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.
Good afternoon.
**Security Council on Resolution 1325 (2000)
Earlier today, the Security Council adopted resolution 2242 unanimously, urging Member States to assess strategies and resources needed in implementing the women, peace and security agenda.
Addressing Council members at the debate marking the 15th anniversary of the resolution [1325], the Secretary-General stressed the need to step up efforts for women’s empowerment. He added that any reforms, including of the UN, must include gender equality and women’s leadership as central ingredients, and must be strongly grounded in human rights. The Secretary-General thanked Radhika Coomaraswamy, the lead author of the Global Study on the implementation of resolution 1325, as well as UN-Women [United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women], Member States and civil society for their important contributions.
Speaking after the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN Women highlighted that there is a growing body of evidence that the greatest and most under-utilised tool we have for successfully building peace is the meaningful inclusion of women.
And also just as a fact that may be of interest to you - we have learned that this debate has the largest number of speakers in our records, to the best of our knowledge – 112 speakers are inscribed by mid-morning so the meeting will go on late in the afternoon. Our colleagues at Security Council affairs tell us it’s the largest number they have ever had for Security Council meeting.
**Secretary-General’s Travels
The Secretary-General will be traveling to Italy and Slovakia this week. He will first go to Rome where, on Thursday, he will address the Parliament on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Italy’s accession to the United Nations. He is scheduled to meet with a number of Government officials during his visit, including the President and Foreign Minister of Italy.
The Secretary-General will also deliver a keynote speech at the Third World Forum on Local Economic Development that takes place in Turin. He will then mark World Food Day at the Milan Expo and participate in events on ending hunger. Back in Rome, the Secretary-General will also visit a refugee centre in the Italian capital.
The Secretary-General will then travel on to the Slovak Republic where he is scheduled to meet with the President and Prime Minister as well as the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. In Bratislava, he is scheduled to meet with students from the diplomatic academy at Comenius University. And he will also receive an honorary doctorate from the university. And he is also scheduled to visit a centre hosting refugees in Gabčíkovo before returning on to New York.
**Middle East
And from Jerusalem, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, otherwise known as UNRWA, said in a statement that they are deeply alarmed by the escalating violence and widespread loss of civilian life in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel. It says that only robust political action can prevent the further escalation of a situation that is affecting Palestinian and Israeli civilians.
UNRWA reiterates the Secretary-General’s call on all sides to respect and protect the rights of children, in particular their inherent right to life. The Agency calls for maximum restraint to ensure the protection of civilians, in accordance with international law.
**Syria
And the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that between 4 and 9 October, approximately 7,000 households – that’s up to 40,000 people - fled towns in northern rural Hama in Syria as a result of intensified conflict involving Government ground forces, non-State armed groups and Russian airstrikes.
Humanitarian partners estimate that at least 2,000 families from the total number of displaced have gathered in open spaces and that some 200 families have managed to find shelter with host families or rented homes. Most internally displaced people have fled to towns in Idleb governorate. Many of the displaced population have opted to remain in close proximity to their homes; in the hope of returning should fighting cease in coming days. Most IDP camps and settlements in the areas have reached their full capacity and cannot accommodate additional arrivals. The most urgent humanitarian needs include basic food items, basic supplies, shelter and water, as well as hygiene kits.
**Chad
And from Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said that it is particularly concerned over the recent attack at the Kousseri site for internally displaced Chadians in Baga Sola. As you’ll remember that the Secretary-General condemned these suicide attacks in Chad in a statement we issued earlier.
UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have been trying to help provide protection and assistance to tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes by the conflict with Boko Haram in that area. The agency says that the attack on Baga Sola has shown how vulnerable and isolated the displaced are in the lake area. But it welcomed the government’s determination to improve security - more information on UNHCR’s website.
**Statements
Also, just to flag for the record - we issued a statement yesterday afternoon welcoming the peaceful conduct of the first round of the presidential election in Guinea. As Guinea awaits the final results, the Secretary-General encourages all political leaders and national stakeholders to maintain the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed on election day and to refrain from any statements that may lead to violence and unrest.
We also issued a statement condemning the two simultaneous suicide attacks in Kangaleri, Cameroon, that took place on 11 October by suspected Boko Haram groups.
And in a third statement, the Secretary-General urged the local authorities in Afghanistan to undertake a rigorous and prompt investigation into the circumstances and motives behind the killing yesterday of Toorpaki Ulfat, a UN staff member with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
**Disaster Risk Reduction
And today is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and in his message for the day, the Secretary-General stresses the importance of traditional and indigenous knowledge in helping many societies live in harmony with nature and adapt to disruptive weather events. He added that local knowledge of the impacts of urbanization, population growth and eco-system decline and greenhouse gas emissions is especially important in an era when more and more disasters are climate and weather-related.
**Cyprus
And just to flag that the UN Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards, otherwise known as Daniel Craig, is in Cyprus today to visit the UN peacekeeping mission there. This is his first mission since he was appointed to this role by the Secretary-General.
Yesterday, he visited an active minefield and saw first hand the difficult and risky work involved in manual demining and explosive ordnance disposal by UN peacekeepers from Cambodia. In the past decade, UN de-miners have removed some 27,000 landmines from the buffer zone in Cyprus.
**Ukraine
And the International Civil Aviation Organization, otherwise known as ICAO, today welcomed the Dutch Safety Board’s accident investigation final report on Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The head of ICAO’s Council said that it will review the report’s recommendations and respond as needed.
In the weeks after the MH17 tragedy, the ICAO set up a special task force on risks to civil aviation arising from conflict zones. The Task Force recommended that ICAO should establish an online system where States could share their conflict zone information more effectively, and where the public could also access it. And that site was launched in April.
**UN70
And an announcement from my colleagues at the Department of Public Information (DPI) – they have just put out a press release on a global campaign for the UN’s 70th anniversary commemoration. As part of the campaign, which is called ‘Turn the World UN Blue,’ more than 160 landmarks in nearly 50 countries across the world will be lit up in UN blue on the 24th of October.
Some of the landmarks include the Opera House in Sydney, the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio, as well as the Empire State Building, and the UN headquarters in New York. Cristina Gallach, the Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, will be here on Monday to brief you about the campaign. The press release on the campaign is available in the back of the room.
**Press Conferences
After you are done with me, you will have John Ging, who will speak to you about his recent trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
And at 1:30 p.m., a briefing by the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands on resolution 1325.
Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., Ambassador Tuvako Manongi of Tanzania will be here to brief you on the status of people with albinism in Tanzania.
And then at 12:30 p.m., a briefing by the Office for the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) on "Agenda 2063: Africa's Fifty Year Transformation Plan."
**Questions and Answers
Mr. Klein?
Question: Yes. Yesterday, Farhan [Haq] distinguished between an inquiry and an audit with regard to examining the relationship between the UN Office of South‑South Cooperation and the Global Sustainability Foundation and Mr. Ng and Seng's foundation. First, could you explain what that distinction means in practical terms, and why hasn't a full‑scale independent investigation been called for at this time?
Spokesman: I think an audit is conducted by auditors. It assesses and sort of maps out the situation in terms of the finances as well as the interaction between the UN and those two entities you mention. And obviously, if they see any wrongdoing, that will be investigated further. And I said, it's in initial steps. Mr. Abbadi, then Mr. Lee?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. You refer to the events in Jerusalem and other areas and the mounting violence, 30 Palestinians dead and three or four Israelis dead and many hundreds are injured. The Secretary‑General is part of the Quartet. Why is the Quartet silent on these current events?
Spokesman: Well, I think the Quartet, first of all, I think, met recently and issued a statement. The Quartet envoys will be in the region later this month to meet with key actors. Mr. [Nickolay] Mladenov, the Secretary‑General's Special Coordinator, who is the Secretary‑General's Quartet envoy, is currently consulting with the parties on the ground on how to address the deteriorating security situation. He's met with senior Israeli officials, senior Palestinian officials, and… I mean, that's where we are on the work of the Quartet or Quartet‑related issues. Mr. Lee?
Question: Sure. Questions on Myanmar and Burundi, but I want to ask inevitably about the revelations about Mr. [John] Ashe and Frank Lorenzo and others. And just as you… as the lead Spokesman, a person that travels around with the Secretary‑General, how… what would you say to the photos that exist of the Secretary‑General with David Ng, who was since indicted, and Frank Lorenzo and, particularly, in instances where it appears that groups that receive contributions from the two and then put them in a room to have photographs with the Secretary‑General? Is this something that… how does the Secretary‑General view this in retrospect, and what's going to be done in the future?
Spokesman: First of all, a photo of the Secretary‑General with any individual should in no way be interpreted as a sponsorship or agreement. It's just a photo. The Secretary‑General is very much a public figure, attends a lot of public events where there are a lot of people. Sometimes people come up to him and ask to have their photo taken. And it's done within the… within, obviously, the security constraints that need to be had. I think whether it's the Secretary‑General of the United Nations or anyone in leadership position, you will find when you travel with them that a lot of people want to have their photo taken with them. Inasmuch as that is… we try to control that, sometimes it's difficult to do so. I think the Secretary‑General is as shocked as anyone in this building at the charges that were levelled at these two individuals. And he's very disappointed at the accusations towards the United Nations.
Question: I guess… just… I mean, it seems… obviously, to business interests having an actual kind of formal handshaking one, I'm… I guess I'll just say that that is worth something to them. That's why they…
Spokesman: I'm not… I'm not debating that point… [cross talk] I'm just saying that having a picture of the Secretary‑General with any individual should in no way be seen as a sponsorship, approval, making them BFF's or anything.
Question: I guess I just want to be more specific. If an event… and there's one that actually, as it turns out, I witnessed in Cipriani. If the Secretary‑General enters a large space and is then taken to a smaller space for such photographs, what's the basis for that, as opposed to people with selfies? I mean, I understand what you're saying…
Spokesman: I think, you know, if you were there, then maybe you condoned the event as well. The issue is the Secretary‑General attends a lot of events. Sometimes there is a VIP reception. None of it should be construed as anything as the Secretary‑General having his picture taken with anyone.
Question: One more specific thing on this? Not on the photographs but related.
Spokesman: Go ahead.
Question: This… it's been a number of days now; I'm assuming that, if not you, OLA [Office of Legal Affairs], someone has read through this long FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] affidavit. And I want to just ask you again, because in it, it says that, after the… the… the official UN document about the Macau centre was procured, there was a separate payment to Mr. Ashe, separate communications with a UN official number one, who reissued the document as a… amended… revised for technical reasons, with the name of the company in it. And it seems to me, even before you waiting for an OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] investigation, the scope of which wouldn't touch that, who in the UN is actually… how does it work, first of all? Who… which part of the UN amends documents after they're released? Is it DGACM [Department for General Assembly and Conference Management]…?
Spokesman: Listen, I'm not going to talk about the specifics of the case. But it is clear that if the President of one of the legislative bodies in this Organization which controls the agenda, or a sponsoring country for resolution, asks the Secretary‑General to amend a text, we serve as the Secretariat. It's not… it's… it doesn't entail sponsoring of what's inside that text. Olga, then Abdel Hamid? I switched back to coffee today. I warn you.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. You've read the statement from ICAO, and is Secretary‑General aware of the report? Has he seen that?
Spokesman: Yes, he's very much aware of the report. He's seen the news reports. Has he read the full report? No. Neither have I. We're just taking a look at it. He obviously welcomes, as well, the final report, the release of the final report of the investigation into MH17, which was done by the Dutch Safety Board in line with Security Council resolution 2166. I think, from the beginning, the United Nations has fully supported and shared in his… in its… in the determination of the international community to seek the truth about what happened. The Secretary‑General, I think, would like to seize this opportunity, the release of the report to once again pay tribute to the innocent victims of the downing of MH17, all those people who lost their lives on that day. And he fully shares in the need for full accountability for this tragedy and underlines that anyone found to be responsible must be brought to justice. Abdel Hamid?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Going back to the statement issued by UNRWA. First, when the statement is issued by a humanitarian organization, that means it is focusing on the humanitarian aspect of the conflict. Does it have the same weight if this statement [is] issued by the Secretary‑General? That's one question. Second, why it didn't include any figure? I mean, there are 30 Palestinian killed and 1,991 Palestinian wounded. So skipping the figures and calling on all sides, it means like you are… both sides are equal and both are paying a price almost equal. So why [did] the statement didn't come in the name of the Secretary‑General? And, second, why it didn't include figures?
Spokesman: First of all, on figures, I think our colleagues at OCHA regularly report on protection of civilians issues in the occupied Palestinian territory. Those are public reports and very much public figures. As far as the Secretary‑General is concerned, I think he obviously continues to be deeply concerned about the violence that we've seen unabated, despite efforts by both sides to calm the situation and reduce the tensions. He's clearly condemned all the terror… acts of terror we've seen in Israel and in Palestine. And I think also the Secretary‑General would find that the apparent excessive use of force by Israeli security forces is also troubling and demands serious review, as it only serves to exacerbate the situation, leading to a vicious cycle of needless bloodshed. You know, I think, again, we can look at the… you know, we see the fear and we see frustration among the youths, sewn by the longstanding occupation; the lack of a political horizon is an underlying cause which must be addressed. I think the Secretary‑General is having lunch with… his monthly lunch with the Security Council today. It's the lunch hosted by the Presidency, Presidency of Spain. The issue of the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine will be very much a part of what will be discussed at the lunch. As… you know, when we issue a statement in the name of the Secretary‑General and the name of a Special Coordinator, the name of an envoy, that's really at our discretion. Yes, sir?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Over the last few days, newspapers are reporting spikes in the attacks by ISIL in Afghanistan. Since UNAMA collects lot of figures of the conflict between Government forces and Taliban, what is their take on this?
Spokesman: I will… have not seen an update from UNAMA, but I will find out. Yes, sir?
Question: Thanks, Stéphane. Today, Amnesty International fact‑finding mission reported that in northern Syria, the Kurdish militias forced the people to leave their homes and then after that, they demolished these homes to prevent their coming back. Generally, this population is Arabic and Turkmen population, and they say it's amounting to war crimes. What [does the] Secretary‑General have to say about that?
Spokesman: I have not seen that report, but I will take a look at it. Yes, and then come back.
Question: Stéphane, when you… in your statement, you said the Secretary‑General condemned all kinds of terror. Does that include state terror? And would you see what the Israeli Government is doing or Israeli forces, military and settlers, against Palestinians in the West Bank and occupied territories but also inside Israel, as a state terror?
Spokesman: I think what I've just said is… flagged the excessive… reported excessive use of force by Israeli security… security forces. I think we have seen acts of terror being committed by civilians inside Israel -- of stabbings, and those are things that the Secretary‑General speaks out against. Yes?
Question: I’m Rohit Vyas, TV Asia. Just curious. In light of the John Ashe episode, are senior officials of the UN… and this is around the world at all your bodies around the world… are they adopting a more cautious attitude in who accesses them and who they're seen with? I mean, even if it's a self‑defence mechanism, I imagine that's a natural reaction. Is that being seen more now?
Spokesman: Well, I think, you know, we would expect UN officials to use common sense and to make sure that they know who they're doing business with. As I said, sometimes in terms of taking photos, there's just nothing much you can… you can do about it. Yes, Carmen?
Question: Mr. Dujarric, the Committee to Protect Children has called on the Cuban Government, given the new openness, to guarantee protection of the rights of children, given Cuban legislation that makes the child an adult at the age of 16 and reports on, like, prostitution, child prostitution and child pornography. How does the Secretary‑General view this… the opportunity of the opening so that Cuba now can open to the UN mechanisms? Thank you.
Spokesman: I think the Secretary‑General would expect every state to do its utmost to cooperate with the human rights mechanisms, all of them, which are critical… a critical part of the international system in order to protect people's rights, including children's rights. Mr. Lee?
Question: Sure. And I definitely want to get to this Burundi question, but, in having heard… I just want to directly ask you about the idea that it's sort of people struggling to get photos with the UN officials. There was a… there was a peacekeeping day concert that was… for which solicitation of… you know, sponsorship was sought by a group called World Harmony Alliance, and it had nothing… the group has nothing to do with peacekeeping, but they paid for day. They… they… in fact, the funder complained that he didn't get the promised photograph with Ban Ki‑moon, but I wonder, what was… what's the UN's understanding when they take outside financial sponsorship for such a day? I mean, former UN official [Ibrahim] Gambari was seen with the same group taking photographs on the fourth floor in the Millennium Hotel. What's it all about? What’s happening?
Spokesman: What former officials do in hotels is really not of my purview.
Question: Sure. What about UN peacekeeping?
Spokesman: I would take a look at that actual programme, but I would expect every part of the UN to do due diligence when it partners with an outside organization. And just… I'll leave it at that.
Question: Okay. On Burundi, can I ask you…?
Spokesman: No, because I don't have anything new on Burundi.
Question: I have a question.
Spokesman: Masood?
Question: About this question, which I'm asking you again and again on this dossier, do you have any information on those… those dossiers submitted on Indian interference?
Spokesman: I do not.
Question: You still don't have anything.
Spokesman: Just because I don't have it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. [Laughter] It just means I don't have it.
Question: Another question I wanted to ask and I had raised it with you about, as soon as this UNGA [United Nations General Assembly] special session ended, that the journalists are being treated like pariahs by the security. Obviously, there are some arrangements that have totally prohibited the journalists from going from one corridor to the other or across the street, and nothing… I mean, we say it every year. Nothing has been done about it. What is it that you can do to facilitate that?
Spokesman: I would encourage you to request a meeting with the head of the Department of Public Information to try to address the issues that you suffer during the General Assembly. Mr. Abbadi, Mr. Klein, Mr. Lee?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Regarding the resolution passed by the Security Council on the women advancement and peace, does the Secretary‑General intend in his last year to implement that resolution by appointing or promoting women at higher level?
Spokesman: Well, I think the Secretary‑General has a very excellent track record of appointing women at senior levels whether it's his… his Chef de Cabinet, his first Deputy Secretary‑General. You've seen a high number of… maybe not… high is not the right word. I think you've seen an important number of women being appointed to head peacekeeping missions, I think, throughout the system. I think the Secretary‑General, if I'm not mistaken, has appointed about 55 women to very senior positions, and we can always do better. Mr. Klein?
Question: I want to go back to the subject of due diligence. One of my favourite phrases…
Spokesman: Do do that. [laughter]
Question: Thank you. You talked about the audit that's going to be conducted in relation to how the money contributed for those two foundations is being used, disbursed by the UN agency. But isn't there the broader question… and I don't understand why this is not right for investigation now… as to the specifics due diligence procedures that are used by UN agencies such as the UN Office for South‑South Cooperation in vetting who they're receiving money from. And I'm just going to say, in this particular case, you have the Global Compact that expelled the Ng group, Ng Seng's company. You have the evident absence of any tax filing by this foundation, even though they have an office in New York City. You have a five‑year‑old report that's on the internet by a for‑profit hotel casino company that raised red flags in an investigation they commissioned on this individual. And yet money was accepted without apparent real due diligence. So why isn't it, right now, in addition to the auditing of how the money is being disposed of, to look at behind the whole procedure of due diligence?
Spokesman: I don't disagree with you. I think it's probably something we will need to take a look at. As I mentioned, this audit is an initial step. Mr. Lee?
Question: Rather than follow up on that, at least for today, I do want to ask, and the Burundi question is one that maybe you can check with DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations]. Burundian human rights activists say that an officer, Jerome Ntibogora, N‑t‑i‑b‑o‑g‑o‑r‑a, who was accused of being involved in killing people in a… in a hospital after they fled from the Government, has now been deployed to MINUSMA [United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission] in Mali. So I wanted to…
Spokesman: Let's see what we can find out.
Question: Okay. And on Myanmar, I figure you might have a statement on this…
Spokesman: I don't. I'm waiting for some guidance on the issue of the elections.
Question: And do have you any response to Radhika Coomaraswamy, a former UN official, yesterday in her independent report proposed a special tribunal for sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers and UN civil staff? And she's… so I'm wondering what does the UN say to that proposal by a respected UN former official?
Spokesman: You know, obviously, I think, as the Secretary‑General said in his statement, he welcomes the general work done in the report, which is a very important report itself. You know, on the issue of a special tribunal, obviously, that would also be an initiative for Member States. We'll look forward to considering all the options and recommendations that are in the independent panel in more detail and in the 400‑page report. I think, in general, obviously, the Secretary‑General's position on demanding accountability for those found to have committed sexual abuse is well known and unambiguous, as he has said himself directly in this room or the Security Council stakeout. On the issue of SEA [sexual exploitation and abuse], the Secretary‑General laid out to the General Assembly a number of measures, including increased vetting, a complaint reception mechanism, among other issues. He's also asked for a Trust Fund for victims. So he will continue to work with Member States on that issue.
I will get Mr. Ging. And we'll be right back.