REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons for the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Urgent aid delivered in Libya

Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), made the following statement:

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, managed to deliver this week urgently needed assistance to hundreds of displaced Libyan families in the town of Murzuk, in southern Libya. Humanitarian help is desperately needed in this region of Libya where recent deadly clashes between armed groups in and around the city of Sabha (some 760 km south of Tripoli) have forced an estimated 1,900 Libyan families to flee their homes.

A UNHCR emergency aid convoy left the Libyan capital Tripoli on 4 April. The convoy, consisting of seven trucks loaded with basic aid items was able to enter Sabha the following day where we distributed humanitarian assistance to 850 displaced families. Access to Murzuk and Oubari further south was initially blocked due to security reasons, and the aid had to wait in Sabha.

However, earlier this week, the local population began using the main roads from Sabha to Murzuk. This gave UNHCR a window of opportunity to urgently deliver core relief items to the city of Murzuk where on Wednesday (18 April) 370 displaced families finally received much needed aid.

The displaced Libyan population in the south badly needs adequate shelter and basic household items including hygiene kits, sleeping mats, mattresses and kitchen sets. To make matters worse, humanitarian access to this part of Libya has been restricted for weeks and the situation remains extremely volatile. Many have sought refuge in local schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

In Libya, currently more than 184,000 internally displaced people are in need of humanitarian assistance as well as 368,000 people who have recently returned to their homes. UNHCR continues to advocate on their behalf and to provide relief until they can find durable solutions, including returning home on a voluntary basis and in conditions of dignity and safety.

To respond to the needs of more than half a million Libyans uprooted by the conflict, UNHCR has increased its capacity and resources by 300 percent in recent months.”

Darfur refugees return from Chad

Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), made the following statement:

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, earlier this week and together with the Governments of Chad and Sudan, facilitated the first in what is hoped will be a new series of voluntary returns of Sudanese refugees living in Chad.

A group of 53 refugees left the Iridimi camp in eastern Chad last Saturday and arrived in a reception centre in Tina, North Darfur after a road journey of four hours (70 kilometers) in UNHCR arranged buses.

On arrival in Sudan, they spent two days in a reception centre before heading on to their final destinations. These returnees are the first of thousands who are expected to return voluntarily in the coming months. Most have been living in Chad for years.

The returns follow the signing of a tripartite agreement on the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees by UNHCR and the Governments of Sudan and Chad in May of last year.

The war in the Darfur region of Sudan broke out in February 2003, when rebel groups began fighting the government of Sudan. The ensuing conflict killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people within Sudan and over its borders.

The returning refugees fled Darfur in 2003-2004. Prior to their return, refugee representatives had visited their villages in Darfur, before making the decision to return. UNHCR continues to register more refugees as they express their intention to return to Sudan. Returning refugees are provided with transport and a return package to help them initially at their places of return in Sudan. The returnee package includes three months’ food rations, provided by the World Food Programme (WFP).

UNHCR is working to support efforts of Sudanese authorities to improve services in North Darfur together with UN sister agencies and other partners as return areas are in need of urgent rehabilitation. The support of the international community is also required to make returns durable and sustainable. A UNHCR funding appeal for our operations in 2018 of nearly US$256 million is only 14 per cent funded.

More refugees have indicated their interest in returning to Sudan in the coming months, and as the security situation in Darfur improves. The region has witnessed a growing trend of returns of refugees and internally displaced people in the last few years. In December 2017, UNHCR helped some 1,500 refugees return to South Darfur from the Central African Republic through an air operation.

This is in part thanks to general security improvements in Darfur as a result of peace agreements between the government and some armed groups. A disarmament exercise carried out by the government throughout Darfur as well as the efforts of the peacekeeping mission led by the United Nations-African Union hybrid force, are also contributing to making areas safer for displaced people to return.

Around two million people are currently displaced inside Sudan, while more than 650,000 Sudanese refugees live in neighbouring countries - including Chad and South Sudan. Some 300,000 refugees from Darfur are currently living in 12 UNHCR and government run camps in eastern Chad.”

Asked about the situation on the ground in Darfur, Mr. Mahecic said that the security situation had improved, in part as a result of the government-led campaign to collect weapons from people across the region. There had been a reduction in tensions between communities, and UNHCR was expecting thousands of people to return during 2018.

Asked about the assistance provided to returnees, he said that the return package included transportation by bus, basic relief items and grants for shelter and integration, in addition to the rations provided by the World Food Programme. UNHCR had four suboffices across Darfur, enabling it to monitor the situation on the ground.

In response to further questions from journalists, Mr. Mahecic said that, following the airlift of 1,500 Sudanese refugees from the Central African Republic in December 2017, the first group of 53 people had returned from Chad earlier this week. After the outbreak of violence in Chad in 2005, 8,500 Chadians had been living in two camps in Darfur. Since late 2017, 4,000 of them had received assistance to return to Chad.

Repatriation statistics - Libya

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that earlier in the week, 155 people had been evacuated by air from Libya to the Gambia, bringing the total number of people repatriated from Libya since 1 January 2017 to more than 25,000. Approximately half of those people had been repatriated since the end of November 2017, when IOM had been empowered to ramp up returns of nationals to their countries of origin following the African Union-European Union Summit.

Mediterranean arrivals

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that the number of arrivals across the Mediterranean region in the first four months of 2018 was 42 per cent of the total for the same period in 2017 and just 9 per cent of the total for that period in 2016. It was possible that the drop in arrivals was linked to the repatriation scheme being operated in Libya and the activities of the Libyan Coastguard, which had returned 3,479 people to shore in 2018 to date. The number of fatalities in the Mediterranean had also decreased. During April 2018, the number stood at 53, more than half of which had occurred on the Western route to Spain. That figure compared to a total of 302 deaths in April 2017, 630 in April 2016 and 1,222 in April 2015.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Millman said that Greece and Italy were receiving almost equal volumes of arrivals. The number of people arriving in Greece had dropped from a high of approximately 850,000 in 2015 to just under 30,000 in 2017. IOM had not been party to the deal between the European Union and Turkey and was not in a position to assess the position of Turkey. Land routes used by migrants and refugees, while less deadly than the sea routes, were nevertheless still a concern. Changing conditions in Syria were perhaps also a factor in the drop in arrivals.


Monsoon preparations in Cox’s Bazar

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

“Humanitarian agencies welcomed the arrival yesterday (19/4) of vital road clearing equipment as early rains struck Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps causing flooding and highlighting the severe challenges ahead when the monsoon proper arrives.

The first instalment of machinery, which included three excavators, is part of a stable of key equipment - which will also include bulldozers, compactor rollers, track loaders and all-terrain vehicles - being provided under a multi-agency response. The initiative involving IOM, WFP and UNHCR, will allow rapid clearing of key access roads and waterways during the serious flooding and landslides expected to occur during heavy rain.

The damage caused by this week’s early rains also highlighted the desperate need for more funding. The cost of work to help protect almost a million refugees from the life-threatening dangers of cyclones, severe flooding, and landslides far exceeds current financial resources and pledges. To date just 7 percent of IOM’s USD 182 million funding appeal for the rest of the year has been secured.

John McCue, IOM's Senior Operations Coordinator in Cox’s Bazar said: "The arrival of the rains first marks the start of what is going to be an incredibly challenging period for the refugees and those working to support them, with the worst yet to come when cyclone and monsoon seasons hit in the coming weeks.”

The arrival of around 700,000 refugees in just a few months had a major impact on the topography of the area. Trees and vegetation were cleared by people who urgently needed land to put up their shelters. Because of that, it is impossible to identify for certain where the most severe weather-related damage will occur. But IOM studies show that when the monsoon proper hits, an estimated 120,000 people will be at grave risk from flooding and landslides.”

In response to questions from journalists, Mr. Millman said that the main challenge in preparing for the monsoon was the lack of funding. People were being moved to safer ground and preparations were being made for the potential impact of the monsoon on the health and sanitation situation.


South Asian Climate Outlook Forum monsoon forecasts

Clare Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum had been meeting all week in Pune, India and on 20 April, had issued its Outlook for the 2018 southwest monsoon season, which would occur between June and September. Normal rainfall was most likely over most parts of South Asia, while above normal rainfall was likely over some areas in east central India and southeastern parts of the region. Below-normal rainfall was likely over some areas of southern, northwestern and northeastern parts of South Asia. The predictions were based on forecasts from different climate models and expert assessment of prevailing climate conditions.

The monsoon was a major socioeconomic driver in South Asia, accounting for between 70 and 80 per cent of annual rainfall. Despite near-average amounts of rainfall, the 2017 monsoon had brought heavy flooding and huge economic disruption. More than 40 million people had been affected and an estimated 1,200 people had died.

For 2018, there was concern about the impact of the tropical cyclone season and extreme monsoon rainfall on densely populated refugee camps in low-lying areas of Bangladesh. WMO was working with humanitarian agencies to provide them with the best possible forecasts.

Asked whether heavy loss of life was expected, Ms. Nullis said that WMO issued seasonal outlooks to assist with preparations for the monsoon; however, monsoon rainfalls were notoriously difficult to predict.

Secretary-General travelling to Sweden

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that on 20 April, the Secretary-General was travelling to Sweden for the annual retreat of the Security Council. He would also conduct a State visit to Sweden.

Syria

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, was in Moscow for meetings with the Russian Minister of Defence, Sergey Shoygu, and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. He would then travel to Tehran to meet with senior Iranian officials. On 24 and 25 April, he expected to consult a number of European ministers and senior representatives of the United States of America at the Brussels Conference on Syria. He would then brief the Secretary-General and the Security Council on the outcome of the consultations.

Asked to provide an update on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission to Douma, Ms. Vellucci said that the United Nations was supporting the OPCW mission and the team would enter Douma as soon as it was practical to do so.

Asked about the likelihood of further talks on Syria taking place in Geneva, Ms. Vellucci said that intensive high-level consultations were ongoing. The Special Envoy was doing all he could to advance the possibility of talks.

2018 Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, read the following statement:

“The Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will hold its upcoming session from 23 April to 4 May 2018 at the United Nations Office in Geneva.

The Preparatory Committee, open to all States parties to the Treaty, is responsible for addressing substantive and procedural issues related to the Treaty and the forthcoming Review Conference. The Chair-designate for the upcoming PrepCom is Ambassador Adam Bugaiski of Poland.

The opening session begins at 10 a.m. on Monday 23 April in the Assembly Hall. It will be followed by the general debate, which lasts until the end of day on Tuesday 24 April.

Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, will be among the speakers at the opening ceremony.

Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Taro Kono, and Dr. Christopher A. Ford, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation for the United States, are among those who will deliver statements during the plenary.”

In response to questions from journalists, Ms. Vellucci said that while all of the meetings were public, none would be webcast. A list of speakers would be made available as far in advance as possible and any written statements submitted would be circulated to journalists.

UNCTAD announcements

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that the Global Commodities Forum 2018 would focus on how to reduce dependence on basic credit and how to diversify production. UNCTAD was releasing a report on gum arabic, which was used in the production of food, cosmetics and paint. The substance was produced in some of the world’s poorest countries, across a swathe of Africa from Mauritania and Senegal to Somalia. The report would be under embargo until 6 p.m. Geneva time on 25 April.

Geneva events and announcements

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that a charity football match jointly organized by the United Nations and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) would take place in Geneva on 21 April. The two teams, captained by Ronaldinho and Luis Figo, boasted an impressive line-up of players. All money raised would go to the UEFA Foundation for children.

Ms. Vellucci also said that on 24 and 25 April, the President of the General Assembly would convene a high-level meeting on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in New York. The meeting would bring together world leaders, civil society and the private sector to focus on conflict prevention, mediation, dialogue and diplomacy, as part of wider efforts by Member States to help the United Nations do better at fostering peace. The proceedings would be webcast and could be followed by press in Geneva.

Ms. Vellucci recalled that the Permanent Mission of China had organized an exhibition at the Palais des Nations to mark Chinese Language Day on 20 April. Spanish Language Day and English Language Day would both take place on 23 April. The latter would be celebrated with a screening of the film “The Remains of the Day” and an afternoon tea at 4 p.m.

Press conferences

Tuesday, 24 April at 9.30 a.m. in Press Room 1
WFP
The World Food Programme’s Syria Operation – Sieges, Air Drops and … School Meals
Press Conference by Jakob Kern, WFP Country Director (who is leaving for Syria soon)
https://bit.ly/2F04Zcr

Tuesday, 24 April at 2.30 p.m. in Press Room 1
UNCTAD
Publication: Special Issue of the Commodities at a Glance Series : the Gum Arabic (Embargo 25 April at 5 pm GMT)
Press Conference by Janvier Nkurunziza - Chief - Commodity Research and Analysis Section- UNCTAD; and
Mario Jales - Economist - Commodity Research and Analysis Section - UNCTAD
https://bit.ly/2qI6Fmz

Wednesday, 25 April at 3 p.m. in Press Room 1
Permanent Mission of the United States of America
Strengthening the NPT Treaty / Creating the Conditions for Nuclear Disarmament
Press conference by Dr. Christopher A. Ford, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation
Head of the U.S. delegation for the 2018 NPT PrepCom; and Anita Friedt, Acting Assistant Secretary for Arms Control Verification and Compliance
https://bit.ly/2HBRC7E