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World Water Day & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (22 March 2019)

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Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Daily Press Briefing:
- Cyclone Idai
- Humanitarian Update,
- Mosque
- Iraq
- China
- Western Sahara
- Syria
- Philippines
- World Water Day
CYCLONE IDAI
I have the following statement by the Secretary-General on Cyclone Idai. And again this is in the name of the Secretary-General.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and heart-wrenching images of human suffering we have seen since Cyclone Idai hit Beira, Mozambique on the night of 14 March, and then swept into Malawi and Zimbabwe, resulting in the massive disaster.
I have been encouraged by the efforts of national and international search and rescue teams, who have been working around the clock to save thousands of lives under dangerous and challenging conditions.
These heroes have not only rescued families off roofs, but are also delivering food, water purification tablets and other life-saving humanitarian assistance to survivors after communities have literally been washed away.
The UN and humanitarian partners are scaling up the response with the initial funding from generous donors. The UN has already released US$ 20 million to kick-start the response. However, far greater international support is needed.
With crops destroyed in the breadbasket of Mozambique more people are at risk of food insecurity in all three countries. And homes, schools, hospitals and roads lie in ruin.
What is needed now are funds to support the response in the days, weeks and months to come.
We must all stand in solidarity with the people of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
I would like to make a strong appeal to the international community to step up support.

HUMANITARIAN UPDATE/CYCLONE IDAI
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore is in Mozambique’s Beira to see the impact of Cyclone Idai on children and families there.
She said that the situation on the ground remains critical, with there being no electricity or running water. Ms. Fore noted that hundreds of thousands of children need immediate help and that the priority right now is to give them shelter, food, water, education and protection.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that more than 1.8 million people need assistance in Mozambique. At least 242 people have died and more than 1,400 others have been injured, according to the Government.
UNICEF is supporting WFP with food distribution and is also providing water purification supplies and is helping to set up spaces to protect children and provide psychosocial support.

MOSQUE
In just a short while from now, the Secretary-General will visit the Islamic Cultural Centre of New York, and he will visit the mosque and intends to speak to the press while he is there.
He will discuss the attack last week on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and will say that around the world, we have seen ever-rising anti-Muslim hatred, anti-Semitism, hate speech and bigotry.
And he will make a call to reaffirm the sanctity of all places of worship and the safety of all worshippers who visit revered sites in a spirit of compassion and tolerance. 
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