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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESPERSON’S NOON BRIEFING

BY MARTIN NESIRKY, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

WEDNESDAY, 22 JUNE 2011

BAN KI-MOON GETS SECOND TERM AS SECRETARY-GENERAL

 

• The General Assembly adopted a resolution by acclamation on Tuesday afternoon, agreeing on a second term for Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General, from 1 January 2012 until 31 December 2016. He was then sworn in, after placing his hand on the original copy of the UN Charter.
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• Speaking to the Member States, the Secretary-General pledged his full commitment to accept their support, and vowed to continue to build bridges among nations, saying, “Together, no challenge is too large. Together, nothing is impossible.”
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• He also spoke to the press corps and said that we can be proud of what we have achieved and we should be proud of the progress so far, but clearly we have far to go.
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• Asked about the Secretary-General’s vision for the Organization, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General had provided details on the challenges the world faces in his Tuesday speech. He is now reaching out to Member States to hear their views and will meet with regional groups, starting on Thursday, as part of that effort.
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• He expects to provide more details on his priorities at the General Assembly plenary in September.

 

U.N. HUMANITARIAN CHIEF SAYS TREATMENT OF CIVILIANS IN SOUTH KORDOFAN, SUDAN, IS REPREHENSIBLE

 

• The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, said in a statement that “the treatment of civilians in South Kordofan, including the reported human rights abuses and targeting of people along ethnic lines, is reprehensible.”
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• Ms. Amos added that more than 70,000 people have been displaced. She urged an end to movement restrictions, which are continuing to limit the UN’s ability to assess the situation, to provide people the aid they urgently need, and to re-supply stocks.
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• She also said that threats to aid workers and peacekeepers need to stop immediately. Ms. Amos expressed her concern that the overall security situation in Sudan is deteriorating at an alarming rate, with severe humanitarian consequences.
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• She warned that we could be facing a worst case scenario, with millions of civilians in both North and South Sudan in need of protection and critical humanitarian assistance.
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• Asked about South Sudan’s independence, the Spokesperson said that the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is working with the parties to make sure that all outstanding issues are resolved and that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is implemented fully.
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• Asked whether Hilde Johnson would head the new peacekeeping mission for South Sudan, the Spokesperson said that there was an exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, in which the Secretary-General informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Hilde Frafjord Johnson as his Special Representative and Head of Mission for the new mission in South Sudan.
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• The Security Council has been informed that Ms. Johnson will start participating in preparations and planning for the future mission in South Sudan, pending Security Council authorization of that mission.

 

GAZA: U.N. WELCOMES ISRAEL’S APPROVAL OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

 

• Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the “significant step” taken Tuesday with Israel’s approval of construction projects that are to be implemented by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, known as UNRWA.
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• Mr. Serry said that we will continue to work together with the relevant UN agencies to implement these projects in a timely fashion, so as to improve the situation in Gaza.
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• The Secretary-General discussed this matter, among other topics, with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in a phone call on Monday. With respect to UN projects in Gaza, the Secretary-General welcomed the progress made and urged speedy implementation of the UN Relief and Works Agency's housing projects in Khan Yunis and Rafah.

 

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES ISSUE OF MISSING KUWAITIS IN IRAQ

 

• The Security Council discussed the question of missing Kuwaiti persons and property in Iraq in closed consultations this morning.
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• In his latest report on that topic, which is out as a document, the Secretary-General says that the current efforts in the search for missing Kuwaiti and third country nationals are gradually moving forward. He believes that the task of discovering their fate is urgent and should not be influenced by political factors and considerations. For this reason, the humanitarian mandate must be insulated as much as possible from wider regional developments to ensure its effective implementation.

 

*** The guest at the Noon briefing was Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, who briefed on her recent trip to Chad.

 

 

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
United Nations, SA-1B15
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055