PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE

13 June 2023

Call to Re-Instate Humanitarian Access to Affected Communities in Myanmar

Jens Laerke for United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that in Myanmar, one month after Cyclone Mocha hit Rakhine State, the State Administration Council had suspended humanitarian access, effectively paralysing the distribution of life-saving food, drinking water, shelter supplies and other relief to affected communities.

This decision was a devastating setback for more than a million people OCHA had planned to reach in Rakhine over the weeks and months ahead.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. Ramanathan Balakrishnan described the access denial as "unfathomable" and warned of an increase in food insecurity and water-borne diseases as a result.

Since the cyclone hit on 14 May, humanitarians had been reaching a growing number of people using limited travel authorisations granted by the de facto authorities to organizations with long-standing operations in Rakhine.

More than 110,000 people had received shelter and other relief items during that time. Food assistance had reached almost 300,000 people in Rakhine alone thanks to these approvals.

The State Administration Council had now rescinded on this, citing the need for further clearances. Aid distribution and transportation in Chin State had also been put on hold.

OCHA urged the State Administration Council to reconsider this decision and re-instate the initial approval for aid distributions and transportation plans.

A press release from the UN in Myanmar is online.

In response to questions, Mr. Laerke said OCHA had material relief available for one million people in Rakhine that had been stopped. There were concerns for people’s health if humanitarians did not have access to the region to provide aid and monitor people’s health. This was a blow for all humanitarian organisations operating in the region.

Health Situation and Response to Flooding in Ukraine

Jarno Habicht, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Ukraine, said he had met donors to discuss the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. Dr. Habicht was working to ensure that the health needs of those affected were being met.

WHO’s primary concern was the potential outbreak of water-borne disease. It had a team on the ground monitoring the situation. There had so far been no reports of such outbreaks, but WHO was prepared to respond to disease outbreaks. WHO was engaging with the community to raise awareness about water-borne diseases. The situation was evolving, and there were hundreds of thousands of people who needed drinking water.

This devastating attack had ruptured the mental health of many. Mental health was an emergency within the emergency. Support for the elderly, children and other vulnerable populations was also important. Further, the release of hazardous chemicals into the water had the potential to cause more damage.

WHO was actively working to deliver medicine kits and other targeted medical aid supplies. It had thus far delivered supplies to 15,000 people, and in the coming days more would be delivered.

In response to questions, Dr. Habicht said there were more than 30 settlements that had been flooded. Public health teams were on the ground and WHO was also in touch with local public health officials. WHO had distributed cholera kits. Various health organisations would be analysing the key risks regarding water and food borne diseases in the coming weeks and months.

There was a need for new pipelines to deliver drinking water to neighbouring regions. The Ukrainian Government had allocated additional funding to ensure that drinking water would be available. Drones were distributing water to flooded houses. Only a few bridges were open to some settlements. Making drinking water available would be a priority for WHO and the Ukrainian Government over the coming months.

Mines were another area of concern, and a key priority for WHO. WHO and other international organisations were raising awareness about the dangers of mines. The level of water had risen, but it would go down in the next few days, which would pose a heightened risk of mine casualties in the region. Information on the location of mines needed to be collected as soon as possible. Several high-level contingency meetings would be held in the coming days. WHO had not yet registered casualties from mines submerged in the water.

There were more than 10 million people with mental health needs in Ukraine. Attacks to civilian infrastructure increased stress on the population. WHO had trained tens of thousands of mental health workers to deliver support on the ground.

WHO was continuing to ask for security guarantees to access the Russian Federation-controlled territories through the UN system, but thus far it had not received such guarantees.

Since May 2023, WHO had noted an increased number of missile and drone attacks in Kyiv and across the country. Many civilians had died in these attacks. WHO was taking extra precautions to ensure that its team was safe. It was working with the civilian part of the health sector, training thousands of doctors on mass-casualty management to ensure that the public health sector was ready to respond to mass casualties.

Senegal: Protests and Communications Clampdown

Seif Magango for Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said OHCHR was deeply troubled by human rights developments in Senegal in recent weeks, where at least 16 people were killed, 350 were injured and more than 500 arrested during three days of protests, between 1 and 3 June.

The use of firearms by security forces during protests set a negative precedent for Senegal. Authorities had launched investigations, and OHCHR called on them to ensure that the investigations into this use of force were prompt, independent and thorough, and to bring anyone found to be responsible for unnecessary or disproportionate force to account regardless of their status and political affiliation. The Office offered its assistance in this respect.

OHCHR was also concerned about continuing restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the wake of the protests. Walfadjiri TV, a private station, which was covering the protests live, was suspended on 1 June without clear legal justification and remained off air to date. A Government statement said the suspension would last for 30 days. The Government had also ordered the suspension of a crowd-funding campaign for the station aimed to sustain it during the time it was unable to operate.

The authorities had, since the 3 June protests, denied permission for at least two other protests, including those planned for this past Friday and Saturday.

Access to mobile Internet services was also restricted between 1 and 6 June to stop the “dissemination of hateful and subversive messages.” Internet restrictions needed to be grounded in unambiguous, publicly available law; necessary to achieve a legitimate aim, as defined in human rights law; proportional to that legitimate aim; and non-discriminatory.

It was the primary responsibility of Senegalese authorities to preserve the country’s long-held respect for democratic traditions and the rule of law by guaranteeing the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, as well as the right to information. Authorities needed to ensure that journalists could exercise their profession freely and safely, particularly in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.

OHCHR would continue working with the Senegalese Government, civil society, and other partners to strengthen protection of human rights in the country.

In response to questions on the situation in Senegal, Mr. Magango said the protests were taking place in the context of perceptions within Senegalese society that the conviction and imprisonment of an opposition leader, one of the main candidates for the upcoming election, was politically motivated, and that the President’s aim to stand for a third term was unconstitutional.

The opposition leader was currently in his residence, which had been cordoned off by security forces. The OHCHR had sent monitors to the trial that were observing proceedings.

Attacks on Health Facilities in Sudan

In response to questions on Sudan, Carla Drysdale for the World Health Organization (WHO) said that WHO condemned in the strongest terms the attacks on health facilities in Sudan. WHO had graded the situation as a grade three public health emergency. WHO was delivering emergency health supplies to support civilians, but unless these supplies could be delivered to public health facilities, they were of no use. The Federal Ministry of Health had reported 230 deaths in Khartoum.

18.1 million people had been targeted for humanitarian aid. Four million breastfeeding women were acutely malnourished. Some 3.7 million people were already internally displaced by the conflict, and another close to 480,000 had crossed the border. WHO stood with the people of Sudan and was working with partners for a coordinated response.

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, recalled the urgent appeal by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for a lasting, permanent ceasefire in Sudan. The UN was continuing to deliver life-saving supplies and aid to areas affected by the conflict.

International Labour Conference Update

Rosalind Yarde for the International Labour Organization (ILO) gave an update on the International Labour Conference.

Ms. Yarde said the Finance Committee had reached consensus on the resolution concerning the ILO programme and budget for 2024 to 2025. The plenary would vote on the programme and budget today, with the result to be announced at around 9:30p.m.

The document reaffirmed the commitment expressed by all the tripartite constituents of the ILO to “combat all forms of discrimination and exclusion on any ground for the benefit of all”, while recognising the “different positions expressed on some issues” at the 347th Session (March 2023) of the Governing Body, as well as in the Finance Committee of the 111th International Labour Conference.

The programme and budget 2024-25 text continued to refer to “other population groups affected by discrimination and exclusion, including on the grounds of race, sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Delegates attending the Conference yesterday adopted a resolution on Belarus. The resolution aimed to secure the compliance of the Government of Belarus with the recommendations of an ILO Commission of Inquiry. The Commission examined the observance by the Government of Belarus of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

The resolution was adopted in a plenary session of the ILC. The vote was 301 in favour, 54 against, with 108 abstentions.

The resolution included a decision to hold at future International Labour Conferences a special sitting of the Committee of the Application of Standards for the purpose of discussing the application of Conventions 87 and 98, and a request to the Government of Belarus to receive as a matter of urgency an ILO tripartite mission with a view to gather information on the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.

The full text of the resolution is here.

The World of Work Summit would take place on 14 and 15 June at room XX of the Palais des Nations. Its theme was “social justice for all”. It was an opportunity to discuss and inform the proposal to forge a global coalition on social justice. The summit would highlight the key role of social justice in creating a more sustainable and equitable world and would discuss strategies for increased action to advance social justice. It was expected that the outcomes of the summit would inform discussions in other multilateral forums, such as the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit, the G20 and the summits of the “BRICS” countries (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa).

There would be addresses from 16 heads of state, the ILO Director-General and high-level representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations. There will also be a video address from the UN Secretary-General. Heads of state attending the Summit would hold a press point at door 40. Access to room XX was available for accredited journalists. Journalists could also follow the Summit online.

In response to questions on the resolution on the ILO programme and budget, Ms. Yarde said the results of the vote on the resolution would be recorded and immediately displayed during the plenary. Delegates will be allowed to speak about the votes, but this would not directly affect the voting procedure.

The original text, which referred to gender identity, remained in the current resolution on the ILO programme and budget. The proposals were the same, but a note would be included that recognised the different positions raised by member States. The proposal did not go into detail on national programmes, but related to the overall ILO programme and budget.

Severe Cyclonic Storm to Make Landfall in Pakistan

Clare Nullis for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the very severe cyclonic storm “Biparjoy” was moving over the Arabian Sea, fed by warm waters. WMO's Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre New Delhi said it was very likely to cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandi and Karachi near Jakhau Port in Gujarat at around 12 p.m. UTC on 15 June as a very severe cyclonic storm, with a maximum windspeed of 125 to 135 kilometres per hour, gusting to 150 kilometres per hour.

This was the equivalent of a Category Two cyclone. WMO’s regional centre, operated by the India Meteorological Department, said that heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 centimetres) had occurred at a few places, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall of more than 20 centimetres over this coastal region in the past 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department was issuing top-level red alerts for rainfall in affected districts and warnings to fishermen, as was the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There was a storm surge of 3 to 3.5 expected at the landfalling point, which could inundate the low-lying settlements, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

This once again highlighted the importance of accurate forecasts and early warnings to protect lives and livelihoods. Early warnings, combined with coordinated disaster management on the ground, had helped slash the death toll in recent years in the region, which used to suffer very high casualty figures from cyclones.

Carla Drysdale for World Health Organization (WHO) said that WHO Pakistan was on standby to support the Pakistan Government to prepare for and respond to the storm. It had distributed emergency supplies to the affected districts. In India, the Government was supporting the relocation of persons who would potentially be affected by the cyclone.

In response to questions, Ms. Drysdale said that WHO condemned in the strongest terms the attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia on 9 June 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 16 civilians, including WHO staff member Nasra Hassan. Ms. Hussan was 27-year-old, and had been supporting operations in response to drought in the region. WHO was continuing to respond to emergencies in Somalia, and the safety of its staff continued to be a top priority.

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) said that the UN office in Somalia also condemned the deadly attack. The UN resolutely stood with all Somalis.

Announcements

Jens Laerke for United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said this Thursday, 15 June, was the ministerial day of the annual Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”. This was the seventh edition of the conference.

The Secretary-General would address the opening with a video. Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, would deliver a keynote address. In the afternoon, Brussels time, there would likely be an announcement of support to the two UN-coordinated response plans for Syria and the region.

There would be interventions from Mr Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Ms Ulrika Modeer, UNDP Assistant Secretary-General for Partnerships; and Ms Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

The sessions can be followed on the European Union’s web tv channels.

In response to questions, Mr. Laerke said that the European Union would be hosting the conference. The Syrian Government would not be present, but there would be representation from surrounding countries receiving refugees from Syria.

Susanna Pak for the International Trade Centre (ITC) said ITC was a joint agency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). ITC assisted trade between small businesses.

ITC’s flagship event, the World Export Development Forum was being held in the last week of June in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This was the first time that the annual forum was being held since 2019, as it was put on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme was “diversifying with green and digital trade”. ITC was co-hosting with the Office of the President.

The Forum brought together policymakers and businesses to discuss practical solutions to global trade challenges, with development at the forefront. Private sector consultations would be held on landlocked developing countries, with the results of the conversations to feed into a UN ministerial meeting next year. Discussions would cover trade connectivity, infrastructure, trade finance and inclusive trade facilitation. These issues affected all landlocked countries.

A global young entrepreneurs pitch contest would be held on 27 June, UN Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Day. The contest spotlighted the role of young people in driving trade-led development. This year, there would be a “green” angle, looking at entrepreneurs with green business solutions and land restoration initiatives. Past contest winners had gone on to win $1 million in seed funding from the largest start-up competition in emerging markets, Seedstars, and to win the African Union top prize for most innovative solution in education on the continent. This year’s finalists were from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Madagascar and Mongolia.

The Forum would also launch of the Mongolia “SheTrades Hub”. SheTrades was the ITC flagship initiative on women’s economic empowerment, and there were more than a dozen Hubs across the world providing tailored support to women at the national and regional levels. Women’s entrepreneurship was key to sustainable economic diversification and growth.

Soundbites and video packages would be made available for interested journalists.

Clare Nullis for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said WMO issued regional “State of the Climate” reports each year, and next Monday, 19 June, it would release its State of the Climate in Europe 2022 report. The report would be released at a climate conference in Dublin, Ireland. The focus this year would be on extreme weather, energy and the progress that Europe was making on renewables.

In response to questions on regional weather conditions, Ms. Nullis said WMO did not issue seasonal predictions for Europe. There was a large divide in Europe, with many parts in drought and others with high rainfall levels. Climate change was causing longer, more intense periods of heat and more extreme weather events. Europe was one of the global leaders in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Current extreme heat conditions in Mexico were consistent with climate change trends.

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, said the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had launched his report on information integrity on digital platforms. The report addressed misinformation and disinformation. Mr. Guterres called on countries to address grave global harm caused by the proliferation of hate and lies online. He also expressed alarm over the potential threat posed by the rapid development of generative artificial intelligent, warning that it must not obscure the damage being done by digital technologies that were enabling the spread of online hate speech, misinformation and disinformation.

Through a statement attributable to his Spokesperson, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his sincere condolences to the people and Government of Italy after the death of the former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, as well as to Mr. Berlusconi’s family.

Today at 10 a.m., in a plenary meeting, the Conference on Disarmament held a panel discussion on the “prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters”.

The Security Council was today at 4 p.m. Geneva time holding an open debate on climate change, peace and security, which would illustrate the links between these important subjects.

A press briefing with the President of the Human Rights Council Václav Bálek of Czechia would be held tomorrow, 14 June at 3:30 p.m. on the upcoming session of the Human Rights Council, which began on 19 June.

Today, 13 June was International Albinism Awareness Day. The theme for the day this year was “inclusion is strength”. The UN independent Expert on the rights of persons with albinism, Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, issued a statement yesterday noting that people living with albinism continued to face an uphill struggle to obtain a life of dignity and equality. Ms. Miti-Drummond highlighted the critical need for the world to recognise the plight of persons with albinism.