The Secretary-General strongly encourages all Heads of State and Government to attend the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, on 17 and 18 December. He believes it is essential to maintain political momentum at the highest level and from all sectors of society, and is optimistic that an ambitious, fair and effective climate deal can be reached in Copenhagen.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General this morning spoke at the Security Council’s open meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and reflected on how the issue has risen in prominence on the Council’s agenda. Not so long ago, he said, many Member States questioned whether internal armed conflict posed a threat to international peace and security.
The Secretary-General is in Washington, D.C., where this morning he was meeting with White House officials dealing with climate change.
The Security Council this morning received a briefing in an open meeting from Olusegun Obasanjo, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region.
The Secretary-General will brief the Security Council in closed consultations on Afghanistan. He will discuss the security situation and his recent trip to Kabul. This morning, Council members heard a briefing in an open meeting from Karin Landgren, the Secretary-General’s Representative for Nepal.
Effective immediately, the United Nations is taking additional steps to reduce risks to its national and international staff serving in Afghanistan. This is in light of the 28 October attack against UN staff in Kabul, as well as further ongoing threats.
In Athens, the Secretary-General today warned that conditions in which many migrants move and live remain treacherous. He spelled out three major challenges facing migrants worldwide: first, on the economic front, the global recession; second, climate change; and third, human trafficking.
The Secretary-General this morning had a working breakfast in London with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and afterwards he told reporters that they had discussed, among other things, Afghanistan, climate change, the Millennium Development Goals and Myanmar.
The Secretary-General made a previously unannounced visit to Kabul today, following the attack on a Kabul guesthouse last week, in which five UN staff members were killed and others were injured.
The Secretary-General paid tribute in a town hall meeting to the United Nations staff members who were killed in an attack on a guest house in Afghanistan on Wednesday.