REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Rhéal LeBlanc, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section, United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons for the Economic Commission for Europe, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Organization for Migration, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the World Health Organization.

Protests in Iraq

Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), read the following statement:

“We have seen a series of demonstrations across Iraq this week protesting against job scarcity and unequal provision of basic services. Most of the protestors are young and unemployed, demanding that their economic and social rights be respected.

We remind the Iraqi authorities that those are legitimate demands, and that people’s grievances need to be heard. The authorities have an obligation to do their utmost to support their citizens to make ends meet, including by addressing their right to employment. State authorities also need to allow people to express their grievances in a peaceful way.

We are worried by reports that security forces have used live ammunition and rubber bullets in some areas, and have also fired tear gas cannisters directly at protestors. UN human right staff have confirmed the deaths of 12 people in Baghdad. However, we have received reports – and I would stress this number is not yet verified – of up to 30 people in total being killed so far during protests in a number of towns and cities. Hundreds of other people have reportedly been injured, including members of the security forces. Dozens of demonstrators have been detained, although most were subsequently released.

We call on the Iraqi Government to allow people to freely exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The use of force should be exceptional, and assemblies should ordinarily be managed without resort to force. Any use of force must comply with applicable international human rights norms and standards, including the principles of necessity and proportionality. In any event, the use of firearms is prohibited, except as a last resort to protect against an imminent threat of death or serious injury. All incidents in which the actions of security forces have resulted in death and injury should be promptly, independently and transparently investigated.

We are concerned about reports that at least three journalists covering the protests have been detained, and two of them were subsequently released. These detentions risk deterring other journalists from reporting on the situation. We are also concerned by cuts in internet service in most governorates across the country. Blanket internet shutdowns are likely to contravene freedom of expression, unduly restricting the right to receive and impart information and may exacerbate tensions.”

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, had met with a number of protestors in Baghdad and had emphasized the need for a direct dialogue between the people on the street and the country’s leadership. The Special Representative had said that the protestors’ demands for economic reforms, jobs, reliable public services, accountability and prudent and impartial governance were legitimate and long-standing. The Special Representative had urged the authorities to exercise the maximum restraint possible in their handling of the protests and to give peaceful protestors the space in which to freely speak their mind in keeping with the law. The situation was limiting humanitarian workers’ ability to operate and provide assistance outside Baghdad. An estimated 6.7 million people in the country required humanitarian assistance in 2019.

Responding to questions from journalists, Ms. Hurtado, for OHCHR, said that protests were not a new phenomenon in Iraq. In recent years, protests had occasionally taken place, particularly in the south-east of the country. However, the current protests were larger in scale and not limited to a single area. They were grassroots protests and had not been organized by any particular group. Many young people in Iraq were unemployed. OHCHR had sought to engage with the Government and the authorities. The Prime Minister had acknowledged the protests and had called for patience. OHCHR had verified 12 deaths in Baghdad and had heard reports of deaths in other cities. The cuts in the internet service and curfews were hampering the collection of information. OHCHR had heard reports of 30 deaths across the country, hundreds of injuries and dozens of people being detained.

Responding to questions from journalists, Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq had been engaging with the authorities and protestors. Regrettably, lives had been lost during the protests, and the United Nations welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister that an investigation would be launched. What was important was that the protestors and the Government engaged in a dialogue with a view to avoiding a further escalation of tensions. The United Nations called for respect for the right of people to assemble freely and peacefully. Efforts must be made to avoid further violence and excessive use of force.

Hong Kong

Responding to questions on the situation in Hong Kong, Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that it would be necessary to study the latest developments before commenting in greater detail. Freedom of peaceful assembly was a fundamental right that, as far as possible, should be enjoyed without restriction. Any restrictions should be legitimate, proportionate and as unobtrusive as possible and have a formal basis in law. The use of force should be in compliance with international norms and standards, which included the principles of necessity and proportionality. Law enforcement officials should be held accountable if they did not comply with those norms and standards. Firearms should be used only as a last resort to protect against an imminent threat.

Cholera in Sudan

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), read the following statement:

“Humanitarian partners in Sudan have launched a three-month cholera response plan to urgently address the current outbreak which has killed eight and affected at least 231 people so far in the Blue Nile and Sennar states.

Forecasts estimate that we could witness over 13,000 cholera cases in the next 6 months in eight high risk states in Sudan.

Humanitarians are working closely with the Ministry of Health to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading further. The risk has been exacerbated because of the flooding in Sudan which began in July, as cholera is a water-borne disease.

Preparedness and prevention measures are already being implemented to beat back the outbreak. This includes managing of existing cases, water chlorination, and sanitation and hygiene campaigns.

Humanitarian partners prepare to support and manage a potential 13,000 cholera cases and provide one million people - including refugees in camps - with direct health services.

Under the new plan, some 2.5 million people will benefit from water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, and hundreds of thousands of severely malnourished children, mothers and caregivers will get access to infant and child feeding counselling.

Later this month, an Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign will be rolled out targeting 1.6 million people in high risk communities in the affected Blue Nile and Sennar states. Everyone above one year of age will be vaccinated, including pregnant and lactating women. A second phase of the campaign, four weeks after the first round, will consist of another dose of vaccines for the same people. The campaign is carried out by WHO and UNICEF at the request of Sudanese state authorities.

The cholera response plan requires US$20 million in funding which needs to be mobilized urgently. However, partners are responding already with available resources. The cholera vaccination campaign is funded separately from the inter-agency response plan.”

Responding to questions on the spread of the outbreak, Jens Laerke, for OCHA, said that, as far as he was aware, cholera had not spread beyond the states of Blue Nile and Sennar. As far as he understood, the number of 13,000 cholera cases represented the worst-case scenario. Humanitarian agencies had come together to launch a comprehensive cholera response plan. More than half of the US$ 20 million required under the plan would be spent on water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

Responding to questions on health interventions, Tarik Jašareviæ, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that Dominique Legros, WHO Cholera Team Lead, had visited Sudan. In order to plan its response, WHO had carried out mathematical modelling to provide estimates of the number of expected cases. The number of reported cases had increased since the press briefing on Tuesday, 1 October, but he was not aware of any further deaths. Some 80 per cent of cases could be treated with oral rehydration solution. Other patients would have to visit a cholera treatment centre to receive intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

Return of Somali migrants

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), read the following statement:

“This week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) assisted 143 Somali returnees stranded in Yemen to return home. A total of 46 men, 41 women, 26 boys and 30 girls set of by boat from Aden, Yemen, on Monday 30 September and arrived the next day at the port of Berbera.

The movement was made possible through funding from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and the Government of Kuwait. IOM works in partnership with UNHCR on returnee movements out of war-torn Yemen. With the conflict having effects on the economic and security situation in Yemen, many migrants and refugees find themselves without the means to provide for themselves and their families. Stranded, they then turn to humanitarian organizations for return assistance.

At Berbera port, representatives from the Somaliland National Displacement and Refugee Agency (NDRA), together with IOM, UNHCR, KSrelief, the Danish Refugee Council, Somaliland Red Crescent Society, Ministry of Health and the Immigration Department, welcomed the returnees home. One of them, a 50-year-old man, expressed his gratitude: “We were provided with transport and welcomed nicely. I decided to return after I realised that the war, the main reason I left Somalia, has ended.”

Since this KSrelief-funded project began in November 2018, 1,505 (783 men and 722 women) Somali returnees were assisted. The aim of the project is to facilitate safe and dignified movements from Yemen and contribute to sustainable reintegration of Somali returnees.”

Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that the overall number of refugees in Yemen was around 250,000. More than 90 per cent of them were from Somalia. Somali refugees had been in Yemen since the 1980s. More and more of them were now approaching UNHCR for assistance in returning to Somalia.

Responding to questions, Mr. Baloch, for UNHCR, said that the Somali refugees in Yemen had been approaching humanitarian agencies for assistance in returning to Somalia since 2017. Somalia was still affected by conflict and drought. However, whenever refugees wished to return, UNHCR assisted them. Yemen was a challenging environment not only for refugees, but also for humanitarian agencies.

Responding to the same questions, Mr. Millman, for IOM, said that IOM carried out follow-up work with returnees all over the world. IOM had been very active in Somalia. Its projects in the country had been aimed at, inter alia, improving access to water, strengthening land dispute reconciliation and introducing a drought-resistant variety of sweet potato.

Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean Sea

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that a shipwreck off the coast of Morocco earlier that week had brought the total number of deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean to over 1,000 so far in 2019. Currently, the total number of migrant deaths since 2014 stood at 18,960, including 15,722 on the Central Mediterranean route. The previous day had marked the six-year anniversary of the Lampedusa tragedy in which 368 lives had been lost. Those deaths were not included in the IOM database, which had been established in 2014. With regard to the total number of deaths in the Mediterranean since 2014, IOM collected separate data for each of the three main routes: the Central Mediterranean route (15,722), the Eastern Mediterranean (1,599) route and the Western Mediterranean route (1,639).

Responding to questions on recent developments, Mr. Millman said that, in recent years, certain national authorities had provided less detailed information on the nationalities of migrants. IOM had noted that, in recent years, Eritreans had represented a smaller proportion of the total number of migrants than had once been the case. However, they were disproportionately represented among casualties.

Migrant deaths in the Americas

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that the official number of deaths in the Americas in 2019 currently stood at 599. However, he had learned of six further deaths in the previous 24 hours, including the death of a Cameroonian man in custody at a detention facility in Otay Mesa, San Diego; two skeletal remains found in Brooks County, Texas; several drownings on the Rio Bravo; and another train accident in Mexico.

Gothenburg Protocol

Jean Rodriguez, for the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said that, on Monday, 7 October, amendments to the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) would enter into force for 18 countries in Europe and North America, including Canada and the United States of America. They would also enter into force for the European Union, which was a party to the Gothenburg Protocol in its own right. UNECE expected further acceptances of the amendments in the coming months. The amendments had been negotiated under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and adopted in 2012. The entry into force of the amendments represented a major development in the fight against air pollution. According to WHO figures, air pollution killed more than 7 million people every year. Air pollution was the world’s single largest health risk, a cause of cancer and a major contributor to climate change.

Mr. Rodriguez added that the amendments covered a series of major pollutants, including sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). The amended Gothenburg Protocol was the first ever binding agreement to target emission reductions for PM2.5, a major cause of death in cities around the world. It established obligations to reduce PM2.5 emissions by 46% for Cyprus; 37% for the Netherlands; 36% for Slovakia; 35% for Greece; 33% for Denmark; 30% for Finland and the United Kingdom; and 22% for the European Union as a whole (figures compared to 2005 base levels). Acceptance of the amendments signaled the commitment of a party to make emission reductions for all the substances covered. The amendments were already supporting action for clean air in a number of countries. They had served as the basis for the 2020 and 2030 reduction commitments and associated reporting mechanisms established under the Emission Ceilings Directive of 2016 (NEC Directive) of the European Union.

Mr. Rodriguez said that UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova had made the following remarks:

“The Air Convention, which this year celebrates 40 years of successful cooperation to tackle air pollution, remains the only regional policy solution of its kind anywhere in the world. UNECE, together with Parties to the Convention, will continue to promote ratification and implementation of the amended Gothenburg Protocol by other countries in the region, particularly in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as cooperation with other regions.”

Mr. Rodriguez also said that the Chair of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, Anna Engleryd, had made the following remarks:

“The entry into force of the amended Gothenburg Protocol shows the continued commitments of the Parties to pursue steady reductions in emissions. Increased international interest demonstrates that our results are closely monitored in other regions, especially in Asia. The entry into force also opens the door to negotiations to go even further in the fight for clean air.”

Mr. Rodriguez added that the entry into force of the amended Gothenburg Protocol would be followed by a review in 2020, which could pave the way for a further revision. The costs of implementing the emission reduction measures provided for in the amended Gothenburg Protocol would be outweighed by the benefits. It was estimated that the costs of implementing the measures would be equivalent to less than 0.01% of GDP for the European Union. The costs of health care and lost workdays due to air pollution were estimated at between 2.5% and 7% of GDP per year in Western Europe and at or above 20% of GDP per year for other countries in the pan-European region.

Mr. Rodriguez said that several of the pollutants covered in the Protocol were known as “short-lived climate forcers”, which contributed to global warming through, inter alia, increased absorption of solar radiation (black carbon). Black carbon was 680 times more heat-trapping than CO2. Thus, any commitment to reducing black carbon as a subcomponent of particulate matter would have a short- and medium-term impact on climate action. By tackling substances that negatively affected the climate and air quality, the amendments were an example of how air pollution and climate change policies could be addressed in an integrated manner. There was increased interest in the instrument in many other regions in the world, in particular Asia. Experts from Asian countries regularly participated in UNECE meetings, and UNECE experts regularly participated in meetings organized in Asia. During the 39th session of the Executive Body of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, which would meet in Geneva from 9 to 13 December 2019, a special meeting would be held with participation from countries from around the world, including in Asia.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Rodriguez said that the amendments had been negotiated in 2012 but had been formally accepted more recently. The commitments made by the United States of America under the amended Gothenburg Protocol had not changed since they had been negotiated. The United States of America and Canada had helped to negotiate the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution in 1979. In the 1970s, it had been demonstrated that air pollution produced in one country could have a negative effect in a country many thousands of kilometres away. Reductions in PM2.5 would benefit everyone in the world. Parties that had accepted the amendments to the Gothenburg Protocol would be required to reduce their emissions of PM2.5. That would require them to impose reductions on industry, transport and the use of heating systems, for example chimneys. The Paris Agreement and the amended Gothenburg Protocol had some affinities but had been negotiated through separate processes.

Responding to further questions, Mr. Rodriguez said that, although the amendments would enter into force on Monday, the measures for which they provided had already informed policymaking, particularly in the European Union. The clean air policies of the European Union had always been closely linked with the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Coal power plants and transport were major sources of emissions, although notable improvements had been observed in recent years with regard to vehicle emissions. The emissions ceilings for cars and trucks had been reduced drastically over the years, and test measures had also been strengthened. The Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure had been introduced in the European Union in 2018. The use of chimneys was a separate source of omissions. Some local authorities prohibited the use of chimneys at peak stages of air pollution. Governments were responsible for the measures taken to meet emission reduction commitments.

Responding to a last round of questions, Mr. Rodriguez said that the emission reduction commitments for PM2.5 were 27% for France, 26% for Germany and 26% for Switzerland. Poland had not yet accepted the amendments to the Gothenburg Protocol. Not all member States of the European Union had accepted the amendments to the Gothenburg Protocol in an individual capacity. During the negotiations, the European Union had factored in the commitments made by those of its member States that had accepted the amendments in an individual capacity.

Mental health in humanitarian crises

Anita Dullard, for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said that, in a joint press release, ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) were warning that mental health and psychosocial support needed to be prioritized in humanitarian emergencies. Ahead of the International Conference on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Crisis Situations, which would take place the following week in Amsterdam, and World Mental Health Day, it was being announced that people living in conflict-affected areas were three times more likely than the general population to suffer from conditions such as depression and anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It was known from experience that the same was true in post-disaster contexts. In low- and middle-income countries, in which most humanitarian crises occurred, mental health and psychosocial support services were underprioritized and underfunded with an average of two mental health workers per 100,000 people. As a result, two thirds of people with severe mental health conditions in those countries went without treatment. That lack of treatment also increased stigma, exclusion and discrimination. The consequences could severely impact a person’s safety, dignity and physical health and further undermine the ability of communities and States to appropriately address mental health and psychosocial challenges.

Laura Ngo-Fontaine, for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said that, over the following months, culminating in December, IFRC would be advocating for increased recognition for the mental health consequences of humanitarian crises and greater investment in the critical role of local actors in filling existing gaps in the provision of mental health and psychosocial services during humanitarian crises. Mental health and psychosocial support in post-conflict environments was highly effective: every US$ 1 invested in treatment for depression could lead to a US$ 5 return in better health. Community-based volunteers and trained professional workforces were critical to bridging that resource gap.

Ms. Ngo-Fontaine, for IFRC, said that the IFRC Secretary-General and the ICRC President were available for interviews. The IFRC Secretary-General would be at the Conference in Amsterdam on Tuesday, 8 October. Journalists might wish to alert their colleagues in Amsterdam to the opportunity for interviews. Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers were working in disasters and conflict-affected areas. Journalists who were interested in the provision of mental health and psychosocial support in connection with specific events, for example Hurricane Dorian or the cyclone in Mozambique, could be referred to volunteers on the ground.

Anita Dullard, for ICRC, said that the President of ICRC would be at the Conference in Amsterdam on Monday, 7 October. Representatives from the Middle East region would also be available to discuss mental health and psychosocial support in crisis situations.

Responding to questions, Ms. Ngo-Fontaine, for IFRC, said that the Dutch Government was hosting the International Conference on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Crisis Situations. ICRC and IFRC leaders would be in Amsterdam to attend the Conference in order to advocate for increased recognition for the mental health consequences of crisis situations. However, media opportunities were also available in Geneva.

WHO-FIFA memorandum of understanding

Tarik Jašareviæ, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that, on Friday, 4 October, WHO would sign a four-year memorandum of understanding with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles through football. Following the signature of the memorandum of understanding, there would be a short press conference at WHO, which was expected to begin at 2.45 p.m. in the Library Room. The press conference would be given by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. A press release would be distributed at the event in hard copy and subsequently circulated in electronic format. Other activities would be taking place in the building prior to the event and might be of interest for photo opportunities.

Responding to questions for further information on the memorandum of understansding, Mr. Jašareviæ, for WHO, said that the idea behind the memorandum of understanding was twofold: WHO would provide FIFA with technical assistance in connection with tournaments and would also use football as a platform to promote health policies, including tobacco-free policies.

World Report on Vision

Tarik Jašareviæ, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that, on Tuesday, 8 October, a press conference would be held on the occasion of the launch of the first World Report on Vision. The report, which was under embargo, could be obtained from WHO.

World Habitat Day

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that Monday, 7 October, would be World Habitat Day, which, in 2019, would focus on the problem of waste and the potential of frontier technologies to transform waste into wealth. In a message released in advance of the occasion, the Secretary-General had noted that solutions began with small steps that individuals could take to alter the way in which cities functioned. The Secretary-General had noted that individuals must reduce the amount of waste that they produced and, at the same time, start seeing it as a valuable resource that could be re-used and recycled, including for energy. According to the Secretary-General, frontier technologies could offer better and cheaper answers to those daily challenges.

Exhibitions in Geneva

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Fondation Martin Bodmer had organized an exhibition entitled “War and Peace”, which would be open from 5 October 2019 until 1 March 2020. It had been organized in association with the United Nations Office at Geneva and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It was devoted to the timeless realities of war and peace. Its three themes were the genesis of war, the destruction perpetrated and the desire for peace. The exhibits included excerpts from the manuscript of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and a clay nail that was considered the oldest peace treaty in the world. Some of the documents shown in the exhibition had been lent by the United Nations Office at Geneva, including the document announcing the withdrawal of Germany from the Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments in 1933, engravings by Otto Dix and a Nansen passport from 1922. There would be a preview on the evening of Friday, 4 October.

Mr. LeBlanc also said that, on Tuesday, 8 October, at the United Nations at Geneva Museum, an exhibition entitled “100 Years of Multilateralism” would be inaugurated by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva. The exhibits included fascinating objects from the United Nations Office at Geneva Archives, including a letter by Alfred Nobel to Bertha von Suttner in which he announced his intention to create the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Peace Prize medal awarded to Kofi Annan.

Geneva announcements

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that, on the morning of Tuesday, 4 October, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights would conclude its consideration of the report of Ecuador. On the morning of Monday, 7 October, the Committee would hold a public meeting with representatives of civil society on the implementation of the Covenant in the three countries whose reports would be considered the following week, namely Denmark, Senegal and Slovakia. At its current session, the Committee planned to consider the reports of Denmark, Ecuador, Israel, Senegal, Slovakia and Switzerland.

Mr. LeBlanc also said that, at 10 a.m. on the morning of Monday, 7 October, in Room XVII, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances would hold a public meeting with States parties, United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations and national human rights institutions. The Committee would then hold closed meetings until Friday, 11 October, when it would issue its concluding observations on the reports of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Slovakia.

Press conferences

Monday, 7 October 2019 at 12:45 p.m. in Room III
UNHCR
Special Press Conference on Statelessness
Speakers:
• Maha Mamo, formerly stateless refugee and advocate for the rights of stateless people
• Cate Blanchett, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
• Carol Batchelor, UNHCR Special Advisor on Statelessness

Tuesday, 8 October 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in Press Room 1
WHO
Launch of the first World Report on Vision, developed by the World Health Organization
The report presents the global scale of eye conditions and vision impairment, the obstacles and opportunities for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and the forces driving the increase in the projected number of people with eye conditions that will lead to an increased number of people with vision impairment and blindness if action is not urgently taken.
A copy of the report – under embargo until 3 p.m. Geneva time on 8 October – can be obtained by contacting Paul Garwood (WHO Department of communication) garwoodp@who.int
The official launch of the report will take place in Geneva on 9 October 2019, the day before World Sight Day on 10 October.
Speakers:
• Dr Alarcos Cieza, Coordinator, Prevention of blindness and deafness, WHO
• Dr Stuart Keel, Technical Officer, Prevention of blindness and deafness, WHO

The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog041019