Dangerous escalation of fighting in Syria & other topics - Daily Briefing (17b May 2019)

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Daily Press Briefing:
- Secretary-General's Travels,
- Deputy Secretary-General's Travels,
- Syria,
- Yemen,
- Libya,
- International Days,
- Budget
SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVELS
The Secretary-General visited Tuvalu earlier today as part of his ongoing trip to the South Pacific.
He said Tuvalu is on the extreme frontline of the global climate emergency and expressed admiration for Tuvalu’s resistance and determination to tackle this issue head on. However, he emphasized that climate change cannot be stopped in Tuvalu only – it has to be stopped in the rest of the world.
“Saving Tuvalu is a global mission for us all. It’s a global duty. And it starts with the biggest emitters in the world. We need urgent climate action to stop Tuvalu from sinking and the world from sinking with it,” he said.
The Secretary-General also met with the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, and they discussed issues of access to climate financing, mitigation and reliance.
They then spoke briefly to the press, and the Secretary-General stressed that we need to make the world understand that climate change is not something that can be solved with minor changes and this requires very strong commitment.
At the end of his visit, the Secretary-General said he knew the challenges that Tuvalu is facing but he had not previously known how welcoming and friendly the people of Tuvalu are. He added that “the generosity and hospitality of the people of Tuvalu warmed my heart and made me more determined to continue my work to ensure we can all have a sustainable future on this planet.”
The Secretary-General will travel tomorrow to Vanuatu.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVELS
This morning, in Fairfax, Virginia, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke at the commencement of George Mason University. She told the graduating students that the United Nations is the first and, so far, only organization that tries to bring peace and order to our whole world, in all its complexity.  That is our greatest strength and our greatest challenge, she told them.
The Deputy Secretary-General said that the United Nations tries to turn challenges into opportunities. Every day, around the world, she said, we are saving lives, helping to lift people out of poverty, fighting climate change, providing food, education and shelter to the world’s most vulnerable, and promoting the rights of girls and women. 
Amina Mohammed emphasized that the United Nations is totally committed to working with the youth to safeguard their future. Last year, she noted, we launched a new strategy, Youth 2030, to engage with young people and bring them into our decision-making processes. It includes programmes on climate action, education and health.   
The speech was webcast by the university.

SYRIA
In the Security Council, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, briefed on Syria and expressed concern at the dangerous escalation of fighting in the north-west of the country.
She said that, on 6 May, Government forces began ground offensives in the area, and, as of 15 May, those forces had seized several towns in Hama. Ms. DiCarlo appealed to all parties to cease hostilities and added that we condemn all attacks on hospitals and medical infrastructure. She stressed the need for all sides to work together for an immediate de-escalation in Idlib.
Mark Lowcock, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, also spoke to Council members, and said that, despite warnings, our worst fears are coming true. He said that up to 160 people have been killed and up to 180,000 people have been displaced during the past three weeks of fighting.
Humanitarian agencies are trying to help people caught up in the fighting, but the response is already stretched thin. He warned that a full military incursion would overwhelm all the United Nations’ ability to respond and we are rapidly approaching that point.
Mr. Lowcock noted that Security Council resolution 2286 specifically reinforced the admonition not to bomb hospitals in Syria and he added, “What is the point of the Security Council passing resolutions like that if States are not going to comply with them?”
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