The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports significant displacement in the Nafusa Mountains of Libya, which has seen intense fighting between Government forces and opposition groups and 64,000 displaced Libyans since mid-March. The World Food Programme has delivered, through partners, some 546 metric tons of food for more than 100,000 people in the mountains.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The International Criminal Court today issued arrest warrants for Muammar al-Qadhafi, one of his sons and the head of Libya’s intelligence forces for alleged crimes against humanity, on reasonable grounds that the arrests are needed to prevent the suspects’ further commission of crimes in the Court’s jurisdiction.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has expressed her serious concerns about the trials of 21 people in Bahrain, including that the due process rights of the defendants were not respected and the trials appeared to bear the marks of political persecution. Her office said that up to 1,000 people reportedly remain in detention.
The Secretary-General welcomes President Obama’s announcement to start the drawdown of American forces in Afghanistan as of July 2011. The United Nations views this decision as the beginning of a transition to greater responsibilities of the Afghan Government and ultimately to full Afghan leadership and ownership.
The General Assembly yesterday agreed on a second term for Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General. He was sworn in, after placing his hand on the original copy of the UN Charter. Vowing to build bridges among nations, he said: “Together, no challenge is too large. Together, nothing is impossible.”
The General Assembly expects to take up the agenda item “Appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations” this afternoon. The Assembly’s action comes after the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 1987 (2011) last Friday. The Secretary-General will attend the General Assembly meeting.
The Security Council heard briefings today, via videoconference, on the situation in Sudan, from the Head of the UN Mission there, Haile Menkerios, as well as from the African Union envoy and former South African President Thabo Mbeki. The Secretary-General welcomes today’s agreement on Abyei.
The Security Council, in a closed meeting this morning, approved by acclamation a resolution in which the Security Council recommends to the General Assembly that Ban Ki-moon be appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term of office, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016.
The Secretary-General told Uruguay’s Parliament yesterday that people in the Middle East and North Africa are raising their voices in a once-in-a-generation moment for freedom and democracy. He said he had again urged Syria’s President to protect his people, respect their rights, listen, and facilitate refugee returns.
Reporting to the Human Rights Council, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says the information received by the fact-finding mission on Syria reflects a dire human rights situation. The alleged breaches of basic rights on such a broad scale require a thorough investigation and full accountability.