Annual R20 conference & other topics - Dairy Briefing (28 May 2019)

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the President of the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Highlights:
- Secretary-General’s Travels
- Syria
- Peacekeeping
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Libya
- Nigeria
- Afghanistan
- Education
- Anti-Semitism
- Senior Personnel Appointment
- Contribution
SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVELS
Today in Vienna, the Secretary-General joined former Governor of California and R20 President Arnold Schwarzenegger at the formal opening of the annual R20 conference, which brings together leaders at the sub-national level, the private sector and civil society to support governments in developing and financing low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure projects in the fields of renewable energy, energy-efficient lighting and waste optimization.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General underscored the importance of the work done below the national level, saying that climate action at the sub-national level is key to addressing the climate crisis. The Secretary-General said that we need a post-carbon economy, a climate-smart development pathway that can provide inclusive prosperity for all on a healthy planet. This is doable, he added, provided that there is political will. 
The Secretary-General pointed to the absurdity of the ongoing subsidies of fossil fuel. What we are doing, he said, is that we are using taxpayers’ money to boost hurricanes, to spread droughts, to melt glaciers, to bleach corals – in other words, to destroy the world. 
On the sidelines of conference, the Secretary-General met with Dr. Gunther Thallinger from the German insurance group Allianz, whom he thanked for supporting the UN's climate finance efforts.
Prior to leaving Austria, the Secretary-General sat down and interviewed Mr. Schwarzenegger for his Instagram account.
The Secretary-General is now on his way to Aachen, Germany, to take part in the ceremonies around the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize.
You will have seen that we shared the Secretary-General’s remarks yesterday at the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Vienna International Center, which is home to a number of UN agencies. The Secretary-General also met with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and spoke to the media afterwards, and those press remarks are out as well.

SYRIA
The Security Council this morning received a briefing on Syria from Ursula Mueller, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who told Council members that an estimated 3 million people in Idlib are caught up in the crossfire of recent fighting. She said that, despite the announcement of a temporary ceasefire on 17 May, fighting in Idlib has continued, and she described repeated attacks in recent weeks on health facilities in north-western Syria.
Ms. Mueller said that so far in May, more than 170,000 ready-to-eat meals have been handed out to those who fled the latest violence, with shelter being provided for 25,000 newly displaced people.  She warned that further military operations will overwhelm our ability to respond.
She asserted that all parties are obliged to abide by international humanitarian law, and sparing hospitals and schools is a legal obligation – not an option.
Ms. Mueller also drew attention to the situation around Rukban, saying that the United Nations now has access to the more than 13,000 people who have left Rukban and is providing humanitarian assistance to them.  But access is still needed for the population inside Rukban and a third humanitarian convoy is needed to go to the area.

PEACEKEEPING – TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Under-Secretary General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Operational Support, Atul Khare, are in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, to attend the 5th International Partnership for Technology in Peacekeeping Symposium.
They will both speak at the opening of the four-day meeting whose theme is “Predict, Prevent, Protect.” The conference, hosted by the UN Department of Operational Support in cooperation with the Kazakh Government, brings together representatives from governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to discuss peacekeeping issues.
Mr. Lacroix and Mr. Khare will also hold meetings with Kazakh officials and will also meet a contingent from Kazakhstan that has just returned from their deployment with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Full Highlights: