Colombia, Gaza & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

Because maybe I'll start by asking you, Edie, the first question officially. All right. All right, good afternoon. How are you? I'll start off with Colombia today because you heard from our colleagues yesterday. Led by our resident coordinator, Maria Jose Torres Macho, and our partners, we've launched a response appeal following the deadly earthquake that struck Colombia earlier this month. The authorities said 319 people have been killed with more than 280,000 people impacted overall. The earthquake destroyed over 31,000 homes and damaged thousands of educational facilities, community centers and health facilities. The appeal, which complements the government-led response and was coordinated by the Humanitarian Country Team in Colombia, seeks $148 million to support 671,000 of the most vulnerable with health, shelter, food, nutrition, education, protection, water, sanitation and hygiene support. Our partners have already reached over 34,000 people with assistance in 18 municipalities. Even before the earthquake, hundreds of thousands of families were in need of humanitarian support due to the impact of armed conflict and limited access to basic services, to livelihoods and infrastructure. Today's plan adds to our existing $472 million humanitarian appeal for Colombia this year, which puts the total at nearly $620 million. So far, donors have mobilized $35 million for the earthquake response, and Tom Fletcher, our emergency relief coordinator, has allocated five million dollars from the central emergency response fund for that effort but additional support is obviously urgently needed as the combined appeal is less than half funded our deputy secretary general Amina Muhammad is in China and Xi'an today, where she participated in the third regional convening on artificial intelligence and human development, building on the previous regional gatherings in Cairo and Mexico City. Together with experts and thought leaders, she discussed the implications of artificial intelligence on societies, on economies and on communities, and how to shape the global conversation on artificial intelligence and human development. Tomorrow, she will travel to Beijing, where she's expected to meet with Kai Wei, the assistant minister for foreign affairs of the People's Republic of China, as well as members of the UN country team. She will then go on to Mongolia on Sunday to participate in the 17th session of the conference of parties to the UN convention to combat desertification. Turning to South Sudan, where our peacekeeping colleagues now tell us they've increased patrols in and around the Bentiu displacement camp in Unity State following an incident on August 19th that resulted in the deaths among civilians and local security personnel. The UN mission in South Sudan is also engaging with state representatives and authorities, community leaders, security actors, and youth representatives in an effort to lessen the tensions. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Anita Kiki Gbeho, has urged all involved to step back from confrontation and use dialogue to resolve issues, since civilians who have already endured displacement and insecurity must be protected from further harm. The mission will maintain an enhanced protective presence around the camp to help deter further violence and strengthen the protection of civilians as efforts to restore calm continue. And turning to the nearby Central African Republic, the risk of Ebola outbreak spreading has increased following the confirmation of cases in the provinces of the DRC that border the Central African Republic. Our Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has allocated three million dollars from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to help the CAR with its Ebola prevention efforts. Mr. Fletcher says the funds will strengthen surveillance, isolation capacity, community engagement, and access to water. The Central African Republic already faces a humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, by floods, by diseases. and regional instability, leaving an estimated 2.3 million human beings, that is over a third of the population, needing vital assistance. This year's $264 million humanitarian appeal for the country is just 42% funded, with $112 million that we need. Quick update from the occupied Palestinian territory. Our OCHA colleagues on the ground tell us that in the West Bank, they continue to monitor the situation around Kusra village, where three Palestinian families remain confined to their homes, surrounded by a heavy presence of Israeli forces and settlers for two weeks now. OCHA says Israeli forces remain inside one of the three affected homes. Our colleagues are in close contact with local authorities there, and they stand ready to support. Elsewhere in the West Bank, violence continued today in Nittan. by Israeli settlers on a community, Palestinian community in Hebron. A young Palestinian was shot and killed, another critically injured, and a home was set on fire and other homes were damaged. The Israeli military said the shooting followed a stone throwing incident by Palestinians that injured Israelis. Palestinian civil defense personnel helped put out the house fire. OCHA verified that since the beginning of the year, 22 Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks, 12 by settlements, seven by Israeli forces, or Israel, seven by three, sorry, seven by Israeli forces, and three where it remains unclear whether it was by settlers or security forces. These figures are as of this Monday. We reiterate that Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory must be protected as required by international law, and the perpetrators must be brought to and held to account. The use of lethal force in law enforcement must be the last resort. Victims and survivors of terrorism were part of today's International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, marked under this year's theme, Healing Through Memory. The high-level virtual event also featured a video message from the Secretary-General. In his message, he paid tribute to the victims and survivors of terrorism, noted that this year's theme reminds us that remembrance is a pathway to recovery and to renewal, and he concluded by saying that instead of letting terror divide us, we can and must stay united. Also speaking at the event was the acting undersecretary general for counterterrorism, Alexander Zuev. He said that collective acts of commemoration hold immense power, but that remembrance must be undertaken with care, adding that this is especially true in today's digital environment, where increased visibility too often exposes victims and survivors to abuse, to harassment, and harmful media coverage. Tomorrow is also the International Day of Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. In his message for the day, the Secretary-General remembers all those who've been targeted because of their faith. He said that across the world, bloodshed based on religious affiliation runs rampant and such acts are an assault on human rights and human dignity. And he calls for societies where all faiths can live and worship in peace. And Sunday is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. The day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all people and to offer an opportunity for collective consideration of its historical causes, methods, and consequences. EDSC, your hand on your weapon. You may draw it and ask a question.

Thank you, Steph. Does the Secretary General have any comment on the conviction today in Hong Kong of two organizers of an annual vigil in remembrance of the victims who were killed in the crackdown in Beijing in 1989 in Tiananmen Square of inciting others to overthrow China's communist leadership.

I believe our human rights colleague may have said something on this, but I can tell you that the Secretary-General has always believed that people should be allowed to speak and protest and demonstrate peacefully without fear or arrest or prosecution. Greg, please.

Thank you, Steph. Just following on from the conversation we had as you came in about the straw poll today, does the Secretary General think that the opacity or the lack of transparency around the process is sustainable or healthy for the organization?

So valid question. I think we are guided Secretary General is, as he always is in all his actions, guided by the charter and the wisdom of member states on how they select his successor. Efrat then Morad.

Thank you, Steph. At the UN June 8th Memorial Ceremony, the name of an UNRWA employee, Imad Youssef Al-Samouri, was read among UN personnel being honored. Later, Hamas identified him as a field commander in Al-Qassam Brigade. My question is, will the Secretary General apologize for honoring a Hamas commander?

Look, I think you may have spoken to Anwar about this. They, and we are always very deeply concerned when allegations against former staff is raised. Obviously, when his name was included, the agency was not aware. I will remind you that the list of all Anwar staff is shared with the Israeli authorities as they are every year. His name was shared in the list of 2024. No concerns were raised based on that information from the Israeli side. And obviously, had those allegations been raised before, his name would likely not have been included.

Right.

Well, now you retract his name.

Well, I mean, the name was listed with the information that we had at the time. And as I said, his name was shared with the Israelis. No issues was raised. If those allegations had been shared with us at the time through official channels, it would not have been included.

So there'll be no correction.

Well, I mean, what was said was said, and we're now stating our position, which makes it clear had we known and had we been told, his name would probably not have been included. Murad.

Thank you, Stephen. There are reports that the American administration plans to prevent the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, from attending the ACP this year for the second time, as you know. Have you received any official notifications on that, and does the SG use such practices? as a violation of the host country's obligations.

So we have not received any official notification from the US. We don't, the visa requests for heads of delegations, heads of government, presidents go through the US, they don't go through us. We're well aware of those reports. We have seen cases in the past where visas were denied by the host country. Our call and our hope remains that the host country will fulfill its obligations under the host treaty agreement, which is meant to facilitate the travels into New York City, into the United States for people having business, diplomats and government officials having business in front of the United Nations.

But to what extent that affect the UN's independence?

So this is not a -- this issue is not -- it's not first time it's been raised. As you know, we've had issues with other delegations, notably the Russian Federation. Those are issues that the Secretariat has raised directly with the host country, and we will continue to do so. Lenka.

Thank you, Steph. On Spanish soda, many of the 72,000 migrants who entered Spanish city soda several weeks ago appear to have returned, but some like thousands still are sitting. Do you have any numbers of of the migrants, how many are still there? And is the UN helping them to return or are you helping with asylum requests? Thank you.

Lenka, I do not have any information from here. I would encourage you to reach out to my IOM and UNHCR colleagues in New York who would be able to help you.

But is the UN on the ground or?

To be honest, I don't know.

Okay, one more if I can, since we are here. On Ukraine, there have been calls to conduct elections in Ukraine, including the former Defense Minister Fedorov and, for example, U.S. President Trump. My question is, is the U.N. ready to assist with possible elections in Ukraine? And has anyone reached out to you?

Thank you. Look, we're not going to comment on the current internal debate in Ukraine. As a matter of principle, whenever any member states puts forward a request to our electoral assistance folks to help with elections, we look at that request and more often than not assist in any way we can. But that's just a matter of principle. I have no comment on what's going on in Ukraine, that debate.

But has anyone reached out to you?

I'm not aware of any.

Thank you.

Okay. Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Since it's a Friday, let me ask you this. Given the visa restrictions, don't you think it's a good idea to relocate the UN headquarters somewhere else in the world? Does the Secretary-General -- can the Secretary-General initiate such a process? How this -- you know, if there is such a process, how this process will work, and will the United States take the United Nations hostage? Thank you.

I would fear thinking what a Monday question would look like if that's a Friday question. This is an issue for member states, if I'm not mistaken. The seat of the UN is listed in the charter. I may be mistaken, but I hope I'm not. This city and the United Nations, a joint history for the last 80, 81 years and I think all in all it's been a good history. On that note I shall leave you.