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.
**Iraq
The Secretary-General is in Iraq today, on what he called a visit of solidarity with the Iraqi people and Government, and he just arrived in Erbil in the past hour. Earlier today in Baghdad, the Secretary-General met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and he told reporters after that meeting that he was extremely encouraged by the commitment expressed by the Prime Minister, both in relation to the protection of civilians and to a national dialogue and an effective process of reconciliation.
The Secretary-General expressed the UN’s support to the Iraqi Government in humanitarian aid, and he appealed to the international community to support Iraq, both in providing relief to the victims of the violence, but also to stabilize and build up national Iraqi institutions. The transcript of that press encounter is out now. While in Baghdad, he also met with the Iraqi President, Foreign Minister and Speaker of the Parliament.
**Syria
The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, spoke to the Security Council this morning and told them that hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions more injured over the six years of fighting in Syria. He added that the last months have been some of the worst yet for civilians inside Syria. Mr. O’Brien said he was deeply anxious for the safety and protection of over 400,000 civilians due to ongoing military operations in Raqqa governorate. We continue to receive reports that fighting and airstrikes continue to result in death and injuries of scores of civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure, including schools, bakeries, markets and water infrastructure.
He said he remains extremely concerned about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the besieged parts of eastern Ghouta in Rural Damascus, where some 400,000 people are trapped by Government forces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all three public hospitals and 17 public health care centres in eastern Ghouta are non-functioning and inaccessible to the population. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said today that the number of men, women and children fleeing six years of war in Syria has passed the 5 million mark and the international community needs to do more to help them. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that, to meet the resettlement challenge, we not only need additional places, but also need to accelerate the implementation of existing pledges.
**Yemen
In a briefing yesterday to the Security Council, the Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, expressed his deep concern about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation amid a worrying escalation of military operations. The Special Envoy had presented to the parties a framework that included a set of sequenced political and security measures which were designed to ensure a rapid end to the war, withdrawals of military formations and disarmament in key areas, and the creation of an inclusive transitional government. He urged the Security Council members to put pressure on the parties to engage constructively in discussing the framework. He said that the Government of Yemen should agree to engage in talks based on the framework, and Ansar Allah and the General People's Congress must end their long-standing refusal to undertake serious discussions on security arrangements. We issued a note to correspondents with more details.
**Central African Republic
Our humanitarian colleagues in the Central African Republic warn of a new outbreak of violence in the prefectures of Ouaka, Haute Kotto and Mbomou, resulting from clashes between armed groups. This comes at a time when the consequences of the violence which studded the country between September 2016 and February 2017 are still heavily felt. The Interim Humanitarian Coordinator for the Central African Republic, Dr. Michel Yao, warned that the situation is critical as the means of protection are approaching their limit. Dr. Yao calls on all parties to the conflict to put the protection of vulnerable civilian populations above all other considerations and to give priority to political dialogue in order to reduce the suffering of populations affected by the upsurge of violence.
**South Sudan
The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), David Shearer, said today that the ongoing conflict in the country is affecting food security in some of the country’s more stable states. Speaking during a visit to Aweil, in the north of South Sudan, Mr. Shearer said that dwindling provisions arriving in the town and skyrocketing food prices have meant that places like Aweil, which are generally peaceful, have suffered the effects of the conflict taking place in other parts of the country.
Mr. Shearer also visited the town of Kuajok, the capital of Gogrial State on Wednesday, where he praised the State authorities for closing seven road blocks in the state — a move which has facilitated trade and enabled humanitarian access. He expressed hope that this could be sustained and replicated elsewhere. As we announced earlier this week, the World Food Programme (WFP) today began to move food assistance to reach people hit by famine and food-insecure in South Sudan by using a newly opened humanitarian corridor announced by the Government of Sudan.
The first convoy of 27 trucks carrying an initial 1,200 metric tons of sorghum started moving today from El Obeid in central Sudan towards Bentiu in South Sudan. The convoys will take at least 5 days to complete the 500 km journey. In the next few weeks, WFP plans to deliver 11,000 metric tons of sorghum in seven convoys of 30 to 40 trucks, which is enough to feed 300,000 people for three months.
**Somalia
As the possibility of famine looms, an increasing number of children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, cholera or acute watery diarrhea in Somalia, according to our colleagues at UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). More than 35,400 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were treated with life-saving therapeutic food at hundreds of nutrition centres across Somalia in January and February. That’s a 58 per cent increase over the same period in 2016. As of this week, more than 18,400 cases of cholera/acute watery diarrhea have also been reported since the beginning of the year, the majority of the cases involving young children. UNICEF warns that during the 2011 famine, around 130,000 young children died; about half of them before the famine was officially declared.
**Deputy Secretary-General’s Travels
Tonight, the Deputy Secretary-General will depart New York for Washington, D.C., for meetings with the leadership and senior officials at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. During her visit, she will also meet with representatives from civil society. On 1 April, she will travel to Geneva to engage with the leadership of UN organizations and attend the Steering Committee meeting of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council [WSSCC].
On 4 April, she will proceed to Paris to deliver a keynote address at the OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] Global Forum on Development. During her stay, she will also visit UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, meet senior Government officials and engage with non-State actors on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on 5 April 2017.
**Autism Awareness
Tomorrow morning, the UN will observe World Autism Awareness Day, which is 2 April, with an event entitled “Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination”, to take place at 10 a.m. in the ECOSOC [Economic and Social Council] Chamber. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, and one of the most recognized global figures in autism research and advocacy, will deliver the keynote address.
**Honour Roll
Our thanks go to the Czech Republic and Myanmar, for they have both paid their full payments to the UN’s regular budget. The Honour Roll total is now 71.
**Briefing Guest
Today our guest at noon will be Ambassador Elayne Whyte Gómez, from Costa Rica, in her capacity as President of the United Nations Conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination. Before we get to her, Joe?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Yes. On the Deputy Secretary‑General's trip to Washington, I didn't hear you make any reference to planned meetings with any members of the [Donald] Trump Administration or with any Representatives or Senators in Congress. Is any consideration being given to setting up such meetings, or is this going to be solely the parties that you mentioned in your statement?
Deputy Spokesman: No. For this particular trip, the focus is to prepare for the forthcoming spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. So she'll be meeting with key officials of those two bodies while we prepare for the normal spring meetings that they have on, basically, a range of economic and development concerns. Yes, Masood?
Question: Thank you. Farhan, I wanted to ask you, the Secretary‑General is now in Iraq, as you have said. And he is touring Iraq, but the thing is there is a situation going on in Kashmir, where the human rights violations are taking place every day. People are being killed every day. He is not paying attention to that part. I mean, when everything falls apart, is that the time when the Secretary‑General will wake up and talk to the Indian and the Pakistani Prime Minister?
Deputy Spokesman: We've had this discussion a few times in the past, Masoodji. The basic point is we have concerns about the situation in Kashmir. We do monitor the situation, and we have different levels of contacts with the Governments of India and of Pakistan. If there's anything further to say, we'll let you know. But, at this stage, this is one of the situations around the world that we do monitor with concern.
Question: But do you… so… so you're saying that there's no… that at no point in the future… in the near future, let's put it, the Secretary‑General is about to pay any attention to the situation.
Deputy Spokesman: No, what I'm saying is he can pay attention without necessarily visiting. You're right that the place he's visiting right now today is Iraq. Even when he does not visit countries, though, he's aware of the problems there, and we have, as you know, many levels of officials, including country‑level officials, who are there to deal with the various problems that arise.
Question: Yes, just one more follow‑up about… just want to talk about UNMOGIP [United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan]. UNMOGIP has a role to play in India and Pakistan, which has been constrained by the Indian Government. Now, what about… why don't they present their reports every now and then, because Indian Government doesn't allow them to?
Deputy Spokesman: No, no, I'm sure you're aware that different peacekeeping missions have different mandates and including different reporting mandates. The earlier peacekeeping missions, which include the UN monitoring group in India and Pakistan, UNMOGIP, and UN Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO, come from a different era where they have completely different reporting requirements. Yes?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. In South Sudan, one faction of the SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] is urging that humanitarian aid be allowed in. Does that have an impact on what WFP and others are bringing in now, or is this the Government saying it's okay?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we continue to work with the Government and the opposition in South Sudan to try to get as much humanitarian access as we can. You'll have seen from our reports that there have been some improvements, but we still have concerns about access to different parts of South Sudan. In the case of what I was just reporting right now, regarding the World Food Programme and its aid deliveries, that also has to do with an agreement by the Government of Sudan with the Government of South Sudan, which has been very helpful in opening up a new way to get aid to places like Bentiu. Yes, and if you have… one more for Masood, and then one more for you. We'll go back and forth. Yes?
Question: Sorry. Okay. I asked you a question yesterday, Farhan, about how many children in Israeli prisons. And, as I said, I quoted a report which said 319 children at this point in time are… are being detained by Israeli military. Is there a timeline for them to have a trial or to be… I mean, they're children. They're not even adults to be tried. Is there a timeline for them to be released? Does the United Nations know that that is… anything about them at all?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, with all prisoners, in this case, as you know, we've made repeated requests to make sure that all those detained are either promptly tried or released. And we've made that call several times in the past. And, of course, you're aware of our concerns having to do with the rights of all those who are minors who have been detained, and those concerns continue to apply. Yes?
Question: Airstrikes, we all know they do more damage than fighting on the ground, not that that's a pleasure, but they… they… they are less pinpointed. Mr. O'Brien, in his report, doesn't say who's responsible for what, you know, when there are all these different calamities and hospitals and so forth. We know in… in Syria that the Government and Russia but especially the Government has bombed aid convoys as well as hospitals. We now have the United States hitting everything that moves in… in Iraq, and now it's going to start in Somalia. Is there going to be any comment on… I know that the UN has a general position that one should not injure civilians, but is anybody going to speak out on the latest developments?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding speaking out on the latest developments, today, you've heard from Stephen O'Brien in a fairly impassioned briefing on Syria. And then just yesterday on Iraq, the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement regarding our concerns, including about airstrikes in Mosul. So we have our concerns about the situations, such as those in Raqqah, in Mosul, in other parts of Syria that have been attacked by Syrian and other forces. And we continue to speak out on all of these and to provide the best and most accurate information we have at our disposal on the airstrikes and the sort of casualties that are created.
Question: Mr. O'Brien did not mention names, who struck where. Some of the damage has not been from Damascus.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, our on‑the‑ground presence doesn't necessarily allow us to identify who is behind all of these particular actions. But, as you're aware, in different areas, there are sometimes only one or two countries that have effective air presences. And with that, I will get to our guest.