoting the roles and voices of women leaders in their communities. In support of the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire, the Abyei Women Association, which represents women in the Ngok Dinka community, has called on all armed elements in Abyei to ceasefire and focus its efforts on fighting the virus. The UN Mission will also distribute solar-powered radios, focusing on supplying them to households headed by women, to increase access to information. Meanwhile, the joint UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is engaging with local authorities and community leaders, including leaders of nomadic and farming groups. It has also distributed hygiene materials in camps for internally displaced people in Zalingei to help them fight the pandemic. 
 
WHO REPORT
A report released today by the World Health Organization on the health behaviors of 11 to 15-year-olds in Europe shows that adolescent mental well-being declined in many countries between 2014 and 2018.  
The study compiles extensive data on the physical health, social relationships, and mental health of schoolchildren from 45 countries. The report shows that one in four adolescents report feeling nervous, irritable or having difficulties going to sleep at least once per week.  
Also one in ten adolescents report having been cyberbullied at least once in the past two months. WHO said that the report provides a baseline against which future studies can measure the impact of the pandemic on young people’s lives. 
 
CABO VERDE
In Cabo Verde, where there are more than 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the Resident Coordinator, Ana Patricia Graça, and the Government are leading a Response and Recovery Coordination Platform. That effort brings together Government Ministries, civil society organizations, the private sector and international partners. 
As part of their call for solidarity, the UN staff in Cabo Verde have donated part of their salaries to support the Government’s efforts to address the impacts of the virus pandemic on the local population. 
And WHO there is also providing medical equipment and technical assistance to health workers, hospitals, and labs. UNICEF and the UN Population Fund are providing tests and are ensuring the continuity of maternal and neonatal health services. 
The UN team is also boosting job creation, with a special focus on youth and women. UNDP and UN-Habitat are also supporting local authorities to create temporary jobs in areas including revamping markets, streets and public works. 
The UN team is also boosting innovation and technology solutions through UNDP’s Accelerator Labs, encouraging start-ups and crowdfunding platforms. 
 
CAMEROON
In from Cameroon, where the UN along with humanitarian partners, are providing health, water and sanitation, hygiene support, including mobile clinics, disease screening and virus sensitization to internally displaced people in the North West and South West regions of the country. The crisis in these two regions is now entering its fourth year and has led to the displacement of over 450,000 people.  To contain the spread of the virus, over 6,300 schools and 4,200 community learning centres have been closed since March in the North West and the South West. Government and humanitarian partners are providing distance learning to cover half of the children impacted by school closures through radio, TV and printed materials.  
 
BANGLADESH
In Bangladesh, the UN and the Government are making preparations as Super Cyclone Storm Amphan is set to make landfall tomorrow. More than 14 million people may be impacted by the cyclone in the country.  
The Humanitarian Coordination Task Team, co-led by the UN and the Government of Bangladesh, is working on preparedness and response activities.  
The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has also activated its Early Actions protocols for cyclones. 
It is not predicted that the cyclone will make landfall near Cox’s Bazar, but alert mechanisms are in effect and the UN is working closely with the Government on the situation there. 
 
AFGHANISTAN 
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) warned today that the rising numbers of civilian casualties in Afghanistan underscore the urgent need for parties to halt the fighting and to re-focus on starting intra-Afghan peace negotiations. 
UNAMA’s latest preliminary figures indicate a trend of escalating civilian casualties in April from operations conducted by both the Taliban and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). There is also grave concern about levels of violence in the first half of May. Since April, in addition to the unclaimed attack on a hospital in Kabul last week, UNAMA has documented the abduction of 15 healthcare workers by the Taliban as well as a threat to healthcare workers and confiscation of medical supplies by the security forces. UNAMA emphasized that medical personnel and facilities have special protection from attack. Any incident affecting people, places and supplies necessary for healthcare provision can have serious and wide-ranging consequences, particularly during this pandemic. 
 
UN GLOBAL COMPACT 
The UN Global Compact, along with the Science Based Targets initiative and the We Mean Business coalition, today released a statement in which more than 150 global corporations urge world leaders to work on a net-zero recovery from COVID-19. The 155 companies, which have a combined market capitalization of over $US 2.4 trillion dollars and represent over 5 million employees, are calling for policies that will build resilience against future shocks by supporting efforts to hold global temperature rise to within 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with reaching net-zero emissions well before 2050. The Secretary-General welcomed the statement and said that “many companies are showing us that it is indeed possible and profitable to adopt sustainable, emission-reducing plans even during difficult times like this.” The statement comes as governments around the world are preparing stimulus packages to help economies recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and as they prepare to submit enhanced national climate plans under the Paris Agreement. 
 
LATIN AMERICA
The UN Refugee Agency today warned that many displaced indigenous communities in Latin America are now dangerously exposed to and at risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. 
With the virus hitting the Amazon region hard and Brazil emerging as an epicenter of the pandemic, UNHCR is worried that many indigenous groups may struggle without adequate health and sanitation conditions. 
A majority of them live in isolated or remote areas, where they lack access to health care, clean water and soap. Others live in cramped dwellings or in informal urban settlements without access to protective equipment. 
In Brazil, UNHCR is supporting efforts to ensure adequate shelter for indigenous Warao refugees from Venezuela. The agency is also facilitating relocation and providing mosquito nets, hygiene kits, solar lamps as well as transportation. UNHCR is also continuing hygiene promotion sessions, delivered in the Warao and Eñepá languages, to indigenous refugees. 
In Colombia, UNHCR and partners are supporting food distributions and providing hygiene kits for those most vulnerable among the Yukpa and Wayuu populations. Health brigades have also been organized as well as information and hygiene promotion campaigns tailored for indigenous communities. 
And ahead of an international donor conference for Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Latin America, hosted by the European Union and Spain next Tuesday, UNHCR is calling on countries to pledge support for the Regional Response Plan. That plan is currently only four per cent funded. 
 
EL SALVADOR  
The spokesperson has been asked about the situation in El Salvador and can say that since the beginning of the pandemic, the Secretary-General has urged Governments to implement emergency measures that are legal, proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory, and have a specific focus and duration.  And also to take the least intrusive approach possible to protect public health. Politicizing the work of UN technical agencies would only undermine national efforts to tackle the pandemic.
The Secretary-General urges all political stakeholders to act responsibly, with full respect for human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law.The UN stands ready to support Salvadorans in their efforts to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous country as they have done since the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992.