Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention & other topics - Daily Briefing (28 February 2019)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Daily Briefing:

- Anti-Personnel Mines
- Syria
- Security Council
- Silencing the Guns in Africa
- Zimbabwe
- Ebola
- Nigeria
- Haiti
- Special Purpose Trust Fund
- Road Safety
- Honor Roll
- Sir Brian Urquhart
ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
The Secretary-General welcomes the 20th anniversary on 1 March of the entry into force of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – a Convention that has saved countless lives, stopped mutilation and injury and enabled the revitalization of livelihoods.  
The Secretary-General commends the commitment of the States parties to rid the world of a weapon that kills and maims indiscriminately, while seriously impeding peace and development. He congratulates the 31 States who have declared their country to be mine-free and urges all States that have not done so to accede as soon as possible to the Convention. 
The Secretary-General calls for accelerated efforts to render anti-personnel mines a relic of the past. He also appeals to States to ensure access to sustainable assistance and services for thousands of mine victims. 
SYRIA
Geir Pedersen, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefed the Security Council in an open meeting this morning and said that it is essential to have direct and effective engagement with the Government of Syria and the opposition. He welcomed the readiness of the parties to work with him, and said he believes that there is a shared sentiment that the battlefield developments may be winding down, although the conflict is far from over.
The Special Envoy said he senses a wide acceptance of the notion that convening a credible, balanced, inclusive and viable Syrian-led and -owned Constitutional Committee under UN auspices in Geneva can be important to revitalize the political process. It can be a door opener to a deeper dialogue and genuine negotiations, he said.
SECURITY COUNCIL
Today, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea Bissau (UNIOGBIS) for one year, until 28 February 2020. 
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