COP26, Ethiopia, Afghanistan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (5 November 2021)

The United Nations of Earth reporting on this issue: "COP26, Ethiopia, Afghanistan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (5 November 2021)"
The topics: Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - COP26  - Sudan   - Security Council  - Ethiopia  - Afghanistan - Senior Personnel Appointment  - Central African Republic   - UN Woman Police Of The Year   - International Day For Preventing The Exploitation Of The Environment In War And Armed Conflict  - World Tsunami Awareness Day  - Guest Today  COP26 Today is Youth Day at COP26 in Glasgow. The Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group hosted an event bringing together young climate activists, with a focus on working for the inclusion of young people in formal decision-making processes. The event also heard from indigenous youth leaders on the importance of traditional knowledge as a vital component of climate action. The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Climate Action, Selwin Hart, addressed the meeting, and urged young people to continue raising their voices, and maintaining hope that the climate crisis can be overcome. He thanked the Youth Advisory Group for their service, and for their valuable insights and advice to the Secretary-General. Youth protests outside the COP26 venue were heard inside the COP as the Conference marked Youth and Empowerment Day. Youth leaders presented Global Youth Position statement, representing the views of over 40,000 young climate leaders from across the world to COP leaders. The Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, said she would take the demands, which she said were reasonable and justified, to the parties. Negotiations proceeded on texts to finalize the Paris Agreement rulebook. COP President Alok Sharma asked negotiators to clear as many items as possible by next week, in advance of the high-level ministerial segment. This includes negotiations on Article Six, which covers trade, and which the COP President noted has eluded agreement now for six years. ETHIOPIA The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, started his mission to Ethiopia today. He met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen. Mr. Griffiths had constructive discussions on the humanitarian situation in the country and the challenges that aid organizations face in getting assistance to all Ethiopians in need. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations, UN agencies and the diplomatic community to discuss efforts to provide relief assistance to the millions of people in need. Conflict, drought, flooding, disease outbreaks and desert locust infestation continue to drive humanitarian needs across Ethiopia. Some 20 million people are targeted for humanitarian assistance, including 7 million who are directly affected by the conflict in northern Ethiopia. The funding gap for the humanitarian response in Ethiopia for 2021 stands at more than $1.3 billion. An estimated $606 million has been mobilized for response towards the Northern Ethiopia Response Plan, and $474 million for response towards the draft Humanitarian Response Plan, which covers areas outside Tigray. However, this is far from sufficient to cover the mounting humanitarian needs. Also from Ethiopia, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, and Ethiopia’s national agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs today jointly appealed for $68 million to avoid cuts in food rations for more than 700,000 refugees. The agencies warned of increased malnutrition and anaemia and stunted child growth, among other risks. AFGHANISTAN Nearly 23 million people – or 55 per cent of the Afghan population – are estimated to be in crisis or experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity between November 2021 and March 2022. Our colleagues tell us that reports of isolated clashes and violence affecting civilians and resulting in casualties continued countrywide this week. In Jalalabad, in Nangarhar Province, gunfire directed at de facto authorities resulted in the deaths of two children on the 1st of November; and a roadside radio-controlled improvised explosive device detonation reportedly targeting the de facto authorities killed two civilians on the 3rd of November. Yesterday, armed clashed were reported in Bamyan Province, resulting in the injury of five people, including one civilian. For its part, on the 3rd of November, the Food and Agriculture Organization began the autumn season wheat seed and fertilizer distribution campaign in the east of the country. Technical training sessions on agricultural best practices are planned, and FAO expects to reach nearly 140,000 people in the provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman and Nuristan. The Afghanistan Flash Appeal, which targets 11 million people with aid until the end of the year, seeks $606 million and is currently 54 per cent funded. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=05%20November%202021


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