Noon Briefings

The Secretary-General travels to Moscow for Victory Day on 9 May, where he will meet with President Vladimir Putin.  He stops on 7 May in Gdansk, Poland, for the commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  On 8 May, he meets with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv.

The Secretary-General calls on all parties in Yemen to ensure that humanitarian agencies and their partners have safe and reliable access to bring aid workers and supplies into the country and to deliver aid to millions of people in need.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, today to meet with Government officials, community leaders and families affected by the earthquake there.  Her office reports that the death toll now stands at nearly 5,600.

The Secretary-General condemned the shelling and aerial bombardment of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus despite assurances from the Syrian Government that the camp would not be attacked while civilians remained inside.  He also called on the Government to immediately end any military operation endangering civilian lives in the camp.

This morning, in Rome, the Secretary-General delivered the opening remarks at the Vatican for a symposium on climate change organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which brought together faith leaders, civil society representatives and political leaders.

The Secretary-General transmitted today to the Security Council and other bodies the public summary of the Board of Inquiry regarding incidents affecting United Nations personnel, premises and operations in the Gaza Strip during the recent conflict.

This morning, UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos, the World Food Programme’s Ertharin Cousin as well as the High Commissioner for Refugees and his Special Envoy Actress Angelina Jolie [Pitt] briefed the Security Council on the Syria humanitarian crisis.  Ms. Amos stressed that there is no humanitarian solution to the crisis, adding that the only solution is through political dialogue.

The Secretary-General today spoke at the Security Council debate on the role of youth in countering vilent extremism and promoting peace.  He stressed that youth lay at the heart of international peace and security.

The Secretary- General condemns the wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa that has resulted in the deaths of at least seven people in the past few weeks.  He urges all efforts are made to avert future attacks and encourages peaceful solutions.

Addressing the Security Council, the Secretary-General said that both Israelis and Palestinians must demonstrate the commitment and courage necessary to chart a viable course towards a better future, by choosing peace over death and ending the suffering that has defined the conflict for far too long.