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.
**Climate Change
We’re all here. Good afternoon, everyone. The Secretary-General arrived in Katowice last night to attend the 24th meeting of the Conference of Parties [COP] of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, following his participation in the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires.
This morning, he delivered his opening address to the Conference of Parties, saying that we are in deep trouble with climate change. Urging greater action and ambition, he delivered four simple messages to the delegates. First: science demands a significantly more ambitious response; second: the Paris Agreement provides the framework for action, so we must operationalize it; third: we have a collective responsibility to invest in averting global climate chaos and to assist the most vulnerable communities and nations; and fourth: climate action offers a compelling path to transform our world for the better.
The Secretary-General told the assembled officials that he was convening a Climate Summit next year in September in New York to raise ambition and mobilize the necessary resources. He said that time is running out and it’s hard to comprehend why we are collectively still moving too slowly — and even in the wrong direction.
The Secretary-General then had a press conference during which he reiterated some of his key messages to the assembled media. He was joined by the Polish President, Andrzej Duda. The Secretary-General said that climate change is still running faster than we are and that this trend needs to be reversed. Katowice is an essential platform for this reversal to take place, he told the press.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will remain at the Conference of Parties for most of the day to attend a series of climate-related events. He will then depart to New York late on Tuesday afternoon and will be at the office on Wednesday.
**Group of Twenty
In a statement we issued yesterday, the Secretary-General said that the G20 Declaration put out in Argentina reaffirmed support to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our global blueprint for a fair globalization that leaves no one behind; and pledged to use all policy tools to achieve strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.
He added that G20 leaders stressed the need to raise ambition in the fight against climate change and expressed their very strong support of countries that are signatories to implement their commitments set out in their nationally determined contributions. Agreement on the Paris Work Programme at COP 24 in Katowice — essentially the rule book for implementation — will significantly advance implementation.
Third, the Secretary-General said that G20 leaders recognized the importance of a multilateral approach to trade and of the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and renewed their commitment to a rules-based international order.
On Saturday, the Secretary-General spoke at the climate sustainability session in Buenos Aires, where he called on world leaders to join the “race to the top” and act on climate change. “We must stop treating economic progress and development as distinct from the climate challenge. It is the same agenda,” he said, adding that ambitious climate action will not only slow temperature rise, it will also be good for economies, for public health and for the environment. Those remarks are online.
**South Africa
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke in Johannesburg this morning at a private sector breakfast on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She said that Africa is a continent of massive opportunity, from its vast resource wealth to its vibrant population of young people working to build on the continent’s positive developments in democratic and corporate governance. But, to capitalize on this opportunity and promote the equitable and inclusive progress the 2030 Agenda envisages, business models will have to change, she added. We all need to shift perspective from narrow short-term considerations to strategically focusing on delivering long-term value.
Yesterday, she spoke at a reception for SDG Advocates and said that we are on a journey together as we mark the fourth year of implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The good news is that SDG momentum is with us, especially in Africa. 102 countries have presented their voluntary national reviews — another 51 will do so next year. But, the Deputy Secretary-General added, we know progress everywhere needs to be accelerated.
At a breakfast panel discussion on discrimination against women and girls yesterday, the Deputy Secretary-General cited the words of the late Kofi Annan, “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” Ending discrimination against women and girls is a first, imperative step to true equality, she said. All these remarks are online.
**South Sudan
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) yesterday condemned a series of brutal sexual attacks on women and girls travelling from their villages to the town of Bentiu in the Unity region of the country.
Approximately 125 women and girls have sought medical treatment after having been raped or sexually assaulted in a ten-day period as they walked along roads near Nhialdu and Guit on their way to Bentiu. They report the attacks as having been carried out by young men in civilian clothing or military uniforms.
The UN Mission has sent patrols to the area and its human rights team has launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators. UNMISS engineers are also clearing foliage from the sides of the road to make it harder for attackers to conceal their presence.
The head of the peacekeeping mission said these attacks were abhorrent and must stop. The full statement by the mission is online.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
On the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN Mission there, MONUSCO, reports that one peacekeeper from Malawi was found alive on Friday by the Congolese forces in Mayangose forest in North Kivu’s Beni area.
The soldier had been missing since 14 November, following the launch of the joint operation by the Congolese army and the Mission aimed at neutralizing the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
The peacekeeper is recovering in a hospital in Goma and is reported to be in stable condition. The Mission continues to undertake efforts to recover the remaining two peacekeepers from Malawi who are still missing.
**Yemen
Over the weekend, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, wrapped up his visit to Yemen, warning that the country is on the brink of a major catastrophe.
However, he said that it was not too late, noting that he was encouraged to hear strong support for relief operations in his meetings in Aden and in Sana’a.
Throughout his visit, he repeated his call for a cessation of hostilities, especially in and around infrastructure crucial for aid operations and commercial imports. He reiterated the UN’s offer to play a role in the port in Hodeidah so that it can stay open.
Also on Yemen, the UN-backed humanitarian Inter-Agency Standing Committee issued a statement expressing alarm at the dramatically deteriorating situation in the country in recent months.
**Syria
An estimated 20,000 women, children and men have reportedly been evacuated from areas south of Idlib city in Syria to nearby villages since 30 November, following reported shelling on towns that resulted in civilian casualties.
Many of the newly displaced families are reportedly staying in the open due to a lack of shelter and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The United Nations continues to call on all parties, and those with influence over them, to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law. It is imperative that all those displaced are allowed to return voluntarily, in safety and in dignity, to their homes as soon as the situation allows it.
**Australia
With too many people — ranging from young children to the elderly — now critically unwell due to Australia’s “offshore processing” arrangements, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is calling on the country’s Parliament to address this continuing medical crisis.
Caring for the sick and wounded without distinction is a fundamental principle of international law, and UNHCR says that Australia’s “offshore processing” policy continues to worsen the health of vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, which has been reflected in a growing sense of despair among people in both Papua New Guinea and Nauru.
The agency appeals to all parliamentarians to support the draft Migration Amendment Bill, which ensures that fundamental healthcare is the right of every human being.
**Myanmar
On Myanmar, our humanitarian colleagues say that, while international attention has focused on the plight of the Rohingya, the situation in Kachin and Shan states is deeply concerning and must not be forgotten.
In Kachin and Shan, 107,000 people remain displaced as a result of the conflict that restarted in 2011.
In Kachin, the United Nations has not been permitted access to travel to areas — both those controlled by the Government and outside Government control — where displaced people are living.
**Intellectual Property
In Geneva, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) today said that filings for patents, trademarks and industrial designs reached new records in 2017, with China driving this growth.
According to the Organization’s latest report, innovators across the globe filed 3.17 million patent applications in 2017, up 5.8 per cent for an eighth straight year. Global trademark filing activity totalled 12.39 million, while that for industrial designs reached 1.24 million. You can find the full report online.
**Global Humanitarian Overview
Just to flag that tomorrow in Geneva, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, will launch the Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 and the World Humanitarian Data and Trends 2018.
The Global Humanitarian Overview is a comprehensive and evidence-based assessment of global humanitarian needs and how best to respond to them.
The press conference to present this Overview is at 9 a.m. Geneva time and it will be webcast. There are also resources for the media available online.
**Disabilities
And as you heard from an earlier briefing, today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme focuses on empowering persons with disabilities for an inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
And at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room 1, the UN Department of Management will host a panel discussion on “The Art of the Possible”, focused on how opportunities and technology are improving the lives of the disabled. You are welcome to attend.
**Press Briefing Today
After I’m done you will hear from Monica Grayley, the spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly; and immediately following our briefings, at 12:30 p.m., there will be a briefing here by Ambassador [Kacou Houadja] Léon Adom of Côte d’Ivoire, President of the Security Council for the month of December. He will brief on the Council’s programme of work for the month.
**Questions and Answers
And that is it from me. Yes, Frank?
Question: I wanted to get an update on a question that was asked here last week regarding the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Has the UN yet been asked to investigate his killing and, if you would, walk us through what's necessary for that to happen and any precedent that's taken place before this?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we've discussed… myself and Stéphane [Dujarric], over recent weeks, have both discussed what the precedents for UN investigations have been, and you can see the record for yourself. Regarding steps, the first step would be a formal request, which I would like to reiterate has not, at this point, been received from any party. But, if you want to look at the cases involving Rafik Hariri or Benazir Bhutto, there's a history of how we've handled investigations in other circumstances. Yes? Yes, you can go, Nabil.
Question: Thank you. On Mr. [Martin] Griffiths' visit to Sana’a, can you tell us a bit about his visit? What is he planning to discuss, exactly? And is he… can you confirm that he's travelling with the Houthi delegation from Sana’a to Sweden… to… yeah, Sweden?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't have any announcement to make on that at this point. There are a number of things that are of importance to us. As we've made clear, we are hopeful, and as the Secretary‑General told you last week, we hope that very soon we will be able to start talks among the parties. To that end and to assist that process forward, Mr. Griffiths is in Sana’a right now. We will see when we can announce the dates for talks, but we are hopeful that it will happen in fairly short course, but we need to… a number of conditions to be exactly right before we can settle that.
Question: If I can follow up, many reports and Yemeni media and press are talking about prisoner exchange between the Houthis and the Coalition or the Government. And it seems that it's going to happen today or very soon, and Mr. Griffiths is working on it. Can you confirm that?
Deputy Spokesman: As far as I'm aware from my colleagues, there is a plane that has left Yemen today, heading for Oman and we hope that that will help deal with the situation of some of… wounded members of the Ansarullah side. We will have to see how developments today proceed, but, if everyone is able to get to Muscat safely, that would be an important confidence‑building step among the parties, and we would appreciate the help by all of the various groups that have helped to achieve that. Yes, Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Last Wednesday, CNN contributor Marc Lamont Hill gave a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Immediately, CNN fired him. And I expect the UN to stand for the freedom of speech and support Mr. Hill in his job as CNN contributor. Why the UN is silent on this case of… flagrant case of the… of freedom of expression?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding that, of course, we don't speak for CNN and for its hiring policies. So, I would urge you to reach out to them. Ultimately, it's up to them who they choose to employ.
Question: I’m not asking… I'm asking about UN position.
Deputy Spokesman: But we're not his employers. He was able to speak here, but that is aside from his conditions with CNN.
Question: He's invited by the UN. He gave a speech at the UN. He was fired because of that speech, and U… the UN is silent.
Deputy Spokesman: Again, it is… he was not employed by us. It's for CNN to discuss the issues about how it hires people. Obviously, we encourage freedom of speech, as you mentioned, but that is separate and apart from the hiring policies of a separate entity. Yes?
Question: Do you expect peace talks on Yemen still to happen in December or more likely in January?
Deputy Spokesman: We hope we will be able to make an announcement even in the coming days if conditions are right, and then you'll have more details about when the talks would begin. Yes, Linda?
Question: Thank you. I was just wondering if you have any further information about the SG's… if he met with the Saudi… Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, whether it was regarding Yemen, [Jamal] Khashoggi or any other matters.
Deputy Spokesman: On that, yes, I can confirm that, when they were in Buenos Aires on Saturday, the Secretary‑General did meet with Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The Secretary‑General and the Crown Prince discussed regional issues of mutual concern. In particular, the Secretary‑General stressed the need to support all efforts to restart the effort towards a political solution to the Yemen conflict and humanitarian tragedy. To this end, the Secretary‑General called on the Crown Prince to support the effective restart of political dialogue in early December in Sweden. The Secretary‑General recalled the importance of complete clarity surrounding the circumstances of the Khashoggi case as well as of full accountability for those persons responsible. Yes, Evelyn?
Question: Yeah, Linda asked the question I was going to ask. But, to add to it, your description of the G20 sounds like a different conference that the SG attended. The US made a big exception on climate change, which is one of the main points that the Secretary‑General stressed, and I was just curious why you think this was such a successful conference.
Deputy Spokesman: I think the statement encapsulates what the Secretary‑General's views are. Whenever there are conferences, obviously, there are different individual high points and low points of all international gatherings. The Secretary‑General evaluated the agreements that were reached and the statement that we put out encapsulates what he feels was accomplished, and it's something on which he believes the current conference in Katowice can build. Yes, please, Mario?
Question: Farhan, the SG has warned many times about the rise of extremism and populism in the far right in Europe in particular. Does he have any comment on yesterday's elections in Andalusia, Spain's largest region, where there was a big rise in the vote for the far right?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we wouldn't have any comment on different electoral results. Obviously, the Secretary‑General's remarks about extremism that he's been making in recent weeks are there on the record, and you can see what he's been saying about that. Yes?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. You said that the Secretary‑General is calling for a meeting on climate change at the General Assembly in September. Is that correct?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. Yes, that… what he said is that he's convening a climate summit next year in September here in New York.
Question: My question is this. Was this meeting anticipated in the programme of the General Assembly, or is it something new? And under what mandate is he calling for the meeting?
Deputy Spokesman: As you know, when the General Assembly has its plenary sessions, there are sometimes different special events that are organized. This is one of those that is being organized for the next session. Yes, Iftikhar?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. The [Donald] Trump Administration has, again, stepped up attacks… airstrikes in Afghanistan in order to force Taliban to come to the negotiating table. How does the United Nations look at this way of bringing about… about a political settlement?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I would just refer you to the remarks that were put out last week by the UN Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, with… and some of its concerns about military operations. Obviously, we would be concerned that all military operations that are conducted would be done in a manner to avoid civilian casualties as much as possible. Yes, Nabil?
Question: There was a… like, a security incident two days ago in Lebanon, and the tension is still high in the country. Do you have any comment on that?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding that, I'm aware and we do note with concern the recent release of a video by Hizbullah warning Israel of its intention to respond with military strikes to any attack on Lebanon. In keeping with obligations under Security Council resolution 1701, the UN underscores the need for all parties to refrain from provocative actions, exercise restraint, and avoid rhetoric which exacerbates the risk of miscalculation and heightens the risk of renewed conflict.
With that, thanks very much. Monica, all yours.