UN Daily News Issue DH/7563 Friday, 22 December 2017

Transcription

1 UN News For the latest news updates and alerts, visit us at UN Daily News Issue DH/7563 Friday, In the headlines: Suspected cholera cases in Yemen surpass one million, reports UN health agency Security Council further tightens sanctions against DPR Korea UN Mission welcomes agreement to revive South Sudan's peace pact New UN centre boosts use of real-time data to better respond to humanitarian crises Sharp rise in refugee arrivals to Uganda as fresh violence flares in DR Congo UN agency Secretary-General extends mandate of UN-backed Lebanon tribunal for three more years UN urges Australia to find humane solutions for refugees, asylum seekers on Manus Island Suspected cholera cases in Yemen surpass one million, reports UN health agency 22 December The total number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has crossed one million, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today, urging greater efforts to tackle the outbreak and deal with the deteriorating health situation in the war-torn nation. The epidemic is not yet over and more concerted efforts need to be deployed to ensure that it is controlled in the immediate term and prevented from reoccurring in the near future, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarevic told a press briefing in Geneva. At the Al Sab een Hospital in Sana a, Yemen, a doctor checks on a girl suffering from cholera. Photo: UNICEF/UN066510/Fuad Responding to the deadly outbreak in late April, WHO set up treatment centres, provided supplies, trained health workers, and worked with local communities on ways to prevent the disease. These efforts resulted in tens of thousands of lives being saved. According to WHO, 99.7 per cent of the people who became sick with suspected cholera and who could access health services survived. The UN agency continues to support dehydration treatment centres across the country as well as collect stool samples for lab testing, transport them to labs, meet operational costs and make available supplies and reagents. It also continues surveillance, detection and treatment work. For information media - not an official record

2 UN Daily News One outbreak after another With its health and sanitation systems in near ruin, Yemen is also now experiencing a rapidly spreading diphtheria outbreak, which has affected 18 of its 22 governorates. About 333 clinically diagnosed cases (mostly in Ibb and Hodeida governorates) have been confirmed. Diphtheria a highly-infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria that infects the throat and upper airways, and produces a toxin affecting other organs can be prevented with vaccines and treated with antitoxins and antibiotics. But lack of medicines in the country mean the number of cases could rise. UN response amid ongoing challenges Responding to this latest outbreak, the UN Children s Fund (UNICEF) airlifted some 6 million doses of essential vaccines for children, include inoculations for diphtheria. WHO has also delivered antibiotics and 1,000 vials of life-saving diphtheria antitoxins to affected governorates. Similarly, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has also upped its response, providing more than 20,000 medical consultations to internally displaced people and other conflict-affected Yemenis via 22 mobile health teams and two permanent health facilities. But the fact that the outbreak is occurring amid a complex emergency setting with violent clashes and restrictions of transport of supplies, including medical supplies, means response efforts are extremely difficult. Underscoring the need for unhindered and sustained access to all areas of Yemen to save lives, the WHO spokesperson asked the Yemeni authorities and all parties to the conflict to facilitate the importation and distribution of medicines and medical supplies, as well as clearances for health partners to reach and treat affected communities. If [we] cannot bring in medicines and medical supplies, we cannot save lives, he stressed. Security Council further tightens sanctions against DPR Korea 22 December The United Nations Security Council today imposed new sanctions on the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK), increasing the depth of measures imposed on the country in the wake of its continued nuclear and ballistic weapons programme, including the ballistic missile launch on 28 November. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member Council also decided that all UN Member States shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK of crude oil, refined petroleum products, and various types of equipment and raw materials. The restrictions also applied with respect to the Member States territories, nationals, flagged vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles and whether or not originating in their territories. The Security Council also decided that Member States shall repatriate all DPRK nationals earning income in that Member State s jurisdiction and all DPRK government safety oversight attachés monitoring DPRK workers abroad immediately but no later than 24 months, unless the Member State determined that the national s repatriation is prohibited under applicable national and international law, or if that national is a national of that The Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 2397 (2017), condemning in the strongest terms the ballistic missile launch conducted by the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 28 November 2017 in violation and flagrant disregard of the Security Council's resolutions on non-proliferation. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

3 UN Daily News Member State. Further, in relation to maritime interdiction of cargo vessels, the Council decided that Member States shall seize, inspect, and impound any vessel in their ports if the Member State has reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel was involved in activities, or the transport of items, prohibited by relevant UN resolutions. On the political side, the Security Council expressed its deep concern at the grave hardship that the people in the DPRK are subjected to and condemns the country for pursuing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles instead of the welfare of its people. Also in the resolution, the Council affirmed that it shall keep the country s actions under continuous review and that it is determined to take further significant measures in the event of a further nuclear test or launch. UN chief welcomes unity in the Security Council Following the adoption of the resolution, Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the continued unity of the Security Council and noted that it is essential to achieve the goal of denuclearisation and create the space for diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving it in a peaceful manner. In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, Mr. Guterres supported the Council s desire for a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation, as well as its urging of further work to reduce tensions. The only way forward for a comprehensive peaceful and political solution requires de-escalation and open communication channels, now, read the statement. [The Secretary-General] reaffirms his commitment to working with all parties to this end [and] calls upon all Member States to ensure the full implementation of the relevant resolutions and to redouble efforts to make 2018 a pivotal year for the achievement of sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, it added. UN Mission welcomes agreement to revive South Sudan's peace pact 22 December Welcoming the signing of an agreement on cessation of hostilities and improving humanitarian access in South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in the country (UNMISS) has urged all parties to work collectively to ensure durable peace in the nation. The Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access is an important first step in the revitalization of the peace process, said the mission in a news release, Friday. UNMISS is committed to supporting the peace process in line with its mandate through advancing reconciliation efforts, strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, building national cohesion and engaging in regional and international peace initiatives, it added. A young girl stands in front of a temporary shelter at the UN Protection of Civilian Camp (POC) Bentiu, South Sudan. Photo: UNICEF/Holt (file) The Agreement was signed Thursday between the Government and opposing groups attending the High-Level Revitalization Forum in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. It aims to revitalize efforts to implement the 2015 peace agreement in South Sudan which came under increasing strain due to violence in the country.

4 UN Daily News Also in the news release, the UNMISS acknowledged the efforts of all actors involved in the Forum in reaching an agreement and thanked the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-country trade bloc in Africa, for its leadership of the peace talks. [We] urge all parties to adhere to the Agreement and end the ongoing violence so that durable peace can be achieved in the interests of the people of South Sudan, added the UN Mission. The world's youngest country, South Sudan has spent much of its short life mired in conflict, riven by a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his then former Vice-President Riek Machar, that erupted into full-blown war late in New UN centre boosts use of real-time data to better respond to humanitarian crises 22 December With more than 135 million crisis-affected people across the globe in need of humanitarian assistance, the United Nations today opened a data centre that will give aid organizations and relief workers access to vital information they need to make responsible and informed decisions. Accurate data is the lifeblood of good policy and decision-making. Obtaining it, and sharing it across hundreds of organizations, in the middle of a humanitarian emergency, is complicated and timeconsuming but it is absolutely crucial, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking at the opening of the Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague in the Netherlands. This Centre will make that difficult task far easier, speeding up the flow of data from collection to application, he added. A seven-year-old girl crosses an improvised wooden bridge which she built after Hurricane Irma caused severe damaged in the Five Cays settlement of Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Photo: UNICEF/Moreno Gonzalez Managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Centre is focused on four key areas: data services, to make data accessible; data policy, to ensure data is used responsibly; data literacy, to improve how data is used; and network engagement, to ensure human-centred approach. One of the primary activities of the Centre is managing the data-sharing platform, Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX), and its data standard, the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL). The goal of the HDX is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use for analysis. The HXL is based on spreadsheet formats (such as Excel or Comma-Separated-Values) and adds hashtags with logical information to allow software to validate, clean, merge and analyse data more easily. The idea of a simple standard for messy data will appeal to anyone like me, who has worked with humanitarian statistics and not always very able to understand them, expressed Mr. Guterres, highlighting the potential of the application of technologies on the ground. Recent examples of HDX deployment include the response to the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, where it provided visualizations to illustrate whether humanitarian programmes were meeting people s needs. The exercise resulted in significant changes to the humanitarian response. It was also used in preparation efforts during the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean region as well as in the response to the crisis caused by the arrival of over 600,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar into Bangladesh. In his remarks, the UN chief also underlined the importance of keeping data secure and protected.

5 UN Daily News Coming from UNHCR, I know exactly the value of sensitive data to be protected for the protection of people, he said, noting that the Centre will make the work of humanitarians around the world easier. The Centre is one of the major initiatives of the Agenda for Humanity, unveiled ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit held in 2016 in Turkey. Sharp rise in refugee arrivals to Uganda as fresh violence flares in DR Congo UN agency Congolese refugees at a transit centre in Uganda near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (File) Photo: UNHCR/L. Beck 22 December Fresh violence in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) forced over 2,650 refugees to cross over into neighbouring Uganda this week, five times the usual number of arrivals, according to the United Nations refugee agency. The new arrivals to Uganda, who are mostly women and children, are reportedly fleeing intercommunal violence in Djugu territory in Ituri province, Cécile Pouilly, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva. Since Monday, there were reports of houses being scorchedin the area, and people attacked with machetes and firearms, Ms. Pouilly said. More than 20 villages were abandoned due to the fear of reprisals. Services have been paralysed and panic engulfed the population. The majority of refugees cross Lake Albert on rickety fishing vessels to arrive to Sebagoro, a village some 270 kilometres northwest of the Ugandan capital, Kampala. About 650 refugees arrived in two boats this morning. This route is being used by a large number of refugees for the first time after a tragic shipwreck in 2014 that left over 200 dead. Refugees report that many more people are gathering on the Congolese side of Lake Albert waiting for their turn to cross, despite the journey s high cost, stated Ms. Pouilly. UNHCR is stepping up its capacity inside Uganda to meet the refugees needs. We are supporting the authorities to receive the new arrivals and transfer them to Kyangwali settlement, some 50 kilometers to the east. There, refugees are registered, medically screened and provided with hot meals and basic relief items, Ms. Pouilly said. However, the agency s operation in Uganda is currently only 39 per cent funded, and more resources are urgently needed to upgrade the reception capacity and assist the new arrivals.

6 UN Daily News Secretary-General extends mandate of UN-backed Lebanon tribunal for three more years 22 December United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres extended for another three years the mandate of the tribunal set up to try those accused of carrying out the February 2005 attack in Beirut, which killed 22 people, including the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri, and injured many others. The trial in absentia of four individuals indicted over the killing began in January 2014 at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is based near The Hague in the Netherlands, and is currently ongoing. The Tribunal s mandate has been extended from 1 March 2018 for a period of three years, or upon the completion of the cases before it if sooner. Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Photo: STL The United Nations looks forward to the completion of the mandate of the Special Tribunal in a timely manner, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement. The Tribunal also has jurisdiction over attacks carried out in Lebanon between 1 October 2004 and 12 December 2005 if they are connected to the attack of 14 February 2005 and are of a similar nature and gravity. UN urges Australia to find humane solutions for refugees, asylum seekers on Manus Island 22 December The United Nations refugee agency warned on Friday that the situation of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island continues to remain dangerous, and called on the Australian Government to live up to its responsibilities and urgently find humane and appropriate solutions. According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), since the closure of Australia s offshore processing facility on the island on 31 October, approximately 800 refugees and asylum seekers still remain in highly unsafe conditions. Over the past four weeks, at least five security incidents have been reported by refugees and asylum seekers, security personnel, local police, and members of the local community, Cécile Pouilly, a spokesperson for UNHCR, told a news briefing in Geneva. An asylum-seeker enters the Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. (file) Photo: UNHCR/Vlad Sokhin The most serious incident occurred on the night of 10 December, when three people armed with machetes and an axe attempted to force their way into West Lorengau Haus settlement, where 150 refugees and asylum seekers were being accommodated, she said, noting that the group was ultimately stopped from causing serious harm by security staff. However, the same group then walked to nearby Hillside Haus settlement where two of them, armed with a baton and a knife, entered unobstructed by security staff, and yelled that refugees and asylum seekers should leave. The forced removal of refugees and asylum seekers on 22 November from the now decommissioned Australian facility has inflicted further trauma on people who have already suffered greatly violence and persecution in their own country followed by four years in detention on Manus Island, added the UNHCR spokesperson.

7 UN Daily News At the same time, the medical condition of the refugees and asylum seekers is also worrying. According to a recent medical report commissioned by UNHCR, their physical and mental health is deteriorating and there is growing risk of violence and self-harm due to the cumulative effect of uncertainty about the future, lack of solutions, stopping of vital services, poor living and hygiene conditions and inadequate health care. The report also noted the obvious strain that is being placed on the host community and local resources, especially on the health system and hospital. 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)