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UN Daily News Monday, 7 November 2016
Issue DH/7280
In the headlines: • South Sudan will face escalating food crisis in
• Over-generalized approach could expose peace
• MARRAKECH: ‘The eyes of the world are upon us,’
• Afghanistan: UN Mission probing air strikes that
2017, UN agriculture agency warns
operations to greater risk, warns UN deputy chief
chair of UN conference says as new round of climate talks opens
• UN released two million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2015 latest ‘Greening the Blue’ report shows
• New UN survey reveals extensive damage to health system in war-torn Yemen
• Prospect of solution ‘within reach,’ Ban says, as
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders open talks
• Iraq: As anti-ISIL operation intensifies, civilians
allegedly killed 32 civilians in Kunduz
• Mali: Ban strongly condemns attack that kills two civilians and one peacekeeper
• Colombia: UN Mission, Government and FARC-EP
to start joint ceasefire monitoring and verification
• MARRAKECH: UN climate conference to continue
momentum after Paris Agreement comes into force
• On International Day, UN cites 'duty of care
towards the environment' in peacetime and during conflict
increasingly at risk, UN official warns
More stories inside
South Sudan will face escalating food crisis in 2017, UN agriculture agency warns 7 November – As the conflict in South Sudan grinds on, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today that 31 per cent of the country’s population, or 3.7 million people, are facing a severe food security risk, despite the end of the lean food season and start of harvests – a major increase from the one million who were in a similar situation at this time last year. This time of year in South Sudan, people generally are more secure due to higher food stocks and lower market prices, but the FAO warned that the risk of famine is looming, especially for the most vulnerable communities. Disruptions to markets are worsening food insecurity in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan. Photo: FAO
“The renewed violence has had severe repercussions on agricultural production and stability needs to be restored to enable farmers to return to their fields,” said Serge Tissot, FAO representative.
“We are seeing an unprecedented number of food insecure people at harvest time and many more people at risk of starvation
For information media not an official record
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in the months to come as stocks run out. There is a need to act now to prevent a catastrophe,” he urged. Part of the reason for the growing insecurity is due to the violence that has impacted the Equatoria region, which is responsible for over half of South Sudan’s net cereal production. About 50 per cent of all harvests have been lost in areas affected by the violence. Many farmers have been unable to plant seeds for the second season due to not only armed conflict, but also displaced persons. Northern Bahr el Ghazal is one of the most fragile areas of the country. It has seen a protracted economic crisis, market failure, and the loss or depletion of livelihood assets. FAO found that farmers in the region have produced less than they did last year; some areas were hard-hit by flooding and dry spells, and reports found that in Aweil East, sorghum production was reduced by nearly 50 per cent. Since the start of the fighting in Juba (the capital) and elsewhere in the country, cereal prices have increased by more than 500 per cent in only a year. Rampant insecurity along main roads has crippled trade and trader’s abilities to access hard currency for imports. Many have been forced to shut down their businesses. “With the market collapsing and many families having little to no safety nets to cope, we must empower them with the means to produce their own food. With this we want to structurally strengthen their livelihoods and boost their resilience,” explained Mr. Tissot. In the coming dry season campaign, FAO intends to distribute vegetable and fishing kits as well as training to farmers on modern farming techniques for 1.2 million people. Meanwhile, the organization is gearing up to respond to the country’s most dire needs for the main planting season, including providing needed agricultural inputs in order to enable the most vulnerable citizens to continue to produce their own food. FAO will require an additional $28 million by the end of 2016 to accomplish these goals. South Sudan has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President Riek Machar erupted into full blown conflict in December 2013. The crisis has produced one of the world's worst displacement situations with immense suffering for civilians. Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability have also spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions of South Sudan.
MARRAKECH: ‘The eyes of the world are upon us,’ chair of UN conference says as new round of climate talks opens 7 November – The United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as ‘COP 22,’ opened today in Marrakech, Morocco, just days after the entry into force of the landmark Paris Agreement which has now been ratified by 100 countries. “This conference comes within a climate of hope and of legitimate aspirations for all of humanity,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, Salaheddine Mezouar, who was elected today by acclamation as President of COP 22, formally the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “The unprecedented mobilization of the international community and its political will, expressed at the highest levels, have been crowned by the rapid entry into force of the Paris Agreement. This is unrivaled progress […] and now we must build on this momentum, give tangible meaning to this major step forward through decisions geared towards implementation,” he stated. UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
COP22 President and Morocco’s Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar (left) with COP 21 President and France’s environment Minister in charge of climate-related international relations Ségolène Royal at the opening of COP 22 in Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo: UNFCCC
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In early October, the accord cleared the final threshold of 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global emissions required for it to come into effect within one month. Its entry into force was extremely swift, particularly for an agreement that required a large number of ratifications and the two specific thresholds. The Agreement entered into force in time for COP 22, where the first Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement will open on 15 November. Before the meeting wraps up on 18 November, parties hope to define the rules of implementation of the Paris Agreement and establish a viable plan to provide financial support to developing countries to support climate action. In his remarks today, Mr. Mezouar urged participants “to be more ambitious,” and stressed that “the eyes of the world are on us” […] “We have a huge responsibility before humanity and we must join forces in order to address the needs of the most vulnerable populations. We must provide them with the resources to adapt to the disastrous consequences of climate change.” Meanwhile, in her remarks, Patricia Espinosa, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, told the opening of the Conference that the rapid entry into force of the Paris accord “is a clear cause for celebration, but it is also a timely reminder of the high expectations that are now placed upon us all” “Achieving the aims and ambitions of the Paris Agreement is not a given”, she continued, underscoring that: “Marrakech is our moment to take forward climate action at the international and national levels as a central pillar of the successful realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is our opportunity to take the next steps towards an inclusive, sustainable path for every man, woman and child.” Ms. Espinosa underlined key areas in which work needs to be taken forward. She stressed that finance is flowing, but it is not enough. Moreover, nationally determined contributions now need to be integrated into national policies and investment plans. She said support for adaptation needs to be given higher priority, and progress on the loss and damage mechanism has to be ensured to safeguard development gains in the most vulnerable communities. The President of COP 21, which agreed the Paris accord last year, Ségolène Royal, French Minister of Environment, Energy and the Sea, who has passed the baton to Mr. Mezouar, welcomed the ratification of the Paris Agreement by 100 countries as of this past Sunday. “It's an historic event,” she said at a press conference just before the official opening of the COP 22, where she urged all countries that have not ratified the Paris Agreement to do so, if possible, during the Marrakech Conference “and beyond that, by the end of this year.” Ms. Royal said that the Kyoto Protocol, which was signed in December 1997 and aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, took seven years to enter into force. “[The clock is ticking] because the year that just ended was the warmest, because the melting of glaciers is accelerating, because desertification is devastating, because the massive urban concentrations call for a new model urban development,” she continued. Ms. Royal stressed the importance of climate justice, particularly for Africa. “Africa is the great challenge of [this Conference]. COP 22 is an African COP, and that is where the priority and hope are,” she said. “In Africa, climate change is cruel and unfair. The continent suffers the most through no fault of its own. Among the 50 countries which are the most [affected] by global warming, 36 are located in sub-Saharan Africa.” Non-governmental organizations present at COP 22, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Climate Action Network, also welcomed the entry into force of the Paris Agreement but said at press conferences that there was still a long way to go, particularly in terms of funding and concrete implementation of commitments.
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UN released two million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2015 latest ‘Greening the Blue’ report shows 7 November – In the latest edition of the United Nations report on the organization’s greenhouse gas emissions, the world body announced that it emitted two million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in 2015 and that a total of 28 UN system entities took systematic approaches to improve their environmental performance, all part of its commitment to become climate neutral by 2020. “As I prepare to step down as Secretary-General, I am encouraged by how far we have come in ‘walking the talk,’ thanks to the enthusiasm of the staff of the United Nations for Greening the Blue, said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his introduction to the report, which was released today. Flags of Member States fly in front of the United Nations Headquarters building. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine
The UN chief said he was also pleased to see growing staff commitment to climate neutrality and sustainability in the workplace, as well as consistent support for initiatives such as World Environment Day and Earth Hour. The report includes important updates on the progress of the Climate Neutral UN Strategy, which in 2007 committed all agencies, funds, and programmes to move towards climate neutrality and requires UN bodies to estimate their greenhouse emissions and undertake efforts to reduce and offset their emissions before 2020. This year, 66 UN entities and 284,482 personnel around the world are included in the report. As of 2008, there has been a 38 per cent increase in the number of agencies reporting their emissions and a 37 per cent increase in the number of staff covered by the inventory. According to the data, 46 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions came from facilities, while 40 per cent were from air travel and 14 per cent from other means of transportation. The data enables UN entities and offices around the world to manage their environmental impacts. The UN also uses a system of carbon credits and, for the first time, the report included details on its waste generation and management. Offsetting through carbon credits accounted for 32 per cent of the total reported greenhouse gas emissions and allowed 32 UN agencies to become carbon neutral last year. The per capita waste generation for 2015 was 547 kilograms. With the aim of ensuring carbon neutrality, or ‘go green,’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are continuing across the UN, whose iconic blue flag and blue helmeted peacekeepers are recognized the world over. Throughout 2015, a total of 28 UN system entities reported taking a systematic approach to improving their environmental performance in the form of an environmental management system, a sustainability strategy, or an emissions reduction strategy. Together, the entities account for 80 per cent of the UN’s greenhouse gas emissions. The report uses internationally recognized guidelines based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in order to calculate emissions. The method is also used by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. It includes emissions from all activities that are under the direct financial control of the organization, such as staff travel and the heating and cooling of buildings.
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New UN survey reveals extensive damage to health system in war-torn Yemen 7 November – There are critical shortages in medical doctors in over 40 per cent of all Yemeni districts, with more than half of all health facilities closed or partially functioning as the conflict continues, a new World Health Organization (WHO) survey has revealed. After examining 16 out of 22 Yemen’s governorates, the WHO’s Health Resources Availability Mapping System (HeRAMS) found that out of total 3,507 surveyed health facilities, only 1579 (45 per cent) are fully functional and accessible, 1,343 (38 per cent) are partially functional and 504 (17 per cent) are non-functional. Findings also revealed that 274 health facilities were damaged as a result of the ongoing conflict. There are no medical doctors in 49 out of 276 surveyed districts in Yemen, and only 2 doctors or less in 42 per cent of surveyed districts. Photo: WHO Yemen
The WHO stated that 49 out of 276 districts have no medical doctors, with 42 per cent of surveyed districts having two doctors or less, and only 6.2 beds available for every 10,000 people, which is below the
international benchmark. Less than 40 per cent of health facilities are able to provide a full package of health care services, and only 21 per cent of facilities offer full services for non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions. Child health and nutrition services are available in 63 per cent of health facilities, while communicable disease management is available in 43 per cent of the surveyed facilities, the WHO reports. The agency also expressed concerns over the critical shortages in health services, which leads to more people being deprived of access to live-saving interventions, adding that there is a lack of essential antenatal care, skilled birth care and postpartum/postnatal interventions and immunization services for mothers and their new-born babies. The WHO stressed that the absence of adequate communicable diseases management increases the risk of outbreaks such as cholera, measles, malaria, and other endemic diseases. More than 21 million people are in need of urgent health services as a result of the ongoing conflict in Yemen, including 2.1 million of internally displaced people. The fighting affected almost all 22 governorates, killing 7070 and injuring 36,818 people, according to health facility-based data. Yemen has been engulfed in violence for more than 18 months – a confrontation between the country's Houthis (Ansar Allah) and the Government of Yemen in early 2014 led to a Houthi advance on the capital, and an ensuing conflict which has involved support from outside parties. The UN has been heavily involved in efforts to resolve the crisis.
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Prospect of solution ‘within reach,’ Ban says, as Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders open talks 7 November – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered his “full support” to the talks between the Greek Cypriot leader and the Turkish Cypriot leader, concentrated on the chapter of territory, as well as other outstanding issues interdependently, kicked off today in Switzerland. “The two leaders have reached a critical juncture in their talks. I encourage them to make the most of the moment and the momentum,” Mr. Ban told the press in Mont Pèlerin, where the negotiations are being held.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre) meets with Mustafa Akinci, Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community (left), and Nicos Anastasiades, President of the Republic of Cyprus (right). UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
“I call on all interested parties – especially the guarantor powers Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom – as well as the wider international community, to support the leaders in their efforts to finally overcome the division of their island,” he added.
Hailing the significant progress made in the leader-led process over the past 18 months, Mr. Ban highlighted the hope expressed by the two leaders that this meeting will pave the way for the last phase of the talks in line with their shared commitment to do their utmost in order to reach a settlement within 2016. “At the same time, a number of sensitive and difficult issues still remain. I know the two leaders are here with a strong commitment and determination to work towards solving all these issues,” noted the Secretary-General. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expresses full support and commitment to Cyprus peace talks. Credit: UN News Centre Mr. Ban further said that Cyprus offered “tremendous” hope to people around the world that long-standing conflicts can be resolved peacefully through negotiations, and assured the two leaders – Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, and Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades – of UN’s commitment to assist them “in whatever way” to reach their shared goal, while respecting that the future of Cyprus will be determined by Cypriots, for all Cypriots. “I commend the leaders for their vision, courage and leadership for advancing their talks further than ever before. The prospect of a solution in Cyprus is within their reach,” said the UN chief, adding: “Expectations in both communities are high.”
The talks, hosted by the Swiss Government, are being conducted under the auspices of the UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide.
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Iraq: As anti-ISIL operation intensifies, civilians increasingly at risk, UN official warns 7 November – Amid the intensification of the military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) in northern Iraq and its impact on civilians, a senior United Nations humanitarian official in the country has raised alarm their safety and called on all sides to ensure that they are protected. “We are deeply disturbed by reports of civilian deaths and injuries from crossfire and improvised mines, forced recruitment of children and the use of families as human shields in areas under control of ISIL,” Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq said in a news release issued yesterday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In one such incident, 18 displaced people from Kirkuk’s Hawiga district (about 300 kilometres north of Baghdad) were reportedly killed last Friday when roadside bombs destroyed the truck they were being transported in by Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).
Families displaced by fighting in the village of Shora, 25 kilometres south of Mosul, gather at an army checkpoint on the outskirts of Qayyarah. Photo: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett
Noting ISF efforts to protect the general population, Ms. Grande added: “All the parties to the conflict – all of them – are obliged under international humanitarian law to do everything possible to protect civilians and ensure they have access to the assistance they deserve and need.” According to the UN humanitarian arm, nearly 34,000 people have been displaced following the launch of the military offensive to retake the city of Mosul three weeks ago. An additional 39,000 people have been displaced from Hawiga district since early August. The majority of displaced families are being sheltered in emergency sites and with host communities. OCHA further noted that humanitarian agencies are providing life-saving assistance to displaced families and to people in newly retaken areas, and new emergency sites are being constructed and emergency supplies continue to be pre-positioned.
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Over-generalized approach could expose peace operations to greater risk, warns UN deputy chief 7 November – Amid increased attacks from violent extremist and terrorist groups, the United Nations peace operations must be better prepared to face such asymmetric threats by ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel and adapting to varying situations on the ground, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Security Council today. “It is a sad fact that our peacekeepers are now being specifically targeted by violent extremists and terrorists,” Mr. Eliasson said during a day-long open debate, which explored better ways to take into account threats such as armed groups and/or terrorist operations, among other non-State actors, in the planning, concept definition and operational methods of UN peace missions.
General view of the Security Council meeting on the maintenance of international peace and security, and peace operations facing asymmetrical threats. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Alongside the UN deputy chief, Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Jean-Paul Laborde, the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Michaelle Jean, the Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie and Authur Boutellis, the Director of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, also briefed the Council. According to a concept note released ahead of the debate, 34 peacekeepers were killed and 190 injured between January 2015 and November 2016. Yesterday again, peacekeepers in Mali came under attack, with one of them killed and seven others wounded, he said. Recalling that the High-Level Panel on Peace Operations emphasized that “UN troops should not undertake military counter-terrorism operations,” Mr. Eliasson said that a conclusion would be that peacekeeping operations should not be mandated to militarily defeat violent extremist and terrorist groups. “However, terrorism and violent extremism are a reality in many contemporary conflicts, a reality which has to be dealt with,” he said. These destructive and dangerous forces make conflicts even more intractable, he said, explaining that they thrive on impunity and governance failures and exploit deep-rooted grievances. In response, UN action and the Organization’s footprint on the ground have to be more nimble and comprehensive, and need more flexible support arrangements, including more sophisticated and predictable uniformed capabilities to strengthen mobility, responsiveness, and a deeper understanding of the operating environment as well as the development of intelligence and analysis capacities. The UN will also need to adjust how it conducts its core tasks, including ‘good offices,’ capacity-building, community engagement and stabilization measures, he said. Further, the political objectives of UN peacekeeping operations need to be clearly defined and communicated. The UN must find new and creative ways of achieving political goals in situations where some parties are not speaking partners or willing participants, and must devise strategies to build coalitions of support around political objectives at local, national and regional levels, he added. UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
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The Deputy Secretary-General highlighted three priorities for preparing UN peace operations to face asymmetric threats. First is to ensure the safety and security of its personnel by introducing greater situational awareness, analysis and force protection measures while utilizing new technologies and deploying uniformed units with built-in robust self-protection tools, he said. Second, he stated, an over-generalized approach can be counter-productive, possibly exposing the UN to more risk. Supporting peaceful resolution to conflict should be grounded in a clear and nuanced understanding of who the different parties are, how they are resourced, and who their allies are. This varies from case to case. There is also a need to think beyond a security-focused approach, and consider the entirety of the tools at the UN’s disposal, including sanctions regimes, normative instruments, capacity-building, stabilization and development aid. Third, “we must fully take into account how and when the United Nations can support national and regional efforts to prevent violent extremism and terrorism,” he said. The Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism cites the need to integrate prevention of violent extremism in peace operations, both in terms of mandates, and of relevant activities of UN country teams. When requested, the United Nations is ready to support the efforts of Member States in implementing the recommendations set out in the Plan. The UN is providing technical assistance in areas such as criminal justice, border controls, kidnapping for ransom, dealing with foreign terrorist fighters, and the financing of terrorism. The UN is also supporting youth engagement and skills development. Mr. Eliasson also underscored the importance of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as global challenges are interdependent, while stressing the full potential of the identical resolutions in the General Assembly and the Security Council on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. These texts focus on a conceptual shift from peacebuilding to sustaining peace as transformative and forward-looking as it means that peacebuilding is no longer confined to post-conflict situations but applies to all phases before, during and after the conflict.
Afghanistan: UN Mission probing air strikes that allegedly killed 32 civilians in Kunduz 7 November – The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has said that it is currently investigating allegations that at least 32 civilians were killed and a further 19 injured in airstrikes in Kunduz city, which is in the north of the country, last Thursday. “The loss of civilian life is unacceptable and undermines efforts toward building peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a news release issued yesterday. “When conducting aerial operations, international military forces should take all feasible measures to minimize civilian harm, including full analysis of the context for aerial strikes,” he added.
War-affected Kunduz civilians receive humanitarian assistance. Photo: UNAMA/Shamsuddin Hamedi
In the early hours of 3 November, a series of airstrikes were carried out in Buz-e-Kandahari area of Kunduz city, following ground operations conducted by international and Afghan security forces there, in which pro-Government forces came under attack by anti-Government elements.
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In a statement released Saturday, United States Forces-Afghanistan acknowledged it had conducted air-to-ground engagements at that time in that area, with the commander, General John W. Nicholson, expressing his deep regret for the loss of innocent lives. Preliminary findings indicate that the aerial operation killed at least 32 civilians and injured an additional 19 civilians, the vast majority of whom were women and children. UNAMA also received reports that the air strikes severely damaged at least 22 houses. UNAMA urged authorities to ensure an independent, impartial and prompt investigation at the earliest opportunity, and for appropriate steps to be taken to ensure accountability, compensation for victims and the prevention of such incidents in the future. According to the news release, this incident took place in the context of significant countrywide violence, with civilians bearing the brunt. In the past week, the Mission has documented 46 separate incidents of conflict-related violence, resulting in severe civilian harm, including deaths and injuries from ground engagements, improvised explosive devices, aerial attacks from rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, targeted killings and explosive remnants of war. Between 30 October and 5 November, the mission documented a preliminary figure of 206 civilian casualties, 95 deaths and 111 injuries. In accordance with its mandate to support the protection of civilians in armed conflict, UNAMA will continue to investigate credible allegations of harm caused to civilians by all parties to the conflict. Fuller information on this and other serious incidents will be provided in the Mission’s 2016 Protection of Civilians Annual Report, slated for release in January 2017. The UN Mission expressed its sincere condolences to the families of victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. UNAMA is mandated to support the Afghan Government and the people of Afghanistan as a political mission that provides ‘good offices’; promotes coherent development support by the international community; supports the process of peace and reconciliation; monitors and promotes human rights and the protection of civilians in armed conflict; promotes good governance; and encourages regional cooperation. ‘Good offices’ are diplomatic measures UN takes publicly and in private, drawing on its independence, impartiality and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating or spreading.
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Mali: Ban strongly condemns attack that kills two civilians and one peacekeeper 7 November – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the deadly attack yesterday in northern Mali that claimed the life of two Malian civilians and killing one peacekeeper from Togo while injuring seven others. “The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the deadly complex attack” north of Douentza, in the Mopti region, and “reiterates that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law,” said Mr. Ban's spokesperson in a statement issued overnight. Mr. Ban called for the perpetrators of this attack to be brought to justice, and reaffirmed that attacks against the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) “will not weaken the determination of the Mission to fully implement its mandate” in support of the Malian Government, the parties to the peace agreement and the people of Mali to achieve lasting peace and stability. A view of participants at a close protection training exercise being conducted by UN Police (UNPOL) Training Team at the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Credit: UN Photo/Marco Dormino
The UN chief underscored that the primary responsibility for peace and security lies with the Malian parties, urging them to continue to work to fully implement the provisions of the peace agreement and to do all they can to prevent such attacks against Malian civilians, signatory parties and international forces. The Secretary-General “extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the Governments and people of Mali and Togo, and wishes a speedy and full recovery to the wounded peacekeepers,” said the statement.
Colombia: UN Mission, Government and FARC-EP to start joint ceasefire monitoring and verification 6 November – The tripartite Mechanism coordinated by the UN Mission in Colombia, with Colombia's Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARCEP), will begin to monitor and verify the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities tomorrow, Monday, 7 November. The joint Monitoring and Verification Mechanism will gradually begin its work based in eight regional offices, as the separation of forces will take place in temporary locations throughout the country.
Observers from the UN Mission in Colombia and the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia People’s Army (FARC-EP), start work at the national headquarters of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism in charge of overseeing the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the country. Photo: UN Mission in Colombia
“I wish to highlight that I witness the commitment from the parties every day; this gives us confidence, tranquility and the certainty that this peace process will come to fruition,” said General Perez Aquino, head of the UN Mission's international observers, during the first press conference held with the joint Mechanism representatives this past Friday in Bogota.
Barely one month ago, Colombian voters narrowly rejected the historic peace accord between the Government and the FARC-EP meant to end the Western Hemisphere's longest running conflict. The deal was the culmination of four years of talks hosted in Havana, Cuba, between the two sides, and which led to agreements on key issues such as political UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
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participation, land rights, illicit drugs and victims' rights and transitional justice. Both the Government and the FARC-EP reiterated their commitment to maintain the ceasefire. Admiral Orlando Romero, Government of Colombia representative in the Mechanism, explained that all parts are “clear about the commitments to the rules governing the ceasefire and to the population's rights, under the ceasefire's framework.” Further, Marco León Calarcá, FARC-EP representative in the Mechanism, said “it is time to reiterate the commitment of the FARC-EP to the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities as a foundation for the stable peace that we need to achieve.” He also explained that more than 300 of his men and women were trained as members of the tripartite Mechanism. To enable the ceasefire monitoring and verification the guerrillas are moving to temporary locations, also to ensure the safety of the civilian population and of FARC-EP and Public Force members. During the press conference the parties stressed that any citizen can file complaints or concerns directly to the joint Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, according to the UN Mission. General Pérez Aquino hailed the UN Security Council´s – and the international community's – support to the peace process and stressed the importance of reaching a final peace agreement in the near future. He also clarified that the UN Mission has no deadline to stay in the country and will continue to work in Colombia as long as there is a request from the parties. Finally, Government of Colombia and FARC-EP officials thanked the support from the International Committee of the Red Cross to the process.
MARRAKECH: UN climate conference to continue momentum after Paris Agreement comes into force 6 November – Three days after the entry into force of the landmark Paris Agreement, the Marrakesh Conference, which begins Monday, 7 November, in Morocco, will give United Nations Member States and the world the opportunity to maintain momentum on climate action and continue strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change.
Ain Beni Mathar Integrated Combined Cycle Thermo-Solar Power Plant, Morocco. Photo: Dana Smillie/World Bank
“Our challenge is to sustain the momentum that has propelled the Agreement into force,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York the past Friday, where he convened a meeting with civil society representatives from all over the world and thanked them for the “vision, courage, persistence and leadership [that] made this day happen.”
Adopted by 196 States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last December, the Paris Agreement, so-named after the French capital where it was approved, aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In early October, the accord cleared the final threshold of 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global emissions required for the accord to come into effect within one month. Its entry into force was extremely swift, particularly for an agreement that required a large number of ratifications and the two specific thresholds. The Agreement entered into force in time for the UNFCCC Marrakech Climate Conference, known by the shorthand COP 22, that begins in Morocco this Monday, where the first Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement will open on 15 November. Before the meeting wraps up on 18 November, parties hope to define the rules for the accord and to lay out a viable plan for providing at least $100 billion a year to developing countries to support climate action. UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
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“The UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech is the crucial next step for governments looking to operationalize the Paris Climate Change Agreement adopted last year,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa. While the Paris Agreement gave clear pathways and a final destination in respect to decisive action on climate change, many of the details regarding how to move forward as one global community in that common direction still need to be resolved. This is a moment of celebration but also a moment of reflection on the task ahead and a point where governments recommit to the new agenda of rapid implementation, not least in pressing forward with adequate support for vulnerable countries to take their own action. With the entry into force of the Agreement just before the Conference, “the dialogue and decisions in Marrakech hold immense potential to accelerate and amplify the immediate response to the challenge recognized in the Paris Agreement. This meeting is therefore incredibly important,” Ms. Espinosa underscored. As such, she encouraged world's governments to work together in the same spirit that produced such success over recent years. “I also encourage leaders of public and private sectors and every citizen to follow the Marrakech Conference proceedings to further understand how you can take action and contribute to the mounting momentum to meet the interlinked global challenges of climate change and sustainable development,” she added. 'Marrakech will create a tangible bridge between our vision for a brighter future and implementation of concrete climateresponsible projects on the ground' The President-Designate of COP 22, Salaheddine Mezouar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, said: “Marrakesh will be the COP of inflexion. Besides moving forward on major negotiation areas, action is taking more space and creating a tangible bridge between our vision for a brighter future and the implementation of concrete climate responsible projects on the ground.” “We, Parties as well as non-State actors, have here a real opportunity to emphasize this momentum, celebrate successes and share experiences and learning to set inclusively the path forward for action,” he added. COP 22 will include a number of meetings and high-level events , including the high-level segment to be attended by dozens of chiefs of State and Government, on Tuesday 15 November. Other events include the facilitative dialogue on enhancing ambition and support, the ministerial high-level dialogue on climate finance, and the high-level event on enhancing climate action. Side events are also scheduled and a number of them are clustered around thematic days, including Africa Day, Climate Justice Day, Education Day, Gender Day, Farmers, Day, and Young and Future Generations Day. “We remain in a race against time. But with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world has the plans we need to make the shift to a low-emission, climate-resilient path”, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday.
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On International Day, UN cites 'duty of care towards the environment' in peacetime and during conflict 6 November – To achieve the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of peace, prosperity and dignity for all on a healthy planet, it is essential to recognize the shared duty of care towards the environment in peacetime and during war, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today. “Poor governance of the environment and natural resources can contribute to the outbreak of conflict. It can fuel and finance existing conflicts and it can increase the risk of relapse. Conversely, there are many examples of natural resources serving as catalysts for peaceful cooperation, confidence-building and poverty reduction,” explained Mr. Ban in his message to mark the International Day for Verifying legality of timber at a wood depot near Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: Flore de Preneuf/World Bank/FP-DRC-4490
Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
The UN chief noted that in the aftermath of violent conflict, natural resources, such as land, timber, minerals, oil and gas, are often the primary assets that governments need to support livelihoods and economic recovery. “How governments manage these resources can fundamentally alter the course of post-conflict peacebuilding,” the Secretary-General said, underscoring the need to work together to combat environmental crime, end the illegal exploitation of natural resources, improve transparency, share benefits more equitably and encourage the participation of women, indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups in decision-making. The important message of the 2030 Agenda is that “sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security; and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.” Therefore, this year, all 193 Member States of the UN Environment Assembly adopted a resolution committing States to the protection of the environment in areas affected by armed conflict. In addition, the UN International Law Commission is going over the legal framework to establish guidelines to better support environment preservation, particularly in protected areas, and environmentally sensitive sites, especially drinking water aquifers, that are vital to humans. “On this International Day, I urge governments, businesses and citizens around the world to prioritize environmental care and the sustainable management of natural resources for preventing conflict, building peace and promoting lasting prosperity,” stated the Secretary-General. Environment is 'silent casualty' of ISIL's scorched earth tactics in Iraq Further, in a separate joint statement, two top UN officials warned that in recent weeks in Iraq, oil wells have been set ablaze, turning the skies and soil black. Burning stockpiles of sulphur dioxide at an industrial facility created a large toxic cloud. The crisis highlights a phenomenon that has been playing out for decades. Environmental destruction can impact the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the prospects of post-war recovery and lasting peace, and can serve as a driver of migration, according to the UN humanitarian and environment chiefs. “Among the unprecedented 65 million refugees in the world, many will have a story that includes ecocide. Wars are starting because of natural resources. They are being perpetuated because of natural resources. And we are seeing the environment UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
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being used as a weapon,” said UN Environment head Erik Solheim. “Environmental protection needs to take a more prominent role in our response to conflict.” The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict aims to highlight these links and prompt action. “Families fleeing from Mosul have been impacted by years of living under ISIL and by the ongoing military operation, leaving them in urgent need of humanitarian aid and protection. Choking clouds and toxic fumes from burning oil wells and industrial facilities now add to their plight,” said Stephen O'Brien, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Protecting the environment during conflicts is critical to protecting human health and also the ability of communities and nations to recover after crises.” “Protecting the environment from armed conflict protects farmlands from the impacts of bombings, landmines and toxic pollution," said Mr. Solheim. “It safeguards a fair and inclusive system for governing and using natural resources. It ensures healthy lives for ourselves, for our children, and for generations to come.”
UN chief highlights importance of preparedness to reduce tsunami risks 5 November – In his message marking the first World Tsunami Awareness Day, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of reducing current and future levels of risk, particularly through strengthening preparedness. “Tsunamis may be rare but, like any other natural hazard, if we fail to prepare and raise awareness, then we risk paying a heavy price,” said Mr. Ban in his message on the Day.
A view of the vast destruction of Moratuwa, a coastal town in the Southwest of Sri Lanka, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. UN Photo/Evan Schneider
“This should be a clear guiding principle for all those working in the public and private sectors who have to take decisions on major infrastructure projects in seismic zones and near exposed coastlines,” he added.
World Tsunami Awareness Day, marked on 5 November, commemorates the actions of a Japanese village leader, who on that day in 1854, recognized the signs of an approaching tsunami and set fire to his rice sheaves – an improvised but remarkably effective early warning system – saving the lives of the many villagers who saw the smoke and ran uphill to help put out the flames. In the years since, early warning systems have grown more sophisticated, particularly since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed nearly 226,000 lives and caused great devastation in many countries of South and South-East Asia. The waves reached as far as South Africa and Yemen. Further highlighting the scale of destruction and human suffering caused by tsunamis, the UN chief noted that since 1996, 250,900 people have died in 21 countries affected by 30 tsunamis. “Tsunamis also pose a significant threat to major infrastructure either already built or planned for coastal areas,” he added, recalling the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami which killed many people, left thousands more homeless and triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The theme of the 2016 World Tsunami Day is Effective Education and Evacuation Drills. Similarly, in a news release issued by the UN Office on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Robert Glasser, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction warned against complacency in confronting the
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threat of tsunamis. Speaking at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in New Delhi, India from 2 to 5 November, Mr. Glasser underscored that many years of data have shown that devastating tsunamis can impact most regions of the world. “Europe and the Americas are vulnerable as well as the countries surrounding the Indian and Pacific Oceans which have suffered considerably over the last 20 years,” he said, referring to a report assessing tsunami hazards over the last 400 years. The report, prepared by Tohoku University, was launched at the Ministerial Conference. The importance of preparedness was also emphasized in the UNISDR study 'Tsunami Disaster Risk 2016: Past impacts and projections' which also drew attention to the fact that population growth has greatly increased risk to tsunamis and other hazards in many regions. In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day, calling on all countries, international bodies and civil society to observe the day, in order to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.
UNICEF renews call for protection of children after kindergarten hit in deadly Damascus attack 7 November – The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that a kindergarten in Harasta, Rural Damascus, was reportedly hit in an attack yesterday, killing at least four children and injuring many others. In a statement issued yesterday, Hanaa Singer, UNICEF representative in Syria, said: “This attack is the most recent in a wave of attacks on schools and education facilities in Syria.” “In the last two weeks of October, UNICEF was able to verify five attacks on schools killing more than 30 children,” she added. In a separate attack near Harasta, a few kilometres from the capital of Damascus, a hospital was reportedly struck, killing one person and injuring many more.
In Aleppo, Syria, four-year-old Esraa and her brother Waleed, three, sit on the ground near a shelter for internally displaced persons. Photo: UNICEF/UN013175/Al-Issa
“UNICEF renews yet again its call for all parties to the conflict in Syria and those who have influence over them to make the protection of children paramount and to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law,” stressed the UNICEF representative. “Attacks on all civilian infrastructure including schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, education and health facilities must stop immediately,” she concluded.
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Future of food security depends on irrigation methods that adapt to climate change – UN agency 7 November – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that in order to adapt agriculture to a changing climate, new approaches to irrigation will need to be developed and implemented worldwide. These new approaches are being discussed as part of the 2nd World Irrigation Forum which opened yesterday in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and brings together stakeholders from around the world to rethink water management in the context of continued population and economic growth as well as the growing threats of climate change. During the Forum, which wraps up on 12 November, experts will also discuss ways to improve water management in order to achieve global sustainable food security.
Photo: FAO/Giulio Napolitano
FAO emphasized in a news release that in order to achieve food security, especially in developing countries, regular access to water must be made possible through irrigation. The agency cited irrigation as “a key factor to help transform rural societies and economies,” as it plays a critical role in ending poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, as well as sustaining natural resources and responding to climate change. The theme of this year’s Forum is ‘Water Management in a Changing World: the Role of Irrigation in Sustainable Food Production.’ In her remarks, Kundhavi Kadiresan, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, announced that solutions to agriculture necessitated addressing water issues and that the challenges of today’s water problems likewise depend on addressing food production. “Future irrigation practices should also move beyond conventional approaches of productivity gains, and also focus on rural prosperity, facilitating inclusive, equitable and greener growth,” she urged. The FAO expects the world population to rise to nine billion people by 2050, which will exacerbate the demand for food and water and require a scaling up of agricultural productivity to ensure that everyone is fed. The world must transition to more productive, resilient, and sustainable forms of agriculture in order to ensure its continuation at both local and industrial levels. This especially includes adapting water management systems to meet evolving challenges. The forum will also adopt a Ministerial Declaration on delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through agriculture water management. Ms. Kadiresan introduced the declaration through the FAO’s new global initiative, “Coping with Water Scarcity in Agriculture: a Global Framework for Action in a changing climate.” The objective’s main initiative is to build on the FAO and partners’ technical capacity in order to support worldwide development and policy implementation for sustainable water use in agriculture. The official launch of the Global Framework for Action will take place during the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), known as COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco, which opened today.
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Nearly one billion travel abroad in first nine months of 2016 – UN agency 7 November – Recording an almost four per cent increase over the same period last year, the first nine months of 2016 witnessed 956 million international tourists travelling to different parts of the world, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said today. According to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer (excerpt), all regions of the world except the Middle East saw increasing numbers of tourists. The Asia-Pacific region reported a 9.3 per cent growth, followed by Africa (8.3 per cent), the Americas (4.4 per cent) and Europe (1.6 per cent). The arrivals in the Middle East fell by 6.4 per cent. Digue Island, Seychelles. Photo: UNWTO
“Tourism is one of the most resilient and fastest-growing economic sectors but it is also very sensitive to risks, both actual and perceived,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, in a news release announcing the update. “As such, the sector must continue to work together with governments and stakeholders to minimize risks, respond effectively and build confidence among travellers,” he added. In the news release, Mr. Rifai also called for increased cooperation in addressing global threats, especially those related to safety and security and to make tourism an integral part of emergency planning and response. The UNWTO chief’s call is particularly timely given that on Wednesday, Ministers from around the world will be meeting in London to discuss safe, secure and seamless travel, an event held on the side-lines of the World Travel Market. “Real crises are often magnified or distorted by misperception and affected destinations are facing important challenges, although at the global level demand remains strong. We need to support these countries in restoring confidence, as doing so will benefit the entire tourism sector and society as a whole,” noted Mr. Rifai. According to UNWTO, after a strong start of the year, growth was slower in the second quarter of 2016 to pick up again in the third. Strong demand for outbound travel The great majority of leading source markets in the world reported increases in international tourism expenditure during March-September period. Among the top five source markets, China, the world’s top source market, continued to drive demand, with double-digit growth in spending (19 per cent increase). Similarly, robust results also came from the United Kingdom (10 per cent), the United States (9 per cent), Germany (5 per cent), and France (3 per cent). Tourism spending also grew notably in Australia, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Egypt, Argentina, Spain, India, Thailand, Ukraine, Ireland and Norway. Expenditure, however declined in Russia (negative 37 per cent) and Canada (negative 2 per cent). UN News Centre • www.un.org/news
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Positive prospects for October-December The UN agency also reported that prospects remained positive for the last quarter of 2016 according to its Confidence Index. “The members of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts are confident about the September-December period, mostly in Africa, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific,” it said. “Experts in Europe and the Middle East are somewhat more cautious.” The agency’s World Tourism Barometer, a regular publication, monitors short-term evolution of tourism and provides the sector with relevant and timely information on observations and trends.
Guy Ryder re-elected for a second term as head of UN labour agency 7 November – The Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) today re-elected Guy Ryder, of the United Kingdom, as ILO Director-General for a second five year-term to start on 1 October 2017. Speaking after his re-election, Mr. Ryder told ILO News: “I thank the Governing Body members for their renewed confidence. My second term will start as the world of work is undergoing unprecedented and transformative change. One asset that we have to master this change is our unique tripartite structure: government, employer and worker representatives will play a key role in shaping the future of work and reasserting social justice as the pole star of international policy The Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) making.”
re-elected Guy Ryder as Director-General for a second five year-term to start in October 2017. Photo: ILO/Marcel Crozet
He also stressed that “the denial of social justice on a deeply disturbing scale constituted a real threat to stability and eventually peace in our societies,” and encouraged the ILO members to work hard, and be proactive in delivering the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The UN Daily News is prepared at UN Headquarters in New York by the News Services Section of the News and Media Division, Department of Public Information (DPI)
