Secretary-General

Noon briefing of 8 June 2009

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FARHAN HAQ

ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK


Monday, June 8, 2009

BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF LEBANON ON PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

  • Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulates the people of Lebanon and all Lebanese parties and institutions concerned on the peaceful conduct of the parliamentary elections.

  • He calls on all Lebanese to respect the results and urges them to work together in the spirit of coexistence and democracy.

  • The Secretary-General hopes that the process of government formation will commence expeditiously and that it will take place in a calm and secure environment.

  • Yesterday’s elections and the formation of a new government in the coming period represent further important steps along the path of the revitalization of the State’s political institutions.

  • The Secretary-General looks forward to the full consolidation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability, unity and political independence in accordance with the Taif Accord and relevant Security Council resolutions.

  • Asked whether the United Nations had received reports of anomalies in the elections, the Spokesperson said he was not aware of any irregularities that would have influenced the outcome of the elections.

TOP UN OFFICIAL IN SIERRA LEONE CALLS FOR MORE SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT

  • The Security Council is holding an open session this morning on the situation in Sierra Leone, with a briefing by the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone, Michael von der Schulenburg.

  • Mr. Schulenburg said that the Government and the opposition in Sierra Leone deserve praise for their handling of a recent outbreak of political violence – the most serious such incident since the end of the civil war in 2002.

  • He said that all the parties involved have signed and committed themselves to a Joint Communiqué, which recognizes their collective responsibility in building a democratic and prosperous Sierra Leone.

  • He added that the UN family in Sierra Leone has developed a Joint Vision strategy to support the government’s agenda for change. This will cost $350 million dollars for a period of four years from 2009 to 2012.

  • He appealed to Members States and the Security Council for financial and political support for this strategy.

TOP POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICIAL STARTS WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA TOUR

  • The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, is in Senegal today at the start of a six-nation trip to West and Central Africa. He is holding consultations with the senior leadership of these countries and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on current political developments and ongoing United Nations efforts to help consolidate peace and stability in the region.

  • In Dakar today, he met with President Abdoulaye Wade and discussed regional challenges facing West Africa and the cooperation being provided by the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA) in dealing with conflicts in the region.

  • He told reporters following the meeting that the United Nations appreciates the efforts led by President Wade to help forge a consensual solution to the political crisis in Mauritania.

  • Pascoe will be in Ghana tomorrow where he is scheduled to meet with President John Atta Mills and to hold discussions with Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS.

  • During the remainder of the trip, which concludes on Saturday, Pascoe will also stop in Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau.

  • In addition to UNOWA, he will visit a number of other UN political missions in the area, including the United Nations Peacebuilding Office for the Central African Republic (BONUCA), the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office for Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) and the UN Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS).

ENVOY ASSESSES PROGRESS IN JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS IN EASTERN D.R. CONGO

  • The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Alan Doss, was this past weekend in the Kivu provinces in the east, to assess progress in the joint UN/Congolese army operations against illegal armed groups. Doss was traveling with the Congolese minister of defense.

  • Together they met with UN and Congolese commanders and reviewed issues of cooperation and coordination between the two sides, and how to improve protection for civilians. They also discussed issues around the disarmament and repatriation of Rwandan Hutu rebels.

  • According to the UN Mission (MONUC), the two sides agreed to strengthen the planning and execution of their military and other joint tasks. They also agreed to hold a further assessment meeting in July.

  • The Mission, meanwhile, has welcomed the 30-year sentences against five militia fighters found guilty of a spree of rape and other sexual crimes.

  • The verdict was delivered by a Congolese military court in Kisangani on Friday.

  • Then five men were also sentenced to pay financial damages to their more than 135 female victims.

  • The Mission assisted with the investigations and monitored the trial to ensure it complies with international standards.

PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN DARFUR TAKES DELIVERY OF NEW VEHICLES

  • The UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) says it has come into possession of a new fleet of vehicles that arrived on Sunday in El Fasher in a convoy from Khartoum. The fleet includes 21 fuel tankers and 22 other vehicles.

  • As they travel by road for nine days across the country, the Mission says the convoys usually provide its police personnel a chance to establish closer contacts with Sudanese civilians along the road.

BAN KI-MOON NOTES SIGNS OF PROGRESS IN IRAQ

  • The Secretary-General, in his latest report to the Security Council on Iraq, says that there have been “encouraging signs of progress” in that country in recent months, including successful and largely peaceful provincial elections earlier this year and an agreement on a new Speaker of Parliament.

  • He points to national reconciliation as the main priority in the coming months, saying that the resolution of key issues, including federalism, the sharing of natural resources and disputed internal boundaries, could serve as a means to achieving lasting peace.

  • At the same time, he notes with concern rising tensions in several areas, particularly in Ninawa, Kirkuk and Diyala.

  • The Secretary-General urges national and local leaders to endeavour to ease tensions and work towards resolving the underlying cases.

  • He added that the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq’s report on the country’s disputed internal boundaries could serve as a useful starting point for constructive dialogue.

SRI LANKA: WATER AND SANITATION FOR DISPLACED PERSONS REMAIN A CHALLENGE

  • In Sri Lanka, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says basic food was provided for 280,000 people last month when 2,230 metric-tons of food items were distributed in the post-conflict period.

  • Supplemental food, in particular corn soya blend, is supporting underweight young children as well as pregnant and lactating women.

  • Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency and other shelter agencies have erected some 6,500 emergency shelters and more than 13,000 tents to date in Vavuniya.
    More shelters continue to be set up as more land is cleared.

  • However, water and sanitation remains a huge challenge, but progress is being made. Half the latrines needed are in place; and water is currently being provided for about 75 per cent of the overall drinking and bathing needs.

  • In Jaffna, 75 per cent of students are now attending school, while UNICEF has distributed 1,500 primary kits, 1,500 upper primary and 500 secondary kits in Menik Farm zone 1.

  • As of 5 June, the funding for the 2009 Common Humanitarian Action Plan, or CHAP, for Sri Lanka was at 40 percent, with more than $61.5 million received out of the total $155 million required. An additional $28 million has been pledged by various donors, which would bring the level of funding up to 58 percent once the contributions are received.

  • Asked what action the Secretary-General would take to investigate any violations of human rights during the fighting in Sri Lanka, the Spokesperson noted that the Secretary-General told reporters on Friday that he has asked the Sri Lankan Government to take necessary measures regarding human rights and hopes that the Sri Lankan Government will follow up to implement the promises they made.

  • He added that the Secretary-General has kept the members of the Security Council informed of his actions, participating in an informal interactive discussion on Sri Lanka last Friday.

  • Asked about remarks from Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice concerning displaced people living in camps, Haq said that the United Nations at the highest levels has been insisting on the need for freedom of movement for the people in these camps since the end of the conflict. Freedom of movement for people in the IDP camps is essential, he said. The Sri Lankan Government is trying to expedite the screening and registration of IDPs but this needs be done faster.

  • He added that the Government must allow family reunification and the issuance of ID cards and facilitate freer movement in and out of the camps. The Government needs to facilitate early return and resettlement of IDPs while ensuring the voluntary nature of such movements.

  • Asked about the access of non-governmental organizations to the camps, he reiterated the need for all humanitarian groups to have sufficient access.

PAKISTAN: U.N. AGENCIES EXTEND ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE AFFECTED BY SWAT VALLEY CONFLICT

  • The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that, according to Pakistani authorities, there are now 2.5 million people who have been internally displaced in that country – two million of them newly displaced, as well as 550,000 from the previously existing caseload. |

  • Although the majority of the displaced are living with their host communities, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that there are 100,000 people living in 2,000 unstructured, disorganized and un-serviced spontaneous camps.

  • As of 4 June, some 2.5 million ration packets had been distributed registered IDPs, at a cost of over $30 million.

  • The World Food Programme (WFP) is currently setting up wheat grain mill operations in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar to meet the needs of displaced persons for wheat flour. The operations are targeted to produce a minimum of 1,600 metric tons per day.

  • Asked about the funding of the humanitarian appeal for Pakistan, the Spokesperson later said that, as of 5 June, $136.5 million had been received out of a request for $543 million, with an additional $15 million pledged.

AFGHANISTAN: AFTER ATTACK ON F.A.O. OFFICES, U.N. MISSION CALLS FOR END TO SUCH ATTACKS

  • At around midnight on Saturday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s office in Kunduz, Afghanistan, was attacked by six armed men.

  • A rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the compound, injuring two guards.

  • The UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) says that the motive for the attack remains unclear. It called on those behind the attack to stop and recognize the impartiality of the UN’s work in delivering essential assistance to the people of Kunduz.

CLIMATE CHANGE: SECOND WEEK OF NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY

  • In Bonn, Germany, a second week of international climate change negotiations under the auspices of the UN got underway this morning.

  • After an initial round of comments on a proposed draft for an international climate change deal, to be agreed in Copenhagen in December, countries will start making more details proposals – starting tomorrow.

  • "We are getting down to the nitty gritty of the negotiations" said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

  • In parallel discussions, industrialized countries are considering specific actions they can undertake to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

  • According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), industrialized countries would need to reduce their emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020 in order to avoid serious climate change impacts.

  • Yvo de Boer said that these recommendations were still some way from being met and called for speeding up work in this area.

  • Also in Bonn today, a group of key UN and non-UN aid agencies called on nations to take into account the humanitarian impacts of climate change.

  • The 18 organizations – including the UN Refugee Agency, UNICEF and the World Food Programme – say that the next agreement on climate change has to set out a workable approach to help the world counter the impacts of extreme weather events and environmental degradation on vulnerable communities. The group says that the Copenhagen agreement presents a rare opportunity to shape and guide the international response to the humanitarian consequences of climate change over the next decade.

ON WORLD OCEANS DAY, BAN KI-MOON NOTES THREATS POSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Today is the first observance of World Oceans Day. In a message, the Secretary-General says that human activities are taking a terrible toll on the world’s oceans and seas – adding that increased sea temperatures, sea-level rise and ocean acidification caused by climate change pose a further threat to marine life, coastal and island communities and national economies. He also says that oceans are affected by criminal activity.

  • The Secretary-General underlines the individual and collective duty to protect the marine environment and carefully manage its resources. Safe, healthy and productive seas and oceans are integral to human well-being, economic security and sustainable development, he says.

U.N. ENVIRONMENT AGENCY DRAWS ATTENTION TO DANGERS OF GROWING MARINE LITTER

  • Also in light of the World Oceans Day, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that growing marine litter is harming oceans and beaches worldwide. It launched a report that takes stock of the growing garbage in 12 major regional seas.

  • UNEP’s Executive Director says that “marine litter could be dramatically reduced by improving waste reduction, waste management and recycling initiatives.” He also calls for a world-wide ban on thin film plastic bags.

  • In addition to this report, UNEP introduced a new online system which has the most globally comprehensive list of marine and terrestrial protected areas.

  • Meanwhile the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released today technical guidelines on deep sea fishing, in an effort to provide guidance on reducing the impact on fragile deep-sea fish species and ecosystems.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED NATIONS IS CONCERNED ABOUT HARSH SENTENCING OF TWO JOURNALISTS IN DPRK: Asked about the sentences given to two journalists in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Spokesperson said, “We are concerned about the harsh sentencing of the two reporters and their wellbeing. We hope that the governments concerned expeditiously resolve the matter.”

BASIC FOOD COMMODITIES PRICES ROSE BY 60 PERCENT: The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Jacques Diouf, called today for the correction of world policies and international trade systems that have resulted in more hunger and poverty. He was addressing the World Grain Forum which opened today in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is being attended by agriculture ministers from more than 50 countries. Mr. Diouf said that international prices of basic food commodities rose by about 60% in the past two years, while those for grains doubled. And he added, “Now is the time for action. The food crisis has taught us that to defeat hunger, we have to deal with its root causes and not to continue coping with the consequences of past mistakes”. Mr. Diouf also called for more funds to assist developing countries increase their agricultural output.

BAN KI-MOON STRESSES INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO REACH MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: The Incentive2Innovate Conference, which started today here at UN Headquarters, brings together leaders from the private sector, foundations, NGOs, and the UN to highlight the innovation necessary to solve today’s challenges and achieve the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs. In a message to the conference, the Secretary-General stressed that innovative solutions and partnerships between the public and private sectors are essential to reaching the MDGs. This conference is organized by the UN Office for Partnerships or UNOPS along with the X PRIZE Foundation, BT Global Services and the John Templeton Foundation.

AGREEMENT ON TRANS-ASIAN RAILWAY LINKING 28 COUNTRIES TO ENTER INTO FORCE: On Thursday, countries throughout Asia will commit to coordinate the development and operation of international rail routes linking 28 countries throughout the region, as the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network enters into force. The Agreement comes into effect 90 days after China became the 8th country to have ratified the treaty.

UNDP HEAD VISITS AFRICA: Helen Clark, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme, leaves tomorrow for Africa on her first official trip since assuming her new post. She will go to Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia to visit UNDP projects and meet with senior officials in each of those countries.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055