African Union Summit, Mali, Ethiopia & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (27 May 2022)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
- Secretary-general's travels
- African Union Summit
- Mali, Ethiopia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ukraine
- Myanmar
- Secretary-general /Afghanistan
- Security Council/ Libya
- Closure on Monday
- Press Briefing on Tuesday

SECRETARY-GENERAL'S TRAVELS

The Secretary-General will be heading to Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday to attend the Stockholm+50 conference, which is being convened by the United Nations and co-hosted by the governments of Sweden and Kenya. The meeting will take place five decades after the 1972 landmark UN Conference on the Human Environment which led to the creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The meeting will also provide leaders with an opportunity to draw on 50 years of multilateral environmental action to secure a better future for a healthy planet.

The Secretary-General will urge countries to embrace the human right to a clean, healthy environment for all people, everywhere – especially poor communities, women and girls, indigenous people, young people and generations to come.

On the margins of the conference, he will meet with representatives of the Stockholm+50 Youth Task Force.

During his visit, he will also meet with Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson, as well as His Majesty, Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden, and Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess Victoria, and other high-level officials.

He will also meet with members of the UN High-level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism.



AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT

As we mentioned to you yesterday, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, is in Malabo, in Equatorial Guinea, where today he spoke at the opening of the African Union Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit and Pledging Conference. Mr. Griffiths is representing the Secretary-General there.

In his address, Mr. Griffiths said that many of the struggles Africa faces are driven by forces far beyond the continent, including conflicts, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the spiraling cost of commodities.

He noted that millions of people on the continent are being pushed to the edge of survival.

Tomorrow, also in Malabo, the head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office, Vladimir Voronkov, will represent the Secretary-General at the opening session of the AU Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government.

In his remarks, Mr. Voronkov is expected to say that terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaida and Da’esh, as well as their affiliates, have intensified attacks in Africa, killing and wounding innocent civilians and aggravating inter-communal tensions.

He will reiterate the UN’s commitment to continue to work with the African Union and African Member States to tackle the threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism, in compliance with human rights and the rule of law.

His full remarks will be posted tomorrow on the website of the Office of Counter-Terrorism.



MALI

Following his activities in Equatorial Guinea, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths will be in Mali starting tomorrow. He is expected to meet with Government officials and representatives of the humanitarian and donor communities. Mr. Griffiths will see humanitarian projects and meet with impacted communities in Mali.

As we have mentioned, the humanitarian situation in the country has significantly deteriorated as a result of conflict and intercommunal clashes.

Today, 7.5 million men, women and children – or one in four Malians – require humanitarian assistance. The level of needs is higher than at any point since the beginning of the crisis in 2012.

For example, 1.8 million people will need food assistance this year – that’s an increase of 51 per cent compared to last year.

Humanitarian funding has steadily decreased over the past years, even though the needs have increased. As of now, the revised requirement of $685.7 million sought to assist 5.3 million people this year and is only 11 per cent funded.

On 17 May, the UN Central Emergency Respond Fund (CERF) announced a Rapid Response allocation of $8 million targeting food security and nutrition.

Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/conte....nt/noon-briefing-hig