Sudan: today the SG commended the Governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan for their leadership ahead of the Referendum this weekend, urging all parties to do everything needed to ensure free, fair and secure polls. The SG also released his latest report on UNMIS, which details Referendum preparations and provides an assessment of the security situation, among other issues.
Côte d’Ivoire: UNOCI is sending a humanitarian team to assess the situation in Duekoue, where violence broke out yesterday. UNOCI also has peacekeepers stationed there. In addition to the over 22,000 refugees who have fled to Liberia, there is now an estimated 12,000 IDPs in the country.
Haiti Post-Earthquake: today UNICEF released a report on children one year after the earthquake in Haiti, reporting that while relief and recovery efforts have been “extraordinary”, children continue to be deprived of clean water as well as basic sanitation, healthcare, education services and protection from disease. UNICEF also noted that the country requires more than an emergency response to resolve the pre-earthquake institutional and systemic challenges of the country. Additionally, the UN Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti released an analysis of pledges that went towards post-earthquake efforts. In 2010, there was a disbursement rate of 63.6% among public sector donors. Of the $2.01 billion pledged, $1.28 billion, or 63.6%, was disbursed.
Haiti Cholera: yesterday, the SG appointed the members of the independent panel of experts to determine the source of the cholera outbreak in Haiti. The panel, comprised of four international health experts from Mexico, Peru, U.S. and India, will operate completely independent of the UN and will present a report to the SG and Haitian Government upon the completion of their work.
Somalia: The SG’s report on Somalia is out today, in which he urges the TFG finish drafting the constitution in order to meet the August 2011 deadline for the political transition. Security remains the principal challenge and the SG is calling on the international community to provide military and financial support to the TFG, while also urging the AU to reaffirm its support for the deployment of another peacekeeping mission which can replace AMISOM.
Week ahead: on Monday, Nigel Fisher, DSRSG for Haiti, will brief the press at noon. On Wednesday, the UN will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, and the SG will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at 4:45, including a moment of silence for 47 seconds, the duration of the earthquake. On Friday, the SG will hold his first press conference of 2011 and the Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution on UNOCI.