At the Security Council’s meeting today on the impact of HIV/AIDS on peace and security, the Secretary-General said that whenever AIDS is part of the equation, the UN strives to be part of the solution. He urged all to address the dangerous link between AIDS, the drug trade, sex trafficking and abuse of women.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General is alarmed at the escalation of violence in Syria, which has reportedly left at least 70 killed over the past week alone, bringing the total casualties since mid-March to over 1,000 dead, many more injured and thousands arrested.
The Secretary-General has been taking part in events in Rome to mark the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. This morning, he attended a military parade, along with many foreign dignitaries, and later at an official dinner he is expected to offer a toast on behalf of the international community, highlighting Italy’s strong support for the United Nations and paying tribute to Italy’s contribution to art and culture.
Every day, an estimated 2,500 young people are newly infected with HIV, according to a new UN inter-agency global report on HIV prevention. The report finds that people between the ages of 15 and 24 accounted for more than 40 per cent of new infections among adults over the age of 15 in 2009.
The Secretary-General is travelling to Rome, Italy, from this evening until 3 June. He will meet with the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano; the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini; as well as attend events to mark the 150th anniversary of Italian unification.
The Secretary-General condemns the attack on the United Nations peacekeepers which happened today in Lebanon. It is all the more deplorable because today is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
The Secretary-General welcomes the arrest of Ratko Mladić, former commander of the army of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He commends President Boris Tadić and the Serbian authorities for this significant step towards ending impunity for those indicted for serious international humanitarian law violations.
The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the violent clashes in Sana’a between the security forces of the Government of Yemen and armed tribesmen that have left many people dead and wounded. This confrontation might further destabilize the situation, he says, calling for an immediate end to fighting.
The Secretary-General has arrived in Ethiopia, where he will visit a health centre, a clinic and a hospital to see examples of Ethiopia’s efforts to provide health services at different levels of delivery. Those visits are part of his ongoing effort to stress the need to improve health care for women and children.
The Secretary-General is concerned that despite the fast approaching deadline for Nepal's Constituent Assembly of 28 May, there is still no agreement on the important issues that divide the parties, namely on the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants and key aspects of the constitution.