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UN Daily News
Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Issue DH/7161

In the headlines:
UN deputy chief calls for greater integration efforts

UN health agency foresees low to moderate risk of

Decent jobs deficit, economic woes threaten to

UN humanitarian coordinator calls on Israeli

The Earth is not flat; it is urban, says UN report,

Ban appoints Mexican diplomat to head UN climate

UN human rights experts urge Singapore not to

to meet challenges of refugees in urban areas

undo poverty reduction gains UN report

authorities to stop destruction of aid supplies

urging new agenda for resilient, sustainable cities

In Niger, UN relief chief urges focus on civilians
impacted by Boko Haram violence

change framework

execute Malaysian national

Nobody Left Outside campaign launched as UN

In call with Republic of Congo President, Ban

warns of dire shelter conditions for refugees

In phone call, Ban and Kenyan President discuss

government's decision to close refugee camps

Zika virus spread in Europe

expresses concern about security operations in

countrys southeast

Mauritania: Ban welcomes release of human rights

activists

UN deputy chief calls for greater integration efforts to meet

challenges of refugees in urban areas
18 May More than half of the worlds refugees live in urban areas,
and often in fragile cities with high levels of inequality, United
Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said today, stressing
the importance of integration efforts that enable refugees to benefit
from the opportunities cities offer so that they can ultimately have a
dignified life.

A view of an IDP camp in Al-Jamea, Baghdad, where 97 families from

Anbar Governorate have found temporary shelter. Photo: UNICEF
Iraq/2015/Khuzaie

Speaking at a high-level event on Large Movements of Refugees

and Migrants: Critical Challenges for Sustainable Urbanization
held at UN Headquarters in New York this afternoon, Mr. Eliasson
said that among the issues that must be addressed include the causes
of forced displacement; the safety of migrants and refugees as they
cross international borders; and support for host countries to integrate
newcomers into their communities.

There is much for us to do, the Deputy Secretary-General said. Every day, millions of refugee children are unable attend
school. Every day, the dignity and well-being of millions of people is compromised due to lack of basic services and job
opportunities.
Mr. Eliasson noted that while it is true that many refugees, especially in Africa and the Middle East, reside in camps, many

For information media not an official record

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18 May 2016

more settle and work in host communities. In fact, he said, just one-quarter of all refugees live in camps, according to the
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
While most of the humanitarian assistance goes to refugees living in camps, the urban refugees if you allow that
expression are largely overlooked, he said.
They often end up living in slums or informal settlements on the fringes of the cities, in overcrowded neighbourhoods and
in areas prone to flooding, sanitation hazards and disease, he added.
Mr. Eliasson highlighted that in 2009, UNHCR changed its policy and practice towards refugees in cities and towns, and is
now working closely with national authorities, municipalities and local communities and authorities to protect urban
refugees, respecting their refugee status.
In that vein, he said that the report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, prepared for a summit on refugees and migrants
being convened by the General Assembly on 19 September, draws attention to the important role of local authorities, which
are at the forefront in providing refugees access to housing, education, health care and employment.
We should bear in mind that refugees and [internally displaced persons] IDPs often are just a small proportion of those who
are swelling the ranks of cities, while the speed of urbanization is getting faster, the Deputy Secretary-General said.
He noted that it is also important to remember that, even if cities struggle to accommodate large flows of migrants, they also
largely benefit from their presence and work, since in many countries in the world, immigrants often take up low-paying
jobs and provide services in areas like domestic work, agricultural labour and home care.
As migrants and refugees continue to arrive and there are no signs that these flows will diminish any time soon we must
resolve to uphold and implement the principle of every human beings equal value, Mr. Eliasson stressed. This is a
fundamental human right, never to be compromised.
The international community, for its part, must be concerned about political rhetoric that stigmatizes refugees and migrants,
and do everything possible to counter this false and negative narrative, the Deputy Secretary-General said.
We must dispel the myths about migrants and migration which tend to poison the public discourse, he added.
Let us build our policies on the realization of the value that migrants bring to our societies: economic and demographic
growth, development, not least through remittances, and I want to add: the beauty of diversity in our nation states, Mr.
Eliasson said.
The high-level event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Italy, the New York Office of the UN Human
Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, in collaboration with United Cities
and Local Governments, the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), UN-Women, the International Labour Organization, Network 11 and the New York Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects.

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Decent jobs deficit, economic woes threaten to undo poverty

reduction gains UN report
18 May The global deficit in quality jobs and deteriorating
economic conditions in a number of regions threatens to undo decades
of progress in poverty reduction, warns a new report by the United
Nations International Labour Organization (ILO).
Along with these challenges, the ILOs World Employment and
Social Outlook 2016: Transforming jobs to end poverty notes
that relative poverty in developing countries is on the rise. Indeed, it
finds that more than 36 per cent of the emerging and developing world
lives in poverty on a daily income of less than $3.10 purchasing
power parity (PPP).
Workers in Colombias palm oil sector. Photo: ILO

Noting that some $600 billion a year or nearly $10 trillion in total
over 15 years is needed to eradicate extreme and moderate
poverty globally by 2030, the report concludes that the problem of persistent poverty cannot be solved by income transfers
alone; more and better jobs are crucial to achieving this goal.
If we are serious about the 2030 Agenda [...] then we must focus on the quality of jobs in all nations," said Guy Ryder,
ILO Director-General in a press release on the report, which estimates that while almost a third of the extremely or
moderately poor in developing economies have jobs, their employment is vulnerable in nature: they are sometimes unpaid,
concentrated in low-skilled occupations and, in the absence of social protection, rely almost exclusively on labour income.
Moreover, among developed countries, more workers have wage and salaried employment, but that does not stop them from
falling into poverty. To that end, the report finds that the incidence of relative poverty has increased by one percentage point
in the European Union, since the start of the global economic and financial crisis.
Further, recent deterioration of economic prospects in Asia, Latin America and the Arab region and natural resource rich
countries has begun to expose the fragility of employment and social progress. In some of these countries income inequality
has begun to rise after decades of declines, raising the possibility that progress on poverty might be at risk.
Clearly, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030 is at risk, Mr.
Ryder continued.
Right now, while 30 per cent of the world is poor, they only hold 2 per cent of the worlds income, said Raymond Torres,
ILO Special Advisor on Social and Economic Issues. Only through deliberately improving the quality of employment for
those who have jobs and creating new decent work will we provide a durable exit from precarious living conditions and
improve livelihoods for the working poor and their families.
The study also finds that high levels of income inequality reduce the impact of economic growth on poverty reduction. This
finding tells us that it is past time to reflect on the responsibility of rich nations and individuals in the perpetuation of
poverty. Accepting the status quo is not an option, adds Mr Torres.
The report concludes with a number of recommendations to address the structural challenges to providing quality jobs and a
concomitant reduction in poverty. They include, among others: tackle low-productivity traps, which lie at the heart of
poverty; strengthen rights at work and enable employer and worker organizations to reach the poor; reinforce governments
capacity to implement poverty-reducing policies and standards; and boosting resources and making the rich aware of their
responsibility.

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18 May 2016

The Earth is not flat; it is urban, says UN report, urging new

agenda for resilient, sustainable cities
18 May While cities have emerged over the past 20 years as the
worlds economic platforms for production and innovation, helping
millions escape poverty through better jobs and improved quality of
life, mass urbanization has also led to overcrowding, deepened
inequalities and triggered a raft of environmental and health
challenges, according to a new United Nations report.

Families enjoying an afternoon in Simon Bolivar Park in Bogot,

Colombia. Photo: World Bank/Dominic Chavez

The dramatic shift towards urban life has profound implications for
energy consumption, politics, food security and human progress, says
the inaugural edition of the World Cities Report, compiled by the
UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), which stresses
that although some of this change is positive, poorly planned
urbanization can potentially generate economic disorder, congestion,
pollution and civil unrest.

On the theme, Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures, the report presents an analysis of urban development of
the past 20 years and reveals, with compelling evidence, that there are new forms of collaboration and cooperation,
planning, governance, finance and learning that can sustain positive change.
While noting that two-thirds of the global population is expected to live in cities by 2030 and produce as much as 80 per
cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), the report unequivocally demonstrates that the current urbanization model
is unsustainable in many respects.
In the run up to HABITAT III shorthand for the major global summit formally known as the UN Conference on Housing
and Sustainable Urban Development, set to be held in Quito, Ecuador, on 17-20 October 2016 the report conveys a clear
message that the pattern of urbanization needs to change to better respond to the challenges of our time, to address issues
such as inequality, climate change, informality, insecurity, and unsustainable forms of urban expansion.
UN-Habitat Executive Director, Dr Joan Clos, said: In the twenty years since the Habitat II conference, the world has seen
a gathering of its population in urban areas. This has been accompanied by socioeconomic growth in many instances. But
the urban landscape is changing and with it, the pressing need for a cohesive and realistic approach to urbanization.
A New Urban Agenda is required to effectively address the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by
urbanization, said Mr. Clos. As the urban population increases, the land area occupied by cities is increasing at a higher
rate. It is projected that by 2030, the urban population of developing countries will double, while the area covered by cites
could triple.
Such urban expansion is wasteful in terms of land and energy consumption and increases greenhouse gas emissions. The
urban centre of gravity at least for megacities, has shifted to the developing regions. In 1995, there were 22 large cities
and 14 megacities globally; by 2015, both categories of cities had doubled, with 22, or 79 per cent of the megacities located
in Latin America, Asia and Africa. The fastest growing urban centres are the medium and small cities with less than one
million inhabitants, which account for 59 per cent of the worlds urban population.
Noting that urbanization provides a great opportunity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the report
warns that while in some cities, for some people, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloombergs urban renaissance
is occurring, for most of the world this is absolutely not the case.
Urban policy failure has been spectacular in its visibility and devastating in its impacts on men, women and children in
many cities, says the report, stressing that there are too many people living in poor quality housing without adequate
infrastructure services such as water, sanitation, and electricity, without stable employment, reliable sources of income,
social services, or prospects for upward social mobility.
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Prosperity was once described as a tide that raised all boats, but the impression today is that prosperity only raises all
yachts, the report underscores, setting out the key elements of a comprehensive approach to a New Urban Agenda which
must be bold, forward looking, and tightly focused on problem-solving with clear means of implementation.
For the new Agenda to take hold, governments, international organizations, bilateral aid and civil society must recognize the
transformative power of cities and their unique capacity to generate new forms of economy, with greater sensitivity to the
environment, culture, and social life. Moreover, the report argues that for governments, adopting urban policies means that
they accept that the world consists not just of national macro-economies, but also of urban areas, with many different sizes,
forms and characters.
This is why today we stand at a Galilean moment. The Earth is not flat. It is urban. If we do not recognize that the
settlement down the road is related to where we live, we shall all suffer, and unnecessarily so, warns the reports final
chapter, urging global political leaders to recognize that the world is very different than it was 30 years ago that the
challenges facing our cities are footprints of our future, warning us of the world to come and imploring us to do better.
It is for the Habitat III conference to steer the emerging futures of our cities on to a sustainable, prosperous path, the
report concludes.

In Niger, UN relief chief urges focus on civilians impacted by

Boko Haram violence
18 May Wrapping up a two-day mission to Niger, the top United
Nations humanitarian official has called for greater attention to the
crisis unfolding in the country's Diffa region, where violence at the
hands of Boko Haram has forced more than 240,000 people out of
their homes on both sides of the border with Nigeria.
I am appalled by reports of killing of civilians, looting of villages,
and other abuses perpetrated by Boko Haram in the countries around
the Lake Chad Basin, including Niger, Stephen O'Brien, UnderSecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said in a press release.
Adherence to international humanitarian law and norms is
fundamental in conflict and it applies to all parties, without
exception, he said.

In Diffa, Niger, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs

and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen OBrien (second left,
seated) meets with a family who fled when Boko Haram attacked.
Photo: UN OCHA

In the Diffa region, Mr. O'Brien visited the Assaga site, which hosts
more than 15,000 people, including refugees, returnees and internally displaced people who had been recently forced out of
their homes due to Boko Haram attacks. Two out of three people in the region have experienced displacement.
This morning I met a family in Diffa hosting 30 people who had fled violence caused by Boko Haram both in Nigeria and
in Niger. As the first to respond, the solidarity and generosity of families in Diffa who have shared their scarce resources
with those in need are an example and inspiration to us all, noted Mr. O'Brien, who is also the UN Emergency Relief
Coordinator.
He also met with the President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou; Prime Minister Brigi Rafini; Minister of the Interior,
Mohamed Bazoum; Niger's first Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Laouan Magagi; and several other senior Government
officials.
Mr. O'Brien said they discussed ways to step up the humanitarian response for people affected by Boko Haram, as well as
the challenges that Nigerians continue to face despite the Government's commitment to build people's resilience to recurrent
food insecurity and malnutrition crises.
In 2016, humanitarian partners and the Nigerien Government plan to assist two million food insecure people and 1.5 million
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people threatened by malnutrition, including 1.2 million children.

Displacement or malnutrition alone causes great human suffering. A combination of the two is too much for people to bear.
Together, we must help them now with urgent supplies and services, Mr. O'Brien stressed.
The humanitarian community has launched a Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016 targeting 1.5 million people with a
budget requirement of $316 million. So far, only 25 per cent has been received, which is clearly insufficient to meet the
immediate needs, the Under-Secretary-General said.
Mr. O'Brien will travel from the Lake Chad Basin region to Istanbul to participate in the first-ever World Humanitarian
Summit being held on 23 and 24 May.
The Summit will be a critical opportunity for me to tell the stories of the people I met, who have been affected by the Boko
Haram violence, he said.
An event on the Lake Chad Basin region will help us draw global attention to the increasing vulnerability of the
communities of the region, who are facing the converging events of climate change, high poverty levels, violent extremism
and population growth, he added.
Mr. O'Brien noted that a comprehensive approach is urgently needed to ensure greater collaboration between the political,
security, development, environmental and humanitarian efforts to maximize scarce resources and to ensure no one is left
behind. A big, compounded crisis needs a big, compounded response, he concluded.
In related news, the Under-Secretary-General, speaking via phone to reporters at the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters
in New York, reiterated that he had specifically decided to visit the Lake Chad Basin region ahead of the World
Humanitarian Summit to bring attention to the chronic and endemic life conditions for millions of people as a result of the
six-year brutal campaign by Boko Haram.
He noted that it was clear from the stories of the people he had met that the humanitarian effects have been escalating,
notwithstanding some security progress, and that it was absolutely vital to see a very sharp example of everything that
will come together at the Summit.
That's why we have deliberately come here, to recommit and get the political will that will propel us to deliver to those
most in need, he said.
The emphasized that the Summit will help to ensure that all humanitarian actors work in a way that can give confidence to
everyone across the whole of the humanitarian ecosystem, not just in meeting immediate needs also in helping people's
lives to thrive and not be left in vulnerability.
Asked his reaction to reports earlier today that one of the more than 250 schoolgirls who were kidnapped more than two
years ago from Chibok, Nigeria, had been found, Mr. O'Brien said that there was at last a sense of confidence of a first step
that things can be better.
Noting that the international community was both focused on and very concerned by the reports, the Under-SecretaryGeneral stressed that it is vital to continue every effort to find all of those who have been abducted.

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18 May 2016

Nobody Left Outside campaign launched as UN warns of dire

shelter conditions for refugees
18 May A half-billion-dollar shortfall in funds for sheltering
refugees is severely undermining efforts to tackle the biggest global
displacement crisis since World War II, the United Nations refugee
agency warned today, as it launched a new campaign that calls on the
private sector to contribute funds for shelter solutions for two million
refugees.
Shelter is the foundation stone for refugees to survive and recover,
and should be considered a non-negotiable human right, stressed
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a

press release issued by his Office (UNHCR). As we tackle

Newly-arrived family in Tanzanias Nduta camp. Burundi refugee
Perrie fled her home with her three children in December 2015.
Photo: UNHCR/Sebastian Rich

worldwide displacement on a level not seen since World War II, no

refugee should be left outside, he added.

The Nobody Left Outside campaign is aimed at individuals, companies, foundations and philanthropists worldwide.
At the launch of the campaign, UNHCR underscored that forced displacement, most of it arising from war and conflict, has
risen sharply in the past decade, largely as a result of the Syria crisis, but also due to a proliferation of new displacement
situations and unresolved old ones.
Worldwide, some 60 million people are forcibly displaced today, the agency said. Of that figure, almost 20 million people
are refugees who have been forced to flee across international borders, while the rest are people displaced within their own
countries.
A shelter be it a tent, a makeshift structure or a house is the basic building block for refugees to survive and recover
from the physical and mental effects of violence and persecution, UNHCR emphasized. Yet around the world, millions are
struggling to get by in inadequate and often dangerous dwellings, barely able to pay the rent, and putting their lives, dignity
and futures at risk.
Humanitarian funding is failing to keep pace
The campaign aims to raise funds from the private sector to build or improve shelter for 2 million refugees by 2018,
amounting to almost one in eight of the 15.1 million under UNHCRs remit in mid-2015. The UN Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) cares for the remaining Palestinian refugees.
Without a major increase in funding and global support, millions of people fleeing war and persecution face homelessness
or inadequate housing in countries such as Lebanon, Mexico and Tanzania, UNHCR said. Without a safe place to eat,
sleep, study, store belongings and have privacy, the consequences to their health and welfare can be profound.
The agency emphasized that as it continues to face high levels of shelter needs and with limited funding available,
operations often face the difficult decision to prioritize emergency shelter for the maximum number of people of concern,
over an investment in more durable and sustainable solutions. Outside of camps, refugees rely on UNHCR support to find
housing and pay rent in towns and cities across dozens of countries bordering conflict zones.
These operations are expected to cost US$724 million in 2016. Yet only US$158 million is currently available, a shortfall
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that threatens to leave millions of men, women and children without adequate shelter and struggling to rebuild their lives.
UNHCR noted that the private sector is one of its increasingly important donor sources, contributing more than 8 per cent of
its overall funding in 2015.
There is an important role for the private sector with its know-how, energy and money to act in a spirit of solidarity to
shelter refugees from war and persecution, said Mr. Grandi.
Proper shelter for everyone is central to social cohesion. Good homes make good neighbours, he added.
According to UNHCR, the regions most in need of assistance are sub-Saharan Africa ($255 million needed, $48 million
available) and the Middle East and North Africa ($373 million needed, $91 million available). Asia requires $59 million,
with $8 million available, while Europe requires more help ($36 million needed, $10 million available) as it faces a
continued influx of refugees.

In phone call, Ban and Kenyan President discuss government's

decision to close refugee camps
18 May United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke
today by telephone with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya
following the Kenyan Government's recent decision to close the
Dadaab refugee camps, expressing deep appreciation for the country's
decades of generosity to asylum seekers.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban expressed deep
appreciation to President Kenyatta and the people of Kenya for
decades of generous hospitality to significant populations of asylumseekers and refugees.
The Secretary-General assured President Kenyatta that he
appreciated the enormous task and responsibility involved in hosting A group of displaced Somali women residing at the Ifo 2 Refugee
Camp in Dadaab, Kenya, which is supported by the United Nations
large numbers of refugees, amidst daunting security challenges, the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UN Photo/Evan
Schneider
statement said, noting that Mr. Ban also urged the President to
continue to use the 2013 Tripartite Agreement, signed with Somalia
and the Office of the UN high Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as a basis for the voluntary return of Somali refugees
in safety and dignity.
Mr. Ban in the statement went on to express the United Nations support to Kenya, including the proposal by the High
Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, that a high-level bilateral review on the refugee situation in Kenya be
conducted by the Government of Kenya and UNHCR.
In the phone call, the Secretary-General mentioned that the Deputy Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for
Refugees would visit Kenya at the end of May.
They look forward to discussing this issue forward with the Government of Kenya, and will underline the readiness of the
United Nations to garner the support of the international community in addressing Kenya's refugee challenges, with
consideration for the host communities in Kenya as well as the sub-regional security concerns, the statement concluded.
On 6 May, Kenya's Ministry of Interior said that the Government had disbanded its Department of Refugee Affairs and was
working on a mechanism for the closure of the country's refugee camps a decision that could affect as many as 600,000
people, according to UNHCR.

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18 May 2016

UN health agency foresees low to moderate risk of Zika virus

spread in Europe
18 May The overall risk of a Zika virus outbreak across Europe is
low to moderate during late spring and summer, according to a new
risk assessment published today by the World Health Organization
(WHO), with a varying risk across the region that is higher in
countries where Aedes mosquitoes are present.
The new evidence published today tells us that there is a risk of
spread of Zika virus disease in the European region and that this risk
varies from country to country, said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO
Regional Director for Europe, in a press release.
With this risk assessment, we at WHO want to inform and target
preparedness work in each European country based on its level of risk. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that can carry Zika as well as Dengue and
Chikungunya viruses. Photo: IAEA/Dean Calma
We call particularly on countries at higher risk to strengthen their
national capacities and prioritize the activities that will prevent a large
Zika outbreak, she added.
Results of the risk assessment
WHO assessed the risk of an outbreak in Member States in the European region and Lichtenstein, based on the likelihood of
Zika virus spread and existing national capacity to prevent or rapidly contain local transmission.
The assessment found that the likelihood of local Zika virus transmission, if no measures are taken to mitigate the threat, is
moderate in 18 countries in the European region and high in limited geographical areas such as the island of Madeira and the
north-eastern coast of the Black Sea.
This means that the areas in the region with the presence of Aedes aegypti, the primary Zika vector, have a high likelihood
of local Zika virus transmission.
Specifically, 18 countries (33 per cent) have a moderate likelihood, owing to the presence of Aedes albopictus, a secondary
Zika vector, while 36 countries (66 per cent) have a low, very low or no likelihood, owing to the absence of Aedes
mosquitoes and/or suitable climatic conditions for their establishment.
Capacity and risk
The results of a questionnaire on capacity how fast and well a country would respond to Zika virus spread from 51
Member States in the region and Liechtenstein indicate that 41 countries (79 per cent) have good and very good capacity,
although specific capacities varied substantially, WHO noted.
Combining the likelihood and capacity results provided the estimated level of risk of a Zika virus outbreak. The results show
that across the WHO European region the risk is low to moderate during late spring and summer.
For countries with high and moderate likelihood of local Zika virus transmission, WHO recommends strengthening vectorcontrol activities to prevent the introduction and spread of mosquitoes, and reduce their density (particularly for areas with
Aedes aegypti); and equipping health professionals to detect local transmission of Zika virus early and to report the first case
of local transmission, as well as complications from infections, within 24 hours of diagnosis.
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The agency also recommends ensuring that the skills and capacity to test for Zika virus or protocols to ship blood samples
abroad are in place, and encourages communities to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
We stand ready to support European countries on the ground in case of Zika virus outbreaks, said Nedret Emiroglu,
Director of the Communicable Diseases and Health Security Division, WHO Regional Office for Europe. Our support to
countries in the region to prepare for and respond to health risks such as Zika is a key aspect of the reform of WHO's work
in emergencies.
To address the risk of Zika virus spread in the European region, WHO is scaling up efforts to provide guidance on vector
control in coordination with other sectors; facilitate the shipment of samples to WHO reference laboratories or deliver
diagnostic tools for local testing; and advise on risk communication and community engagement.
In addition, WHO will convene a regional consultation in Portugal from 22 to 24 June to examine the conclusions of the risk
assessment and identify countries' needs, strengths and gaps in relation to preventing and responding to Zika virus disease.

UN humanitarian coordinator calls on Israeli authorities to stop

destruction of aid supplies
18 May The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for the
Occupied Palestinian Territory today condemned the demolition and
confiscation of donor-funded humanitarian assistance by the Israeli
authorities in the Palestinian community of Jabal al Baba.
In a press release, the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that on 16 May, the authorities
demolished seven homes and confiscated materials for three others,
resulting in nine Palestine refugee families comprising a total of 49
members, 22 of them children being left without shelter.
Despite the obligation on Israel under international law to facilitate
rapid and unimpeded passage of relief to those who need it,
humanitarian relief to vulnerable communities like Jabal al Baba is
increasingly under attack, said Robert Piper, UN Coordinator for
Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities for the Occupied
Palestinian Territory.

A boy in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South

Hebron Hills where large scale home demolitions by Israeli
authorities took place. Photo: UNRWA

The materials were part of a humanitarian aid package for vulnerable Palestinian Bedouin families, provided by the UNs
Humanitarian Pooled Fund earlier this year.
Jabal al Baba, located to the east of Jerusalem in an area planned for the expansion of the Maale Adumim settlement (the
E1 plan), is one of 46 communities in the central West Bank considered at high risk of forcible transfer, OCHA said.
The destruction of homes and of livelihoods creates pressures on households to move, exacerbating the risk of forcible
transfer which would be considered a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, OCHA said.
Already in 2016, more than 600 structures have been demolished or confiscated across the West Bank, far exceeding the
total for all of 2015, OCHA said. In their wake, more than 900 people have been displaced from their homes and a further
2,500 have seen their livelihoods affected.
Once again, we call on Israel to respect the rights of these vulnerable communities and to leave these households in peace,
said Mr. Piper.

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Ban appoints Mexican diplomat to head UN climate change

framework
18 May United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today
appointed Patricia Espinosa Cantellano of Mexico as Executive
Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said the
appointment of Ms. Espinosa Cantellano who will succeed
Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica was made after consultation with
the Conference of Parties to the Convention through its Bureau.
Since 2013, Ms. Espinosa Cantellano has been serving as Ambassador
of Mexico to Germany, a position she also held from 2001 to 2002.
Patricia Espinosa Cantellano. UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz
She previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico from
2006 to 2012, and has more than 30 years of experience at highest
levels in international relations, specializing in climate change, global governance, sustainable development, gender equality
and protection of human rights.
As Mexicos representative on multilateral bodies and international organizations in Vienna, Geneva and New York, Ms.
Espinosa Cantellano has been engaged as a leader in the global challenge to address climate change and its consequences,
notably as Chair of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC leading to the adoption of the Cancun
Agreements.
Named by the UN Secretary-General to the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post 2015 Development Agenda,
she is a tireless supporter of multilateralism as a way to improve conditions for development in all regions of the world,
understanding the inextricable link between the aims of the Paris Climate Agreementand the Sustainable
Development Goals, the statement said.

UN human rights experts urge Singapore not to execute

Malaysian national
18 May Two United Nations human rights experts on summary
executions and on torture today urged the Government of Singapore
not to carry out the execution of Kho Jabing, a Malaysian national
who was sentenced to death in 2010 after being found guilty of
unintentional murder.
In a press release, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR) said that at the time the sentence was issued
against Mr. Jabing who is 31 years old Singaporean legislation
imposed the mandatory death sentence for all murder convictions. But
based on the Penal Code Amendment Act, passed in 2013, he was resentenced to life imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane in 2013.
Photo: UNODC

However, in January 2015, the Court of Appeal re-imposed his death

sentence, and his execution was scheduled for 20 May, despite the fact that the Penal Code Amendment Act keeps the

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18 May 2016

mandatory death penalty for intentional murder only, while giving the courts the possibility to impose life imprisonment and
caning in cases where there was no intention to cause death.
Mr. Kho Jabings actions do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, making his execution a violation of the right
to life, said the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Christof Heyns.
International law only allows the death sentence for premeditated and deliberate acts with lethal consequences. I urge the
Government to immediately halt its plans to execute Mr. Kho Jabing, he added.
The Special Rapporteur also expressed concern that, despite recent reforms, Singaporean legislation still foresees a
mandatory death sentence for intentional murder.
This is incompatible with international law, so the Government must pursue legal reform that will put an end to mandatory
death sentences, in line with international human rights and fair trial standards, he noted.
Reinstating the death penalty, based on the facts in this case, is appalling and amounts to mental cruelty, added the UN
Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Mndez.
The experts also expressed alarm by reports that four persons were executed (three of them for drug-related crimes, which
do not meet the threshold for most serious crimes) in Singapore in 2015, and appealed the Government to reinstate the
official moratorium declared in 2011.

In call with Republic of Congo President, Ban expresses

concern about security operations in countrys southeast
18 May United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking
by phone today with the President of the Republic of the Congo,
Denis Sassou NGuesso, expressed concern about the Governments
ongoing security operation in the south-eastern Pool region of the
country and its impact on the civilian population.

A child plays in a wheelbarrow while her family collects water into

jerrycans in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. Photo:
UNICEF/Christine Nesbitt

[Mr. Ban] urged President Sassou NGuesso to ensure that

humanitarian and other relevant actors are granted access to the
affected areas, said a statement issued by the Secretary-Generals
spokesperson, which said the UN chief also called on the President to
ensure that the security forces show restraint in the use of force and
comply with the Republic of the Congos obligations under
international human rights and humanitarian law.

Underscoring the need for political dialogue to foster national unity

following the recent elections, Mr. Ban in the statement emphasized
the importance of President Sassou NGuessos personal engagement and reaffirmed the United Nations readiness to
support the Government and people of the Republic of the Congo in this regard.
The Secretary-General thanked President Sassou NGuesso for his engagement with the Central African Republic and
looked forward to his continued support in the post-transition period, the statement said.

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18 May 2016

Mauritania: Ban welcomes release of human rights activists

18 May United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has
welcomed the release of human rights activists Biram Dah Abeid and
Brahim Ould Bilal on 17 May in Mauritania, following a Supreme
Court decision.
The Secretary-General commends efforts by the Mauritanian
authorities to strengthen the rule of law and urges the judicial
authorities to carefully investigate the circumstances that led to the
arrests of the activists, said a statement issued by Mr. Bans
spokesperson in New York.
The statement went on to say that the UN chief also encourages the
Mauritanian Government to pursue its efforts to promote national
unity and social cohesion.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. UN Photo/Evan Schneider (file)

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)