25 September 2017 – The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today welcomed the recent introduction of legislation that would amend the 2016 media law, and urged lawmakers to give due consideration to the concerns raised by prominent members of Somalia’s news media about the existing law and the proposed amendments.

According to a press release from the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s cabinet approved a package of amendments to the media law in July that fulfilled a commitment he made to Somalia’s leading media associations within weeks of taking office.

The amendments drew criticism from those media associations and some international human rights groups for their limited scope and the introduction of new restrictions on existing press freedoms, the Mission noted.

“A free and independent news media is essential for accountability and democracy,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and head of UNSOM, Michael Keating.

“Some provisions of the current media law do not appear to comply with international standards of media legislation and regulation. A careful and comprehensive review of the law and the proposed amendments will allow all key stakeholders to present their views.

“I hope the outcome of such a legislative process will promote a better environment for Somali journalists to practice their profession without fear.”

The proposed changes to the media law will be taken up by the Federal Parliament in the coming weeks.

25 September 2017 – Underscoring the importance of multilateralism in solving global tensions, Angola told the United Nations General Assembly about its strong engagement and “decisive” role in restoring peace and security in the region, with its commitment for economic development and democratic society.

“Angola’s attachment to multilateralism is strongly emphasized in its role in solving problems […] particularly in the Great Lakes Region,” Ismael Abraão Gaspar Martins, Permanent Representative of Angola to the UN and head of the country’s delegation, told the Assembly’s 72nd annual general debate, adding that Angola has been leading diplomatic efforts with its regional and international partners to find a lasting political solution.

“We are increasingly able and fit to play a decisive role in restoring peace and security, particularly in Africa, and in furthering its economic development,” said Mr. Gaspar Martins.

He further stressed that his country’s recent peaceful election has shown stability and a gradual consolidation of democracy.

As a new cycle of Government begins, economic development will be one of the priorities for Angola and it is strongly engaged in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, which are crucial for building a prosperous and democratic society, said Mr. Gaspar Martins.

Full statement available here

25 September 2017 – Timor-Leste, a country which the United Nations shepherded to independence from Indonesia 15 years ago, stands as a shining example of what the world Organization can achieve in establishing peace and stability, the country’s president told the General Assembly today.

“The recent history of Timor-Leste vividly reminds us that when civil values, on which the very existence of the United Nations is built, take the lead – and inspire decisions – in the international scene, the UN and international law become powerful and decisive forces to settle conflicts and restore peace,” Francisco Guterres Lú Olo said in a speech read by Delegation Chair Maria Helena Pires.

Actions by Portugal, Indonesia, Australia, and the United States, and the support of the European Union and other world powers, are “living proof of the United Nations’ ability to save lives and help make the world a safe place,” he stressed.

He highlighted his country’s advances since independence in 2002 in peacebuilding and reconciliation at both national and international levels, sustainable development, health, education, and gender equality.

Full statement available here

25 September 2017 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres voiced concern about the “potentially destabilizing effects” of today’s referendum in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

“The Secretary-General respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Iraq and considers that all outstanding issues between the federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government should be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise,” his Spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General expects that United Nations-mandated activities across Iraq, including in the Kurdistan region, will be allowed to continue unhindered.”

Last week, both Mr. Guterres and the Security Council voiced their concern that the referendum was scheduled to be held amid ongoing operations to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) – in which Kurdish forces have played a critical role.

The referendum could also detract from efforts to ensure the safe, voluntary return of over three million refugees and internally displaced persons, they noted.

25 September 2017 – The Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the United Nations, Maria Rubiales de Chamorro, addressed the General Assembly’s annual debate today, reflecting on the political will and action that must be undertaken to achieve a better and peaceful world.

“We must assume the commitment to continue fighting for peace, which is a global priority, of our peoples, and that the conflicts that arise in different regions of our planet can be overcome, through dialogue, through negotiation and, above all, free from the use or threat of use of force, which is what our peoples desire most, from the peoples of the great powers, to the peoples with small populations, small in development, but great, great in their values and in their history,” she quoted the President.

Turning to UN reform, she pointed out that after 72 years, “our Organization has not been able to fully comply with the objectives set out in its Charter,” saying that a “re-foundation” is urgently needed, including transformations of the Security Council to ensure that its composition and function reflects the geopolitical and economic realities.

Ms. Rubiales de Chamorro also underscored that ambitious actions are urgently needed to combat climate change. Concerned about the unprecedented record temperatures reached at the global level, she said “Developed countries must take the lead and change their unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and meet their financial commitments and technology transfers.”

Noting that her country signed the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty, she underscored that verbal confrontation and threats of using nuclear weapons are unacceptable. “There is a need to advance in the commitment to eliminate nuclear arsenals in the world, until they disappear from our planet and utilize these enormous resources for the eradication of poverty,” she stressed.

Full statement available here