The Secretary-General welcomes the Security Council’s adoption today of resolution 2270 (2016) in response to the recent nuclear test and launch using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and urges the country to abide by it.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, today announced that intra-Syrian peace talks will resume on 9 March, two days after the original target date, in order to allow adequate time to address logistical and practical matters.
The Secretary-General said today that, by and large, the cessation of hostilities is holding in Syria, although there have been some scattered incidents. He expressed his sincere hope that the cessation of hostilities will continue and will allow the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid.
The Secretary-General is following with great concern the increasing number of border restrictions along the Balkan land route that are not in line with the 1951 Refugee Convention and is calling on all countries to keep their borders open and to act in a spirit of responsibility, sharing and solidarity.
The Secretary-General announced the allocation of $21 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund for South Sudan out of $1.3 billion that is currently needed for United Nations humanitarian work in the country. He also called for support for the Humanitarian Response Plan, which is only 3 per cent funded.
The humanitarian office says that authorities in Fiji have confirmed that 36 people have died and at least two remain missing in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston. Moreover, about 97 schools have been damaged or destroyed, and 100 per cent of crops are reported destroyed in the worst-affected areas.
Convoys in Syria are bringing life-saving food and medical supplies to 20,000 people in need in Moadamiyeh and 10,000 people in Kafr Batna following the delivery of aid to five besieged towns last week as the humanitarian community continues to call for access to the 4.6 million people in hard-to-reach towns.
The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the people and Government of Fiji who have been affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that according to national authorities, 21 people have been confirmed dead and four people are currently missing.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports that the situation in its protection of civilians site in Malakal is now calm following violent clashes Wednesday evening between Shilluk and Dinka youth and shooting outside the site reportedly by armed men in Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) uniforms.
The Secretary-General condemned the deadly explosion that took place in Ankara on 17 February. He hopes the perpetrators of this terrorist attack will be swiftly brought to justice, and said the United Nations stands in solidarity with the people and Government of Turkey.