Noon briefing by Eri Kaneko, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
- SG Priorities
- Trip Announcement
- Syria
- Lebanon
- Libya
- DRC
- Central African Republic
- Somali
- Coronavirus
- Appointment
- Honour Roll
SG PRIORITIES
This morning, the Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly on his priorities for the year. He identified four looming threats that can endanger progress and jeopardize our future: the highest global geostrategic tensions in years; the climate crisis, global mistrust and the downsides of new technologies.
The Secretary-General said these four 21st-century challenges require 21st-century solutions. First, he stressed the role of prevention, mediation and peacekeeping to address geopolitical tensions. Second, he called on the main emitters to lead the way and step up ahead of COP26 in Glasgow. Third, to address global mistrust, the Secretary-General said that countries must build a fair globalization and he highlighted the importance of women fully participating in all aspects of society including decision-making.
Finally, he said that we must steer technology for positive change and promote global digital cooperation, noting that the UN is a tailor-made platform for governments, business and civil society to come together to build agile and flexible regulatory frameworks.
The Secretary-General also launched the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals and stressed that this was the time to listen to people and urgently act for better future for all.
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Secretary-General will take part in this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Tomorrow afternoon, he will deliver a special address on the State of the World on Thursday afternoon.
On Friday, the Secretary-General will take part in a UN75 event in which he will ask young global shapers for their solutions to global challenges. This event will be livestreamed.
The Secretary-General will also attend the launch of a Global Compact scheme to bolster ambition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
He will also hold bilateral meetings with world leaders on the margins of the World Economic Forum.
SYRIA
The UN remains deeply concerned about the safety of over 3 million civilians in Idleb and the surrounding areas in the northwest, amid growing hostilities over the past week.
Airstrikes and shelling reportedly continue to affect communities in western Aleppo and various parts of southern Idleb and northern Hama, with dozens of civilian casualties reported in recent days, including many women and children.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, more than1,500 civilians in northwest Syria have been killed since April, including over 430 children and 290 women. An estimated 358,000 people have been displaced in Idleb over the last two months alone.
The UN continues to urge all parties, and those with influence over them, to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
