Ukraine, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa other topics - Daily Press Briefing

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

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:26:00
• Production Date: 19 April 2022
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: DUJARRIC, STEPHANE
• Corporate Name: ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL - ECOSOC; SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE; SECRETARY-GENERAL; YOUTH
• Geographic Subject: AFGHANISTAN; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; SRI LANKA; UKRAINE
• MAMS Id: 2729577
• Parent Id: 2729577

Description

Tomorrow, the guest at the noon briefing will be Yasmine Sherif, the Director of Education Cannot Wait. She will be here in the room to brief on her recent visit to Moldova and how their programme is supporting Ukraine refugee children. She will also discuss Education Cannot Wait's first emergency response launched in Ukraine.nbsp;
Speaking of Ukraine, the Secretary-General called for a 4-day Holy Week humanitarian pause beginning on Holy Thursday and running through Easter Sunday, according to the Orthodox calendar, to allow for the opening of a series of humanitarian corridors.nbsp; nbsp;Also, this morning, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, our friend Martin Griffiths, met online from New York with representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and other religious organizations representing Christians, Muslims and Jews in Ukraine and echoed their appeal for an immediate cease of hostilities for the duration of the sacred days for all three religions.nbsp;nbsp;
This afternoon in this very building at 3:00 p.m., the Security Council will hold a meeting on Ukraine, with focus on the situation of refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees.nbsp;nbsp;I was also asked for reactions on the ghastly attacks on school in Kabul and I can tell you that the Secretary-General condemns today's deadly attacks on schools in Kabul.nbsp;
Today was the start of the Youth Forum of the Economic and Social Council. The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, took part in a Qamp;A session with young people.nbsp;nbsp;
I have an update for you from Sri Lanka, where the Resident Coordinator, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, has tweeted that she is deeply concerned by reports of harm to protestors in Rambukkana.nbsp;
From the Horn of Africa, where we continue to flag the dire humanitarian situation. Today the World Food Programme says today that the number of hungry people could soar from 14 million to 20 million by the end of this year.nbsp;
Our colleagues in the peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo have intensified its patrols in Ituri province to help protect civilians and deter further violence following a series of attacks on villages last week.nbsp;
Last but not least, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology, working with their partners, have announced a new set of targets for universal and meaningful digital connectivity to be achieved by 2030.