REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE
Ahmad Fawzi, Director, a.i., United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing attended by spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the International Labour Organization and the World Food Programme.
Geneva activities
Committees
The Conference on Disarmament had opened in the past week, under the presidency of Ambassador Tehmina Janjua of Pakistan, the second part of its 2016 session, which would take place until 1 July (then, the third and last part of the session would take place from 2 August to 16 September). The Conference would hold its next public plenary on 24 May, at 10 a.m.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child would end this morning its review (begun on 19 May in the afternoon) of the report of Nepal under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and would review in the afternoon the report also submitted by Nepal under the Optional Protocol (to the Convention) on the involvement of children in Armed Conflict. In the following two weeks, the Committee would review the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Pakistan, Gabon and Bulgaria.
Press conferences and other announcements
Fadela Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO), announced a press conference on 20 May at 2 p.m. in Room III on the WHO update on Zika virus in Cabo Verde. The speakers would be Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, and Dr Bruce Aylward, Executive Director a.i., Outbreaks and Health Emergencies, WHO.
She also gave details on the opening of the 69th World Health Assembly on 23 May. Key activities on the first day would include the opening in the Assembly Hall at 9.30 a.m., a speech from the current Assembly President as well as the election of a new WHA President, who would be from the Eastern Mediterranean region as there was a geographic rotation. The best guide to all the activities was the Journal, and the new issue would be ready on the web by 22 May in the afternoon.
After the election of the new Chair, Dr Margaret Chan would speak at 2.30 p.m. The WHA would be entirely webcast except for technical briefings in Room XII. Ms. Chaib reminded the press that the WHA consisted of several pillars: the discussions at the plenary, the discussions in the Committees, the technical briefings at lunch-time, and the side events, usually organized by Member States and NGOs. There would be about 10 side events this year, open to media. More details were available in the Journal: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA69/A69_JourP-en.pdf?ua=1
On 24 May, Christiana Figueres would speak on the effects of climate change at noon in the plenary. The list of participants would be posted late on 22 May as delegations were still registering.
Mr. Fawzi announced a UNITAID press conference on 23 May at 11:30 a.m. in Press Room 1 on the organization’s launch of a call for proposals on latent tuberculosis. The speakers would be Mr Benoit Vallet, Director General of the Directorate General of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and Mr Ok Park, Director, Division of HIV/AIDS and TB Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea.
He also announced a press conference of the African Union and the Permanent Mission of Ethiopia on 24 May at 9.30 a.m. in Room III, on the topic of Dr. Tedros Adhanom’s candidacy for WHO Director-General, as “Africa’s Candidate”. The speakers would be Dr. Kesetebirhan Admasu, Ethiopian Minister of Health, Dr. Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma, African Union Commission Chairperson and former South African Minister of Health, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Home Affairs, and Mr. Abdelmalek Boudiaf, Algerian Minister of Health.
Mr. Fawzi also announced a book launch on 24 May on “Rethinking Development Strategies after the Financial Crisis” at 12:30 p.m. in the UNOG Library (Events Room, B135).
Jessica Hermosa, for the World Trade Organization (WTO) presented the WTO agenda for the following week. The EU-Argentina dispute on biodiesel imports was on the agenda for 23 May. There would be a press briefing on 23 May after the meeting. The dispute questioned a central article of EU anti-dumping regulations. Indonesia had filed a similar case against the EU also related to biodiesel imports. On 25 May there would be updates on rules negotiations and on aid for trade. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo had been in Peru and Colombia this week. He would meet in Geneva with the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General, on 23 May. On 26 and 27 May he would be visiting Kazakhstan.
Hans von Rohland, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), gave a summary of the main agenda points of the International Labour Conference from 30 May to 10 June, structured along two main dimensions: the fight against poverty and the promotion of decent work. The topic on the fight against poverty followed up on the World Economic and Social Outlook report that had been launched in Geneva on 18 May. It was also one of the key themes for ILO’s centenary in 2019, and one of the ways in which ILO was supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder would also present a report on eradicating poverty during the conference. The role of youth in eradicating poverty was fundamental, which is why there would be a focus on youth employment during the World of Work Summit on 9 June. The participation of Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, was confirmed.
The second main dimension of the conference was focused on decent work, and there would be a general discussion on decent work in global supply chains, with concrete examples of measures which had been taken. There would also be discussion on how decent work could be placed at the service of peace, security and resilience in the face of disaster. A recommendation on the topic dating from 1940 would be updated. The ILO’s Maritime Convention from 2006 would also be amended based on concrete cases.
A report on the situation of workers in the Occupied Territories would also be issued, and a press release would be shared on 25 May.
Mr. von Rohland also said that the President of the Swiss Confederation, Johann Schneider-Amman, would be present on 30 May at 12.30 p.m. for the opening of the International Labour Conference.
In response to a question, Mr. von Rohland said that North Korea was not an ILO Member State so the issue of its workers would not be addressed directly, unless the topic was North Korean workers in another country.
Syria
In response to a question, Bettina Luescher, for the World Food Programme (WFP) said that WFP together with the ISSG was working on a plan of action regarding airdrops. WFP had been calling for an end to the sieges and would work with all sides to get aid to the people who needed it. She said that WFP had done 35 airdrops over the past few weeks, which had delivered 578 metric tonnes of food for about 100,000 people in Deir ez-Zor. In the case of convoys reaching their targets by land, in other locations, one or two convoys could bring enough food to feed people for months. That is why going in with several trucks was easier and more efficient, and airdrops and air bridges were a last resort.
Mexico
Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that OHCHR was deeply concerned that almost two years after the commission of serious human rights violations in Tlatlaya in Mexico State, including the alleged summary execution of at least 12 people, the case remained mired in impunity and victims continued to be denied their rights to justice and the truth. According to the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico, 22 people had been killed, of whom at least 12 may have been summarily executed, at a warehouse in Tlatlaya in June 2014. Seven military personnel had been arrested in connection with the case, but in October 2015, a judge had dropped charges against four of them and in the past week, a court had freed the other three, deciding that there was insufficient evidence against them.
During his visit to Mexico in October 2015, High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein had said the Tlatlaya case would be closely watched as a test of the authorities’ commitment to fighting impunity, after an amended Military Code had placed the military under the jurisdiction of civilian courts for crimes committed against civilians.
OHCHR fully respected the independence of the judiciary and took note of the statement by the Attorney-General’s office that it would continue to provide supporting evidence to “prevent the crimes committed […] in Tlatlaya […] from remaining in impunity”. OHCHR called on the Mexican authorities to ensure a thorough, effective, impartial, independent and prompt investigation into this emblematic case. OHCHR also urged the prosecution and judicial authorities to comply with the highest human rights norms and standards in its investigations and the conduct of trials. More details and recommendations were available in the briefing note.
In response to questions, Ms. Shamdasani said that through its office in Mexico, which had been there for many years, OHCHR was talking to the authorities and working with victims to support and assist them by linking them with NGOs and helping provide access to legal assistance. There had been progress as the National Human Rights Commission had conducted an investigation and had recognized the victims as such. However, there needed to be justice and formal charges in the case. She also said that this case as well as the one of the disappearance of 43 Mexican students were two emblematic cases which had been raised by the High Commissioner during his visit in October 2015 as “test cases” which would be closely watched as a test of the authorities’ determination to fight impunity. OHCHR urged the authorities to accept the help of the international community in the investigation into the disappearance of the students.
In response to another question, Ms. Shamdasani said that OHCHR’s office in Mexico had been working with the authorities in order to advise them on strengthening institutions and carrying out law enforcement in compliance with human rights law.
Iran
Ms. Shamdasani said that OHCHR was appalled by the sentencing of a prominent Iranian anti-death penalty campaigner, Nargis Mohammadi, to 16 years’ imprisonment in charges that stemmed from her courageous human rights work. Ms. Mohammadi was already in Evin Prison in Tehran, serving out a prison sentence for breaching the country’s sweeping national security laws. The human rights defender was believed to have serious medical conditions and had reportedly not been granted adequate access to the specialised medical care she needed.
The UN Human Rights Office and other human rights mechanisms had long urged the Iranian authorities to release Ms. Mohammadi, but to no avail. Her sentencing was illustrative of an increasingly low tolerance for human rights advocacy in Iran. OHCHR urged the Iranian authorities to ensure the immediate release of Ms. Mohammadi and all those detained for merely exercising their human rights.
Ecuador
William Spindler, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that one month after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that had claimed the lives of over 650 people in north-western Ecuador, humanitarian needs in the country remained acute. People were struggling to rebuild their lives and there were continuing aftershocks, most recently on 18 May. According to official figures, some 73,000 people had been displaced as a result of the earthquake and were now living in organized shelters and camps, with host families, or in spontaneous sites.
Over the past month UNHCR had chartered two airlifts to provide immediate assistance to the most affected communities. In addition to delivering this material relief, UNHCR was leading the protection response, and working closely with local authorities to coordinate activities relating to child protection and fighting sexual and gender-based violence. UNHCR was also supporting the Government’s efforts to reissue documents to those who had lost their identification, asylum and refugee documents, as well as property and land titles. Some 17,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly from Colombia, had been living in the areas most affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks. The disaster had increased their vulnerability and had added challenges to their local integration process in a context of limited socioeconomic opportunities.
Limited financial support was significantly hindering the humanitarian operations underway in Ecuador, and UNHCR called on donors to urgently fund the Flash Appeal of US$73 million which had been launched on 20 April to respond to the life-saving, protection and self-reliance needs of 350,000 people. The appeal was currently funded at only 15 per cent. More details were available in the briefing note.
Climate
Claire Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that in the week of 16 May there had been a certain number of alarming reports on the state of the climate. Another global temperature record had been set in April both on land and the ocean. It was the twelfth consecutive month during which temperature records had been broken. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had said that the combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for April 2016 had been 1.10°C above the 20th century average of 13.7°C, which was a very significant margin. NOAA’s findings had confirmed findings based on separate datasets from both NASA and the Japan Meteorological Association. The 2015 heat had hit the headlines at the time, but the 2016 climate situation was much worse. El Niño had been a major contributing factor but was now fading fast, and could be replaced by La Niña, which had a cooling influence. Still, the main factor responsible for the situation was global warming caused by human emissions.
There was currently great momentum at the talks in Bonn on the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, and WMO insisted that rapid implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement was urgent and measures had to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A significant milestone in terms of CO2 concentrations over the southern hemisphere had been reached. For the first time ever, carbon dioxide concentrations in the southern hemisphere had joined those in the northern hemisphere and passed the 400 parts per million level. In the northern hemisphere, the atmospheric concentrations varied seasonally but in the southern hemisphere, they were fairly stable. Also according to data from NOAA, the lowest snow cover extent in the northern hemisphere had been seen in the winter, which contributed to wildfires, for example in Canada.
In response to questions, Ms. Nullis said that the northern hemisphere was a source of carbon dioxide emissions and the southern hemisphere was an area of carbon “sinks” such a oceans, which is why the fact that the southern hemisphere had “caught up” was significant. She also said that El Niño was fading rapidly and odds were increasing of La Niña developing later on in 2016. Still, impacts of El Niño would continue, for example in southern Africa which was badly affected by drought. Other impacts included unprecedented coral bleaching by the sheer heat of the oceans, and the impact of that on fisheries and tourism would last for a very long time.
In response to another question, Ms. Nullis said that in India, which was experiencing a drought and a heat wave, the national temperature record had been broken on 19 May with 51°C degrees reached in Rajastan. The Indian meteorological department and the wider regional forum, the South East Asia Monsoon Outlook Forum had issued an outlook for the coming monsoon that was expected to be above normal, which was good news for the drought. Regarding La Niña, Ms. Nullis clarified that its arrival was not yet certain but increasingly likely. La Niña had the opposite effect from El Niño, so areas of drought could face flooding. This was the case in Ethiopia, where after the drought, there was no vegetation to absorb the flooding. WMO did not yet know how strong La Niña would be nor its impact. El Niño didn’t always cause droughts but also heavy rainfalls in parts of South America for example Argentina and Paraguay. If La Niña kicked in, those countries would see the opposite. El Niño and La Niña affected different parts of the world in different ways.
The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog200516