Good morning. Uh, thank you for joining us for this, uh, hybrid press briefing.
Uh, today is Friday, the 16th of February.
Uh, we've got a nice focused briefing today
with our friends from IFRC.
Uh, before we start just a reminder. You should all have received the,
remarks under embargo for the Secretary general who is in Munich, Germany,
today for the security conference.
on UN Web TV live at 1:45 p.m.
Uh, he will deliver the remarks that you've received under embargo
in addition to which he will take part in a panel discussion
with, uh, heads of state and government, which include
the prime Minister of Barbados, the president of Ghana and the president
so, as I was saying, we, um we're joined here by Tommaso
Uh, who is the IFRC regional director for Europe.
Uh, I'm going to turn the floor over to them right away. Please, Tomaso,
Thank you very much, Michael.
was saying today, we will have our
region and director for Europe Brigit
almost a week ahead of the sad
anniversary, second anniversary of the international armed conflict Russia,
and to present the results of the survey,
but also to raise the alarm of not giving up in supporting Ukrainians inside
and outside Ukraine. And they need
now more than ever to continue the support. So
I'll just leave it there and I'll leave it to
I think we cannot hear you. If somebody can unblock the
G's mic, please. Let's try again.
Sorry, We still have an audio problem.
G? You need to unmute yourself. Uh, we're asking you to unmute.
Thank you very much. I'm sorry for that. Uh, can you hear me now?
Yes. Loud and clear. Thank you. Go ahead.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
it's it's unbelievable that that we're already sitting
here after two years and I think one
of the questions that the people in Ukraine
are asking will we have roof over our heads
That's precisely what millions of Ukrainians
are finding themselves struggling with.
It's kind of unbelievable.
While people are not gathered on the borders of Ukraine as they were two years ago,
the urgent needs are growing
and are more and more intractable
for every Ukrainian family.
Whether they are near the front lines in Ukraine,
whether displaced throughout the country
they have been forced to flee,
these two years of lingering uncertainty
have taken a major toll on both their finances and on their mental health.
That is true for the family in Donetsk.
It is true for the elderly people who were forced to flee to Lithuania,
but also for the young mother,
who is now raising her child alone in Slovakia
after her husband died on the front line.
These are destinies that we are aware of and
that we have been working with throughout these years
into the third year of what
clearly appears to be a protracted conflict
the humanitarian and the governmental actors, but also the private sector
not just on the immediate aid that we know so well,
but also on the freight socio economic fabric
and the growing psychosocial impact on Ukrainians.
Both inside and outside the country,
particularly the most vulnerable
They are the elderly and people with disabilities.
It is also worth noting that more than
half of Ukrainians in Ukraine and around in Europe
experience financial hardship,
according to the survey that Tomaso just referred to. We commissioned
it has led to an increasing debt
A third of Ukrainians tell us
that they had to borrow money to get by
and according to the survey
that we have done for 10,000 people in total,
families may spend more than 20% of their income on servicing debt.
The psychosocial impact of that financial situation is profound.
Nearly half of the Ukrainians tell us that they live with anxiety
about their family's future,
and also a third of them have sought for some form of mental health support already.
in the hardest hits or blasts within Ukraine,
people are facing food and water shortages.
They have little access to medicine
the Ukraine Red Cross Society
has, as we have heard many times, they have been at the forefront
providing humanitarian assistance to people impacted by the conflict
throughout all of Ukraine.
the year three of the escalation,
collaboration between government and humanitarian organisations
and we need the private sector.
The message is we cannot do this alone.
But also we are extremely concerned that many donors,
I think in the light of the decreasing funding situation,
they are shifting their focus
and their resources to the areas of conflict
and they are not taking into account that millions of IDPs and also an increasing
number of returnees are in dire need of support in other parts of Ukraine.
I want to urge all actors to allocate continued funding and resources to help
all of those impacted by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine
services like health care, infrastructure, emergency response capacities,
but also vocational and social integration initiatives.
we saw humanitarian actors and governments and the private sector come together
when millions of people left Ukraine
in their cars by train and even on foot.
The same commitment and collaboration to deliver aid is needed
just as much as it was then.
So let me say that now is not the time to turn a blind eye.
Thank you very much. Uh, Brigita,
just, um just a reminder for those of you who are covering Ukraine.
Uh, these, uh, comments, uh, from IFRC. Come
The heels of the updated Ukraine Recovery and
Reconstruction needs Assessment that was released yesterday,
uh, and was a joint assessment
of, uh, the World Bank group, the European Commission, the United Nations,
and the government of Ukraine.
and the estimate is that as of as of 31 December 2023 that that is the end of last year.
The total reconstruction and recovering Ukraine
is, uh, estimated at 486 billion over the next decade,
thank you questions for, uh, for big,
Yes, Thank you for taking my question.
I have two questions about this topic. What help does the
provide to the millions of civilians that are on the other side of the front line
in the territories under Russian control? Because we never heard about them.
according to a FRC one third of the Ukrainian refugees I numbering countries
need to take des, uh, to meet their primary needs.
Is it the case? And, uh, for the refugees in Russia that a RE about 3 million.
Uh, do you know their economic situation? And is this also one third of them that need
help, uh, for their primary need. Thank you.
Do I take the questions one by one?
I think so. Yes. Go ahead in order, if you don't mind.
No, thank you very much for the question.
And let me emphasise that the Russian Red Cross is a part of our emergency appeal
and has always been part of the activities
that we are implementing for people from Ukraine.
And they have quite a large programme catering for
the people that have arrived from Ukraine within Russia.
Let me just say that, uh,
it's 20% that we are estimating out of the 10,000 that we have interviewed that, uh,
are saying that they have debt.
how many of these are from, uh, how the situation is within Russia? I'm not, uh I
cannot speak to that because the
the survey has been done within,
uh, European Union countries. So? So I cannot respond to that.
We are not, uh we don't have the same kind of data from within Russia,
Thank you. Go ahead, follow up. Question
why you can't do the same thing in Russia.
You said, unfortunately, we don't have the data for the refugees in Russia.
What is the matter? To have the same data for them.
I I We could do a similar exercise in Russia. I just say that we haven't done that now.
If so, go ahead and then we'll go to another topic. Go ahead.
It is. It's on Ukraine. And good morning to you all. Good morning,
Uh, please send us your notes, Brigita. As soon as you can.
That would be most helpful. My questions. I was wondering whether
you are able to even access the Russian controlled territories in
side Ukraine. And what are the main obstructions that, uh, you encounter in terms of
disseminating aid throughout the country?
Also? What? What are the priorities? I mean, you talk about,
you know, financial and mental and so on and so forth. But
what are the greatest urgencies that you see
that are not being met? Because, um, somehow or other the world seems to,
uh, is is is is Ukraine becoming a
country? Like, unfortunately, some others are, too.
It was high on the agenda for a long time, but it seems to have slipped a lot. Thank you.
let me start with the, uh, with the, uh, four territories, Uh, Luhansk,
Uh, as you know, the the the Red Cross family is is big and a little bit complex.
Uh, we have a distribution of, uh, work,
meaning that inside those areas where the needs are indeed great,
we, um we work through the IC RC. So I CS C has presence and the and offices inside.
Uh, these, uh, four regions,
Uh, and the IFRC is working outside of the four regions. So,
uh, when When next time IC RC is is at the press briefing,
I suggest that the that the questions are more directed to them.
But I can just say that we work in in close collaboration with I CS C uh,
around the support to to those areas.
And then you said, What are the greatest
what is the situation overall?
Indeed, we are seeing that many of the donors are going with more limited resources,
focusing on especially the areas of heavier conflict.
try to remind that many of the people
that are living as internally displaced within Ukraine,
they still need support. And what we are seeing, especially, is that many
that we have been able to support
cash assistance to the host families.
So they have been leaving more families together in
That, um, service is, uh is decreasing now.
So so many will, uh, will have, uh, an an extra burden.
And and it may, uh, it may be
very challenging for them to keep supporting people that are
living as internally displaced in local communities around in Ukraine,
So we are trying to remind that this cannot go away.
shelter is still a big concern, but also paying for utilities, etcetera. So very
normal things in a normal society are still happening in Ukraine.
uh, financial financial means to support that.
And then, of course, I mean, the market within Ukraine is,
uh is is is still working relatively
but but to pay for services, uh, is is a problem.
So that's why we we focus a lot on on that,
uh, and and focus on that people have taken loans to, uh to sustain themselves.
that is just a a spiral going downwards.
We've got a couple more hands up online. We'll go to Antonio Broto
from FA Next. Go ahead, Antonio.
Thank you. Uh, but my question is for you.
And it's on another topic about Venezuela, so I can't wait. If John
John John is this about Ukraine?
Yes, it is. And also, I've got to follow up on another topic for the
uh, I, I was wondering if, um, you have some estimates, uh,
on the damage to IFRC facilities in Ukraine from the conflict.
Uh, the updated, uh, report, uh, produced by the World Bank with, uh, input by the EU.
The UN and the government of Ukraine yesterday
put the figure for 86 billion to reconstruct
the country from the war.
Uh, and I was wondering if you have some estimates on the damage to the humanitarian,
uh, facilities in the country.
And, uh, I've I've got a clarification point with, uh, perhaps, uh,
uh, the UN can answer. The report had an unusual disclaimer that, uh, the
they cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data included in the report.
It would be helpful to highlight which data in the report
they are confident with and which, uh, they're not because it confuses
when we're writing the story.
What is accurate and what is, uh, a rough approximation or a projection? Thanks.
do I start, And then yeah, and then and then we can go.
So this is a very interesting question. I mean, we have had,
several times where infrastructure from the Ukraine Red Cross has been damaged.
But I don't, uh, sit with an overview of that.
But we would like to come back to you when we, uh
when we have a better overview. Uh, so, uh, I'll I'll leave that with Tomaso
to, uh, to come back to you on it.
Thanks. Anything further? No.
thank you, John. Um, and thanks for pointing that out. I'm I'm wasn't aware of that.
uh It's a question we have to put to our counterparts in the UN office in Ukraine.
We'll we'll do that and get back to you.
yeah, I think li uh, sorry.
Uh, Nina Larson was first with a question on another topic.
And then we'll go to Antonio on a question on another topic. Go ahead.
Thank you very much. Um, I had
a a few questions on Gaza, actually, I saw that. I think, uh,
and Matt, uh, might be online, so we could maybe help with that.
I was hoping you could say something about, uh, contingency planning for if or when,
um, people cross out of Rafa and into Egypt.
Uh, because there are reports about the area near the border there, uh,
being levelled in preparation for large scale con, uh, construction.
So I just want to know, um, what you know about that?
And if the UN agencies are participating, uh, sort of what the contingency planning
looks like, And then I had a question for Tariq on, uh, al
because we're hearing about patients dying from
a lack of oxygen after the oxygen was
cut off. If you have any details on that. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. So both our colleagues, uh uh are online.
oh. Jen is actually there in the back. Come on. Come on up. Come on up. Jens I I
He was a He was hiding behind Nina,
Uh, so we'll we'll go and order yens first and then Tarik.
Good morning. Uh, thanks, Nina.
I'll have to disappoint you because I don't have any
on that particular topic.
We have, like everyone else. Seen the reports,
Sorry. Do you have any information on the UN S? Contingency planning?
Uh, in case there is a spillover from into
our position is that people who are in need of humanitarian assistance,
of which there are many in Rafah, should be
and have a right to be assisted where they are
and be protected where they are.
Nina, I think you had a question of Tarik as well. Right?
Uh, Tariq, I don't know if you you heard the question. Yeah, go ahead, then.
I heard a question. I mean, uh,
you've seen, uh, we had a We had a tweet from DEG. And, uh,
and also, uh, colleagues from human rights High Commissioner
have said it. Uh, we are deeply alarmed by the reports from, uh, Al Naser.
Uh, medical complex. Uh, the the the
This medical complex has been barely functional, and, uh,
there is now a reported damage to the orthopaedic unit,
and that obviously reduces the ability to provide urgent medical care.
to the to the hospital, uh uh means more lives being lost.
Now there are still critically injured and
sick patients that are inside the hospital.
a an urgent need to deliver fuel,
Uh, and to ensure the continuation of the provision of life saving
services, we also need to do assessment to try to identify
uh, most critical patients and see how we can, uh, uh, have their safe referral. Uh,
we are at at the UN, uh, coordinating to asking and looking for the
urgently access to the hospital. Uh, we have been
saying all this time you have heard me and others from W show, uh, that that patients,
health workers and civilians who are seeking refuge,
uh, in hospitals, they deserve safety and not,
uh, a peril in those places of healing.
Also, the reports that some patients have been
from one building to another are concerning as as
as as patients cannot easily be moved without,
uh, putting their health in danger.
So, uh, definitely, uh, we are, uh, trying to get more information.
We are trying to get access, uh, because, uh, uh, people who are still in national
medical complex, uh, need need assistance.
Uh, thank you, Tarik. Um, so I know Antonio's question is on Venezuela.
We'll get to that in a minute.
Um, I imagine you have a hand up. Is this on Gaza or Ukraine?
I was just thinking about this the other night.
Where do you think the the UN S responsibility to protect
So within the R two P framework, I believe that's
within the Security Council,
I'm not sure, I. I understand the question.
Yeah, clearly it's up to the Security Council, but
I'm just wondering as humanitarians. At what point do
you think it perhaps should kick in?
It kicks. It has already kicked in.
It's it's in terms of protection of civilians.
It's enshrined in the Geneva Conventions.
and you know, which is the foundation on which we we we
conduct our humanitarian work.
So of course, civilians in conflict should be protected at all times.
Um, thank you. I see John
Costas is a hand up. I don't know whether that's an old hand or a new one.
No, it is a new hand. OK,
I was wondering, Tomaso, if you can bring us up to speed
on the casualties of IFRC,
in the OPT, especially in Gaza.
I think your president yesterday,
uh, briefed member states and she had given a figure of 17 of your,
uh, staff or volunteers having been killed.
from your personnel on the ground there.
Thanks, John, for the question. I can just confirm what you just said and what our
president, Kate Forbes, said yesterday. Sadly, the
staff and volunteers of Palestine
Crescent in the Gaza Strip and three staff and volunteers of them
again with the dom in Israel since the beginning of the conflict.
update from Gaza is what I think was already said many times here.
The more the conflict will go ahead, the more humanitarian needs will grow.
And of course, there is. As also, our secretary general said
we are deeply concerned about the situation
in Rafah and all the possible implications
on the civilians in a highly densely populated area where needs are growing.
And then, of course, as all the other agencies
already said, there is a huge need of protection.
Uh, thank you, Tomaso. We've kept Antonio waiting for quite a long while.
So, Antonio, why don't you go ahead and ask your question?
So, uh, it's about the decision by
Venezuelan government to suspend the, uh, UN rights office in Caracas.
the staff there only three days to leave the country.
So we have had a a very brief reaction by the by the office.
uh uh representing the UN has also have also something to comment.
UN is having contact with Venezuelan authorities in order to solve the crisis.
Thank you. Antonio, At this stage, we don't have any further comment.
We're, uh we're aware of the situation.
Uh, I will refer you to our colleagues from OHC HR
for any further comments or developments on that
Uh, hi. Thanks. And back to Gaza. Unfortunately,
um, whoever can answer this, I think probably Tariq, maybe you two.
um, now I understand that one of the patients was killed.
Uh, I'm wondering whether uh others were wounded.
And how many patients actually are in the hospital or have they all
uh, from what I've heard on the media, the Israelis are justifying the entry
into the hospital, saying that terrorists have no immunity,
And as I said, and so this
is claimed to be a justification for the entry into the hospital.
Is that under international law?
or not? Or is it a shaded, uh, situation? Thank you.
Thank you. I'm sorry. Maybe.
Is this a question for Tariq?
Well, uh, thanks. Uh, thanks, Mia.
I will leave the interpretation of international
humanitarian law to colleagues from the,
uh, high commissioner for human Rights.
What we kept saying all along that, uh, uh,
health facilities should not be militarised and
should be safeguarded from all acts,
Uh, what we are concerned is that, uh uh, as as as colleagues said, there is, uh,
the needs are getting bigger and bigger.
And, uh, and that, uh, the the the availability of health care, uh,
There are only 11 hospitals that are functioning out of 36 when it comes to
In particular, we have received the reports of deaths.
more information, and we really need to get there, uh,
to to bring fuel so hospital can continue to function.
And those patients who are still there can continue to receive medical care.
And if there is a need for safe referral, Uh, that that should be done too.
I don't really have exact number.
I've seen the number, uh, a few days ago,
there was about 400 patients in A in a medical centre.
But I would I would need to,
uh to to reconfirm that number if there were any changes to that.
I don't know if you have a follow up. Otherwise, we have, uh,
Lisa, did you have a follow up?
Yeah. You know, follow up. I mean, I didn't really get an answer.
Uh, in that, uh, specifically what they say. I mean, III I understand that,
uh, hospitals are out of bounds under international law for conflict and so forth.
But the Israelis say that in this specific case
that if there are terrorists that are inside a hospital,
uh, that they should not have immunity.
That in fact, this is, you know,
is justifiable in terms of having that kind of an operation.
response do you have regarding that?
And I guess, uh, from what you said,
you you don't know whether other patients have been
wounded or how many there are or have been,
uh, evacuated and so forth. But but the first question, please. Thank you.
Well, I think you know Tariq was clear about, you know, you did.
On the interpretation of international humanitarian law,
we have to leave that to our colleagues from, uh, you know,
the the high Commissioner for Human Rights.
I don't know if you have anything to add to that, Tariq.
No, really. I, I believe. I believe that those definitions on those terms, uh, to, uh
to to to colleagues, what we are really trying to do is to
make sure that, uh, that the little of what is left of, uh,
health system in Gaza can continue to provide,
But, uh, but the the the the the the principle is clear that, uh,
health facilities should not be militarised in any way
should be protected, and patients and health workers should feel safe.
Thank you. It is a question from Nina.
Yeah. Uh, sorry for Tariq.
I was just wondering if you had any, uh,
were able to con confirm what the health Ministry in Gaza is
saying that that patients have died from a lack of oxygen after
the oxygen was shut off at Nasser because of the incursion.
And I had a second, um, question which was on on the contingency planning.
I'm just wondering also about
was saying that they might not be able to
function until further than the end of this month.
I wonder if there's contingency planning for
what agencies could potentially take over,
uh, the job that they're doing, Uh, inside of Gaza. Thank you.
You know, so So as as I said, we have seen the the reports of, uh,
of patients dying because of a lack of, uh uh, fuel.
And because of lack of, uh uh uh,
possibility to continue, uh, life serving, uh, Li Li life saving, uh uh,
provision of health care.
Now, we really, uh, uh are asking to get, uh,
an access to hospital, uh, to bring fuel, uh, and to make an assessment.
So we hope uh uh, This This can be done
and on on on on UNRWA as Director General
has said that there is no other entity that can
R a in the scope of, uh, provision of humanitarian aid.
And we appeal to to donor to continue finding, uh, to to continue funding of UN R
Um, I'm going to, um if I don't see any more hands up
uh, and at this stage, then I will read some announcements.
while you consider whether you have any more questions for the people who are here,
uh, either in the room or online.
so it's it's announced today, but for next Wednesday the 21st of February 10 a.m.
there is a, uh, press conference,
on the 55th regular session of the Human
Rights Council with the president of the council.
we also have another announcement to make on behalf
of our friends from the Human Rights Council.
the 31st session of the Human Rights
Council Advisory Committee will take place from
the 19th to the 23rd of February
These meetings are not being Webcast, but they are open to accredited media.
the advisory committee is sometimes known as the council's think tank,
and it will continue its work on the following mandates.
One is the impact, opportunities and challenges of neurotechnology,
and the second is the human rights implications of
new and emerging technologies in the military domain.
For more information on this,
please contact our colleagues Pascal
Sim, Matthew Brown or David Diaz Martin.
The Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women
and issues its concluding observations
on eight countries that were reviewed during the session.
Tajikistan, Italy, Turkmenistan, Greece, Oman,
Djibouti and the Central African Republic.
The Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights is concluding this morning
its review of the Report of Ireland.
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances will open next Monday at 10 a.m.
Uh, it will go from the 19th of February to the first of March.
It will be a Palais Wilson for the first week and here at Palais
in Room 23 for the second week.
And during this time it will review the reports of Cambodia. Burkina Faso.
Uh, it will also have a dialogue with Honduras.
The Conference on Disarmament.
Uh, this morning at 10 a.m. began a public plenary meeting under the presidency of
this is the last under the presidency of India and Indonesia will
assume the presidency of the Conference of Disarmament as of next Monday.
Uh, thank you very much. That's, um
that's all I have for you this morning.
Uh, wishing you a great weekend ahead. Thanks.
