Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

In a statement, the Secretary-General condemns the attack against a security post at a refugee hosting area in Tazalit, in the Tahoua region of Niger, on 6 October, in which at least 22 members of Niger’s security forces were killed and several others were injured.

In a statement, the Secretary-General said that the 2016 Nobel Prize for Peace has been awarded to President Juan Manuel Santos at a critical moment when this special acknowledgement provides needed hope and encouragement to the Colombian people.

The delegations of the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), after meeting in Havana with guarantor countries and the Chief of the UN Mission in Colombia, Jean Arnault, reiterated the commitment to maintain the ceasefire declared on 29 August.

The Secretary-General was in Hamburg, Germany, today for the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. In his remarks at a commemorative ceremony, he said that the judgments of the Tribunal have been ground-breaking and vital but often overlooked.

In Hamburg, the Secretary-General also received the replica of Germany’s ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change, a symbol of the country’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, as well as the National German Sustainability Award, which he received on behalf of the United Nations. He stressed that sustainable social, economic and environmental development is an imperative for people, the planet, peace and prosperity.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is deploying logistics and assessment teams in coordination with the Government of Haiti and international agencies to bring in much needed relief after Hurricane Matthew struck the country and determine the hurricane’s wider impact on the food and nutrition security of Haitians.

The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, briefed the Security Council this morning in closed consultations on the latest developments there.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) calls on all parties to the conflict in Syria to comply with international law and stop conducting hostilities in civilian residential areas, including Palestine refugee camps. The Agency further urges parties to refrain from using explosive weapons in populated areas, whose indiscriminate effects expose civilians to imminent danger and suffering.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports intermittent clashes and exchanges of fire, including the usage of heavy calibre weapons, between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and Opposition in Nassir in Upper Nile over the past few days. The Mission also received reports on Wednesday of clashes between the two sides in Wau town in Western Bahr El Ghazal and is seeking to verify reports.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the Security Council on Mali yesterday. He said that the UN Mission in the country (MINUSMA) would not be able to fully implement its mandate as long as the signatories to the peace agreement do not resolutely engage in its implementation.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned today that most civilians living in areas of northern Nigeria recaptured from Boko Haram face serious protection problems and lack the most basic assistance, with women particularly at risk. UNHCR and partners report major food shortages as well as issues related to shelter for most of the displaced populations.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is deeply concerned about large scale displacements as a result of recent fighting in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, as well as the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation for those still trapped in the city.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights today also expressed its concern over the increasing unrest in several towns in the Oromia region of Ethiopia following a protest at a religious festival. The Office calls on the protestors to exercise restraint and to renounce the use of violence, adding that security forces must conduct themselves in line with international human rights laws and standards.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights today expressed hope that a draft bill in the area of justice will be swiftly approved in Guatemala, as it represents an historic opportunity to consolidate the remarkable progress the country has achieved in fighting impunity and corruption in recent years.

Malawi and Trinidad and Tobago have paid their regular budget dues, bringing the total number of Member States which have done so to 129.