The Secretary-General arrived in Baghdad this morning. He met with the Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and discussed the security and political situation in that country, as well as the situation in Syria. To the press, he said it was important for all political leaders to unit in their stance against terrorism.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
Next week, the Secretary-General will travel to Kuwait to chair the second Pledging Conference for Syria on 15 January. The gathering aims to mobilize the required financial resources to enable the United Nations and its partners to meet urgent humanitarian needs and to harness solidarity for the Syrian people.
Sigrid Kaag, the Special Coordinator heading the Joint Mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations working in Syria, briefed the Security Council this morning in closed consultations. She then updated reporters at the Council stakeout.
The UN Children’s Fund and the UN refugee agency, together with its partners, have launched a $1 billion public engagement campaign to prevent a lost generation of Syrian children and lift them out of misery, isolation and trauma. UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said that now is the time for the world to step up and provide Syrian children with fresh hope and confidence for their future.
The UN Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, says that there have been signs of mobilization over the weekend of both pro- and anti-Government troops in many locations in the country, and reports of military clashes. The resupply of the UNMISS Bor base, presently protecting some 9,000 civilians, is becoming critical.
The UN Mission in South Sudan says that 246 officers from two formed police units have been deployed to assist civilians seeking refuge inside its bases; a medical team from the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire has arrived in Juba; and the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is supporting air operations.
The UN Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, reports that extrajudicial killings of civilians and captured soldiers have occurred in various parts of the country as evidenced by the discovery of large numbers of bodies in Juba, as well as the Upper Nile and Jonglei state capitals of Malakal and Bor, respectively.
The UN Mission in South Sudan conducted aerial reconnaissance yesterday and identified some armed groups north-east of Bor, but it cannot confirm their size or precise location. On the humanitarian front, aid agencies have reached some 106,000 displaced people, but are $166 million short of a $209 million appeal.
The Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack by 2,000 armed youth on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan base in Akobo, which had been sheltering civilians seeking refuge. Offering condolences to the families of the two fallen peacekeepers, as well as least 11 civilians, the Secretary-General urged top leaders to demonstrate compromise and resolve differences through dialogue.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Central African Republic, Babacar Gaye, said today the situation is improving, but remains fragile and unpredictable. In an interview with UN Radio, he also said there is no longer fighting in the capital, Bangui, and the disarmament of armed groups is ongoing. He said this improvement has to be consolidated.