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Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
Earlier today, the Secretary-General signed the book of condolences for former Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
In his tribute, the Secretary-General said that Kofi Annan was one of the best of us, a man who embodied United Nations values and made us all proud to call ourselves his colleagues.
He added that during his years in office, Kofi Annan had created a renewed sense of possibility both inside and outside our organization about what the UN could do and could be for the world’s people.
The Secretary-General said that Kofi Annan was a true voice for the voiceless who did not shy away from the most challenging issues but worked creatively to bridge differences and protect the most vulnerable. He stood his ground without antagonizing others; his humility, good humour, courtesy and charm went hand-in-hand with enormous wisdom and strength.
In these times of growing political divides and intractable conflicts, we need the peacemaking spirit of Kofi Annan more than ever.
In a statement on the Democratic Republic of Korea issued on Monday evening, the Secretary-General said he looked forward to discussing how he can further support the parties in their diplomatic efforts to bring sustainable peace, security, and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during the upcoming high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly.
In another statement, also issued on Monday evening, the Secretary-General condemned the killings earlier this week in northeastern Nigeria and said he remained deeply concerned by the persisting violence in the Lake Chad Basin region.
The Security Council is meeting on the situation in the Middle East, and was briefed by Rosemary di Carlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.
This coming Saturday, 25 August, marks one year since the most recent outbreak of violence in Rakhine state that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that, despite some encouraging signs by the Government of Myanmar, substantial progress is urgently needed in granting effective access for aid organizations and addressing the root causes of the crisis, including freedom of movement, safety and a pathway to citizenship for all communities.
Humanitarian access in northern Rakhine remains severely limited, denying life-saving support to those in desperate need. As stated by the Resident and Humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar, Knut Ostby, the UN is “standing ready to go when we have effective access,” but this has not yet been granted by the Government.
The United Nations remains deeply worried about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine. There are some 660,000 people in need across Rakhine state, including more than 176,000 in northern Rakhine. Most humanitarian organizations that had been working in northern Rakhine State for years have still not been able to resume programmes and services for this population – some of the most vulnerable people in the world.
The UN also continues to receive reports of violence. More than 11,000 new refugees arrived in Bangladesh between January and June 2018.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen is reportedly increasing, raising concerns of a possible “third wave” of the epidemic.
Since April 2017, more than 1.1 million suspected cases and more than 2,300 associated deaths have been reported, making it the largest outbreak on record.
Humanitarian partners are responding to avoid a large-scale resurgence. This month, our partners have vaccinated more than 385,000 people against cholera in the high-risk districts of Hodeidah and Ibb.
OCHA is disturbed by damage to health and water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure due to conflict. Access to these services is crucial to prevent another cholera epidemic.
All parties to the conflict must meet their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The Department of Public Information and NGO Conference began today. The theme this year is “We the Peoples… Together Finding Global Solutions for Global Problems”, and it will focus on the value of multilateralism to solve global problems, and on the opportunities for closer partnership between the UN and civil society in the context of the Agenda 2030.
