Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, along with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Nabil ElAraby, announced the appointment today of Nasser Al-Kidwa as their Deputy Joint Special Representative for Syria. Mr. Al-Kidwa brings to the position his deep knowledge, in addition to his involvement in peacemaking efforts on Syria as Deputy to their Joint Special Envoy, Kofi Annan.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is pleased, along with Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby of the League of Arab States, to announce the appointment today of Lakhdar Brahimi as their Joint Special Representative for Syria, appreciating his willingness to bring his considerable talents and experience to this crucial task.
The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York from his visits to the Republic of Korea and Timor-Leste. He wrapped up his second day in Timor-Leste by focusing on education and a new global initiative he plans to launch formally next month in New York during the general debate, stressing that the world needs a bold new push for education.
The President of the Security Council read a press statement today, in which the members of the Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack by unidentified armed men on a community police centre of the UN-African Union mission in Darfur, in which one peacekeeper was killed and another injured.
The Secretary-General is seriously concerned about delays in the selection of the new Somali Parliament, and recent acts of intimidation and violence. In a statement we issued last night, he called upon the Somali political leadership, the traditional elders and other parties to act in the best interest of the Somali people.
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, will visit Syria and Lebanon from tomorrow to Thursday to underscore the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria and the conflict’s impact on the people of Syria and those who have fled to Lebanon and to neighbouring countries.
The Secretary-General will be leaving New York this afternoon for a visit to the Republic of Korea and Timor-Leste. In the Republic of Korea, he will visit the southern city of Yeosu, where he will take part in the closing ceremony for the 2012 Expo and speak at an international conference on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, has welcomed the peaceful transfer of authority from the National Transitional Council to the newly elected National Congress. He warmly congratulated the Libyans on the peaceful and democratic transfer of power, which is not only a first for the country but an inspiration for others.
The Secretary-General discussed Mali with the Security Council this morning, saying that he is extremely concerned about reports that armed groups in the north are committing serious human rights violations, including summary executions of civilians, rapes and torture. He encouraged the Council to consider targeted travel and financial sanctions against individuals or groups in Mali engaged in such terrorist, religious extremist or criminal activities.
The Secretary-General has conveyed a message to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, which is meeting in Kampala today, saying he is deeply concerned about the security conditions caused by the violent activities of the M23 group of mutineers and other national and foreign armed groups. He says the worsening situation also poses a threat to stability in the wider Great Lakes region.