ETHIOPIA
From Ethiopia, we have received alarming reports of aerial attacks this morning, and those took place apparently in the residential areas of Tigray’s capital Mekelle. We are still trying to verify the details of the air strikes, but we are deeply concerned about the potential impact on civilians who reside or work in the affected areas.
The Secretary-General is deeply concerned over the escalation of the conflict in northern Ethiopia as illustrated by the air strikes in Mekelle today. He underlines that all parties must avoid the targeting of civilians or civilian infrastructure. The Secretary-General reiterates his call for all hostilities to stop. He urges the parties to prioritize the welfare of the people and to provide the necessary support for critical humanitarian assistance to flow, including facilitating the movement of fuel and medicines.
As we have been telling you, the lack of essential supplies, especially cash and fuel, is severely disrupting aid operations in Tigray, where at least 400,000 people are facing famine-like conditions.
We once again remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. This includes hundreds of humanitarian workers on the ground who are working tirelessly to provide assistance to millions of civilians caught up in the fighting.
The fact that civilians are being caught up in the fighting and the fighting itself is forcing us to reduce life-saving operations when people need them most, including food distributions, water distribution and health services.
In neighbouring Amhara and Afar, our ability to reach people in dire need of assistance – including many people who have been displaced multiple times – has been hampered by the escalation of fighting.
We urgently call on all the parties to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of relief supplies and aid personnel to all areas with humanitarian needs, including those affected by the recent fighting. These supplies include fuel and cash, without which humanitarians cannot do their work, and medicines, so our colleagues can reach people who desperately need assistance.
ESWATINI
I have a statement on the situation in Eswatini:
The Secretary-General is following with concern the ongoing developments in Eswatini, including the recent deployment of armed security forces at various schools, reports of excessive use of force in response to student demonstrations, and the indefinite closure of schools. This affects adversely children and young people.
The Secretary-General reiterates the importance of enabling the people of Eswatini to exercise their civil and political rights peacefully. He urges the Government to ensure that security forces act in conformity with relevant international human rights standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
He condemns all acts of violence and urges all parties and the media to refrain from disinformation, hate speech and incitement.
We remain committed to working with the Government and the people of Eswatini, and all partners, to achieve a peaceful resolution.
AFGHANISTAN
Turning to Afghanistan: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today announced the resumption of house-to-house polio vaccinations across the country for the first time in three years.
The campaign, which will resume on November 8th, targets more than 3.3 million children who have previously remained inaccessible to a vaccination campaign. A second nationwide polio vaccination campaign will be synchronized with Pakistan’s polio campaign in December.
Meanwhile, ahead of winter, the humanitarian community is scaling up to help thousands of families with cash aid, warm clothes, blankets, cash for rent and shelter repair. Needs assessments are ongoing countrywide.
Our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that aid distributions continue. Last week, more than 56,000 people in the east of the country received urgent humanitarian assistance. These includes 54,000 food insecure people who received food rations from the World Food Programme (WFP), along with 2,100 internally displaced persons and 259 returnees.
Almost 39,000 people are in need of food aid in Nangarhar, Kunar and Laghman provinces.
The Flash Appeal for Afghanistan, which is seeking just over $606 million to help 11 million people until the end of this year, is 45 per cent funded. That number is going up but we still need more transformation of pledges into cash.
HAITI
On Haiti, our colleagues on the ground are telling us that the recent upsurge in gang violence, including kidnappings, is impacting relief operations.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative - who is currently acting as the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Fernando Hiraldo - says that violence, looting, road blockades and the persistent presence of armed gangs all pose obstacles to humanitarian access. The situation is further complicated by very serious fuel shortages and the reduced supply of goods.
Mr. Hiraldo added that the growing insecurity is not only hampering the humanitarian response, but is creating new humanitarian needs. Since June, gang violence in Port-au-Prince has displaced at least 19,000 people and impacted more than 1.5 million women, men and children.
Haiti, as you know, is experiencing multiple crises, including the aftermath of the earthquake in August. Across the country, 4.3 million people are experiencing a high level of food insecurity – that’s up from 4 million in August of last year.
COLIN POWELL
In answer to questions that I received this morning, I can tell you that the Secretary-General is saddened by the passing of Colin Powell, the former US Secretary of State.
Mr. Powell, who was the first African-American Secretary of State, had a distinguished career, both in defense and foreign policy.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, the Government and the people of the United States.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo tomorrow. He will be there until Sunday, the 24 October. The visit will be an opportunity to assess recent developments related to the political and security situation, as well as key challenges associated with the implementation of the UN Mission’s mandate.
During his visit, Mr. Lacroix will meet with national and provincial authorities, key political and civil society representatives, including women and youth associations, as well as religious leaders. In Tanganyika province, Mr. Lacroix will have a special focus on MONUSCO’s transition. In North Kivu, he will take stock of the Mission’s efforts to address the continuing political and security challenges and exchange on ways the UN can best address these challenges.
He will also, of course, express his support and appreciation for the work that our colleagues are doing there on the ground.
LIBYA
The Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacbuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, has arrived in Libya for the start of a five-day visit that will see her discuss UN support to the political process and other issues, including the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries and the forthcoming elections. In Tripoli today, she was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Debeibah, as well as the Minister of Interior, Khaled Mazen, and the Deputies of the President of the Presidency Council.
On Friday, 22 October, Ms. DiCarlo is scheduled to travel to Tunisia before heading back to New York.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Turning to the Central African Republic, you will have seen over the weekend that the Secretary-General welcomed the unilateral declaration of a ceasefire announced by President Faustin Archange Touadéra.
The Secretary-General commended this critical step, in line with the Joint Roadmap for Peace in the Central African Republic, adopted by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and he called on all the other parties to immediately respect this ceasefire and to renew their efforts to implement the 2019 Peace agreement.
SECURITY COUNCIL
Here in the Security Council, the Central African Republic was also on the agenda.
The head of the Peacekeeping Mission there, Mankeur Ndiaye, also congratulated the President and his Government for the ceasefire declaration, describing it as a great opening for dialogue. He also called on all armed groups and their leaders to sincerely subscribe to the peace process.
The UN mission, he added, intends to make optimal use of its good offices and its Force to increase the contribution of international partners to the peace process.
Mr. Ndiaye concluded his remarks by calling for the support of all Council members to engage, both separately and collectively, with all the Central African actors and the region to make the immediate cessation of hostilities and the ceasefire a reality.
SYRIA
You will have seen that the Sixth Session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee Small Body began its work today in Geneva. This convening followed a series of meetings on Sunday when United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, met together with the Co-Chairs nominated by the parties.
Mr. Pedersen announced that the parties had reached consensus on how to move forward, and the two Co-Chairs had agreed to start a drafting process for constitutional reform in Syria. The Envoy also stressed that the constitutional process is important but on its own cannot resolve the conflict.
COVAX
A quick COVAX update from Colombia: They received 2.6 million doses through COVAX today. This brings the total number of doses they have received though COVAX to more than 10.8 million, helping authorities continue the rollout out of the vaccination campaign.
Over the weekend, Guatemala received more than 155,000 doses donated by Spain through COVAX, and we thank them. Guatemala has now received more than 2.2 million doses through COVAX.
As you know, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) is providing logistical support on vaccines in the region.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Lastly, I want to thank Belarus for its full payment to the regular budget. We are now up to 131 nations which have paid their dues in full.
