Press Conferences
Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
On 31 January, the UN resumed its cross-border deliveries from Bab al-Hawa border crossing point in Turkey into Idleb governorate in Syria. A total of 25 trucks with food and medical supplies were delivered into Syria on 31 January, the first delivery following the UN decision on 20 January to temporarily halt deliveries due to security concerns. An additional 15 trucks delivered assistance on 1 February.
Security remains a concern along the border. Due to the security situation. The UN is maintaining its temporary suspension of deliveries through Bab al-Salam, the second border crossing point in Turkey authorized under UN Security Council Resolution 2165. Mitigation measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of UN staff at Bab al-Hawa, including the use of armored vehicles and restrictions on staff authorized in the area.
The UN Mission in Mali and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that despite the signature of the Peace Agreement in Mali, the human rights situation remains of concern.
A joint report published today, based on monitoring and analysis conducted during the interim period of the Peace Agreement, finds that more than 600 cases of human rights violations and abuses were committed between January 2016 and June 2017. More than 800 other incidents involving unidentified armed individuals and placing the lives of civilians at risk also occurred during the same period. In total, these acts of violence impacted more than 2,700 victims, including 441 people who were killed.
The High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, today jointly launched funding appeals to provide support for people from South Sudan who have fled to neighbouring countries and to address the growing humanitarian needs inside the country.
The requirements for the appeals are US$1.5 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. Conflict and insecurity have forcibly displaced one in three South Sudanese either within the country or across its borders.
The President of the Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Marie Chatardova, today issued a Presidential Statement on the ECOSOC Youth Forum that took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. The President called on Ministers of Youth to actively prioritize youth and to collaborate with young people to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
She said that “We must include youth across all levels of policy-making and in all processes that affect them, including in the design of national plans and strategies. Young people should seize leadership and take responsibility for their future.”
The current 2017/2018 season should end with a record global cereal output – that is according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The latest forecast has been raised by 13.5 million tonnes since December, with coarse grains driving the bulk of the increase due largely to higher maize output expected in China, Mexico and the European Union.
Meanwhile, FAO's Food Price Index was nearly unchanged in January from the previous month and almost 3 percent below its level of a year ago.
Belgium, Estonia, Qatar and the Russian Federation have paid their regular budget dues in full, bringing the number of Member States that have done so to 36.