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Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York after wrapping up his participation at the 24th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland.
This morning, the Secretary-General joined Member States, civil society and other stakeholders to brief them on his 2019 Climate Summit. He said that the gathering, which will take place on the sidelines of the 2019 General Assembly, will focus on delivering three key outcomes: a raising of real ambition; transformative action in the real economy; and an unprecedented citizen and youth mobilization. “My summit,” the Secretary-General said, “is not an end in itself. It is a tool – a tool to leverage unprecedented ambition, transformation, and mobilization.”
Following that event, the Secretary-General participated in the High-Level Event on Global Climate Action and Multilateralism. He told the participants that they need to be frank, to be bold and to encourage their governments to reach a positive outcome at the summit. He said that he is a true believer in global solutions for global problems, but multilateralism needs to adapt to new circumstances and cannot work in isolation.
Prior to leaving Katowice, the Secretary-General participated in the High-Level Event on Electric Mobility, sponsored by COP24 President Mihal Kurtyka. He thanked the participants for focusing on mobility, as transport accounted for one quarter of total emissions in 2016, a level 71 per cent higher than what was seen in 1990. This event, he said, is critical because it is a key step towards the sustainability transition that we all know is needed.
Also at COP24, UNESCO today launched its Atlas on the retreat of Andean glaciers and the reduction of glacial waters.
The atlas shows that if current trends continue, some of the lower-altitude glaciers of the tropical Andes could lose between 78 and 97 per cent of their volume by the end of the century, reducing the region's available freshwater resources.
To meet the challenges of ensuring water security for the populations that depend on these glaciers, the Atlas makes a series of recommendations for policymakers in the region. You can find it on UNESCO’s website.
I have the following statement attributable to the Spokesperson concerning the initial roundtable meeting on Western Sahara: The Secretary-General welcomes the decision of Morocco, the Frente Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania to accept the invitation of his Personal Envoy, Horst Köhler, to participate in an initial roundtable meeting in Geneva on 5 and 6 December 2018.
The Secretary-General reiterates his steadfast support to his Personal Envoy and his efforts to relaunch the negotiation process in line with Security Council resolution 2440 of 31 October 2018. He urges all to engage in good faith, without preconditions and in a constructive spirit in the discussions.
Last night, we issued the following statement: The Secretary-General strongly condemns the brutal sexual attacks perpetrated against women and girls in the last ten days in the Unity region of South Sudan. These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how, despite recent recommitments by South Sudan’s leaders to a cessation of hostilities and a revitalized peace agreement, the security situation for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children.
Rape and other forms of sexual violence have been a consistent feature of the conflict in South Sudan, used both as a tactic of war and a driver of forced displacement. The Secretary-General underlines that such predatory behavior against the most vulnerable is unacceptable.
The Secretary-General urges the leaders of all the parties to the conflict – and future leaders in the Transitional Government of National Unity – to ensure the safety of civilians and address impunity for these crimes through investigation and prosecution of perpetrators, including through the operationalization of the Hybrid Court, as an immediate priority.
The Secretary-General underlines that the only viable solution for the security and prosperity of the people of South Sudan is the immediate cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. The United Nations stands ready to support all national, regional and international efforts to that effect.
Also, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; UNICEF’s Executive Director; and the UN Population Fund’s Executive Director, issued a joint statement on this, as did the Special Representatives on Sexual Violence in Conflict and on Children and Armed Conflict together with the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide.
One in every 70 people around the world is caught up in a crisis, with more than 130 million people expected to need humanitarian aid next year.
The United Nations and its partners will aim to help more than 93 million of the most vulnerable people, according to the 2019 Global Humanitarian Overview presented by Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock today in Geneva. Some $25 billion will be needed for these efforts.
The average humanitarian crisis with a UN-coordinated response lasts more than nine years, up from an average length of 5.2 years in 2014, according to the World Humanitarian Data and Trends 2018 analysis.
Mr. Lowcock said that the humanitarian system today is more effective than ever, stressing that response plans are now more inclusive, comprehensive, innovative and prioritized.
Also on the humanitarian front, in a video message today, the Secretary-General said that humanitarians are constantly on the front lines, negotiating access with parties to conflicts and assisting the world’s most vulnerable people. You can read his full message to the 3rd Annual Meeting of Frontline Humanitarian Negotiators online.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was informed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this morning that they have started activities south of the Blue Line to look for suspected tunnels.
The overall situation in UNIFIL’s area of operation remains calm and UNIFIL is working with all interlocutors in order to maintain the overall stability.
UNIFIL peacekeepers have further increased their patrolling along the Blue Line, together with the Lebanese Armed Forces, to maintain the overall stability and avoid misunderstandings that could lead to any escalation.
UNIFIL’s liaison teams are operating on both sides of the Blue Line.
Our humanitarian colleagues call on all parties to the Syrian conflict to ensure freedom of movement for civilians, following the reported closure of the Abu Al-Thohour crossing point in Idleb Governorate between Syrian Government and opposition-controlled areas.
The crossing was open between 26 November and 2 December, and nearly 4,500 people, including some 1,200 children, reportedly used it to move into Government of Syria-held areas. Most were heading towards rural Hama Governorate, with the rest going to Sinjar area in Idleb Governorate and to southern rural Aleppo Governorate, as well as to Aleppo city.
The United Nations urges all parties, and those with influence over them, to ensure the protection of civilians, and to provide safe, sustained and unhindered access by all humanitarian actors in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
