Cyclone Kenneth & other topics - Daily Briefing (25 April 2019)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Daily Press Briefing:
- SG Travels
- Cyclone Kenneth
- Libya
- Syria
- Peacekeeping
- Girl's ICT
- World Malaria Day
- Measles
SG TRAVELS
The Secretary-General arrived in Beijing, in China, this morning.
Tomorrow, he will speak at the opening of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and also meet with top Chinese officials, as well as hold bilateral meetings with a number of world leaders who are attending the forum.

CYCLONE KENNETH
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that Tropical Cyclone Kenneth passed north of the Comoros yesterday as a category 1 cyclone; the Government, the Red Crescent Society and the UN are assessing the impact. Due to the remoteness of the three islands hit by the cyclone, assessing that damage is a challenge.
Initial, unconfirmed reports from the Comoros include extensive damage to houses and flooded villages due to sea surges and broken dykes. Roads have also been cut off by fallen trees.
In Mozambique, in anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Kenneth’s landfall there, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has been working towards putting search and rescue teams on alert for possible deployment if required. Humanitarian organizations are pre-positioning supplies and have teams on stand-by to deploy to the area. Possible needs will include shelter, water, food and non-food items, power generators as well as telecommunications equipment.
It is the first time in history that Mozambique is hit by two cyclones in one season.

LIBYA
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Ghassan Salamé, is travelling to Paris today, where he will meet with French officials as part of his advocacy with the international community.
While in Rome yesterday, Mr. Salamé said that the UN continues efforts to bring the various parties together in the hope that they can recognize, before Ramadan, that it is better to stick to the political process than further fighting where there is no winner while the country and its people are losing.
He reaffirmed that the UN continues its role in Libya, providing assistance to thousands of families affected by the fighting to be relocated to other areas. We are also working with the refugees and migrants who are currently in Libya.
And OCHA reports that the transfer of all the remaining migrants and refugees from Qasr Bin Ghashir detention centre in Tripoli to safer areas is underway today. Yesterday, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) transferred 328 refugees and migrants from the detention centre amid deteriorating security and escalating violence. The relocation follows the violence at the centre on Tuesday, and the relocation was carried out with support from the Libyan authorities and the United Nations. A humanitarian pause was coordinated and facilitated with all parties to allow for the safe passage of the migrants and refugees.
Current conditions in Libya continue to underline the fact that it is a dangerous and unsuitable place for refugees and migrants. UNHCR reiterates that no effort should be spared to prevent those rescued at sea from being returned to Libya.
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