HAITI
The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the health and safety of people in Haiti following the confirmation of two positive cases of cholera and multiple suspected cases in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The United Nations is ready to deploy emergency response teams to support affected communities as soon as safe access is assured and fuel supplies are unblocked.
The Secretary-General calls for immediate and unfettered access on the ground to facilitate the delivery of fuel for humanitarian purposes. Fuel deliveries have been blocked at the port since mid-September, which has disrupted not only the daily life of the Haitian people, but also the ability and the capacity of our colleagues on the ground and the international community to respond to a compounding crisis.
The Secretary General appeals to all stakeholders to work together in this time of crisis, to ensure that the gains made over the past 12 years in the fight against cholera are not eroded.
HAITI - HUMANITARIAN
And just to give you a bit more background on the situation in Haiti, Haiti’s National Public Health Laboratory confirmed the cases of cholera on Saturday and as well as yesterday.
Additional suspected cases are currently being investigated in the metropolitan area around Port-au-Prince, including eight deaths from suspected cases.
The cases were identified using the cholera surveillance mechanism, established by the Haitian authorities and supported by the United Nations.
We are actively monitoring the situation and supporting the Government to mount an emergency response to this potential outbreak, focused on limiting the spread of the disease and informing the population on how to take immediate protective measures at the household level.
But our colleagues on the ground note that in the current context of social unrest and insecurity, it is imperative that these teams be guaranteed safe access to at-risk areas, including where cases have been confirmed or suspected, to help mitigate the risk of a large or disruptive outbreak of the disease.
CLIMATE
This morning, as you will have seen, the Secretary-General spoke to you on the first day of the pre-COP27 meeting which got underway in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Secretary-General said the work ahead is as immense as the climate impacts we are seeing around the world. He warned that while climate chaos gallops ahead, climate action has stalled.
He underscored that this is not the time to point fingers or twiddle thumbs. It is time for a game-changing, quantum level compromises between developed and emerging economies. And he urged leaders at the highest level to take full part in COP27 in Egypt next month.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
Staying on the subject of COP, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is in Kinshasa for the Pre-COP27.
Speaking at the event this morning, she recognized the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s critical role in working to preserve the world’s second largest humid tropical forest and called for greater international support for these efforts.
She also echoed the messages delivered by the Secretary-General in this building, earlier. Ms. Mohammed will be in Kinshasa until tomorrow and then she will go on to Nairobi. While there she will have meetings with senior government officials, and then, on 6 October, she will go to Cape Town, in South Africa, to address the Twelfth Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Also staying in the subject of the DRC, UN peacekeepers responded to an attack by alleged ADF combatants, in Kyamata, that’s about 74km south-west of Bunia, in Ituri province. The attack reportedly resulted in 14 civilian deaths, population displacement and 60 homes torched.
The peacekeepers, in coordination with the Congolese and Ugandan defence forces conducting a joint operation against the ADF, deployed to the surrounding villages, forcing the attackers to withdraw. The UN Mission also treated several injured civilians at the UN base in Tchabi and is on stand-by to intervene and protect the nearby site for internally displaced people, if necessary.
And you will have seen that over the weekend we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General condemned the attack on Friday by suspected Twirwaneho combatants against a UN peacekeeping base in South Kivu – in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One Pakistani peacekeeper was killed in the attack.
The Secretary-General expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper and to the Government and people of Pakistan.
BURKINA FASO
Staying on the continent, over the weekend we issued a statement on the situation in Burkina Faso in which the Secretary-General strongly condemned any attempt to seize power by the force of arms. He called on all actors to refrain from violence and to seek dialogue.
The Secretary-General expressed his full support for regional efforts towards a swift return to constitutional order in the country and reiterated that Burkina Faso needs peace, stability and unity to fight terrorist groups and criminal networks operating in parts of the country.
BURKINA FASO - HUMANITARIAN
And a quick update on the humanitarian situation in Burkina. Our colleagues are working to ensure that critical aid operations continue without interruption during this period of unrest. Areas where needs are the greatest will continue to be prioritized.
Humanitarians are calling on all parties, including the national authorities, to respect humanitarian space and principles, and to allow unimpeded access of humanitarian workers to all those in need, regardless of where they are located. Respect for the distinction between humanitarian and military operations is also crucial for humanitarian partners to continue to work.
We welcome the reaffirming of the exemption to the closure of Burkina Faso’s land borders of the movement of humanitarian cargo, which is obviously critical.
As a reminder, as of August, 4.9 million men, women and children in Burkina Faso are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, and the Humanitarian Appeal for Burkina Faso for 2022 for $805 million is only 30 per cent funded.
And I was asked over the weekend and again this morning about the photos that have been circulating of UN peacekeeping vehicles and being shown in Burkina during these developments. I can tell you that we have no way to independently verifying the veracity of those videos and those photos, but it needs to be reiterated that UN troop- and police-contributing countries are to use UN insignia and equipment marked with UN logo only when they are performing mandated tasks as UN peacekeepers in the context of their deployment within a United Nations peacekeeping operation. Clearly there is no peacekeeping operation in that country.
YEMEN
I know you wanted to ask the Secretary-General about Yemen at the stakeout but did not get a chance, and I can tell you that he is disappointed to see that the parties have not agreed to the new proposal for the extension and expansion of the truce put forth by Hans Grundberg, our UN Special Envoy. However, negotiations are still ongoing and will continue, as Mr. Grundberg explores options that are acceptable for both parties. The truce has directly benefited Yemeni civilians: major military activity stopped, including Saudi-led Coalition airstrikes and Houthi cross-border attacks; civilian casualties have dropped significantly; fuel imports through Hudaydah ports eased shortages; and international commercial flights out of Sana’a airport to Amman and other destinations have resumed. We urge the parties to maintain calm and refrain from provocations or any actions that could lead to an escalation of violence. We call on the parties to engage with each other and focus on finalizing negotiations. And you will have seen Mr. Grundberg issued a statement late last night on this current issue. He is currently in Oman in discussion with various parties.
MYANMAR
Turning to Myanmar, our colleagues there that they are concerned that ongoing hostilities across the country continue to endanger the lives and well-being of civilians.
More than a million people have now been displaced by conflict and insecurity since the military takeover in February of last year. In Rakhine, indiscriminate attacks, the use of landmines and mortar shelling, as well as tight security measures and access constraints are putting people’s lives in danger and preventing assistance from reaching those who actually need it. Nationwide, landmines and explosive remnants of war continue to claim lives and endanger civilians. Food security is also a major concern, as many families are not able to buy enough food due to a spike in prices and of basic commodities.
INDONESIA
You will have seen over the weekend we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General expressed his deep sadness at the tragic incidents that occurred at a soccer stadium in Malang, Indonesia.
IRAN
We also issued a statement expressing the Secretary-General’s gratitude that, following his appeals to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our former colleague Baquer Namazi has been permitted to leave Iran for medical treatment.
CAMBODIA
I wanted to flag that we have a new Resident Coordinator in Cambodia. Our friend Joseph Scheuer of Luxembourg took up his post on 1st October. This follows his appointment by the Secretary-General and the host government’s approval. Mr. Scheuer is a long-time UN staffer with a lot of experience and you can find his bio online.
TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT
The UN Conference on Trade and Development today released its Trade and Development Report 2022, warning that monetary and fiscal policy moves in advanced economies risk pushing the world towards global recession and prolonged stagnation, inflicting worse damage than the financial crisis in 2008 and the COVID-19 shock in 2020. UNTAD expects the world economy to grow 2.5 per cent in 2022. Prospects are worsening, with growth in 2023 expected to decelerate further to 2.2 per cent, leaving real GDP still below its pre-pandemic trend by the end of next year and a cumulative shortfall of more than $17 trillion -- close to 20 per cent of the world’s income.
WORLD HABITAT DAY
Today is World Habitat Day. In a message for the Day, the Secretary-General notes that
this year’s theme – ‘Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind’ – puts the spotlight on widening inequalities in living conditions across the world.
The Secretary-General points out that today, over one billion people live in overcrowded settlements with inadequate housing – and that number is rising every day. He stresses the need more urgent action and greater investment to provide affordable housing to all – alongside access to electricity, water, sanitation, transport, and other basic services.
