Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Central African Republic
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the high-level meeting on the Central African Republic.He said that recent events in Bangui underscore the fragility of the situation. It is clear that the latest violence in Bangui is designed to destabilize the country and jeopardize the transition process, he added.
He said that we must work together to ensure against a relapse of the horrific violence that tore the country apart. All those who perpetrate or instigate crimes — including human rights violations — or incite violence must be held accountable. The Secretary-General also stressed importance of international support and the need to bridge religious and communal divisions and to find common ground.
He called for the mobilization of the necessary support for the speedy implementation of the outcomes of the Bangui Forum, the successful conclusion of the Transition, and the building blocks for long-term peace and development that the people of the Central African Republic demand and deserve. His full remarks are online. And we expect Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous to speak to you at the stakeout — I believe that’s the General Assembly stakeout — after the meeting ends, at around 1 p.m.
On the humanitarian front, our colleagues tell us today that more than 42,000 people have been displaced in Bangui since violence began over the weekend. This brings the total number of people displaced in the capital to nearly 70,000. Insecurity is restricting access to displaced communities and the delivery of assistance. Two national NGOs were looted yesterday and sporadic unrest continues to impede humanitarian work across the country.
**United Nations Seventieth Anniversary
The Secretary-General also spoke this morning at the General Assembly’s high-level thematic debate marking the UN’s seventieth anniversary, focusing on international peace and security. He said that UN peacekeeping operations and special political missions today deploy more than 128,000 people around the world. And that is more than ever before.
In order to improve our performance, he said, major reviews are under way encompassing UN peace operations, the UN peacebuilding architecture and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. His remarks are available online.
**Pacific Islands
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum. He said that the Forum is crucial to realizing our global vision for a sustainable future, and that now we need action on climate change, which has a severe impact on the Pacific region. Those remarks are also online and available.
**Quartet
Late yesterday, we issued a statement on behalf of the Quartet; as you know, the Quartet being the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry, the European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, as well as the Secretary-General. They met amongst themselves and also with key Arab and other partners. That statement was issued yesterday.
**Refugees and Migrants
On refugees, at the end of yesterday’s high-level event on migration and refugees, the Deputy Secretary-General spoke to the press. He called it an enriching meeting which covered the values and principles, as well as international law, that guides us in addressing the issue.
On a related note, with more than half a million people — most of them refugees — having crossed the Mediterranean Sea this year to find safety in Europe, UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] today has revised its appeal upwards for funding needed to find solutions to both the causes and effects of these movements.
This updated appeal includes activities in Europe but also incorporates programmes in countries of asylum or transit in the Middle East and Africa. UNHCR is planning for up to 700,000 people to seek safety and international protection in Europe this year, and says that it is possible that this number could rise next year. That is also available on UNHCR’s website.
**Yemen
On Yemen, yesterday afternoon, we issued a readout of the meeting between President [Abdrabuh Mansour] Hadi Mansour, the President of Yemen, and the Secretary-General. During that meeting, the Secretary-General expressed his extreme concern over the increasing number of civilian casualties, especially as a result of airstrikes, and the increasingly massive humanitarian crisis. He called on the Government to use its influence with its partners and do its utmost to protect civilians and to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.
**Syria
Earlier today, the Secretary-General met this morning with Walid al-Moualem, the Deputy Prime Minister of Syria. The Secretary-General stressed that there was no military solution to the conflict and that the Government had to fulfil its responsibility to engage constructively in the political process. He noted that the creation of extremism and terrorism in the country was largely a consequence of the lack of political dialogue. The Secretary-General expressed the hope that the Government of Syria would work closely and collaboratively with his Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura. He also expressed the hope that the Government of Syria would allow unfettered humanitarian access to all hard-to-reach and besieged areas in the country.
**Appointment
Personnel appointment: the Secretary-General is today announcing the appointment of Lieutenant-General Ajax Porto Pinheiro of Brazil as the Force Commander of MINUSTAH, the UN Peacekeeping Mission in [Haiti].
Lieutenant-General Ajax will succeed Lieutenant-General José Luiz Jaborandy Junior of Brazil, as you will recall, who tragically passed away on 30 August 2015. The Secretary-General was deeply saddened by Lieutenant-General Jaborandy’s untimely death, and reiterates his appreciation for all his work in Haiti. Lieutenant-General Ajax brings to this position over 30 years of national and international military experience. His bio is available in my office.
**Press Encounters
In a short while, Leonard Doyle, the Spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), will be here as my guest to brief on migration. And then at around 1:15 p.m., as I mentioned, Hervé Ladsous is speaking at the General Assembly stakeout on the CAR [Central African Republic]. And then he will be back a second time around 5:30 p.m., to brief you on the results of the high-level meeting on Mali. Yes?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Mr. Spokesman. My name is [inaudible]. [Inaudible]. A lot of really important behind‑the‑scenes work is being done, but any outcomes, but any contributions, anything…?
Spokesman: On financing? Yes, well, obviously, the recent Addis Ababa meeting on financing for development was an important road step in trying to find the right pathways for financing. There will be other discussions going on throughout the year and also, as you mentioned, here. Obviously, financing is critical to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and it involves not just government but civil society and the private sector, as well.
Question: Anything…?
Spokesman: I have nothing new to announce, as of today. Oleg and then Matthew?
Question: That was fast.
Spokesman: Okay. Sorry.
Question: While meeting Walid Moualem, did Ban Ki‑moon raise this question of collective fighting ISIS and other terrorist groups?
Spokesman: I think the general situation in Syria was raised. What I was able to share with you is what was in the readout. But, obviously, it is part… very much part of the general situation ongoing in Syria. Mr. Lee and then Majid.
Question: Sure. I wanted to ask you something about South Sudan. But, first, since you were there at that stakeout with the Deputy Secretary‑General yesterday, seems like the rationale for not even confirming or denying that he's the head of a panel to interview people for UNHCR is that there's some confidential candidates. And I guess I wanted… Since there's so much discussion about next SG and they passed a resolution, does the Secretary‑General believe people should be able to run, for example, for Secretary‑General confidentially? What's the rationale for allowing, at this important time, the process to shield… you know, shrouded in mystery?
Spokesman: No, I don't think it shrouded in mystery.
Question: Who's running?
Spokesman: There is a procedure for selection of senior appointments, which is outlined in a General Assembly document. There is a need to balance, I think, transparency with a need to protect the privacy of candidates. The Secretary‑General put out a very public call for candidatures. Some candidates will wish to make themselves public and announce. Others, for whatever reason, like in any other… for any other post, may not want it to be known they applied for a job and didn't get it. There is… the process, I think, I would encourage… the process is very clear and is outlined in the Secretary‑General's note to the General Assembly from, I think, four years ago.
Question: Would disclosing the number of candidates or who re… who is in charge of the review panel? How does that invade the privacy of anyone?
Spokesman: The decision is the Secretary‑General's. So, that's clear.
Question: How many people are running?
Spokesman: I think I just answered that question. Majid?
Question: Yes, Stéphane. It's good to see you here.
Spokesman: It's great to be here. Fantastic. Would not want to be anywhere else. Yes?
Question: Secretary‑General last week met many world leaders. Is there any good news about the front for the humanitarian assistance in Iraq, especially for the refugees? Has the world leaders had… made any new promises?
Spokesman: Obviously, we will be doing an accounting of what has been pledged, because there have been some pledges. We noted also the G7 ministers met and pledged a number of resources for some of the UN's humanitarian operations, notably in Syria. I think our colleagues at OCHA [Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] are tabulating those numbers. But what I think will remain clear is that, even after this General Assembly, our humanitarian appeals will continue to be woefully underfunded. Carla?
Question: The President of Kazakhstan has urged that every country contribute 1 per cent of the military budget to the Sustainable Development Goals. Do you know whether this… any action is being taken on this?
Spokesman: I don't know. I don't know. Oleg?
Question: There seem to be some positive outcomes from the recent negotiations on Ukraine. And there were some major announcements made, particularly I think they agreed to pull out less than 100 millimetre arms, which is basically… mostly everything except for light arms. So any reaction from Ban Ki‑moon, any role he could play in the further developments, positive? Thank you.
Spokesman: The Secretary‑General will continue to encourage the peaceful resolution of the current crisis in Ukraine and notably an increase in humanitarian access is, I think, something we would like to see. We've seen the humanitarian situation deteriorate in the East. I know there's some Normandy Format talks coming up at the Head of State level. And the Secretary‑General welcomes that and welcomes any new positive developments. Mr. Lee?
Question: Sure. I wanted to ask you, on South Sudan, the Spokesman for the Ugandan People's Defence Force, Paddy Ankunda, has said that they're not pulling out. They were supposed to begin leaving on 27 September. They said that they're studying the situation, but it's now 1 October, and they're not leaving. So I wondered… I mean, it seems like the UN has a mission there. The UN's been involved in, I know, in… in some of the talks. What is the UN's view of Uganda remaining in the country?
Spokesman: I haven't seen… I haven't seen the Spokesperson's actual comments. Obviously, we would expect anyone who is a party or has an influence on the situation to live up to what was signed on to in Addis Ababa and the IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority for Development] sponsored talks.
Question: And you may not like this one, but I'm going to ask it.
Spokesman: As opposed to…?
Question: All right. Whatever. First, do you have anything yet on the cafeteria workers being told to be in a separate room?
Spokesman: No, I do not.
Question: Okay. Relatedly, I believe relatedly, I wanted to ask you, either now or later today… it may be a denial but… to confirm or deny that a private shower was installed on the 38th floor in the Office of the Deputy Secretary‑General and that this involves a cost to the UN and it also involves the… I guess, a butler is the word that I heard, but you tell me. I mean, I told you…
Spokesman: I will not… I won't comment on plumbing issues. And second, there is no butler for the Deputy Secretary‑General.
Question: What about the shower?
Spokesman: I have no clue at all.
Question: Was a shower installed?
Spokesman: I have no… I'm not aware… I'm not aware of any shower being installed. And I welcome all our… Okay. Thank you. And I welcome all our Reham al-Farra fellow journalists who come all around the world to listen to this briefing, so thank you.