Noon briefing of 5 June 2023

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC​,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 5 June 2023

HYBRID BRIEFING TODAY
At 3:30 p.m., there will be a briefing by Tanja Fajon, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Amb. Boštjan Malovrh, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations. They will speak on the forthcoming Security Council elections.

COMMON AGENDA
The Secretary-General, Anotion Guterres, briefed Member States on three of his policy briefs under Our Common Agenda. The three briefs deal with the topics of: reform of the international financial architecture, moving beyond Gross Domestic Product and the Global Digital Compact.
The Secretary-General said the three briefs provide ideas on how we can revitalize the multilateral system; accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; and keep global temperature rise to the 1.5 degree limit of the Paris Agreement.
He stressed that the briefs are meant to serve as inspiration for deliberations and decisions which are in the hands of Member States, as they prepare for the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in September and the Summit of the Future next year.
“What matters is that we take action to tackle new and emerging challenges in a way that delivers for all, restoring trust in international cooperation and each other,” Mr. Guterres added.

SECURITY COUNCIL
Abdou Abarry, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head the UN office for Central Africa, briefed the Security Council today.
He started on a positive note, saying the region has more opportunities and resources than challenges, noting that the preference shown by most States in the sub-region is for dialogue to resolve tensions peacefully – quoting the dialogue between the Central African Republic and Chad, as well as the mobilization of States from the region to resolve the crisis in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
But, Mr. Abarry added, the impact of the Sudanese crisis on Chad and the Central African Republic remind us of the urgent need to adopt a holistic approach to peace and security in the Central Africa subregion.
He paid tribute to the solidarity and generosity shown by the two countries, which have already taken thousands of Sudanese refugees, adding that without a rapid and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan, the impacts will be disastrous for Sudan, but also for all the countries in the Lake Chad Basin region.

SUDAN
Despite the ongoing violence, the United Nations is moving humanitarian relief for people in need around Sudan.
Some 68 humanitarian partners are providing aid and protection across all of Sudan's 18 states. This includes UN organizations, Sudanese and international NGOs, as well as the Red Crescent Society.
Since the start of this current phase of the conflict, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered more than 2,500 tonnes of health, nutrition, water and sanitation supplies, including in areas where the fighting continues. This assistance will benefit at least 1.6 million children. More than 600 tons of lifesaving nutrition aid have reached now 11 states – that’s enough for UNICEF and partners to treat more than 45,000 children suffering from severe wasting in the coming months.
Also since the start of this current phase of the conflict, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has set up nearly 1,000 tents in White Nile, Kassala, Gedaref and North Darfur states to help people on the move.
The United Nations is also supporting the response in neighbouring countries hosting people fleeing the violence in Sudan. Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered 10 tons of essential medicines and health supplies to Egypt. That’s enough to treat 50,000 new arrivals suffering from non-communicable diseases and severe acute malnutrition.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic, Mohamed Ag Agoya, said today the humanitarian situation remains critical with 3.4 million – or 56 percent of the population – in need of humanitarian assistance.
Mr. Ag Ayoya said that the conflict in Sudan has resulted so far in the arrival of almost 14,000 men, women and children who are seeking asylum as they flee the violence, they are mostly arriving in the North-East of the country including in that are Central African returnees. The conflict has also halted commercial traffic across the border, putting additional pressure on the limited resources available to the 130,000 extremely vulnerable people who are in the region.
Overall, displacement in the Central African Republic continues. One in five Central Africans is either internally displaced or a refugee in a neighbouring country.
Last year, the humanitarian community provided assistance to 1.9 million people. In the first three months of this year, we have provided assistance to 658,000 people with life-saving assistance.
This year the United Nations will need $533 million to assist a total of 2.4 million people. The UN will also continue to support people arriving from Sudan and of course the host communities that have opened up their arms and homes to them. The humanitarian appeal for the Central African Republic is only 25% funded.

HAITI
In Haiti, in light of the devastating floods and landslides, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is supporting the Haitian Civil Protection General Directorate to assess needs and coordinate the emergency response.
Authorities say that at least 42 people were killed, more than 37,000 people impacted, including some 19,000 people displaced.
Alongside Haitian institutions, the UN and its humanitarian partners are gearing up to deliver assistance, including shelter and food supplies, drinking water, and hygiene kits and other types of facilities.
Seven of Haiti’s 10 departments were impacted. The impact was worst in the West, including the capital Port-au-Prince, and in the southwest.
The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the situation is extremely worrying, given the hurricane season is only just beginning.
As a reminder, even before the landslides and flooding, half the population of Haiti was in need of humanitarian assistance. We urge donors to scale up the support for the country’s Humanitarian Response Plan, which is only 20 per cent funded.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Today Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of our Peace Operations is in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he is discussing with senior Government officials the reconfiguration of the peacekeeping mission – MONUSCO, in view of a responsible transition.
Over the weekend, Mr. Lacroix was in the Ituri province, where he met with provincial authorities, including the military governor. He visited the site for internally displaced people in Drodro - 60 km north of the provincial capital, Bunia - where peacekeepers provide physical protection to about 100,000 men, women and children through four temporary operating bases and one permanent combat deployment.
While there, Mr. Lacroix heard the testimonies of displaced children who were forced out of schools due to insecurity and women who are the brunt of conflict.

SENIOR TRAVEL/HUMANITARIAN
The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, today kicked off a five-day visit to Japan to explore how to enhance cooperation on humanitarian action. Ms. Msuya took part in a first-ever Strategic Dialogue with Japan’s Foreign Ministry to discuss mounting humanitarian crises and innovative approaches to address them. While in Tokyo, she will meet with other senior Japanese Government officials, as well as with representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and aid organizations.

INDIA
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Secretary-General expressed sadness at the loss of life and injury following the train accident in Odisha, India. The Secretary-General extends his deep condolences to the families of the victims, as well as the people and Government of India. He wishes a full and swift recovery to all those who were injured.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
The office of the Development Coordination says that Ms. Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki of Poland is taking up her new post today as UN Resident Coordinator in Trinidad and Tobago. She will also coordinate UN development operations in Aruba, Curaçao, Suriname, and St. Maarten. She brings more than 20 years of experience in international development.

INTERNATIONAL DAYS
Today is World Environment Day. In his message, the Secretary-General said that this day is a call to beat plastic pollution. He called on governments, companies, and consumers alike to break our addiction to plastics, champion zero waste, and build a truly circular economy.
Today is also the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. These activities are responsible for the loss of 11–26 million tonnes of fish each year, a vital source of nutrition in a world of growing population and persistent hunger.

UNGA
Media accreditation for the high-level period of GA78 (UNGA) is open. The deadline to apply is 1 September, at the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit website: www.un.org/malu

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
Fiji is the 115th Member State to have paid its regular budget dues in full.