REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Rhéal LeBlanc, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing attended by the representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and the International Telecommunications Union.

High-Level Pledging Conference on Yemen

Mr. LeBlanc reminded that the UN Secretary-General was in Geneva to preside over the High-Level Pledging Conference on Yemen taking place at the Palais des Nations today. A number of high-level personalities, including 24 Ministers, were going to take part. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen would also be present as an observer. Yemen was the largest humanitarian emergency in the world at the moment, stressed Mr. LeBlanc.

Fadela Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said the WHO would be represented at the Conference by Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director-General. She said the conflict had placed much strain on the country's health system at a time when it was needed the most. The WHO was leading a reprioritization of the response of more than 66 operational partner organizations, she added, aiming to sustain the remnants of the nation's health system and ensure access to life-saving health services for the country's most vulnerable. Health partners required US$ 322 million for response activities in Yemen in 2017, of which WHO was requesting US$ 126 million. Also present at the Conference would be Dr. Peter Salama, Executive Director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, and Dr Nevio Zagaria, the WHO representative for Yemen. The latter two would be available for interviews. A fact sheet on the health situation in Yemen was available for journalists, while a possibility of a more formal press briefing would be looked into, if there was sufficient interest.

Mr. LeBlanc informed that at 5:15 p.m. today, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, along with the Foreign Ministers of Switzerland and Sweden, the Co-Chairs at the conference, would hold a press stakeout in front of Room XX.

Malaria Day

Ms. Chaib informed that today was the World Malaria Day. Malaria remained an important health issue for the WHO.

Dr. David Schellenberg, also for the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasized that malaria prevention worked, but tremendous gaps remained in coverage, and the WHO was drawing attention to those gaps. The best estimates of malaria deaths in 2000 were around one million people per year; that number had been reduced dramatically and steadily over recent years. The reduction had been achieved by the increased use of insecticide nets. A dramatic, five-fold increase in the use of preventive measures in pregnancy had also been noted, but still, only 31 percent of pregnant women were getting the treatment they needed. Over 400,000 deaths from malaria occurred every year, said Mr. Schellenberg.

Current levels of investments in malaria were around 2.9 billion USD per year, which stood at about 40 percent of what would ideally be needed. WHO needed to remain one step ahead of the disease and bear in mind development of resistance to insecticides. A new vaccine would be tested in three African countries from next year - Malawi, Kenya and Ghana. The vaccine had been developed over the past 30 years, with the involvement of GAVI, UNITAID and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Responding to a question, Mr. Schellenberg said the vaccine reduced malaria by about 39 percent. In typical African settings, the vaccine reduced malaria by 31 percent. Thus, it could be said the vaccine was moderately efficacious, which was still a great public health opportunity given the wide presence of the disease.

Dr. Schellenberg added that approximately 90 percent of malaria cases happened in Africa, so the vaccine had been developed specifically to prevent malaria in young African children. The three selected countries had a moderate to high burden of malaria disease, and had earlier participated in the phase three of the trial.

Sarah Bel, for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), informed that 13 million people would soon receive long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets in some of the hardest-to-reach and conflict-affected regions of Chad. Malaria was a leading cause of hospitalization and death in the country. Most affected were children under the age of five and pregnant women. The objective of the programme was to reach universal coverage of one bed net for two persons. It was a part of the national strategy to control malaria that would run through 2018. The budget was 59 million euros, and was being conducted in the strong partnership with other UN agencies.

To questions on the situation in South America, Dr. Schellenberg said wherever there was a presence of malaria, there was a fear of an increase, as mosquitos did not respect international boundaries. He did not have an explanation why the number of cases in Venezuela had expanded five times over the past ten years. Several evaluations had been conducted to assess the effect of the climate change on malaria; new tools to combat malaria should help offset the effects of the global warming. Because of the climate change, malaria was now appearing in places where it had not been previously present, but new tools and techniques should help control its spread, said Dr. Schellenberg.

Maldives

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that on 23 April a prominent blogger and social media activist in the Maldives, Yameen Rasheed, had been found in the stairwell of his residence with multiple stab wounds to his head, neck and body. Mr. Rasheed died of his injuries.

OHCHR was deeply alarmed by Mr. Rasheed’s killing and urged the authorities to ensure that the investigation into the murder be prompt, thorough and that the perpetrators be brought to justice in line with international human rights laws and standards. Mr. Rasheed had in December reported to the Maldives Police Service that he was receiving targeted death threats following the publication of his photo along with those of others on an anonymous Facebook page, but he complained that he had to follow up for three days just to get a confirmation that his complaint had been registered. Mr. Rasheed had been at the forefront of a campaign to seek justice for journalist Ahmed Rilwan, who had disappeared in 2014 and was believed to have been abducted by radicalized criminal gangs.

Mr. Rasheed’s killing came in the context of what appeared to be an upsurge in arrests and prosecutions of the political opposition. OHCHR called on the authorities to take steps to remedy the shrinking space for exercise of the freedom of expression. OHCHR also reminded the State that it had a duty to ensure that journalists, civil society actors and human rights defenders be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and opinion without fear for their safety. The Government should take urgent measures for their protection.

Responding to a question, Ms. Shamdasani said there were calls for an international involvement in the investigation. It was the duty of the Government to ensure that the investigation was prompt and professional. At this stage, the OHCHR was urging the Government to conduct an independent and thorough investigation.

South Sudan

Ms. Shamdasani stated that the OHCHR deplored the recent outbreaks of violence in several towns in various parts of South Sudan, including Pajok in Eastern Equatoria and Wau in Western Bahr el-Ghazal, which had caused significant loss of civilian lives and displaced more than 22,000 people. Visits by the Human Rights Division of the UN Mission in South Sudan to those sites had revealed reports of serious human rights violations, including indiscriminate and targeted killings of civilians, sexual violence and the looting and destruction of civilian property – and widespread impunity for the violations.

In Pajok, following an ambush by armed individuals on the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) on 3 April, there had been an outbreak of violence over two days, when the army had reportedly attacked civilians on the basis of their suspected support for the opposition armed groups, the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A in Opposition). As a result of the violence, about 7,000 civilians had fled into the bush and to neighbouring Uganda over a week. Multiple testimonies indicated that SPLA soldiers had killed civilians who were unable to flee, and targeted young boys and men on the basis of their ethnicity. The authorities, however, had denied allegations of mass atrocities against civilians.

In Wau, following an incident on 9 April, when two high-ranking SPLA officers and 17 soldiers had been reportedly killed in an ambush by suspected SPLM/A in Opposition elements, violence had erupted on 10 April, leading to many civilian casualties – 28 according to Government figures. Some 17,000 civilians had fled to the protection of civilian sites adjacent to the UNMISS base in Wau, while another 5,000 had sought refuge in the compound of the Catholic Church in Wau.

Ms. Shamdasani said the widespread impunity in South Sudan for such horrendous attacks against civilians could only encourage further violence. The OHCHR urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the violence in Pajok and Wau were held to account, regardless of their affiliations and rank.

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said the IOM was responding to the influx of more than 22,000 displaced persons in and around Wau town in South Sudan since the outbreak of violence on 10 April. Needs in the area remained high. A population of 16,400 new internally displaced persons at the UN protection of civilian site had brought its total population to over 41,700 people.

More than 7.5 million people in South Sudan were in need of humanitarian assistance, of whom more than 4.9 million people were facing severe food insecurity due to displacement, conflict and economic decline.

Ms. Shamdasani, responding to a question, said some soldiers had been detained for cases of sexual violence. There were some steps towards accountability, but there was conflicting information coming from different sources. Impunity was a huge problem in South Sudan, and it only provided further grounds for violence. A commission of inquiry had been established by the Human Rights Council, reminded Ms. Shamdasani.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

On a question on the video of the murder of the two United Nations experts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ms. Shamdasani said colleagues in the DRC had viewed the video in which the killing had been recorded. OHCHR was urging the Government to investigate, fully and transparently, those and other deaths. Perpetrators needed to be brought to justice in line with the international human rights standards. There were no updates on the situation of the two Congolese staff who had traveled with the two murdered experts. There was much left to be desired in the prosecution in the country, and impunity had to be fought.

Venezuela

Responding to a question on the situation in Venezuela, Ms. Shamdasani said the OHCHR was following the situation there with deep concern, and was urging security forces to operate in accordance with their obligations. Up to today, at least 23 people were reported to have been killed. Transparent investigations needed to take place. Venezuelans were urged to express their views in a peaceful manner. OHCHR had a contact with the Government through its regional office in South America. There was a need to access Venezuela, which had been sought earlier, and Ms. Shamdasani would later provide further information in that regard.

Philippines

Asked about the position of the OHCHR on the “war on drugs” in the Philippines, Ms. Shamdasani said the OHCHR had not called for the situation to be referred to the International Criminal Court. Vigilantism was widely present in the country, and people were being killed for drug use and perceived drug smuggling, which was unacceptable.

Mediterranean Migration

Mr. Millman said that a tragedy had occurred the previous day in the waters between Turkey and Greece, leading to 23 casualties - 16 bodies had been found and seven were missing. An estimated 4,800 migrants or refugees had reached Greece from Turkey this year. At the same time, almost 37,000 migrants or refugees had entered Italy by sea in the first four months of 2017.

On the alleged collusion between non-governmental organizations and smugglers leaving Libya, the IOM said the presence of ships in the Mediterranean did not constitute a “pull factor” that incited migration. The intervention of rescue operators, and the great work and combined efforts by NGOs in the Central Mediterranean had been essential to save thousands of lives.

Geneva Announcements

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), informed that Jack Ma, the founder of AliBaba and UNCTAD Special Adviser for young entrepreneurs and small business, was in Geneva today, to take part in the eCommerce Week, and to demonstrate what difference digitalization of the economy could make in developing countries. At 6 p.m. today, there would be a short press stake out with Mr. Ma in the Assembly Hall.

Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell, for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), introduced herself as a new senior communications officer at the ITU. Her phone number is 022 730 5469, and the email address: jennifer.ferguson-mitchell@itu.int. Ms. Ferguson-Mitchell reminded that the ITU had some of the most respected experts in the field of telecommunications, who were happy to answer any questions media might have in that regard. Ms. Ferguson-Mitchell informed about the forthcoming International Girls in ICT Day, which would take place on 27 April and would virtually connect local school girls in Geneva with their counterparts in Vilnius and Beirut through a shared game application and video link.

On 17 May, the ITU would hold a meeting on big data and big impact, with experts who would present a tangible, practical use of big data.

A journalist expressed interest in a meeting of the Geneva-based media with the ITU Secretary-General, which Ms. Ferguson-Mitchell said she would organize.

Mr. LeBlanc informed about a press conference on e-commerce for development, which would take place in Press Room III at noon today. It would be organized by Permanent Mission Friends of E-Commerce, and the speakers would be Susanna Malcorra, Argentinian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of Nigeria, and Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister of Commerce of Pakistan.

On 28 April at noon, in Room III, the United States Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Robert Wood, would brief the press on US objectives for the Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee.

Mr. LeBlanc reminded that the stakeout by the Secretary-General and the Foreign Ministers of Sweden and Switzerland would take place today at 5:15 p.m. in front of Room XX.

The Committee against Torture was in the second week of its sixtieth session, during which it would consider the reports of Bahrein, Afghanistan and Argentina.

The Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had opened its ninety-second session the previous day, which would last until 12 May. Today, the Committee was meeting with civil society representatives from Finland, Armenia and Georgia, whose reports it would then consider later in the week.

The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog250417