HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 24 JULY 2020
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TANZANIA
The Secretary-General is deeply saddened to learn of the death of former President Benjamin Mkapa. At this time of loss, he conveys his deepest condolences to the family of the former President as well as to the Government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mr. Mkapa was a statesman, an experienced diplomat and a respected regional peacemaker. He was also an advocate of reconciliation. He was instrumental in facilitating the mediation for the East African Community-led inter-Burundian Dialogue, under the leadership of Ugandan President Mr. Museveni and was part of the African Union’s Panel of Eminent African Personalities that brokered an agreement following the disputed 2007-2008 general elections in Kenya.
He was also a member of the Panel of Eminent Persons appointed by the Secretary-General to review and enhance the role of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT
The Secretary-General is appointing today Pamela Coke-Hamilton of Jamaica as the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), for trade and international business development.
She succeeds Arancha González Laya of Spain, to whom the Secretary-General has expressed his appreciation for her dedicated service to the Organization.
Currently the Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities at UNCTAD, Mrs. Coke-Hamilton brings to her new post a breadth of experience and expertise in trade-related capacity-building and sustainable development.
She has served with the Jamaican Government, the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) in trade negotiations and multilateral institutions, including the Organization of American States and InterAmerican Development Bank.
Much more about her appointment and her biography is online.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/UKRAINE
In a statement we issued yesterday evening the Secretary-General took note of the agreement reached during a recent meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group regarding additional measures aimed at ensuring a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine.
The Secretary-General called on all parties to fully abide by the agreed terms and focus efforts on the protection of civilians who continue to suffer the most from the ongoing hostilities.
The Secretary-General urged all concerned to take further measures in this spirit, to ensure renewed momentum in the ongoing peace efforts by the Normandy Four, the Trilateral Contact Group, and the OSCE, including by easing humanitarian access and conditions along the contact line, and enabling progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements in line with the Security Council resolution 2202 (2015).
SECRETARY-GENERAL/NIGERIA
In another statement we issued yesterday, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the killing, on 22 July, of five civilians – including three aid workers from ACTED, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Action Against Hunger (ACF) – by an armed group in northern Borno State, in Nigeria, of course.
The Secretary-General expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Nigeria. He reiterated that attacks by a party to an armed conflict that are directed against civilians, including those who are aid workers, violate international humanitarian law.
International human rights law and international humanitarian law must be fully respected, including the obligation to protect civilians.
NIGERIA
Today, the second Country Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict in Nigeria was released. The report highlights that boys and girls in northeast Nigeria continue to endure gruesome violations at the hands of Boko Haram.
Boys and girls also continue to be deeply impacted by military operations against the group by Government Forces, despite noteworthy efforts and commitments.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba said that the expansion of the group’s activities across the Lake Chad Basin region is a serious concern for the Secretary-General.
That report is available online.
CLIMATE
This morning, the Assistant Secretary-General, Miroslav Jenca, from the Department of Peacebuilding and Political Affairs, spoke to the Security Council members on the topic of climate and security. He said that the climate emergency is a danger to peace.
As climate change threatens livelihoods, it is also increasing resource competition and displacing communities. And while there may not be an automatic link between climate change and conflict, it does aggravate existing risks. Mr. Jenca said the consequences vary from region to region.
In the Pacific, rising sea levels pose a risk to social cohesion. In Central Asia, access to water and energy is contributing to regional tensions. In Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, climate change is expected to internally displace more than 140 million people by 2050.
And in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, it has deepened the risk of violent conflict. Mr. Jenca said we’ll need to leverage new technologies, to learn from those who are experiencing the impact of climate change firsthand, and include women and youth in peacebuilding and environmental efforts.
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION/SIBERIA
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) today said that exceptional and prolonged heat in Siberia has fuelled devastating Arctic fires. Temperatures in parts of Siberia this week again topped 30°C and WMO said that this extreme heat would have been almost impossible without the influence of human-caused climate change.
The agency warned that heat in this region will influence weather and climate conditions in lower latitudes where hundreds of millions of people live.
WMO added that the Siberian heat wave this past spring has also accelerated the ice retreat along the Arctic Russian coast. The melting of ice and thawing of permafrost leads to the release of methane, which will have a major impact on infrastructure and ecosystems throughout the region.
COVID-19/REFUGEES
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today called on States to urgently release refugees who are being unlawfully and arbitrarily held in detention. States must act to ensure that vulnerable refugees are not at heightened and unnecessary risk amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gillian Triggs, the Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees for Protection, said that refugees fleeing war and persecution should not be punished or criminalized simply for exercising their fundamental right to seek asylum.
She added that measures to tackle COVID-19 do not justify arbitrarily detaining them on arrival, which not only worsens the misery of people who have already suffered, but also undermines efforts to limit the spread of the virus.
SOUTH SUDAN
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says that, following renewed clashes in Jonglei yesterday, the number of families seeking safety at the UN base in Pibor has climbed to 8,000.
On Wednesday and Thursday, armed groups attacked and seized the village of Likuangole, which is 30 kilometers north of Pibor town, forcing people to flee to an area next to the UN base.
Conditions are dire there due to widespread flooding. People have also fled to other areas where there is no shelter, water, food or healthcare available.
The UN Mission says that all groups in the area have been involved in the violence, which has been escalating since December 2019. The Mission calls on the groups to stop fighting and urges the creation of buffer zones to protect people and allow reconciliation to safely take place.
COVID-19/PEACEKEEPING
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says that it has vaccinated livestock and distributed hygiene kits in Wau State. The UN Mission has also handed over two vehicles to state authorities in the Unity region to help frontline health workers move around easier and also to transport patients to health facilities.
And in neighboring Darfur, in Sudan, the UN-AU Hybrid Operation (UNAMID) partnered with a group called the Central Darfur Disabled Union to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day in Zalingei, in the capital of Central Darfur State.
Soap, hand sanitizers and other hygiene materials were handed out during the celebration, which was held with the theme, “Take action, Inspire Change.” Solar radio sets were also given to members of the group so they can access to information on COVID-19, the Sudan peace process, and other socio-economic issues.
BURKINA FASO
In Burkina Faso, our humanitarian colleagues inform us that the country is facing one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world this year.
The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) rose by more than 57,000 people in June alone, reaching nearly one million, according to national authorities. This is an increase of more than 1,000%, compared to 87,000 people in January 2019.
In the first quarter of 2020 we, along with our partners, have reached nearly one million people with humanitarian assistance.
We also have been supporting the COVID-19 government-led response in scaling up laboratory capacity, providing medical supplies and primary health care services and installing hand-washing facilities in public places, as well as in displacement sites and other places.
In addition, some 250,000 people were reached with food assistance and 10,000 households with livelihood assistance.
The UN and humanitarian partners in Burkina Faso are seeking US$424 million to address the humanitarian response needs of 2.2 million people.
COVID-19/DJIBOUTI
In Djibouti, where there are more than 5,000 reported cases and more than 50 deaths due to COVID-19, the UN team being led by the Resident Coordinator, Barbara Manzi, is supporting authorities to address the socioeconomic impacts and planning the reopening of borders and the back-to-school period.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) are providing thousands of cleaning supplies, protective and laboratory equipment, temporary shelter kits and oxygen concentrators. A key focus is to protect health workers and refugees.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is also establishing screening areas and training government personnel on infection prevention and control measures at border crossings.
For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) is providing food vouchers and UNICEF is transferring cash to families, as a temporary measure to prevent them from falling into poverty.
