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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday, May 30, 2008
BAN KI-MOON LAUDS ADOPTION OF CLUSTER MUNITIONS CONVENTION
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is delighted
that the strong calls to address the humanitarian impact of cluster
munitions have been answered with the adoption today of this new
Convention.
He welcomes this successful outcome of the
Dublin Diplomatic Conference and congratulates everyone who contributed
to the process.
A broad-based coalition of States,
international organizations and civil society has brought about a new
international standard that will enhance the protection of civilians,
strengthen human rights and improve prospects for development.
The United Nations will provide its full
support and is ready to assist in the implementation of the
responsibilities under this Convention.
The Secretary-General has accepted depositary functions under the Convention, which he urges all States to sign and ratify without delay, and he looks forward to its rapid entry into force.
BURUNDI: SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RETURN OF REBEL LEADER
The Secretary-General welcomes the
return to Burundi of the Chairman of the Palipehutu-FNL, Mr. Agathon
Rwasa.
This significant development follows a number
of positive steps in the Burundi peace process, including the 26 May
Joint Declaration on the cessation of hostilities between the
Government of Burundi and Palipehutu-FNL.
The Secretary-General urges Palipehutu-FNL and
the Government of Burundi to seize this opportunity to finally end
long-standing conflict in Burundi. He urges them to stay the course and
implement the agreements reached between them without delay.
The Secretary-General appreciates the critical role played by the leaders of the Regional Peace Initiative for Burundi, the South African Facilitation and the Political Directorate and encourages them to continue their assistance to the parties.
MYANMAR: FORCED MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IS UNACCEPTABLE
Today marks four weeks since Cyclone Nargis
first struck
Myanmar, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) reports that 11 international UN and NGO staff, as well
as numerous medical teams from ASEAN and neighboring countries, have
been able to travel to hard-hit areas.
OCHA says it welcomes the Myanmar Government’s
approval of all pending visas for UN staff. At the same time, however,
it urges the Government to demonstrate the same flexibility toward NGO
visa requests.
As relief efforts pick up speed, it is now
critical that all population movements, including those of people
returning to their homes to rebuild their livelihoods, are voluntary
and done on a consultative basis.
OCHA stresses that any forced or coerced
movement of people is completely unacceptable. This point has been made
very clearly to the authorities and the UN will continue to watch the
situation closely.
Meanwhile, the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that
it is setting up two field units in the Delta area to better respond to
the emergency, monitor the distribution of its relief items and further
assess needs in the region.
UNHCR has now flown more than 400 tons of
emergency supplies into Yangon from its global stockpiles in Dubai on
nine flights – enough for more than half of the 250,000 cyclone
survivors. Items – including plastic sheeting, blankets, mosquito nets
and kitchen sets – have been distributed by international NGOs and
community organizations.
UNICEF reports that it is working with
Myanmar’s Ministry of Education to help re-open schools -- by
distributing repair materials and essential school supplies.
Asked for a
reaction to news reports that member states were slow to fund the
remainder of the flash appeal for Myanmar cyclone victims, the
Spokeswoman later said that the appeal is now 63% funded if one counts
both pledges and contributions. However, contributions, representing
money that can actually be spent, amount to only 40% of the funds
required. The UN therefore needs not only new pledges, but for donors
to turn existing pledges into contributions.
Okabe, in response to a question about humanitarian access to the country, said that all UN relief workers have been given visas to enter the country and work. She noted, however, that OCHA has asked the Myanmar authorities to demonstrate the same flexibility towards NGOs, which work very closely with UN agencies in disaster situations. "It is essential that they get in also to act as the arms and legs for carrying out the vast effort that is needed on the ground," she said. "The effort has picked up speed but it is critical that more work can be done and be done as quickly as possible."
FALLEN PEACEKEEPERS ARE HONORED
Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations,
this morning awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to the 90
military, police and civilian personnel from 42 countries who lost
their lives last year serving in UN peacekeeping operations. The
medals were be received by representatives of the 42 countries
concerned.
In his remarks at that event, Guéhenno
said, “After 60
years of peacekeeping, we cannot claim victory in the pursuit of
peace. But we can take credit for stabilizing societies that were
once the scenes of intractable conflict, saving countless lives in the
process.”
This afternoon, Guéhenno will award more peacekeeping medals to the military and police officers currently serving in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations here at Headquarters.
NEPAL:
HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE CONCERNED
BY POLICE ACTION AGAINST PROTESTERS
The Nepal Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced serious concern about the
killings by Nepalese police of three individuals when officers open
fire on a crowd of protesters on Wednesday.
UN human rights officers have confirmed that
at least one of the victims was shot in the head as police attempted to
control a rowdy crowd throwing stones at an official building. Seven
other people were wounded in that incident, which came a day after a
journalist was beaten up by individuals angered by his criticisms of
local officials.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for the arrest of those who beat the journalist and also urges the authorities to launch an independent investigation into the police’s deadly use of force on Wednesday against unarmed protesters.
TENTS, EXPERTISE PROVIDED TO AID VICTIMS OF SOUTH AFRICA VIOLENCE
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) says it is releasing
2,000 tents to the South African Government to help provide much-needed
shelter to thousands of people made homeless in the recent xenophobic
attacks against foreigners, including refugees and asylum seekers.
UNHCR also said it is making available to the
Government an expert site planner who will help the authorities in
identifying suitable locations for temporary shelter.
Field teams from the agency’s South Africa
office are deployed in Gauteng Province, Cape Town and Johannesburg and
have been assessing the needs at makeshift sites near police stations
and other public venues where the victims of violence have gathered.
UNHCR is working through its partners to
provide food, shelter, blankets and other basic household items.
To date, some 42,000 migrants, including
refugees and asylum seekers, are sheltered in 95 makeshift sites. Among
those affected are thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers from
Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia and other African countries, whose homes
were destroyed and businesses looted and burned.
As you’ll recall, the UN country team has said it stands ready to provide assistance and support for immediate humanitarian needs faced by the victims of attacks, as well as to find medium and long-term solutions to the unfolding developments.
WOMEN’S HEALTH MUST BE A PRIORITY
“Of all the Millennium Development Goals,
Goal #5 -- preventing women’s deaths during pregnancy and childbirth –
is generating the least resources and lagging the furthest behind. And
African women and families are paying the price.”
That is what UN Population Fund Executive
Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said at the
Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in a
session on achieving the Goals. She called on all leaders “to make the
health of women a political and development priority."
“African leaders and their development partners have recognized that investing in women and reproductive health is critical to successful development,” Obaid said after the action plan was adopted.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON GEORGIA: The Security Council held a closed meeting this morning on the situation in Georgia. Tomorrow will be the last day of the United Kingdom’s Presidency of the Security Council. On 1 June, the United States will assume the rotating Presidency.
HEALTH AGENCY CALLS FOR TOBACCO ADVERTISING BAN: Tomorrow is World No-Tobacco Day. To mark the occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Governments to ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship – in order to protect young people.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday, May 31
The guest at the noon briefing will be Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, who will brief on her recent visits to Chad and Central African Republic.
The Secretary-General’s Special Advisor, Jan Egeland, will travel to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from 2-6 June on a mission aimed at drawing attention to an array of challenges facing these and other countries of the Sahel region of Africa.
Today in Geneva, the World Health Organization, UNAIDS and UNICEF will launch a new report that chronicles the scaling up of priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector.
The Human Rights Council’s eighth regular session starts today in Geneva.
Tuesday, June 3
The High-Level Conference on World Food Security will take place in Rome from 3-5 June. The Secretary-General will attend.
At 10 a.m. in S-226, there will be a press conference by Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State; Hernando de Soto, Economist and President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy; Naresh Singh, Executive Director of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor; and UNDP Administrator, Kemal Dervis, on the findings of a new report entitled Legal Empowerment of the Poor.
The General Assembly will hold an informal thematic debate on human trafficking today. At 11:00 a.m. in S-226, there will be a press briefing on that topic. Briefers will include: General Assembly President Srgjan Hasan Kerim; Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates; and actress and philanthropist Ashley Judd.
At 1 p.m. in S266, there will be a press conference by Antonio Maria-Costa, Executive Director of UN Office Drugs and Crime (UNODC); Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM); and Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the UN global initiative to fight human trafficking.
Wednesday, June 4
The General Assembly will hold a plenary meeting to elect its President for the 63rd session. At 11:30 a.m. in S-226, there will be a press briefing by the General Assembly’s President-elect for the 63rd session.
At 3 p.m. in S-226, there will be a press conference by Richard Dicker of Human Rights Watch; Niemat Ahmadi of Save Darfur Coalition; and William Pace of the Coalition for an International Criminal Court (CICC), on a new NGO initiative to bolster support for the ICC in Darfur.
Thursday, June 5
At 11 a.m. in S-226, there will be a press conference by Guanghua Wan from the UN University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), and Terry Sicular, from the University of Western Ontario on UNU-WIDER’s new study entitled the Poverty- Growth-Inequality Triangle in China.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
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