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Source: United Nations (video statements)

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

– G20 Summit meeting
– COP30
– Haiti
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Ukraine
– CYPRUS
– SUDAN
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– UN80
– World Children’s Day
– Financial Contribution

SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT

The Secretary-General will be heading today to the annual G20 Summit meeting. 

At the meeting, hosted by the Republic of South Africa in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 November, the Secretary-General will address three sessions. The first one is titled, “Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind: Building our economies; the role of trade; financing for development and the debt burden”; and the second one is titled, “A resilient world – the G20’s contribution: Disaster risk reduction; climate change; just energy transitions; food systems”. The last session will be on "A fair and just future for all: Critical minerals; decent work; artificial intelligence”.   

While in Johannesburg, the Secretary-General will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of leaders attending the G20. Tomorrow, Friday, at 5 pm, local time, he will speak with the media ahead of the G20. The press conference will be live on UN Web TV.

From South Africa, the Secretary-General will head to Luanda, for an official visit to Angola, which celebrated its 50th anniversary just last week. During the visit, the National Assembly will hold a Special Session to hear an address by the Secretary-General. 

While in the capital, Luanda, the Secretary-General will also participate in the 7th session of the African Union-European Union Summit. He will hold a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and will also meet other leaders attending the Summit.

SECRETARY-GENERAL/COP30

This morning, at his press encounter at COP30 in Belém, the Secretary-General said that over the past days, he has met with world leaders, ministers, negotiators, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and young people from every region, and one thing is clear: We are down to the wire, and the world is watching Belém.

The Secretary-General pointed out that communities on the frontlines are watching too, counting flooded homes, failed harvests, lost livelihoods, and asking: how much more must we suffer?

The Secretary-General strongly appealed to all delegations to show willingness and flexibility to deliver results that protect people and keep 1.5 degrees alive. No delegation will leave Belém with everything it wants, he said, but every delegation has a duty to reach a balanced deal.

His full remarks have been shared with you. 

Also this morning, the Secretary-General met with the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, Shri Bhupender Yadav, as well as with the Minister for Climate Change and Energy of the Commonwealth of Australia, Chris Bowen MP.

Yesterday afternoon, he had meetings with Ministers from the group of Least Developed Countries and with the Group of 77 and China Ministers. The Secretary-General also met, separately, the Minister of Environment and Energy security of Italy, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Minister of France for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on climate and nature, Monique Barbut, the Secretary of State for Climate of Poland, Krzystof Bolesta, and the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Carsten Schneider.

HAITI

From Haiti, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that as the country continues to see alarming levels of gender-based violence, survivors and those at risk have very limited access to the essential support they need. This is due to insecurity, access challenges and funding shortfalls.

Between January and September, over 7,400 cases of gender-based violence were reported in Haiti – an average of about 27 per day, according to our partners.

Sexual violence made up just over half of the cases, (about 3,700) and with nearly two thirds of these involving gang rape (about 2,500). Two out of every three victims were displaced people.

During the same period, our humanitarian partners were able to reach only 7 per cent of the 833,000 people we aim to reach with specialized support to address gender-based violence this year – or just over 54,000 people in total.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QagyIEw3RNI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Security Council briefing by Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, on the situation in Syria.

Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi told the Council that her recent visit to Damascus drove home the sheer scale of the challenges and the need for a genuinely inclusive political transition process in the country.

The Deputy Special Envoy for Syria spoke to the Council via video link from Oslo.

Rochdi said that resolution 2799 reiterated the Council’s full respect for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria. Yet Israeli military operations and incursions into Syrian territory continue, in grave violation of Syria’s sovereignty and of international law.

She called for Israel’s violations to cease and for adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. And I appeal to the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in this regard.

Rochdi also pointed out that tensions, lawlessness and some violence persist in several areas, with sporadic exchanges of fire between forces on frontlines. Tensions and violence have continued in Deir-ez-Zor, despite the best efforts of the leaderships to implement the nationwide ceasefire; and also on the margins of Suweida, where serious clashes have taken place.

She reiterated, “Security fragility is a reminder that lasting peace in Syria depends on comprehensive security sector reform and credible programs of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.”

On the political front, the Deputy Special Envoy highlighted that the drafting of a permanent constitution is “a foundational task.”

She said, “The act of defining a new social contract among Syrians must be a source of peace and unity.”

Equally, Rochdi added, “the free and fair elections that are to follow that new constitution will require significant advance planning and early engagement from now, given the institutions and infrastructure that must be rebuilt after so many years of conflict and authoritarian rule.”

The Deputy Special Envoy encouraged all parties to “take tangible steps forward, particularly initial confidence-building measures, especially on detainees and abductees and the restoration of state services.”

“Any framework for reintegrating Suweida needs to uphold Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, and address the very real anxieties felt by the Druze regarding their safety, human rights, and inclusion in Syria’s political future – as well as those of Bedouin communities,” she concluded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NC6DFOfe9I