SOUTH ASIA
The Secretary-General has been following with great interest and great concern the situation in South Asia.
He reiterates his strong condemnation of the terrorist attack against Indian security forces in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on 14 February and subsequent violence.
It is essential that there be accountability under international law and the perpetrators of terrorist acts be brought to justice swiftly.
At the same time, the Secretary-General urgently appeals to the Governments of both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not further deteriorate.
It is the belief of the Secretary-General that all difficult challenges can be resolved peacefully and satisfactorily through meaningful mutual engagement.
 
CAR
The UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic reports that President Faustin-Archange Touadéra issued two decrees related to the recently-signed Global Peace Agreement between the Government and armed groups, establishing follow-up mechanisms, as well as committees in each prefecture to supervise implementation of temporary security arrangements. The Mission has also conducted several meetings and sensitization sessions on the peace agreement in various parts of the country.
Meanwhile, a Quick Reaction Force from the Mission exchanged fire yesterday with suspected combatants from the UPC along the Bambari-Alindao axis in Ouaka prefecture, after they shot at peacekeepers. Two UPC combatants were killed. The Mission increased patrols in the area to deter armed groups presence and to continue protecting civilians.
 
MIDDLE EAST
Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefed the Security Council by VTC on the Israeli-Palestinian question, where he said that the prospect of sustainable peace is fading by the day as the specter of violence and radicalism grows.
He said the UN’s efforts focus on the immediate challenges - preventing the risk of an economic and humanitarian implosion in the West Bank and Gaza and preserving the hope - slim as it is - that Israelis and Palestinians will be able to live in peace, side by side, in states of their own that are recognized and integrated into the global and regional [community].
He said that the viability of the two-State solution is being eroded by the deteriorating reality on the ground and that the first thing that is required to reverse the situation is leadership and the will for political change. Mr. Mladenov regretted Israel’s decision not to renew the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron.
Ursula Mueller, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Operations, told the Council that overall, the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip, has deteriorated in 2018. This included an increase in casualties associated with the demonstrations at the Gaza fence, limitations on the movement of people and goods and financial restrictions.
 
BURUNDI
Yesterday afternoon, Michel Kafando, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Burundi.
He highlighted the latest political development in the country as well as regarding the Inter-Burundi dialogue. He said that this inclusive dialogue remained the only viable option for a sustainable solution to the political crisis in Burundi and the holding of elections in 2020.
 
BURKINA FASO
On Burkina Faso, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that more than 100,000 people have been displaced due to armed attacks and insecurity – half of them displaced in the last two months.
It is the first time Burkina Faso is facing internal displacement at this scale.
The persistent armed raids, intercommunity clashes and insecurity in Centre-Nord, Nord and Sahel regions have also triggered an unprecedented humanitarian emergency. Aid organizations and the Government are working to ramp up assistance.
 
EBOLA
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that last week, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Health launched the third phase of the Ebola strategic response plan, requesting $147 million to cover all aspects of the response for six months.
As of 18 February, 844 cases and 537 deaths had been reported since the beginning of the outbreak in August 2018. Some 278 people have recovered from Ebola.
The Ministry of Health, the UN World Health Organization and their partners continue to respond to all alerts in the affected areas, and to scale up preparedness in non-affected health zones and in neighbouring countries. Serious security incidents and community mistrust continue to hamper the response to Ebola.
 
WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) reveals today that spending on health is growing faster than the rest of the global economy. This trend is particularly noticeable in low- and middle-income countries, where health spending is growing on average 6 per cent annually, compared with 4 per cent in high-income countries.
The 2018 global health financing report presents data for all WHO Member States between 2000 and 2016; health spending includes government expenditure, people paying for their own care, sources such as voluntary health insurance, employer-provided health programmes, and the activities of the NGOs.
 
SENIOR PERSONAL APPOINTMENT
Today, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of Major General Zia Ur Rehman of Pakistan as the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, better known as MINURSO.
Major General Ur Rehman succeeds Major General Xiaojun Wang of China, whose tour of duty ended on the 17th of February. 
The Secretary-General is grateful to Major General Wang for his exemplary service and contribution to the work of MINURSO.
Major General Ur Rehman has 30 years of national and international military leadership experience, including as commander of military formations on operations and directing staff appointments at Command, Staff and War College level. More information on his bio in my office or on the internet.
 
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Today is World Social Justice Day. This year’s theme is ‘If you want peace and development, work for social justice’ and that social justice is the underlying principle for a peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations.
 
KIDS
Today is UN Kids Day here at Headquarters. The Secretary General opened the day by greeting a group of children in the visitors’ lobby. Throughout the day, kids will be able to take a special tour of the UN, meet and greet with UN Security Officers and even spend some time with Chloe, the staff therapy dog. There will also be a treasure hunt and other activities.
 
HONOUR ROLL
Today our Honour Roll is up to 56 thanks to Micronesia, Slovakia and Dominica who have paid their budget dues in full.