HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 8 AUGUST 2017

SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGES PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF DISAGREEMENTS AFTER MAURITANIA REFERENDUM

  • With regard to the constitutional referendum of 5 August 2017 in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Secretary-General encourages all stakeholders to ensure that disagreements are addressed peacefully, within the confines of the law and respect for the rights to freedom of assembly and expression.
  • The Secretary-General calls on all Mauritanians to work together to deepen the rule of law and promote social cohesion and national unity. 

VENEZUELAN CRISIS CANNOT BE SOLVED THROUGH UNILATERAL MEASURES, NEEDS POLITICAL SOLUTION, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

  • In a statement, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General is closely following events in Venezuela. The Secretary-General is concerned that recent developments could lead to further escalation of tensions and distance the country from a path conducive to a peaceful solution to its challenges.
  • He is convinced that the Venezuelan crisis cannot be solved through the imposition of unilateral measures, but requires a political solution based on dialogue and compromise.
  • At this critical time for the country, the Secretary-General once again urges the Government of Venezuela and the opposition to re-launch negotiations for the benefit of the Venezuelan people. He is strongly supporting the ongoing efforts of the international facilitators and regional actors who are seeking to contribute to this end.
SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR KENYANS TO RENEW COMMITMENT TO CREDIBLE, PEACEFUL ELECTIONS
  • In a statement on today’s general elections in Kenya, the Secretary-General called on all national stakeholders to renew their commitment to credible and peaceful elections, as well as their confidence in the institutions constitutionally mandated to conduct the elections.
  • The Secretary-General underlined the importance of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as professional and impartial conduct of law enforcement officials during the elections.
SOUTH SUDAN: DEPLOYMENT OF REGIONAL PROTECTION FORCE BEGINS
  • The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan, David Shearer, spoke to the press this morning in Juba about the deployment of the Regional Protection Force. He said that the arrival of a Rwandan company, a Nepalese High Readiness company and over 100 Bangladeshi engineers marks the beginning of the phased deployment of the force, which will eventually comprise up to 4000 troops. The remaining Rwandan peacekeepers will arrive in the next few weeks and the arrival of Ethiopian troops is imminent.
  • Mr. Shearer said that the Regional Protection Force’s arrival means that UN troops already based in Juba can be redeployed to different locations across South Sudan as needed. For example, it would enable the Mission to put more patrols along insecure roads where there have been attacks on civilian convoys. Extra peacekeepers mean we can better protect the people of South Sudan, Mr. Shearer added.
KENYAN GENERAL NAMED FORCE COMMANDER OF U.N.-AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN DARFUR
  • The Secretary-General and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Leonard Muriuki Ngondi of Kenya as Force Commander for the African Union‑UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur, known as UNAMID.  He succeeds Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi of Rwanda to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedication and effective leadership as head of UNAMID’s military component.
  • Lt. Gen. Ngondi has had a distinguished career with the Kenyan Defence Forces, spanning over thirty-nine years.
IRAQ: U.N., PARTNERS PREPARING TO HELP CIVILIANS FLEEING DA’ESH-CONTROLLED AREAS - SENIOR AID OFFICIAL
  • Speaking to reporters in Geneva today, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande, said that the UN and its partners are preparing to help civilians fleeing Da’esh-controlled areas where fighting is expected to take place soon.
  • Hundreds of thousands of people could be displaced during military operations in Talafar and other areas.
  • Ms. Grande stressed that, as they did in Mosul, Iraqi security forces will do everything they can to protect civilians and manage their evacuation to camps where aid workers will provide assistance.
  • She noted that Iraq remains one of the largest and most volatile humanitarian operations in the world, with more people having been displaced faster than anywhere else recently.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY VOICES CONCERN OVER CONDITIONS AT MANUS ISLAND REFUGEE PROCESSING CENTRE
  • The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today said it is gravely concerned by the deteriorating conditions at a processing centre for refugees and asylum-seekers in Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island, where a young refugee tragically died yesterday.
  • The closure of this centre – as well as medical care, torture and trauma support, and security services – has been announced without appropriate alternatives, causing acute distress among the 773 people who remain on Manus Island.
  • UNHCR stresses that, to prevent further tragedies and an escalation of the crisis, critical services must continue, adding that any further reduction of support for refugees and asylum-seekers transferred by Australia to Papua New Guinea would compound the serious health and security risks faced by people who have been detained for the past four years.
  • UNHCR once again calls on Australia to urgently find viable, humane solutions outside of Papua New Guinea and Nauru for people remaining under offshore processing arrangements.
U.N. MIGRATION AGENCY RESCUES 1,000 MIGRANTS IN SAHARA DESERT
  • The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today said that they have rescued some 1,000 migrants since April who were crossing the Sahara Desert trying to reach Niger.
  • Many of the rescued migrants are now recovering at IOM’s transit centre for migrants in Agadez as they wait for assistance to voluntarily return to their countries of origin, which include Senegal, the Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana, among others.
NEW WEBSITE PAGE HELPS USERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THE U.N.
  • The Department of Public Information has just launched an Essential UN page, which contains quick facts about the Organization, frequently asked questions, infographics and videos to help users quickly get a grasp of what the UN is, what it does, and where it is having an impact.
  • The page is available in all official languages.