United Nations Daily Highlights, 10-07-13

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

FARHAN HAQ

ASSOCIATE

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH ADVISORY GROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE FINANCING

The

Secretary-General has met with the 21 principals of his

Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, including the Groups co-chairs, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway.

Speaking to the press with the co-chairs today, the Secretary-General said that

climate financing is an investment in a safer, cleaner, more prosperous future for everyone and delivering on the pledges to deliver sizeable support to developing countries through both fast-track and longer-term financing made at the

UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen last year is essential. He added that the risks and costs of inaction grow each year.

On Monday, several Group members met with Member States, civil society and private sector representatives.

The Advisory Group is seeking to identify the sources of this longer-term financing and in October, it will provide the Secretary-General with its final recommendations. Its report will also feed into the

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change process in time for the next UN climate change conference in Cancun.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON SITUATION IN WEST AFRICA

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for West Africa,

Said Djinnit, briefed the

Security Council this morning on the situation in that region.

He warned of the threat posed by the food crisis in the region, particularly in Niger. But he also noted signs of progress, including the peaceful first round of elections held last month in Guinea. He asked for international support in holding the second round of those elections, saying that stable and democratic governance in Guinea will help the region.

The Council discussed the work of the UN Office in West Africa, as well as Liberia sanctions, in closed consultations.

U.N. MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS COORDINATOR CONCERNED BY HOUSE DEMOLITIONS IN EAST JERUSALEM

The

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,

Robert Serry, today said that he continues to follow with concern developments in

East Jerusalem and continuing tensions in the city.

The approval of new units in the settlement of Pisgat Zeev, in violation of Israels Roadmap commitments, is wrong, he said in a statement. I am also concerned at reports of house demolitions today.

Serrys office is monitoring closely the fate of four members of the Palestinian Legislative Council who face the threat of expulsion from the city.

Serry added that at the current juncture, it is essential for all parties to respect international law, refrain from provocative actions, and take positive steps to build confidence and create an environment conducive to successful negotiations.

Asked about reports of a Libyan ship heading towards Gaza, the Spokesperson recalled that the United Nations has called on all parties to act with caution, to avoid any further kind of incident following what happened on 31 May.

He said that the United Nations has urged all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels, so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via land crossings into Gaza. The United Nations, he noted, has been helping to ensure that humanitarian goods can enter into Gaza.

Asked about the inquiry into the 31 May incident, Haq said that the

Secretary-General had discussed his proposal for an international inquiry in a telephone conversation on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

SOME 20,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED BY FIGHTING IN EASTERN D.R. CONGO

Some 20,000 people were displaced from their homes last week in the North Kivu Province of the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The displacement is due to a resumption of armed hostilities between the Ugandan army and the armed opposition group Allied Democratic Forces.

OCHA is concerned that the latest fighting has mainly affected civilians in the Beni territory of North Kivu, a once relatively peaceful area with some 100,000 displaced persons.

A total of 1.85 million people remain displaced by continuing instability in eastern DRC, according to OCHA estimates.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HONOURS VICTIMS OF SREBENICA

The

Secretary-General, in remarks on Monday, paid homage to the thousands of men and boys who were slaughtered at Srebenica, the largest atrocity on European soil since the founding of the United Nations.

We recognize the burden of families and loved ones who carry the memories and pain with each step, the Secretary-General

said. And, we vow, together, never again to allow such an atrocity to happen at any time, in any place.

He added that, until all those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes face those charges and are judged, our quest for justice, and the path towards healing, will remain incomplete.

NEW UNAIDS REPORT OUTLINES SIMPLIFIED HIV TREATMENT APPROACH

A new

UNAIDS report

outlines a radically simplified HIV treatment platform called

Treatment 2.0 that could decrease the number of

AIDS-related deaths drastically and could also greatly reduce the number of new HIV infections.

Launched in Geneva today ahead of the eighteenth International AIDS Conference in Vienna, the report,

UNAIDS Outlook, says that the new platform could also bring down treatment costs, make treatment regimens simpler and smarter, reduce the burden on health systems and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV and their families.

Modeling suggests that compared with current treatment approaches, Treatment 2.0 could avert an additional ten million deaths by 2025.

Speaking at the launch today, the UNAIDS Executive Director,

Michel Sidibé, stressed that innovation in the AIDS response can save more lives. For countries to reach their universal access targets and commitments, we must reshape the AIDS response. Through innovation we can bring down costs so investments can reach more people, Sidibe said.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SOUTH KOREAN SKATING CHAMPION APPOINTED UNICEF GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: The

UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has

appointed the international skating sensation Yuna Kim, 19, of the Republic of Korea, as its newest Goodwill Ambassador. The 2010 Olympic gold winner, who has long been supportive of UNICEFs work on behalf of the worlds children, was motivated to step up her engagement following the devastating earthquake in

Haiti. Kim said she wants to use her own positive experience to help the children of Haiti and the millions of vulnerable children around the world.

U.N. RESIDENT COORDINATOR FOR SRI LANKA IN CONSULTATIONS AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS: Asked about the Resident Coordinator for

Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne, the Spokesperson said that Buhne has been recalled and is currently in New York for consultations with senior UN officials.

W.H.O. INVESTIGATING LEAD POISONING IN NIGERIA: Asked about lead poisoning in Nigeria, the Spokesperson said that the

World Health Organization is investigating the matter, and has made clear its concerns about high levels of lead that have been found.

U.N. PEACEKEEPING DEPARTMENT SEEKING AIR ASSETS AHEAD OF SUDAN REFERENDUM: Asked about air assets for

Sudan, the Spokesperson noted that the

UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations is in touch with different nations to make sure that sufficient assets will be in place in Sudan by the time of the December referendum.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, SA-1B15

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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