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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

WEDNESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2015

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: SECRETARY-GENERAL ‘ANGUISHED’ BY ALLEGATIONS OF BLUE HELMET MISCONDUCT, ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF U.N. ENVOY

• The Secretary-General to reporters this morning and said that he had accepted the resignation of Babacar Gaye, his Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
• The Secretary-General said more serious allegations had been raised about the conduct of United Nations troops in the Central African Republic. He said that he could not put into words how anguished, angered and ashamed he was at the recurrent reports over the years of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN forces.
• He also said he had requested a special session of the Security Council tomorrow and that he will also be convening a video conference with his Special Representatives, Force Commanders and Police Commissioners in all peacekeeping operations to underscore their responsibility.
• He also said Member States have the ultimate responsibility to hold individual uniformed personnel to account and they must take decisive preventive and punitive action.

ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY, SECRETARY-GENERAL SPOTLIGHTS ROLE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• This morning, the Secretary-General at an event commemorating . He emphasized the role that today’s young people can play in helping to realize the sustainable development goals.
• The Secretary-General noted that this is the largest generation of young people in history – and that with this new agenda, they can shape history. He called on the world’s young people to join forces with the United Nations. “Use your strength to advance our goals for a better future. Together, we can create a life of dignity for all,” said the Secretary-General.
• Also today, Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, said that at a meeting where nearly 1,000 Global Youth Ambassadors from across the world, led [by] an initiative known as 9;A World at School9;, are marking International Youth Day by stepping up campaigning for an end to youth exploitation and the right to universal education in an attempt to deliver a multi-million UpForSchool petition to the United Nations next month during the General Assembly.
  On 28 September, a Town Hall rally will be held in New York, led by youth leaders standing alongside Graca Machel and other world leaders to highlight their demands for change.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE BRIEFING BY U.N. YEMEN ENVOY

• This afternoon, the Security Council will hold closed consultations on Yemen. Council members will receive a briefing by videoconference from Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Yemen, who has been travelling in the region this week, including in Oman and Riyadh, to meet with the Yemeni parties and other regional representatives.
• In the morning, the Security Council met in closed consultations on chemical weapons in Syria, as well as sanctions on Liberia.

U.N. RELIEF CHIEF BEGINS VISIT TO YEMEN TO ASSESS HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

• The UN Coordinator, Stephen O9;Brien, arrived in Aden today, by ship from Djibouti, to assess the situation and humanitarian response in Yemen. He met with the authorities and humanitarian partners.
• Mr. O9;Brien saw extensive damage in the city, after shelling and airstrikes that had destroyed homes and other residential areas. Almost the entire population of Aden needs some form of humanitarian assistance – the entire population. He also visited the Inma school in the city, which is hosting hundreds of displaced people.
• Speaking to journalists, Mr. O9;Brien said that people need an end to the fighting, and that the world must not let them down.

SOMALIA: U.N. OFFICIAL STRESSES NEED FOR RAPID RESPONSE TO THWART HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN PUNTLAND, SOMALILAND

• The newly-appointed Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Peter de Clercq, has just completed his first official visit to Puntland and Somaliland.
• According to UN agencies and humanitarian partners, an estimated 220,000 people are internally displaced in Puntland and Somaliland. They are seriously in need of food, water and shelter.
• Moreover, more than 28,000 people have arrived in Somalia since April, fleeing the conflict in Yemen, including returning Somalis as well as Yemeni refugees. Mr. de Clercq also visited reception centres in the coastal cities of Berbera and Bosasso, and he met with people who have just arrived.
• The Deputy Special Representative also stressed the need for a concerted and rapid response by international actors, and national and local authorities to avert a humanitarian crisis.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME CHIEF MEETS SYRIAN REFUGEES IN JORDAN

• The Executive Director of the World Food Programme (), Ertharin Cousin, has concluded just a visit to Jordan, during which she met Syrian refugee families and heard the hopes and fears of young people. Her visit comes at a time when WFP reduced the level of assistance it provides to nearly half a million Syrian refugees living outside of camps in Jordan, due to a severe lack of funding.
• The cuts in the value of voucher assistance, combined with reductions in support from other humanitarian agencies, have a negative impact on the food security of the majority of refugees. Many have taken drastic measures, such as taking their children out of school to send them to work and incurring debilitating levels of debt.
• WFP needs $45 million to continue providing vital food assistance to more than half a million Syrian refugees living in Jordan until the end of the year.

LATEST ROUND OF U.N.-BACKED LIBYA TALKS WRAP UP IN GENEVA

• The latest round of UN-facilitated talks with Libyan parties, which were hosted at the UN Office in Geneva, have concluded today. The talks were presided over by the Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino Leon.
• Mr. Leon says that the talks were held in a positive atmosphere and the parties have reiterated their conviction that there can be no alternative to peace in Libya outside this dialogue process.

BURUNDI: U.N., GLOBAL ENVOYS FOR GREAT LAKES REGION URGE RESTRAINT, LEADERSHIP TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE

• A team of international envoys for the Great Lakes Region, including the UN Envoy for the Great Lakes, Said Djinnit, are calling for restraint, leadership, and vision from all concerned citizens of Burundi to prevent further violence.
• The envoys called for an immediate end to violence, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the resumption of an inclusive political dialogue.
• They urged Burundian government to immediately seize the opportunity for dialogue, forge a new path for Burundi – agreed upon by all peaceful political parties, civil society, and the people of Burundi – with the support of the East African Community (EAC), African Union, United Nations and the international community.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY DEADLY ATTACKS IN NORTHEAST NIGERIA

• In response to questions, the Secretary-General says that he is saddened by the attacks yesterday at a crowded market in the town Sabon Garithat, in north-east Nigeria, which reportedly killed over 40 people and injured many. He extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured.
• The Secretary-General reiterates his message that there is no justification for indiscriminate killings. He reaffirms his solidarity with the people of Nigeria and reiterates the UN’s support to the Nigerian government in its fight against terrorism that is grounded in international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law.

U.N. CHILDREN’S FUND, PARTNERS HELPING TO MAKE SCHOOLS IN WEST AFRICA SAFE FROM EBOLA TRANSMISSION

• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners are helping to implement practice to make schools in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone safe from Ebola transmission.
• An estimated five million children lost months of education as schools remained closed from July 2014 until the first few months of this year.
• Today, the UN agency and its partners are working to make sure that the temperature of students and school staff are taken as well as handwashing stations are available in schools. They also have distributed soap and chlorine, and have trained tens of thousands of teachers and administrators on maintaining safe hygiene practices and standards.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SPOTLIGHTS PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS ELIMINATING POLIO

• Marking a year since the last wild polio case was detected in Africa the World Health Organization () today highlighted the important progress toward eradication around the world.
• Nigeria was the last polio-endemic country in Africa. If no new cases occur for two years, the continent would be certified polio-free by the Africa Regional Certification Commission. Today, polio remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan only.

U.N. OFFICIAL MEETS FLOOD-AFFECTED PEOPLE IN MYAMAR’S SAGAING REGION

• Renata Dessallien, the UN Resident Coordinator in Myanmar, has wrapped up a visit to the Sagaing Region, where she visited communities affected by the floods and observed ongoing relief efforts.
• She said she was deeply moved by the stories of people whose lives have been shattered.
• Ms. Dessallien said that the response to the floods has been ably led by the Government, but noted that the rainy season is not yet over, and that the UN and its partners are concerned by additional forecasted rains.
• She thanked the international community, which has been quick to fund immediate life-saving assistance and has pledged to provide support for recovery and reconstruction.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF U.N. MISSION IN LIBERIA

• The Secretary-General has appointed Farid Zarif of Afghanistan as his new Special Representative for Liberia and Head of the UN Mission in Liberia ().
• He will succeed Karin Landgren of Sweden, who completed her assignment in July. The Secretary-General is grateful to Ms. Landgren’s service, including during the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease.
• Mr. Zarif is currently the SRSG to Kosovo and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). He has extensive experience in diplomatic, international and UN affairs.