Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:11:55
• Production Date: 4 January 2018
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: FARHAN HAQ
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MULTIDIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED STABILIZATION MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - MINUSCA
• Subject Topical: ARMED GROUPS; CIVILIAN PROTECTION; DISABILITY
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; EQUATORIAL GUINEA
• MAMS Id: 2071184
• Parent Id: 2071176

Description

The UN Mission in the Central African Republic has strongly condemned the violence that resulted in loss of life and population displacement in Paoua in the North West of the country.

According to preliminary reports, armed men of the Revolution Justice armed group attacked Muslim neighbourhoods on the night of 31 December. Following the intervention of UN peacekeepers, tensions had decreased by the afternoon of 1 January. However, the presence of armed group members in the city is preventing a return to normalcy.

The Mission has sent reinforcements and multiplied patrols in the city to better prevent attacks against civilians.

In response to questions, the Spokesman said that we are aware of reports of an attempted coup d’Etat in Equatorial Guinea on 28 December. Little information has emerged on the details of the attempt.

We condemn all attempts to seize power unconstitutionally.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, François Louncény Fall, intends to visit Malabo next week to meet with the authorities.

In response to a question about the use of Braille at UN Headquarters, the Spokesman said that Braille overlays that are customized for the delegate voting units at UN Headquarters have been available for delegates since 2016. They are provided to delegations upon request through the advance team of the Meetings Servicing Unit of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.

In addition, requests for Braille overlays can be made in person through the United Nations Accessibility Centre, which offers information and communications technology to support delegates with auditory, visual or physical impairments. The Accessibility Centre is located at level 1B, near the Secretariat Building escalators.