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. I’ll start off with an announcement of a trip by the Secretary-General.
**Secretary-General Travels
Next Wednesday, the Secretary-General will be traveling to Washington, D.C., for bilateral meetings with the US Administration and with members of Congress, as part of his ongoing engagement with US officials.
And we expect him back in New York on Thursday.
**Women
Today, as you know is — and really every day should be — International Women’s Day.
In remarks at a special event here this morning, the Secretary-General said this year’s observance falls at a time when our world faces many challenges, ranging from climate change to inequality to the weakening commitment to multilateralism. He stressed that gender equality and women’s rights are fundamental to addressing each of these challenges.
Despite remarkable progress on women’s rights and leadership, the Secretary-General said that these gains are far from consistent and they have sparked a backlash from an entrenched patriarchy.
At present trends, it will take two centuries to close the gap in economic empowerment. The Secretary-General said that he does not accept a world that tells his granddaughters that economic equality can wait for their granddaughter’s granddaughters.
He stressed that investing in women and respecting their human rights is the surest way to lift communities, companies and countries, [and] to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adding that the longer we put off gender equality, the more we lose.
And as you can read, his speech is online as well as the message that was issued last night.
**Syria
Turning to Syria, our humanitarian colleagues are deeply concerned over the welfare of tens of thousands of people who have recently arrived at the Al Hol camp in Al Hasakeh Governorate from Da’esh-held areas in Deir ez Zor Governorate.
Last night, more than 3,000 people — mostly women and children in a poor state — reached the camp, bringing the total population to more than 65,000.
There are grave concerns over the fragile health of the camp’s residents, with nearly 100 people having died since early last December en route to the site [or] shortly after arrival or referral. Two thirds of these people who have died are children under the age of five, with the main causes of death being hypothermia, pneumonia, dehydration and complications from malnutrition.
Just yesterday, three children under the age of one reportedly died while on their way to the camp.
At least 243 unaccompanied and separated children have been identified in the camp, of whom 41 have been reunited with their families.
The UN and aid agencies are scaling up their efforts at the camp, providing round-the-clock emergency health and protection assistance. All of the people arriving at the camp are receiving food, water, shelter, warm clothes or blankets.
Urgent funding is needed to ramp up the response, especially in the areas of shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, health and protection services.
**South Sudan
This morning, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, David Shearer, briefed the Security Council.
Mr. Shearer said the peace agreement signed last September continues to hold; he highlighted recent positive developments, including — for the first time in three years — people expressing a willingness to return home, dozens of meetings and rapprochements held across the country, and a significant decrease in overall levels of political violence.
However, he also acknowledged that suffering goes on: security continues to impede returns of refugees and displaced people. Mr. Shearer noted that five months of a more stable environment cannot, overnight, redress the issue of food insecurity, nor the absence of health or education services.
**Venezuela Human Rights
A team from the UN Human Rights Office will visit Venezuela, at the invitation of the Government, between March 11 to March 22.
The team will meet with Government officials, representatives of the National Assembly, civil society organizations and victims of human rights violations. The team is expected to go to Caracas and other cities.
**Venezuela/Colombia
And also, just want to flag that UNHCR tells us that together with the Colombian authorities, they today opened a reception centre — the first of its kind — to support people arriving from Venezuela to the border city of Maicao.
UNHCR says the new centre can initially take in up to 350 people and has the possibility for growth in the future.
The Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan for 2019 for the area calls for $738 million to help 2.2 million Venezuelans and 500,000 people in host communities in 16 countries.
**Civil Society Conference
The Department of Global Communications announced today that Maruxa Cardama, the Secretary-General for Partnerships on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport — otherwise known as SloCat — has been selected as the Chair of the 68th UN Civil Society Conference, which will take place from 26 to 28 August in Salt Lake City, in the great state of Utah, in the United States.
Ms. Cardama brings over 17 years of experience with multilateral institutions, national, regional and local governments, NGOs and philanthropy in 33 countries across continents to develop public policies, capacity and implementation projects and multi-stakeholder partnerships [that] advance sustainability and equitable prosperity.
The UN Civil Society Conference, formerly known as the UN DPI/Non-Governmental Organizations (UN DPI/NGO) Conference, is the premier event in the civil society calendar at the UN. The 68th conference will focus on SDG 11, “building inclusive and sustainable communities”. A press release is available for more details.
**Senior Personnel Appointment
And lastly but not last. Today, we are announcing the appointment of Workneh Gebeyehu Negewo of Ethiopia as Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi, otherwise known as UNON.
Mr. Gebeyehu succeeds Hanna Tetteh of Ghana who was appointed as Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the UN Office to the African Union.
Currently Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia since 2016 and Member of the Addis Ababa City Council since 2012, Mr. Gebeyehu previously served as Minister of Transport and Member of the Ethiopian House of People’s Representative.
The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation and gratitude to Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, who will continue to serve as Acting Director-General until Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu assumes his position.
Khalas.
**Questions and Answers
Sir.
Question: Stéphane, thank you very much. On this arrest and detention of a journalist/photographer, which Committee to Protect Journalists today issued a statement that Israeli authorities have detained and… and basically arrested a photographer for a Turkish news agency, Anadolu, and that he had been going around with them to — what do you call? — wanting to legalize his status. Do you have any comment on this?
Spokesman: I was not aware of the case. I'm happy to look into it.
Question: I can send it to you…
Spokesman: I'm… yes.
Correspondent: Okay. Thank you.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Two questions. Will the Secretary‑General meet President Trump in Washington?
And do you have a readout of the phone call of the Secretary‑General with the Turkish President or anything to share with us?
Spokesman: No, I do not have a readout. And, as we get confirmation, as we're able to share more information on the meetings in Washington, we will do so.
Yes, sir.
Question: I have a question on Abyei. The latest appointment of the Force Commander for Abyei was discussed by both parties, the Sudan and South Sudan. And is the Force Commander a relative, a close relative of the President of Ethiopia?
Spokesman: I have no idea about the relationship. It is, these appointments are, the Secretary‑General suggests them to the Security Council. The Security Council takes notes of the Secretary‑General's intentions. And, as usual, it is often consulted with the parties involved as well.
Yep.
Question: Stéphane, on the trip… UN to Venezuela of the UN team, was this as a result of the contacts between the Foreign Minister and the Secretary‑General or at a higher-level discussion…
Spokesman: Erol, please…
Question: …afterwards?
And, secondly, will that UN team, has that UN team been guaranteed freedom of movement inside Venezuela, because you mentioned Caracas and other places?
Spokesman: Sure. This is… this is as a result of discussions between having to do with, between Venezuela and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. I would expect that if they were invited and cleared for arrival that they will be able to go wherever they wish to go.
Yeah.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. A related question. So, what does Secretary‑General expect to that human rights UN team's visit to Venezuela?
And the second question is, as you announced the Secretary‑General’s visit to Washington, D.C., next week, is there any event open for media, such as the making speech at the open chamber? Thank you.
Spokesman: No, I'm not aware of any, you know, big public facing or speeches the Secretary‑General will, will have. This is part of his regular engagement with US… various US authorities, whether Administration or members of Congress.
Your first question?
Question: Does the Secretary‑General expect…
Spokesman: Oh, yeah, sorry. Well, it's not really so much what the Secretary‑General himself expects. This has been an ongoing discussion, as I understand it, between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Venezuelan authorities. And I think the High Commissioner herself framed the visit in her remarks to the Human Rights Council earlier this week.
Yes, ma'am.
Question: Laura from Voice of America. I just want to do a follow‑up in Venezuela as well. What is the position of the Secretary‑General based on, like, is he going to make a call to all those nations that are getting the 400,000 asylum applications?
Spokesman: Sure. You know, the Secretary‑General's views on people on the move is very clear, whether they be migrants or refugees, is that they need to be treated with dignity and within the frameworks of their rights.
We are seeing host communities in a number of countries open their arms to people who cross the border. We welcome that, and we encourage Member States to support the UN's regional appeal, not only to help those people who have crossed the border, but also the host communities.
Yes, sir.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Wishing our lady colleagues and all the women around the world happy Woman Day. I wanted to bring up the question on 20,000 women that were raped 20 years ago in Kosovo, and nothing was done for them. Is Secretary‑General thinking or can he facilitate to… to those responsible for that to be brought to the justice?
Spokesman: Look, in general terms, there… there can be no impunity for people who commit such crimes, gender‑based violence, rape, targeted attacks on women.
As to the specifics of the case, I will have to get back to you.
Madame.
Question: Stéphane, the Security Council is holding a meeting on Palestine that was requested by Kuwait and Indonesia. Who is going to represent the Secretary‑General and could you say more about that? Thank you.
Spokesman: My understanding is that it's under any other business in closed consultations, and Mr. Mladenov, as far as I understand it, will be briefing on behalf of the Secretariat.
Question: [inaudible]
Spokesman: Sorry? Sorry?
Question: …on video?
Spokesman: No, on video, yeah.
Question: Hi. Thank you. On Sunday, there's the sixtieth anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, and I'm asking if the UN is not going to mark this date. And as Tibet is not a sovereign nation or doesn't have good representation in United Nations, if that is not… the reason why it's not the mark going… the date going to be marked? I'm sorry.
And, also, the UN hasn't been pressured by international organizations for the Tibetan cause?
Spokesman: All I can tell you is that we engage with every country, including China, on their international human rights obligations. Yes, sir.
Question: Stéphane, just to follow up my colleague question, according to my understanding, the Secretary‑General didn't include, in his report of gender sexual violence the Kosovo, as you mentioned, the specific. Why or did he or does he plan to do or address that in near future?
Spokesman: I'll have to check the… the report…
Question: One more if I can.
Spokesman: Yes, you may.
Question: Okay. My colleague asked that before, and I think not only because it's Women's Day, in the previous briefing, actually, on the comments on the female activist detained in Saudi Arabia, so I want to ask whether the Secretary‑General has today, on this day, to extend as a message to Saudi Government or to those detained.
Spokesman: I think I would refer you back to what the Secretary‑General said in the, his speech to the Human Rights Council, which is his growing concern at the shrinking space for civil society around the world.
Question: [inaudible] …specific…
Spokesman: I've answered the question as much as I can.
Yes, sir. No? Okay. Ah. It's the last question that's the killer.
Question: Yes, yes, thank you, Stéphane.
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: My question is about which UN organization is working on the collateral damage of kids and sick people dying because of the closing of the frontiers because the border, Venezuela border, there's no way to bring the humanitarian aid into Venezuela.
Spokesman: Well, I mean, outside of Venezuela, as I mentioned, we have colleagues from UNHCR, IOM, present at various countries where Venezuelans who have left their country are to be found, and then we have a UN team who has an established programme in Venezuela.
Thank you.