Welcome to the press briefing of the Information Service here in Geneva. Today
is Tuesday, 23rd of April.
We have a few speakers lined up, but before
Uh, yes. Good morning. Uh, it's not on unted. It's on
Uh, the, uh, report on UN
W A, which was released yesterday.
for just for future reference.
I would like to say that, you know, we we got this report very late.
We had only 2.5 hours to a
and I would like to ask you to send it to
Sorry, Can I interrupt you? I think it just as a courtesy to our briefers.
Could you please wait? We are going to tackle Israel
Just afterwards with Ravina, I will give
I understand. But we are having here some people on the poi
and I would like to give them a chance to answer questions if
there is any and I will give you the floor just afterwards Sorry.
Any other question for an
Ok, I don't see any. So before I let Catherine
I think you want to introduce you as your new colleague,
I have the pleasure to introduce our new colleague, Maxi
I will let you explain what you are going to do.
But you know most of the journalists here,
or at least the media that you've been working with in Spain.
You are the best to present yourself. Thank you.
Briefly with some of you. I had already some contact. I joined
and strategic media relations.
I come from another UN agency, the World Tourism Organisation.
I'm a former journalist, so I was on this side on that side of the microphone
for several years. I am a Uruguayan national.
I have a major in economics and I was a journalist for many years, as I said,
Thank you. And he speaks Italian
that his contacts are in the list of the spokesperson and all
representatives of the agencies that you have because it's already been updated,
OK, so I don't have them with me now. But you have them already. In fact. Thank you.
And if needed, you can always ask
And now let's go to the situation
in Gaza and in the occupied Palestinian territory with Ravina
and I will give the floor to Ian to tell us better what he was saying before.
OK. Many thanks for giving me the floor.
It's on the UNRWA report yesterday issued by the UN and
written by Madame Colonna.
Um, just for future reference, Um, we got the report at about 3. 30 or later.
Some of us got got it later.
The report, uh, the embargo was lifted at 6. 30.
we had extremely short time to digest to ride it.
And just for future reference,
wouldn't it be better to file this report about
25 4 hours at least 12 hours in advance?
So you get much better and more balanced coverage.
It was was completely chaotic.
It was squeezed and the, uh the, uh, press conference was delayed,
and, uh, many of us had to write against deadline.
This is really, uh, a very uncomfortable situation, which can be easily, uh,
file reports like this just 24 hours in advance on embargo.
Your comment is is noted.
I think it was you were not the only
journalist to express or or feel this frustration.
Unfortunately, we gave you the report when we got it,
and I imagine I was not in New York yesterday.
if the report came out so late, it was because there were adjustments made at the
The Mrs Colona said it at the at the press conference that she had presented
the report to the secretary general on Saturday, got his comments.
And, of course, then the report was adjusted.
I understand until the last minute.
So it's not that we didn't want to send it to you, but we send it to you as soon as it was
completely finalised, but
not taken of your comments.
And indeed that gives me the opportunity to remind
you that we have distributed not only the report,
but also the comments of the secretary general,
which who has expressed his gratitude and opposition to Mrs Colonna
and also to the institutes that have contributed
to the research for this report.
And he has also expressed his acceptance
of the recommendations contained in Mrs Colona
report for your information
yesterday, I am sure you followed the day
the press conference of Mrs Colona just after the noon briefing.
For your information today,
the spokesperson of the Secretary General, Mrs Stephane du
will host at the noon briefing Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of UNRWA,
who is going to brief the reporter in New York on the follow up of this report.
Therefore, if you want to follow it, he will be available live on UN Web TV
and just the last point, and Christian Mildren
whom you have the contacts can also be contacted if
you want to have other more information or requests for
So on this note, I would like to give the floor to Ravina Ramina.
You have an update exactly on the situation
in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Rafah.
You should shortly receive a press release
by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Volker on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights today decried a series of Israeli strikes
on Gaza in the past few days that have killed mostly Children and women.
He repeats his warning against a full scale incursion on an
area where 1.2 million civilians have already been forcibly cornered.
Such an operation would lead to further breaches
of international humanitarian law and international human rights law
and risks even more deaths, injuries and displacement on a large scale,
even further atrocity crimes for which
those responsible must be held accountable.
Already in March, the Security Council demanded an immediate ceasefire.
The world's leaders stand united on the imperative
of protecting the civilian population trapped in Rafah,
but the latest images of a premature child who
was taken from the womb of her dying mother
of the adjacent two houses where 15 Children and five women were killed.
On the 19th of April, an apartment building was hit in Tal
Sultan area in Rafah, killing nine Palestinians,
including six Children and two women.
Another strike on two adjacent houses in a
area in eastern Rafah on the 20th
of April reportedly killed another 20 Palestinians,
including 15 Children and five women.
camp in Rafah on the 20th of April reportedly left four dead,
including a girl and the pregnant woman
as of 22nd of April, according to the authorities in Gaza,
of the 34,151 Palestinians killed in Gaza,
1, 14,685 have been Children
another 77,000 have been injured and over 7000
others are assumed to be under the rubble.
Every 10 minutes a child is killed or wounded.
I'll let you calculate how many Children must have
been killed or wounded since this briefing began.
they are protected under the laws of war and yet they are
the ones who are disproportionately paying the ultimate price in the war.
We are horrified also by the destruction of
Shifa medical complex and the reports of the
discovery of mass graves in and around facilities,
and we call for independent, effective,
transparent investigations into the deaths.
Given the prevailing climate of impunity,
this should include international investigators.
Hospitals are entitled to very special
protection under international humanitarian law.
And let's be clear, the intentional killing of civilians,
detainees and others who are of the combat is a war crime.
The High Commissioner has said that the unspeakable suffering brought
by the fighting alongside the resulting misery and destruction,
starvation and disease and the risk of wider conflict must end once and for all.
We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire,
the release of hostages and those held in arbitrary detention
and the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid
moving on to the West Bank.
Grave human rights violations are continuing unabated in the occupied West Bank
despite international condemnation of massive settler attacks from
the 12th to the 14th of April,
facilitated by Israeli security forces,
settler violence has continued with the support,
protection and participation of Israeli security forces
during a 50 hour long operation into Nour,
Sham refugee camp and Tulkarem
city starting on the 18th of April,
deployed ground troops, bulldozers and drones and sealed the camp.
14 Palestinians were killed, three of them Children.
10 members of the IF were also moderately hurt.
We have received reports that several
Palestinians were unlawfully killed and that
used unarmed Palestinians to shield their forces from
attack and killed others in apparent extrajudicial executions.
Dozens were reportedly detained and ill treated
unprecedented and apparently wanted destruction on
the camp and its infrastructure.
On the 20th of April is F or settlers shot
and killed a 50 year old Palestinian ambulance driver.
The ambulance was evacuating two Palestinians injured by
live ammunition during an attack by settlers.
Regina, for this, uh, polling, um, updates.
So let me give the floor to the journalist.
I'll start with Benjamin.
Um, it's just a, um quick precision. Uh, Ravina
can you can you just tell us what's the difference between ISF and ID F?
It's important that we make this distinction particularly
in the case of the West Bank.
where Israeli security forces carry out operations in the West Bank.
These are law enforcement operations.
It's not considered a zone of active conflict.
So the framework that applies there is international human rights law.
So these are Israeli security forces rather than the IDF. That is
the IDF, the Navy and the Air force
Good morning, Ravina. You mentioned 1.2 million forcibly cornered in Rafah.
I believe that's down quite considerably from where it was a few weeks ago.
Could you confirm how many people have left that area?
And is that because they're fearing an incursion.
any sign of these threatened humanitarian islands being created?
Israel has spoken about them as, um, being created as a sort of, um,
initial step in the Rafah invasion.
Thanks, Emma, on that, I don't know if OSHA
colleagues might have more information.
Um, our information is that yes, people did try to go back up north.
Um, I think you're aware. We reported on this last week. I think
people did try to go back to their homes in northern Gaza.
Many of them were attacked en route, and there were reports of killings as well.
Um, nowhere is safe clearly.
Um, and there were but But we don't have exact figures. Um, actually, I don't know if
if humanitarian colleagues would have more information or if it's
very difficult to determine exact numbers at this point.
I'm looking at the latest I received from
and I can't see those numbers. But
Jens should be with us in eight minutes so we can ask him,
Please go ahead. He might be better positioned on that one.
And on the creation of these so called humanitarian islands, let's be clear.
It's not possible. There is no safe place in Gaza and any
pretence at creating safe zones is actually dangerous.
What we need is an immediate ceasefire.
We do not need to facilitate a further devastating attack on Gaza on Rafah.
will have a little bit more because, as you know
the humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory,
visited Gaza yesterday for the first time since his appointment,
and he saw the situation on the ground, met with the humanitarian team,
and spoke with members of the community.
He saw firsthand the catastrophic situation in Gaza
and how the ongoing hostilities are affecting people.
So we probably be able to have more from Jens as soon as he comes.
have been spoken about possible crimes. War crimes
How close are we talking about crimes against humanity?
If we mentioned what you just said at the beginning of the press briefing
Unfortunately, we have been warning about war crimes since October. Now
the collective punishment of the people of Gaza the indiscriminate attacks
inherently indiscriminate attacks by Palestinian armed
groups firing rockets into Israel,
the targeting of civilians, the targeting of hospitals.
So we've been warning against war crimes for unfortunately, a very long time now.
And the High Commissioner has also warned of further atrocity crimes
war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
And the High Commissioner has warned of the risk of these atrocity crimes occurring
on crimes against humanity.
Given the disproportionate attacks,
given the very heavy bombings combined with
the lack of effective humanitarian assistance,
these are serious concerns that do need to be
examined further whether crimes against humanity are occurring.
If there are no other questions in the room, I'll go to the platform.
No, I don't see any. Hands up. So, John John's a
I was wondering, uh, if you have any, uh, information from your,
uh, field team, uh, on the ground in the OPT
if they're collecting data on the
explosive weapons in populated areas,
if you're collecting the evidence of the ordinances.
Yesterday there was a report by UNICEF, but it stopped at 2022.
The, uh, information collected by the, uh,
Have you been collecting this evidence from all the warring sides on
the ordinances use and for potential future use in a tribunal or a war crimes?
What we have seen is evidence of the use of weapons with wide area effects,
explosive weapons with wide area effects which have
had a devastating impact on civilians and can be
They make it much more difficult to carry out proportionate, targeted attacks
on whether we are on the ground collecting this evidence No, we are not.
You know that the International Criminal Court is engaged in investigations.
Um and so is the commission of inquiry on Gaza.
And it's it's really more for the ICC to do this more collection of evidence.
What we do is we collect, um,
reports of potential human rights violations.
Now, these can eventually feed into the processes that take place in a court of law,
and we would share information with them. But we don't per SE collect evidence.
We don't have that expertise. And that mandate,
Yes, it's perhaps for Alessandra.
If I'm not mistaken, there is a unit of the office of, uh,
disarmament affairs that collects
the, uh, data on use of heavy weapons.
Uh, it's been done in the past. If I recall rightly in Syria,
Uh, and you've been collecting it. So is it possible to reach out to this agency
and see what they're doing?
Uh, not only in the conflict in Gaza, but also in Ukraine, Sudan and other areas.
What are they collecting in the use of, uh,
these weapon systems in heavily populated areas? Thank you. Sure. Sure.
We can put you in contact with the colleagues. Yeah, absolutely.
Maybe they will have an update on that,
Yeah. Thank you. Um, hi, Rianna.
I was, uh, wondering if you had any more details about what specifically,
um, has happened at Nasser Hospital about the the bodies found there. And also
there was mentioned earlier this month about
Shiva hospital bodies found there as well.
any details about that. If you could, uh, provide any details you might have.
I guess, a somewhat related question.
It was about the protests that we're seeing in the United
States at the universities there and the crackdown on the protests.
I don't know if you have a a
comment on on that. Thank you.
Yes, I can give you the floor on that, too.
thanks, Nina, for that on, uh, listen,
it is it is very difficult to corroborate information and to verify it.
but what we the reports that we do have are that in relation to
The Gaza government media office announced that 283 bodies
were recovered of which 42 have been identified.
Victims had reportedly been buried deep in the ground and covered with waste.
Among the deceased were allegedly older people, women and wounded,
while others were found tied with their hands.
They were found with their hands tied and stripped of their clothes in
Reports suggest that there were 30 Palestinian bodies
buried in two graves in the courtyard of Al
Shifa Hospital in Gaza City,
Um one in front of the emergency building and
the other is in front of the dialysis building.
The bodies of 12 Palestinians were identified in
this case and the others have still not been
identified and there are reports that the hands
of some of these bodies were also tied.
the Israeli defence forces themselves claim to
have killed 200 Palestinians during the ALSA
medical complex operation.
And there are reports that this may be an underestimate that there may be many more
Maybe on Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead.
Apologies on the on. Your question on, uh, on protests in the US. Um,
Alexandra will address it as well, but, um, essentially
as you know the freedom of expression and
the freedom of peaceful assembly is guaranteed.
This is a it's the obligation of a state to ensure that
the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression can be exercised.
Having said that, of course,
there can be legitimate restrictions to the freedom of
peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of expression.
These must be strictly guided by the principles of legality,
necessity and proportionality.
And you have heard the High Commissioner time
and again raise concerns about anti Semitic speech
as well as hate speech against Palestinians and Islamophobic speech.
Now such speech needs to be addressed. It needs to be roundly condemned.
balancing act. Um, it's an important one.
but this is crucial. It is crucial that that such speech is stemmed.
I think you said it all that basically, whenever we see demonstrations,
we believe that people has an inherent right to demonstrate peacefully.
the additional details about the parameters.
It was very important to underline them.
Lisa. Sorry. I saw your comments in the chat.
I have just checked you were on the list of
people who received the report of our accredited journalists.
So I don't know what happened.
I have to check a little bit in depth to understand why it didn't go through.
And maybe you have a question now for Ravina.
I do want another topic, if I may. It's for both
Salt Marsh, who I believe is on Zoom.
Sorry, just I think I know what you're going to ask. But
let me see if there is any other question on Gaza and so we can then
go to the other subject because Ravina has been asked about the UK Rwanda
Who should talk about this if this was your question,
but let me just see if there is any other hand up
on Gaza, this is something that struck me as a woman, as a mother,
the premature child who was delivered from the dying mother's womb.
It really struck me, really affected me. And then I looked at what the UN FP had said.
An estimated 180 women are giving birth every day in Gaza in
inhumane, unimaginable conditions.
Now, this woman was dying when the premature baby was taken out.
Um, there are women who are 100 and 80 women giving birth every day,
many probably through Caesarean sections without anaesthesia
inhumane, deplorable conditions, not knowing whether their child will survive,
not knowing whether they will survive.
I just had to share this thought with you. Thank you for
And if I recall well, in many other briefings, we heard UNICEF
speaking about this situation. The
catastrophic situation of pregnant women
As you said, it's really a terrible, terrible information.
Um, I think Nick has raised his hand. If this is on Gaza, I like to give him the floor.
just let's finish with Gaza. Lisa.
I haven't forgotten you, Nick. Is that a question on Gaza, please?
I'd like to ask in relation to the figures that you have
just given us about the bodies that she for a N.
how much credence do you attach to those numbers?
Have you been able to do any evaluation of the sources. Any further checking?
How much confidence do you have
in these numbers? Thank you.
Thanks, Nick. It's It's an important and difficult question.
you know that previously the way that we worked in Gaza was much more hands
on and we had much more of an ability to to really be able to verify
Now, what we try to do is we try to corroborate it with multiple sources. In
this case, we have official sources that I indicated to you
and we are reaching out to others.
The work is ongoing, so we can't corroborate the exact figures. Um,
and this is why we are stressing the need for international investigations.
There is a history here of impunity for gross violations,
and so many of them have gone undetected and unreported on.
So we feel the need to raise the alarm to raise the alarm because clearly
there have been multiple bodies discovered. We don't know how many.
There are reports that some of them had their hands tied, which of course,
indicates serious violations of international
human rights law and international humanitarian law.
And these need to be subjected to further investigations they can't just be,
You know, more reports in this horrific war that just pass under the radar.
Thank you very much. And yes,
yes. It was a question on on what you were
telling us about the premature child who was taken from her mother, who was dying.
If you could be more specific on where this has happened when it happened,
where did you see the images?
If there were humanitarian with them U people,
any information on the context would be
so this was a woman who was killed in an attack on it was a strike on a Shabaa
camp in Rafah on the 20th of April.
And this was an Israeli strike where four people were killed, including one girl.
sorry. Yeah. Four people were killed, including a girl and this pregnant woman.
Um, she was, you know, the first responders tried to resuscitate her.
They realised she was pregnant. Um, she was rushed.
They tried to deliver the baby, hoping that the baby would still be alive.
The baby was indeed delivered. Um, she was premature.
Um, I think I had information about, um
Maybe she was at 30 weeks, but I can check for you.
Um and, uh, she is now fighting for her survival.
OK, so let's go to the other question. Lisa and other people have asked
Ravina Lisa, you want to say to ask you a question and then I'll give the fruit to
a li little questions, but, uh, a few, please, Before I do that,
let me slip one question in about Gaza.
Whether uh, uh has Israel seen the High Commissioner's statement?
to use a bureaucratic word.
The protocol is whether the whether statements such as this are
sent, uh, out to the, uh you know, to the government involved, for instance,
uh, if you've had a response in some way or another to what you've said,
and then I do have, uh, some questions on Rwanda that I want to ask you.
Yeah. Let's Let's, uh, lavina answer this. Then maybe you can
say what you had to say about Rwanda so that then you can ask questions after that.
Ravina has briefed us on this.
Thanks for that, Lisa. Uh, yes.
Uh, we always share our press statements, uh,
with the authorities with the relevant authorities, Um, in this case,
the permanent mission in Israel To be specific,
um always receives our press releases before they are issued.
The authorities also receive all reports that we put out every human rights
report that we put out is shared with the authorities for their comment.
and any factual feedback that they'd like to give us
you may have seen that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a joint press release this morning.
You should have received it at around nine o'clock.
what I'll do is I'll read out a couple of excerpts of
the press release and then pass the floor to Matthew Salt Marsh of
UNHCR so he can do the same. And then we can take questions.
Following the passage of the safety of Rwanda bill by the UK parliament,
two UN leaders have again sounded the alarm on
the harmful impact it will have on global responsibility,
sharing human rights and refugee protection.
Filippo Grandi and Volker Turk are calling on the UK
government to reconsider its plan to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda
and instead to take practical measures to address irregular
flows of refugees and migrants based on international Cooper operation
and respect for international human rights law
by shifting the responsibility for refugees,
reducing the UK Court's ability to scrutinise removal decisions,
restricting access to legal remedies in the UK,
and limiting the scope of domestic and international human
rights protections for a specific group of people.
This new legislation seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK,
and it sets a perilous precedent globally.
It is critical to the protection of the human
rights and dignity of refugees and migrants seeking protection
that all removals from the UK are carried out after assessing
their specific individual circumstances in
strict compliance with international human rights
Thank you. So, Lisa, ask you a question and Matt is connected to so oh,
he want. Okay, Matt, you you you wanna just read first your briefing
your, uh, comment on this situation
and then we go to Lisa's question.
Sorry. I was struggling to
thanks for the question, Lisa.
I mean, I think I would probably just add that from our perspective,
it's a sombre day for refugee rights.
HCR will not deviate from standing up for those rights
Uh, we have over the last months repeatedly shared
and in particular to the responsibility shifting, uh, that it entails.
Under the UK Rwanda Asylum Partnership,
asylum seekers in the UK will be
transferred to Rwanda before their claims for asylum
And we think that that is inconsistent with global solidarity and res
and is also in breach of the 1951 refugee convention
to which the UK is, of course, a signatory.
The Refugee convention, to remind everyone, is the cornerstone
of the international refugee Protection, uh, regime.
It's a life saving instrument that has
saved millions of lives of people fleeing conflict
and persecution each year.
Uh, international protection of refugees, of course,
rests with the state in which an asylum seeker arrives, whether that's at land,
Uh, and this obligation, we believe,
remains unaltered by the transfer arrangements that
have been confirmed in this legislation.
Um, another important aspect is that avenues of appeal are now very much, uh,
And it's also worth noting
that in the UK, the Supreme Court's judgement in November
found that there were substantial grounds for believing
that asylum seekers could be at risk of refoulement to their countries of origin
I think it's also important to note that,
uh, the UK continues to receive relatively modest numbers of asylum seekers.
those go up and down, and we know that
the increases, particularly in the arrivals of small boats, do create
uh, important challenges for the country.
But it's also important to remember that those numbers
are relatively modest when compared to their European peers,
of course, when compared to
Um, I think just the final thing from our side to note is that it has
been said by some voices in the UK that,
uh, UN HCR itself, uh, transfers
refugees or asylum seekers at any rate, to Rwanda.
But there is a very important difference in what we're
doing and what is being proposed by the UK.
Uh, UN HCR does have an emergency transit mechanism,
but this programme is, as the name suggests, an emergency mechanism.
and it's voluntary, and it serves a very specific, limited purpose.
It's a facility for receiving refugees,
uh, whose human rights and in some cases lives, are at immediate risk.
In Libya, it involves a limited number of asylum seekers and refugees who transit,
uh, via the so called emergency transit mechanism.
While a long term solution is identified for them
in a third country of asylum. Their refugee status
is determined in the context of case
processing for solutions under the UN HCR mandate
and solutions are then secured
outside of Rwanda. Thanks. Alessandra. I'll hand it back to you.
In the context of what you have just heard from both of our colleagues,
do you still have a question?
I do. First, uh, thank you both for, uh, reading those those responses. And also,
Matt, if you would be so kind as to send your notes, I do have the, uh
press release that was issued previously. And, uh, as far as my questions go,
uh, if if you could, uh, perhaps,
um, talk. Both of you talk a bit about the possible harmful consequences of
this decision on the part of the UK. And, um,
I'd like to get your take on whether airlines,
uh, transporting these, uh,
these asylum seekers would be in violation of humanitarian law if
there would be any blowback to them on this, Uh uh, in terms of,
uh, transporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.
And then, um, Matt, you and your presentation.
We were talking about your concerns of,
uh, refoulement. Uh uh. Rwanda has, uh, has said that it guarantees
that none of the, uh, uh,
asylum seekers would be deported back to their homes of origin.
Is this a, um uh uh, A viable claim? Or are you Do you still have this concern that
that asylum seekers in Rwanda,
uh, might, uh, might meet a bad end? And finally,
decision on the part of the UK,
uh, set a bad precedent? Are you concerned that other countries
uh, it it creates similar similar laws. Try to do a similar sort of thing and
Well, there's so many things that bother me about this.
in the UK has actually said this was a violation, and
and the UK government has gone against that. Isn't that also,
uh, II? I don't know whether that's a violation of some kind or how. How would you
describe that? Thank you,
I can start. But in fact, Lisa, you started.
You've covered really many of the key concerns that we have.
And let me start with your last one
about the independent, effective judicial oversight. Now,
this is the bedrock of the rule of law.
What we are concerned about is that this move runs
counter to basic principles of the rule of law,
and it risks delivering a serious blow to human rights protections.
It is, as Matt said earlier, one of the key areas of concern.
And as you said, there are many areas of concern here,
but one of the key areas is that avenues of appeal are very much narrowed as well.
And it is particularly alarming, as I said, from a rule of law perspective,
that this law requires all decision makers to treat Rwanda as a safe third country.
And it would prohibit general legal challenges on this point.
Thanks, Lisa, for the question.
Um, I mean, in terms of the the reform on question,
I think it was answered by the the Supreme Court.
we wouldn't have any, uh, specific comment on on airlines.
And and, uh, you know, the actual mode of of transporting people under this scheme,
That's very much for for the UK authorities.
I think, in general, in terms of of Rwanda,
we have always noted that the country has been a generous host to refugees.
uh, they have around 100 and 30 140,000,
uh, refugees. Our point, really, is that
we feel that the country needs to build the capacity of its asylum system.
And we're very much here and available to help them with that,
uh, if and when that might be requested.
In terms of your question about precedent,
precedent and whether it sets precedent, I think we are concerned that it might do.
uh, some other let's say, uh,
statements or noises coming out of other countries suggesting this may be a path,
uh, that they follow. And and we think it's very important that,
uh, the spirit that was shown in the global Refugee forum, uh, at the end of last year,
uh, continues, in other words, uh, responsibility sharing,
particularly by the wealthier countries.
Uh, that can help relieve the burden,
uh, of those countries that are particularly those next door to, um,
the countries from which people are fleeing, uh, and and to help to support, um,
Thank you very much. Matt. Uh,
Thank you. The, uh, the statement calls on Britain to take practical measures
to address irregular flows of refugees and migrants.
Um, what? What might those measures be?
What are what are the options that would be open there? Thank you.
Ah, ma. Maybe you have more on that.
Well, we've always said that the international co-operation is very important.
people who who arrive in countries, uh, of asylum and who do not have grounds, uh,
to claim asylum for refugee status.
uh, be returned home in dignity, if that is possible.
And that's something that we acknowledge is extremely difficult,
uh But it does require, uh, dedication and international co-operation.
So that's of course, very important. Uh, in terms of
asylum capacity and asylum processing, uh, we feel that
it's important that the UK,
uh, continues to reform its procedures and and actually implements uh,
more efficient fast track procedures so that those with
uh genuine asylum claims,
uh, can be accelerated into the process while solutions can be found.
Uh, for those who are not in need of international protection.
And of course, as is the case with Rwanda, we're very much here to support
the UK government with that.
Thank you very much. Any other questions on this issue? I
so thank you very much. And on the platform.
don't need to add to send your notes to the journalist.
Yes, please. Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Ok, so I'll let Ravina go.
Let's go to our next speaker.
Philip Barboza, who is the
Barbosa is here to update us on the global
cholera situation and I'll give him the floor.
Thank you very much. Good morning.
So I would like to brief you on the looming situation public health crisis, that, uh,
demand our immediate attention and, uh, de escalating global cholera
So the situation is significantly worsened by two factors. Antici,
uh, antic paying effect of climate change that have droughts and floods
and its critical lack of funding to effectively respond to cholera outbreaks
Uh, WHO has classified the resurgence of cholera as a grade three emergency,
which is the highest level, uh, WHO.
And since then, the situation, uh, has only worsened.
So the cholera is thriving in an
environment with inadequate sanitation and safe water.
And unfortunately, uh, the, uh, current, uh,
climate crisis with second drought and flood in country, uh,
currently in East Africa.
And, uh, and Central Africa is creating the perfect storm for Korea
So, uh, in this region, uh, Ethiopia, uh,
is recording the highest number of cases with, uh, over 4000 cases.
And Zimbabwe, Uh, almost 4000 cases just, uh, in March, uh, 24 alone
and the impact of climate change intensify.
We can expect the situation to worsen unless
we act now to boost the Correa prevention
since the beginning of 23. Uh, over, uh, 800.
Uh uh, 25,000 cholera cases and, uh, almost 6000 deaths
were reported from 31 countries across across the five WHO region.
Uh, and that is as well as, uh, as of first 31st of March 24.
So just in March 24 alone, uh, almost, uh,
25 Over 25,000 new cholera cases were
reported from 16 countries across two regions.
So this number are particularly alarming in the African and East German, uh,
Our ability to combat this crisis is severely hampered by the lack of funding.
the, uh WHO has released a $16
from its, uh, emergency contingency fund,
uh, to respond to, uh, emergency, uh, cholera outbreaks.
So, however, due to the multiple crises that the world is facing,
WHO can no longer continue supporting
this cholera response with the same level of
So without urgent increase of funding, uh, critical WHO support will, uh,
will cease and putting more life at risk in
the 23 countries that are currently reporting outbreak.
So there are some positive news, Uh, as the 15th of April, The stock, uh, of, uh,
vaccine, uh, was at, uh uh, 2.3 million doses.
However, this is still below the global, uh, stockpile target of 5 million.
And, um, we are still, uh, under the the one
In addition, uh, earlier this, uh, this week there was, um,
a new streamline oral cholera vaccine called the UVS that was pre qualified, uh,
And this vaccine will be able to be produced more
ef efficiently and potentially, uh, easing the severe O CV shortage.
However, vaccine, uh alone won't solve the problem.
sanitation and hygiene are the only long term and sustainable solution
to ending this cholera emergency and preventing the future ones.
The global cholera situation demands immediate and continued, uh,
We need increased funding to support a response effort,
improved access to water and sanitation,
and increased production of cholera vaccine. So together we can
rever further suffering and contained this outbreak and
thank you very much for your attention.
And we also have Margaret Online in case of questions.
So I'll start with Pedrero, the
Can we ask the question in French
So thank you very much, Doctor Barbosa, for being with us for this update.
I'm constantly minded, but Margaret is online and she gives you a thumb up.
So that probably means you're going to get them very soon.
Emma and Jens didn't come to the room, but came to the virtual room.
So, uh, Emma, please go ahead. If you have a question for him,
Thanks a lot. Hi, Jens. Um,
I wanted to ask about the 1.2 million people sheltering
in Rafah that seems lower than before um does that mean
a lot of people have, um, actually moved out of the area fearing an incursion.
Um, and secondly, there are reports of bakeries opening
in northern Gaza for the first time. Um,
to what extent does that show that, uh, deliveries of fuel and fue
fuel and flour to the north have improved?
to what extent is this alleviating hunger on the ground there,
or are there still a lot of challenges?
That's that was an announcement of the World Food Programme that
reported that four bakeries in northern nasa have resumed their operation
they continue to provide fuel with flour and
other necessary resources to about 16 bakeries.
Yeah. Thank you, Uh, very much.
And I think Alessandra, you replied on the second part of of the question, um,
Emma I. I don't have much. Um,
these estimates of the size of the internally
displaced population and those who were in Rafah before
there are estimates. Uh, it's still a very chaotic, extremely overcrowded,
uh, place in in Gaza. Uh,
we saw a some movements out of Rafa, particularly after the Israeli army, um,
announced that they had, uh, seized operations in,
Kunis. It now appears that
those operations have restarted.
That is that some, uh, reports that that I'm seeing,
um, and those who moved back. And there were also UN teams that moved into, uh,
Kulis. Uh, they reported, as as you will recall,
almost a moonscape of disruption there. But so not much, uh, to move back to
and we do hear, uh, still a lot of reports, anecdotal evidence,
What our staff are hearing from people in Rapa that they are still
extremely anxious and afraid, uh, that this, uh, ground operation may, uh,
Uh, so that is what What I can say.
I will ask the team if there's any updates on any analysis that
can be draw drawn from from those numbers that that do go up,
Um, and and we'll report back to you on that.
If I can just add on the on on the bakeries. Of course.
We have seen the World Food Programme having some success,
uh, in, uh, supplying food, fuel and wheat.
Um, and restart, uh, some bakeries, which have
been closed for some 170 days already
nothing more. Nothing less than that. It is AAA resumption of some of the bakeries,
whether they that will have any significant impact on a situation where
hundreds of thousands of people are already in. I PC five,
is hard to draw that that that conclusion. So
it is, of course, uh, good news that WFE has been able to do this. And that's welcome.
And much more needed to be be done. If I can just recall
the statement from the now former humanitarian coordinator
Jamie McGoldrick from the sixth of April,
where he spoke about assurances that he had been given
by the Israeli authorities to reactivate
uh, at least 2020 bakeries, uh, in the north of Gaza
from And that that was that was a statement that he made on the sixth of April.
We're now the 23rd of April.
and we we are far from that.
So of course, that's those, uh, assurances. We don't forget those,
uh, and we will continue to to push for this to happen.
And I see Emma nodding. So Thanks.
OK, So that concludes the list of our speakers.
I have quite a few important announcements for you. So please
note I'll start with the possibility the most
relevant because we need your co operation.
you have if you were yesterday evening in the Palais heard a noise an alarm, uh,
bringing a certain points, uh, informing that people had to leave the Palais.
we heard the second one afterwards about the closing of the gates
yesterday because of the press conference of Mrs Colona, which came pretty late,
and the announcement of the report.
We knew many reporters were following it from here from the past.
security not to apply the new measure of the new
operational hours measure to apply to journalists so that as to
where the journalists are located,
could continue to work after seven.
But these cost saving measures are now being implemented
You have heard about this from our director of administration one month ago.
We have also had lots of discussions. We have discussed this with
a Cano. We will continue doing that.
But we also have had questions and discussion
with our colleagues of administration and security.
These measures, unfortunately, will apply.
There is no way for us. We need to.
As it has been ostensibly explained to you,
we need to implement cost saving measures.
very conscious about the particular situation of the journalists.
I think it was you and yes, that raised this question with
our director of administration when she was briefing you.
while in the meantime, unless there is something important like yesterday,
we will have to apply the measures to everyone,
including now the journalists.
We would like to know a little bit more about your needs,
about how many people stay longer when what is the frequency, etc.
So yesterday, with the announcement with the reminder of the
implementation of these hours, I have also sent you the link to a survey
that we have put together with the support of our
colleagues to try and understand a little bit better.
the specific needs of the journalists to try
and adapt the measures as much as possible.
So I would really like to ask all the journalists who have either an office or a booth
quickly so that we can quickly
reassess these measures for what concerns the journalists.
We are also intending to discuss this further
with the new Executive Committee of Canada.
By the way, I congratulate for their election
and come to a conclusion which is as
much satisfactory as it is possible.
And I'm sure we will continue this discussion later on
in terms of the committee.
I just wanted to remind you that the Committee Against Torture
meeting today is starting the review of the report of Azerbaijan
next country to come up Liechtenstein,
North Macedonia and Finland.
I think the rest is something we have already told you.
have one press conference to announce.
This is organised by the Global Network Against Food Crises.
This network is a multi stakeholder initiative working
to address the root causes of food crisis
and promote sustainable solution.
The network will release the new edition of the Global Report on Food Crisis,
which is produced by the Food Security Information Network.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of
key factors driving food crises globally,
including conflict, weather extremes and economic shocks.
The launch of the report will be made
through a press conference here in this very room
on Wednesday, 24th of April at 930 Geneva time,
Breakfast will be provided for your convenience at nine o'clock outside the room.
And, of course, this will be a hybrid press conference.
The speakers will be Dominique Boon,
A liaison office in Geneva, Stefano Fed
global nutrition cluster coordinator at
Geneva, and Courtney Blake,
the senior humanitarian adviser for the US Mission in Geneva.
The Geneva based partners of the network the EU, UNHCR,
World Food Programme and World Bank will also be
available in the press room To answer your questions,
that the report and the press conference will be under embargo until 12
o'clock Geneva time Midday, Geneva time
on the same day 24. April 2024.
This is what I had for you, Ben.
Yes, just a small question about the opening hours.
Uh, So for instance, if, uh, tomorrow I'm live from 6 to 6. 30 which is what I
And then I end up my work around 77. 30.
get out of the Palais via the turnstile. Or will it be just completely closed?
And I'm trapped and I will die of hunger here.
I'm sure you would not die of anger. There are lots of machines providing food
after hours, not joke apart. Absolutely not.
I mean, you are no prisoner in the parlour. Of course,
I think you have seen it because they have really put notice everywhere.
And it's also in the notes that we sent you.
If you are here and you have to leave, of course, you can call security and get
The problem is that because of the reduction in personnel or security personnel,
they are not necessarily in the moment you call or the moment you get to the gate.
They are not necessarily there. So you have to call them.
They have to come, so you probably have to wait,
and it's obviously a burden.
That is exactly the scope of this survey.
If we realise that there is a certain number of people that are constantly leaving,
30 or eight, for example,
then obviously we will make sure that at eight o'clock there is
somebody at the door to open to this larger number of people.
If there is only one person, then it would be difficult.
At eight o'clock, of course they will open for you. But
they will have to be called
and they will come. But it will take time.
So in order for you to avoid this this inconvenience,
the idea is to collect as much data as possible on the
habits of the journalists in terms of access and exit.
This also is true for the morning.
I know that many of the journalists who are reporting for
they might need to come to the Palais earlier than the opening hour.
So we need to know a little bit. What are the, You know, the numbers.
And if, for example, it comes out as you've just said,
most of the days there are about 1510 people who actually exit at eight o'clock.
Then we will open the gate at eight o'clock without you needing to call. So,
the the the the the gates that we open in springing
And I see that, um, and and again.
So this is really I mean, we have spoken at length about
the needs of the journalist,
but we just need a little bit more substance.
So if everybody who has an office here can fill that survey,
we will really help us help you.
Same thing you will have to call. You will have to call. Yes, absolutely.
I see John has a hand up. John.
Yes. Uh, good morning. At first, it's a logistical question
on this press conference tomorrow on the food crisis.
Uh, I notice in the flyer that there is also
a press conference on the same issue in New York by the chief economist of the FA O
and the World Food Programme.
are they gonna also be available by teleconference for the briefing in Geneva?
Or are they in New York? And it's out of our reach
is there a press conference plan in any other city around the
world so we can coordinate with newsrooms not to have duplication insights
And secondly, did I hear correctly? It's only the prene
gate that we ring after hours and not the Platon
after hours. Correct. I understand that's the case. Yeah,
I can check, but that is the case. Yeah.
On the first question, John, I was looking because there was key, uh,
connected until a few minutes ago.
But I don't see her on the, uh unless she's here somewhere, which, if this is the case,
raise your hand. No, I can't see her on the platform,
yes, I understand. There are
presentations of this report.
I don't know if there are press conferences per SE, but
I understand there will also be one in Rome. But for the details, you will have to ask.
I'll let her know that you have asked this question and maybe she can send you any
or any information on this because I think that it is really important for you
to, as you said, coordinate with your with your, uh,
Is there any other question for me or or what? What?
Maybe we will do because I'm seeing here. Comments.
After the the briefing, we will resend the link to the survey, So that's, uh
more people will see it now that we have spoken about
it and please fill it this in as soon as possible.
If there are no other questions and I don't see any hand up, thank you very much.
And I'll see you on, Uh, no
will see you on Friday. Thank you.
