HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2022
LEBANON
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), members of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the Ambassador of Ireland, Ms. Nula O’Brien, paid their final respects to Private Sean Rooney during a ceremony at Rafik Hariri International Airport, before his body was returned home to his family. Private Rooney was killed, in an incident last Wednesday and three other colleagues were injured. The investigation is still currently underway.
During the memorial service, the Head of UNIFIL, Major General Aroldo Lázaro, posthumously awarded Private Rooney the UN Medal and expressed his deepest sympathy to his family and colleagues.
MALI
In Mali, the UN is also grieving the loss of two UN Police officers. They both are from Nigeria, Sergeant Nasiru Bawa and Sergeant Saratu Haruna. They were killed by an armed assailant while on patrol in Timbuktu. Four other peacekeepers were injured and are recovering at a hospital of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
The Head of MINUSMA, El-Ghassim Wane, described the incident as deeply shocking and called for those responsible to be held accountable. A memorial service for the deceased peacekeepers will be held by MINUSMA on Friday.
UKRAINE
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, today announced the release of an additional $20 million from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund to support more than 300 civil society and community-based organizations or volunteer groups which have been supporting millions of people impacted by the war.
Ms. Brown said that the work these groups are doing is impressive. However, 10 months later, their resources are being exhausted, and they need support to sustain their vital assistance to the people of Ukraine.
Funds managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have allocated more than $252 million for life-saving operations in Ukraine since 24 February. This includes $192 million from the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund and $60 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund.
More than $55 million has been used to provide generators to hospitals, displacement centres and other critical facilities, as well as winter clothes and supplies to the people in Ukraine who face a severe energy crisis in the middle of the winter. This has only been possible, as usual, thanks to the incredible support of donors.
AFGHANISTAN
This morning, Roza Otunbayeva, the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), briefed the Security Council on the situation in that country. She noted that the Taliban remain essentially in control of Afghanistan, but they are unable to satisfactorily address terrorist groups operating in the country.
Ms Otunbayeva also stressed that the only way forward for Afghanistan is through a more pluralistic polity, where all Afghans, especially women and minorities, see themselves represented and have a real voice in decision-making. This is clearly not the case currently, she said.
Also briefing Council members, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, noted that 97 per cent of Afghans live in poverty, two thirds of the population need humanitarian assistance to survive and twenty million people face acute hunger.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Earlier today, the Security Council members passed two resolutions relating to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first renews the mandate the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for one year. It sets three priority tasks: protection of civilians, support to demobilization, disarmament, reintegration and stabilization, and security sector reform. It also authorizes the Mission to support the Nairobi and Luanda processes and to work with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the East African Community Regional Force.
Members also passed a new resolution de-linking the sanctions issue from the Mission so that it is under the sole purview of the Security Council.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is currently in the Central African Republic to take stock of the implementation of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. This is his first visit to Bangui since the appointment of Valentine Rugwabiza, the head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
Yesterday, Mr. Lacroix met with Prime Minister Félix Moloua and other senior Government officials. They discussed options for reinforced cooperation between the UN and national authorities to improve security in the country and advance political processes. Mr. Lacroix also engaged with the ruling party and its allies, known collectively as the “Mouvance Présidentielle”, as well as with the “Bloc Républicain pour la Défense de la constitution” and the Religious platform.
Mr. Lacroix met with women and youth representatives to understand the challenges they face as well as opportunities for their participation in political processes. He also engaged with the “Haut Conseil de la Communication”, which plays an important role against hate speech.
While in the Central African Republic, Mr. Lacroix is meeting our colleagues, the diplomatic community, and he is scheduled to meet the President, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, tomorrow.
ELSIE INITIATIVE FUND
The Elsie Initiative Fund for Women in Peace Operations announced today that the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali will receive a nearly $1.5 million grant. The project will facilitate an increase in the deployment of women police from Nigeria, Senegal and Togo by enabling the Mission in Mali to build gender-sensitive camp facilities. Using the grant, the Mission will build seven accommodation units, 19 hygiene facilities, four laundry units and a dedicated recreational space.
Women’s contribution to the operational success of peacekeeping missions has been crucial. Mixed Formed Police Units improve engagement with the communities they serve and enhance the mission’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
The Elsie Initiative Fund helps to support women’s meaningful participation in peacekeeping by creating an environment better adapted to them.
SOUTH SUDAN
In South Sudan, the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 was launched today with $1.7 billion to help 6.8 million of the most vulnerable men, women and children who are impacted by conflict, climatic shocks and protracted displacement across the country.
The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Sara Nyanti, noted that while the South Sudan crisis was competing with other global emergencies and dwindling funding, the people of South Sudan deserve more, and not just efforts that allow them to survive. She also stressed the need for aid workers to have unimpeded and safe access to help all those in need.
More than two-thirds of South Sudan's population will need some form of humanitarian and protection assistance in 2023. Eight million people may be severely food-insecure at the peak of the lean season between April and July of next year.
The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan was funded at 67 per cent.
SOMALIA
Th Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) today said that the extended and unprecedented drought conditions in Somalia have left pastoral, agropastoral and farming communities unable to cope. According to the latest projection update, between January and March 2023, 1.9 million people are expected to be in IPC Phase 4, which is emergency conditions. This is forecast to increase to 2.7 million people between April and June.
From May to December 2022, FAO has reached more than 700 000 individuals across 35 districts with cash and more than 40 000 individuals with agricultural inputs such as seeds, animal feed and fertilizers.
FAO has also treated 11 million animals to support their survival and trucked 27 million litres of water to remote areas. FAO also plans to reach over a million more people on the ground in the coming months.
HAITI
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has confirmed that a cholera vaccination campaign is underway in Haiti as the country continues to face an increase in the number of cases of the disease. The campaign, which is led by the Public Health Ministry in Haiti with support from PAHO, will run until 28 December. It will focus on vaccinating people over the age of one in five of the most affected and vulnerable communes of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other areas.
There are confirmed cases in nine of the ten departments and although the rate of new suspected cases has slowed down in Port-au-Prince, but there are steep rises in the rest of the country.
For its part, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is supporting the delivery of vaccines, including providing fuel to partners to maintain the cold chain and portable temperature-controlled vaccine carriers to teams operating in communities.
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN SOLIDARITY DAY
Today is International Human Solidarity Day. In a tweet, the Secretary-General noted that we are living through difficult times. He said that the world is not short on solutions, yet we face a shortage of solidarity. The Secretary-General called on all to support and stand up for each other - on International Human Solidarity Day and every day.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Romania has now paid its regular budget dues.
