Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

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

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:19:58
• Production Date: 17 March 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: FARHAN HAQ
• Corporate Name: ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE - ECE; OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA; UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF; UNITED NATIONS SUPPORT MISSION IN LIBYA - UNSMIL; WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICTS; DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN CRISIS; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS; TERRORISM; UNITED NATIONS BUDGET; VIRUSES
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; CHINA; LIBYA; MALTA; PAKISTAN; SOUTHEAST ASIA; SYRIA; UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA; UZBEKISTAN; ZIMBABWE
• MAMS Id: 2540770
• Parent Id: 2540770

Description

UN teams around the world are continuing to offer support to national and local authorities to prepare and respond to the pandemic.

The World Health Organization today called on Member States in South-East Asia to urgently scale-up aggressive measures to combat COVID-19, as confirmed cases cross 480, with eight deaths.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that some of the 140 countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are already in crisis due to conflicts, natural disasters and climate change.

The UN Refugee Agency tells us that, in Pakistan, following the closure of the Torkham and Chaman official border-crossing points with Afghanistan, the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been suspended.

The UN Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, joins the call by international partners on all parties to the Libyan conflict to declare an immediate humanitarian cessation of hostilities as well as a halt to the continuing transfer of all military equipment and personnel into Libya.

The UN continues to step up its cross-border response efforts out of Turkey to address the needs of hundreds of thousands of newly displaced women, children and men in north-west Syria.

Last night, a statement was issued in which the Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack perpetrated by anti-Balaka elements against local officials on 15 March in Grimari, in the Ouaka Prefecture.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that the recent sentencing of eight senior members and one former senior leader of Tanzania's main opposition party on charges including sedition and unlawful assembly is further troubling evidence of the crackdown on dissent and the stifling of public freedoms in the country.

An estimated 50,000 stateless people in Uzbekistan are set to acquire citizenship following the passing of a new law in the country.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe today launched a first Regional report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Malta has paid its budget dues in full bringing the total to 72 financial contributions.

For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General