REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
Rhéal LeBlanc, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), chaired the virtual briefing, attended by the spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Lebanon
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), stressed that the United Nations remained committed to helping Lebanon at this critical time, and was actively assisting in the response to this incident. Funding would be released from the Central Emergency Fund (CERF). Mr. LeBlanc informed that the UN and humanitarian partners were supporting and mobilizing assistance for the ongoing government-led emergency response efforts to the explosions that occurred earlier this week.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was coordinating the deployment of experts from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSRAG) and UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) to support first responders in Beirut. Additional emergency teams are arriving to help mount a coordinated humanitarian response.
The UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Ms. Najat Rochdi, had already released USD 9 million from the Lebanese Humanitarian Fund to address immediate needs and help strengthening the capacity of existing hospitals.
Elisabeth Byrs, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said the WFP was concerned that the explosion and the damage to the port would exacerbate an already grim food security situation, which had worsened because of the country’s profound financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. As Lebanon imported nearly 85 per cent of its food, the severe damage to the port of Beirut – the largest in the country – could limit the flow of food supplies into the country and push food prices beyond the reach of many.
WFP would be allocating 5,000 food parcels for families affected by the Beirut blast. Each food package would be enough to feed a family of five for one month with basic food items such as rice, pasta, bulgur, lentils, beans, chickpeas, tuna, vegetable oil, sugar, salt and tomato paste.
WFP was planning to import wheat flour and grains for bakeries and mills to help protect against food shortages across Lebanon, as the country works to rebuild its main port. WFP was coordinating with the UN country team in Lebanon to consolidate an emergency response and alleviate some of the burdens of the people of Beirut.
Ms. Byrs reminded that currently one million people in Lebanon were living below the poverty line. Even before the blast, the pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures had resulted in food becoming a major concern for many people due to rising prices and the devaluation of the currency.
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that even before the blast Lebanon was facing multiple crises at the same time. WHO was leading the health response together with the Ministry of Health and partners on the ground. On 5 August, the WHO had delivered Emergency Trauma and Surgical Supply kits containing essential medicines and medical supplies needed to immediately support trauma interventions at local hospitals. Those trauma and surgical supplies had been delivered to Beirut from the hub in Dubai and would cover over 1,000 trauma interventions and 1,000 surgical interventions.
More than 50 per cent of the population were vulnerable, said Mr. Lindmeier. The already weak health system and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the patients, some were damaged and some non-functional, and the capacity of 500 beds had been lost. The WHO was calling for USD 15 million to cover the immediate needs and ensure the continuity of the COVID-19 response across the country. COVID-19 remained a concern. Due to the blast, 17 containers of WHO essential medical supplies had been destroyed, with personal protective equipment (PPE) items completely burnt. Health care workers treating COVID-19 patients lacked PPE, and hospitals receiving injured patients were overwhelmed and in need of urgent medical supplies. WHO was also focusing its efforts on ensuring that all pillars of the response remained active and that there was a reliable supply of PPE and other supplies to replace the lost and damaged materials.
Marixie Mercado, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), stated that the very preliminary numbers showed that up to 100,000 children were among those whose homes had been destroyed or damaged and who had been displaced. Sixteen primary health centres had sustained some damage. UNICEF was working with the WHO to replace the medical supplies lost in the blast. According to initial reports, more than 120 public and private schools had sustained some damage; it would be critical to restore them before the start of the new school year. The previous day, a record of 255 recorded cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed, but for most people right now COVID-19 was not the priority. UNICEF’s priorities included reuniting children with their families, providing psychosocial support, supporting rehabilitation of schools, and providing cash support. UNICEF’s initial appeal was for USD 8.25 million.
Responding to a question, Mr. Lindmeier confirmed that the WHO warehouse in Beirut had been badly damaged. All unharmed supplies and equipment had been moved to other locations. Ms. Mercado said that ten containers of the PPE material, procured by the Ministry of Health, had been destroyed; UNICEF was now procuring replacements. Ms. Byrs stressed that the UN logistics system was being put in place. The levels of toxicity had gone up in the aftermath of the blast, and more study into the problem was needed now, said Mr. Lindmeier.
Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that UNHCR and other humanitarian partners in Lebanon were rushing to support the government-led response following the deadly and devastating blast in Beirut.
Given the impact of the massive explosion, UNHCR feared that the casualties and injured might also include refugees living in Beirut. Some of the areas severely affected by the powerful blast included neighborhoods that hosted refugees and there were yet unconfirmed reports of several deaths among refugees in Beirut. UNHCR was working with the rescue teams and other humanitarian workers to help with identification and support to grieving families.
Mr. Yaxley said UNHCR’s immediate humanitarian efforts were focused on three key areas – shelter, health and protection. UNHCR was calling on the international community to stand by Lebanon, show solidarity and provide timely and meaningful support to Lebanon and Lebanese people who had been generous hosts to refugees.
Full press release is available here.
Rupert Colville, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the blast in Beirut had brought into sharp focus the need for the international community to step up and help Lebanon and its people at their time of crisis. Only a swift international response and sustained engagement would prevent many more lives being lost.
Four weeks earlier, the High Commissioner had issued a stark warning that the situation in Lebanon was fast spiralling out of control, urging the Government, political parties and leaders to enact urgently needed reforms and to address essential needs such as shelter, food, electricity, health and education.
As the city and the country were rebuilding, the need to protect the rights of the poorest and most vulnerable through collective action and reform would be more important than ever.
This tragic event had to be a turning point for the country’s leaders to overcome political stalemates and address the grievances of the population first aired during the protests in October 2019. An impartial and thorough investigation into the blast was necessary.
Full briefing note is available here.
Floods in Somalia
Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that more than 150,000 Somalis had been forced to flee their homes since late June, including some 23,000 in the last week alone, due to flash and riverine flooding in the southern regions of Somalia. Rapid assessments indicated that communities in Hirshabelle and South West States were amongst the worst hit. The year had seen extreme flooding, displacing over 650,000 people across the country since the beginning of the year.
Many of the newly displaced were now living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters constructed from old clothes, plastic bags, cardboard and sticks in already dire IDP sites. Such shelter provided little protection from the harsh weather, and left families exposed to increased risk of crimes like robbery and rape. UNHCR’s assistance was reaching some of the worst affected regions across Banaadir, South West, Hirshabelle, Jubbaland, Puntland, Galmaduug. Urgent support was needed from the international community to support the relief efforts. UNHCR has so far received just 33 per cent of the USD 154.4 million needed for its humanitarian efforts in Somalia.
Full press release can be found here.
Closing of an independent trade union in Jordan
Rupert Colville, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the OHCHR was deeply concerned by the decision of Jordanian authorities to close an independent trade union, suspend its board for two years, and replace its leaders with a Government-appointed committee to run the union’s affairs in the interim. Those measures represented a severe restriction on the right to freedom of association and undue interference in the work of the Jordan’s Teachers Syndicate as an independent labour union. The arrest of the Syndicate’s 13 board members on criminal charges, after they had criticised Government policies and outlined plans for a possible further strike over pay, was deeply disturbing. There were also worrying reports that security forces had used unnecessary or excessive force against hundreds of demonstrators who had gathered outside the Prime Minister’s office on 29 July to protest against the arrest and suspension of the Syndicate’s leaders.
OHCHR called on the Jordanian authorities to promptly review their decisions regarding the Syndicate and to immediately review and decide on legal applications calling for the arrested union leaders and other detained teachers to be released.
Full briefing note is available here.
COVID-19
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), responding to questions, said that 165 vaccines were being developed at the moment; 26 of them were considered to be in an advanced stage.
Geneva announcements
Rosalind Yarde, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), informed that on 11 August, the ILO would be launching a report on the impact of COVID-19 on youth. The study analyzed how learning had been affected by the transition from classroom to online and distance learning and how this might affect their future careers and job prospects. The study was a follow up to the findings highlighted in the Fourth ILO Monitor report, which showed that 1 in 6 young people were out of work due to COVID-19. A virtual press briefing would be held at 2 p.m. on 11 August. An embargoed report and a press release would be shared with the media shortly; the embargo would be lifted on 11 August at 8 p.m. Geneva time.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the UN Information Service, said that the one hundred and first (virtual) session of the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) was closing today.
Mr. LeBlanc also said that 9 August was the Day of the Indigenous Peoples, and this year the focus was on COVID-19 and indigenous people’s resilience. A special virtual commemoration would take place on 10 August, from 9 to 11 a.m. New York time; it could be followed on UN Web TV.
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