United Nations published this video item, entitled “Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (17 Nov 2023) | United Nations” – below is their description.
Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Gaza – General Assembly
– Gaza
– OPT
– Deputy Secretary-general/Trip Announcement
– Sudan
– Security Council
– Deputy Relief Chief / Southern & Eastern Africa
– Ethiopia
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Ukraine
– Guatemala
– Haiti
– International Days
– UNEP Briefing
GAZA – GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Martin Griffiths, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed Member States this morning on the situation in Gaza.
He said it is without doubt a humanitarian crisis that, by any measure, is intolerable and cannot continue. In many respects, he said, international humanitarian law appears to have been turned on its head.
Natalie Boucly, the Deputy Commissioner General of UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency), also briefed Member States and said that UNRWA is focusing on improving existing shelter capacity, but warned that there is simply not enough food, water and fuel to sustain life in Gaza. The Agency’s work, she said, has become “a mission impossible”.
Dr. Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus], the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), for his part, said that the health needs of the people of Gaza are growing all the time, and the health system is near collapse.
Also briefing was Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He said his Office has scaled up its engagement, stressing the importance of full access to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including all parts of Gaza, for the Human Rights Office, to ensure that it can carry out independent monitoring and documentation and protection coordination without hindrance.
Also briefing, and that meeting is still going on, were the heads of UNDP, UNFPA, and representatives of UNICEF and UN Women.
SUDAN
A number of you had reached out to me last night regarding Sudan, and I just want to tell you that I can confirm that we have indeed received a letter from the Government of Sudan announcing the government’s decision to “terminate UNITAMS [UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan]” – which is our special political mission in Sudan. The letter says that they are “terminating UNITAMS with immediate effect”. They also communicated their commitment to engage constructively with the Security Council and with the United Nations Secretariat on a new, appropriate and agreed-upon formula.
As you will recall, the political mission, UNITAMS was established by the Security Council pursuant to resolution 2524 (2020) in June 2020 and its current mandate ends on 3 December of this year.
As mentioned in the Security Council briefing yesterday by Assistant Secretary-General, Martha Pobee, the Secretary-General has appointed Ian Martin to lead a strategic review of the UN Mission in Sudan to provide the Security Council with options on how to adapt the Mission’s mandate.
And I also want to announce an appointment that has been in the works for some time now. The Secretary-General is also appointing Ramtane Lamamra, of Algeria, as his personal envoy for the Sudan.
We will continue to engage closely with all actors, including the Sudanese authorities and members of the Security Council, to clarify next steps.
As you know, of course, it is the Security Council that gives the Secretariat the mandate to operate peacebuilding, political missions and peacekeeping missions.
UKRAINE
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that intense attacks on frontline areas are continuing. There have been reports of deaths and extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, including energy and medical facilities.
According to humanitarian partners who were at the sites of the attacks, on 15 November, a strike in the Donetsk Region, in the east of the country, reportedly destroyed and damaged a multistorey building and nearby homes in Selydove, with residents trapped under the rubble.
Government officials say that after a two-day rescue operation, four residents were reported killed, and six others were wounded.
On the same day, in the southeast, Government officials say that an attack in the Zaporizizhzhia Region, killed and injured nine residents and rescuers who were responding as a second strike hit. The blast left more than 400 residents exposed to harsh weather conditions as the temperature dropped.
National NGOs are mobilized and delivered emergency shelter materials to both locations.
Also an update on convoys: Today, an inter-agency convoy delivered vital aid to frontline areas in the Donetsk Region. Nearly 30 tonnes of aid – including thermal blankets, sleeping bags, solar lamps, medical kits and family hygiene kits – will help people get through the coming cold period amid continuing disruptions of electricity that we are seeing in the region.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=17+November+2023
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