UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the World Health Organization.
Urgent support needed for hundreds of thousands without shelter in eastern DRC
Eujin Byun, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that the UNHCR was alarmed by the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the continued lack of access to displaced people hampered the provision of urgently needed aid. Heavy artillery shelling and looting had destroyed 70,000 emergency shelters around Goma and Minova in North and South Kivu provinces, leaving some 350,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) once again without roofs over their heads. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people were now in overcrowded makeshift shelters, churches, schools, and hospitals. The displaced people in Goma were also affected by the increase in crime. While some 100,000 had attempted to return to their home areas, where houses had been damaged and there were little or no essential services, many remained stranded in collective centers, damaged IDP sites, or with host communities. Displaced people reported that fear of unexploded ordnance, destroyed homes and lack of essential services were significant obstacles to safe return.
Ms. Byun stressed that UNHCR teams in both North and South Kivu continued to assist displaced people as much as possible. They had seen families once again packing up their few remaining belongings, trapped in uncertainty, unable to stay, yet with no safe place to go. UNHCR remained committed to supporting civilians in North and South Kivu and was closely monitoring the situation. It called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety of civilians, including the displaced, and to uphold international humanitarian principles including the right to move freely in search of safety. UNHCR also urged all parties to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure and guarantee unhindered humanitarian access.
Full statement is available here.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), referred to the statement by the Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, from the previous day, who had spoken of horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything seen in recent years. Ms. Vellucci also informed that the UN Secretary-General was in Addis Ababa to participate in the 38th African Union Summit, where the situation in the DRC would be on the agenda.
Responding to questions, Ms. Byun, for the UNHCR, said that numerous IDP sites were destroyed, leaving many displaced persons stranded on the streets. The lack of clean water was significantly increasing the risk of diseases. The road from Goma to Bukavu was blocked, cutting the access for humanitarian actors, who were coordinating to deliver aid to the areas to which they still had access. There were 28 IDP sites around Goma, 70 percent of which were destroyed, specified Ms. Byun. Some 350,000 people were without roof over their heads at the moment. The conditions on the ground were worsening, and people were fearing further violence. The airport in Goma was still not functioning, which also adversely affected the delivery of humanitarian supplies, said Ms. Byun.
Three years of the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Madeleine Lyons, Senior Humanitarian Analyst at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), speaking from Ottawa, Canada, said that many displaced Ukrainians were reaching a tipping point, when living abroad became unsustainable, but returning to Ukraine meant living in uncertainty. A new IFRC report highlighted that financial hardship was pushing more displaced Ukrainians to return home even to front-line areas where devastation and the threat of violence remained high. Economic strains and declining international support were driving more and more Ukrainians into hardship both inside and outside the country, said Ms. Lyons.
Over half of those returning to Ukraine were doing so due to economic pressures, with 23 per cent reducing their food intake due to lack of resources. One out of four returnees were settling in areas near the front lines, despite serious security risks. A shocking 79 per cent of returnees to frontline areas reported urgent unmet humanitarian needs. One in three returning refugees were currently in debt, with 12 per cent facing crippling debt they were unable to pay back. While many people were returning in order to reunite with their families, an unexpectedly large percentage reported that financial exhaustion and limited access to essential services in host countries played a major role in their decision to go back to Ukraine. For those returning to their frontline communities, challenges were immense: over 60 per cent reported that their homes had been damaged or uninhabitable. The lack of medical resources, along with the ongoing conflict and lack of financial resources, left the returnees particularly vulnerable to long-term health consequences. While returning posed a significant risk, remaining abroad also had its challenges. Savings had dried up and many had resorted to taking on new debt to get by. In countries like Romania, families who once had enough savings to sustain themselves are now struggling to afford grocery bills, rent, and healthcare.
The IFRC and its network of 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies involved in this crisis continued to deliver one of the largest humanitarian responses in its history. Across Ukraine and in host countries, they were providing life-saving assistance to those most in need. In Ukraine, Red Cross teams were delivering emergency cash assistance to prevent vulnerable families from falling deeper into debt. Ms. Lyons stressed that now was the moment for governments, donors, and the international community to reaffirm their commitment to these people who desperately need support. Without sustained support, more people would face impossible choices: cutting back on meals, delaying medical care, or returning to unsafe conditions because they had nowhere else to go.
IFRC’s press release is here, and the full report can be accessed here.
The war continued to inflict massive suffering on Ukrainian people. The war needed to end, stressed Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS). In January 2025, civilian casualties had increased by 35 percent compared to December 2024. She said that the Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 asked for USD 2.63 billion to assist six million people, only 12 percent of which was currently funded.
Replying to questions, Ms. Lyons, for the IFRC, said that people were returning because they desired to go back home, a familiar place to which they were attached. At the same time, governments across Europe were interpreting temporary protection measures in an increasingly restrictive way, which was a factor for the return of some Ukrainians. Some 30 percent of Ukrainian households across Europe had taken on additional debt, much of which was at unsustainable levels. People were borrowing money to afford food, pay for accommodation, and to pay for healthcare. Over one in four people returning from European countries to Ukraine were returning to frontline areas, which was surprising finding, said Ms. Lyons. Those people lived in a precarious state and could be displaced again. IFRC and humanitarian partners were working to support refugee households with cash transfers. She explained that the survey for refugees had taken place in six countries and included some 3,200 households surveyed by phone, in Ukrainian. Tommaso Della Longa, also for the IFRC, said that the IFRC had already seen a significant reduction in its humanitarian budget for Ukraine between 2023 and 2024. IFRC was updating the figures of returnees every several months, and was aiming to cover the areas controlled by Russian armed forces.
Health issues
Responding to questions from the media, Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that countries that had recently reported mpox cases included the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and China. In the DRC, there had been 1,348 lab-confirmed cases of mpox and zero deaths as of 2 February. In 2024, the case fatality rate had been under 0.5 percent among the confirmed cases and 2.5 percent among suspected cases. Mpox response was particularly impacted in Goma and adjacent areas. DRC was the worst affected country by mpox, he reminded, and very few identified cases remained in isolation in the conflict areas, which posed a danger for everyone.
Also answering requests, Mr. Lindmeier said that a specific briefing on the danger of video games could be organized if there was sufficient interest by the media. Another press conference could be organized on the risks of alcohol consumption. On a question regarding the US withdrawal from the WHO, Mr. Lindmeier said that the US was one of the 194 Member States, and anything that any Member State brought to the table had to be discussed, including internal reforms. All 194 Member States were interested in global health, and cooperation was in everyone’s interest.
Announcements
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), congratulated the newly elected leadership of the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the United Nations (ACANU), and looked forward to continuing productive collaboration.
She informed that the Human Rights Council Advisory Committeewould hold its 33rd session in Room XX from 17 to 21 February. More details are available here. On 19 February at 10 am, the President of the Human Rights Council would hold a press conference ahead of the 58th session.
The Committee’s plenary meetings are open to the media and will conclude with a round-up press release. The agenda and programme of work are available on the Advisory Committee’s session webpage.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women was reviewing today the report of Liechtenstein.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was concluding this morning its review of the report of United Kingdom.
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