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, everyone, and welcome to our guests.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

First off, we have been getting many questions about reports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that the bodies of the members of the Group of Experts on the DRC have been found.

What I can tell you is that peacekeepers from the UN Mission, MONUSCO, have found remains which are being examined to determine if they are indeed those of our missing colleagues.  We cannot at this moment confirm that they are the bodies of the experts.  We hope to be able to provide more information on this soon.  In any case, we will provide all verified information first to our colleagues' families and to the authorities of Sweden, the United States, Chile and the DRC.

**Jordan

Earlier today, the Secretary-General visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan in what he called a visit of solidarity.

While in the camp, the Secretary-General toured a number of projects run by UN agencies for some 80,000 residents of the camp, including a UN-Women-run project that gives women cash for work opportunities manufacturing school uniforms and sowing kits; a school run by the Jordanian Government and UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]; a UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund] clinic; and a UNHCR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]-funded project that aims to address the continuing learning needs of girls.

In speaking to the press before leaving the camp, the Secretary-General appealed to the parties to the conflict in Syria to understand that we must make peace.  He said that the crisis has become a tragedy not only for the Syrian people but also a threat to the stability of the region and the world.  Solidarity with Syrian refugees is “not only an act of generosity.  It’s also an act of enlightened self-interest,” the Secretary-General added.

Asked about the ongoing Geneva talks, the Secretary-General saluted the work of his Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, whom he supports fully.

After leaving Zaatari, the Secretary-General met with His Majesty King Abdullah bin Hussein of Jordan.  He and the King discussed regional and international issues, including the situations in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Libya and the common international fight against terrorism.  The Secretary-General reiterated the UN's commitment to a two-State solution to solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue and, in this regard, expressed support for the Arab Peace Initiative and King Abdullah's leadership.  The Secretary-General also expressed his appreciation for the generosity of the Jordanian Government and people in addressing the needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The Secretary-General just arrived in Ishtar on the Dead Sea where, tomorrow, he will participate in the opening session of the Summit of the League of Arab States.

**Syria

Today, a UN-International Committee of the Red Cross-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy is delivering food and emergency items to 25,000 people in need in Bludan in rural Damascus.  The last inter-agency convoy to that area was in June last year.

There is also a UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy delivering assistance for 84,000 people in Talbiseh, in Homs, a location that was last reached on 5 February.

We continue to call for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need in Syria, particularly the close to 5 million people in hard-to-reach and besieged areas.

**Iraq

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, today deplored the massive loss of civilian lives in west Mosul in recent days, victims of actions by Da’esh and of airstrikes.

According to information verified by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), at least 307 people were killed and another 273 wounded between 17 February and 22 March.

Zeid welcomed the announcement by Iraqi Security Forces and the International Coalition that they are conducting investigations into some of the most serious incidents resulting in loss of civilian lives.  He stressed that the investigations into all such incidents must be thorough and transparent and the findings must be made public.

**Yemen

In a statement today, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said that years of relentless conflict have devastated the lives of millions of people.  An alarming 18.8 million of them — almost two thirds of the population — need some kind of humanitarian or protection support and seven million women, children, and men are at risk of famine in 2017.

He said that over 50,000 civilians have been killed, injured or maimed, including at least 1,540 children killed and 2,450 children injured.  Over 1,550 children recruited to fight or to perform military related duties have been reported.

**Famine

More than a month after famine was declared in South Sudan, time is running out for more than a million children as drought and armed conflict devastate lives in north-east Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UNICEF said today.

Some 22 million children have been left hungry, sick, displaced and out of school in the four countries, and nearly 1.4 million are at imminent risk of death this year from severe malnutrition.

UNICEF will require close to $255 million to provide these children with food, water, health, education and protection services for just the next few months, according to a new funding update.

The resources needed over the next few months are part of a broader appeal for all of 2017, totaling $712 million — a 50 per cent increase over funding requirements in the four countries at the same time last year.  More information is available in a press release on UNICEF’s website.

**Measles

Our colleagues at the World Health Organization (WHO) say today that measles outbreaks across Europe this winter threaten progress towards elimination.

Measles continue to spread within and among European countries, with the potential to cause large outbreaks wherever immunization coverage has dropped below the necessary threshold of 95 per cent.

The largest current outbreaks in Europe are taking place in Romania and Italy.  More information is available on WHO’s website.

**Honour Roll

Vanuatu is joining the Honour Roll today, having paid its dues in full, which brings the number of Member States that have done so to 68.

**Questions and Answers

That's it for me.  Are there any questions?  Yes, Tarik.  Yeah?

Question:  Yeah, I have… yeah, Farhan, I have a question about the… every once in a while, there is news that Mr Christopher Ross is resigning or he's not renewing his contract.  I know the Security Council today is meeting on other business, on Western Sahara issue.  Do you have… can you tell us final answer?  Is he staying?  Is he leaving?  Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman:  On Mr Ross, the answer I gave a few weeks ago still holds, that he serves at the pleasure of the Secretary‑General.  At this point, he continues to serve in his post, and if there's any change, we'll inform you at that point.  Yes, Evelyn?

Question:  Right.  Do… is there any accountability for all those civilians killed in Mosul and Raqqah?  Do we know who did it?  The US has been accused for part of it.  And who else is in that Coalition that's flying planes and bombing?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, there's a lengthy statement from the High Commissioner for Human Rights today that refers to this, which welcomes the announcement by the Iraqi security forces as well as by the International Coalition that they're conducting investigations into any casualties, civilian casualties.  So we're awaiting that.  But there are some details.  As you know, some of the problem has also been the use of people as human shields by Da’esh, and that's also discussed by the High Commissioner extensively.  Abdelhamid?

Question:  Yes.  I want to quote Ambassador Nikki Haley in her speech to AIPAC (American-Israeli Political Action Committee).  She said, quote, regarding the report of ESCWA (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia): “The first thing we do is we call the Secretary‑General and say, this report is absolutely ridiculous.  You have to pull it.”  The Secretary‑General immediately pulled the report.  Do you have any comment? 

Deputy Spokesman:  She has her views, and we have ours.  We've already explained, from our standpoint, what the problems were with the report by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.  I don't have anything to add regarding what she's been saying.

Question:  Are you still standing by the first explanation you gave us here that the report was pulled down based on procedural matter?

Deputy Spokesman:  We are standing by what we have said, yes.  Yes, Sia Pak?

Question:  Hi.  Spring is upon us, and that means movement of refugees from North Africa and Middle East to Europe.  Has UN done anything in order to make that travelling easier and disasters like last year does not appear?  Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, the UN refugee agency is trying very hard to make sure that there are adequate areas for the refugees to be received if they come into Europe.  Of course, we have been imploring, both from UNHCR and from our own side, all responsible Governments to make sure that activities are undertaken in the relevant areas, including in the Mediterranean, so that people are not put at risk from their travels.  Yes?

Question:  Hi, Farhan.  Marie Bourreau from RFI.  I understand you can't give any details on the… what's happened to the two UN experts.  But can you share with us what they were concretely doing in Kasais?  And can it be a turning point for the UN to send expert in the region?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, we hope that we can continue to send experts to do their necessary monitoring activities wherever they need to go.  Of course, that needs to be undertaken with full respect and understanding of the security conditions on the grounds, and we need to make sure that sufficient steps are taken to protect and secure those experts.  At the top of this briefing, I did give some details about what we have found so far, and we may have something further to say about this particular case later this afternoon.  Jennifer?

Question:  As a follow‑up, do you have any details of what they were concretely working on in the Kasai region?

Deputy Spokesman:  As you know, this… these experts report to the Security Council about the diversion of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and so they've been following up.  If you look at their past reports, they have a mandate that takes them to different parts of the Congo to see exactly how natural resource exploitation is carried out, who it profits, and the linkages between such exploitation and the activities of armed militias.  Jennifer?

Question:  Speaking of people staying and going, reports circulated, as you may have seen, over the weekend or perhaps continue to circulate about Mr. de Mistura's future and whether he will be returning.  Do you have any comment on that?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, the Secretary‑General, in fact, was asked about this just today, earlier in Amman, Jordan, or actually in the Zaatari camp when he was there.  And he once more reiterated his full confidence in the work that Mr. de Mistura's doing.  And, as you're aware, Mr. de Mistura does continue to go about his work.  The Geneva talks are proceeding right now, and he's been presiding over them.  For a few days, he will also be travelling to, I think, meet with different leaders in the League of Arab States summit.  Yes?

Question:  Thanks.  Yesterday was the start of General Assembly negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, and Kim Won‑soo spoke on behalf of the Secretary‑General.  In his remarks, to paraphrase what he said, the possession of nuclear weapons is fundamentally incompatible with humanity's common aspirations for peace and security.  Could it be alright to assume that this means that the Secretary‑General believes that there should be a prohibition of nuclear weapons?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  That's the ultimate goal that we're heading for.  Obviously, that approach needs to be dealt with through the efforts of the Member States.  And we welcome their collective efforts, but ultimately, we want to have a world that is free of the prospect that nuclear weapons will ever be used.  Yes, Abdelhamid?

Question:  Yes.  Tomorrow, the Israeli Mission will use the General Assembly Hall to train about 2,000 students to fight against BDS (boycott-divestment-sanctions).  Two questions: First, is that legal, or is that an appeasement of a Member State who is in violation of many UN resolutions?  Second, if the Palestinian Mission asked for the same hall to do something to promote BDS, would they be allowed?

Deputy Spokesman:  I wouldn't have any answer to a hypothetical question.  The basic point is that Member States are entitled to use the rooms of the United Nations for their purposes, and different Member States have done so, and that's within their rights.

Question:  Even if they promoting something that goes against UN resolutions?

Deputy Spokesman:  The point of the UN resolutions remains, and the resolutions are there, and they need to be implemented.  That does not curtail the right of Member States to host events in this building.  Yes?

Question:  Yeah.  Going back to de Mistura, what is… can you brief us what is going on in Geneva now?  Where are they?  Because what happened, like, they want to start one aspect of the talks or now they talking the four tracks of the talks or only one?

Deputy Spokesman:  Events are changing on the ground by the hour basically.  There will be stakeouts happening in Geneva, so you can monitor those from here or talk to our colleagues in Geneva about that.  Right now, over the next couple of days, while Mr. de Mistura's travelling, his deputy, Mr. [Ramzy Ezzeldine] Ramzy, will be conducting different talks with the various parties.  Sometimes that will mean going from room to room and shuttling between them.  Yes?

Question:  Excuse my ignorance, but who was in the Coalition against ISIS who is dropping… who has aircraft?  I… I know the United States.  Anybody else?

Deputy Spokesman:  That's a question really for the Coalition.  I don't speak for them.

Question:  Who is the Coalition?   Anyway, one more.  In… the measles, who's putting out that report, WHO?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yeah, WHO.

Question:  And the Congo, I think we've… the exploitation of resources must be since you and I were 5 years old.  Is there… it's been going on for many, many years.  Is there a trend that it's getting worse, that it's getting better or what?

Deputy Spokesman:  I just refer you to the reports.  I mean, there has been certain examples of different things being exploited.  As you know, there are some things that exist now that did not exist when we were 5 years old, like the internet, and some of the things that you need for the internet, like col-tan, are being harvested now, so that's an additional thing on top of the previous sorts of mineral exploitation that had been going on.  Yes, in the back.

Question:  Hi.  I'm referring to the Secretary‑General's remarks in Jordan earlier.  He talked about safe zones.  Is this something that the Security Council might discuss in Syria specifically?

Deputy Spokesman:  What were you saying?  I heard someone cough over you.  What?

Question:  Safe zones in Syria.

Deputy Spokesman:  I don't have anything further to say beyond what the Secretary‑General said in his press encounter.  This is something that's being discussed but, as the Secretary‑General made clear about a month ago, it's a topic on which we would need further details in terms of how such activity is to be carried out.  Yes?

Question:  To follow up the question on my colleague, as you said, Member States can get the facilities… use the facilities… use the rooms.  Does GA consider as a room?

Deputy Spokesman:  The use of the…

Question:  Or the one who gets the GA has to have more muscles?

Deputy Spokesman:  There are rules for the use of the GA Hall as with other parts of the building.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.