Day: July 1, 2022

During a “complex” month of July, the Security Council will focus on issues including the crises in Ukraine and Syria, as well as renewals of a raft of peacekeeping or special political missions and sanctions regimes, its President for the month told a United Nations Headquarters press conference today.

Ronaldo Costa Filho (Brazil), holding the 15-nation Council’s rotating presidency for July, emphasized his delegation’s intention to establish a balance between open and closed meetings. While journalists like open meetings for their transparency, he pointed out that closed sessions are more appropriate for delicate and challenging issues.

He also said he would aim to foster greater cooperation between the Council and other bodies of the United Nations, especially the Peacebuilding Commission, as it can make a comprehensive contribution to discussions on renewal of peacekeeping and political missions. Brazil’s priorities also include incorporating a gender perspective as a cross-cutting issue throughout Brazil’s presidency and inviting civil society briefers into meetings whenever possible.

Among the signature events, he cited the adoption of a presidential statement, the renewal of four peacekeeping or special political missions, renewal of two sanctions regimes and one authorization of humanitarian assistance. Affirming that the issue of Ukraine is the most visible item on Council agenda today, he said a meeting will focused on food security, which impacts not only the region’s populations but the whole world. Because negotiations are ongoing, a precise date would depend on their evolution.

Turning to Syria, he noted that, on 10 July, the Council will hold consultations on the chemical weapons file on that country, while on 13 July, it will address the political and humanitarian aspects of the Syrian crisis — a busy day that will also include a meeting on troop- and police-contributing countries to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), discussions on the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) in Yemen and the sanctions regime in Libya

On 7 July, a Council briefing will be followed by consultations on the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) — and he had his “fingers crossed” for the adoption of a renewal of humanitarian assistance to Syria, both cross-border and cross-line, as the current mandate one expires on 10 July. The month will also feature the regular monthly meeting on Yemen on 11 July, and a high-level open debate on strategic communications in peacekeeping operations on 12 July as the issue of communication with local communities on goals and operations is crucial to their success.

Turning to other matters, he said the Council will also hold meetings on Colombia, children and armed conflict, Libya and Sudan. Brazil will also showcase its culture and history with an event on 12 July, as 2022 marks the bicentennial of the country’s independence. His delegation will pay tribute to Ruy Barbosa, head of Brazil’s delegation to the Hague Peace Conference in 1907.

Mr. Filho then responded to several questions posed by media correspondents, both in person and virtually.

Asked if he was already planning to take steps regarding the wheat crisis and the possibility of opening corridors for exports, he reaffirmed that Ukraine is the most visible issue on the Council and the international agenda. Noting that the Council has “underperformed” in its mandate to maintain international peace and security, he said he aimed to have it focus on concrete discussions on the food security issue and how to alleviate it. To a follow-up question regarding a closed meeting on Ukraine, he said the format has not been agreed upon and that a private meeting is possible. Ukraine would be invited to participate.

Another correspondent asked for an update on discussions towards a resolution on cross-border delivery of aid to north-west Syria, and the prospect of renewing the current mandate on the one border crossing from Türkiye. Mr. Filho said that Ireland and Norway are co-sponsors of the cross-border draft, but as it is a sensitive and contentious issue, he was hesitant to comment on its terms. He also expressed hope that the draft will be accomplished “without too much suffering” and within the timelines.

Asked about plans to transcend Council divisions and how to reform it, he said it is clear that the Ukraine crisis has foreground rifts in the 15-member organ, but the only way towards solutions “is to get people around the table to talk — because finger-pointing is not helpful in any way”. While there has been no progress on urgently required reform of the Council, emerging economies must play a more important role. Negotiations have been going on for 30 years, he said, adding: “We are still hopeful.”

One correspondent, reporting that experts on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea expect a nuclear test this month, asked about the possibility of increased sanctions on that State. He responded that he cannot pre-judge what his Government may decide, but that Brazil has unequivocally condemned every violation of non-proliferation to date. Further asked about non-proliferation, he said that issue was not on the regular agenda, but if anything happens, the Council would respond. He noted that his country’s President [Jair Bolsonaro] intends to attend the high-level general debate of the seventy-seventh session in September; that may be complicated as Brazil will hold general elections two weeks afterwards.

Another correspondent asked about the about killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, noting on 11 May the Council called for investigation, but Israel is refusing to respond. Mr. Filho had no comment, except that investigations are under way, but they are not easy. However, if the Council needs to reaffirm that call, it will do so.

Asked about the recent deaths of 53 migrants in a truck in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States, and the issue of human trafficking, he said the issue should be brought to the table — but it is not an issue for the Council as it is not a threat to international peace and security. In that regard, the Human Rights Council and other relevant bodies should take it up.

Another correspondent, commenting on Mr. Filho’s mention of Mr. Barbosa, asked if there were any women behind Brazil’s diplomacy. He noted that the Council on 24 June adopted a resolution on women in diplomacy citing three women in Brazilian diplomatic history, including Maria José de Castro, the first female civil servant in 1918, whose appointment went all the way to the President’s desk because “having a female civil servant at that time was something quite extraordinary”.

Source: United Nations

Many Zimbabweans are living in fear of being abducted, forcibly disappeared or tortured by state security forces for expressing themselves. While Zimbabwe has supported 168 out of 264 recommendations, Amnesty International is concerned that the lack of progress towards implementation of similar supported recommendations from previous reviews demonstrates a lack of political will to address entrenched human rights violations.

Source: Amnesty International

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, today, Thursday, 30 June 2022, arrived in the Republic of Botswana on a Working Visit to attend the 7th Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Summit of Heads of State and Government.

The Summit will be held at the Gaborone International Convention Centre and will be attended by Heads of State and Government and representatives of SACU Member States.

Member States include the Republic of Botswana as the summit host and the current chair of the Union; the Kingdom of Eswatini; the Kingdom of Lesotho; the Republic of Namibia; and the Republic of South Africa.

SACU is the oldest Customs Union in the world and its Summit is held annually to discuss progress on the implementation of it’s agreed upon Work Programme.

The Summit will consider progress made on the implementation of the refocused Work Programme whose priorities include:

• Industrialisation through the development of regional value chains, investment attraction and export promotion;

• Regional Financing Mechanism;

• Trade Facilitation and Logistics; and

• Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Summit will further consider the five-year SACU Strategic Plan as approved by the Council of Ministers on the 2nd June 2022.

The Summit is preceded by the meetings of its institutions namely

• 64th Meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee: 22 June 2022;

• 68th Meeting of the SACU Commission: 23-24 June 2022; and

• 47th Meeting of the SACU Council of Ministers: 28-29 June 2022. 6

President Ramaphosa is accompanied by Minister Ebrahim Patel of Trade and Industry and Deputy Ministers David Masondo of Finance and the South African Revenue Service Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made earlier today a demarche to the Russian Ambassador in Athens over the expulsion of eight Greek diplomats from the diplomatic and consular authorities in Russia.

He underscored that the Russian reaction was disproportionate compared to the measures announced by our country against certain Russian diplomats who had been declared as personae non gratae for demonstrably engaging in actions inconsistent with their diplomatic status, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.

On the contrary, the expulsions of Greek diplomats have no justification whatsoever, other than being disproportionate reprisals. It was also underlined that the above-mentioned Greek diplomats had in no way violated the Vienna Conventions.

Lastly, the Greek side protested against the content of recent statements by Russian officials and emphasized the importance of avoiding generalizations and accusations against our country that cannot be verified.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic

In the context of my regular contacts with the parliamentary parties, the parties that are represented in the Hellenic Parliament, I briefed them on the major foreign policy issues.

First of all, I informed them about the NATO Summit in Madrid, where Greece was represented by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

And I provided the representatives of the parliamentary parties with a copy of the Agreement between Finland, Sweden and Turkey. I also had the opportunity to explain to the representatives of the parliamentary parties that this Agreement does not create excess benefits for Turkey, as part of Greek public opinion appears to believe. On the contrary, Turkey did not even succeed in designating the YPG or ‘FETO’ as terrorist organisations in this agreement; or, as it could not possibly have happened, to place the extradition procedure under a special regime other than the European Convention on Extradition.

Regarding the issue of PESCO, [Turkey’s] participation in these programmes, Greece and Cyprus have the relevant veto right within the framework of the Council of the European Union.

Therefore, I think that what is being said in Greece regarding Turkey’s “excess benefits” and “triumph” does not really reflect reality.

Of course, I had the opportunity to discuss all this with my two counterparts from Sweden and Finland, whom I met at the NATO Summit.

There was another noteworthy event in Madrid: the new Strategic Concept was adopted, and I believe it merits more attention. In this Strategic Concept, particular reference is made to the values of International Law and good neighbourly relations between countries, as well as to the overall framework of values and principles that Greece believes in and stands for. And which, if implemented, will resolve a huge number of problems in our wider region.

We also had the opportunity to discuss the escalation of Turkish rhetoric and the various violations on the ground. I informed the representatives of the parties about the perfectly clear Greek position. First of all, provocative conduct is not accepted and will be answered. But, beyond that, Greece will not be entangled in an ongoing escalation. On the contrary, Greece is seeking de-escalation; it believes that rhetorical outbursts from the other side of the Aegean cannot result in positive developments regarding Greek-Turkish relations. I also told them clearly that Greece has no intention of going down the path of this ongoing escalation. Instead, it always maintains a serious stance that is compelled by our own belief in and commitment to International Law and the International Law of the Sea, as well as international human rights law.

As we enter the last year of the government’s term of office, I would like to conclude by making a broader request. My request is that national issues be kept out of the realm of partisan politics, as has largely been the case to date. That is, we need to maintain the maturity and concord that have gotten us to this point.

Because I believe it is right to always remember that Hellenism has been historically divided over foreign policy issues. And we should keep in mind that this year, 2022, marks 100 years since the national catastrophe of 1922. A national catastrophe largely brought on by the National Schism.

We should not forget that we are facing a national threat and we can face this threat if we are united, that is, if we are united together.

Therefore, upon the instructions I have received from the Prime Minister, I will continue to serve this priority of concord and unity of the Greek people.

Thank you.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic

Somalis across the world marked 62 years of independence Friday with little jubilation and much concern about a future blackened by drought, food shortages, and inflation.

The July 1 holiday commemorates the day Somalia declared independence from British and Italian colonizers, 62 years ago.

For more than three decades, Somalis have marked this day under the threat of chaos and violence, but this year is different. The fear of looming catastrophe in some areas, as a result of a severe drought, which already is turning into famine, has over-shadowed its commemorations.

According to Somalia’s special envoy for humanitarian issues, Abdurahman Abdishakur Warsame, more than 6 million Somalis — nearly half of the country’s population — have been affected by the record drought.

On Thursday, a day before the country’s Independence Day, Warsame said that “the drought has hit 72 of Somalia’s 84 districts and that six of them were already facing famine-like conditions, with extreme food insecurity.”

Doctors in hospitals across several regions in south and central Somalia have reported that children are dying as a result of the situation.

Somalia is experiencing one of the worst droughts in 40 years, and the U.N. and other international aid agencies raised the alarm last month as they warned that 330,000 children in Somalia were at risk of dying from starvation.

Speaking at a small-scale independence commemoration ceremony held Friday at the Mogadishu City House, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud voiced the country’s greater concern.

“We have decreased the national celebrations for Independence Day to minimize the cost and direct our little available funds to the drought response and saving lives,” Mohamud said.

Mohamud, who was elected in May, directed his remarks to Somali citizens and the international community, pleading for immediate action to help save lives.

Somalia was created in 1960 from a former British protectorate and an Italian colony but collapsed into anarchy following the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991.

Nearly three decades of civil war, fierce battles among clan warlords, piracy, and terrorism have torn the country apart into clan-based fiefdoms, and rural areas controlled by extremist militants.

A new dawn of hope formed in 2000, however, when a central government backed by the international community was established to assert control over lawless areas. Since then, the country has been inching toward stability, despite facing serious challenges from al-Qaida-aligned al-Shabab insurgents.

Among humanitarian challenges since 2011, the country has grappled with devastating cycles of deadly drought and mass displacement, including one that began earlier this year.

But unlike previous hunger calamities, this one is being exacerbated by a combination of factors: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and locust infestations.

Meanwhile, the Somali diaspora community also is commemorating the day, while exercising caution and exhibiting less jubilation. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is home to the largest population of Somalis in the U.S, the community is hosting smaller parades and other events Friday to celebrate their original country’s birthday.

Similar events were held in Toronto, London, Nairobi, and several cities in Europe, not only to celebrate, but also as a reminder of the country’s dire situation and as an opportunity to raise funds.

Source: Voice of America

Blind people in Cameroon were protesting this week against job discrimination when according to witnesses, police bundled them up and dumped them outside the city. Despite the alleged abuse, the protests continue.

Scores of blind Cameroonians continued a week-long protest Friday in the capital against job discrimination, despite allegations this week of police abuse.

The visually impaired braved heavy rain Thursday in Yaoundé to protest in groups of nine along seven major streets.

They raised their white canes and said the world should know that Cameroon’s police abused them every day this week while they were asking the government to provide them with jobs.

Arnaud Djikissi is a spokesperson for the protesters.

He says on day one of the protest on Monday, Cameroon police destroyed their white canes, tore dresses, and arrested and detained blind persons for up to six hours. Djikissi says on Tuesday, while they protested in front of the prime minister’s office, his group of more than 60 blind men was again abused by police. He says the police bundled them in buses, dumped blind persons outside of the capital Yaoundé, and told the sightless people to find their way back home.

When contacted by VOA, Cameroon police acknowledged clearing the streets of the blind protesters for what they said were illegal protests.

But officials at Yaoundé’s first central police station would not comment on allegations they drove blind people outside of Yaoundé and abandoned them.

Eyewitnesses told VOA that police dumped the blind protesters in different districts outside of Yaoundé, some as far as 30 kilometers away. The protesters had to call family members or appeal for rides from drivers passing by to get home.

Local media reported that blind people on Thursday protested the police abuse in towns including Bamenda, Buea and Mbalmayo.

Tancho Fidel is president of the Bamenda-based Organization for the Realization of an Inclusive Society.

“Blind people in Cameroon are not given jobs,” said Fidel. “They are considered as underdogs. When they come out to decry the situation, they are tortured. We want the Cameroon government to consider us as able people and normal human beings.”

Cameroon passed a law in 2010 mandating protections for people with disabilities, including the visually impaired.

But blind Cameroonians say most employers ignore the law, which is rarely enforced.

Cameroon’s government says there are about 600,000 blind people in the country and more than one million who are visually impaired.

Source: Voice of America

The World Health Organization’s Europe chief warned Friday that monkeypox cases in the region have tripled in the past two weeks and urged countries to do more to ensure the previously rare disease does not become entrenched on the continent.

And African health authorities said they are treating the expanding monkeypox outbreak as an emergency, calling on rich countries to share limited supplies of vaccines to avoid equity problems seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO Europe chief Dr. Hans Kluge said in a statement that increased efforts were needed despite the U.N. health agency’s decision last week that the escalating outbreak did not yet warrant being declared a global health emergency.

“Urgent and coordinated action is imperative if we are to turn a corner in the race to reverse the ongoing spread of this disease,” Kluge said.

To date, more than 5,000 monkeypox cases have been reported from 51 countries worldwide that don’t normally report the disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kluge said the number of infections in Europe represents about 90% of the global total, with 31 countries in the WHO’s European region having identified cases.

Kluge said data reported to the WHO show that 99% of cases have been in men — the majority in men who have sex with men. But he said there were now “small numbers” of cases among household contacts, including children. Most people reported symptoms including a rash, fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting and chills.

Scientists warn that anyone who is in close physical contact with someone who has monkeypox or their clothing or bedsheets is at risk of infection. Vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women are thought more likely to suffer severe disease.

About 10% of patients were hospitalized for treatment or to be isolated, and one person was admitted to an intensive care unit. No deaths have been reported.

Kluge said the problem of stigmatization in some countries might make some people wary of seeking health care and said the WHO was working with partners including organizers of gay pride events.

In the U.K., which has the biggest monkeypox outbreak beyond Africa, officials have noted the disease is spreading in “defined sexual networks of gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men.” British health authorities said there were no signs suggesting sustained transmission beyond those populations.

A leading WHO adviser said in May that the spike in cases in Europe was likely tied to sexual activity by men at two rave parties in Spain and Belgium.

Ahead of gay pride events in the U.K. this weekend, London’s top public health doctor asked people with symptoms of monkeypox, like swollen glands or blisters, to stay home.

Nevertheless, in Africa the WHO says that according to detailed data from Ghana monkeypox cases were almost evenly split between men and women, and no spread has been detected among men who have sex with men.

WHO Europe director Kluge also said the procurement of vaccines “must apply the principles of equity.”

The main vaccine being used against monkeypox was originally developed for smallpox and the European Medicines Agency said this week it was beginning to evaluate whether it should be authorized for monkeypox. The WHO has said supplies of the vaccine, made by Bavarian Nordic, are extremely limited.

Countries including the U.K. and Germany have already begun vaccinating people at high risk of monkeypox; the U.K. recently widened its immunization program to mostly gay and bisexual men who have multiple sexual partners and are thought to be most vulnerable.

Until May, monkeypox had never been known to cause large outbreaks beyond parts of central and west Africa, where it’s been sickening people for decades, is endemic in several countries and mostly causes limited outbreaks when it jumps to people from infected wild animals.

To date, there have been about 1,800 suspected monkeypox cases in Africa, including more than 70 deaths, but only 109 have been lab-confirmed. The lack of laboratory diagnosis and weak surveillance means many cases are going undetected.

“This particular outbreak for us means an emergency,” said Ahmed Ogwell, the acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control.

The WHO says monkeypox has spread to African countries where it hasn’t previously been seen, including South Africa, Ghana and Morocco. But more than 90% of the continent’s infections are in Congo and Nigeria, according to WHO Africa director, Dr. Moeti Matshidiso.

Vaccines have never been used to stop monkeypox outbreaks in Africa; officials have relied mostly on contact tracing and isolation.

The WHO noted that similar to the scramble last year for COVID-19 vaccines, countries with supplies of vaccines for monkeypox are not yet sharing them with Africa.

“We do not have any donations that have been offered to (poorer) countries,” said Fiona Braka, who heads the WHO emergency response team in Africa. “We know that those countries that have some stocks, they are mainly reserving them for their own populations.”

Matshidiso said the WHO was in talks with manufacturers and countries with stockpiles to see if they might be shared.

“We would like to see the global spotlight on monkeypox act as a catalyst to beat this disease once and for all in Africa,” she said Thursday.

Source: Voice of America

Authorities in Nigeria’s central Niger state are searching for gunmen who attacked a mine this week and abducted several people, including four Chinese citizens. Nigerian media report the attack Wednesday killed an unknown number of workers. It’s the second time this year that Chinese workers have been abducted in the state, as insecurity spreads in Nigeria.

Niger state Police Commissioner Monday Bala Kuryas said reinforcements have been sent to the Shiroro local government area, where the Ajata Aboki mining site is located.

Armed men attacked the site on Wednesday, opening fire on operators and killing an unspecified number while kidnapping workers, including four Chinese citizens.

Kuryas said the mining site is far into the bush and that some security operatives, including the military, police and local vigilantes, immediately responded to a distress call from the site and ran after the attackers.

He said four police officers were killed but did not disclose how many military personnel and vigilantes were affected. He also said security officials killed some of the armed men.

“For now, we’re on their trail. Some of them were neutralized,” Kuryas told VOA. “We’re still on it trying to find out the exact number, that’s the update for now, we’re still investigating, the military I cannot speak for them.”

China’s embassy in Nigeria has not made an official statement on the incident and was unavailable for comment Friday.

State Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello called the attack disturbing, and urged security officials not to relent in efforts to restore peace in the state.

Abuja-based security expert Patrick Agbambu said, given the record of attacks in the state, authorities should have been more vigilant.

“Knowing that Niger state has been a flashpoint of such attacks in recent times, I expected more security to be in place,” he said. “Foreign nationals are considered to be more lucrative persons to be kidnapped foe ransom and for attention, it’s going to become rampant and just maybe, Nigeria will become unsafe for business.”

Nigeria is seeing a wave of attacks in several regions and analysts say foreign workers and nationals are often targets of criminal gangs seeking to squeeze huge payments from employers.

In January, three Chinese nationals, working on a hydro-electric power project in Shiroro, were abducted.

Beijing has been warning nationals working in Nigeria to be vigilant in areas prone to attacks. In May, Chinese officials and representatives of local Chinese companies in Nigeria held talks on security matters.

Source: Voice of America