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 and welcome to our guests, students from the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy.
**Burundi
On Burundi, the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, issued a joint statement from the Valetta Summit on migration along with the African Union Chairperson Ms. [Nkosazana] Dlamini-Zuma and the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.
In that statement, they said they were alarmed by the widening divisions, the threat for many more lives and a deep regional crisis in the country.
They pledged to work closely together and to mobilise all means and instruments to prevent a further deterioration of the situation, and agreed on the urgency to convene a meeting of the Burundian government and opposition representatives in Addis Ababa or Kampala, under the chairmanship of President [Yoweri] Museveni of Uganda.
That statement was shared with you a short while ago and as you know, the Security Council is meeting on Burundi as we speak.
**Central African Republic
On the Central African Republic, the UN Mission there, as you will have seen from a statement we issued yesterday afternoon, has dispatched a team to gather facts, following new allegations of misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, and fraternization with the local population by peacekeepers.
The multifunctional team will also aim to sensitize the troops involved and take immediate preventive and disciplinary measures; and more broadly to take corrective action against misconduct throughout the mission, should the allegations be substantiated.
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, condemned such acts and conveyed his commitment to ensure justice is served in each and every case. He also reiterated his intention to take swift and appropriate measures should the allegations be substantiated.
The Secretary-General echoes these sentiments. As you know, he believes that any single act of misconduct or abuse tarnishes the work of all peacekeepers.
Also on the Central African Republic, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that humanitarian partners are responding to the urgent needs of thousands of people displaced by recent inter-communal violence at a site sheltering displaced people in Batangafo, in Ouham Province.
At least ten people were reportedly killed and over 700 shelters burned. Tensions remain high in the area.
Our humanitarian colleagues say that the displaced families urgently need household items and emergency food assistance — particularly, obviously, those whose homes were torched.
Aid organizations are providing drinking water at distribution points and are building latrines. The response is also focusing on emergency shelter and household supplies.
The Batangafo displacement site normally hosts over 30,000 people. Due to the violence, most people have now regrouped to other locations nearby.
**Sudan
On Darfur, aid agencies say they have identified 18,000 people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Fanga Suk town — that’s in North Jebel Marra. Our humanitarian colleagues say that the initial response will include shelter and three-month food rations for about 8,000 people.
Fanga Suk has been inaccessible to aid organizations for more than four years. The town and surrounding area was affected by a significant increase in fighting between Government forces and armed groups in early 2015.
The assessment mission was unable to visit areas around the town reportedly hosting many other people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian partners continue to work with the Government of Sudan to expand access to the broader Jebel Marra area.
**Libya
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, Ali Al-Za’tari, has welcomed the release of two Libyan humanitarian workers.
As we have been reminding you here a number of [times], the two were abducted in June this year when delivering aid in southwestern Libya. They were released recently, we are told.
Mr. Al-Za’tari emphasized the need for all parties in Libya to allow safe access for aid workers delivering assistance across the country. More information on the UN’s [Mission’s] website.
**UNHCR
As you are aware, the Secretary-General, following consultations with the Chairs of the regional groups of Member States, informed the General Assembly yesterday afternoon of his intention to appoint Filippo Grandi of Italy as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Mr. Grandi was Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (otherwise known as UNRWA) from 2010 to 2014, and its Deputy Commissioner-General from 2005 until 2010. He served as the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative in Afghanistan and has a long-standing career with UNHCR, notably as Chief of Mission in Afghanistan and Chief of Staff of the High Commissioner’s Office.
We are delighted to welcome Filippo back.
**Zionism
Yesterday evening, the Secretary-General spoke at an event commemorating Chaim Herzog’s words against the now-rescinded General Assembly resolution 3379, which had equated Zionism with racism. The Secretary-General recalled that the reputation of the United Nations was badly damaged by the adoption of that resolution, in and beyond Israel and the wider Jewish community.
The Secretary-General appealed to the community of nations to always act to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours.” He said that, as we come together to commemorate the revocation of resolution 3379, our focus must be on the many manifestations of hatred and intolerance that blight the global landscape — resurgent anti-Semitism, wide-ranging anti-Muslim bigotry and attacks, discrimination against migrants and refugees.
**Ethiopia
The UN Humanitarian Chief, Stephen O’Brien, released today $17 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support people affected by the worst drought in Ethiopia in decades.
The El Niño global climate event has wreaked havoc on Ethiopia’s summer rains. This comes on the heels of failed spring rains, and has driven food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in affected areas of the country.
Mr. O’Brien said that a timely response to the emergency is critical, and that if we don’t act today, we face an even graver situation tomorrow, with more immense needs in 2016.
The number of people who need food assistance in East Africa is forecast to increase to over 22 million at the start of next year, with 15 million of those in Ethiopia alone.
**Maternal Mortality
I also want to flag today a new inter-agency report which reveals that maternal mortality has fallen by 44 per cent since 1990.
This equates to an estimated global maternal mortality ratio of 216 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, down from 385 in 1990.
Maternal mortality is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth or within 6 weeks after giving birth. This report is available online.
**Press Conferences
In a short while, I will be joined by Police Advisers Stefan Feller, as well as Dee Dee Rodriguez from the UN police presence in Guinea-Bissau, and the Police Commissioner [Awale] Abdounasir from the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). They will be here to brief you on the tenth meeting of the Heads of UN Police Components, which is taking place this week in New York as part of UN week.
Tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., there will be a briefing here by Mr. Jean-Louis Borloo, former Minister of Ecology of France, for the Energies for Africa Initiative.
**World Food Programme
Lastly, I wanted to do a little bit of show and tell, if you will allow me, and show you this new app from the World Food Programme, if I can make this work, called ShareTheMeal. And I expect all of you, especially all the students who are now here, to download it.
The app, produced by WFP, makes is easier to help Syrian refugees. [It] allows smartphone users to provide Syrian refugee children with vital nutrition with a simple tap on their phones.
A donation of fifty cents through the app can provide one hungry child with vital nutrition in each school day. Users can choose the amount they donate through their smartphone.
ShareTheMeal is WFP’s first fundraising and awareness-raising app. It’s free to download — but obviously we encourage you to give after you download it for free — and it is a pioneering way for people to join efforts in creating a world with zero hunger. Users are in charge of their giving experience and can choose to help feed a child whenever they like, such as when they are having lunch.
As you might know, WFP is 100 per cent voluntarily funded, so every donation counts. And as you know, as we have been saying here, so many of our humanitarian appeals, especially in Syria, are woefully underfunded. There’s more information on sharethemeal.org.
**Questions and Answers
Majeed?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. That's a very creative way to help the refugees. That's much… they need the much‑needed help. And I want to ask about what's going on in Iraq right now. Yesterday, there was a Security Council meeting about the situation there, and UN envoy mentioned that there are progress happening. Today there's a big military operation in Iraq, more than 7,500 Kurdish fighters, along with the US Special Forces and the coalition. They attacked… started an operation to free the Sinjar town in Northern Iraq in Kurdistan region. That's dominated by the Yazidis. And the operation is ongoing, and I'm hearing that it's successful. I wanted to know, what is the position of the UN about this? And my second part of the question is… is what UN did… does UN have any specific programme after those areas have been taken back from ISIS to help the people to go back there? Because there are thousands of them.
Spokesman: You know, obviously, I think, as Ján Kubiš said yesterday in the [Security] Council, it's very important for the Government of Iraq and the Kurdish forces to be united in fighting the threat from Da’esh. We've obviously seen the reports today of this new operation. I think any effort that can help push back Da’esh are to be welcomed. But I also would reiterate, as we've been saying here every time during military operations in Iraq and Syria and other places, that it's also critical that any such operation be conducted with respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. As for the rebuilding, obviously, when it becomes safe enough, I have no doubt that our UN colleagues in Iraq will see and focus very much on what they can do to rebuild an area that has been devastated by the presence of Da’esh for so long and, obviously, also bring psychosocial support to the population who have been left behind under the authority of Da’esh.
Question: Follow‑up on that on… about the lack of humanitarian fund for Iraq. Has the Secretary‑General or his office been in contact with the donating nations to end that crisis? Especially when Iraq is now facing… because of the drop of oil price facing a very…
Spokesman: This is a recurring call by the Secretary‑General and other… and all other senior UN officials in their discussions with donors on the need to fund these humanitarian appeals, whether there are… you know, the visible ones, like in Iraq and Syria, and others that are, frankly, also underreported in parts of Africa, South Sudan, Central African Republic or Yemen. We're seeing a pattern of underfunding in all our humanitarian operations. Mr. Abbadi, then Evelyn.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. You mentioned a little while ago the call issued by the three representatives of the UN, the African Union and the European Union to combine their efforts to spare no effort to end violence in Burundi. What can the three organisations achieve that the Security Council cannot?
Spokesman: Well, I think, you know, there is… it's important, I think, that the three organisations provide a united front. There are a number of envoys and advisers working on the issue of Burundi. We are all supporting the efforts by the East African economic community and the efforts led by President Museveni. I think all of these organisations want also to deliver a clear message not only to the President but all the parties involved in Burundi to sit around the table and resolve these differences peacefully. I think the violence that we've seen for the last weeks in Burundi are… is extremely disturbing, as well as the human rights violations. Evelyn?
Question: Yes. On the Central African Republic, one, do you have any more details? And, two, since the entire controversy started with the French, then involved the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo), which Reuters… which released the report says is involved in this latest, and Chad and who knows who else, the investigations never seem to produce a report that we can look at or any details on any of the people involved. Do you have any further timeline?
Spokesman: A couple of things. So as I mentioned, the UN… the peacekeeping leadership in Bangui has sent a mission to Bambari to see for themselves what the situation is. It's being led by the acting force commanders. It also includes representatives of OIOS (Office for Internal Oversight Services), of human rights, of conduct and discipline, and other senior mission staff, to investigate and do a quick look at these allegations, obviously also very much to be in contact with the alleged victims, with the communities, and to make sure that they are taken care of. So far, the mission in Central African Republic has received 22 allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct since the start of the mission, not including this latest information. Two investigations have been concluded, one substantiated and one not. One perpetrator was repatriated on disciplinary grounds with a referral to the Member State to take action. Sixteen cases are under investigation, while 4 are pending investigation, subject to gathering of more facts. The Secretary‑General reports yearly in his… to the General Assembly on issues of sexual abuse and misconduct in peacekeeping, and I think, as it's been said often, he intends to name the countries in his next report.
Question: When is the report?
Spokesman: The report comes out early next year, if I'm not mistaken. Yes, sir, and then Dulcie?
Question: Stéphane, is there an update on the Russian proposal for Syria and Secretary‑General… do you… do you…
Spokesman: No, I… and you know what? As I said yesterday, I think there's going to be in the hours… days and hours prior to the Vienna meeting a lot of leaks, some in… some not intentional, some strategic, to get information out. We will not comment on those. Mr. {Staffan] de Mistura is in Vienna doing preparatory meetings, and obviously, we'll have more to report when the meetings start. But at this point, we have nothing to say. Dulcie?
Question: Yeah, back to CAR, how did these allegations, the most recent ones, surface? I mean, did the…
Spokesman: They were brought to the mission's attention by the media, by a reporter.
Question: Oh, by a reporter? And so does the UN have a procedure for dealing with women who are impregnated by peacekeepers? What kind of follow‑up is there in that regard?
Spokesman: I think… you know, obviously, we're at the initial stages, but in any investigation of sexual abuse, alleged sexual abuse, by peacekeepers, reaching out to the victims is a critical part to ensure that they receive the support they need, either from the community or from the UN. And I'm told, for any of you who are interested, the British and French ambassadors are… will probably be out in the stakeout in a few minutes.
Question: Did you say which reporter went to MINUSCA?
Spokesman: It was… It's on… I think Reuters broke the story, not to give them any… Go and then Linda.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Do you have any updated comment on the election in Myanmar? Apparently, it seems to be…
Spokesman: No, we promised you some updated comments. They will probably not come today. I think there also needs to be… while the results have been known, there also needs to be a more official procedure, but we will get back to you on… shortly. Linda?
Question: Thank you, Stéph. Regarding Burundi, the Secretary‑General, I believe, is supposed to be sending a team there to help work out some kind of antiviolence. I was wondering if the team has been organized or if you have any details about when perhaps they will be leaving.
Spokesman: No, obviously, we have to… I mean, I think, as we speak, the Security Council resolution may have been adopted. We have, I think, according to the draft, I saw 15 days to report back, so I have no doubt my colleagues in DPKO (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) and DFS (Department of Field Support) will be getting on the planes very shortly or doing… and contingency planning, as always, is constantly being done here as well.
All right. I will get our police advisers. And I will be right back.