In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities have declared the end of a separate Ebola outbreak in Equatorial Province. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Moustapha Soumaré, praised the national authorities for their rapid and coordinated response, and paid tribute to the bravery of aid teams.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq welcomed the agreement reached on 13 November between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on the budget. He called it an important step towards a comprehensive, fair and constitutional solution to outstanding issues.
Before departing Myanmar today, the Secretary-General met with President U Thein Sein and commended him on his leadership in advancing the peace process between the Government and ethnic armed groups. He also underlined that all stakeholders need to take a “leap of faith” and move towards the signing of a nationwide ceasefire.
The Secretary‑General commended the joint announcement by China and the United States of their post-2020 action on climate change as an important contribution to the new climate agreement to be reached next year in Paris, and urged other countries to follow suit.
The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, spoke to reporters in Damascus today, one day after he met with President Bashar al-Assad. He discussed the UN proposal for a freeze, which he said is a new way to achieve a de-escalation of violence, starting with the city of Aleppo.
The Secretary‑General has established a United Nations Board of Inquiry to investigate several incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to, United Nations premises in Gaza between 8 July and 26 August. It will also review incidents in which weapons were found at those sites.
In Geneva, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stressed the impact of the Ebola crisis on essential health services in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the past three months, UNICEF has shipped almost 3,000 metric tonnes of life-saving supplies, including protective equipment and essential medicine.
Following today’s Supreme Court ruling in Libya regarding its Parliament, the UN Support Mission in Libya underscored the need for all to act responsibly and not take actions that would escalate the existing polarization or lead to a further deterioration of the security situation.
The Secretary-General welcomes the mission by the Presidents of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal to Ouagadougou today to join mediation efforts by the joint United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States delegation. He reiterates his call for inclusive dialogue to continue and encourages all parties to reach an agreement for a peaceful, civilian-led transition in Burkina Faso as soon as possible.
The Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response was in Liberia today, the last leg of his visit to the most affected countries. The Chairs of the Peacebuilding Commission Configurations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone yesterday discussed the crisis’ potential impact on State institutions and political stability.