Press Conferences
Virtual Press Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the opening event for the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week. He said that it is too early to fully assess the implications of COVID-19 on the terrorism landscape.
This morning, the Secretary-General also spoke by a video message at the Integration Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). He called on governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to accelerate coordinated global action to ensure that we recover better from the pandemic and deliver together on the promises of the 2030 Agenda.
In Syria, the UN continue to reach millions of women, children and men in urgent need of humanitarian assistance throughout Syria. On average each month in April and May, some 3.2 million people were supported from within Syria and 1.3 million people were supported through cross-border operations from Turkey.
In Nigeria, our Humanitarian Coordinator there, Edward Kallon, condemned last Thursday’s attack by armed groups in Damasak in Borno State. At least two civilians, including a five-year-old child, were killed and several others were injured.
In the Dominican Republic, there are more than 37,000 confirmed cases of the virus, and nearly 800 deaths. Led by Resident Coordinator Mauricio Ramirez, the UN team has supported the government’s response on all fronts.
In Malawi, the UN and its partners, in collaboration with national authorities, are scaling up the response to fight the pandemic and protect the country’s 18 million people. Almost all districts in the country have been affected, with over 1,400 cases reported
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) organized a two-day workshop for community leaders and business owners in Wau and Jur River counties to spread messages on preventing the spread of COVID-19.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, according to a UN investigation, attacks by the ADF - the armed group also known as the Allied Democratic Forces - have left more than 1,000 people dead and dozens injured.
We also have an update from the Central African Republic, following clashes last week between 3R insurgents and UN Peacekeepers in the Ouham-Pendé prefecture. The Mission has deployed additional peacekeepers to reinforce its capacities on the ground.
On Thursday night we issued a note to correspondents informing you that two male international staff members who were assigned to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), in Jerusalem, who were in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv, had been identified as having engaged in misconduct, including conduct of a sexual nature.
I want to read into the record the announcement we put out late last week, that of the appointment of Cristina Duarte of the Republic of Cabo Verde as Special Adviser on Africa.
I am delighted to thank our friends in Port au Prince for their full payment to the 2020 regular budget. That brings us to 102 Member States that have paid in full for 2020.
Tomorrow, my guest will be Liu Zhenmin, the Under- Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. He will be joined by Francesca Perucci, the Chief of the Statistical Services Branch of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and Yongyi Min, the Chief of the Sustainable Development Goals Monitoring Section.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General