Good morning, dear colleagues.
Uh, welcome to this information services briefing at the UN in Geneva.
Today is Friday, fifth of January.
And the first thing for me is, of course, wishing you a very happy new year.
And while we are, as you all know,
in a very dire situation in many countries of the world,
we really wish that this new year will bring more peace,
more serenity and more health to everyone.
We have a very short briefing today.
sorry with our guests from, uh, Rome. We have with us Ms Monica Toto,
who is the FA O senior economist
who's here to update us on the global food commodity prices? Uh, that the index that F
Let me join Alessandra and wishing everybody Happy New Year.
And thank you for the opportunity to brief you about the latest developments of
the FA O Food Price Index which was released this morning at 10 o'clock.
which tracks monthly changes in the international
prices of a set of globally traded commodities
down 1.5% from November and down about 10% from its value one year ago.
the index was almost 14% lower than the average value of the preceding year,
with only international sugar price index higher
now focusing on individual commodity groups.
The Syria index increased as wheat made rice and barley prices all rose,
reflecting logistical distractions that hindered
shipments from major exporting countries
for the year as a whole. Again,
the Syria index was about 15% below the 2022 average, which on the account of the well
the FA O Rice price Index, which is part of the cereal price index,
increased by over 20% mostly owing to concern over the impact
of El Nino on rice production and in the ma Mass
of export restrictions imposed by India.
Moving over to the vegetable oils
which declined respecting subdued purchases with soil
oil in particular impacted by a slowdown in demand from the biodiesel sector,
as well as improving weather conditions in Brazil
Again, the index was almost 33% below its previous year's level.
almost 17% from November,
the largest decrease from all indexes hitting a nine month low.
But still it remained almost 15%.
UH, about in December 2022 11
that this plunge in the sugar quotation was more
driven by strong pace of production in Brazil,
along with the use use of sugar cane for ethanol production in India
again focusing on 23 as a whole, the sugar price index was up almost 27% from 2022
and the highest value since 2011,
mainly on concern of tighter global sugar balance.
Finally, for livestock products,
the meat price index decreased marginally,
impacted by weak import demand from Asia for pig meat.
Regional buying interest also slowed for bovine and poultry meat,
despite ample exportable supplies,
rose ahead of the end of the
end of the year holidays.
Last but not least, daily daily price index increased,
led by higher quotation for butter and cheese,
mostly underpinned by strong internal se
sales in Western Europe ahead of the holiday season,
finally again for 2023 as a whole.
Both meat and daily price indexes went down compared to 2022
underpinned by weak import demand amid ample stocks.
With that, I will, uh, end my, uh, briefing. And I'm looking forward to questions.
Thank you very much, missus.
Grand from Geneva. Solution. Michelle?
Yes. Hi. Thank you. Um, I wanted to know, uh, a little bit.
Can you tell us a little bit What you expect for this year? I mean,
with, uh, the different conflicts. And, um,
you know, we've We've seen the number of of people, uh, facing, uh, food, Uh,
Um, just growing and growing. So just what are your main concerns for this year?
then is there are more questions in your question.
More than one question, actually, in your question.
So let me let me put it into pieces. Right.
So the the food price index is looking
at the prices of commodities that are globally traded.
We are looking at cereals, vegetable oil, sugar,
uh, meat and dairy. Again, it's meat and dairy that can be comparable.
That is traded across the countries.
in those five commodity groups which covers the main traded commodities,
is that most of the markets are relatively well supplied.
But what we are noticing are concerns how these
supplies aren't going to get where they need to be
right. And this implies, for an example, challenges
challenges in, uh, logistical arrangements.
We have observed that many rivers, for example,
are that serve as a major link in moving the goods
from the exporting areas to importing areas where affected by drought.
the situation in the Black Sea that, uh, allows exports from Ukraine
although Ukraine continues exporting via Black Sea also remains very,
very sensitive and and, uh, very uncertain in terms of what can happen.
All right, so all right now the situation remains relatively calm.
However, any uncertainty will have significant impacts.
Also from the production point of view, with the exception of sugar.
When there were some concerns, the situation remains quite good.
now going to the second part of your question, which,
when you mentioned the the food insecure people,
food insecurity across the world is driven by many factors,
and the most significant one or one of
the most significant ones still remains conflict.
the higher commodity prices are making it for
many countries difficult to import sufficient amounts of,
of basic foods of staple foods
So on the impact of food insecurity, it is the concern of the conflict.
It is the concern of unequal recovery
and inequality within the countries that are driving
the acute food insecurity.
So to summarise in in one or two sentences. The situation on the world market
is relatively calm at this point.
But there are many other factors that are
impacting the acute food insecurity across the world.
Thank you very much, missus.
But is there any other questions for FAO?
I'm looking at the list of participants.
I don't see any hand up, so thank you very much, Mrs
And, um, I go to our next speaker. Was Claire Claire Nli from WMO.
Claire. Good morning and happy. Happy New Year. You have the floor?
Uh, yes, sir. Good morning, everybody. And, uh, happy, happy, Happy New Year.
Um, as you will know, uh, Professor Celeste
Saulo, Um, has, um, started
Um, as the WMO secretary general, She physically arrived two days ago,
in the office was yesterday. We sent out a press release. Um
uh, sort of late yesterday afternoon about it. Uh,
she's the first female secretary general of WMO, the first from Latin America,
and we're obviously very, very excited to
to have her with us. Um, and to to be working, uh, working with her and working for her.
We were planning on having a press conference in the Palais
with Palais journalists next week to introduce you to her.
Given that the Palais is closed, we'll, um, we'll probably reschedule that.
And, uh, so do we'll pro.
We'll we'll probably do it the following week. Um, just because
we think it's better for you to be able to meet her in person than than doing it, uh,
just just bear with us and we'll liaise with Alexandra
and team on the best on the best timing,
uh, on the best timing for that,
And also on a practical planning note, Um, we're getting lots of questions on
when we are going to release the, um,
the 2023 temperature data.
Um, And so it's just to say that the consolidated global temperature
data and this is based on six international data sets,
um, that will be released on January the 12th. So that is next.
Uh, next Friday, we will issue a
if possible, I'll try and send it out under embargo.
It is quite a tight turnaround time because
we literally only get the data in at the last minute from from from NASA,
NOAA and the and the Met office.
Um, but just that that's for your planning purposes. Um,
Europe's Copernicus climate change service. They will be announcing
their figures for 2023 already on the ninth of January.
But we have to wait till the 12th because we need
all the remaining data set data sets.
we we can already say and we have been saying that 2023 was the hottest year on record.
Um, but we're just now waiting for those final figures.
Thank you very much. Claire, is there any question to the
let me see. Wait a second. If there is any hand
Well, I don't see any, so thank you very much. Yes, of course.
We will keep you informed
of the, um, uh, way that, uh, WMO Will will introduce you to, uh,
the new director General.
Uh, thank you, Claire. Um, if there is no other question,
I would like to yes. Confirm what Claire just mentioned That is that, um
uh we have decided to extend
the closure of the Paladin.
Assume for one additional week,
which brings the opening of the the full opening of the
Well, I think we already have.
We not not announced yet, but there will be a few press conference that week.
um uh, more conferences. But as we have said to you in the not correspondent
already next week, some of the conferences will resume,
which means that building E will be open.
And you will have full access to your office and to the bar
While of course, the rest of the parlour will be will be closed.
Um, this is what I had for you. Very short briefing. Um, if there isn't.
OK, Catherine has a question, Catherine. Go ahead.
First of all, uh, good morning, Alexandra. And happy New Year to you.
Wishing you a very good, uh, 2024.
Uh, New year. Thank you. Um, my question is related to WHO. I see that Christian lia
And I'd like to ask Christian if he has in any info on covid,
that we had tendency to forget that, but apparently
there are, um the number of cases are raising a bits everywhere in the world.
I think we've all experienced some friends or family
who have been sick with covid during the holidays.
So, Christian, do you have, uh, a possibility to give us
Thank you. And good morning to everybody. And yes, Happy New Year.
And hopefully a way more peaceful year than what we experienced last year. Indeed.
The, um we all know about colleagues and friends who have come down with covid, um,
in the last weeks and months.
So indeed, Covid isn't making sure that we do not forget about it. Um,
so globally. Um, the new cases increased by 52% during only the four weeks period.
Um, from 20 November to 17. December. That's the latest update.
We have so far the monthly update for for until end of December. Basically.
So in that time, uh, again, 50%
52% increase and as compared to the
28 days period before that.
And that, um, comes down to 850,000 new cases reported globally.
the number of new deaths also increased by
8% during that period as to the previous period with
the absolute numbers are difficult there, but 3000, uh, new fatalities reported
you may have seen the, uh, this new, fairly new variant of concern of interest.
Sorry to be precise at the variant of interest,
um, the so called JN 0.1.
So this is right now, uh,
it's part of the omicron variant, um, sub lineage of this one.
And as of 18 December, this has been put on the
the designation of variant of interest. And it has some special monitoring now?
the, uh, the situation is ongoing.
Um, there's a new update.
Also not so new where the latest update is from end of December,
and we're expecting a new EP.
looking forward to a more comprehensive briefing in one of the next days or, uh,
hopefully next week already.
Catherine, you have a follow up.
Thank you, Alexandra. Uh, good morning, Christian. And thank you.
Uh, could you please share with us?
Uh, the latest, uh, reports that has been, um, issued in in December.
And I suppose that, uh, the figures that you just shared with us are global.
Um, and could you give us also a small
note about that, uh, new variant of interest? That, uh,
Um, and And if you have some more details regarding the regions because apparently,
uh, there is, uh, a high rate of cases in United States of America
and in some parts of Europe. But what about the other parts of the world?
Uh, is it possible to have, uh, a more detailed,
reports global report? Thank you.
Yeah. Thank you, Katherine.
So, indeed, I'll put the Maybe now for the for the quick note here, where?
Anywhere, All virtual. I'll put the link to that at the
update from 22 December into the chat. And I'll also put the
the dashboard link into the chat before we close the meeting.
Um, so you have access to it?
Um, which the dashboard has the whole breakdown for regional.
And yes, to your point, the, uh, the figures given work. Global figures.
uh, So others are asking now in the chat also for For figures, yes.
You'll see the figures that I mentioned in the
global update that I'll put into the link.
because agree. And there are These are too many figures, maybe in a quick rundown.
Christiane is actually saying the same thing if you
can put the figure just mentioned in writing.
And also, she says not many countries report anymore.
If I if she understands correctly. So what is the real
real number by WHO estimates?
So it's a good It's a good point here, uh, just to reiterate.
And as the report says also, um, new cases reported,
that all throughout the world and you've seen it in many of your own countries.
The reporting has dropped. The the surveillance centres have dropped.
The vaccination centres have dropped,
uh, have been have been dismantled as well are shut down.
so this, of course, leads
to, uh uh uh, incomplete picture.
Um, and we should expect, unfortunately, more cases than we have officially
But again, um, I noticed the interest already throughout the week at the increase.
So we are actively working on giving you a more
comprehensive briefing in one of the next upcoming days,
whether it's a stand alone briefing or one of the, uh
uh, DG briefings, for example, next week on Wednesday,
we're scheduling another briefing by DG
Um, so that might be the way
to get a more comprehensive update. Um, if we don't do it before.
Yeah, and maybe Christian also on the flu. I. I thought I read a question about
an update on the flu. I don't know if there is any.
I don't know who. Maybe it was by email.
Uh, I don't know if you have anything on the floor or you will have.
Same on exactly the same on this one. We contact I contacted yesterday.
Our Europe, uh, colleagues, because this is a concern right now,
especially in the European region.
Um, So, um, same for this. Um,
well, I was hoping to get something, actually,
for this morning that would have been would have been my active briefing then.
Um, but at least we'll have something as as soon as possible because, yes,
it's a It's a matter of concern these days,
and Catherine is asking whether you would have now,
I guess any detailed information on the variant?
Yeah, that is that is, in the in the written part that I just sent the link to, um,
there's the in the update.
There's a summary where you have a very quick info
and there's a There's a longer part, of course,
with all the the the examples and the descriptions of it,
and I'll share the, uh, on top of it now, the, uh, the dashboard.
Thank you very much, Christian. Yes. Please keep us. Keep them.
Keep us informed as soon as possible on both issues.
Any other question to Christian?
Don't see any Oh, yes, Kathrine. She had another follow up, Katherine.
Oh, no. Maybe that was a hint
see. There is the question. Yes. Do you hear me? Yes. I see.
Uh, it was just, uh, for Christian to precise. The the briefing with Doctor
uh, for, um, Wednesday 10th. Is that correct, Christian?
right now it's scheduled for the usual time of, uh, three o'clock afternoon.
And you're confirmed. OK, good.
Thank you very much. I think this brings us to the end of the briefing.
Of course, as I said, because of the closure of the pale,
Um, the next two briefings will also be fully,
on the, uh, 10th Sorry. Ninth and 12th.
Um, So we will be continuing on this, uh, in this format.
Uh, and, uh, we'll keep you, of course. Updated
in writing. If there was any,
Just wanted to say something about the access to the palette, because this, uh,
one of your colleagues asked.
The difference next week is that the access will be all open
as normal as for normal times.
Uh, so you can access the pallet through all the the usual entrances.
It will not be limited to prey
as it was in the last two weeks.
So thank you very much to you all. Have a a nice weekend and we'll see you on Tuesday.
