Japan: this morning the SG convened a meeting of heads of agencies, funds and programs (including IAEA DG, UNDP Administrator, etc.), on the international response to the developments resulting from the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In his remarks, he encouraged States to adopt innovative measures to strengthen the nuclear safety regime, and expressed his support for calls to reassess the international emergency response framework and the nuclear safety regime. These issues are likely to be taken up at the 5th Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, being convened by IAEA in April, and the High-Level Meeting on Safety and Innovative Uses of Nuclear Energy in Kiev April 19.
Libya: UNHCR is reporting increased internal displacement in Eastern Libya, and has offered to dispatch supplies for up to 50,000 people if necessary. At present, Tunisia and Egypt are seeing 2,000 arrivals daily from Libya and 250,000 have fled in total. For its part, WFP is pre-positioning supplies in and around Libya.
Cote d’Ivoire: this morning the Security Council heard briefing on Cote d’Ivoire, where they were told of the deteriorating security situation and “grave” humanitarian situation. UNOCI continues to face obstructions, but is currently investigating reports of mass graves. USG Amos is calling for “rapid and unimpeded” access for humanitarian workers in the country and UNHCR is stating that up to 1 million people could be displaced in and around Abidjan.
HRC: today the 16th session of the Human Rights Council wrapped up in Geneva, deciding to dispatch a Commission of Inquiry into the rights abuses in Cote d’Ivoire. The HRC President will appoint the commission, which will investigate allegations of abuse following the presidential elections. The Council also adopted a resolution on the review of the HRC (focused on the work and functioning of the Council), which will now be sent to the GA, and extended the mandate of the special rapporteur on Myanmar. For its part, the U.S. “disassociated itself” from the resolution on the review of the Council, as there was “no genuine exploration of new ways for the Council to deal with the human rights emergencies” and the “one-sided treatment of Israel”.