Fwd: UN DAILY NEWS DIGEST - 2 December

UN DAILY NEWS from the
UNITED NATIONS NEWS SERVICE
2 December, 2014
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BAN DEPLORES DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST CIVILIANS IN NORTH-EASTERN KENYA

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned a "horrific" terrorist attack in Mandera, Kenya which left over 30 people killed in the second outburst of extremist violence to afflict the East African nation in less than two weeks.

According to media reports, militants claiming to belong to the Al-Shabaab extremist group targeted non-Muslim civilian workers in Mandera – a town sitting along the Kenya-Somalia border – killing at least thirty-six people. It is the second targeted attack in Mandera following the brutal killing of 28 people on a passenger bus there 10 days ago.

Al-Shabaab's operations have sown terror across Somalia and Kenya in recent years with coordinated attacks against hotels, shopping centres, and other civilian areas. In a statement issued today by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the violence and expressed his "deep condolences to the families of the deceased and to the people and the Government of Kenya."

"The Secretary-General hopes that those responsible will be brought swiftly to justice," the statement continued, adding that Mr. Ban reaffirmed the UN's "full support" in aiding Kenya's efforts "to fight terrorism and to provide security to the population consistent with international law and Kenya's human rights obligations."


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EBOLA: WORLD BANK REPORTS ECONOMIC IMPACT IN WORST-HIT COUNTRIES TO EXCEED $500 MILLION IN 2014

The World Bank announced today that economic growth estimates in the three countries most affected by the Ebola crisis have been revised sharply downward with the impact totalling well over half a billion dollars in 2014, as the United Nations health agency officially declared the outbreak in Spain over.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) commended Spain on its diligence to end transmission of the virus, and cited measures such as "exhaustive tracing of both high- and low-risk contacts, daily active monitoring of all contacts, training in and monitoring of correct use of personal protective equipment for all healthcare workers caring for the patient infected with Ebola virus."

The announcement follows Spain completing 42 days since the last person infected with Ebola had tested negative twice.

Meanwhile, according to an Ebola Economic Impact Update released today by the World Bank Group, the epidemic continues to cripple the economies of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and is projected to result in negative or contracting growth in these countries next year.

"Growth estimates for 2014 in the three affected countries have been revised sharply downward," the update reported. "With second-round effects and investor aversion, the economies of Sierra Leone and Guinea are expected to shrink in 2015, and Liberia is expected to grow at less than half the pace anticipated before the crisis."

"The total fiscal impact of the crisis is well over half a billion dollars in 2014 alone," it said.

All three countries had been growing rapidly in recent years, and into the first half of 2014, according to the World Bank update. "But projected 2014 growth in Liberia is now 2.2 per cent (versus 5.9 per cent before the crisis and 2.5 per cent in October). Projected 2014 growth in Sierra Leone is now 4.0 per cent (versus 11.3 per cent before the crisis and 8.0 per cent in October). Projected 2014 growth in Guinea is now 0.5 percent (versus 4.5 per cent before the crisis and 2.4 per cent in October)."

This report, which updates the World Bank Group's October 8 analysis of the economic effects of the crisis on the three hardest-hit countries, was issued as World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim begins a visit to West Africa to assess the epidemic's impact and discuss what steps need to be taken to reach the goal of zero cases as soon as possible.

"This report reinforces why zero Ebola cases must be our goal. While there are signs of progress, as long as the epidemic continues, the human and economic impact will only grow more devastating," said Mr. Kim in a press release. "As we accelerate the immediate health response, the international community must also do everything we can to help the affected countries back on the road to economic recovery and development."

In October, the World Bank reported that the two-year regional financial impact could range from a "low Ebola" estimate of $3.8 billion to a "high Ebola" estimate of $32.6 billion by the end of 2015. "These estimates of the scale of impact remain valid, given that the epidemic is not yet under control," the World Bank press release said today.

In other news, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said that a meeting on building resilient health systems in Ebola affected countries would take place on 10 and 11 December in Geneva.

"If this Ebola outbreak does not trigger substantial investments in health systems and adequate reforms in the worst-affected countries, pre-existing deficiencies in health systems will be exacerbated," according to WHO. "For the foreseeable future, however, the negative economic impact on the affected countries means that substantial external financing will be needed to build stronger national and subnational health systems."

Later this week at UN Headquarters, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is convening a special meeting on Friday, 5 December, to discuss in-depth the economic and social impact of Ebola on the affected countries, the region and the rest of the world.

The meeting, to be chaired by the President of ECOSOC, will bring together high-level representatives of Member States, the UN system, the international organizations, civil society, health sector experts, academia and the private sector.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), meanwhile, announced today that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, will each receive $500,000 to help curb the potentially devastating impact of the disease on food security and on the livelihoods of farmers and others in rural areas. The funds will be used over a 12-month period to assist 7,500 households – about 45,000 people – in the three targeted countries.

The World Bank Group reported that is mobilizing nearly $1 billion in financing for the countries hardest hit by the Ebola crisis. This includes $518 million for the epidemic response, and at least $450 million to enable trade, investment, and employment in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.


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ON DAY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY, UN URGES END TO MODERN-DAY SCOURGE TRAPPING 21 MILLION

Today, 21 million women, men and children worldwide are trapped in slavery, denied the right to live and ultimately work in freedom, dignity and equality, the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) has spotlighted on this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

In his message on the Day, marked annually on 2 December, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on world leaders, businesses and civil society alike to "banish the barbaric practices" of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

"Each day, women are trafficked, sold and locked in brothels. Every day, young girls are forcibly married, sexually abused or exploited as domestic workers," Mr. Ban explained.

"Men, separated from their families, are still being locked in clandestine factories, working in situations of bonded labour with negligible wages and remote chances of ever repaying their debts," the UN chief added.

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery marks the General Assembly's adoption on 2 December 1949 of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others.

Mr. Ban also commended recent events that have helped raise awareness about the issue including the life-long campaigner against child-bonded labour, Kailash Satyarthi, this year co-winning the Nobel Peace Prize and the recent End Child Slavery week.

But he also spotlighted the need for "clear-sighted strategies, strong national legislation and a commitment to coordinate the fight against this crime."


Donors must support the UN Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery so civil society can carry out rehabilitation projects, Mr. Ban said, calling on all States to ratify the new Protocol drawn up by the ILO, designed to strengthen efforts to eliminate forced labour.

"We need to tackle the socio-economic root causes of modern slavery, such as traditional land tenancy systems, as well as unregulated labour sourcing and recruitment practices," said Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.

"We need to improve the lack of access to education and skills for people who live in poverty and suffer discrimination. We must fight the oppression of workers who seek to join trade unions. And we must ensure stronger law enforcement to stop human trafficking once and for all," he added.

Unfortunately, modern slavery is still a big business.

The ILO estimates that forced labour generates illicit profits of $150 billion every year. About two thirds of those profits are made from exploitation – mainly of women and children – in the sex and entertainment industry.

But slavery also brings profits to unscrupulous employers in agriculture, construction, manufacturing, mining, domestic work and other sectors which harbour the majority of those subjected to forced labour.

And it knows no geographical boundaries, touching lives in the North and South alike.

Headway has been made in the form of stronger laws and policies. Workers have joined forces and organized themselves in sectors where forced labour persists. Companies have taken action to eliminate forced labour from their supply chains. And there is a growing movement of citizens who call for an end to the suppression of and discrimination against their fellow-citizens.


ILO's new legally binding standards against forced labour outlined in the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) provide guidance to secure the effective eradication of forced labour, trafficking and slavery-like practices, Mr. Ryder said calling on governments to ratify it and step up action at home and abroad.

Several UN human rights experts also weighed in on the Day, calling for action to combat all modern forms of slavery and effectively implement laws and policies.


Some 168 million children are involved in child labour, with more than half of them doing hazardous work, including in slavery-like conditions in artisanal mines and quarries, the experts said citing ILO estimates.

"Millions of children worldwide have their childhood stolen as victims of forced labour and sexual exploitation," said Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, who is the Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

Combating modern-day slavery requires tackling the broader environment by adopting and strengthening comprehensive child protection systems, capable of reducing risk factors and ensuring the early identification of child victims.

In negotiations towards the adoption of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) clear targets must be set to eradicate all forms of slavery and slavery-like practices, including trafficking, child labour and sexual exploitation, the experts emphasized.

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AT HARVARD, UN CHIEF URGES GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO CONFRONT WORLD'S EXISTENTIAL THREATS

The world today faces an increasing array of threats to peaceful coexistence – from climate change and conflict to poverty and disease – all of which loom over the future of the planet's physical survival, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today in a lecture delivered at Harvard University.

Speaking in an address to the University's Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he accepted the Harvard Humanitarian of the Year Award on behalf of "brave and courageous UN staff" the Secretary-General remarked that the world stood at the cusp of momentous change, both as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approach their 2015 deadline and as the UN prepares to mark its 70th anniversary.

"For almost 15 years, the world has pursued the Millennium Development Goals," Mr. Ban said, as he described the UN-backed efforts to reduce extreme poverty and hunger, promote education, especially for girls, fight disease and protect the environment. "The gains have been remarkable. But there is a long way to go."

"We are determined to finish the job of the MDGs. But we also want to address emerging issues such as inequality. And we want the new goals to include critical factors that were not part of the MDG framework, such as building peaceful societies with responsive, accountable institutions."

Mr. Ban, who had earlier met with Harvard President Drew Faust, told the gathering – which included faculty and students – that while the present global population is the "first generation" that could bring an end to poverty, it also remains the last with the possibility of slowing global warming before it becomes "too late."

His comments come as Member States kick-off a UN climate conference in Lima, Peru where they will put forward their proposed contributions to a new universal UN-backed treaty on climate change to be adopted in Paris in December 2015.

"We need all countries to come together to secure a new climate agreement next year in Paris," he said. "We need individuals to do their part through the choices they make, from voting booths to grocery stores."

Harvard University, Mr. Ban acknowledged, already supports the work done by the Carbon Disclosure Project – a non-governmental initiative aimed at assisting businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and invest in climate-friendly programmes. But he encouraged the institution to be "an even bigger part of the transition to a safer, healthier, low-carbon future" and help the world onto "more sustainable footing."

Beyond climate change, however, the planet's existential threats remain numerous and insidious, the Secretary-General continued, as he warned of the constant danger posed by the world's nuclear arsenals.

"The world remains over-armed, and peace is underfunded," said Mr. Ban, as he praised the "important work" that has been done to keep fissile materials from reaching terrorists or other hostile actors. "But ultimately, there are no right hands for wrong weapons."

"People are asking why the nuclear powers are spending vast sums to modernize arsenals instead of eliminating them, which they committed to do under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Where are their disarmament plans? They do not exist."

Nevertheless, he said, efforts were underway to reduce the global nuclear footprint as Governments and civil society prepared to gather in Vienna next week in an effort "to challenge the belief that nuclear weapons should be valued as a rational basis for defense and national prestige."

Turning to the imminent challenges posed by sectarian hatred and intercommunal violence – which continue to ravage countries spanning from Syria and Iraq to Central African Republic and South Sudan – the Secretary-General stated that human rights violations remain the international community's "clearest early warning signs of instability and violence."

Here, Mr. Ban said, his new Human Rights Up Front initiative would compel the UN to speak up on rights abuses around the world "far earlier, and if necessary far more pointedly, even if that is not what Governments want to hear."

"Our hope is that Human Rights Up Front will lead to earlier, more determined steps to keep situations from escalating."

But, he added, global solidarity would continue to be tested unless the international community did its part to help contain the explosive Ebola crisis which the affected countries were "struggling to contain," despite the bravery of first responders and the UN's rapid Ebola response mission.

"The outbreak is evolving unevenly with an increase in cases in western Sierra Leone and the emergence of a new chain of transmission in Mali. And we are still short of resources," he lamented.

As a result, he called on Harvard's scientists to continue their "pioneering research efforts" on Ebola and continue to pursue vaccines and cures for the myriad other diseases afflicting the world's populations.

"We cannot ward off earthquakes and other natural disasters," Mr. Ban admitted. "But man-made ills are entirely within our power to prevent. A sustainable world of freedom and dignity for all is entirely within our power to build."


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UN ENVOY WELCOMES DEAL BETWEEN IRAQI, KURDISH REGION ON OIL, FINANCES

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) welcomed today an agreement reached between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve issues related to oil exports and the budget.

Nickolay Mladenov commended the Iraqi Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for their "leadership and spirit of compromise" and stressed the importance of "direct and frank dialogue" in forging agreements that serve the interests of Iraq and the Iraqi people.

"I look forward for the implementation of the agreement as swiftly as possible, including oil exports from the KR-I and Kirkuk, as well as the disbursement of the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) budget from the Iraqi general budget, and the payment of Peshmergas' salaries," Mr. Mladenov said.

He urged all Iraqi leaders to continue showing the same sense of unity and compromise as they sought to address other urgent priorities, "including the adoption of the Federal budget for 2015, as well as other crucial legislation, and to work towards national reconciliation and restoration of confidence among Iraq's communities."


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GREAT LAKES ENVOYS OUTRAGED BY SPATE OF CIVILIAN MASSACRES IN EASTERN DR CONGO

A team of United Nations, African Union and other Special Envoys on the Great Lakes region have said they are "deeply outraged" by the recent spate of civilian massacres that have taken place in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and have called on the Government to "engage in robust military action' against all armed groups operating there.

The killings have taken place particularly around the town of Beni, in North Kivu province, said a statement released by Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes.

"Some 100 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed on 20 November, bringing the number of victims to more than 200 since mid-October," the group of Envoys said, condemning this "gruesome attack" and the massacres which have been attributed to the Uganda-based militia group, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

Stressing that there should be no impunity for those responsible for human rights abuses, the Envoys called on the DRC government to engage a robust military action against the group perpetrating these crimes. The UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and its Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) stood by for any support.

The Envoys also called for similar action against all the other armed groups in the region, chief among them the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which have been under international pressure to dismantle by 2 January or face military action.

The group urged the FDLR to fully surrender and disarm. There is also urgency to complete demobilization of the former 23 March Movement (M23) combatants.

The group of Envoys further called on the DRC Government to accelerate the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation, and resettlement (DDRRR) programme for ex-combatants and appealed to international partners to provide financial support to that end.

A return to stability in eastern DRC requires concerted efforts to neutralize all the negative forces. With this in mind, the Team of Envoys stressed the strategic importance of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework agreement for the DRC.

The team of Envoys comprises of several UN officials including the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region Said Djinnit, the Special Representative of the Secretary General in the DRC Martin Kobler, and the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Russ Feingold.

The team also includes the African Union Special Representative for the Great Lakes region Boubacar Diarra, the European Union Senior Coordinator for the Great Lakes region Koen Vervaeke, and the Belgium Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Franck de Coninck.


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UN RIGHTS OFFICE VOICES ALARM OVER INCREASING POLARIZATION IN EGYPT AMID PROTESTS

The United Nations human rights office has voiced great concern over the unfolding events in Egypt, warning that recent developments in the country have spawned dangerous fractures across the spectrum of society, potentially impacting freedoms of expression, association and assembly, and contributing to an increase in reports of human rights violations.

Egypt witnessed an eruption of violence over the weekend pitting demonstrators against security officers following the conclusion of former President Hosni Mubarak's trial which resulted in all charges being dropped against the deposed leader. At least five people, including two security officers, were reportedly killed in the clashes, drawing the deep concern of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) over what it described as "a seriously damaging lack of accountability for human rights violations committed by security forces in the context of demonstrations."

"The increasing polarization in Egyptian society is very alarming and we urge all sides to engage in a national dialogue to move the country forward in line with the human rights protections enshrined in its constitution and in line with Egypt's international human rights obligations," Rupert Colville, OHCHR spokesperson, told reporters in Geneva today.

"We are also closely following attempts to bring to justice those responsible for serious human rights violations in Egypt, including the killings of hundreds of people in February 2011 as well as in August last year," Mr. Colville continued, referring to the August 2013 crackdown when Egyptian security services used force to clear sit-ins and demonstrations.

"We urge the authorities to ensure that all those who are responsible for human rights violations, up to the highest levels, face justice in line with international standards of fair trial and due process. Victims and their loved ones have the right to justice and accountability and to reparations and compensation."

The OHCHR spokesperson also noted growing concern over the Government's clampdown on people expressing their right to free speech and gathering peacefully. Last week, 78 teenagers were sentenced by a court to between two and five years on charges of participating in unauthorised protests, of membership of the Muslim Brotherhood, of calling for the downfall of the regime, and of blocking roads and transportation and "spreading fear among citizens" in the coastal city of Alexandria.

Against this backdrop, Mr. Colville pointed to reports of civilians being tried before military courts following a decree issued in October by President al-Sisi which allows the military to protect "critical and sensitive facilities." The spokesperson told reporters that military tribunals "generally fall short of key international due process standards" and urged Egyptian authorities to halt the practice. In addition, he noted, the Government's approval last week of a draft law laying down the offences that qualify an organisation, association, group or band of individuals that can be qualified as "a terrorist entity" had prompted some concerns as well.

Mr. Colville said the UN rights office urged authorities "to immediately release" all those detained for the "legitimate exercise of their rights" and called on legislators to guarantee that the draft law be "thoroughly re-examined to ensure it meets international human rights norms and standards."

Egypt has witnessed considerable violence since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak three years ago following mass protests. Last July, renewed protests, in which dozens of people were killed and wounded, led to the military deposing President Mohamed Morsy and the setting up of an interim government. A new constitution was adopted in a referendum last month.


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CAMBODIA: UN REFUGEE AGENCY VOICES CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE DEPORTATION OF MONTAGNARDS

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said today that it is deeply concerned at reports that Cambodian police are seeking 13 Montagnards to deport to Viet Nam and urged the Government to refrain from the involuntary return of people.

In a press briefing in Genevathis morning, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch noted that the individuals are said to be hiding in a border province in Cambodia's northeast after leaving Viet Nam in recent weeks.

"The group has indicated that they wish to seek asylum in Cambodia," said Mr. Baloch.

"Since the creation of its Refugee Department in 2009, the Cambodian Government has been responsible for receiving and adjudicating asylum claims," he added.

Both UNHCR and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have written to the Cambodian Government urging that the 13 individuals be allowed to pursue refugee claims.

"A joint UN-Government mission to the border area was suggested to better understand the situation and facilitate the claims of the individuals," Mr. Baloch told reporters.

He also reminded that the involuntary return of the individuals to Viet Nam would represent a violation of international legal obligations which Cambodian Government has entered into.

"UNHCR strongly urges the Government to refrain from – and instruct local authorities to refrain from – such action."


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UN RIGHTS EXPERTS CALL ON US TO COMMUTE DEATH SENTENCE OF MENTALLY ILL PRISONER

Two United Nations human rights experts today urged the United States Government and the authorities in Texas to halt the execution of Scott Panetti, a prisoner with proven psychosocial disabilities, due to be carried out on 3 December.

"The death penalty may only be imposed when the guilt of the person charged is based upon clear and convincing evidence, leaving no room for an alternative explanation of the facts," the UN Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns said, warning that execution of Mr. Panetti could violate his rights.

Mr. Panetti was reportedly hospitalized between 1981 and 1992 for several mental illnesses, including chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia, delusions, and homicidal tendencies towards his family. In September 1995, he was sentenced to death for killing his parents-in-law in 1992.

"It is a violation of death penalty safeguards to impose capital punishment on individuals suffering from psychosocial disabilities," he said, adding that implementing the sentence "may amount to arbitrary execution."

The UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez, added his voice to the call.

"International law considers the imposition and enforcement of the death penalty on persons with mental disabilities a violation of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment," he said.

"There is no doubt that it is inherently cruel and unworthy of civilized societies to execute persons with mental disabilities," added Mr. Méndez.

Mr. Heyns also raised questions about the judicial process Mr. Panetti originally faced.

"I am seriously concerned that Scott Panetti's capital trial, held in 1995 after an authorization to waive his right to counsel and to represent himself, despite his severe mental health condition, may have influenced the subsequent decisions of the courts," he said.

Since his conviction, Mr. Panetti has appealed the courts' decisions on his competence to be executed, based on various expert assessments of his serious mental health conditions. Despite the claims of psychosocial disabilities and the existence of a federal ban on such executions, the death sentence was upheld.

"Given the irreversible nature of the death penalty, we urgently appeal to the Government of the United States and the state of Texas to find a way to stop the scheduled execution, and we hope that serious consideration will be given to commuting the sentence," the UN Special Rapporteurs said.

Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.


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SOUTH SUDAN: UN CHIEF STRESSES SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY

Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has made it "categorically clear" that the United Nations has no intention of placing South Sudan under a "protectorate," a UN spokesperson has stressed.

UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, addressed the issue yesterday, saying "these reports are completely false," and stressed that "neither [the Secretary-General] nor the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is aware of any plans or discussions within the United Nations to take such a course of action."

Persistent reports in South Sudanese and regional media have alleged that the UN is intending to place the country under its authority. With Members of the Government of South Sudan also voicing their concern over such reports to the leadership of UNMISS, Mr. Ban sought to make clear the UN position.

"The UN has supported the cause of self-determination for South Sudan from the time of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement through to the 2011 referendum and independence," said the Secretary-General's spokesman. "None of this would have been possible without the help of the United Nations."

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNMISS chief, Ellen Margrethe Løj, echoed those remarks, stressing that the Security Council consistently underlined the sovereignty and independence of South Sudan in its resolutions on the mandate of UNMISS.

"The Republic of South Sudan is an independent, sovereign State recognized by the United Nations, and is a member of the Organization," she said, adding, that "the United Nations has no tradition of making independent, sovereign countries protectorates.

Political in-fighting between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, started in mid-December 2013 and subsequently turned into a full-fledged conflict that has sent nearly 100,000 civilians fleeing to UNMISS bases around the country.

With some 1.5 million people uprooted and more than 7 million at risk of hunger and disease, Ms Løj emphasized the deep concern she felt about the conflict in South Sudan and urged the leadership of the Government and the armed opposition to honour and fully implement the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and to reach a comprehensive peace agreement without any further delays.


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