UN Daily News - 30 March 2016

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Issue DH/7126 Wednesday, 30 March 2016

In the headlines:

• UN calls for political will to overcome inequalityhindering sustainable development for all

• UN calls for more 'equitable' responsibility-sharingto relieve plight of Syrian refugees

• Libya: UN envoy welcomes arrival of PresidencyCouncil in Tripoli, urges peaceful handover ofpower

• In Asia and Pacific, UN views sustainabledevelopment through demographic changes

• In Stockholm, UN chief highlights climate changeand human mobility as pressing issues

• Security Council extends mandate of UN mission inDR Congo through March 2017

• Grim conditions in Syria despite greater access, UNaid chief warns Security Council

• UN rights office 'extremely concerned' about killingof Palestinian man in West Bank

• In Op-Ed, UN envoy details Organization'smeasures to root out sexual exploitation in itspeace missions

• Veteran UN officials appointed to senior positions inCyprus and in charge of field support

UN calls for political will to overcome inequality hinderingsustainable development for all

30 March – Inequality is a universal challenge faced by least-developed, middle-income and developed countries alike, but whichcan be overcome by political will at national and international levels,the United Nations deputy chief said today.

Addressing a special meeting on inequality convened by the UNEconomic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Deputy Secretary-GeneralJan Eliasson said that inequalities within and among countries posean immense challenge to global development efforts.

“Large disparities in income, wealth, power and opportunity plagueour work for progress, both internationally and nationally, so do alsolarge gaps in access to education, healthcare, water, sanitation, food,energy, and social protection,” Mr. Eliasson told the meeting, which

brought together leading experts on inequality from academia,government, the private sector, the UN system and other stakeholders

to conceptualize, analyze and recommend solutions for inequalities in the context of the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment.

The 2030 Agenda, adopted by UN Member States in September last year, pledges to reduce inequality. “For us to upholdthe basic promise of the Agenda – to leave no one behind –we must reach those furthest behind first,” he said.

Inequality 'cross-cutting issue' of the 2030 AgendaInequality features prominently in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including two stand-alone goals – Goal

A view of the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Photo: Dominic

Chavez/World Bank

UN Daily News



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UN News Centre • www.un.org/news

UN Daily News 30 March 2016

5 on gender equality, and Goal 10 on reducing inequality within and among countries. But inequality is also a cross-cuttingissue which permeates practically all 17 goals and their targets, he added.

Inequality harms economic growth and poverty reduction, he said. It undermines social cohesion and undermines people'ssense of fulfilment and self-esteem. Inequality worsens the quality of relations in the public and political spheres. It stymies

potential in human beings. And it wastes a lot of talent.

Yet, there is nothing inevitable about growing inequality. Inequality is strongly affected by policymaking, by public officeand by pressure from leaders. “Where the political will exists, much can be done to address it,” he stressed.

Many countries have taken concrete steps to contain or reduce inequalities, including debt restructuring and prudent fiscalstimulus, made easier today not least by historically low interest rates.

Inequality between countries also remains a formidable challenge, the UN deputy chief said. Among the drivers of thesegaps are illicit financial flows, financial manipulations, tax evasion and lack of harmonization of tax codes among countries.

International development cooperation can play an essential role in driving forward both public and private resources to gowhere the needs are greatest and the capacities are weakest, he added.

“Let us recognize that inequality is not just a statistic or a value-free measure of economic activity,” he urged, as inequality

is increasingly harmful, sowing the seeds of division, pushing societies towards polarization and fracture.

Why discuss inequality now?ECOSOC President Oh Joon said that the UN needs to discuss inequality now because the numbers clearly show that gapsin income and wealth have been consistently widening around the world.

Today, seven out of 10 people in the world live in countries where income inequality has risen, in many cases, to the highestlevel in 30 years, he said, adding that it has become a cliché to say that the richest one per cent has come to possess morethan half the total wealth of the world.

“The fact that the gaps between the rich and poor are widening, despite improvements for the poorest, indicate that there arestructural elements which cannot be properly dealt with by poverty reduction efforts alone,” he said.

Whether those elements might be called 'the rules of the game' or 'a level-playing field', they need be discussed at the UN, ashared forum in pursuit of global public goods.

Today's meeting is timely as it comes at the very first phase of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, he said.

UN calls for more 'equitable' responsibility-sharing to relieveplight of Syrian refugees

30 March – Addressing a one-day, high-level conference in Genevaon Syrian refugees, senior United Nations officials stressed the needsto provide resettlement and other answers for their plight, urging thirdcountries to share those responsibilities with Syria's immediate

neighbours.

“We are here to address the biggest refugee and displacement crisis ofour time … This demands an exponential increase in global

solidarity,” Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering at the

United Nations in Geneva, attended by the representatives of 92countries together with governmental and nongovernmentalorganizations.

Some 4.8 million Syrians have been forced to flee across borders byfive years of war, while another 6.6 million are internally displaced.

Members of a Syrian family register as refugees in northern Lebanon.

Photo: UNHCR/F.Juez



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While talks are underway to find lasting peace, the UN chief said more countries need to step up and provide solutions forSyrian refugees.

“The best way to offer hope to Syrians is by ending the conflict,” Mr. Ban said. “But until such talks bear fruit, the Syrian people and the region still face a desperate situation. The world must step up, with concrete actions and pledges. Allcountries can do more.”

The 30 March conference is one of several key events in 2016 to do with Syria's refugees. It follows February's LondonConference on Syria at which donors pledged $12 billion to help those in need in Syria and in the surrounding region alongwith the needs of communities in host countries.

“Now these pledges must be honoured,” the Secretary General said.

The conference, which was also attended by 10 inter-governmental organizations, nine UN agencies and 24 non-governmentorganizations, comes in the run up to the General Assembly's summit meeting on refugees to be held in September.

Resettlement to third countries and other pathwaysThe focus of today's gathering is the need for expanded, multi-year programmes of resettlement and other forms ofhumanitarian admission, including involving countries that till now have not been involved in such initiatives.

Conference host Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, emphasized that the responsibility for caring forrefugees should not be left to Syria's immediate neighbours alone, but should be more equitably shared.

“The magnitude of this particular crisis shows us unmistakably that it cannot be business as usual, leaving the greatest burden to be carried by the countries closest to the conflict,” Grandi told the gathering, also attended by representatives fromkey refugee-hosting Governments.

“Offering alternative avenues for the admission of Syrian refugees must become part of the solution, together with investingin helping the countries in the region,” he added.

Among solutions identified to end their plight is resettlement to third countries. Mr. Grandi highlighted a programme in

which the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) worked with Canada to screen, select and preparemore than 26,000 refugees to start a new life in just four months.

Grandi said other pathways include more flexible mechanisms for family reunification, including extended family members,labour mobility schemes, student visas, scholarships, as well as visas for medical reasons.

“Resettlement needs vastly outstrip the places that have been made available so far. Last year, only 12 per cent of therefugees in need of resettlement, who are usually the most vulnerable, were resettled,” Grandi said.

Some pledges of additional resettlement and other humanitarian admission places are expected to be announced today.However, given the present complex international context and with Syria's conflict continuing, additional places will beneeded over the coming months and years, in particular to address the needs of the most vulnerable refugees and to relieve

pressure on Syria's neighbours.

480,000 resettlement places needed by end of 2018The total number of resettlement places for Syrians now stands at 179,000. In line with refugee situations elsewhere,UNHCR estimates that some 480,000 places may be needed before the end of 2018.

Ahead of the conference, Alice Jay, the Campaign Director of Avaaz, handed over a petition to Grandi carrying over 1.2million signatures in support of refugees. The petition, collected since the summer, calls for increased resettlement andreunification of families alongside financial support to countries on the frontline of the crisis, among other things.

Avaaz, meaning 'voice,' is a global citizens' movement which campaigns in 15 languages on six continents. A selection of



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photographs and messages of 'Refugees Welcome' from 23,000 Avaaz members around the world is being shared on ascreen outside the conference hall.

Libya: UN envoy welcomes arrival of Presidency Council inTripoli, urges peaceful handover of power

30 March – The United Nations envoy for Libya today welcomed thearrival in Tripoli of the Presidency Council, which marks an importantstep in Libya's democratic transition and path to peace, security and

prosperity.

"I commend the courage, determination and leadership of thePresidency Council under its president Fayez Serraj in movingforward with the implementation of the Libyan political agreementand the aspiration of the overwhelming majority of the Libyan

people,” Martin Kobler, Special Representative and Head of the UNSupport Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement.

“The international community stands firmly behind them and is readyto provide the required support and assistance,” he added, calling on

the Libyan people to extend to the Presidency Council and theGovernment of National Accord their full support and cooperation.

Echoing the 10 March statement of the Libyan political dialogue, the Special Representative urged all public bodies,including official financial institutions, to facilitate an immediate, orderly and peaceful handover of power.

The Special Representative further stressed that all security actors have a responsibility to ensure the safety and security ofthe Presidency Council and of the Government of National Accord, and should refrain from any action that can underminethis crucial phase of Libya's transition.

UNSMIL was established in 2011 by the UN Security Council at the request of the Libyan authorities to support thecountry's new transitional authorities in their post-conflict efforts.

Across the country, it is estimated that 2.4 million individuals are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and morethan 40 per cent of the health facilities in Libya are not functioning.

Traffic in Tripoli, Libya. Photo: UNSMIL/Abbas Toumi

In Asia and Pacific, UN views sustainable development throughdemographic changes

30 March – Addressing youth unemployment, empowering women,supporting people with disabilities and an aging population wereamong the top issues discussed at the United Nations regional officein Bangkok, at the first intergovernmental meeting since the adoptionof the 2030 Agenda on how to strengthen the social dimension ofsustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.

Addressing a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Commissionfor Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP Executive Secretary called formultidimensional solutions to address the challenges of social

development and achieve the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development.

“Social development is therefore a necessary condition for ensuringthat 'no one is left behind', but to do so, we must harness the potential

of the powerful nexus between poverty reduction, equality and social stability,” said Under-Secretary-General Shamshad

Girls play in the schoolyard at Santo Niño Elementary School in thetown of Tanauan, Philippines. Photo: UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi



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Akhtar.

The audience was comprised of ESCAP's Social Development Committee, one of the organization's eight committees, andrepresentatives from 20 countries in the region.

An overall focus of the discussions was on how to address the inequalities within and between countries, and thedemographic changes – such as aging populations and migration influxes.

In closing to the three-day meeting on 30 March, the Committee requested that ESCAP continue supporting member Statesthrough capacity development and knowledge sharing, building partnerships with stakeholders, and serving as a keyregional platform to enhance the social dimension of sustainable development.

Also today, ESCAP launched publications, Time for Equality: The Role of Social Protection in ReducingInequalities in Asia and the Pacific, and in partnership with the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) and on

behalf of the Asia-Pacific RCM Thematic Working Group on Youth, Switched On: Youth at the Heart of SustainableDevelopment in Asia and the Pacific.

In Stockholm, UN chief highlights climate change and human

mobility as pressing issues

30 March – Visiting Sweden today, United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon underscored the many challenges the world currentlyfaces, including one of the most pressing of them – climate change.

“The world is changing – dramatically, rapidly,” Mr. Ban told those

attending a lecture organized by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation inSweden's capital, Stockholm, entitled 'Evolving Threats, TimelessValues: The United Nations in a Changing Global Landscape.'

“We are more connected than ever before. More people than ever live

in cities. New economic powers are rising. There are more than threetimes as many members of the United Nations as there were inHammarskjöld's day. New threats have emerged – climate changeabove all,” he said.

Dag Hammarskjöld was Secretary-General of the United Nations

from April 1953 until September 1961 when he died in a plane crash while on a peace mission in the Congo.

“In all of our work, Dag Hammarskjöld remains a touchstone for courageous, principled action,” the current UN chiefunderlined. “When I visited his gravesite in Uppsala on the 50th anniversary of his death, I laid a wreath in honour of his lifeand reflected on the timeless example of his service.”

The Secretary-General also emphasized in his speech the positive role Sweden has played in the United Nations for almost70 years and on the country' indispensable contribution to UN humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts.

“I especially welcome Sweden's support for Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and thenetwork of women mediators. Sweden was the first country to appoint a female Permanent Representative to the United

Nations – Ms. Agda Rössel, in 1958. Today, your feminist foreign policy is bringing new voices to the table,” he underlined.

“Today I would like to highlight four areas where your contributions are crucial and where I would like for us to worktogether to be even more ambitious: first, addressing the refugee challenge; second, advancing a more sustainable world;third, enhancing peace and security; and fourth, ensuring the strongest possible United Nations,” he added.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivers the 2016 DagHammarskjöld Lecture at the Stockholm City Hall in Sweden and

ointly hosted by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and UppsalaUniversity. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe



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Addressing the issue of “human mobility,” which he called “one of the leading trends of our time,” Mr. Ban said refugeeshave “fled hell.”

“They need our help in a spirit of shared global responsibility,” he insisted. I know there are tensions and difficulties withreceiving great numbers of refugees. But I have been deeply moved by the many stories of Swedish hospitality andgoodwill. My message to Sweden is to keep striving for solidarity. Recognize the economic dynamism that migrants andrefugees make possible. Take a stand against negative and nativist narratives. Lead the way to more understanding guided

by the universal values set out in the UN Charter.”

He also indicated that these actions are in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17

Sustainable Development Goals – the SDGs.

“This is a 15-year blueprint to end global poverty approved by world leaders last September. It embodies a commitment toleave no one behind. In many respects, it is a global Declaration of Interdependence,” Mr. Ban stated.

According to the UN's chief spokesperson, earlier in the day, he was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Löfven of Sweden.The two leaders are expected to discuss the challenges posed by the large-scale movements of refugees and migrants toEurope, and the necessity to work for peace and address the situation in Syria and Iraq, including efforts to counter theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or Da'esh.

They are also expected to exchange views on the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, and the efforts to

reform and modernize these United Nations.

Security Council extends mandate of UN mission in DR Congothrough March 2017

30 March – The Security Council today extended the mandate of theUnited Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC) for another year, warning that the humanitarian situationremains of great concern, as well as the delays in preparing for the

November presidential elections.

In a newly adopted resolution, the 15-member body urged theGovernment of the DRC to hold accountable those responsible forviolations of international humanitarian law or violations and abusesof human rights, in particular those that may amount to war crimesand crimes against humanity, including those committed in thecontext of the electoral process.

One week ago, presenting his latest report to the Council, the Head ofthe UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), Maman Sidikou, said the country is at a “critical

juncture” with rising political tensions ahead of the elections, which could lead to violence.

Addressing the political situation, the Security Council today called on the Government and its national partners, includingthe national independent electoral commission (CENI), to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process. Further, thetext calls on for a comprehensive electoral calendar for the full electoral cycle by the CENI. It calls on the Government to

put in place an adequate electoral budget and an electoral code of conduct, and to carry out “without delay” a credibleupdate of the electoral register.

On the issue of armed groups, the members called for the urgent resumption of joint operations by the FARDC [the ArmedForces of the DRC] and MONUSCO to ensure all efforts possible are being made to neutralize the FDLR [DemocraticForces for the Liberation of Rwanda] and other armed groups. The Council also condemned the “brutal” killings of morethan 500 civilians in the Beni area since October 2014, calling for a “thorough and prompt” investigation into these attacks.

UN peacekeepers. Photo MONUSCO



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Regarding the protection of civilians, the resolution calls on MONUSCO to enhance its interaction with civilians to raiseawareness about its mandate and activities through outreach programmes, to strength its early warning mechanism and toincrease its efforts to monitor and document violations of international humanitarian law, including in the context ofelections.

The 15-page document also focuses on child protection, sexual violence and abuse, requesting that MONUSCO take fullyinto account child protection and gender considerations as “cross-cutting” issues throughout its mandate, recalling the UN's

zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.

Turning to humanitarian access, the Council demanded that all parties allow and facilitate the “full, safe and unhinderedaccess of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies” and the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to populationsin need, in particular to internally displaced persons.

The resolution further decided that MONUSCO should maintain an authorized troop ceiling of 19,815 military personnel,760 military observers and staff officers, 391 police personnel and 1,050 personnel of formed police units, while taking noteof recommendations from the Secretary-General to reduce the Force by 1,700 troops.

Grim conditions in Syria despite greater access, UN aid chiefwarns Security Council

30 March – There are signs of humanitarian progress in Syria withmore aid reaching those in urgent need, but conditions remain “dire”throughout the country with only 30 per cent of people in besiegedareas reached and even fewer in hard-to-reach areas, the top United

Nations humanitarian official said.

Addressing the Security Council in New York, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency ReliefCoordination, Stephen O'Brien said that inter-agency convoys havereached 150,000 people in the 11 of the 18 besieged areas in Syria,and welcomed the commitment by the Government of Syria tosimplify administrative procedures for cross-line convoys.

He cautioned, however, that “we are a long way from the sustained,unconditional and unimpeded access that is required of the partiesunder international law and was and is demanded by this Council inits resolutions.”

ccess for humanitarian aidSome 13.5 million people remain in need of humanitarian aid, with some 4.6 million in besieged and hard-to-reach areas,according to UN figures.

“The Syrian authorities continue not to give approval to certain locations,” he said, noting three besieged areas “mereminutes' drive away from UN warehouses in Damascus,” comprised of Duma, East Harasta and Darayya.

He recounted the “dreadful” situation in these areas, particularly Darayya, with severe shortages of food, clean water,medicines, electricity and basic commodities.

“The daily misery in these areas shames us all,” Mr. O'Brien said, adding that some people are forced to eat grass to subsist.

The top UN humanitarian official also noted many hard-to-reach areas, saying he was “deeply troubled” for the more than210,000 civilians in northern Rural Homs and the 15,000 people in neighbouring Habarnafse and surrounding communitiesin rural Huma.

“People in these areas have essentially no possibility to move in or out of the areas and have diminishing access to cleanwater, medical care, and food,” he said.

Stephen O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairsand Emergency Relief Coordinator, addresses the Security Council on

the situation in Syria. UN Photo/Manuel Elias



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Mr. O'Brien also highlighted the plight of the estimated nearly two million people living in areas held by The Islamic Stateof Iraq and the Levans (ISIL) to which the UN has little or no access, and from where reports continue on widespreadhuman rights abuses.

Removals from convoysEven where there is access, convoys do not reach destinations intact, with more than 80,000 medical supplies and treatmentsremoved from convoys in 2016. The items range from treatment for child malnutrition to medicine to prevent bleeding afterchild birth.

“I call on all parties, particularly the Syrian authorities, to allow for all necessary medical items and equipment, includingsurgical items, to be allowed onto the convoys,” Mr. O'Brien said.

He added that without proper medical evacuations from besieged and hard-to-reach areas, “people continue to dieunnecessarily.”

'Humanitarian objectives are not political'In his address to the Council, the senior UN official noted that all Syrians are suffering given the destruction of schools andhospitals, the rising costs and shortages of basic items and services, and the devaluation of the currency.

“As humanitarians, our objective is not political and it is not military,” Mr. O'Brien said. “It is about providing emergency

aid and protection to people in desperate need and precarious circumstances, wherever they are in Syria.”

He reiterated the call on 15 March from 102 humanitarian agencies for immediate and sustained access in Syria, includingfor support for a nationwide immunization campaign for children.

He noted also the resumption of political talks last week led by Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and urged “all of us” torally behind the efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

UN rights office 'extremely concerned' about killing of

Palestinian man in West Bank

30 March – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights (OHCHR) today said it is extremely concerned aboutthe apparent extra-judicial execution last Thursday of a Palestinianman in the Hebron.

According to OHCHR, two Palestinian men allegedly stabbed andwounded an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint in the Israeli-controlledarea of Hebron on Thursday morning, and were both shot during theattack. A video later emerged appearing to show one of the allegedPalestinian assailants, subsequently identified as Abd al-Fatah al-Sharif, lying injured but still alive on the ground. Medical staff wereshown attending to the wounded soldier, who was driven away in anambulance, but did not appear to offer any medical assistance to Mr.al-Sharif.

The video then shows an Israeli soldier shooting Mr. al-Sharif in thehead, killing him. What is particularly chilling is the way none of the20 or so people at the scene, including medical personnel, appear to

pay any attention to the wounded man while he was still alive, and also barely show any reaction in the immediate aftermathof his killing.

“We note the news that the Israeli authorities subsequently launched an investigation into this very disturbing incident,” saidRupert Colville, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a media statement. “We also notethey have detained the soldier involved in the shooting and a military court has been questioning him. A prompt, thorough,transparent and independent investigation is essential.”

Mr. Colville added that OHCHR is concerned this killing may not be a lone incident: a disturbing number of Palestinians -

The West Bank barrier, along with checkpoints, roadblocks and

permit system, has created a closure regime that has had a dire effect

on all aspects of life for Palestine refugees. Photo: UNRWA/Isabel dela Cruz



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reportedly more than 130 in all - have been killed in recent months during or after attacks on Israeli civilians and membersof the security forces, during which 28 Israelis have been killed.

“This is not the first incident to be captured on video that raises concerns of excessive use of force. A major concern is thatsuch cases appear not to have been systematically subjected to criminal investigations. This is particularly important in casesthat may have involved disproportionate use of force, or possible extra-judicial executions. All incidents where securityforces have caused death or injury should be fully investigated, and those responsible brought to account,” the spokespersonadded.

“We would also like to remind the Israeli authorities of their duty to protect the man who filmed the incident from the roofof a nearby building. Some reports say he and his family are being intimidated, and he has even been threatened with legalaction. As a key eyewitness to the killing, he should be protected from any reprisals,” Mr. Colville stressed, adding thatOHCHR urges the Palestinian authorities “to take all feasible measures to prevent attacks on Israelis, which arereprehensible.”

“While the security forces are entitled to defend themselves and others from these types of attacks, we urge the Israeliauthorities to ensure all members of their security forces fully comply with their obligation to use force with restraint, onlywhen strictly necessary, and in accordance with the principle of proportionality, and are constantly reminded that killing

people who are no longer presenting an immediate threat is a crime, and will be treated as such,” the spokespersonconcluded.

In a separate statement, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heynsexpressed his outrage at the incident, saying: “The images shown carry all the signs of a clear case of an extrajudicialexecution […] there does not appear to be any provocation on the side of the gravely wounded man.”

The Special Rapporteur expressed further concern at the decision of the medical personnel on the scene to ignore Mr. Abedal-Fatah al-Sharif and attend only to the injured Israeli soldier, who had sustained light injuries.

He went on to note that a total of 133 Palestinians and 30 Israelis (including 2 Arab Israelis) have been killed since therecent outbreak of hostilities in October last year.

“The current cycle of provocation and retaliation has to stop. Political leaders on both sides have an obligation to condemnthe killings and to ensure accountability,” the human rights expert stated.

Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Human Rights Council to examine and report back on acountry situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

In Op-Ed, UN envoy details Organization's measures to root out

sexual exploitation in its peace missions

30 March – In an opinion piece published today by Newsweek , thehead of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic(MINUSCA) addressed how the Organization is countering child sexabuse by its troops.

“A few days ago, I woke up to yet another horrible allegation against peacekeepers serving in the UN mission in the Central AfricanRepublic, the peacekeeping operation that I lead,” Parfait Onanga-Anyanga began.

“I read that peacekeepers had allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl in asmall town in the remote central regions of this massive country. As I

began to react to this deeply shocking news, we learned of anotherseries of new allegations dating back to 2014 and 2015, brought to myattention by colleagues from UNICEF [the UN Children's Fund] andthe UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency,” he said, stressing that he has

UN Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional

Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic(MINUSCA) Parfait Onanga-Anyanga. Photo: MINUSCA



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“no words strong enough” to describe the distress he feels when confronted with these “appalling” allegations.

“I am overwhelmed by deep feelings of despair and anger. My colleagues in the mission and at UN headquarters feel just asI do. And yet, as awful as this scourge may be, it is my job to put an end to it in my mission,” he stated.

Noting that “walking away is not an option,” and that he is committed to giving this his all, the UN envoy said efforts mustnot stop until it is ensured that “all the perpetrators are identified, the victims get all the care they deserve and, perhaps most

importantly, those responsible are brought to justice.”

“Since I joined this mission in late August 2015, I have committed myself and the mission to a policy of transparency andaccountability. I have travelled thousands of miles around this country, going from camp to camp and from city to city,reiterating a stern message that sexual exploitation and abuse are entirely unacceptable and reminding all our UN personnel,

both uniformed and civilian, of our obligations to protect the people of the Central African Republic,” he said.

“This journey led us to some harrowing encounters with family members of survivors of sexual assault by armed groups and by international peacekeepers, both UN and non-UN. And while I am disappointed that the mission I lead is registering thehighest number of sexual exploitation and assault cases among all UN peacekeeping missions, I have also been encouraged

by the positive feedback I have received from victims, from the population and national authorities but also from UNmember states on the strong and principled posture the mission has adopted to tackle this important issue,” he continued.

Emphasizing that “this will be a collective effort,” Mr. Onanga-Anyanga highlighted that over the past few weeks, his

“spirits were lifted” by the recent adoption on 11 March of resolution 2272 (2016) by the UN Security Council, “which

fully backs the Secretary-General's strong leadership in rooting out sexual exploitation and abuse from UN peacekeepingmissions,” he added.

“Under this new resolution, should troop or police from contributing countries not prosecute their own alleged perpetratorswithin six months, the Secretary-General will be entitled to repatriate entire units, as he recently did with troops from theDemocratic Republic of the Congo and from the Republic of Congo,” he explained.

Another source of hope in making a more effective impact in the fight against sexual exploitation and abuse, he added, came

from the Secretary-General's recent appointment of Jane Holl Lute on 8 February as his special coordinator on improving

the United Nations' response to sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers.

“On our side, I have made the fight against sexual exploitation and abuse one of the Mission's top priorities. A task force has been established. The mission's force and police are conducting patrols around the mission's camps to monitor the off-dutyactivities of uniformed personnel,” Mr. Onanga-Anyanga noted.

“Under my direct leadership, Regional Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Joint Prevention Teams are being established in ourthree regional headquarters and in other field offices with a significant presence of our troops. These are steps in the rightdirection, but we may have more dark days before we see light at the end of the tunnel,” he warned.

Above all, the UN official said victims must be put at the heart of all efforts. “We put a premium on their care by makingemergency assistance available, while closely coordinating with all relevant UN and non-UN offices and agencies for

longer-term support, such as the UNHCR, UNICEF, the UN Population Fund or Mercy Corps and others,” he insisted.



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The UN Daily News is prepared at UN Headquarters in New York by the News Services Section

of the News and Media Division Department of Public Information (DPI)

Veteran UN officials appointed to senior positions in Cyprus andin charge of field support

30 March – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon todayappointed two women with extensive experience in the United

Nations to senior positions in the Organization.

The former head of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus,Lisa M. Buttenheim, has been named deputy of the Department ofField Support, which provides support to UN peacekeeping and

political field missions.

Ms. Buttenheim, a citizen of the United States, will now be theDepartment's Assistant Secretary-General working with Under-Secretary-General Atul Khare.

In a statement, the Secretary-General noted Ms. Buttenheim's

“extensive experience with the United Nations in political affairs and peacekeeping, both at Headquarters and in field operations.”

With more than thirty years of UN experience, Ms. Buttenheim had been the Director of the Department of Political Affair'sMiddle East and West Asia Division and its Asia and Pacific Division. She has also worked with UN peacekeeping, asDirector of the Asia and Middle East Division and as head of the UN Office in Belgrade.

She had most recently served as the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Cyprus, the head of UNFICYP andDeputy to the Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide.

Those roles will be taken up this summer by Elizabeth Spehar.

With nearly a decade of experience in the UN Department of Political Affairs, Ms. Spehar currently heads the Department'sPolicy and Mediation Division. She previously served as Director for the Americas and Europe Division and Director of theEurope Division, “engaging extensively on key political issues facing the region,” according to a separate statement by Mr.Ban.

A native of Canada, Ms. Spehar was a senior official with the Organization of American States prior to joining the United Nations.

Lisa Buttenheim (left), new deputy of the Department of Field

Support, and Elizabeth Spehar, newly appointed SpecialRepresentative in Cyprus. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

UN Daily News - 30 March 2016

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Transcript of UN Daily News - 30 March 2016