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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
BAN KI-MOON URGES MYANMAR TO ALLOW IN AID WORKERS AND SUPPLIES
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is very concerned
about the continuing tragedy in Myanmar, where the government has
confirmed that over 22,000 people have died, and more than 41,000
people are missing, following Cyclone Nargis on 2-3 May.
Initial estimates suggest that up to one
million people are currently homeless, and many more require
assistance.
The Secretary-General believes that this is a
critical moment for the people of Myanmar, and emphasizes the
importance of providing as much assistance as possible in the vital
first few days following the cyclone’s impact.
He welcomes today’s news that some UN aid
officials will be allowed into Myanmar tomorrow, which will assist
assessment and prioritization efforts.
Given the magnitude of this disaster, the
Secretary-General urges the Government of Myanmar to respond to the
outpouring of international support and solidarity by facilitating the
arrival of aid workers, and the clearance of relief supplies in every
way possible.
This can significantly aid the Government in
responding to this tragedy.
Asked whether the Secretary-General believes it is desirable to hold a referendum in Myanmar under the current circumstances, the Spokeswoman said she had nothing to add to what she had said on that topic on Tuesday. She noted that at present, the Secretary-General believes it is important to focus all efforts on helping the people who are in desperate need in Myanmar and to save as many lives as possible.
FIRST U.N. FLIGHTS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN YANGON EARLY THURSDAY
The World Food Programme (WFP) has
sent four aircraft loaded with critically needed food and other relief
items to Myanmar. A total of 45 metric tons of high-energy biscuits is
expected to arrive in Yangon early Thursday on two WFP-chartered
aircraft from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and one from Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates.A fourth aircraft from Brindisi, Italy, is carrying 25 metric
tones of emergency response equipment paid for by Italy.
These will be the first UN flights to arrive
in the city. WFP and partners will quickly transport the cargo to
the hardest hit regions along Myanmar’s southern coast.
Meanwhile, WFP and its partners today
distributed 90 tons of rice from existing stocks already in place to
Ayeyarwaddy Division townships and other locations near Yangon.
Some 130 UNICEF technical and operations staff
are continuing to travel to
cyclone-affected areas, identifying the greatest threats to women and
children and delivering supplies from pre-positioned emergency
stocks. These include family health kits, water purifying
solutions, oral rehydration salts, tarpaulins and cooking supplies.
The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is
also poised to deliver 22 tones of emergency relief supplies to Myanmar
through the border crossing from Mae Sot in northwest Thailand.
Plastic sheets and enough tents to provide shelter for 10,000 people
are also among the items slated for shipment. UNHCR has emergency
relief stocks in Thailand near the nine refugee camps strung out along
the lengthy border with Myanmar.
UNHCR says it is not usually involved in natural disaster relief operations, but it has responded to the cyclone crisis because of the scale of the devastation, the urgent need of the victims, and the proximity of its emergency supplies.
DARFUR: BAN KI-MOON DEPLORES BOMBINGS OF CIVILIAN LOCATIONS
The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by
the recent bombings of civilian locations in North Darfur. In
particular, the bombing of a school, water installations and a market
in the villages of Um Sidir, Ein Bassar and Shegeg Karo are entirely
unacceptable.
The United Nations-African Union Mission in
Darfur, UNAMID,
has assisted in the evacuation of casualties following the
attacks.
The Secretary-General strongly deplores these
acts, which targeted civilian areas, including in locations where
children congregate.
The Secretary-General is also concerned about
increasing acts of banditry which are complicating humanitarian
operations and impede UNAMID’s ability to carry out its mandate.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call for all parties to urgently cease hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians and to work with UNAMID to promote security and commit to the political process being led by the Special Envoys of the United Nations and African Union.
ZIMBABWE: BAN KI-MOON URGES FUTURE STAGES OF ELECTORAL PROCESS BE CONDUCTED IN PEACEFUL, CREDIBLE AND TRANSPARENT MANNER
The Secretary-General is closely following
the evolving situation in Zimbabwe, and has remained in contact with
leaders in the region.
He continues to be concerned by reports of
politically motivated violence and intimidation in the country as the
current impasse continues.
He reiterates his strong belief that future stages of the electoral process must be conducted in a peaceful, credible and transparent manner in the presence of international observers.
SECURITY COUNCIL IS BRIEFED ON SITUATION IN SIERRA LEONE
The Security Council, in an open
meeting this morning, heard from Assistant Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations Dmitry Titov about the work of the UN
Integrated Office in Sierra
Leone.
Titov noted that the new Sierra Leone
Government has taken major steps to implement its reform agenda, as
well as policies that promote transparency and accountability.
In July, he said, the country will take
another major step towards enhancing its democratic process by holding
local council elections, for which the U.N. Development Programme is providing technical
support. However, he said, there has regrettably been little
improvement in Sierra Leone’s socio-economic conditions.
The Council followed its open meeting with consultations, also on Sierra Leone.
U.N. ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE OFFICE IN NEPAL WRAPS UP ITS WORK
The UN Mission in Nepal’s Electoral Assistance
Office is
wrapping up its operations, having successfully provided technical
assistance and advice to Nepal’s Election Commission in the holding of
the historic Constituent Assembly election.
The Chief Electoral Advisor, Fida Nasrallah, will deliver a final report in June based on the written reports of all electoral advisors.
U.N. REGIONAL CENTER ON DISARMAMENT TO BE RELOCATED TO NEPAL
The Office for Disarmament Affairs
announced that Austria this week has committed to contribute 100,000
euros to fund its project on combating illicit brokering in small arms
and light weapons (SALW) in Asia and the Pacific.
Since the beginning of 2008, several other
Member States including Turkey, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan and
Thailand have made financial contributions to the Regional Centre,
which will be relocated to Katmandu, Nepal this July. The Centre needs
a total of $1.2 million to implement its two disarmament projects and
about $1 million to build its institutional capacity.
Covering 43 countries in the region, the
centre relies on voluntary contributions from donors for its staffing
needs, operations and all activities and projects.
The Office for Disarmament Affairs has been actively engaged in mobilizing resources for the Centre and for its projects on pressing disarmament issues.
BAN KI-MOON TRAVELS TO U.S. CITY OF ATLANTA
The Secretary-General is leaving this
afternoon for Atlanta, Georgia. This is part of his ongoing tour of
major U.S. cities.
Tomorrow morning he will join Atlanta Mayor
Shirley Franklin in viewing the Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers
Collection at the Robert W. Woodruff Library. He is expected to see
documents underlining the deep relationship between the civil rights
leader and the United Nations.
The Secretary-General’s tribute to Dr. King
will coincide with the yearlong commemoration of the 60th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights.
Also tomorrow, the Secretary-General plans to: meet with Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue; tour the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; visit CIFAL Atlanta, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the UN Institute for Training and Research; and discuss global health issues at a dinner at the Carter Center.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
DR CONGO HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS RECEIVES FUNDING: The Pooled Fund has announced its first allocation of 2008 for humanitarian projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. US$60 million will fund more than 160 projects. Additional allocations are expected to be announced by the end of the year. The Pooled Fund was established by the international community in 2006 to support humanitarian activities in the DRC. So far it has funded more than US$ 200 million worth of projects, benefiting roughly 20 million people.
U.N. PEACEKEEPING OFFICIAL TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS POST: Asked about the status of Jane Holl Lute, the Spokeswoman said that she had been the acting head of the Department of Field Services and would now return to her previous position in that Department.
*The guest at the noon briefing was John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, who briefed on the humanitarian situation in Myanmar and UN assistance efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.
Office
of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
