REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Corinne Momal-Vanian, the Director of the UN Information Service, chaired the briefing, which was also attended by Spokespersons for and Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, the Human Rights Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Children’s Fund, the World Trade Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the International Organization for Migration and the Joint Services of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

World Food Day - 16 October 2011

Abdessalam Ould Ahmed of the Food and Agriculture Organization said that World Food Day had been decided by the UN General Assembly to mark solidarity with all those who suffered from hunger and to commemorate the creation of FAO on 16 October 1945. The theme of this year’s World Food Day was “Food Prices: From Crisis to Stability”. Hundreds of millions of people around the world remained vulnerable to high food prices and many countries had enormous difficulties in coping with the crisis.

The “State of Food Insecurity Report”, released by FAO earlier this week, had several messages in that sense. It said, notably, that high food prices were here to stay; the current food price increase was not just a passing event, there were structural forces driving this phenomenon. Among these structural factors were increased population growth, limited investments in the agricultural sector, and the changing pattern of consumption. The pace at which demand for food was increasing was now higher than the pace at which food could be supplied.

The major question currently being debated and to stay for years to come was therefore: Is the world able to continue to feed the increasing population amidst the impact of climate change and the decreasing rate of agricultural yields in developed countries? The world had to devise an integrated solution that protected poor countries and helped vulnerable countries pay their bill, while, at the same time, addressing the structural challenge of population growth, increased supply and climate change.

Gaelle Sévenier of the World Food Programme said that WFP was impacted by the hike in prices while the number of people in need of food was also on the rise. A 10 per cent increase in food prices meant $ 200 million additional costs for WFP by year if the organization was to purchase the same amount of food every year.
This would be a source of serious budgetary problems if prices continued to increase and WFP would be compelled to envisage reducing rations.

Responding to a question, Dr. Zita Weise Prinzo of the World Health Organization explained that, in terms of under-nutrition, one needed to differentiate between severe-acute and moderate-acute malnutrition. While guidelines for severe-acute malnutrition existed, WHO was working on guidelines for treating moderately malnourished children. This issue had first been discussed in 2008 and the guidelines development process had started in June 2010 on the basis of an evidence-based process.

Global Handwashing Day

Marixie Mercado of the UN Children’s Fund underlined the importance of washing one’s hands with soap, particularly after using the toilet and before cooking. Yet that simple act that many took for granted here could make a world of difference for children in countries where handwashing with soap was not the norm. Soap was available in developing countries - the problem was that while it was used for laundry or bathing, it was rarely used in handwashing.

UNICEF estimated that diarrhoea killed 1.1 million children a year, and that pneumonia-related illnesses took another 1.2 million child lives. The simple act of handwashing with soap could reduce the incidence of diarrhoea among children by half, and respiratory infections by as much as a quarter. This was why tomorrow, the fourth global handwashing day, events were organised across the globe, involving teachers, parents, celebrities, leaders, to push the simple message – that handwashing with soap saved child lives. This year, the handwashing partnership was hoping to break last year’s record, which saw over 200 million people and 700,000 schools in over 70 countries celebrated the day.

South East Asia Floods

Elisabeth Byrs of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that more than 8 million people were affected by flooding and typhoons in Thailand, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Lao PDR and the Philippines. Heavy seasonal rains and powerful storms continued to cause rising water levels in the Mekong River. This is also exacerbated by four back to back typhoons that hit the region. So far, Thailand and Cambodia had been worst affected and the situation would worsen over the coming days as more rains, high tides and run-off from the north were predicted over the weekend.

In Thailand, 2.4 million people in 26 provinces remained affected by the floods, and 12 provinces were on high alert for heavy rain and overflowing rivers. This included the capital Bangkok, where the water level at the Chao Phraya river bank had increased to 2.1 metres from 1.9 metres, with the height of the river bank being at 2.5 metres. One million people were also being affected in Cambodia, 250,000 in Viet Nam, 490,000 in Lao PDR, and 4 million in the Philippines, which had been affected by three typhoons in a row.

Central America Floods

Ms. Byrs said that five Central American countries were facing floods (tropical depression 12), with an estimated 50,000 people affected. In Mexico, Hurricane Jova and rainfall in the State of Tabasco had affected an additional 50,000 persons. With 43,478 affected people, 1,700 families who had lost their homes and rains forecast to continue for the next 2-3 days, Guatemala was worst hit, but El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica were also affected.

Pakistan Floods

Ms. Sévenier said that WFP continued its food assistance to the most affected areas in Pakistan and had food rations to 1.2 million people in eight districts of Sindh Province since the beginning of food distributions. WFP was currently working with 19 NGOs and would soon be joining forces with three additional ones. About 136,000 children between the ages of 6 and 13 months had so received special locally produced high-energy food goods. WFP had received emergency aid worth $ 27 million to respond to this year’s floods, allowing the organization to pursue its operations until November, but more funds were needed to continue to assist the most vulnerable people.

Horn of Africa

Ms. Mercado said that, with the rainy season underway, UNICEF, WHO and partners were working as quickly as possible to protect over 2.5 million people from a potential malaria outbreak, thanks to funding from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the UK Department for International Development. Over the next few weeks, over 280,000 long-lasting insecticide treated nets would be distributed to households in drought-affected regions of Hiran, Lower and Middle Shabelles, and Lower and Middle Jubas in south-central Somalia. This was in addition to 79,000 nets distributed since July.

In the overcrowded settlements of Mogadishu, where the nets were not practical, a first round of indoor spraying would target 45,000 households over the next month, with a second round planned for March and April. Partners were also raising awareness of how malaria was transmitted, how to prevent it, and where to seek help if infected. Health facilities were to be equipped to diagnose and treat cases, including 560,000 doses of Artemisinin-based combination therapies, and a million diagnostic tests. More than 950,000 nets had been distributed in Somalia through funding from the Global Fund since 2002. It was worth highlighting that the number of malaria cases in Somalia had dropped by more than half, from 1.73 million cases in 2005, to 740,000 cases in 2009.

Jumbe Omari Jumbe of the International Organization for Migration said that IOM was continuing to provide livelihood support to a targeted 40,000 pastoralists - mostly women - in North Eastern Kenya. The programme had started two weeks ago with the buying and slaughtering of 20 goats and sheep a day and providing the meat to the community. Now, IOM had started another phase; training pastoralists on pasture and storage, as well as on the importance of feed supplements and conservation. Such training had been conducted at various sites, including the Dadaab refugee complex and in Liboi, so far reaching 118 pastoralists. Upon completing the training, IOM would distribute animal feeds to the participants, along with food supplements.

Together with Kenya's Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, IOM was also continuing with the immunization of Somalis arriving at the Liboi entry point. The campaign, which started on 6 October, was part of IOM's pre-departure health assessment. Immunization was very important given the polio and measles outbreaks in various locations in North-Eastern Kenya. Until yesterday, 2,063 people had been immunized.

IOM had also completed the first phase of constructing Ifo II, erecting over 7,000 tents in a record time, and three days ahead of schedule.

WFP To Run Out of Food For Congolese Refugees in November

Ms. Sévenier said that around 120,000 Congolese refugees (from the Democratic Republic of Congo) in the north of the Republic of Congo would go without food from November if no new funding was found. In the last six months of WFP’s operation, only 15 per cent of the funds needed had been received and WFP’s stock would run out by November.

Following a joint assessment mission in October 2010 by WFP and UNHCR, WFP had began providing refugees with three-quarters rations to build their resilience as they prepared to return home. WFP had been providing food assistance to about 120,000 refugees from DRC in the Likouala region of the Republic of Congo, in the districts of Betou, Enyelle, Dongou, Impfondo and Liranga.

US$33 million was needed to provide food assistance to DRC refugees in northern Republic of Congo over a two-year period. WFP was appealing for US$6 million to feed the refugees until the end of 2011.

Pillay urges united international action to protect Syrians

Rupert Colville of the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, was today urging united international action to protect Syrians. Ms. Pillay was expressing deep dismay at the worsening human rights situation in Syria, including the “remorseless toll of human lives,” and urged the international community to take immediate measures to protect the Syrian people. In August, she drew attention to credible allegations of crimes against humanity in Syria and encouraged the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

Since the start of the uprising in Syria, the Government has consistently used excessive force to crush peaceful protests. Sniping from rooftops, and indiscriminate use of force against peaceful protestors – including the use of live ammunition and the shelling of residential neighbourhoods – had become routine occurrences in many Syrian cities. The result had been a devastatingly remorseless toll of human lives. The number of people killed since the violence started in March had now exceeded 3,000, including at least 187 children. More than 100 people had been reported killed in the last 10 days alone. In addition, thousands more had been injured, arrested, detained, forcibly disappeared and tortured. Family members inside and outside the country had been targeted for harassment, intimidation, threats and beatings. As more members of the military refuse to attack civilians and change sides, the crisis was already showing worrying signs of descending into an armed struggle.

“The Government of Syria has manifestly failed to protect its population. Furthermore, it has ignored the international community’s calls to cooperate with international investigations,” the UN human rights chief said. In her statement, the High Commissioner noted that “The onus is on all members of the international community to take protective action in a collective and decisive manner, before the continual ruthless repression and killings drive the country into a full-blown civil war.” At stake were the universal rights to life, liberty and security of person which must never be brushed aside in the interests of realpolitik. The international community must speak with one voice and act to protect the Syrian people.

UN Experts Target Toxic Flame Retardant HBCD for Control Under Global Chemicals Treaty

Michael Stanley-Jones of the Joint Services of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions said that the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee, a scientific body to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), took actions this week to help eliminate POPs from the global marketplace and protect human health and the environment. The committee was in the process today of adopting more than a dozen separate decisions, including one recommending that the chemical hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) be listed under the Convention.

HBCD was a flame retardant used mainly in polystyrene. It was also used in textile coatings and in high impact polystyrene for electrical and electronic equipment. Upon the recommendation of the committee, HBCD would now be considered for listing under Annexes A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention at the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention in 2013. Annex A chemicals were set for elimination, Annex B chemicals were subject to restriction, and Annex C required action to prevent the unintentional production of certain chemicals.

Jim Willis, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, said that: “With this week’s decisions, the POPs Review Committee has again cleared the high bar set by Governments for rigorous scientific review of chemicals proposed for action and advanced the global agenda of eliminating the world’s most dangerous toxic chemicals.”

Meeting for the seventh time, the committee of 31 scientific experts had initiated risk profiles of two industrial chemicals newly proposed for elimination under the global treaty. The committee had found evidence that chlorinated naphthalenes and hexachlorobutadiene were persistent organic pollutants, bio-accumulated in organisms (increases in concentration up the food chain), were transported over long distances from their sources, and were toxic to the environment and human health.

Chlorinated naphthalenes (CNs) had been used for decades for wood preservation as additive to paints and engine oils, and for cable insulation and in capacitors. Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) had been a widely used fumigant used to control pests and as an industrial solvent.

The committee also agreed to prepare guidance on alternatives to the POPs pesticide endosulfan, expanding its work into a new area recently mandated by the Parties to the Convention. Endosulfan, which was commonly used to control agricultural pests, had been added to the Convention’s list of twenty-two POPs at the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in April 2011. The committee also agreed to evaluate the POPs characteristics of the chemical alternatives to DDT. DDT was widely used in tropical and sub-tropical countries to control mosquitoes which served as a vector for the deadly malaria parasites.

The committee had examined implications of the 2011 study “Climate Change and POPs: Predicting the Impacts”. It had agreed to develop guidance on evaluating how global warming processes affect the fate, transport and toxicity of POPs.

WTO Agenda

Ankai Xu of the World Trade Organization said that the Market Access (industrial products) Negotiating Group would start an informal meeting on Monday, 17 October at 10 a.m. The Government Procurement Committee would also hold informal meetings next week, on Monday and Tuesday 17 and 18 October, and on Tuesday afternoon the Committee Chairman would also give a briefing on the progress of negotiations (time and place to be announced). On Wednesday, 19 October there would be a Trade Policy Review on Zimbabwe and the Director-General’s Expert Group on Trade Finance would meet in the morning. The day after, on Thursday, there would be a Dedicated Discussion on E-Commerce. On Friday, the Trade Negotiations Committee would hold an informal meeting in the afternoon and there would be a briefing (time and place to be announced).

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy would meet with Sichuan Provincial government officials in Chengdu, China, on Monday 17 October. The next day, Mr. Lamy would participate in the opening of the Exhibition of the Western China International Fair, as well as receiving a Honorary PhD Degree at Sichuan University and participating in a Seminar on "Made in the World and its Trade Implications". Back in Geneva, Mr. Lamy would participate in the Experts Group meeting on Trade Finance (Wednesday 19 October) and chair the informal meeting of Trade Negotiation Committee (Friday 21 October).

Human Rights Council UPR

Cédric Sapey of the Human Rights Council said that the Working Group would start adopting the outcome reports on Lithuania, Uganda, Timor-Leste and Moldova this afternoon at 3 p.m. The outcome report on Haiti would be adopted around noon on Monday.

Press Conferences

Ms. Momal-Vanian said that the Chief of the Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch and the Chief of the Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch of the OHCHR would give a background briefing on the human rights mission to Libya this afternoon at 1.30 p.m. in Press Room I.

Ms. Sévenier said that WFP’s Regional Director and the head of UNICEF Yemen would give a press conference on food security and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, including the situation of children, on Monday, 24 October at 1.30 p.m.

Other

Ms. Momal-Vanian said that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was today examining the report of Côte d’Ivoire, the last country on the programme for this session. The next public meeting would be held next Friday, when the Committee would conclude its session in the afternoon.

The Human Rights Committee would on Monday open a three-week session, during which it would examine the reports of Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait and Norway. The Information Service had issued a background release yesterday.

Ms. Momal-Vanian said that the Information Service and the NGO ATD Quart Monde were jointly organizing an event on Monday 17, October to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The programme of the event was at the back of the room.

Mr. Sapey, for whom this was the last briefing as Human Rights Council spokesperson, introduced his successor, Rolando Gomez.

Abdessalam Ould Ahmed said that a joint FAO-WFP exhibition starting on Monday, 17 October would illustrate how these two UN agencies were working together in emergency situations to help those hit by the food crisis. FAO also sponsored a round-table discussion on “The challenges for food security”, to be held at the University of Geneva on Tuesday 18 October, preceded by the screening of the documentary film “Last Supper for Malthus” in the presence of the film-maker.