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 Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon.
**Climate
First off, I just wanted to announce that the Secretary‑General has invited world leaders to a special event on 21 September to deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The event will provide an opportunity to other Parties to publicly commit to joining or ratifying the agreement before the end of the year. It is expected that the September event will help efforts to secure early entry into force of the agreement. We have more information available in a press release in our office.
**El Niño
And the Secretary‑General is expected to speak at the high‑level event on Responding to the Impacts of El Niño and Mitigating Recurring Climate Risks at 1:15 p.m. today.
I also wanted to flag that Ertharin Cousin, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), is in Malawi this week to see for herself the impact of the devastating El Niño‑induced drought and to appeal on behalf of the 6.5 million people in need of urgent assistance.
An estimated 18 million people in the region’s hardest hit countries — Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi — need emergency food support. But the agency has only secured about a quarter of the $549 million needed for assistance.
From Malawi, Ms. Cousin will speak to reporters by telephone at 2:30 p.m. eastern time today. The dial‑in details are available in our office.
**Sustainable Development Goals
Today, the High-Level Political Forum began hearing presentations today from 22 countries on how they plan to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The presentations will continue through tomorrow, and mark an important element in establishing accountability in the implementation of the goals.
Also, the Deputy Secretary‑General, Jan Eliasson, spoke at the Sustainable Development Goals Business Forum this morning. He commended the efforts of the Global Compact and all companies committed to responsible business practices and stressed the need for creativity and innovation from the private sector to achieve the goals.
He added that, although we live at a moment of turmoil and turbulence, we must rise to the challenges we face and work together with unity of purpose, and not give in to division and polarization. His full remarks are available in our office.
Following my briefing, there will a press conference at 12:30 p.m. on how businesses are working to engage on the goals and in implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change. Speakers will include Lord Mark Malloch Brown, the Chair of the Business and Sustainable Development Commission. And tomorrow at 11 a.m., there will be a press conference on the launch of the SDGs 2016 Report.
**South Sudan
On South Sudan, the UN Mission in the country, UNMISS, reports that the situation around the country remains tense.
UNMISS is encountering harassment of its personnel and increased levels of obstruction of its operations, including denial of flight clearances. In Bor, restrictions are being placed on UNMISS patrols outside of Bor town and Bor market.
UNMISS has also received deeply disturbing reports of sexual violence, including rape, by soldiers in uniform against a number of civilians around UN House in the capital, Juba. The Mission is looking into these reports, which, if true, may constitute a war crime.
UNMISS calls on all parties to uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians and underscores that those perpetrating these entirely unacceptable attacks will be held accountable. The Mission, meanwhile, continues patrolling in and around UN House. Currently, the Mission is protecting some 29,000 civilians at its site adjacent to UN House and another 3,000 at its Tomping Compound.
As for Alfred Taban, the journalist arrested by the National Security Services, the UN Mission is calling for his immediate release and for the protection of freedom of expression.
**Bahrain
Yesterday, we issued the following statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary‑General on Bahrain: The Secretary‑General deplores the dissolution of Al‑Wefaq, the main opposition political party in Bahrain. The move is the latest in a series of restrictions of the rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of association, and freedom of expression in Bahrain.
The Secretary‑General underscores that the dissolution of Al‑Wefaq; the stripping of citizenship of Sheikh Issa Qassem and others; the travel ban on human rights defenders; and the increased sentence for the Secretary‑General of Al‑Wefaq, Sheikh Ali Salman, risk escalating an already tense situation in the country. He calls for the resumption of an all‑inclusive national dialogue in the interest of peace and stability of Bahrain and the region.
**African Union
And last night, we also issued a statement where the Secretary‑General welcomed the historic decision taken yesterday by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), setting out concrete steps towards self‑reliance, particularly in relation to the AU's peace and security budget. He notes with interest the innovative funding arrangements aimed at providing the AU, via the Peace Fund, with increased financial means to address the peace and security challenges facing the continent. The full statement is online.
**Turkey
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, called today on Turkish authorities to respond to the attempted coup by reinforcing the protection of human rights and by strengthening democratic institutions and checks and balances.
He deplored the loss of so many lives in Turkey over the weekend, and offered his sincere condolences to the families of those who were killed. The High Commissioner emphasised that, in the aftermath of such a traumatic experience, it is particularly crucial to ensure that human rights are not squandered in the name of security and in the rush to punish those perceived to be responsible.
High Commissioner Zeid expressed deep concern that a large number of judges and prosecutors were swiftly suspended on Saturday and detention orders were issued against many. The suspensions were particularly worrying given concerns about judicial independence in Turkey, he said.
Given the large number of people who have been detained since Saturday, the High Commissioner stressed the importance of respecting the presumption of innocence, due process, and fair trial guarantees and of allowing independent observers to access places of detention. He also stressed the importance of transparency in the administration of justice. The High Commissioner also expressed deep regret that high‑level officials have suggested that the death penalty may be reinstated.
**Israel
In Geneva today, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern at the passing on 11 July of the so‑called NGO transparency law by the Israeli Parliament, which it said could have a detrimental effect on human rights and the democratic space in the country.
While this new law has been described as an effort to increase transparency in the NGO sector, the Human Rights Office said that it will disproportionately affect NGOs working on human rights, as confirmed by recent research undertaken by the Israeli Ministry of Justice itself.
Given the recent attacks against civil society organizations in Israel by public officials and some specific groups, the Human Rights Office fears that this law will have a chilling effect on human rights defenders and their legitimate and extremely valuable contribution to the human rights debate in Israel, including those challenging the Israeli Government's policy on the occupied Palestinian territory.
**Syria
Today, an inter‑agency convoy in Syria is delivering much needed life‑saving assistance to 15,000 people in need in the hard‑to‑reach town of Serghaya in Rural Damascus. The convoy contains food, education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, and other basic relief items. The town was last reached in February 2016.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, deplored the loss of life in Syria as it commemorated the death of one of its staff members in Aleppo on 17 July. That evening, Yaser Mahmoud Shuaeeb, a driver for UNRWA in Aleppo, was struck by shrapnel fragments in his back as he was getting off a bus on his way home. His passing brings the death toll of UNRWA staff in Syria to 18. The Relief and Works Agency reiterates its call to all parties to the conflict to respect and comply with their obligations to protect and safeguard the lives of civilians.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) condemns attacks in recent days on hospitals in the Aleppo and Idleb governorates and offers its condolences to the families and colleagues of the health staff and patients killed in these attacks. WHO once again urges all parties in the conflict to respect the safety and neutrality of health workers and health facilities.
**Migration
The Deputy Secretary‑General, Jan Eliasson, spoke this morning at a forum for migration and development. He noted that over the past months, the public debate on migration and refugees has been dominated by security concerns. While some of the concerns may be legitimate, he stressed the need to recognize that, overall, human mobility has a positive impact on development and is a driver for economic prosperity and social progress.
The Deputy Secretary‑General stressed that to implement the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals we need a discourse about making migration safe, orderly and responsible.
While there are transnational frameworks to deal with the environment, trade and finance, we lack a similarly comprehensive approach to the governance of international migration — one linking migration, human rights and development, he said. In that regard, he noted the need to aim for a rules‑based system for global mobility, which recognizes the benefits of migration for migrants and host communities, as well as for receiving and sending Member States.
**Nigeria
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that an estimated quarter of a million children in Borno state, in north‑eastern Nigeria, face severe malnourishment and risk death, as the scale of the humanitarian crisis caused by the Boko Haram emergency continues to unfold.
The agency adds that, out of the 244,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, an estimated 49,000 children will die if they are not reached with treatment.
UNICEF and its partners are providing malnutrition treatment as well as improving access to water and sanitation. They are also providing other medical, immunization, education and psychological support to the children affected by the violence.
As the agency gains access to new areas with vast humanitarian needs in the coming weeks, it expects the appeal to increase significantly. But its funding appeal for this year is only 41 per cent funded so far.
**Lake Chad Basin
At the end of a visit to the Lake Chad Basin, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Toby Lanzer, called on the international donor community to increase their financial support for populations affected by violence. The Sahel region continues to be affected by extreme poverty, chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, climate change, and violent extremism.
In the Lake Chad Basin, where 20 million people live, 9.2 million are in need of humanitarian aid, 5.2 million are severely food insecure and in need of emergency food assistance and 2.7 million have been forced from their homes. Those hosting the displaced are sharing their already very limited resources. The main priorities of the humanitarian response are protection; food assistance; nutrition; health care; water and sanitation and hygiene; shelter; and emergency education.
**Press Conferences
And for the noon briefing, my guests will be Elliot Harris, Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) New York Office, and Janez Potoènik, Co‑chair of the International Resource Panel (IRP) and former European Union Environment Commissioner. And they will brief you on the launch of the International Resource Panel’s Global Material Flows and Resource Productivity report.
**Questions and Answers
That’s it from me. Are there any questions? Yes, Matthew?
Question: Sure, I guess some other things. But… on the launches by… by DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), do you have… I've seen a quote, a spokesman's quote. Is there a formal statement by the Secretary‑General on these launches?
Deputy Spokesman: It's not a formal statement, but what I have to say on that is simply this: That the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea's firing of missiles is deeply troubling. Such actions are not conducive to reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Question: How… but I guess… I just want to understand how is that different than, like, a note to correspondents or a statement? Is there going to be something later, or is this… that's all there is?
Deputy Spokesman: This is what I have to say. Yeah, Oleg?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. What's happening in Turkey, these arrests that are going on over there, which started with the military, and now we hear of detainees among the academia. Is the Secretary‑General concerned that this… this coup attempt may be used by the Government now as a pretext for clearing the political space in Turkey, which is narrow already? Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, you'll have seen what High Commissioner Zeid said, and we echo what the High Commissioner has been saying. The basic point that we've been making is that in the aftermath of the attempted coup, the constitutional order needs to be fully preserved in accordance with the principles of democracy and of fundamental rights. And those, of course, include full respect for freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and adherence to due process. And we want to see that upheld in the days to come, and that will be critical to preserve Turkey's democracy and its future stability. Yeah? You had something further?
Question: Has Ban Ki‑moon actually called anybody from the Turkish Government by now? Did he discuss what's going on?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the Secretary‑General just got into New York in the wee hours of the morning. So… he has, as you know, been traveling. So there's no recent phone calls to make. But, of course, we've been in touch with our Turkish counterparts, including at the Permanent Mission here, and we'll continue with those contacts. Yes, Stefano?
Question: Yes. As a follow-up, because seeing also the statement issued by the UN during the coup or… you know, during those hours, this seems like a general statements around the world where were we after the preservation of democracy in Turkey and everything. It's just I don't understand it. For about… for months in Turkey, there were arrests of journalists. People could not anymore express their opinion, you know, in the way… I mean, what… what sense makes to protect or preserve democracy if there was not already democracy in Turkey, even before the coup?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we have called repeatedly for the upholding of democratic norms in Turkey and elsewhere. But certainly with regard to Turkey, whenever we've had concerns about freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and other basic rights, we've made that clear. And we were doing that up through the events of the past weekend and will continue to do that. Yes?
Question: A follow up. Turkey, there are some reports that President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is contemplating reinstating the death penalty back in Turkey. Any reaction from the Secretary‑General to this report?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Yes. It's been clear policy in the UN that when States have abolished the death penalty, we would like to see that it not be reinstated. And we've made our concerns about that known. And as you know, I just read out a bit from High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, who also made clear his own concerns about the recent statements about any sort of effort to reinstate the death penalty. Yes, Joanna?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Last week when the Secretary‑General met with the media about South Sudan, he said he would be going to the summit and to meet with IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development) and AU (African Union) leaders and then report to the Security Council. Has this meeting been scheduled already?
Deputy Spokesman: The meeting has not been scheduled. The Secretary‑General is… just got back from that travel this very morning. He has, of course, met with African Union and Intergovernmental Authority for Development leaders in recent days, and he will be reporting back to the Security Council. We'll need to get that date set. Yes, please?
Question: Thank you. This Thursday, the Security Council is going to hold the first round of the informal voting for the Secretary‑General candidates. Can you briefly introduce the process and what will be the next steps?
Deputy Spokesman: It's not really for me to introduce. This is a process that's in the hands of the President of the General Assembly's Office, so I would ask you to deal with his spokespeople, who can help you with that. Yes?
Question: Sure, I wanted to ask a couple of things on South Sudan. You know, you'd said that… that this movement is being hindered, and I wanted to ask you… I've seen a… a… a UN memo which says… which links these hindrances with orders by Salva Kiir to oppose any foreign troops coming in. Says that… that UNMISS is viewed as foreign troops, and that the level… that there's an anticipation that the level of animosity will increase, given the Secretary‑General's call for troops and an arms embargo. So I wanted to, I guess, get you to say… do you… this is what the memo says, but are you willing to say that there's… there's a connection, that this is a pattern of harassment based on the Secretary‑General's proposals, and how do you… how do you propose to protect staff from this harassment or respond to it?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I wouldn't link it to the Secretary‑General's proposals. Our basic point is that there has been increased harassment of personnel. There have been increased levels of obstructions. There have been increased denials. Those are all clear, and those cannot and must not be allowed to stand. We have to be able to go about our work with… without any sort of hindrance like that. Regarding why there's a… different types of harassment from the population, I wouldn't conjecture what the reasoning is. I do believe that if there's any coordinated effort to obstruct our work, that has to be halted immediately.
Question: Right. This memo also says that the Special Representative, I guess Ms. [Ellen Margrethe] Løj, is trying to work out a solution with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. Is that… is it fair to say that she's trying to… is… is it… is it simply to… to ensure free movement of UN staff, or is it to actually get permission to bring in the troops that have been voted on by the African Union?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, in terms of the permission and consent for troops, that is ultimately… this is something also that is being considered by the Security Council, and we'll leave some of this in their hands. As you know, the Council is considering the matter, and we're not getting in advance of that.
Question: And what…
Deputy Spokesman: But regarding Ms. Løj's discussions, of course she is in regular touch with the authorities in South Sudan to make sure that we can go about our work without any hindrance.
Question: And I just wanted to ask one… and thanks for the statement on Alfred Taban. There's this other journalist in South Sudan, George Livio, who's been now in prison for a year. And he's an employee of the UN's radio station there. And I wanted to know, and some people there want to know, has UNMISS made a similar call? What progress has been made in terms of getting Mr. George Livio freed?
Deputy Spokesman: We continue to work on all of these issues. Throughout the situation in South Sudan, we've been trying to make sure that freedom of expression and freedom of the media is upheld, and our Human Rights Office does monitor and investigate all of these cases. Yes?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Excuse me if you've already addressed this. My question is that yesterday, the US and Russia criticized the UN report prepared by the Secretary‑General regarding Iran, complaining that it included complaints from Iran about poor economic recovery, and the two countries basically said this was beyond the scope of the report. Does the SG have any response to that?
Deputy Spokesman: The Secretary‑General believes that everything that is in the report is material that is within the scope of the work that he was to do. He had a mandate, and he fulfilled it by putting out the report. Yes?
Question: I wanted to ask something about peacekeeping and then about the pension fund. On peacekeeping, yesterday, Under-Secretary [Hervé] Ladsous was speaking at IPI, and he said that he had recruited two intelligence agents from Mauritania, but they couldn't be put into a part of Mali where NATO and NATO member troops are… are operating. And it… and it seemed to be a reference to this idea that there are… there's equipment that the NATO members in the mission used that can't be shared with non‑NATO members. So I wanted… I've asked about this before and was sort of never answered. But now that he's said openly that these Mauritanian intelligence agents couldn't be de… de… deployed there, can you explain how… one, is this the case? And, two, is it fair to have different parts of the MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) mission using better equipment than others when some peacekeepers are, in fact, getting killed?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I believe that the whole point of the MINUSMA arrangement is that they share the equipment, but I'll have to check with MINUSMA what their arrangements are.
Question: Right. And specifically these two Mauritanians that he said could not be deployed where NATO was, why was that? That's, I guess, my question. And also on the pension fund, they're meeting… the board is meeting in Vienna, so I wanted… you may have anticipated this… but the nu… a number of the staff unions have raised concerns that they've raised before about privatization of the fund, about delay in new retirees getting any of their benefits, and about the lack of an OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services) investigation into charges that have been levelled with Mr. Sergio Arvizú. So what… is the Secretary‑General… does he have concerns, particularly about people not getting paid their benefits, and if so, what's he doing about them?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, we have Carol Boykin, who works with the fund to make sure that the concerns of the Secretariat are also reflected and taken up there. I believe that there is a person who speaks for the fund, who you can be in touch with for any further information. As you know, I don't have the ability to speak for the fund.
Question: No. Sure. But I mean the Secretary‑General, in terms of looking out for the interests of retired staff, is he satisfied with the steps that have been taken to change this backlog?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. Whatever concerns we have are conveyed through Ms. Boykin, and she deals with that, with the fund. But, like I said, for overall concerns, talk to Lee [Woodyear], and she'll help you out. Have a good afternoon.