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 World Health Organisation, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Food Programme, World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

The topics addressed were the need for antibiotics to contain drug- resistant infections; new coronavirus infections in Asia; continued killings and displacement in Idlib, Syria; 2020 funding appeal by OHCHR; severe food insecurity in Haiti; and the first press conference by the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement.

WHO highlights the need for new antibiotics to contain drug-resistant infections

Tarik Jašareviæ, for the World Health Organisation (WHO), said that in its two new reports, WHO denounced the declining private investment and lack of innovation in the development of new antibiotics, which were undermining efforts to combat drug-resistant infections.

Peter Beyer, Senior Advisor on Antimicrobial Resistance at the World Health Organisation, stressed that antimicrobial resistance, whereby bacteria were getting increasingly resistant to antibiotics, was one of the most important health threats. In the United States, 2.8 million infections with drug-resistant bacteria occurred every year, mostly in hospitals, which would cause death of estimated 35,000 people. In Europe, it caused a disease burden that was higher than influenza, HIV and tuberculosis combined and killed 33,000 people every year. Clearly, Dr Beyer said, this was a very serious problem. Most at risk were immuno-compromised people such as those undergoing chemotherapy, elderly, surgery patients and new-borns – it was estimated more than 200,000 babies died every year of drug-resistant infections.

The resistance was spreading and the world was running out of antibiotics to treat bacteria that Dr Beyer noted with concern, especially as the drugs in the pipeline were insufficient to counter the current threat. One of the reasons was that, scientifically, it was difficult to come up with a truly innovative new antibiotic and the developments in the pipeline did not seem to offer a particular value-added. Secondly, due to risks, costs and rewards, there were very little incentives for pharmaceutical industry to invest in the development of new drugs: “Antibiotics are not like cancer, where you could make one, two maybe even ten billion with a new treatment”, noted Dr Beyer.

That was why, WHO had created the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative two years ago and a foundation that was investing in the development of new antibiotics, in particular those that were merely needed. Over $60 million had been raised for the foundation and Japan was the latest donor that had joined.

Answering questions from journalists, Dr Beyer stressed that one of the most cost-effective measures to fight bacteria was better infection prevention and control in hospitals. WHO was working with Governments to translate their political will to address drug-resistant infections and invest more in the development of new antibiotics. Although expensive, this was an investment that the pharmaceutical industry could make, especially since antibiotics were necessary to enable the administration of other therapies, such as chemotherapy. People, especially in developed countries, were more aware of the challenge and danger of antimicrobial resistance; in developing countries, the level of awareness was different, but as it was difficult for people to visit a doctor every time they needed a treatment, one had to be realistic and accept they were often taking medications on their own without paying attention to resistance.

Japan confirms new coronavirus infections

Responding to questions, Tarik Jašareviæ, for the World Health Organisation (WHO), said that Japan had confirmed its first case of coronavirus infection. There was still lot to learn about this virus and how it infected humans, he said. While there was no evidence of sustained human-to-human infection, this could not be ruled out, so WHO was urging vigilance in countries, although it had not advised travel restrictions.

OHCHR condemns the continued killing and displacement of civilians in north-western Syria

Jeremy Laurence, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today had condemned the continued killing and displacement of civilians in north-western Syria despite the announcement of a ceasefire nearly a week ago. She had called for the immediate cessation of hostilities in and around the ‘de-escalation’ zone of Idlib, and the protection of all civilians and civilian infrastructure. Despite the implementation of the ceasefire on 12 January and the establishment of “safe corridors” by the Government of Syria, civilians continued to be subjected to intensified bombardment as both pro-Government forces and non-State armed groups continued to fight and press military advantages on the ground, with an apparent disregard for international humanitarian law and the protection of all civilians, Mr. Laurence said.

The United Nations Secretary-General had reiterated the importance of the safe, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all people in need in the area, said Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva.

Press release can be accessed here.

In response to journalists’ questions, Mr. Laurence acknowledged that both sides - the non-State armed groups and the Allied Syrian Forces - were responsible for the ground attacks, while the air attacks were carried out by the Syrian Government and its allies. OHCHR was concerned about the ceasefire agreement, Mr. Laurence said, noting that its terms were seemingly vague and were not well known. The fact on the ground was that the fighting and the attacks continued and that people from both sides of the divide were being killed.

OHCHR seeks additional $375 million for its work, including for the five key frontier areas

Jeremy Laurence, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the 2020 funding appeal, presented this week, requested $375.5 million in extra budgetary contributions, in addition to regular budget funds. The funding would be used, inter alia, to strengthen the efforts in five key frontier areas that were having an increasing impact on fundamental human rights: climate change, digital technologies, inequalities, corruption and people on the move.

Answering questions, Mr. Laurence said that the extra budgetary contributions requested in 2019 amounted to $321.5 million of which $172.1 million had been received. This year, the funding would be used to support – among others – the establishment of a new office in Sudan, strengthening of programmes in Ethiopia, expanding the activities in the Sahel through the office in Niger, reinforcing technical cooperation and protection work in Venezuela, and enabling a more sustained presence to support national dialogue in Bolivia.

Further information on the appeal and the five key frontier areas is available here.

WFP scales up operations in Haiti, where one million people severely famished

Elisabeth Byrs, for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), said that ten years after the earthquake, the WFP remained concerned about the food security in Haiti, where 3.75 million people were severely food insecure. The Haitians were affected by the rising prices, drop in agricultural production and social unrest which was heavily disrupting economic activities in the country. One in three Haitians needed urgent food assistance in both rural and urban areas, of which one million suffered from severe hunger.

WFP was scaling up its activities to provide life-saving food assistance to 700,000 people. It was appealing for $57 million to provide assistance and continue with the operations for the next six months, said Ms. Byrs, noting that only $5 million had been received against the December 2019 appeal for $62 million.

Responding to questions, Ms. Byrs said that more than one million Haitians – 80 per cent of those were women and children - badly needed emergency food assistance in the next six months. WFP hoped to continue the school feeding programme which provided a daily meal to more than 300,000 children.

More on the situation in Haiti and the WFP country programme here.

United Nations Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Internal Displacement

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, announced on 23 October 2019, aimed to find concrete long-term solutions to and raise global awareness of global displacement among United Nations Member States to improve their efforts to help all those affected.

The Panel’s first press conference would be held on 21 January at 2 p.m. in Press Room 1. Briefing the press would be the two co-chairs, Federica Mogherini, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Donald Kaberuka, Chair of the Board of the Global Fund.

Announcements

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), noted that trade tensions had highlighted the importance of fair trade considerations and how
benefits of global value chains are shared. Against this background, the lunchtime event Value chains: how to share benefits more equitably, would be held on Wednesday, 22 January 2020, from 1 to 2.30 p.m. in Room VIII, Palais des Nations. The Fair Trade Advocacy Office, the event co-organizer, would present its report “New business models to put people and planet first”.

Fernando Puchol, for the World Trade Organization (WTO), shared the information about the regular agenda and programme of activities of Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, who will be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos the following week.

At the requested of the journalist, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the following heads of United Nations agencies would participate, among others, in the World Economic Forum in Davos the following week: Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, United Nations Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Olga Algayerova, United Nations Children Fund Executive Director Henrietta Ford, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Executive Director Nikhil Seth. Also participating would be the Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva Tatiana Valovaya and the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. Other heads of agencies and programmes could also be there. Journalists could contact the press office of each entity for more information.

The annual briefing with Geneva-based United Nations agencies on their priorities for the year would take place on 5 February at 2 p.m. in Room III, she concluded.

The list of upcoming meetings and press conferences at UN Geneva can be found here.