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Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
The Secretary-General and his Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, will inform the General Assembly of the latest developments on Syria at an informal meeting that starts at 3 pm today.
Mr. de Mistura spoke to reporters in Geneva today following a meeting of the Humanitarian Task Force, and he said that the UN considers the current 11-hour pause in Aleppo as a direct response to an urgent request for medical evacuation and relief for those who have been wounded or are sick victims inside eastern Aleppo. That request, he added, has been on the table for a few weeks, and the UN welcomes it, as it does any humanitarian pause.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that humanitarian partners continue to deliver critical assistance in Les Cayes. Yesterday, the World Food Programme (WFP) distributed additional food to affected families with further distributions planned this week. Access to remote communities continues to be a challenge but is improving. Yesterday PAHO/WHO visited a remote village, Randell. They brought medical kits while assessing their immediate humanitarian needs. More items, such as hygiene kits, buckets and essential drugs will be delivered again today.
The UN Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) also continues to support the response to Hurricane Matthew. MINUSTAH is increasing its deployment of engineering assets in the southeast between Port au Prince, Belle Anse and Grand Gosier to maintain roads and conduct assessments in remote areas.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that since the beginning of Mosul operations in Iraq, 5,640 people have been displaced, with more than 3,700 displaced yesterday alone. The vast majority of displaced families so far have been received in Qayyarah district, some 60km south of Mosul; some have also been received in Debaga, on the outskirts of Erbil. They are receiving assistance from humanitarian partners, through pre-positioned facilities and supplies.
The Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag, welcomed the passing in Parliament of the law for the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution, incorporating a National Preventive Mechanism against Torture.
She said that this is an important step towards achieving increased accountability, transparency and compliance with human rights standards. The United Nations, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the lead, will continue to support and assist Lebanon in its efforts to uphold human rights.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Martin Kobler, yesterday attended a ministerial meeting of Libya’s neighbouring countries in Niger. He called on regional powers to support the newly unified Presidency Council in its efforts to create a new Government of National Accord.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that Typhoon Haima, known locally as Lawin, made landfall in the Philippines yesterday evening, bringing strong winds and torrential rain. According to the Government, more than 6,500 families were evacuated in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Quirino. The Government is leading damage assessments, and OCHA stands ready to provide assistance as needed.
The Habitat III Conference is wrapping up in Quito, Ecuador this afternoon, where Member States are expected to adopt the New Urban Agenda. The Agenda recognizes urbanization as a key element for development, and contains several important commitments for a more sustainable future.
Millions of people are dying and opportunities to bolster the fight against climate change are being overlooked due to the lack of investment in safe walking and cycling infrastructure.
That is according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which calls on countries to invest at least 20 per cent of their transport budgets on this kind of infrastructure to save lives and reduce carbon emissions.
The head of UNEP, Erik Solheim, said designing transport systems around cars puts more vehicles on the road, increasing both greenhouse gas emissions and deadly air pollution.
