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Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
As you’re aware, on 21 December of last year, the General Assembly adopted a resolution to set up what it known as “the Mechanism” — the full title is the “International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011”.
Staying on the subject of Syria, the Security Council heard today from the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, who said that 2016 was a year where we witnessed devastation and suffering in Syria at levels that defy comprehension; and yet, as we start 2017 and as hard as it is to imagine, there are some emerging reasons to hope. Since 30 December, he said, a nationwide ceasefire continues to hold, despite some breaches. This has provided a rare moment of respite for many, and we must all do everything in our power to see that it is consolidated and extended.
Turning to Iraq and as the conflict in Mosul intensifies and greater numbers of civilians are caught in the crossfire, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have increased trauma care services to ensure that injured patients have a greater chance of survival. However, additional funds are needed in order to provide a full range of health services to the 2.7 million people affected.
From The Gambia, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, arrived in the Gambian capital Banjul earlier today, where he is planning to have further discussions with President [Adama] Barrow, who also arrived in the capital today.
I was asked by a number of you for an update on Libya. I can tell you that over the past month, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Martin Kobler, has been actively reaching out to all Libyan stakeholders, in addition to Libya's neighbours and the international community, to advance the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement.
The newly arrived Special Representative of the UN and head of the Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), David Shearer, met yesterday with Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan, in Juba. He reiterated the Mission’s commitment to supporting peace efforts.
Just to give you an update on a humanitarian operation that we had flagged a little earlier in the week in Nigeria: a major vaccination campaign against measles is concluding this week in northeast Nigeria, expected to reach more than 4.7 million children.
A couple of events to flag: speaking ahead of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, the High Commissioner for Human Rights today said that the painful day forces us to contemplate the horrors to which bigotry, racism and discrimination ultimately lead.
On Sunday, at 7 p.m., if you want to clear your head, you are invited to a concert by the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council. They will perform a benefit concert, in collaboration with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). All proceeds for the concert will go to the refugee agency.
We thank Australia, Guinea and Sweden for full payments to the regular budget.
