United Nations published this video item, entitled “Ukraine, Myanmar, Sri Lanka & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (17 August 2022)” – below is their description.
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Ukraine
– Myanmar
– Sri Lanka
– Bangladesh
– Central African Republic
– Yemen
– Chad
UKRAINE
Today, the Secretary-General arrived in Lviv where, tomorrow, he will join President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, as we mentioned to you yesterday.
The Secretary-General will also go on to visit Odesa and then Istanbul in the following days.
MYANMAR
The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, met with State Administration Council (SAC) Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw today, in her first visit to Myanmar as Special Envoy. She discussed in person the pragmatic steps to de-escalate the violence, address the multidimensional crisis and advance unfettered humanitarian assistance free of discrimination to all people in need. Her visit follows her extensive consultations with actors from across the political spectrum, civil society and communities affected by the conflict.
In a statement, the Special Envoy said that her visit was to convey the concern of the United Nations and to propose concrete steps needed to reduce the conflict and suffering of the people. UN engagement does not in any way confer legitimacy, she added.
Ms. Heyzer stated that any progress in Myanmar depended on an end to the violence and visible and significant improvements in the lives of people on the ground. Following the recent death sentences carried out against pro-democracy activists that the United Nations has strongly condemned, the Special Envoy directly urged the Senior General to impose a moratorium on all future executions. She also reiterated the United Nations Secretary-General’s call for the release of all political prisoners.
The Special Envoy raised her request for a meeting with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi following her latest sentencing. She added that she was deeply concerned about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s health and well-being in her current situation and requests that she can return home soon. We have more details in a press release.
SRI LANKA
In Sri Lanka, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, signed today with authorities a new roadmap to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in the next five years—the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. This aims to revitalize economic activities, also impacted by the pandemic and improve social services, decent employment, social cohesion, health and well-being for all people.
The UN team is also supporting Sri Lanka’s most immediate needs to prevent a humanitarian crisis, targeting 1.7 million people with health care and essential medicines.
In addition to the $38 million that our team has raised, the development framework further injects an estimated $60 million from the UN team’s core budget allocations – and we thank our Member States for this essential contribution – also bringing an additional $325 million through other resources in the next five years.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=17%20August%202022
United Nations YouTube Channel
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