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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

TUESDAY, 12 JULY 2016

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SOUTH SUDAN: U.N. REPRESENTATIVE URGES PARTIES TO ADHERE TO CEASEFIRE

• The UN Mission in South Sudan () today the ceasefire agreement that was announced by President Kiir and endorsed by First Vice President Riek Machar yesterday.
• The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, strongly urged all parties to adhere to it and called on South Sudanese leaders to ensure that this order is conveyed through all security forces chains of command so that soldiers return to their barracks.
• Ms. Løj also urged security forces in Juba to allow unhindered access to UNMISS patrols to protect the civilian population and called on the parties to allow civilians to move freely to places of refuge. She urged the Government to open up corridors to allow UN and humanitarian actors to provide vital supplies and other assistance to the affected civilians, as well as access for medical evacuations.
• UNMISS also reported that the ceasefire seemed to be largely holding, barring sporadic gunfire, and that the airport in the capital had reopened although commercial flights remained suspended. Peacekeepers were able to conduct a limited number of short patrols in Juba today. Since fighting began on 8 July, some 5,000 additional internally displaced people have sought protection in the UN’s Tomping compound in the capital. Another 3,000 internally displaced people who arrived at the UN House premise have been relocated to the protection of civilians site nearby.
• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs () also reported that preliminary estimates indicate that at least 36,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Most of the affected people are women and children. The humanitarian situation is grave and the needs are immense, made worse by heavy rains. Humanitarian partners are assisting wounded civilians within the UN sites and providing health services at the clinic in the ADRA compound. However, the prevailing security situation has severely limited their ability to reach populations in need.
• The UN refugee agency () today issued a calling on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing the fighting and urging neighbouring countries to keep borders open to people seeking asylum.
• In a issued yesterday, the UN Special on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, also expressed deep concern at the threat the renewed fighting poses to the populations of South Sudan. He reminded the Government of its responsibility to protect its populations, irrespective of their ethnicity or political affiliation. He also stressed the urgent need to end impunity in South Sudan and to bring to justice all those responsible for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

QUARTET’S REPORT: OVERRIDING MESSAGE IRREFUTABLE, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

• The Secretary-General to the Security Council today about the Middle East Quartet’s report, saying that some on both sides have criticized the report’s content and sought to dismiss its conclusions and recommendations. But he said that the report’s overriding message is irrefutable: As negative trends grow more frequent – the prospects of a two-state solution grow more distant. He urged both sides to immediately begin discussions with the Quartet on implementing these recommendations to restore hope in a political solution.��
• The Secretary-General noted that, days after the Quartet called on Israel to cease settlement construction and expansion, Israel announced plans to advance building approximately 560 housing units in the West Bank and 240 more in occupied East Jerusalem. He said that move was in flagrant disregard of international law and urged Israel to immediately cease and reverse these plans.
• At the same time, he said, the Palestinians who celebrate and encourage attacks against innocents must know that they are not serving the interests of their people or peace.�� Such acts must be universally condemned and more must be done to counter the incitement that fuels and justifies terror.

HUMAN RIGHTS MOST POWERFUL DRIVER OF PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT: SECRETARY-GENERAL

• In a at the General Assembly debate on human rights today, the Secretary-General said that international human rights and humanitarian law are being eroded and called on Governments to meet their responsibilities.
• He said that all Member States have a shared best interest in promoting individual and collective human rights, noting that repressive policies against violent extremism and terrorism make nobody safe. He also stressed that human rights are the most powerful driver of peace and development.
• The Secretary-General also referred to the UN Human Rights Up Front , saying it is changing how the UN thinks and acts, shifting our focus on prevention rather than reaction.

URGENT FUNDING NEEDED IN NIGERIA TO PREVENT FAMINE

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs () today stressed that urgent funding is required for North-Eastern Nigeria.
• The ’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network released a food security alert indicating that a famine could be imminent in the worst affected areas, following similar assessments by the 51�Թ�.
• US$ 221.6 million are needed to respond to immediate humanitarian needs in the Lake Chad Basin between now and the end of September.

SUDAN: 4.6 MILLION PEOPLE IN URGENT NEED OF ASSISTANCE

• The 2016 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan was today, requesting US$ 952 million to support 4.6 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
• These include an estimated 2.2 million internally displaced people as well as 700,000 refugees, as well as vulnerable populations due to the impact of El Niño.

COTE D’IVOIRE: MORE EFFORTS NEEDED TO FIGHT SEXUAL VIOLENCE

• The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire () and the High Commissioner for Human Rights () yesterday jointly issued a on rape and sexual violence in the country.
• The report highlights the progress made in the judicial response to these crimes and the fight against impunity, but stresses that such progress remains clearly insufficient.
• Although investigations were opened in 90 percent of rape cases documented in the report, less than 20 percent of them resulted in a conviction.
• The report also stresses that all 203 cases that ended in a conviction were “reclassified”, a common practice of judging rape as a lesser offence and for which the sentencing is less severe.
• This practice is seen as a way for victims to access justice and facilitate a prompt judgement, but, according to the report, it “minimizes the gravity of rape.”

NEW HIV INFECTIONS AMONG ADULTS RISING IN SOME REGIONS

• The Joint 51�Թ� Programme on HIV/AIDS () warned today that after significant reductions, declines in new HIV infections among adults have stalled and are even rising in some parts of the world.
• While significant progress is being made in stopping new HIV infections among children, The Prevention gap����issued today shows that new HIV infections among adults are rising in some regions, especially in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. After years of steady decline, the Caribbean and the Middle East and North Africa have also been experiencing a rise in annual new HIV infections among adults between 2010 and 2015.
• Since the start of the epidemic, 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses and an estimated 78 million people have become infected with HIV.
• The 2016 International AIDS Conference will take place next week in Durban and UNAIDS will be calling there on implementers, innovators, communities, scientists, donors and others to close the prevention gap.

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