HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 19 NOVEMBER 2020
ETHIOPIA
The UN continues to be gravely concerned about the safety of civilians who may be caught up in the conflict and how blocked roads are hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to those who need it.
The UN, along with its partners is continuing to identify existing supplies and staff to deploy to the region once access is granted. We urgently call on all parties to the conflict to allow for immediate, free, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.
Electricity continues to be cut off. Fuel for generators has run out. That leaves 96,000 Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia without clean water.
UNHCR says that more than 31,000 people have crossed into Sudan, and just to flag that a Humanitarian Preparedness Plan targeting nearly 2 million people has been finalized. The plan seeks $75 million to help people affected by the conflict in Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions of Ethiopia until January 2021.
In addition to the current conflict, there are many humanitarian concerns elsewhere in the country, including displacement, desert locusts, food insecurity and of course, COVID-19.
CLIMATE
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke, in a pre-recorded video message, to the European Council on Foreign Relations.
He focused on the climate crisis and said that while we may have seen encouraging responses by countries who have pledged carbon neutrality by 2050, we are still running behind in the race against time.
The Secretary-General said that we need to see more ambitious plans well in advance of COP26 this time next year. He urged the European Union to commit to reducing emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 in its new Nationally Determined Contribution.
He also added that it’s essential that the European Union accelerates its transition toward clean energy. “There must be no new coal, and all existing coal in the European Union should be phased out by 2030 in OECD countries, and by 2040 elsewhere,” he said. Adding that, he also called on the European Union to stop the financing of fossil fuels internationally and to promote a shift in taxation from income to carbon.
In addition, he added that the EU can help developing countries tackle the existing crisis and should lead the way in aligning international trade with achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/RACISM
And also this morning, the Secretary-General spoke at a panel discussion for UN staff on racism in the workplace.
He noted that racism is a persistent scourge in our world, adding that people’s opportunities for education and employment, and their access to healthcare and justice, are often determined by race.
Mr. Guterres said that racism challenges every government, every society, and every organization – including the United Nations.
Let me be very clear, he stressed. Racism has no place here in the UN.
But let’s be honest, he added. Sometimes we have been slow to acknowledge the existence of racism inside the organization.
We are launching today a campaign on Awareness and Action to make sure that everyone who contributes to the work of the United Nations feels respected and valued as individuals, and as a member of our UN family.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Earlier this week, the UN Mission in the Central African Republic assisted the National Elections Authority in Berberati, in the Mambéré Kadéi Prefecture. UN colleagues helped to monitor the recruitment process for polling agents. They also contributed to an update of the plan for the deployment and collection of electoral material.
The recruitment process of 16,000 polling agents is being conducted in all 16 prefectures with the United Nations’ support.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Denise Brown, together with the Deputy Force Commander and Police Commissioner, met with the country’s ministers of Defense and territorial administration, local authorities, and the defense and security forces to discuss the establishment of local committees to secure the elections.
LIBYA
Stephanie Williams, the Acting Special Representative for Libya, spoke to the Security Council by videoconference today. She said that we have made substantial progress in the search for peace and stability in Libya. She also said that the ceasefire agreement signed in Geneva provides for the withdrawal of all military units and armed groups from the frontlines and the departure of mercenaries and foreign fighters from the entire Libyan territory within a period of 90 days.
More work remains to be done, she said, but the Libyans stood up and did their part. We owe it to them to do ours by fully respecting and supporting these agreements, including respect for the non-interference in Libya’s internal affairs and full implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya.
She told the Council members that it has tools at its disposal to prevent obstructionists from jeopardizing this rare opportunity to restore peace in Libya, and she called on the members of the Council to use those tools.
HONDURAS
Turning to Honduras, we, along with our humanitarian partners in the country, have launched a Flash Appeal to respond to the needs of 450,000 people. Those are the most vulnerable people impacted by Tropical Storm Eta. The Plan calls for US$69.2 million to support of the Government’s response.
Heavy rains brought by the storm triggered floods that caused catastrophic damage across nearly all of Honduras and impacted more than 2 million people. The passage of Eta worsened existing vulnerabilities that, combined with the pandemic, greatly increased humanitarian needs.
Given the recent new tropical storm IOTA, the plan will be updated following assessments of its impact.
DATA PROTECTION/COVID-19
The UN Privacy Policy Group today released a Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response. The statement, endorsed by various UN agencies including the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Office, reinforces the UN’s commitment with regard to the use of data and technology in a way that respects the right to privacy and other human rights. The statement is also meant as guidance to ensure that fundamental human rights and freedoms are preserved, both during and once this pandemic has passed.
It is based on the UN Personal Data Protection and Privacy Principles as well as the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s Data Strategy on data protection, privacy, and human rights.
COVID-19/CHILDREN
A new report released by UNICEF today warns of significant and growing consequences for children as the pandemic lurches toward a second year. UNICEF says that while symptoms among infected children remain mild, infections are rising and the longer-term impact on the education, nutrition and well-being of an entire generation of children and young people can be life-altering.
They also point out that there is a 40 per cent decline in the coverage of nutrition services for women and children across 135 countries.
COVID-19/IRAN
Quick update from our UN country team in Iran and what they are doing to support authorities in their efforts to support vulnerable groups, including refugees and undocumented Afghans.
The UN team, led by acting Resident Coordinator Claudio Providas,
launched a socio-economic recovery programme in support of the Government, assisting 16 million people and more than 11 million households.
WHO has provided 150 ventilators, 60 real-time PCR machines and more than 200,000 COVID testing kits, among other items. UN agencies have also provided 220 tons of personal protective equipment to different provinces for healthcare workers and vulnerable communities.
Meanwhile, for its part, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime distributed 8,000 packages containing brochures and podcasts with basic and critical information on COVID for people who use drugs. UNAIDS also conducted a nation-wide needs assessment for people living with HIV.
WFP and UNHCR are providing tens of thousands of refugees with cash and food grants. And UNICEF is providing psychosocial counselling to adolescents, minors and mothers in detention, and others in need.
WORLD TOILET DAY
Today is World Toilet Day and this year the theme of the Day marks the importance of "Sustainable sanitation and climate change". Flood, drought, and rising sea levels are threatening sanitation systems – from toilets to septic tanks to treatment plants.
The aim of the Day is also to raise awareness about the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation.
WORLD PHILOSOPHY DAY
And today is also another day. Can you think about that? It is World Philosophy Day, which was introduced in 2002 by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
This year, the Day invites the world to reflect on the meaning of the current pandemic, underlining the need, more than ever before, to resort to philosophical reflection in order to face the multiple crises we are going through.
SG STAKEOUT
Tomorrow, there will be no daily noon briefing. At 12:30 pm, the Secretary-General will do a stakeout to preview his participation in this weekend’s G20 summit.
