Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-Secretary-General/General Assembly
-Gaza
-Occupied Palestinian territory
-Lebanon
-Libya
-Democratic Republic of the Congo
-Democratic Republic of the Congo -peacekeeping
-Viet Nam
-Briefings tomorrow
SECRETARY-GENERAL/GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the closing of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and he said we had witnessed a year of continued poverty, inequality and injustice; a year of division, violence, and conflict; and a year that was the hottest on record - again. But, he added, this session also closes at a time of growing hope and inspiration that we can achieve if we work as one. He thanked outgoing General Assembly President Dennis Francis for his work over the past session.
This afternoon at 3 p.m., the Secretary-General will address the opening of the 79th session of the General Assembly, under its new President, Philemon Yang of Cameroon. The Secretary-General is expected to discuss the ways in which the United Nations can be the place to find multilateral solutions, grounded in dialogue, diplomacy and the UN Charter.
Also earlier this morning, the Secretary-General laid a wreath at the memorial for our second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld. He said that ideals that drove Dag Hammarskjöld are ours to pursue - peace, justice, and shared humanity, adding that the Summit of the Future later this month is an opportunity to embrace the spirit of Dag Hammarskjöld’s work and reform our multilateral institutions so they are fit to pursue peace in our changing world.
GAZA
A number of you have asked me for a reaction for what happened in Gaza at Al Mawasi camp.
I can tell you that the Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the continued loss of life in Gaza. He strongly condemns today’s Israeli air strikes in an Israeli-designated zone for displaced persons in Khan Younis.
The use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is unconscionable. Palestinians had moved to this area in Khan Younis in search for shelter and search of safety, after being repeatedly instructed to do so by the Israeli authorities.
As the Secretary-General has repeatedly said, there is no safe place in Gaza. He repeats yet again his call for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all Israeli hostages and other nationalities still being held in Gaza.
Earlier today, Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in his own statement strongly condemned the attack. He said that international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack, must be upheld at all times. He also emphasized that civilians must never be used as human shields.
LEBANON
Turning to Lebanon, our Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, is continuing her engagement with Lebanese and Israeli officials, as well as regional and international actors, to push for an immediate return to a cessation of hostilities along the Blue Line. She continued to warn of the risks of miscalculation as the exchange of fire between Israel and Hizbullah persisted for an eleventh month.
Earlier in the week, the Special Coordinator, along with ambassadors of UN Security Council Member States and the European Union, met in Beirut with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the situation in southern Lebanon and the need to restore calm and stability, as envisaged by Security Council resolution 1701.
Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front colleagues are telling us that the humanitarian impact of the ongoing hostilities along the Blue Line is massive. These hostilities are primarily impacting civilians on both sides of the Blue Line as well as critical infrastructure.
Over the weekend, three Lebanese Civil Defense volunteers were killed in an Israeli airstrike. This is a tragic reminder of the immense risks faced by front-line responders.
We are again urging all parties to fully uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians as well as civilian infrastructure.
Hostilities have driven civilians on both sides of the Blue Line away from their homes and their livelihoods and their schools for month.
Full Highlights: www.un.org/sg/...
16 сен 2024
