The Secretary-General, en route to Ghana for the memorial service for the late former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, called Mr. Annan “a man who embodied United Nations values” and was a voice for the voiceless who did not shy away from the most challenging issues, but worked to bridge differences.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
In Bangkok, the Climate Change Conference ended on 9 September with an urgent call for accelerated climate action. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary said that the Conference had resulted in “uneven progress” on the guidelines to implement the Paris Agreement.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) welcomed Qatar’s decision to end exit visa requirements for most of its migrant workers. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said in a tweet that this is a “positive step towards decent work”, adding that the agency is committed to working with the Government of Qatar as it pursues further reforms. The Secretary-General adds his welcome to the voice of ILO.
The United Nations peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan reports that a military court handed down lengthy sentences today after finding 10 Government soldiers guilty of violence against civilians at the Terrain Hotel in the capital, Juba, in July 2016. In a statement, the Mission notes that the trial’s outcome sends a powerful message that other would-be offenders will be prosecuted and punished.
Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, called today for urgent funding to restore depleted supplies of emergency fuel for essential services in the Gaza Strip. Within a week, Al Aqsa Hospital in the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip may have to shut down, and, without fuel, some 300,000 people will potentially be affected by serious public health concerns.
Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, will be conducting her first-ever mission in South Sudan between 4 and 8 September. She intends to take stock of progress and challenges in the implementation of action plans to end and prevent grave violations against children.
In Gaza, Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick informed donors that the United Nations emergency fuel programme has run out of money. New funds are needed immediately to prevent a potentially catastrophic breakdown in service delivery at health centres, sewage treatment plants, water and sanitation facilities.
The Special Envoy for Syria warned of what he called a possible “perfect storm” in Idlib due to the potential military escalation in the area. He stressed that 2.9 million lives are at stake in Idlib, which is the largest of the so‑called de‑escalation areas.
A new report released today by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says that 4 million refugee children do not attend school. The report shows that enrolment of refugee children in school is failing to keep pace with the growing refugee population.
The United Nations Children’s Fund is taking measures to ensure a safe start to the school year in Ebola-affected regions of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including training of principals and 1,750 teachers about the virus, setting up procedures for early detection, isolation and referral to health services for children who may have Ebola‑like symptoms.