Virtual Press Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:21:28
• Production Date: 13 July 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Subject Topical: APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIALS; CORONAVIRUS DISEASE - COVID 19; FOOD SECURITY; FORUM; NUTRITION; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; KAZAKHSTAN; LIBYA; MALI; PHILIPPINES; SYRIA; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2550631
• Parent Id: 2550631

Description

The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published today, estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in five years.

Over the weekend, the Secretary-General took note of the Security Council’s decision on Saturday to extend the UN cross-border mechanism in northwest Syria via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for twelve months.

In a statement, the Secretary-General strongly condemned today’s attack by alleged Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation (3R) armed elements on a United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) convoy in Gedze, Nana-Mambere prefecture in the northwest of the country. A peacekeeper from Rwanda was killed and two others were wounded.

In Yemen, I can confirm that the local de facto authorities in Yemen have officially communicated to the UN their approval for an UN-led technical assessment and repair mission on board the SAFER oil tanker off the coast of Ras Isa. We are working to ensure the technical team can deploy as soon as possible to assess the condition of the tanker and undertake initial repairs.

In Libya, the UN remains concerned about the military build-up around Sirte and its potential impact on the civilian population.

In Mali, protests led by the Mouvement du 5 Juin-Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques (M5-RFP) have been ongoing in the country’s major cities since Friday.

In the Central African Republic, our peacekeeping colleagues are also continuing to support local anti-COVID-19 efforts.

In the Philippines, where there are more than 56,000 cases of COVID-19, with more than 1,500 deaths, the UN team there, led by Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez, has been operating in full emergency mode to support the Government in its response.

In Kazakhstan, where today is a Day of National Mourning in memory of the victims of COVID-19, the head of the UN team there, Norimasa Shimomura, issued a statement expressing the UN team’s condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.

A new research brief released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organized crime infiltration in the legal economy and illegal governance. The research shows that the pandemic has both reduced certain organized crime activities, while providing opportunities for new ones.

We are happy to announce that we have a new Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford from Italy.

The High-Level Political Forum continues this week with presentations of the Voluntary National Reviews from Member States, reporting on their progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Tomorrow at 8 a.m., New York time, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will convene a special event that brings together women across different sectors in recognition of front-line leadership to build back better.

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