HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 25 JANUARY 2017
 

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ADVOCATE FOR NEW PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.N. AND AFRICAN UNION IN ADDIS ABABA

  • The Secretary-General will leave New York this Friday afternoon for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the 28th Summit of the African Union.
  • The Secretary-General’s message to the African Union will be on building  new partnerships between the United Nations and the AU  based on respect and solidarity, and focusing on issues around the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 for Africa.
  • While there, the Secretary-General is expected to have a number of bilateral meetings with heads of states and governments also attending the summit.
  • He will hold a town hall meeting with UN staff working in Ethiopia while in Addis and we expect him back in New York on Tuesday afternoon.
IN BRIEFING TO SECURITY COUNCIL, U.N. ENVOY SAYS WILL SUPPORT NATION-BUILDING AND SMOOTH TRANSFER OF POWER IN THE GAMBIA
  • Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), briefed the Security Council this morning via video-conference. The closed-door meeting was in follow-up to Security Council resolution 2237, adopted on 19 January, on the crisis in The Gambia, which requested the Secretary-General to update the Council within ten days.
  • Mr. Chambas indicated that his office will spare no effort in supporting stability and nation-building in The Gambia. He will continue to promote a smooth and peaceful transition of power in the country, and further advocate for national unity and reconciliation. UNOWAS has already deployed staff to The Gambia to assist the Government in ensuring a smooth transfer from the previous administration to the new authorities.
  • As has been announced, President Barrow is scheduled to return to The Gambia tomorrow. Mr. Chambas is expected to accompany him from Dakar.
U.N. MISSION CONDEMNS ATTACK IN SOMALIA’S MOGADISHU
  • The UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has condemned a coordinated suicide bombing attack at a hotel in Mogadishu today. 
  • The attack reportedly killed dozens of Somali civilians and soldiers, while wounding many more. Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Dayah Hotel, which is located near the Presidential palace, and is frequented by lawmakers during their visits to Mogadishu.
  • Joseph Contreras, Spokesperson for the Mission, said the attack provides fresh evidence of the violent extremists’ desperate attempts to derail Somalia’s electoral process and reflects the terrorists’ frustration over their inability to sabotage recent voting for seats in the two Houses of Somalia’s new Parliament.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR VOICES CONCERN OVER POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE IN BAMBARI
  • The interim Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic, Michel Yao, has expressed concern over increasing tensions in the Ouaka Préfecture, which raise fear of violence between rival armed groups in Bambari. Dr. Yao stressed that an open conflict in the city would be devastating for the civilian population.
  • He called on armed groups not to lose sight of the impact violent clashes would have on the already delicate situation of civilians. He further urged them to preserve the gains made over the last two years on reconciliation and social cohesion as well as on the improvement of the humanitarian situation.
DENMARK AND LATVIA PAY FULL U.N. BUDGET DUES
  • Denmark and Latvia have paid their regular budget dues in full, bringing the total of UN Member States who have done so to 16.

 
***The guest at the Noon Briefing was Ambassador Cho from the Republic of Korea, who was elected as Chair of the 11th session of the Peacebuilding Commission.