Decolonization's Special Committee & Other Topics - Daily Briefing (21 February 2019)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Daily Noon Briefing:
- Decolonisation
- Mediation
- Ukraine
- Central African Republic
- Cameroon
- Syria
- Yemen Measles
- UN Association
- Mother Langauge Day
- Honour Roll
DECOLONIZATION
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the opening of the organizational meeting of the 2019 session of the Special Committee on Decolonization.
He noted that decolonization helped to transform the UN membership, propelling its growth from 51 original members to 193 today.
The Secretary-General said that the story is still being written, as 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain, with each deserving attention.
To achieve decolonization, he said, the voices of the people should be heard. The cooperation of all concerned, including the administering Powers, is likewise vital.

MEDIATION
The Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation will hold its third meeting tomorrow at UN Headquarters with the Secretary-General. 
As you will recall, the Secretary-General established the High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation in September 2017 as part of his vision for a “surge in diplomacy for peace”. The Board is composed of 9 women and 9 men, current and former global leaders, senior officials and renowned experts who bring together an unparalleled range of experience, skills, knowledge and contacts. Two new members joined the Board in January of this year: Sima Samar of Afghanistan and Juan Gabriel Valdés of Chile.
The first meeting of the Board took place in November 2017, while the second was held in Helsinki last June. 

UKRAINE
The Secretary-General met yesterday Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine. The Secretary-General and the President discussed the latest developments concerning the conflict in eastern Ukraine and in the areas of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. They also exchanged views on humanitarian and human rights related issues. 
The Secretary-General reiterated the UN’s strong support for the ongoing efforts of the Normandy Four, the Trilateral Contact Group, and the OSCE and other key actors to find a peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The Secretary-General and the President exchanged views on various areas of cooperation between Ukraine and the United Nations. The Secretary-General underlined the UN’s commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
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