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 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the United Nations Development Programme.
Gaza
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), gave the following statement:
“Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the start of the ‘Great March of Return’ demonstrations in the Gaza Strip. In this past year, there has been a staggering loss of life and injury in the Gaza Strip: 195 Palestinians, including some 40 children, have been killed by Israeli security forces mainly during the weekly protests near the perimeter fence. Nearly 29,000 Palestinians have been injured, including over 7,000 people by live ammunition. Three clearly-marked health workers providing care to the wounded during demonstrations have been killed and over 630 others injured. As a result of the demonstrations, one member of the Israeli security forces was killed and six others were injured. The many Palestinian casualties - including trauma injuries and more than 120 limb amputations - has overwhelmed the Gaza health system which was already challenged by chronic power outages, shortages of essential medicines and supplies, and gaps in critical services including mental health and psychosocial support. In a statement this morning, on the eve of the one-year anniversary, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, Jamie McGoldrick, said that ‘the priority now is to save lives and everyone needs to take action accordingly. Israeli security forces must ensure that their responses are in line with their international legal obligations, using non-violent means to the greatest extent possible. Hamas authorities must prevent acts of violence that compromise the peaceful nature of the demonstrations and everyone must ensure that children are not put in harm’s way.”
Replying to a journalist, Mr. Laerke said that the demonstration that had been planned for that day had been cancelled, but a large demonstration was expected for the next day, 30 March, which was the reason for OCHA’s stark reminder to all parties about the need to protect lives, especially those of children.
In response to the same question, Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), drew attention to the briefing of the Security Council of 26 March by the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, available online. Following the situation in Gaza closely, Mr. N. Mladenov had stated that he and his team had been working intensely with Egypt and all concerned parties to ensure that the situation did not spiral out of control. No one had an interest in a full military confrontation in Gaza, he said, as he urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint while the situation remains very tense in the area.
Health situation in Mozambique
Tarik Jašarević , for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that preparing for a cholera outbreak in the wake of Cyclone Idai was one of WHO’s priorities. Seven cholera treatment centres, with a capacity of 400 beds, were already open and admitting patients with acute watery diarrhoea. Furthermore, 900,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine were expected to arrive on 1 April, as were 1,000 cholera diagnostic kits. WHO was working with the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector on the provision of safe water and on infection prevention and control. In addition, it was training 30 health workers in case management and the monitoring of standards and protocols in treatment s. WHO was also preparing for possible outbreaks of malaria and measles, as well as ensuring access to essential health services. To that end, it had sent emergency medical supplies to cover the primary health care needs of 10,000 people for three months, including for the treatment of injuries and various infectious diseases. The next few weeks were crucial: every possible effort had to be made to prevent a second wave of catastrophe stemming from a disease outbreak or the lack of access to essential services. While it was known that 55 health facilities had been damaged, the assessment of the situation was ongoing owing to the continued inaccessibility of some areas. The health sector needed at least US$ 38 million over the next three months to address the humanitarian crisis.
Replying to questions from journalists, Mr. Jašarević said that the biggest cholera treatment centre was in Beira, and Médecins Sans Frontières was supporting a number of 50-bed centres in Buzi, Dondo and Nhamatanda. The Government of Mozambique had confirmed five cases of cholera, but there were no definite figures or information on the location of known cases, partly because not all sick individuals got tested but also because the area affected by Cyclone Idai was huge and large portions of it remained inaccessible. The key objective was to ensure that people could access rehydration treatment, irrespective of what type of diarrheal disease they had. Cholera outbreaks were frequent in Mozambique and the most recent, in February 2018, had seen some 2,000 cases. WHO was working under the assumption that many people would fall ill, hence the vaccination campaign set to begin the following week. Cholera could kill within hours if left untreated, but 80% of cases were successfully treated through oral rehydration and, when treated in a timely manner, the disease had a fatality rate of less than 1%. The bacteria that caused cholera was waterborne and its incubation period was up to five days. Those who did not develop symptoms still carried the bacteria for up to 10 days, meaning that it could re-enter the water supply and continue the contagion. There were 1.4 million cases worldwide each year, up to 143,000 of them fatal.
Replying to the same questions, Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that, despite the trauma of the cyclone, the population was showing great resilience. However, some of the most affected areas remained cut off from supply routes and weight limitations on helicopter transportation meant that aid was not reaching those areas in anywhere near the levels required. UNHCR was sharing its expertise and providing relief supplies out of solidarity with three countries which were current or historical hosts of refugees.
Also in reply to journalists, Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the current death toll was 493. Some 141,000 people were receiving assistance in 161 sites across the affected areas. The inter-agency appeal was for US$ 282 million for the next three months and was part of a broader country appeal that had already been made prior to the cyclone to respond to severe drought in parts of Mozambique.
Cholera in Yemen
In response to a query, Tarik Jašarević , for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that WHO was concerned about the recent increase in cholera cases in Yemen. Since April 2017, over 1.2 million cases had been reported, approximately 100,000 of them between 1 January to 14 March 2019. Children under age 5 represented 27% of total suspected cases, and more than two-thirds of districts had reported suspected cholera cases within the last four weeks. WHO wished to prevent a third wave of the disease. To that end, it was focusing its efforts on case management, surveillance, laboratory investigation, water, sanitation and hygiene, and risk communication. In addition, it was stockpiling emergency health and WASH supplies in 147 priority districts and it had 413 diarrhoea treatment centres and oral rehydration corners, as well as 622 water and sanitation mobile teams, at the district level. Furthermore, WHO was monitoring and testing water quality and assisting with the repair of damaged water pipes. The causes of the recent uptick included the early start to the rainy season, the lack or disrepair of sewage disposal systems, the use of untreated sewage water for irrigation and fertilization, and internal displacement. On a positive note, enhanced surveillance and better awareness had led to increased willingness to seek testing and care. There had been 166 cholera-related deaths since the beginning of 2019, amounting to a fatality rate of 0.17%.
UNDP announcement
Sarah Bel, for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that Pedro Conceição, the new Director of the Human Development Report Office would be in Geneva on the following week to consult with other agencies regarding the 2019 edition of the report, whose focus would be inequality. UNDP was embarking on a major effort to re-articulate human development around the 2030 Agenda and to inspire a new generation of analysis, measurement and decision-making with a view to revolutionizing global development. A breakfast would be organized on 3 April, where the Director would present his vision for the report and a fresh look at long-standing development concerns. The breakfast was intended for informational purposes, not for immediate coverage.
She also said that, in recognition of the role of journalists in raising awareness and mobilizing decision-makers, UNDP would be awarding eight bursaries to journalists interested in covering the topic of deforestation driven by agricultural commodities such as palm oil, soy and beef in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite extensive efforts over the past decade to slow tropical deforestation, the equivalent of 40 football fields of trees had been lost every minute in 2017. The winners would participate in the Good Growth Conference in Lima on 11-13 May and would travel to the Amazon where they would meet with commodity practitioners, local community and indigenous leaders, and government representatives. The application deadline was 8 April.
WTO announcement
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, on behalf of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said that WTO would be releasing its 2019-2020 trade growth forecast and 2018 trade statistics on 2 April, at its Headquarters in Geneva. The lockdown for journalists wanting to work on the press release would begin at 10 a.m.
At 11 a.m., in Room D, there would be a press conference by WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, WTO Chief Economist Robert Koopman, Economist Coleman Nee and Spokesman Keith Rockwell. The embargo would be lifted at noon and the press release would become available on the WTO website shortly afterwards. UN press badges would be accepted.
Announcements
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the respective chairs of the Group of governmental experts on further effective measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space and the Meeting of experts on questions relating to emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons would likely brief journalists at the end of today. If interviews could not be arranged that day, they certainly would be for 1 April.
He recalled that, at that day’s meeting of the General Assembly, ministers from around the world were expected to reaffirm their commitment to United Nations peacekeeping and to discuss concrete ways to strengthen performance and protect civilians. The Secretary-General would deliver opening remarks and present the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Lieutenant Commander Marcia Andrade Braga of Brazil. The event would be webcast.
Mr. LeBlanc, on behalf of the UN Information Service, congratulated the newly elected Committee of the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the United Nations (ACANU) made up of President Bodi Hugger of Phoenix Satellite TV; Vice-President Catherine Fiakan-Bokonga of France 24; and members Brij Khindaria of Business India, Tamer Aboalenin of Kuwait News Agency, Bayram Altug of Anadolu News Agency, Christane Oelrich of dpa, Elisaveta Izakova of Ris Novosti, Lionel Fatton of KYODO News, Tom Miles of Reuters and Wolfgang Wanner of ARD. UNIS looked forward to continuing a fruitful collaboration with the new ACANU Committee.
He also said that the Committee on Migrants Workers would open its thirtieth session on 1 April, during which it would review the reports of Albania, Guatemala, Tajikistan and Libya.
The Human Rights Committee would be closing its 125th session that afternoon and would issue its concluding observations on the implementation of the Covenant in the six States parties reviewed during that session, namely Estonia, Niger, Angola, Viet Nam, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Eritrea.
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities would be meeting in private until the end of its twenty-first session on 5 April, when it would issue its concluding observations on the reports of the nine States parties reviewed, namely Niger, Turkey, Rwanda, Spain, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Vanuatu, Norway and Cuba.
The next public plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) would be held on Tuesday 14 May, at 10 a.m., at which time it would resume its 2019 session, still under the presidency of the United States of America.
Lastly, he wished to draw attention to the Secretary-General’s messages regarding World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April and International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on 4 April. In connection with the latter event, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) would be holding a panel discussion, moderated by Peter Kolarov, UNODA, from 4.30 to 6 p.m., at the Uni Mail Building of the University of Geneva, in room MR 060. The panelists were: Hans Brattskar, Permanent Representative of Norway; Marco Sassòli, Professor of International Law at Unige and Director of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights; Christelle Loupforest, UNMAS; and Hector Guerra, ICBL-CMC.
Press conferences
Tuesday, 2 April at 2:00 p.m. in Press Room 1
WHO/UNICEF
Embargoed - 3 April 2019, 00.01 GMT, 02:01 CEST (Geneva time), 08:01 pm EDT (New York time, 2 April 2019)
WHO/UNICEF release first estimates on water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities
Speakers:
• Bruce Gordon, Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, WHO
• Tom Slaymaker, Sr. Statistics and Monitoring Specialist (WASH), Data & Analytics Section/Division of Data, Research and Policy, UNICEF
Thursday, 4 April at 12:30 p.m. in Press Room 1
OCHA
Update on the humanitarian situation in Mali
Speaker:
• Ute Kollies, Head of the OCHA Mali Office
Monday, 8 April at 9:15 a.m. in Room III
UNECE
Cities as drivers of sustainable development
On the occasion of the Day of Cities organised by UNECE (https://www.unece.org/index.php?id=50283)
Speakers:
• Olga Algayerova, UNECE Executive Secretary
• Sami Kaanan, Mayor of Geneva (Switzerland)
• Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council (UK)
• Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana (Albania)
• Bakhyt Sultanov, Mayor of Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan)
• Maia Bitadze, Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi (Georgia)
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The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog290319