UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 02 June 2020

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UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 02 June 2020

1:41:03

MP4

928.9 MB

02-06-2020

Press Conferences | UNHCR , OCHA , WHO , UNOG , WFP , UNCTAD

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 02 June 2020

ENG

COVID-19: logistics operation

Elisabeth Byrs, for the World Food Programme (WFP), informed that, since late January, the WFP had dispatched more than 10,000 cubic metres of humanitarian and medical cargo to 121 countries to support governments and health partners in their response to COVID-19. Those shipments included personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and gowns, ventilators, emergency health kits, stretchers, thermometers, and water purification supplies, as well as logistics equipment.

WFP was also providing passenger air services to ferry humanitarian and health workers to areas where safe and reliable commercial options were unavailable, with the first regional flight on 1 May between Addis Ababa to Accra regional hubs. Since the service had been launched on 1 May 2020, 88 passenger services had flown more than 1,000 people to 26 destinations across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with 235 organizations signing up to use the service.

Ms. Byrs added that the WFP had set up Global Humanitarian Response Hubs in Guangzhou (China), Liège (Belgium) and Dubai (UAE), close to where supplies were being manufactured – alongside regional hubs in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malaysia, Panama and Dubai. The regional hub in South Africa was in the final stages of opening, pending formalities.

COVID-19: questions and answers with the WHO

Responding to a series of questions, Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that she would look into when the results of the WHO study on hydroxychloroquine would be finalized and shared. Regarding statistics for Europe, she said that a steady, if not speedy, decline was being recorded. New cases were still being reported, though, particularly in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe. Dr. Harris had no further comment or information than Dr. Tedros had provided the previous day regarding the media reports of the United States’ possible withdrawal from the organization; she also had no information on the rules regulating possible withdrawal of Member States from WHO, but she would look into that. Journalists also requested information about the support being provided to Central and South American countries, which Dr. Harris would collect and revert with later today. On the journalists’ request to have technical briefings by WHO experts, Dr. Harris explained that the policy thus far had been to let WHO experts focus on their work, but she also understood the need for the Geneva press corps to have an opportunity to speak to them.

Dr. Harris could not yet provide information at which temperature the virus was killed in laboratory settings. Another question referred to the survival of the virus on different surfaces. Dr. Harris stressed the importance of scrubbing when cleaning surfaces. She referred to the recent WHO guidance on the topic, which can be found on the WHO website. The crucial point was to never touch one’s nose, mouth or eyes with unwashed hands.

Requested for a comment by the UN Secretary-General, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that SG Guterres had repeatedly supported the WHO, describing it as “irreplaceable”.

Opportunities for refugees in Greece

Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that the UNHCR was deeply concerned over government-arranged exit of some 9,000 recognized refugees from Greece’s reception system which had begun on 1 June. In the coming months another 11,000 refugees would have to transit from assistance for asylum seekers to general social welfare, once recognized as refugees by Greece’s asylum authorities. A new law adopted in March 2020 reduced the grace period for recognized refugees from six months to 30 days to make a transition from organized accommodation and basic support to an independent living.

UNHCR had continuously expressed concerns that assistance for many recognized refugees was ending prematurely, before they had an effective access to employment and social welfare schemes, foreseen by Greek law. UNHCR had been urging Greece to increase the national reception capacity at sites, apartments, hotels and through cash for shelter. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and measures to reduce its spread created additional challenges by limiting people’s ability to move and find work or accommodation.

Responding to a question, Mr. Mahecic specified that most asylum seekers in Greece were Afghans, Syrians, Iraqis and Congolese.

Full press release can be read here.

Malian refugees in Niger

Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that more than a thousand people – a mix of refugees from Mali, displaced Niger nationals and local host communities – were on the run following a brutal attack by irregular armed elements on a site in western Niger on 31 May, which had killed three people and wounded others. Over 50 armed men on motorbikes had swarmed into Intikane, Tahoua region - some 72 kilometres from the Malian border targeted and killed two Malian refugee leaders and a local host community leader. The site hosted some 20,000 refugees and an additional 15,000 displaced Niger nationals. In addition to brutally killing the three men, the assailants had torched food supplies and other aid items. They had also destroyed mobile phone towers and the main water station and pipes, cutting communication and the water supply to the displaced population and host communities.

UNHCR condemned the killings and called on all sides to respect civilian lives, bring those responsible to justice and make sure such heinous crimes not repeat in the future. Despite violent attacks and insecurity severely limiting humanitarian access to those in need of protection and assistance, UNHCR was stepping up its response in Niger, focusing especially on providing shelter, education and programmes to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence.

Full press release is available here.

Yemen pledging event

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), informed that today at 3 p.m. a high-level pledging event for Yemen would start in a virtual format. Everything would be done online, with New York and Riyadh as the places of two co-hosts – the United Nations and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The opening remarks would be given by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The event was expected to last for about four hours, with more than 130 scheduled speakers from all over the world. At 7:10 p.m. Geneva time there would be a press event with UN Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Lowcock, for which questions should be sent to Mr. Laerke in advance.

Mr. Laerke said that the humanitarian community was asking for USD 2.4 billion in total, but it was expected that the full appeal would be funded not just today, but also in the coming days and weeks.

It was not yet confirmed whether Dr. Tedros would speak at the pledging conference, said Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization, in response to a question.

More information about the pledging event can be found here.

World Environment Day

Alejandro Laguna, for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), informed that 5 June would be the Environment Day, commemorated since 1974. This year, the host country was Colombia, in partnership with Germany. The theme in 2020 was Time for Nature. It was linked to biodiversity: nature underpinned all aspects of human health, yet biodiversity was threatened like never before. Species were currently disappearing at an incredibly faster speed than the average speed of the past 10 million years. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that nature was sending us a message and that we were on the verge of a breakdown. The focus was on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic was over. Mr. Laguna also spoke about UNEP’s project on biodiversity involving adult snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan; it included beautiful, rare footage of these leopards that would be shared with the media on Friday. Mr. Laguna mentioned a new dance video “Lying Together” by choreographer Corey Baker, which would also be launched on 5 June. More information on the Environment Day is here.

Mr. Laguna also informed that, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, the next Ciné-ONU would take place 5 June at 5 p.m. CET. Ciné-ONU Geneva, partnering with its colleagues from Brussels and Vienna, would organize the screening of Rob Stewart's award-winning film, Sharkwater Extinction, followed by a panel discussion. International experts would discuss the loss of biodiversity, exploring drivers such as illegal wildlife trade, and exchange views on possible solutions and what they are doing to halt biodiversity loss. The panel would include: Sandy Campbell, producer of the film, Susan Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Division, UNEP, and Jessica Battle, Senior Expert Global Policy and Governance and Lead Deep Seabed Mining Initiative at WWF. The debate would be moderated by Deborah Seward, Director of United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC).

Full details on the screening and the panel discussion are available here.

Protests in the United States

Responding to questions about the ongoing protests and violence in the United States, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), referred to a statement by the Spokesman of the UN Secretary-General, who had said on the previous day that people’s grievances had to be heard, but they also had to be expressed in peaceful ways, and authorities had to show restraint in responding to demonstrators. In the US, as in any other country in the world, diversity was a richness and not a threat, but the success of diverse societies, in any country, required a massive investment in social cohesion. That meant reducing inequalities, addressing possible areas of discrimination, strengthening social protection, providing opportunities for all. All cases of police violence needed to be investigated. The UN had repeatedly urged that police forces around the world needed to have adequate human rights training, and there also needed to be an investment in social and psychological support for police so they could do their job properly in terms of protecting the community.

Answering further questions on the treatment of media, Ms. Vellucci further referred to a tweet by the Secretary-General, who had written that when journalists were attacked, societies were attacked. No democracy could function without press freedom, nor could any society be fair without journalists who investigated wrongdoing and speak truth to power.

Journalists requested Ms. Vellucci to inform OHCHR of their interest to have comments on the situation in the USA. Ms Vellucci noted the request and reminded that on 28 May, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had issued a press release urging serious action to halt police killings of unarmed African Americans.

Ebola

Responding to a question, Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the WHO had been informed of a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country which was also battling COVID19 and the world’s largest measles outbreak at the same time. WHO had teams on the ground, along with UNICEF and other UN agencies.

Geneva announcements

Several journalists raised the issue of the upcoming session of the Human Rights Council, asking questions about the availability of documents and in which format this session would take place. Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service, informed that talks were under way on the exact format of the session. Questions should be addressed to the HRC spokesperson Rolando Gomez.

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), informed that the UNCTAD Secretary-General had nominated Dona Bertarelli as UNCTAD Special Adviser for the Blue Economy. Ms. Bertarelli was a Swiss philanthropist, ocean conservation advocate and entrepreneur, and also the fastest woman to sail around the world. Ms. Bertarelli would help UNCTAD promote a sustainable blue economy, particularly in developing countries, to ensure the responsible and regenerative use of the oceans, seas and coasts for economic growth, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystems.

Ms. Huissoud also informed that the new analysis post-COVID-19 “How South-South cooperation can support economic recovery” would be published on 3 June. The document would be presented by Richard Wright, Director of the Unit on Economic Cooperation and Integration among Developing Countries at UNCTAD. The COVID-19 crisis was stress-testing the capacity of governance arrangements to deal with unexpected shocks. UNCTAD’s policy brief set out how South-South cooperation, though not a substitute for a proper international response to the crisis, could point towards a better future, said Ms. Huissoud.

Teleprompter

Good morning, everybody.

Thank you very much for being with us today.

I hope you had a long good weekend and restfully ready for this week.

I will now start immediately to give the floor to our first speakers.

And so I let me see if he's connected.

I will start with Jens, Jens Lerke, if we can unmute him.

Sorry, just one second.

We are looking for Yens.

I am not seeing Yens connected.

If this is not the case, maybe we'll give him the floor in a minute.

And in the meantime, I will pass the floor to to Alejandro Laguna, who will speak to us about the upcoming World Environment Day and it's 2020 edition.

Alejandro, I see you are connected.

If you can be unmuted and, and give us this information, Alejandro, you are going to be unmuted in a moment.

That's it.

You are on, Alejandro, you're on.

Can you hear me very well?

You're wrong.

And would you like to see me or that would be good.

It would be really excellent if you could.

That's your camera.

We can't see you, but we can hear you.

Oh, now we can see you too now.

Yes, absolutely.

Thank you very much for being with us this morning.

And go ahead with your announcement about World Environment Day, please.

Thank you very much.

Good morning to everyone.

This Friday 5th of June is World Environment Day.

As some of you might know, it is EU NS day for environmental action and it's been going on since 1974, two years after unit was created.

So it's been celebrated every year on on the 5th of June.

This year the host country is Colombia, in partnership with Germany, and the theme for World Environment Day in 2020 is It's Time for Nature or Nature is a hashtag, so it is deeply linked to biodiversity.

Nature underpins all aspects of human health and despite this, biodiversity is threatened like never before.

So species currently disappearing at a speed that is incredibly faster than the average in the past millions of years.

The COVID-19 pandemic is also showing us that nature is sending us a message and that we are on the verge of a breakdown, that it's time to reimagine our relationship with nature.

UNIP is working on different aspects of the COVID crisis as I I don't know if you're aware of this, but it's not just zoonotic diseases.

It's also, for example, waste management, sustainable waste management.

We're generating a lot of waste.

Some of it's a bit tricky to handle, such as face masks that could be infected and and also we're focusing on how to build back better once we move on from COVID-19.

So if there's anyone interested in potential interviews with a senior unit manager on World Environment Day COVID, please let me know.

I would like to mention a few very short initiatives that we are working on for World Environment Day here from the region, from this regional office.

One of them is linked to one of our projects, the Vanishing Treasures project, and we're going to launch a press release on Friday.

Happy to share it with you, Andrew Embargo, if any of you would like it.

We also sent a photo and video package.

And this is a very interesting project, again linked to biodiversity because for the first time we're going to show the, the preliminary findings of a monitoring effort in a mountain range in Kyrgyzstan.

We're, we're realising that there's snow leopards, that the snow leopards, which are a very elusive animal, are actually being monitored not too far away from the capital and, and the major city in the country.

That the fact that climate change is bringing, pushing local communities and snow levels together is likely to going to create some conflict.

And there is, of course, a potential ****** of zoonotic diseases.

So this is a very interesting project.

We've got very beautiful footage of snow leopards, very, very difficult to obtain with with camera traps.

We're going to share all that.

If any of you are interested in this project, as I said, we're launching it on Friday.

We haven't shared much information on it before.

We hadn't shared many photos before.

So let me know if you're interested.

We're also going to launch on a completely different note, dance video produced by a choreographer who is based in the UK, he's from New Zealand, Cory Baker.

It's a very interesting video that's also going to be broadcast on the BBC.

But you have the right, if you so wish to, to, to use it.

We're launching it on Friday.

It's been recorded in in Asia, in a huge city where the dancers, they're trying to find the green spaces in the city.

It's a call to make sure that a building's a greener, that we have green spaces in cities.

And I must say it is a very beautiful dance video.

I do not dance in the video.

So it is actually a very professional video.

Finally, I would just like to mention because the UN Information Service in Geneva is also participating in this.

I don't know if this is the first case in which three information centres, UN information centres are collaborating on a scene on you, but certainly this is happening on Friday with Brussels, Vienna and Geneva participating.

Thanks a lot, Alexander and team for this.

I was going to announce it myself, so go ahead.

No, no, it's fine, it's fine.

Go ahead.

You won't have to speak that much today.

So we're, we're going to, well, if you want to add any details, that's that's fine.

But we're going to have a panel discussion and the screening of Shark Water Extension.

Now I believe this is going to be moderated by the director of the UN Regional Information Centre in Brussels.

We're going to have great, we're going to have the producer of Shark Water Extension.

We're going to have the director of the UNEP Ecosystem Division, Susan Gardner, and then a senior expert from the WWF from the World Wildlife.

I think I'm going to stop there.

If anyone, there's obviously a lot going on for World Environment Day across the world.

If you are interested in whatever I have mentioned or anything else, let me know.

And there is a chance for for interviews if you so wish to.

Thank you very much and happy World Environment Day.

Thank you very much, Alejandro.

Happy World Environment Day to you.

I just wanted to add that the journalist have received, you should have received an invitation to participate in the scene or new event because we will ask you to watch the movie first.

You have a few days to do it until the 5th of June until the time of the debate.

And you should have received the link in order to watch the movie 1st and then participate into the debate debate.

If you haven't received it or if you want to receive it again, just let us know.

You'll get it.

And as Alejandro said, this is a joint events with Brussels and Vienna is our second European senior new and he's working excellently and I have to thank all the teams that have been working on that.

So I'll give now the floor to the journalist for questions.

I have a first request from the floor from Jamil.

Jamil, you have the floor.

Hi, Alessandra.

Sorry this it was not on the environmental day If I could, but it's for for Alejandro.

No.

OK, then bear with us.

I have questions for him, for you.

OK, I have questions for for Alejandro following you.

So please bear with us.

I'll come back to you in a second.

OK, let's go with the second question.

The second hand raises from Peter.

Peter.

Kenny.

Peter, you have a question for Alejandro?

Yes, I found out.

I would like to ask you about the the shark study, the movie.

Where does this take place?

And can you say where sharks are most endangered, if there is any particular area where they are more endangered?

Thank you.

Alejandra.

Yes, actually, I'm not going to be able to give you much information.

Bear in mind this is not a study, it's a screening that we're talking about, that we're referring to that is going to happen on Friday.

If you are interested in any specific species and it seems you might be interested in sharks, I can try to put you in touch with the experts.

We actually even have a campaign called Wildlife that focuses on endangered species, not only sharks, but many other species across the world.

But bear in mind that on Friday, it's not a report that is being launched.

It is the screening of a film.

But it's it, it would be good maybe if in connection with the film, that would be the possibility for some journalists who are interested in getting to talk to to some experts who if you could follow up on this at 100, that would be great.

Yeah.

In, in fact, in the panel discussion, you're going to have the, the head of our ecosystems division, Susan Gardner.

So she is definitely a very good expert to, to ask and you will have someone from the WWF 2.

But I will let them know that there is this interest in, in specific information on, on some of these species.

Thank you very much.

As another question is from Catherine Fiancon.

Catherine.

Yes, the floor.

Good morning.

Morning.

My, my first question is for Alejandro.

I would like to know if if you work with CITES because of of the species that are in danger.

So that's my question.

And then Alessandra, I have other questions that I keep from for a little bit later.

OK, let's start with Alejandro then.

Yeah, Well, that's, that's a quick one.

Yes, indeed.

Well, not only are we in the same building in Geneva, not now because we're all at home, but CITES is actually hosted the secretariat of CITES of this multilateral environmental agreement.

This convention is hosted by UNIP.

So yes, we, we are actually part of the same team one way or another.

Yeah.

But my, my, my question is for for, for instance, like the question that has been raised by my colleague Peter about sharks.

I mean, if we want some more informations regarding certain species, I mean, should we turn directly to to CITES or to you?

Well, to be efficient, depending on what it is exactly that you want, I might, I myself might turn you over to CITES because they are in fact the experts when it comes to endangered species.

We work with them.

There might be specific focus areas where we might have more information.

But when it comes to endangered species, you are right, CITES might be the one to ask.

I am very happy to put you in touch, although you might already be in touch.

Thank you, Alejandro.

So I don't see any other question for you.

So I would go back to Jamil who had questions, maybe not for Alejandro.

We have quite a few speakers.

So maybe you have your questions also for some other speakers.

But go ahead, Jamil.

Yeah, let's try.

Sorry, first of all, regarding the Human Rights Council, 15th, normally on the website you already have documents of the Council weeks before.

This time there's absolutely nothing.

You know the apologies for this comparison, but the truth is that the more online we are zooming, etcetera, the less access we have and we need those documents.

We need the reports, we need the the documents that are based that will base the discussions of the Human Rights Council.

So please, if we could get that first of all, second is double HO around.

Yes, she will.

It's Margaret who's going to connect.

I don't know if she's already connected.

I'm looking at the list, but she will connect during the course of the briefing.

Let me just see.

Yes, Margaret is already there.

Alright.

If yes, go ahead, Jamil, go ahead, but bear with me.

I, I think there will be a lot of questions for Margaret and I would not want to completely disrupt the the issue.

If you have a question for Margaret, maybe we finish with the announcements, then I'll go to you and whoever else want to ask questions to Margaret so that we have, we have a, a, something a little bit organic there just a few more announcements and then we'll go into the briefing file.

OK.

Any other questions for anybody else?

No.

OK.

Katherine, is your question also for for Margaret?

Can Katherine be unmuted, please?

Yes.

Thank you.

I I, I swear that I did not speak with Jamil before.

We believe you.

But I mean, it's just the same.

Not only we don't have, I mean these documents, it would be nice also to know how the this session will be organised regarding the press.

Will we be allowed to enter the room if not all the journalists at least or colleagues that are working with videos?

And I also kindly remind as Jamil that according a resolution of the General Assembly, I mean the press should have access to information.

And we see since the the beginning of the lockdown that we have less and less access to information by being muted or not having access to the documents.

And I have also questions for WHO.

Thank you so much.

OK, keep your question for WHO in a moment.

So I'll give the floor to everybody who wants to speak to Margaret.

But for the moment, just as an answer for the Human Rights Council, obviously the person to ask is, is Rolando.

But just to give you an heads up, because we have already had a lot of discussions about the Human Rights Council.

As you can imagine, we have had discussion, in particular following the discussion of the Member States that have been looking at the way to best organise this this session.

And as the Director General told you in her press conference and also to the Alcano committee members, we are doing our best to have to have some kind of hybrid system with the the the issue of the programme.

I think it will come out very quickly.

But you have to remember that the discussion until now have been more on how to organise the event.

So it would have been maybe difficult to have everything together, including the programme.

The programme is largely based on issue we know already, but we needed to find out the arrangements first.

But again, this is more for Rolando to brief you upon this and he will do it as soon as possible as in accordance to what we have discussed.

And we will also prepare the usual note to correspondent with all the information about accreditation, media access, use of cameras and so on and so forth.

So this is coming really bear with us, it will come soon.

And I will ask maybe Rolando to give you more information at least on Friday next briefing, if not earlier.

OK, so I would like now to quickly go to the other two announcement and then we turn into COVID related issue and and we'll go to WHOI see that Yance is connected.

Yance, would you like to just brief us on today's event?

Yes, thank you, Alessandra and good morning to everyone.

Today at 3:00 PM, the Yemen **** Level pledging events will start.

It's a virtual event.

It's all online.

You will see in the in the press release and media advisory that we have sent to you, you'll find the links where you can, where you can look it up.

So from 3:00 PM it will start, of course, with the opening remarks.

The Secretary General, we'll give opening remarks, the foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia opening remarks, USG low carb opening remarks.

And then we go into the pledging session that you can follow.

It's quite long.

It will be about four hour event.

You're welcome to contact me and I can try to guide you.

If that particular delegation from particular countries that you're interested in and you don't want to spend 4 hours looking at at a live feed, but you want to have a kind of a maybe 20 or 30 minutes window where I can tell you they're, if they're going to speak at that slot, please do get in touch with me and I'll try to guide you the best I can.

Maybe a bit difficult.

There are more than 130 people who are going to speak from, from UN agencies operating in Yemen and of course the big donor countries they will log in from, from their capital.

So it is a truly global event.

That's also why the timing is a bit a compromise from for, for to be able to have people in New York and as well not to make it too late in the day in, in in the Gulf and in the Middle East.

There is a press event which is scheduled for 7:10 Geneva time.

We cannot have unfortunately, live questions.

It's simply technically impossible.

But I invite you to send me any questions you may have for Mark Lowcock who will be one of the of the panellists or Doctor Al Arabiya who is the supervisor general of the King Salman Relief Centre in in Saudi Arabia, which is Co host of the event.

You can send that to me already now if you have.

And we it will keep we will keep the lines open up till about two hours before the closing.

We need some time to look through all the questions and and sort that out.

That means that you can ask questions up till around 5:00 PM today.

So do send that to me either by by e-mail or if you have my my WhatsApp, it's just my my mobile number.

You can send on WhatsApp as well, but I think e-mail is the easiest.

Around the closing time, again, 7:00 PM, we will be able to send you a short tabular note to correspondence with the pledging results where we should be able to give you, of course, the overall amount that has been pledged plus the individual pledges from, from the country.

So that is kind of the, the bookend at the other side of the day, so you can catch the actual result.

I'll stop there, but if you have any questions, please.

Thank you, Jens.

And, and just again, the Secretary General will also be addressing the opening of this **** level virtual pledging event.

So questions from Jamie is the first one.

Jamie, go ahead.

Hi, Alessandra, can you hear me?

Yes, my question.

Oh, I had two questions.

The first has to do with the protests in the United States.

If you could just give us a reaction.

Yeah, just just do you have any question for Jens?

No, no, no.

Yeah, I sent a text in the chat saying that I just wanted to have a question for you and for, for, for for Margaret.

So no, I don't have.

OK, Sorry, sorry.

Just let's.

It's very difficult when I don't know exactly what the problem.

So let let me ask, please, Jamie, I come back to you promise in a second.

Can I please ask the journalists who have raised their little hands to put it down?

If it's not for Yens for the moment, then you put it up again.

If you have any question for Yens.

Catherine.

Catherine, is that a question for Yens?

Yes, Go ahead.

Yes, yes, good morning.

I'd like to know what is the technical issue that doesn't allow to have live questions.

I mean, because with Zoom, we know that there's no Zoom or other any tool live questions are possible.

So why isn't it possible?

Thank you.

Thank you, Catherine.

Well, the IT is the Co host who is organising and managing the platform.

So it is Riyadh who is organising it.

They're using a platform that they previously used for I believe AG 20 meeting.

And so, so, so that that's the first thing.

It's a little bit out of out of our hands.

Secondly, what I do understand is that when you have more than 130 people logging on who will have very specific slots as, as delegates, it is for them not possible to have any number, any unknown number of of journalists log on as well.

So that is unfortunately the case.

Now, as as I said, we're, we're trying to make the what we believe it is a good compromise for you to send your questions to us keeping it open so that you can actually see the beginning, the introductory remarks from everyone.

You'll be able to see the big pledges they typically come at at the first part of, of of the event.

So that that is what what we've been able to do for now.

So, so please do send me your, your questions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Barron.

Hopefully it's for Jens Baram can be.

Can he be a muted please?

One second, please.

Can you hear me now?

Good morning.

Now we can hear you.

Go ahead, Baram.

Mr Jess, I just like to know that if this event is a New York event or Geneva event, can you clarify that for us, please?

Thank you.

What do you mean with Geneva event or New York event?

Where it where it is held?

You mean where it is organised as Jens said is the Saudi Arabian authorities.

But Jens, maybe you want to give him more?

Sorry.

I have seen some statement.

It says Riyadh and New York.

It doesn't say Geneva in this sense.

OK, Jens, it is a good question.

The event happens in cyberspace That that that's where it happens.

It's it's everything is is online, everything is virtual.

Now we need, we need to dateline press releases, you need to dateline your stories.

So what we have done is that we have put the the homestead of the two Co hosts, namely New York and Riyadh as the places where it's held until when we can put on a press release cyberspace or something like that.

I'm just talking.

OK.

Musa, you have your Musa Villa Paola we in the question.

Yes, the, the, the, the, the vast majority of the pledges from last year from 2019, which was made early in the year have have been paid.

There are some outstanding ones.

But the humanitarian response plan for example, that we have last year is more than 80% funded.

So that that is comparably a good result if you see with funding levels of of other appeals.

But this is, this is a new, this is a new funding Dr if you like.

It's, it's a bit different because it comes quite late in the year.

The from the from the UN side because it is, it is a humanitarian pledging conference, which means that the donors can pledge to the UNS response operation, but they can also pledge to humanitarian action outside of the UN response action.

For example, the Red Cross Red Crescent who is not part of our of our of our appeal.

Having said that, it's it is late in the year and the requirements that we have from from the UN side only covers 1st of June till the end of the year.

Those requirements is $2.4 billion.

So that is what we what we are asking from the donors.

The $2.4 billion is not a target for this one day, for this one day pledging conference.

We are already asking for money and we will continue to ask for money after that because it's extremely rare.

I don't think it has ever happened that an appeal has been funded fully in one day.

So we expect to to give it a boost of course today, but the fundraising will continue.

Thank you very much.

So I go back to Jamie and then we will go to Katherine.

Jamie, you had a question.

Hi.

Yeah.

Can you hear me now?

Sorry.

Very well.

Yeah, I just, I had two questions, one for you about just the reaction to the to the protests in the United States.

If you could tell us what the UN position is on that.

They don't have a question for Margaret, can I?

Yeah, we'll keep this for later on.

OK, Sure.

On the issue of the situation in the in the United States, I don't know if you saw the declaration of the spokesperson of the Secretary General yesterday, but I'll, I'll give it to you.

Stefan Jarik said yesterday.

The situation that we are seeing in the United States, we've seen in different parts of the world before, and the Secretary General's message has been consistent.

1 is that grievances must be heard, but they must be expressed in peaceful ways, and authorities must also show restraint in responding to demonstrators.

He said that in the US, as in any other country in the world, diversity is a richness and not a ******.

But the success of diverse societies in any country requires a massive investment in social cohesion.

That means reducing inequalities, addressing possible areas of discrimination, strengthening social protection, providing opportunities for all and these efforts, these investments need to mobilise national governments, local authorities, private sector, civil society, faith-based organisation in one world society as a whole needs to be mobilised.

He also said that we have seen over the last days cases of police violence and again, he restated that what we have been saying in many other cases in the case of when we have seen police violence.

And this is that first of all, cases obviously need to be investigated.

We've always said that police forces around the world need to have adequate human rights training and there also needs to be an investment in social and psychological support for police so they can do their job properly in terms of protecting the community.

If you wish, we can send you this this statement just after the briefing.

I think we can send it to the older journalists and and Jamie, your for your question, please skip it.

I will go to to Margaret in a moment.

Musa de Nouveau we in in the only conference.

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Yeah, the massage keeper, this Ishapi Yens Moussa Reponduma Noche Verimo Yensi Vuladi.

Margaret, Emma, do you have a question for whom?

It's for you actually.

Go ahead.

We learned today that the UN is going to be working on new peace talks on Libya, the 5 + 5.

I was wondering if that will be in Geneva, if you've been in contact with them and if you have any idea of the timing of that, please?

No, I, I, of course, we have the information, but we don't have details to share with you at the moment.

I've tried to contact the spokesperson of the mission that you know well and as soon as I have further information, either he or we or I will share it with you.

Thank you, Nina.

Thank you.

I just wanted to follow up on Jamie's question earlier because I think it's a shame that no one from the rights office is there today.

It seems like what's happening in the US is quite extraordinary with threats of sending in the military and especially the attacks on journalists that have been happening.

And it would be good to get some reaction about the the treatment of of the press in the US if possible.

Thank you.

OK, if you give me a second, I think I have something.

Yes, on the issue of the press also yesterday's the fund usually said in fact it was the secretary general himself who tweeted about that over the weekend.

And I quote from his tweet, he said when journalists are attacked, societies are attacked.

No democracy can function without press freedom, nor can any society be fair without journalists to investigate the wrongdoing speak truth to power.

So this is the reaction we have from the secretary general And as concerns, OHCHRI would obviously refer your question to Rupert.

But I also have the impression that may be wrong that that they have expressed themselves in the in the past weeks about especially in in connection with journalists.

But I'll, I'll, I'll go back to him and and share with him your your requests.

Lisa, can you unmute Lisa, please?

Yes, yes, go ahead.

Thanks.

Good morning.

Alessandra, the again, a follow up on the same issue with you Alessandra.

I was just wondering what the UN position is regarding sending in the military to do the work of what should be the work of the police, the civilian police force in quelling civilian protests.

Civilians, after all, are not soldiers.

And even though President Trump seemed to indicate that he they were doing battle, I don't think they are on the battlefield.

So does the US, the UN have a position on this?

Yeah, as I said, Lisa, the position of the United Nations, what we have just said, Secretary general's message is consistent authority must show restraint in responding to demonstrators and grievances must be heard, but they have to be expressed in peaceful ways.

This is all I have to say at the moment on this particular issue, Catherine.

Regarding human rights, I'm quite surprised that no one is showing up today.

I did see all the tweets of the SG that I read, but I haven't seen any tweets or message from Mrs Bachelet about journalists or even the race of racism in the United States and the problem.

So it would be very nice that someone from human rights also shows up when the briefings are taking place.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Catherine.

I've just found what I was referring to.

I don't know.

You must have seen all, you must all have seen this press release that was issued on the 28th of May where Mrs Bashley urged serious action to halt US police killings of unarmed African Americans.

There is a press release is available on the website of OHCHR.

Of course, I will again bring your request to Rupert.

But they have expressed themselves on this, on this matter.

So I would refer you to this press release.

OK.

So thank you very much for all this.

I will now go to the last of our, what should have been short announcements but weren't so short.

And it's Katherine we saw from Anktad.

And then we will go into COVID.

And I give the floor to WHO and the other colleagues, Kathleen Tuvanodoni.

Listen for myself, like we said, let's compu unmute.

Can we unmute Catrin resource, please?

Hello, we we on Tanton.

We I know that's the not not the right Catherine.

Catherine Wiesel by Catherine Fianco for my colleagues, please.

Bonjour.

Bonjour, Catherine.

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Perfect.

Perfect, Geneva.

I don't see any questions, any requests for the floor from the journalist.

So thank you very much.

So let's go in to the let's turn to the COVID-19 issues.

I will start with Elizabeth who has a an issue to brief you upon and then we will take questions and particularly to Margaret, as I understand many of you would like to talk to her.

Elizabeth yes, good morning to all.

It's just a short briefing about it's an update about the common logistics services WFP provides.

Since late January, 10,000 metric cubic metres of humanitarian and medical cargo to 121 countries to support government and health partners in their response to COVID-19 have been dispatched.

It's enough to feel more and four Olympic size swimming pools.

These shipments include personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns, ventilators, emergency health kits, stretchers, thermometers and water purification supplies as well as logistic equipment.

WFP is also providing passenger services to very humanitarian and health workers where safe and reliable commercial options are not available.

With the first regional flight on 1st May, you recall maybe from Addis Ababa to Accra regional hub.

Since the service launch on 1st May, 88 passenger services have flown more than 1000 people to 26 destination across Africa, Asia and the Middle East with 235 organisation signing up to use the services.

The service will be expanded to Latin America very soon.

I just would like to flag a new flight which started on the 1st 31st May Sunday.

Last Sunday a humanitarian flight shattered by WFP which came to Vencian in Laos where regular commercial international flights have been suspended since March.

On board of this AirAsia flights where medical supplies donated by the international community and also non COVID medical supplies may be included in the following flights such as vaccines or the national immunisation programme to ensure the continuation of essential health services in Laos.

These humanitarian flights will run now every Sunday from now on and we'll connect Vansian with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we have a logistic hub.

This flight is partly funded by generous donation from Switzerland and Switzerland will also fund fly air services to Myanmar.

In Asia and Pacific, similar flights are are also been coming to Myanmar, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and soon new flights will go to Nepal and Timor Leste bringing medical supplies and equipment and humanitarian workers to support this country in their response to COVID-19.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Elizabeth.

And now I will open the floor to question.

I see Antonio would like to say something.

Yes, Alessandra, good morning.

Good morning.

So my question is, if you can give us more details about the expanding the service to Latin America, What are the preparations, when is going to to start?

And also my question is why this hasn't started already given that now Latin America with the United States has the most serious cases of of COVID-19?

Thank you.

Oh, Antonio, yes, I understand your question and fortunately, I have no other details.

And I will ask our office in Panama to give me more.

And I would like also to apologise to Jameel because I sent this question that the question he asked at the last press briefing in particular on Brazil and breakdown of other Latin American country.

And so far I haven't received any detailed information.

So I'm not forgetting you and I will send you as many details as I can as soon as I get them.

And I suppose if the flights just started is that they need, I mean authorization and there are a couple of technical issue which have to be looked into before starting such flights.

I will would like to recall that those flights are set up when there is no commercial flights.

And also I recall the question of the Swiss colleague, the Swiss journalist about the Geneva, Rome air bridge.

And so far as there are commercial flights, we won't stop this air bridge unless commercial flights stop again or are unavailable.

OK.

But I will send you some more information as soon as I get them from our Latin America office.

Thank you.

It's a bit, it's a bit as, as, as you can see, we'll try our best to get the information to you.

OK.

So next question is from Freddie.

And also those who wanted to ask questions to Margaret, Please raise again your hands.

Margaret is connected.

So I will go to Elizabeth and or Margaret according to your questions.

So I'll start with Freddie.

Freddie, we Bonjour, Alexandra.

Bonjour Democratic Congo unquake lipidemic Ebola eradicate on the cocktail.

Hello.

Otherwise, maybe I'll ask Margaret if she has anything on Ebola.

I have a little paragraph, but it's on WHO so maybe Margaret can give it herself.

Yens, you want to start?

Do you have any any information on Ebola in particular in DRC?

Could the Yens be unmuted?

I think Yens is not asking for the floor, so maybe I'll go to Margaret.

If any other colleague wants to talk, please raise your hands and I'll give you the flow on Ebola.

Certainly, we were notified of a new outbreak in Equator, Equator, Bandaka, where this new outbreak is, is an area that has experienced an outbreak before.

And we do, in fact, have a lot, quite a lot of people on the ground, as does UNICEF, and we also have laboratory services.

So the response has swung into action.

But as you quite rightly said, DRC is also battling COVID-19 and it's also battling the world's largest measles outbreak.

So DRC certainly has a lot to deal with, but we do have a very large team down there to assist.

Thank you.

If no other colleague wants to add on the Ebola issue and I don't see any, I'll go to the next question is from Jamil.

Jamil, I guess this is from Margaret.

Yes, can you hear me?

Yes, absolutely.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Margaret.

I think last week when chloroquine issue came up at the at the briefing and at the press conference it was said that we would have an answer by mid June.

Now yesterday your chief scientist at the press conference said that it would be in 24 hours which is today.

So my question to you are we are we, do we have to call you during the entire afternoon because we will or will this be published or you will send us the result in as soon as it is ready in terms of of the 24 hour that your sign, the chief scientist said that's the first question.

Secondly, regarding Latin America, it's a bit of the same question.

Antonio, just put what exactly or how much, because we have heard a lot of what you've been sending to Africa.

But could you, could you be very specific in how much have you sent to Latin America, which is the epicentre of the pandemic?

Thank you.

OK, OK.

So first question, I I must have missed the 24 hours deadline, so I'm going to have to get back to you on that.

I mean, I understood that I guess from Sumiya.

So I'll have to check with Sumiya's team because I was at the same press conference.

I don't remember her saying exactly that.

But I will check for you quickly because certainly I'd like to know as well then I would expect mid June I will get back and clarify to you.

And certainly since there's huge interest around the world, we will let you know.

We won't make you have to harass us.

I promise.

Second one, excellent question.

We certainly identified over 40 countries that needed our support, very, very needed extra support very early on in the outbreak.

I do not have the list of countries in front of me.

I will check again.

But I'll also let you know that Kalista Etienne is giving a informational session at 11:00 DC time, Washington, DC time.

So you may get to get more detail on that.

But meanwhile, I will go to Pajo and ask which specific countries are we giving more of the kind of assistance that you that you identified as the assistance we're giving in Africa.

It certainly wasn't only in Africa.

We identified 40 different countries that needed a lot more support with training, with materials, with getting their health systems ready.

I don't have the actual names of those countries, but I will find out for you, Jamil, just on Latin America, I have no idea whether you have seen yesterday Stefan Dujaric gave a briefing during the noon briefing.

He he one of the items was specifically Latin America and the Caribbean.

He gave quite a few numbers, the number of cases associated death and also the support on the assistant in the assistance given to the countries he mentioned Venezuela, Colombia and he made a sort of a spotlight on Guatemala.

So unless you have already seen that and in this case you don't need me too, but I can send it to you or to our colleagues.

Again, the information that was given yesterday, it was sort of a sort of a overall information on Latin America and the Caribbean.

So if you want, I can, I can send it to you.

Maybe just the real mute Jamil Enrico, please, because just for him to react to whatever she said or Margaret Jamil.

Yeah, Yeah.

It would be very helpful, Alessandra, if you could send this to us, but we would also need the specifics by WHO from several weeks.

We have heard from Africa and we haven't heard from Latin America.

When Margaret talks about PAJO, I do understand.

But let us be clear here.

PAJO is a political organisation and not a medical one and we hardly can get information from them.

So if you help us, that would be very helpful.

Thank you, Tamil.

OK, I'll go to the next question to Katrina.

Yes, good morning, Margaret.

I'm seeing you.

So I have a couple questions.

The first one is regarding the figures in Europe, if it would be possible to have some more details about what's happening in Europe, because it's not because they're lifting some, some lockdowns, measures of lockdowns that we don't have any official figures anymore, what's happening in the different countries, that would be quite interesting.

Thank you in advance.

The other thing I would like to remind kindly that your DG, Doctor Tedros did promise to organise have an, an, an A briefing exclusively for acne members about one month ago.

We are still waiting for a date and the sooner the better.

The other thing that I would like to do is back up our colleague Musa about the fact that when we send some mails or we call your communication department to have some elements or interviews.

I mean, we don't have feedback the mails.

I mean, I'm not talking about you, Margaret, but the, the mails are not answered when you call and you need, for instance, when you had a press conference last week about the launch of The Who Foundation, I needed some elements to write my article.

I called some of your colleagues in order to have a precision.

They never called me back.

So I mean when when a press conference ends at, for instance, 630 or 7, I mean, you can expect journalists to contact you sometimes to have some clearer details about what has been said during the press conference.

So if it would be possible for for your colleagues to answer and to go back.

And the other thing that I wanted to mention is about getting experts.

We do understand that Doctor Tedros is very busy, but you have a group of highly qualified experts that we really would like to have in, in press briefings and also when we place some requests for interviews, one to one, usually no feedback, no answer.

And then we see that they've accepted to be part of other news editions or ask, I mean, with colleagues.

So we really need to have some more, I would say, technical information about COVID-19.

Yeah, it's clear.

Catherine.

Margaret.

Oh, you're muted.

That's right.

Sorry.

Can Margaret be unmuted, please?

Just one second.

No, maybe you have to just click.

Oh, here, now you're on, you're on.

Okay, yeah, all good points.

Starting from the first one, specifics for Europe.

So at the moment in Europe, in Western Europe, we are seeing a steady decline.

It's not speedy, but there's a steady decline in new cases being reported daily.

So that means the numbers of new cases are still significant, but the numbers each day reported are coming down except for Russia and in Eastern Europe we are still seeing the rise.

So it's more an East, West picture in Europe.

For the specific numbers, I can, I can provide them for you.

I, I don't have the numbers right directly in front of me, but because it is a lot of countries, but I can certainly provide those for you.

Now on the Akanu, yes, we have made it very clear that we think that this is very important and the DG also thinks it's very important.

The difficulty of course, is finding that time, but it is considered very **** priority and very important.

That briefing take place on the launch of the.

Oh, OK, lack of calling back.

We, we are finding that if we're answering our phones, we're not getting anything else done.

So that's been a bit of a problem.

It's not you that that's a problem.

It's more that we get a lot of calls from the general public because we don't have a sort of general public hotline.

So quite often we're putting our phones on silent and apologies for that.

This is just simply to try to get through what we're doing.

But please, I often put a please call me back message and.

And hopefully if I get a text from you, I'll deal with it right away and I'll ask my colleagues to do the same thing.

It's really to try to weed out.

At one stage about a month ago, we're also getting a lot of *****.

And I found that particularly when you get an abusive call, it's very difficult to determine whether it's somebody who's just being obnoxious or if it's somebody I, you know, I still want to listen to their concerns.

But it can take half an hour or an hour sometimes when somebody is very, very distressed.

So again, it's, it's simply a triage system.

And I will let my colleagues also know that you if if you're not getting a response from media inquiries, we need to look at that because quite right, you do need a reply.

You need do need to know what we're doing on the technical experts.

It's good to hear that I want to bring more technical experts.

We all do.

When would be an appropriate time given these Zoom meetings?

Is it good to do it the hour before the Palais?

Is it good to do it on the different day?

So let us know what would work for you because we do have a lot of good technical experts and it's a very good way to get that good information to disseminate the viral, the great work you all.

I do so much appreciated.

I think that's it.

Was there any other question that I've missed?

No, I think you you've covered.

But Margaret, I'd just like to take the opportunity to invite you to get in contact with Eunice because as we have done with a few expert briefings we've done in the past, we have tried to capture the moment also of the regular press briefing and do it just before like 30, for example, or 9:15.

This also helps make the briefing maybe lighter because not lighter is not the right word, but maybe it's shorter because many of the questions WHO can be asked at the expert briefings.

And obviously Unis is very happy to support the expert briefings on our platform for the Geneva journalist.

So just get in contact with us.

We've had it in the past, but there were more technical briefing.

And I understand the journalists are very much interested in more medical specialised, sorry, specialised briefings.

So anytime you want to do that, especially just before the press briefing or just after maybe the regular press briefings, we are very happy to host it on our platform.

Next.

The question is from Peter, Peter Kenny.

Yes, good morning, Margaret.

Dr Tedros at yesterday's press conference said that the decision by President Trump to cut ties with The Who had only been heard of through the media.

I'm just wondering, have you heard officially about this?

I've got really nothing further to say beyond what he said already.

That's really what we've got.

Thank you, Margaret.

Our next question is from Jamie.

Jamie, we have been patient.

Thank you very much.

You asked a question to Margaret.

Hi, Margaret.

Thank you.

If I could just mention, first of all, your hair is doing a wonderful job of reflecting the light to your right.

So I don't know there's any way to pull down the blinds.

I'm sorry, EDF, EDF cut off my powers.

I ran into the office.

So I'll try and get that.

Fair enough, fair enough.

My question has to do with WH OS talks about handling the COVID response in in in January.

We have a story out today that I think you may be aware of, maybe not about.

I'm talking about how doctor, Doctor Mike had said that Doctor Ryan had said in in early January that the best way to protect China, quote unquote, was for WHO to do its own independent analysis of the data on SARS and COV 2 because other countries had said that they will take action accordingly.

Why did Doctor Ryan feel that it was necessary to quote unquote, protect China at a time when the virus was already spreading between people?

Thanks.

Thanks Jamie.

Yes, your post story was published today and we don't have any further comment right now.

Thank you very much.

Elizabeth Can.

Yes, it is a better your own.

Hi Margaret, I have a quick question regarding the situation in Wuhan, because the government of Wuhan made a screening and today they announced that they took like almost 10 million tests and out of 10 million they there were only 300 positive tests but with no symptoms.

So my question is like, how do you assess this, you know this difference that there are like only 300 this ratio that there are only 300 positive tests with no symptoms on 10 million people.

And do you think this applicable to to you, to the whole world, meaning that there are less cases with known symptoms than, you know, some governments are announced.

So this is one of the big questions that is being asked by the epidemiologists and the people looking at the Natural History.

It's a very important question to answer.

So a big study like that gives you a little piece.

The puzzle gives you a little bit of information, but it may be related to a setting.

There's there's much more work that needs to be done around the world.

So we haven't answered that, though it was clear from the mission that returned from China.

They said at the time they did not think, but asymptomatic people who are asymptomatic were significant drivers of the outbreak.

Now there have been different opinions on that and we really won't have an answer until we've got that kind of data from around the world.

Thank you very much.

Next question is from Yuki.

Yuki Saito, if Erica, if you could unmute Yuki.

Hello.

Good morning.

Thank you.

I have a question on withdrawal of member states in general, but what kind of rules or procedures are there in WHO on the withdrawal of membership?

Thank you.

Oh, yeah.

And so again, oh, that's something that we don't have any further comment on at this stage.

I must be in general like, wait, I don't have any comment.

I don't have the detail.

You can have a look at our rules and our regulations, which are on the website, but I don't have companies online at all.

Correct information one at the time, please.

You can let let Margaret answer.

Please go ahead, Margaret.

So it's just saying I do not have that information.

So if I was going to to say anything, I would be saying something incorrect.

So I'm not going to give you incorrect information.

Yuki, thank you.

But I'm just in general, not not only this, I'm not talking about this case, but if a member states announced that it's well to withdraw the membership, what kind of procedures or what kind of rules?

So again, I would have to go to our legal people and ask that specific question and provide like that information.

I do not have that information with me right now.

Thank you Gabriela.

Yes, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Nice to see you all and I would like to 2nd Jamil on everything he said about Latin America and the help that you are sending them and you know, all that and also about what he said on Paho, because, you know, I these press briefings are not press briefings.

They, I mean, you have to send your, your question in advance.

You have to do by written and then you in the chat and, and they picked and I mean, I'm trying, I'm giving up, you know, but but editors want to know what headquarters of WHO think about the situation.

So I would really appreciate if somebody here asked answer our our questions and you know, so I have two questions.

1 is on Mexico.

Mexico is not yet at the peak of the pandemia.

There's a almost 100,000 cases, lots of deaths and the president decided to go on a tour, you know, by car and you know, like nothing happens and you know, begin began a huge project of a of a train construction.

I mean business as usual.

There is no testing.

So what do you think about that?

And also to Alessandra, if Secretary general has something to say about Mr Trump decision of withdrawing with from WHO.

OK, Margaret, you want to start?

OK, So I, I, I'm getting the message very strongly.

I need to get you some good information and detail about what kind of support is being provided to Central and and South America.

And I will make that by job this afternoon.

OK.

And I will get back to you with that.

Second on how countries should respond to this outbreak.

Testing is absolutely crucial, contact tracing to finding the people who are infected, tracing all those who have been exposed to those people, isolating and treating.

As we've discussed and for what concerns the Secretary General, Gabriella, I can only reiterate what the Secretary General said on several occasions, in particular on the 18th of May at the opening of the World Health Assembly, where he said he reiterated the support for The Who, describing the organisation as irreplaceable and one that needed more resources to support at risk developing countries.

This is the position of the Secretary General in in general on WHO and that's what I have.

OK, Next question is from Tamir.

Yes, good morning.

I have a question to Miss Harris.

How can we understand that when we request and I mean with me, I'm speaking above of my position as the Secretary of the can you when we ask I would request a meeting with an expert.

We are told that expert are not available for individual meetings or a meeting with with you.

We are doing briefing in general, but we are surprised that the some experts of the WTO give media interviews with some media.

How can we understand that?

How can we understand this selectivity?

How can you decide under which criteria you choose?

This expert can give an interview to this media outlet but not with this media outlet.

This expert can meet I can remember but not that one.

Or how can we understand this, Amir?

I think I'll, I'll give the floor to, to Margaret to answer you.

But again, I think we have very cleared that you're asking for expert meetings and we will try to do it on the Unis platform for every journalist in Geneva.

Margaret, you may want to add something to that.

I don't know.

Yes.

And certainly the, the policy today has been to try to protect the experts from having to both being diverted from their, their work, which is focusing on the, on the technical work.

And that's why the, the briefings were instituted.

So that knowing that it was very important that they also explain what's going on and provide lots of information to the media.

But I think what might may have been happening is that some experts have been approached by media separately from our team and maybe in some instances have agreed.

And I I do agree, you know, the Akanu should be we all that Akanesh should be a major, major, major means of expert knowledge being disseminated.

So it's an important point to raise and we're going to do our best to address it.

I can.

And in my role, I advocate for the whole Geneva press corps.

Colleagues, I have a list of people who want to take the floor.

I remind you that Andrei Mahej is waiting to brief you on two additional items from the **** Commissioner for Refugees.

So if those who have ask for the floor are asking for ask for the floor for questions to Margaret, please do so.

If it is to reiterate the need for WHO to speak to the Geneva Press Corps.

I think Margaret has got the message and we will do the best we can for that to please if refrain from getting into this into this debate.

I think Margaret has well received the message.

So I would like to ask your indulgence.

Please do not to go into to that so that we can go afterwards to Andre who's patiently waiting for briefing you on important issues related to the **** Commissioner for Refugees.

Tomo Tomo the Gucci.

Hi Doctor Mark, Doctor Harris, just a simple question on AUS membership.

Is you United States still a member of WHO as of now?

Thank you, Margaret.

I think that's yes.

But again, this whole issue is something that really I don't have specific details on.

Thank you very much.

Go to John.

Sarah Costas.

Yes, good morning.

Can you hear me?

Yes, yes, good morning, Margaret.

I'll be very brief.

Firstly, is Doctor Tedros likely to address the conference on Yemen today?

Secondly, the virus, I have an outstanding question.

At what temperature is killed in a laboratory setting?

And thirdly, related to Jamie's question concerning January of this year and the outbreak of the virus, the Chinese authorities notified on the end of December The Who, Am I correct that Doctor Galea and his team went to Wuhan and the area around the 20th and 21st of January?

Or did they go earlier or did they send teams earlier?

Because Chinese authorities have told us on the record that they invited other scientists from Hong Kong and Taiwan to go to Wuhan.

When was WHO invited to attend and see for themselves on the ground in Wuhan?

Thank you, Margaret John.

So I've already forgotten your first.

Oh yes, Doctor Tedros, it's not yet confirmed.

Whether or not that that hasn't been confirmed, who will be speaking at the Yemen pledging conference?

Second one, yes, I've again asked the infection prevention control people to please give me some clear answer for you, that you've been waiting very patiently.

It still has not come, but I am going to again make it my mission on your behalf.

Thirdly, the early January, it was certainly only January the first who people from the country office were part were able to investigate or were able to, to seek find out more information.

I don't have the exact dates, but I think we do have it on our timeline.

So I don't have those dates in front of me, John.

But yes, I think it was earlier than the 20th.

Thank you very much, Jamie.

Hi, Margaret.

I just want to make sure that I follow up because there were two things, both what Yuki mentioned and what Peter mentioned.

I know that you said you're going to get back to us on by Latin America and you're going to get back to John on the temperature question.

I really want to please emphasise the questions both by Yuki and by Peter, which are very important.

And I and it was the first question asked to Doctor Tedros last night about the rules on withdrawal.

And he said he was going to get answers.

So 20, you know, you should be able to hopefully get us an answer by the on that today.

And also about Peter's question about whether you've been formally notified.

Also Tomo asked a similar question.

So please can you try to just tell us when can we expect responses to both of those questions, both about the rules on the withdrawal and whether or not who has been formally notified?

Yeah.

So exactly, that's why I'm, I'm in this position where I'm not really being able to give you more detail.

We are waiting for all that information.

And as Doctor Tedros said, yes, again, we haven't, I haven't got any more information on whether we've been formally notified.

No more information beyond what he said yesterday.

Thank you.

Ask 2 questions, Christian.

Go ahead.

Christian, you're on.

We can't hear you.

Christian, you're unmuted, but we can't hear you.

Maybe we'll go to the next one while Christian is working out her.

My problem.

My problem is Lionel.

Lionel Fatou.

Oh, yes, thanks.

Yeah, Well, I I had one point also to follow up on UK, just if I know you don't, you don't know the procedure for withdrawal, but just ask the legal department that they send us a note.

That's pretty easy.

I mean, and we have it.

Everybody can can have it.

And it's it's fair and it's neutral and it's OK because it's just such a mess.

We need some guidelines and we hope we can you can help us.

Now.

My question is whether, because the Trump administration gave a few weeks ago 30 days for WHO to reform, for it to reconsider the freeze on the funding and its membership.

So the question is clear whether WHO Secretariat or Doctor Tedros have now discussions with the White House about this possible reforms, this possible.

In other words, are, are the doors open for the United States not to leave and to basically fund again The Who, are you talking with them?

I don't have any information on that possible.

But on the second, yes, I think it's a good idea to get you some detail on procedures and so on.

And as soon as I have it.

Yes, we will.

We will get it to you.

Thank you.

And let's see if Christian can be heard now.

Go ahead.

Christian, you're unmuted.

No, I'm afraid we can't hear you.

I'm so sorry.

If you can text maybe the question.

I will pick it up at the end.

After just just send me send me the an SMS with your question.

I'll try to put it in front of I'll try to put it to Margaret.

Gabriella, you've asked for the floor again.

Yes, just one quick, quick question.

Thank you very much.

I'm sorry, Margaret is any country.

I mean, I I saw European Union give them their support to Doctor Tedros and everything.

But my question is, it's China going to place the funding of USA.

Do you have any details on that, Margaret?

No, I think, I think she doesn't, I don't.

OK, very quick.

Katherine, can that be the last question please?

I would like to go to Andre.

Yes, thank you for giving me the floor again.

I I, I would like to come back to the question asked by John and a question that I've asked several times.

During different briefings is about the length of life of the virus on surfaces.

What is this the the the life of the virus on fabric, on the plane surface on on different elements?

Because now that we are lifting the lockdowns and that the measures are a little bit easier, I mean, we hear all kind of infos on the media, in the media when who, as far as I know, has never clearly give given us a time frame about the life of the virus.

So, Margaret, am I mistaken?

Thank you.

Actually, we have just put out a guidance about a week ago.

Perhaps it came out on a weekend.

So you won't didn't see it, but it's a good one.

I found it very useful myself on disinfection and what kind of practises you should do and why.

So the links of the survival of the virus actually depends on whether it's just sitting on a on a soft surface or if it's managed to get inside fabric or if it's in biological material.

So that's one of the reasons why it's extremely important to actually scrub, use a bit of elbow grease when you're cleaning, not just vaporise, not just spray.

And this guidance is gives you tremendous detail and looks at all the reason there is some confusion about the length of life of the viruses.

There's been a lot of different studies you sort of come to, you know, slightly different conclusions often because it depends on whether the virus is sitting on the surface, on a smooth surface, it's got into the fibres, or if it's actually in some biological material, you know, if you've coughed up something unpleasant like a bit of mucus.

So would you like me to send the link to this particular guidance because I think you'll find it's really, really useful.

The one thing it didn't answer was John's question about the temperature.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Margaret.

But in the future, any Twitter or a post on the on on your website, It would be very nice if you guys could also send us a message that the info.

But I would like to come back on the fabric because for instance, you have shops closing, shops that have opened they, when they serve a person that is infected tries let's say a dress.

And then there's another person that tries it.

Just there's someone watering plants behind you.

Go ahead, Katrine, please.

No, I mean, this is important.

And I mean, this question has been raised different times.

I would like to know if someone is infected and touches for instance address and leaves it in the shop and someone else tries the same dress just after or if the dress is put aside for 24 hour.

I mean is the virus has the virus left?

Is it dead or or not?

And please, it's very precise.

Yeah, thank you.

So one of the problems with such a precise question is that that much of the research looks at generality rather than specific.

But under any circumstances, you can protect yourself by absolutely obsessional hand hygiene and not touching your mouth, nose and eyes.

Remember, even if you tried on something that was covered with virus, if you never touched your mouth, nose and eyes, you would be fine as long as you didn't have breaks in your skin.

But you see what I mean?

The the crucial portal is mouth, nose, eyes.

The crucial thing is never touched with an unsanitized hand.

So, yes, eliminating environmental contamination is also very important, but the most important thing is never having a contaminated digit anywhere near mouth, nose and eyes.

Thank you very much.

And swear is the last question I take is Stephanie, you have the floor since you haven't asked any question yet.

Stephanie.

Yeah, Hi.

Thanks.

I hope you can hear me.

I'm just, yeah.

I just wanted to see whether Margaret might have any comment on the point being delays in China's reporting of the genome sequence and whether WHO in some way might have shielded China for too long from criticism or scrutiny.

And then also wondering whether you have any update on WHO working on the origin of the virus cooperation with FAOO i.e.

as usual, any, any mission going anytime soon on that into that issue of the origin.

Thank you.

On the 1st, no, we we don't have any comment on that specific allegation.

I think you're referring to an allegation that was in the AP story.

So we have no comment.

On the second, no, I don't have an update, but I'll look and see if we've got anything.

But as far as I have not been provided with any information about any dates for that particular piece of research.

Thank you very much, Margaret.

OK, so that concludes our list of questions.

I would like now to thank you again very much for being with us Margaret today and I'd like to go to Andrea who has been patiently waiting.

Andrea, you have two items to brief us upon today.

Maybe we can start with the first on Greece.

Yes, good morning ladies and gentlemen.

The first item is on Greece.

We are deeply concerned over government arranged exit of some 9000 recognised refugees from Greece's reception system, which began yesterday, on the 1st of June.

In the coming months another 11,000 refugees will have to transit from assistance for asylum seekers to general social welfare, once recognised as refugees by Greece's asylum authorities.

A new law adopted in March 2020 reduces the grace period for recognised refugees from six months to 30 days to make a transition from organised accommodation and basic support to an independent clearing.

The objective to make more resources and space available for asylum seekers seekers is well understood.

Greece's reception system is facing shortages of places.

Recognised refugees need to vacate much needed accommodation for asylum seekers waiting in crowded reception facilities on the Greek again islands.

Over 31,000 women, men and children live in five island reception centres which with capacity for fewer than 6000.

However, UNHCR has continuously expressed concerns that assistance from many recognised refugees is ending prematurely before they have an effective access to employment and social welfare schemes foreseen by Greek law.

Also, UNHCR has been urging Greece to increase the national reception capacity at sites, apartment hotels and through cash for shelter assistance.

Forcing people to leave their accommodation without a safety net and measures to ensure their self-reliance may push many into poverty and homelessness.

Most of the affected refugees do not have a regular income.

Many are families with school aged children, single parents, survivors of violence and torture and other with specific needs.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and measures to reduce it's spread create additional challenges by limiting people's ability to move and to find work or accommodation.

Shifting a problem from the islands to the mainland is not a solution.

We have been urging authorities to apply a phased approach, a higher threshold to extend assistance to vulnerable people who cannot leave at this stage.

The refugee integration is a process which requires sincere effort from refugees to become self-sufficient and give back to their host societies.

And there are a few more details in the briefing.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Andre.

I would like to see there's already a question from Antonio.

Yes, hi.

So, Andre, can you give us more details about this, this expelling of 9000 refugees?

Where do they come from, which country are going to be expelled to and any other information that you can give us?

Yeah, just important to clarify this, this is this is not expulsion.

It's an exit from the accommodation that has been so far provided for them by the authorities.

These people now have to make a transition to find their own accommodation and, and the means of substance to, to support their living.

So let me just clarify that.

So there is no misunderstanding.

We, we are not talking about expulsion here, OK.

The 9000 is the first group.

We expect another group of 11,000 recognised refugees will be making that transition very soon in the in the coming months.

Overall, there are over 120,000 asylum seekers increase of whom most are on the mainland, some 82,000 plus are on the mainland and then we still have more than 30,000 on the on the Agayan Islands.

The the nationalities of those asylum seekers, they are mostly about 32% are Afghans, another 26% are Syrians.

Iraqis represent 12%.

And then the nationals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Pakistan respectively represent 5 and 4%.

And then the rest, these are the, these are the top five nationalities if you like.

And then the other, the other nationalities composed the rest of the asylum seeking population in Greece.

Thank you, Andre.

I have a question from Lisa.

OK, Yeah, I think I'm unmuted now.

Yes.

Thank you, Andre.

Good morning.

I'd like to ask you, given the the great burden that Greece has to shoulder regarding the refugees, asylum seekers both in the mainland and Aegean islands, shouldn't the European Union help them in terms of supporting the refugees?

I mean, they, they have far more refugees and asylum seekers than other EU countries.

And I'm also wondering what sort of job opportunities are available for refugees.

They might want to support themselves, but perhaps there's nothing there to help them support themselves.

Thank you.

Yes, I mean the, the, the integration of refugees.

So people who have been recognised to be in need of international protection, they have been granted the status they need to make that transition into, into independent living.

And obviously we want to see that transition happening over a period of time rather than just over 30 days, which is which is a very short period.

The, the integration is a, is a very complex process and it is throughout that process the refugees need to have support, they need to have effective access to the national schemes, the integration programmes.

For example, offering language classes is is very important for integration of refugees, vocational training and also access to to a gainful employment.

Now we have been advocating for continued support of the Union to the countries that are, if you like on the, on the the first reception countries, especially Greece, Italy, Malta.

There are schemes right now that are being supported by the European Commission.

Among those is is is an accommodation scheme which is called Estea, which in Greek means home.

And currently some of the some of the 9000 that I've mentioned of those that are scheduled to leave their accommodation, there are also 4000 refugees who have been, for example, benefiting from, from this scheme, which has been managed by UNHCR, but with, with with the funds from from the European Commission.

Thank you.

Andre, I don't see any other question for now.

But you have another item on Mali, right Or you must say Niger?

Go ahead.

Niger yes, you may have seen the, the press release we issued yesterday.

This is a follow up.

It's a, it's a further development of the of the story we filed yesterday.

More than 1000 people, which is a mix of refugees from Mali, displaced Niger nationals and local host communities are now on the run following a brutal attack by irregular armed elements on a site in western Niger on Sunday afternoon which killed 3 people and wounded others.

Over 50 men on motorbikes had swarmed into Intikane.

This is in Tahua region in western Nigeria, some 72 kilometres from the Malian border.

They targeted and killed 2 Malian refugee leaders and a local host community leader.

The site is the host to some 20,000 refugees and an additional 15,000 displaced Nigerian Nigerian nationals.

Now, in addition to the brutally brutal killings of the three men, the assailants also torched food supplies and other aid items.

They also destroyed mobile phone towers and the main water station and pipes, cutting communication and the water supply to the displaced population and to the host communities.

Around 1100 people have now arrived outside the town of Telen Telenses.

This is some 27 kilometres away from the attack site.

They urgently need water, food and other assistance and the national authorities and the partners are on the ground to receive and register them.

The Sunday's brutal assassination shocked refugees, local communities and humanitarian workers.

More attacks are now feared and there is a worsening security in the region and it's driving people to look for safety to further inland in Niger.

We condemn the killings and call on all sides to respect civilian lives, bring those responsible to justice and make sure such heinous crimes do not repeat in the future.

We are working with partners and local authorities to provide immediate assistance, especially by trucking in water with other relief supplies as people could die of thirst in the desert heat.

We are talking about desert conditions, water is also need obviously to help the fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The past few months have seen a sharp increase in attacks in the Lip Taco Gurma region where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger share borders, forcing people living in the area to flee despite violent attacks and insecurity, severely limiting humanitarian access to those in need of protection and assistance.

We are stepping up our response to Niger, focusing especially on providing shelter, education and programmes to prevent and address sexual and gender based based violence.

And there are a few more details in the note.

Thank you very much.

Thank you Andre.

I've got Lisa again.

Lisa, could you please OK.

Yes, now, now I'm I'm getting used to this system.

OK, Andre, A a few questions on what you have to say.

First of all, do you know the identity of the armed men?

Do you know why they they attacked these people?

What, what prompted this kind of an attack?

Is it something that has happened in the past and this is just ongoing?

And then I'm wondering what sort of security is available to protect people in this region because clearly they're very vulnerable.

Thank you.

So on the identity, it is very difficult to say.

I mean, these are, these are armed groups that have been operating in in the region for a while.

You may have you, you may recall that we have been reporting about the growing violence in this part of Africa for some time now.

And just to recapture some of that very quickly, across the five countries in that region, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and and Chad, we are talking about more than 3 million people in the situation of displacement, of whom many are internally displaced.

There is more than 820,000 refugees and and also we look after the many people, more than 600,000 who have tried to return to the to their homes, but it's a it's a volatile situation.

We believe that the the communities were targeted in order to push them away from this particular area that would allow the the the the groups, the armed groups that are that are operating in the area of of a far greater an unobserved movement.

And judging by the fact that they have destroyed much of the infrastructure, the mobile phone towers, the water facilities in particular, we believe it shows the intent to force the people from this particular area to move elsewhere, to flee elsewhere.

Thank you very much, Andre.

I don't see any other question for you.

So that brings us to the end of this very long briefing.

Or Lisa, you have a follow up.

Yeah, yeah.

Andre, very quickly.

Why do they want these people to move out of there?

I mean, are there resources, riches, things that that they want to exploit?

I mean, why do they want them to leave together, get them out push them out.

I I can't speculate about the motivation of, of, of an armed mob who killed 3 innocent people on on Sunday, but it is clear that this is an area where they seek the, the possibility of being able to use the border area between the three countries and, and to, to O operate with, with impunity.

Obviously that's why it is so important that there is a response to this.

It is important that the response is not just the security response.

But also the one that takes into account the huge humanitarian and displacement needs in the region.

Thank you very much, Andrei.

And there are no more questions for you.

So thank you very much to everybody for following this press briefing.

I have already sent you the excerpt from the Moon briefing of Stefan Jujaric yesterday that we have mentioned.

So you have the reference and also I hope to see you many, numerous on our senior new activity and on the debate on Friday.

Thank you very much.

Have a nice day and.