Ukraine, Afghanistan, Palestine & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (19 August 2022) HD

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Secretary-General - Afghanistan - Occupied Palestinian Territory - Horn of Africa - Somalia - Zambia - Haiti - Ebola - Nicaragua - World Humanitarian Day SECRETARY-GENERAL Good afternoon and happy Friday to everyone. The Secretary-General has recently arrived in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, where he is set to meet the President of Moldova, Maia Sandru. Earlier today, the Secretary-General traveled to Odesa, Ukraine’s main Black Sea port, where he was greeted by Oleksandr Kubrakov, the country’s infrastructure minister. The Secretary-General boarded the M/V Kubrosli Y, a bulk carrier loading up some 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat. Touring the ship, he was able to witness grain filling up the ship’s holding tanks. In speaking to reporters afterwards, Mr. Guterres expressed his emotion at being able to witness the loading operation. He said that in less than a month, 25 ships have departed from Odesa and other Ukrainian ports, carrying well over 600,000 tonnes of food products. As he toured the port, the Secretary-General made a special appeal to the wealthier world for those bearing the brunt of the global food crisis. He said that it is time for massive and generous support so developing countries can purchase the food from Odesa and other ports – and people can buy it. Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will fly to Istanbul to visit the Joint Coordination Centre for the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He will return to New York late tomorrow night. AFGHANISTAN In a statement issued yesterday evening, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concern over a series of explosions in Afghanistan that have killed and injured more than 250 people this month, including children. He strongly condemned the Wednesday attack at the Abu Bakar Mosque in Kabul city. The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to the victims’ families and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. All Afghans have the right to live in peace and exercise their freedom of religion. OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY In a statement yesterday, UN agencies working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said that they and their partners take seriously allegations of funding terrorism and the Israeli designations of seven Palestinian organizations as “terror organizations” and/or “unlawful”. However, they add, despite offers to review the allegations to determine if funds have been diverted, Israeli authorities have not given any compelling evidence to the United Nations Agencies nor its NGO partners working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to support these designations. The attempted closures of these organizations’ offices represent the latest in a series of actions by Israel that are further limiting the ability o