The Secretary-General is in New Delhi today, where he received an honorary doctorate degree from Jamia Islamia University. In his remarks there, he said that we are in a period of great transition, with people rising up to shape their own destiny, starting with the Arab Spring, and he noted that India is a beacon for the world, proving that democracy and development are one and the same patch.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General welcomes the verdict by the Sierra Leone Special Court against former Liberian President Charles Taylor as a milestone for international criminal justice. It is the first-ever conviction of a former Head of State by an international criminal tribunal for planning, aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Secretary-General remains concerned about the situation in Bahrain, particularly with regard to the continuing clashes between security forces and protesters, which have resulted in more casualties. He reiterates his appeal to all sides for utmost restraint and an immediate end to the violence.
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the Security Council today that host Governments are ultimately responsible for the protection of their civilians. Our peacekeeping missions are not surrogates for State authority. We must do our best to strengthen frail State institutions.
This morning, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council that achieving a full and sustained cessation of violence and seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Syria is at the centre of our efforts in the Middle East. He also said that achieving peace for Israelis and Palestinians is an undiminished priority.
The Secretary-General began the day in Washington, D.C., at the World Bank with a meeting with its President, Robert Zoellick. He then attended a meeting on Rio+20 with the world's leading finance ministers and later delivered the keynote address at an event entitled “Delivering Sustainable Energy for All: Opportunities at Rio+20”.
The Secretary-General began the day in Washington, D.C., at the World Bank with a meeting with its President, Robert Zoellick. He then attended a meeting on Rio+20 with the world's leading finance ministers and later delivered the keynote address at an event entitled “Delivering Sustainable Energy for All: Opportunities at Rio+20”.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) today launched a new initiative to support cities around the world to manage risk, following the worst year on record for economic losses from disasters of $380 billion. The new online tool, which has been tested in over 20 cities around the world, is part of its global “Making Cities Resilient” campaign.
17 April 2012
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| Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York |
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 Eduardo del Buey, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the noon briefing.
The first group of United Nations monitors arrived in Damascus and has begun working. Early tasks include liaising with Syrian authorities and security forces, as well as the opposition. The Secretary-General again urged the Government to end the violence, voicing his expectation that political dialogue will continue.