NOTE TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (through Ms. Malcorra)

. DPI Weekly Press Review

This week's press review focuses on Iraq as the country's authorities struggle to respond to the threat posed by ISIL, and South Sudan, where preliminary findings on the cause of the recent crash of a United Nations aircraft and China's decision to send troops to serve in the UN peacekeeping force sparked substantial media interest. j :

ISIL remained the focus of global media attention after United States President Barack Obama announced plans to form an international coalition to attack the group. The decision, and the absence of Security Council support for the move, drew inevitable comparisons to events in Iraq in 2003. Ahead of the General Assembly high-level period, any comments you make on this issue will be scrutinized closely by commentators.

As the Ebola outbreak continues unabated, so does the press coverage, including reporting on the spread of the disease, its impact on communities in West Africa, and efforts to find a vaccine.

Many editorials and commentaries have focused on the perceived passive or ineffective response ofthe international community. By contrast, today's announcement that Cuba is dispatching doctors to affected countries - and your reaction to the news - drew plenty of positive coverage.

The Department of Public Information is working with the Ebola crisis centre headed by ASG Tony Banbury, the office of Dr. David Nabarro and the World Health Organization to identify and provide the necessary strategic and operational communications support for the duration of the crisis.

Ebola continued to generate widespread interest on UN social media accounts this week, as did the release of Fijian peacekeepers in the Golan. Your mid-week appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart also created buzz, particularly the gift of the blue helmet and your comment about the future being in the hands of young people.

Thank you. ~~/~.I . ~~~ ~/-- Maher Nasser Acting Head ' artment ofPublic Information 12 September 2014

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cc: The Deputy Secretary-General / Mr. Amdur I Ms. Amos I Mr. Dujarric I Mr. Feltman I Ms. aq I Mr. Kim I Mr. Ladsous I Mr. Orr

( - r -· ·. · . . ·.-...... -.:;; : .. ·.·.·----· RECEIV.ED

SEP 1 5 7014 NOTE TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ;;L (through Ms. Malcorra) /4--o

This week's press review focuses on Iraq as the country's authorities struggle to respond to the threat posed by ISJL, and South Sudan, where preliminary findings on the cause of the recent crash of a United Nations aircraft and China's decision to send troops to serve in the UN peacekeeping force sparked substantial media interest.

ISIL remained the focus of global media attention after United States President Barack Obama announced plans to form an international coalition to attack the group. The decision, and the absence of Security Council support for the move, drew inevitable comparisons to events in Iraq in 2003. Ahead of the General Assembly high-level period, any comments you make on this issue will be scrutinized closely by commentators.

As the Ebola outbreak continues unabated, so does the press coverage, including reporting on the spread of the disease, its impact on communities in West Africa, and efforts to find a vaccine.

Many editorials and commentaries have focused on the perceived passive or ineffective response of the international community. By contrast, today's announcement that Cuba is dispatching doctors to affected countries - and your reaction to the news - drew plenty of positive coverage.

The Department of Public Infonnation is working with the Ebola crisis centre headed by ASG Tony Banbury, the office of Dr. David Nabarro and the World Health Organization to identify and provide the necessary strategic and operational communications support for the duration of the crisis.

Ebola continued to generate widespread interest on UN social media accounts this week, as did the release of Fijian peacekeepers in the Golan. Your mid-week appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart also created buzz, particularly the gift of the blue helmet and your comment about the future being in the hands of young people.

Thank you.

~-:;;.---~-/--~~4- Maher Nasser Acting Head ' artment ofPublic Information 12 September 2014

RECEIVED cc: The Deputy Secretary-General I Mr. Amdur I Ms . Amos f Mr. Dujarric I Mr. Feltm I Ms. Haq I Mr. Kim I Mr. Ladsous I Mr. Orr SEP 1 9 /Gi4 ...... ·. .. ·. ·. ·. ·. ·.. -: · .· -. ·::>~:~:.::.·

IRAQ This week the media focused on the stmggle to form a broad-based government united against ISIL, as press speculation mounted on the intemational response to dealing with the spread of terror encompassing Iraq and Syria. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's comments, along with those by the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad AI Hussein, sparked considerable coverage. The tenor of commentary was mixed, with some seeing the unity government as the answer to the crisis while others were more pessimistic. ·

Government with empty seats Ban's welcoming of the new Iraqi Govenllhent as a "positive step" towards political stability and regional peace prompted a rotmd of headlines, from "UN chief Ban Ki- moon hails new govemment in Iraq" (India's IANS news agency) to "UN's Ban Ki-moon Welcomes New Iraqi Government, Urges It to Fill Two Key Posts" (Ria Novosti of Moscow). AFP reiterated the Secretary-General's call to all Iraqi political leaders to "build on the cmrent momentum of collaboration." Other media gave prominence to Ban's appeal to fill vacant ministerial posts. Voice of Russia, Le Monde and Algerian · daily L'Expression repmted that with several key secmity posts empty, Ban had urged politicians to ~_ : quicldy choose new defence and interior ministers "without delay." Under the headline "UN call for all-embracing govemment fonnation in Iraq," London-based pan~Arab newspaper AI-Hayat repmted that UN representative Nickolay Mladenov stressed "the impmtance of creating an inclusive govenunent to overcome the cunent challenges and find a solution for the crisis."

Kuwaiti news agency KUNA detailed a round of phone diplomacy, citing a call from US President Barack Oban1a to Ban, in which both "agreed on the need for a broad coalition to counter the threat posed by ISIL and to continue humanitarian assistance to civilians." As French President Franc;ois Hollande arrived in Iraq on Friday, France 24 was one of several outlets flagging that he was there to provide support to the fledgling government. The report stated that Hollande, whose plane carried humanitarian supplies for the north, was the "first visit by a head of State since jihadists overran large parts of the cotmtry three months ago."

An atticle by RIA Novosti noted that, according to Baghdad's Shafaq News Radio, in a phone conversation with the UN chief, the new Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi stressed the importance of the UN's support in many areas, including in contributing to "the creation of an international position supporting him in his war against terrorist organizations." CNN shared Abadi's remarks: "What's happening in Syria is coming across to Iraq ... We cannot cross that border. It is an international border, but there is a role for the international community for the United Nations to do that."

Meanwhile, as the Secmity Council tackled the issue of foreign extremist fighters, several outlets pinpointed an emerging consensus on requiring countries to make the recruitment of imp01ted jihadists a criminal offence tmder their domestic laws. While Reuters reported that diplomats anonymously said the Council was likely to reach agreement on a resolution, AFP elaborated that it was expected to be adopted at a special session chaired by Oban1a on 24 September. In ITAR-TASS, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churk'in said "the resolution aims to enable the international community to fight with [international tenorist fighters] even better." The Irish Independent typified the tenor of the coverage under the headline "UN makes bid to stop jihadis from travelling abroad." ·=-~·"-··~· -·-~·- .. ·~·~-.-~.~··=·-·=·~~-~-·--·~· .... ~"~==--"·---=····= . ·- .. - ···- . . ··-···· ...... - . .. ···-·~-~~-=~"·"·=·'"~"'·"'""-"~·~-··=·=····"'''""~·.. -·~· ··- "'"""'~··-·l· I' . ·· The new power-sharing govenunent triggered voluminous commentary that ranged from cautiously il

optimistic to gloomy - with many weighing in with advice to Baghdad. In a Daily Telegraph (UK) IJ analysis, Shashank Joshi made the case that "the new Iraqi Government can kick-start the real campaign II against ISIL," including by "appointing reforn1ist figures that command respect from Smmis and j Kmds." An editorial in The New York Times describes how Abadi "has his work cut out for him," !l mentioning Sunni grievances, Kurdish complaints and the dangers of "the resumption of political li infighting." Similarly, a Boston Globe editorial maintained: "Abadi will have to be a political genius to I form a successful central government in Baghdad while being held hostage to so many opposing i! interests." In Time, Saif Al-Azzawi reckoned: "I despised Saddam, but I don't think an extremist group like the Islamic State would exist under his rule ... I see a civil war coming, and an Iraq divided into states." In Forbes, Doug Bandow commented that it was not easy to resolve a regional conflict by intervening in one small pat1 of Iraq; what was needed were "regional players with more at stake in the conflicts and greater ability to solve the problems."

The regional press, while doling out the advice, were sceptical of any success. In his Asharq AI-Awsat (UK) op-ed, Abdulrallman Al Rashed cotmselled that Iraq should end acts of vendetta and enter "a new phase which would preserve the country's unity and power." In The National (UAE), Mohamad Bazzi advised that the new Shiite leader must convince Sunnis to abandon their revolt while responding to the ISIL threat- "he needs Iranian support to keep his new Government in power." An editorial in Dubai's Gulf News asserted that the new Government showed "little sign of being able to deliver the drarnatic new start that is required to retmite the cotmtry." A Turkish Weekly news analysis by Orner Faruk Topal worried that "a comprehensive action plan against ISIL catmot be realized."

Human rights and the •House of blood' Zeid made a splash in the press for his strong stance against ISIL during his maiden speech to the Human Rights Council. Under the headline "Jihadists want to create 'house of blood' : new UN rights chief," a widely carried AFP story - from the Press Trust of India to the South China Morning Post and Swedish-based website Your Middle East - reported that Zeid urged the world to make ending the "increasingly conjoined conflicts in Iraq and Syria" an "immediate and urgent priority." Reuters, the Jerusalem Post and the Taipei Times reported that Zeid lashed out at ISIL for trying to create a "house of blood." AP flagged that the first Muslim and first Arab to serve as UN Human Rights Commissioner said that ISIL had already shown the world what its rule would be like if it was left unchecked. The Nation (Pakistan) reiterated Zeid's support for a code of conduct by permanent Secmity Colmcil Members that would impose a moratorium on the use of a veto "in situations where atrocities are ongoing and where those facts are well fotmded."

SOUTH SUDAN The media's fitful interest in the ongoing crisis in South Sudan spiked this week as a result of three different angles: preliminary confirmation that a UN aircraft was deliberately shot down; a warning by ! the UN of looming famine; and China's decision to send troops to join the UNMISS peacekeeping force. ~II It ~ UN helicopter shot flown ~ The results of a preliminary investigation confirming previous claims that an UNMISS helicopter was I shot down drew plenty of coverage. AP reported that the crash occurred after a rebel commander I alleged that UN aircraft were being used to transport government troops. Voice of America and Xinhua l were among many outlets to relay UNMISS' confirmation that an opposition commander made the I. allegation to a UN staffer and threatened to shoot down UN aircraft. According to these repotis, , I UNMISS ill11l1ediately began sharing all infom1ation on flights to Bentiu with the opposition and the l ! SPLA to ensure aircraft safety. The Sudan Tribune repotied that, "in an audio of the conversation" ~ I · NMD/DPI Press Review, 12 September 2014 covering the period from 5 - 11 Septembe r Page 2of 3 i ~'"'-"''-~'=".,.,.-"'·""·'"'-'·'=-~--•-·:~==="-"~=--..t:=.=""===•=-:=.,.::.:=-"~-=-=-=.~=""'-=-:::-:.;:;.~•-..:.-=-="~-'.:.:0'.:.==='==:...-_,~-='"'=' "''·"';'"""' "~,.-"'=-==·"':!":,· o·=~-::.=~..,.o,;.'=-~•-=.-:..:.~"'-==-"'"=·"~=="'-"'"=·"'~"'·'"-""=-'·""'·'"''''·"""'"·'""-"''''="-'~""'~-'"-''"'·"'-=·'-""""=·"-'·="-'=·'<:·r";:::.~':.·:t~ ...:-.' :-. ·: -: ·:-~ ··~ ·:-:: :. ·-.

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heard by AI Jazeera, the commander "can be heard warning the UN representative: 'We fire at all ~ airplanes incoming'." The Buffington Post called the confirmation "a deeply troubling development." ~~-- An AP story carried in The Russian Times emphasized that deadly nature of the incident, with three Russian crew members killed. UPI relayed UNMISS' statement that a follow-up technical investigation ! would conclusively determine the source of the ground fire. The South African Press Association gave I! prominence to a UN spokesperson's announcement that it was "premature at this stage to conclusively " apportion blan1e." A separate Sudan Tribune story relayed that South Sudan pledged to work with the li UN and Russia to carry out a full, independent investigation. fi ii Humanitariait scramble ~ As the violence persisted, UN effmis to deliver food and medical supplies to those displaced by the unrest garnered wide media pick-up. An AFP story canied in The Independent (Uganda) captured the mood of apprehension when it observed that UN cargo helicopters were vital to supplying peacekeeping bases and providing food for civilians, adding "the shooting down of a UN helicopter threatened efforts to save lives." The Huffington P~st maintained the incident "does not bode well for peace - the country's only hope of avoiding famine and catastrophe."

AFP featured the warning of South Sudan's UN aid chief Toby Lanzer: "We all are working very hard to prevent a famine ... but I am very wonied that we will not be able to." The~BBC reported that people depend on WFP food aid, but getting help to remote villages is anything but easy. The Wall Street Journal elaborated that WFP stmied emergency food airdrops to millions isolated by conflict and rainy conditions after more than 150 aid trucks became bogged down or roads became impassable. US-based NGO Bor Globe Network ran an interview on its website with Justine Fleisclmer ofthe Enough Project who underscored that "South Sudan has been sliding towards famine for months now."

China's peacekeeping contribution News that China was deploying 700 soldiers to UNMISS to help guard the country's oil fields and protect Chinese interests in the area set off a media cotmnotion. The Wall Street Journal reported that "the deployment mm·ks the first time Beijing has contributeda battalion to a UN peacekeeping force." The website of the Council on Foreign Relations called the posting "a marked escalation" of Beijing's efforts to ensure its African presence. The Daily Beast (US) chimed in that it reflected Beijing's "expanding interest, both political m1d business, in Mrica." The UK edition of the International Business Times tmderscored that "China is the biggest foreign investor in the world's newest State." Konye Obaji Ori, writing in The Africa Report, added that Beijing's "China National Petroleum Corp has a 40 per cent stake in a joint venture developing South Sudan's oil fields, with the Far East country considering the ongoing fighting as a direct threat to its investments." Bloomberg and UPI ran similar stories. Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency reported that South Sudan's Foreign Minister said the Govemment would be happy to receive troops from China as part ofUN1v1ISS.

The South China Morning Post quoted a South Sudanese Govemment spokesperson as saying the Chinese troops would be. sent in November to help protect "vital installations," but noted m1 UNMJSS spokesperson cotmtered that neither the date nor the deployment area had been fixed. Under "Top news," Under the headline "UN says China not yet deploying peacekeepers in South Sudan," Reuters featured a comment by an UNMISS spokesperson that "nowhere in the cUJTent mandate ... does it say that peacekeepers will be asked to defend oil industry installations ... our peacekeepers w:ill be called upon to protect civilian oil industry workers but not the refinery or pipeline or storage tanks."

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