10th Summit of the UN and ASEAN & other topics - Daily Briefing (04 November 2019)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
- Secretary-General in Thailand
- Deputy Secretary-General
- Syria
- Violence in Syria
- Eastern Africa Flooding
- Mali
- Ebola
Secretary-General in Thailand
Yesterday in Bangkok, the Secretary-General attended the tenth Summit of the UN and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and, in his opening remarks to that summit, he underscored that, at a time of great turbulence, he fully appreciated ASEAN’s steadfast support for multilateralism and a rules-based international order.
He reviewed a number of challenges facing the region, including climate change and the continuing construction of coal plants, as well as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the ongoing crisis facing the Rohingya people.
On the last point, he said that it remains Myanmar’s responsibility to address the root causes and ensure a conducive environment for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of refugees to Rakhine State, in accordance with international norms and standards.
Afterwards, the Secretary-General spoke to journalists and repeated his call for the region’s economies to move towards renewable energy. He said he appealed for an emphasis to be put on renewables and to be able to stop the construction of new coal power plants.
Later in the day, the Secretary-General met with Li Keqiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China. The Secretary-General thanked China for its contribution to the United Nations and for its strong commitment to multilateralism. Their discussion focused for the most part on climate change.
On Saturday, the Secretary-General met with the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Viet Nam and the President of Indonesia.  In those meetings, he discussed sustainable development, climate action and regional issues.
The Secretary-General has returned to New York this morning.

Deputy Secretary-General
This morning, the Deputy Secretary-General briefed the Security Council on her joint mission with the African Union on women peace and security in the Horn of Africa.
The chance for peace in this region is real, Ms. Mohammed told Council Members. The international community, together with Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti, can find lasting solutions to the complex challenges of the region.
She added that women are playing a critical leadership role in social cohesion, economic revival and peace.
Immediately after this mission, the Deputy Secretary-General travelled to Sudan, where she met authorities and women’s civil society activists. Responding to the opportunity in Sudan will require putting aside our usual way of working, she told the Council.
She urged the Security Council, and the international community, to assist to identify concrete actions to be delivered over the next 3 months, while addressing the mid and long-term opportunities necessary for lasting peace.
And this afternoon, the Security Council will resume last week’s suspended debate on Women, peace and security.
Full Highlights: