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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2016

SECRETARY-GENERAL HOLDS TALKS WITH WORLD LEADERS, TAKES PART IN HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS

• The Secretary-General continued his programme of bilateral meetings today.
• He also spoke at several events, including one on the 2030 Agenda, as well as at a meeting with leaders from the Pacific Island Forum. He attended a UN Development Group event on the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Group of 77.

• The Secretary-General will travel to Cartagena, Colombia, where he will attend the signing of the Peace Agreement on Monday.
• The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, will also begin a six-day official visit to Colombia tomorrow, at the invitation of the Government, and will also be attending the signing.

• Representatives of the Quartet – the United Nations, the Russian Federation, the United States and the European Union – met today. They were joined by the Foreign Ministers of France and Egypt during the second part of the meeting to brief on their work to support the Middle East peace plan. All agreed on the importance of close and continued coordination of all efforts to achieve the common goal of a two-State solution.
• In a statement, the Quartet reiterated its call on the parties to implement the recommendations of the Quartet Report of 1 July, and create the conditions for the resumption of meaningful negotiations that will end the occupation that began in 1967 and resolve all final status issues. The Quartet recalled its findings of the Quartet Report and expressed concern about recent actions on the ground that run counter to its recommendations.

• Speaking at a ministerial meeting on Mali this morning, the Secretary-General called on armed groups to cease confrontations and all parties to set aside short-term interests and carry out the peace agreement.
• He also stressed the need for all sides to fully comply with their human rights obligations, including during counter-terrorism operations. He called for inclusiveness of the dialogue, noting that any feeling of marginalization with the peace process could breed resentment and create fertile ground for spoilers.
• In this dangerous environment, he said the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) still suffers from capability gaps and called for Member States to urgently strengthen it.

• Speaking at the meeting of the Partnership Group on Myanmar, the Secretary-General this morning stressed that while the project of nation-building in the country is far from over, there are already concrete and promising results.
• He added that the overwhelming popular mandate that the people of Myanmar have given to the new Government is a sign of trust and confidence they have placed in the National League for Democracy. He added that is also recognition of their immense struggle and sacrifice over the years.
• The Secretary-General said when he was appointed to his position ten years ago, the holding of peaceful, democratic elections in Myanmar was a distant dream. But last year, he said, the people of Myanmar made it a reality.

• Last night, an inter-agency convoy of 23 trucks completed delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to some 35,000 people in the besieged town of Moadamiyeh in Rural Damascus. Assistance included food, medical supplies, nutrition, education, water and sanitation and non-food supplies. Trucks and drivers returned safely to Damascus after offloading. The town was last reached with an inter-agency convoy on 24 July of this year. That was the eighth convoy there this year.
• With yesterday’s delivery, the UN and its partners have been able to reach nearly 1.3 million people in hard-to-reach and besieged and priority cross-line areas this year, many more than once, through 115 convoys, 85 airlifts and 122 air drops.

• In a statement issued yesterday evening, the Secretary-General condemned the multiple airstrikes by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition on 21 September in the Red Sea port city of Hudaydah in Yemen, which killed and injured dozens of people, including children and women.
• The Secretary-General once again reminds all parties to the conflict that they must fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular the fundamental rules of distinction, proportionality and precaution. He reiterates his call for urgent measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
• The Secretary-General also urged all parties to recommit to the terms and conditions of the 10 April cessation of hostilities.
• Meanwhile, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights today notes with deep concern the sharp increase in civilian casualties since the suspension of the peace talks, with 180 people killed and 268 injured in August. This represents a 40 per cent increase compared to civilian casualties in the previous month.

• In a statement issued yesterday evening on Gabon, the Secretary-General urged all parties in Gabon, in particular the political leaders and their followers, to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from any form of violence and remain calm ahead of and after the ruling of the Constitutional Court, which is expected today.
• Any additional loss of life in Gabon is unacceptable, he said, underlining that those who instigate or commit violence must be held accountable, and that disagreements between the parties need to be expressed peacefully.
• The Secretary-General encourages the victorious candidate to engage in a genuine national dialogue towards inclusive democratic governance and the rule of law, including reforms in the management of future elections.

• The UN Refugee Agency has expressed its deep sadness at the loss of life after another boat capsized in the Mediterranean. The incident happened on Wednesday, off the coast of Rosetta, Egypt.
• The boat was reportedly carrying around 450 people. At least 42 bodies have reportedly been recovered, while another 150 people were rescued.
• There has been a steady increase in the number of interceptions of refugees and migrants trying to leave Egypt in an irregular manner, primarily from Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

• The High Commissioner for Human Rights today called on the authorities of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to end their systematic policy of expulsion and detention of migrants.
• He said he was particularly concerned at the situation of nearly 180 migrations – including dozens of children – who have been living in limbo since March in two transit centers. They have been stranded in the country after it closed its borders on 8 March.
• The High Commissioner called for urgent measures to help stranded migrants return to a normal life, including by creating avenues for gainful employment.
• He also voiced deep concern over reports of pushbacks into neighbouring countries and collective and arbitrary expulsions of migrants, in breach of the country’s international human rights obligations.

• Zambia has become the latest Member State to pay its regular budget dues in full, bring the total number of Member States which have done so to 123.