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 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the International Telecommunication Union.

Nicaragua


Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, read out a statement delivered on 23 April 2018 by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

“The Secretary-General is concerned about the casualties in recent protests in Nicaragua. He calls for restraint on all sides. He also calls on the Government of Nicaragua to ensure the protection of human rights of all citizens, particularly the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

The Secretary-General supports the call for dialogue as an instrument to address the country’s current challenges.”

Elizabeth Throssell, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), read the following statement:

“We have received reliable reports that at least 25 people were killed in Nicaragua during the nationwide protests against planned social security reforms. We are particularly concerned that a number of these deaths may amount to unlawful killings.

We call on the Nicaraguan authorities to ensure that there are prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigations into these deaths. It is essential that all allegations of excessive use of force by police and other security forces are effectively investigated to ensure those responsible are held to account. We are also concerned at reports that dozens of people have been injured or detained over the past few days. There should also be investigations into acts of violence, including looting, allegedly committed during the protests.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has announced a halt to the planned reforms. However, we understand that further demonstrations are likely. We reiterate the call we made on Friday for the Nicaraguan State to abide by its international obligations to ensure that people, including human rights defenders who have been monitoring developments, are able to freely exercise their right to freedom of expression and to peaceful assembly and association. We also call for an end to attacks on journalists and media organisations that have been trying to cover the protests. We also urge demonstrators to protest peacefully. We echo the Secretary General’s call for dialogue, and we will continue to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Nicaragua.”

Responding to questions from journalists, Ms. Throssell said that while OHCHR had no staff on the ground in Nicaragua, it was monitoring the situation closely from its Central America office in Panama. OHCHR stood ready to send staff into Nicaragua and had offered technical cooperation to the Nicaraguan authorities over the years, to no avail. OHCHR had nevertheless continued to engage with the authorities and had held a number of meetings with officials outside Nicaragua.

Yemen

Elizabeth Throssell, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), read the following statement:

“In Yemen, at least 45 people, reportedly all civilians, have been killed by airstrikes in three separate incidents over the past four days. The dead include women and children. Many others were injured.

Last Friday, 20 April, at around 11 a.m., a Saudi-led Coalition airstrike killed all the passengers in a civilian vehicle travelling near Al-Areish village in the Mawza district of Taizz governorate. A total of 21 civilians including five children are reported to have died in this attack. Eyewitness told our staff in Yemen, that the victims were returning to their home on a small rural road, when the airstrike destroyed their vehicle. The bodies of the victims were so badly burned and mutilated that they have been hard to identify. Local inhabitants insisted to our staff that, at the time of the attack, there were no military objects in the vicinity of the targeted area.

Two days later, on Sunday 22 April, airstrikes caused a large number of civilian casualties in two separate incident. In the most devastating of these, at around 8.30-9 p.m., during a wedding ceremony in the Bani Qa'is district of Hajjah governorate, preliminary inquiries by our staff suggest that two airstrikes killed at least 19 civilians and injured some 50 others, of whom more than half were children. According to information received by UN human rights staff in Yemen, the two Coalition airstrikes destroyed a wedding tent in the grounds of a civilian house in Al-Raqah village, while the victims were celebrating the marriage of their relatives. Local inhabitants informed our staff that the victims do not have any political affiliation – not to say that that would have made the wedding party a legitimate target. They also claimed there were no military objectives in the vicinity of the targeted area at the time of the attack.

Our office is still working on gathering more information on the names, ages and gender of the civilians killed and injured during this deplorable incident. Initial information indicates that 29 children were among the 50 or more people injured in the attack. The final toll of deaths and injuries during this incident may be higher.

Earlier on Sunday, at around 2 p.m., in the Midi district of Hajjah governorate, a Coalition airstrike reportedly hit a civilian house, killing all five members of a single family, including three children and one woman. Our staff were informed that the victims were having lunch inside their house, in an area called Al-Hadwariah, when it received a direct hit from a missile. The family’s neighbours told UN human rights staff that they had seen warplanes in the area just before the incident.

We note that the members of the Coalition are conducting an after-action review of the attack on the wedding party, but urge them to fully investigate all these latest deadly attacks independently, thoroughly and transparently. Those found to be responsible should be held accountable and reparations or remedy provided to the victims. We also urge them, once again, to ensure that all their forces observe the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of the ICRC staff member shot dead in his vehicle on Saturday by an unidentified gunman, or gunmen, in the Sabir Al Mawadim district of Taizz governorate.

A total of more than 6,300 civilians have been killed, and 9,900 injured since the start of the conflict in March 2015, as verified by the UN human rights office in Yemen. The total number of casualties, including fighters and unverified cases, is likely much higher.”

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, read out a statement delivered on 23 April 2018 by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the airstrikes on a wedding party in Hajjah and on civilian vehicles in Taizz, where at least 50 civilians, including children, were reportedly killed and scores of others injured.

The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed.

The Secretary-General reminds all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law concerning the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts. He calls for a prompt, effective and transparent investigation.”

Responding to questions from journalists, Ms. Throssell said that it was not possible to say whether the most recent attacks on civilians had been deliberate. OHCHR welcomed the announced review of the wedding party incident and continued to call for independent investigations into all incidents in which civilians had been killed or injured.

Papua New Guinea

Christophe Boulierac, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that in Papua New Guinea, nearly two months after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake had hit the country, children remain disproportionately affected by the disaster. The Government estimated that 270,000 people were in need of urgent assistance, including 125,000 children, of whom 55,000 were children under five years old. Beside the immediate threat posed by the earthquake, including death, injury or the loss of parents, children were also at high risk from increases in waterborne and vaccine preventable diseases due to water contamination from landslides, poor sanitation and personal hygiene management, and already low immunization coverage in the Highlands region.

Regarding the impact on children’s physical health, specifically, health facilities were reporting an increasing number of watery diarrhoea cases. On 24 April, the Provincial Health Authority in Southern Highlands Province was reporting 180 cases of diarrhoea as well as 26 cases and 2 deaths related to whooping cough.

The outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases also remained a major challenge in the health response in communities where primary health care services did not exist either due to breakdown of health infrastructure or issues of inaccessibility to health facilities. Some 55 per cent of health facilities in Hela and Southern Highlands urgently needed access to safe water sources. Furthermore, most health facilities that had reopened could provide emergency services only.

Low immunization coverage had been an issue prior to the earthquake; several provinces in the highlands had already faced malaria and measles outbreaks. According to the National Department of Health, 70 to 80 per cent of children in the severely-affected provinces were not protected against preventable diseases.

Before the emergency, about half of the children under five years of age had been chronically malnourished; that was the highest rate in Asia and the Pacific and fourth highest in the world. Around 15 per cent of children suffered from acute malnutrition, with 2.6 per cent considered severe. Severe wasting was estimated to increase up to 4 percent.

Children already impacted by the earthquakes and subsequent unsettling aftershocks were now confronted with safety issues due to violence and conflict. The security situation in Hela Province had deteriorated within two weeks of the first earthquake. Rival groups armed with bush knives, machetes and guns had killed people and burned houses near Tari town, the headquarters of the province where aid workers were based.

The situation was also having a profoundly negative impact on the mental health of children, who were now facing serious consequences on brain development and overall well-being. Before the earthquakes, children in Papua New Guinea had already been at high risk of violence and abuse. The available data indicated that girls and boys in Papua New Guinea experienced some of the highest rates of violence in the Asia-Pacific region. About 75 per cent of children reported experiences of physical abuse and about 80 per cent experienced emotional abuse during their lifetime.

In terms of education, preliminary government assessments found that about half the schools in affected areas had been damaged to some extent. Some 15,000 children and teachers needed support to resume classes. Although schools had reopened, many children were still afraid to return to class.

To date, UNICEF had delivered 23 metric tons of life-saving supplies including tents and tarpaulins, water purification tablets, hygiene kits, and learning kits. A few days after the earthquakes, UNICEF had distributed vaccines to the affected communities to protect some 31,000 children against measles and rubella, pertussis, pneumonia and tuberculosis. Currently, UNICEF was working to save lives and protect the well-being of affected children and families by making sure that children received the emergency therapeutic food and milk they need to survive; basic health services, including vaccines which were being provided jointly by WHO and the Government; safe water to drink; and psychosocial support.

Despite progress, providing assistance continued to be very challenging. Many earthquake-hit communities were hard to reach, with little or no road access. Tribal fighting in the worst-hit areas also hindered humanitarian response. Efforts to protect vulnerable children needed to be stepped up and sustained. Acting now would help reduce the risk of major humanitarian emergencies in the coming months. The longer the response took, the costlier it would be. Resource mobilization had been limited due to scarce attention from global community and donor countries. UNICEF was seeking USD14.6 million to provide humanitarian and recovery assistance to children and families affected by the earthquake over the next nine months.

Syria

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, read an update from the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. He briefed the Security Council members at their retreat in Sweden, following his travel earlier to Moscow and Tehran. He had stated that the past week had been a dangerous one and that the temperature needed to be brought down internationally and regionally.

The Special Envoy had underscored the open, in-depth exchange of views on Syria together with the Secretary-General and the Security Council; the common ground reached; and the need to reinvigorate the United-Nations-led political process. The Security Council group had also reaffirmed its commitment to United Nations efforts, stating that only the United Nations had the legitimacy and credibility needed for a viable, enduring political solution. Such a political solution needed to be in line with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). There was also a need for full implementation of Security Council resolution 2401 (2018) to address the humanitarian situation, and it had been agreed to intensify efforts in that regard. Mr. de Mistura supported and underscored the Council’s support of the Secretary-General’s efforts to engage them on Syria and continue with necessary consultations among key stakeholders.

Following the meeting in Sweden, the Special Envoy had noted agreement on the fact that there was no alternative but a credible political process, which would involve serious discussions about a constitution and elections as per resolution 2254 (2015). He had highlighted that the current situation was terribly dangerous – a moment when the cold war was going back into a full swing – and that the meeting in Sweden and other efforts which contributed to bringing down the temperature were very much welcome. It was in no one’s interest for the crisis in Syria to remain a major international one.

The Special Envoy was currently in Brussels for the European Union Syria pledging conference; he would also be meeting with senior officials on the margins of the conference.

World Malaria Day

Pedro Alonso, Director, Global Malaria Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that World Malaria Day was observed every year on 25 April. For the first time in the past decade, progress towards eliminating malaria had stalled and a reversal of gains was being observed in a number of countries around the world. Some 216 million cases of malaria and 445,000 malaria-related deaths had been reported for 2016. Success in the fight against malaria required renewed political commitment, increased financial resources, from both donor countries and malaria-affected countries, and new and improved tools to diagnose and treat malaria. The world had reached the limit of what could be achieved with the resources currently available. In the coming months, WHO, together with its partners, would intensify its support to the most heavily affected countries, virtually all of which were located in sub-Saharan Africa.

WHO would be marking World Malaria Day with the launch of an interview series featuring leaders and advocates in the global response. The seven interviews would be available on the WHO website.

Responding to questions from the press, Mr. Alonso said that the halt in progress in the fight against malaria was partly due to the flattening out of overall investment over the past five or six years: given the world’s growing population, that translated into a decrease in per capita investment. In addition, malaria-endemic countries were showing a tendency to decrease investment in antimalarial campaigns. An increasing number of cases and deaths had been reported in most of the countries with the highest share of the global malaria burden, but also in a number of others in various regions. Some 70 per cent of women in Africa who should be receiving antimalarial drugs while pregnant were not receiving them; and 50 per cent of people in Africa who should be protected through vector control were not protected. Limited resources were the highest contributing factor in that regard. The WHO African Region continued to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, accounting for 90 per cent of malaria cases and 91 per cent of malaria deaths. Some of the reasons for that were the exceptionally efficient transmission of mosquitoes in that region, as well as less effective communication about the illness and more difficult access to health care.

Asked about the malaria situation in Venezuela and neighbouring countries, Mr. Alonso said that Venezuela, once hailed as being at the forefront of malaria eradication, was now a significant cause for concern. The dramatic increases seen in the number of malaria cases there were largely due to lack of resources and reduced effectiveness of the antimalarial campaign within the country. WHO and the Pan American Health Organization were working closely with the Government to curb the worrying trend. Other countries in South America were also reporting increases in the number of malaria cases. Cases had been reported among Venezuelan migrants in other Latin American countries. It was crucial that such persons should be adequately diagnosed and treated, free of charge, so as to avoid the risk of renewed transmission in the countries to which they had moved. There was nothing so dangerous as limiting access to health care for such patients.

Responding to questions about drug and insecticide resistance, Mr. Alonso said that such resistance did not play a major role in the stalled progress in the fight against malaria. Drug resistance was a concern in South-East Asia, especially around Cambodia, but not outside that region. Insecticide resistance was also a matter of significant concern, but recent analyses suggested that it was not responsible for the current upsurge of cases. It was clear that the financial and technical resources available were simply not sufficient to reach all those in need. The situation was likely to deteriorate further if nothing was done to turn it around. Financial resources would be a key factor in meeting targets in the next few years: the estimated resources required stood at USD5.5 billion annually, of which only about half was being met.

Asked about malaria vaccines, Mr. Alonso said that 2018 would be a historical year, in that it would see the roll-out of the Mosquirix vaccine in pilot projects in selected areas of Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. However, it would likely not be a game changer, as it was a first-generation vaccine, with only moderate effectiveness. Therefore, renewed investment in research and development, including new vaccines, was crucial.

Responding to additional questions from the press, Mr. Alonso said that current diagnosis and treatment tools were adequate. No one suffering from malaria should have to die from the illness. Preventing malaria, on the other hand, which relied on vector-control tools, could be much improved. Currently, such tools prevented 40 to 50 per cent of cases. The fight against malaria was said to be led by imperfect tools that were applied imperfectly. The new vaccine was also imperfect. That was why additional research and funding was imperative.


WIPO announcement

Edward Harris, for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said that Thursday, April 26, was World Intellectual Property Day; the 2018 theme was “Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity”. New data to be released on World IP Day would feature women’s rates of inventorship in WIPO patent applications, by country, company and industry.

In addition, at 6 p.m. in the WIPO conference hall, WIPO, together with the Permanent Missions of the United States and of Austria, would hold a screening of “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”, in observance of World Intellectual Property Day. The film told the tale of the famed 40s-era Austrian-American Hollywood icon, who had also been an inventor in the field of wireless communications.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, added that the United Nations Office at Geneva would be involved in the “International Geneva” stand at the Geneva Book and Press Fair, to be held from 25 to 29 April. WIPO would host activities in celebration of World Intellectual Property Day in that context. Other issues, including humanitarian activities and international trade, would also be highlighted at the Fair by various UN agencies. The full programme was online at http://www.salondulivre.ch/fr/.

ITU announcements

Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell, for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), read the following statement:

“International Girls in ICT Day is held annually on the fourth Thursday in April, and was established by ITU in 2014 to address the digital gender divide in the world’s increasingly digital landscape. Since its inception in, over 300,000 girls and young women have taken part in more than 9,000 International Girls in ICT Day events in 166 countries worldwide.

According to a recent report by the European Commission, there is a growing gap between men and women's participation in the digital sector in education, career and entrepreneurship. The report says there are four times more men than women in Europe with ICT-related studies while 3.1 times more men than women work in the digital sector. The report notes that, although female-owned start-ups are more likely to be successful, there is a decrease in women’s participation, leadership and investment in the entrepreneurial digital sector. The European Commission also predicts a skills gap of over 500,000 ICT jobs in Europe by 2020.

This year’s event is taking place on 26 April. ITU will be hosting an event from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at its Geneva headquarters. Media are invited to attend. Young women and girls from area Geneva schools will be taking part in a series of tech workshops on such topics as building and programming robots, programming a weather station, build your own smart wristband, video game development, humanitarian applications using geospatial data, etc. They will also have the opportunity to meet with more than 20 inspiring women mentors in the tech field.

Additionally, a Europe-region event is planned for 28 April in Sofia, Bulgaria, which is co-hosted by ITU and the European Commission, and which will be attended by the Vice-President of Bulgaria and ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. More than 70 young women and girls from area schools will take part in exciting hands-on ICT workshops on robotics, programming, animation and application development; and meet with inspiring women role models. Media are invited to attend this event.

The United Nations World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is held each year on 17 May. This year it falls on the final day of the ITU Artificial Intelligence for Good Global Summit, being held from 15 to 17 May at ITU Headquarters in Geneva. The theme for this year’s event is “Enabling the positive use of Artificial Intelligence for All”. The event will feature a talk-show format dialogue with female astronauts.

ITU receives almost daily requests for ICT related data from media around the globe. ITU is therefore pleased to announce that it has launched this week, together with OECD, its new ITU iLibrary online platform, which now makes available to audiences worldwide, the latest global information and communications technology data and reporting. This can be accessed via www.itu-ilibrary.org. Register today to receive the latest data as it becomes available.”

Geneva events and announcements

Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization, said that on Monday, 30 April, a virtual press briefing would be held on the topic of air pollution.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, announced that on Thursday, 26 April, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the International Trade Centre would offer a free workshop on its market analysis and research tools to members of the press.

Ms. Vellucci said that on Monday, 23 April, the Committee against Torture had opened its sixty-third session and had elected Mr. Jens Modvig (Denmark) as Chair. During its session, which would end on 18 May, it would consider the reports of Belarus, Czech Republic, Norway, Qatar, Senegal and Tajikistan.

Ms. Vellucci said that also on Monday, 23 April, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had opened its ninety-fifth session and had elected Mr. Noureddine Amir (Algeria) as Chair. During its session, which would end on 11 May, it would consider the reports of Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania, Nepal, Peru, Saudi Arabia and Sweden.

Press conferences

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 9.30 a.m. in Room III
CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization)
Announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to halt nuclear testing and dismantle the test site
Press conference by Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary, CTBTO
https://bit.ly/2Fdv2xa

Wednesday, 25 April at 3.00 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