The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UNOG RUSH NEWS Briefing 30JUL2024
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32:58
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MP4
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2.1 GB
UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
30 July 2024
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization.
Situation in Gaza
Answering questions from the media, James Elder, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), stated that the blowing up of a large water facility in Rafah was yet another reminder of a blatant disregard for children’s rights. Without it, vulnerable children and their families would be forced once again to resort to consuming unsafe water. The range of water availability in Gaza had been reduced, and it was now of two to nine liters per person while the humanitarian minimum standard was 15 liters. Mr. Elder reminded of sweltering heat in Gaza right now. Civilian infrastructure had to be protected, he reiterated.
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that environmental samples of polio had been tested, and the Health Ministry in Ramallah would like to test them again to confirm the outcome. If the cases were confirmed, the situation would be very worrisome. The virus was likely present in the population, but that did not mean that there would necessarily be a broader outbreak, he explained. Not many people showed symptoms; only heavy forms of polio could be mortal. Aid – food, medical assistance, and vaccines – needed to reach people, for which a ceasefire was necessary so that humanitarian agencies could deliver it safely. A proper polio vaccination campaign could only be conducted under safe circumstances. Before the war, Gaza had had very high vaccination rates. Mr. Lindmeier said that the world had been very close to eradicating polio completely, and it was hoped that Gaza would not turn into a pocket of polio. No cases of polio paralysis had been reported so far, added Mr. Elder, for UNICEF. There were tremendous challenges getting food in, including therapeutic food, said Mr. Elder. Children were very malnourished, there was a lack of clean water and sanitation, and Gaza was experiencing extreme heat, which all together created a very dire situation.
On another question, Mr. Lindmeier said that four children and their families had been medically evacuated from Egypt to Belgium; more children were now being evacuated towards the United Arab Emirates. Some ten thousand more medical cases needed to be evacuated.
Election in Venezuela
Replying to a question on the presidential election in Venezuela, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), stated that the Secretary-General had called for a peaceful resolution of the electoral dispute. He recalled that electoral authorities should undertake their work independently and without interference to guarantee the free expression of the will of the electorate.
Sudan talks
Answering a question, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), explained that according to the latest information, the next Sudan talks, expected to be held in Switzerland in mid-August, should not be UN-led, although the UN would be represented in the talks. All these efforts had the same aim: to lead to a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sudan. As soon as there was more information about the UN’s participation, it would be shared with the media, while the details on the talks should be sought from the Swiss Permanent Mission, said Ms. Vellucci.
Announcements
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that the third and last part of the 2024 session of the Conference on Disarmament was being held from 29 July to 13 September. Ireland was holding the presidency of the Conference until 16 August, after which Israel would take over from 19 August until 13 September.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination would hold its one hundred and thirteenth session from 5 to 23 August, during which it would review the reports of Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, United Kingdom, and Belarus.
On 1 August, the National Day of Switzerland, the United Nations Office at Geneva would be closed, informed Ms. Vellucci. It was planned not to hold a press briefing on 2 August.
Finally, Ms. Vellucci said that the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) would close at the Palais des Nations on 2 August.
Teleprompter
[Other language spoken]
Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 30th of July.
As you have seen from the message we have sent you this morning, our colleagues, many colleagues are here to answer your questions.
On my side, I just wanted to let you know that the third and the last part of the 2024 session of the Conference on Disarmament is being held at the Parle at the moment from the started yesterday, 29th of July and we conclude on the 13th of September.
Ireland is holding the presidency of the Conference until the 16th of August and then Israel will hold it from the 19th of August until the session end on 13 September.
We don't have yet the date of the first public plenary, but we will of course keep you informed as soon as we get it.
I just also wanted to remind you that while there are no treaty body meetings this week, next week on the 5th of August we will start the a hundred 113th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which will last until the 23rd of August.
During this session, the Committee will review the reports of Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, Mozdia, Herzegovina, United Kingdom and Belarus.
And as you know, Thursday 1st of August is the national day of our host country, Switzerland.
So the United Nations Office, Geneva will be closed on this occasion.
We will not hold the briefing on Friday 2nd of August but of course we will be here in case there is any need to communicate to brief you on any important issue.
We might if necessary, also decide to hold it on Friday morning.
Take the decision to hold the briefing but for the moment we we are thinking of not having it at all.
But we will be here to keep you informed if anything comes up.
So I'll now open the floor to question.
I see there are quite a few.
So just for as a reminder, you have it on your e-mail, but we have available Zaina for ILO, Sarah for UNDP, James for UNICEF, Jennifer is also on line for OSC, Christian for WHO, Key for FAO, Catherine is here in the room with us for Antid, Claire is on the line for WMO, Ababar for UNHCR.
So I'll open the floor to question.
I think Emma has one.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
A couple of questions on Gaza for Christian, if he's up for it.
I wanted to ask about the polio situation.
Has there been any case yet?
And if there has been or if there were to be, how much of A set back would that be both for Gaza and for global eradication efforts?
And secondly, I wanted to ask about the water situation in Gaza, which I understand is getting quite critical around Al Mawasi.
Thank you very much, Christian.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
That's it, you're on.
[Other language spoken]
I can see you're talking and your mic is on, but for some reasons we can't hear you.
[Other language spoken]
I see a Rico's coming out of the regime.
So just one second please.
OK, Enrico's back and maybe we can hear you now.
Christian, can you try?
No, OK, so I see James for UNICEF as put his end up.
So can I suggest Christian that you go out and in again and while you do that we listen to James that probably wants to give some answers to Emma too.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Excuse me everyone.
I'm going to answer the second part.
Emma, at least give some context in water, particularly over news we saw on the weekend.
So that report that many of you will have seen of one of the main water facilities in Rafa being blown up is of course, abhorrent and again demonstrates A flagrant disregard for children's rights.
It it is yet another grim reminder on these assaults on on families who are already in desperate need of water.
And I'll give you some sense in just a moment.
So that facility that that imagery shown was blown up is known as the Canada Reservoir.
And it's been a central stage for treatment and water supply across Rafa until, until recently, that reservoir served thousands and thousands of internally displaced people who had sought refuge in Rafa in the area.
Now without it, Emma, already vulnerable children and families, they're likely to be forced again increasingly to resort to unsafe water.
So putting them at all those risks that we see time and time again day after day in Gaza, dehydration, malnutrition, diseases, we're seeing those spikes in diarrhoea and skin infections, all due to a lack of hygiene, a lack of access to hygiene rather, and a lack of access to water.
Now the range of water availability in Gaza has been reduced to between 2:00 and 9:00 litres per person per day, 2 to 9.
According to humanitarian standards, it should be 15 litres of water.
So some people are absolute fraction of that remembering it is sweltering, swelteringly hot right now.
And of course, civil, civil, civilian infrastructure must be protected and must be in line the protection in line with humanitarian international law.
And so in things like we saw over the weekend, again, reiterate why civilian infrastructure must be protected isn't being protected and why why we need a ceasefire.
Thank you very much, James.
And let's try Christian again.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
Very well.
So now, unfortunately, I didn't hear what James said.
[Other language spoken]
Did you talk about the water sanitation?
Yeah, He he's.
[Other language spoken]
Sorry.
Yeah, only mostly with the focus Christian on the on the devastation to the Canada reservoir that we saw over the over the weekend and then the the limits people have toward it.
But nothing on nothing on the polio question, the first part of Emma's question.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
Look, I mean, so far we know that environmental samples have been tested and found some more and as announced by MH Gaza, extra tests have been done The the ministry in Ramallah would like to to retest these samples to confirm, confirm the the outcome.
But I think it's very safe to say that we are we're looking at A at a problematic situation if cases are found.
Now having vaccine derived polio virus in, in the sewage very likely means that it's that it's out there somewhere in people.
But again, about 75% of people having having infected by polio don't even show any symptoms.
So that's important to note.
So that means it could be or it most likely is in the in the population, but it doesn't necessarily mean that we see an outbreak of cases.
But of course, we need to be prepared.
We need to be utterly prepared and we need vaccinations and we need vaccination campaigns and maybe maybe James wants to say more about possible vaccines coming in.
That's that's the big project for the weeks and months to come.
But most importantly, it's like with water, like with food, like with medical aid.
It's not enough to get it across the border.
It's not enough just to get it into Ben Gurion Airport and then hopefully get it into Gaza.
It needs to reach people.
And for that we need a ceasefire and we need conditions to be able to reach each and everyone in there in in Gaza for, for the necessary vaccinations, like we need the access to reach each and everyone for food and for medical assistance.
That means we need the roads cleared.
We need, yeah, again a ceasefire the best, but at least cleared and and safe, safe roads, safe access.
Otherwise the vaccines would be sitting as many other trucks are across the border either on the rougher side or on the OR or any other checkpoint just inside or outside Gaza with not much help.
That's the most important part here.
[Other language spoken]
And and Christian just on the what how much of A set back that would be for global eradication efforts.
I mean, the point is that we were very, very close to eradicating polio fully.
As you know, wartime unfortunately creates the situations where it's very difficult to get that last mile.
And it hasn't even been a mile.
It has been less than a mile.
We needed to go.
There are a few pockets around the world and hopefully Gaza will not become another one.
So W Joe considers a **** risk of of of the spread of this train within Gaza and internationally, particularly given the impact the current situation continues to have on public health services.
So that's that's riskier.
That's why also immediately Israel went to vaccinating their soldiers.
Healthcare workers typically get vaccinated.
So the risk of getting spreading this further is there and it would be a set back definitely is.
Unfortunately, war situations, chaotic war situations with absolute lack of access to, to any medical supplies, to any water, to any hygiene efforts is is very critical and very damaging and therefore risking the spread of polio and any other diseases.
As we know, we we've seen the rise of diseases in Gaza in the last months.
Everything of that is unnecessary with the right care.
Thank you very much and yes, yes, thank you.
Hi Christian, just a follow up on what you say.
You say that even if people are infected, the the majority of them would wouldn't show any symptoms.
Could you explain us why?
[Other language spoken]
I don't have the breadth and depth to to dawn the depth of the, of the medical explanation here.
But it's like with many other diseases, viruses or or bacteria, about 70% of people only show symptoms.
And then it is only the, the, the, the heavy form of polio that could **** you or name you for life.
So yeah, that's why it is tricky to catch because you could have it in a group of the population in an area, it could travel with a person from one place to another without being detected because the person doesn't show symptoms.
So it's not easily detectable unless you go for for environmental samples or direct samples from the from the person.
And that's the not, not easy to achieve, especially not in a, in a crisis, in chaos and war scenario like this.
Indeed, Yeah, Sorry, Mohammed.
My question is also for Christian.
Christian, Yesterday we saw the news that says a group of sick and injured Palestinians will be treated outside of Gaza Strip under The Who coordinations.
In this context, some patients and their companions left the city of Deir Bala yesterday.
My question is, how many people are expected evacuated?
And can you give information about this initiative and the general situation about the evacuations?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So this is a really, really, really good news.
We were lacking good news in the terms of Gaza.
So this is finally good news.
First four children plus their relatives were evacuated from Egypt, further to Belgium and thanks to Belgium for that.
And now a much larger number of children is leaving Gaza, actually has not been in Egypt before leaving Gaza and is supposed to be evacuated towards the UAE.
We don't have final numbers yet as the operation is ongoing.
Once it's finalised, we can give more details and we will give more details or it will be reported from the ground.
[Other language spoken]
But let's not forget this is only also as much as the good news, a drop on the on the on the hot stone.
As we say it needs 10,000 more to be evacuated.
It needs the conditions to be able to get outside of Gaza, to be cleared, to get outside, and it needs countries to receive them and to transport them further.
That's why we're very grateful for every member, say, for every country to take any of the medical luckies possible.
There are many, many, many in in need of it indeed.
[Other language spoken]
I'll go to the platform, Antonio, thank you very much.
My question is for you, Alessandra and he's from Venezuela in the OK.
Well, but just just go ahead and ask or maybe just just so that we finish with the question to WHO or UNICEF, Let me ask Catherine or Lisa.
I suspect that that maybe they are more focusing on on what we were discussing.
Katherine, is that a question to Christian or James or on Gaza in general?
Good morning, Alessandra, thank you for giving me the floor.
Yes, it's related to Gaza and to polio in Gaza.
[Other language spoken]
My question is when is a place considered as a new polio pocket?
That's number one.
And my second question is related to the vaccination.
If the conditions are improving, do we need only one vaccination or does the vaccination needs a booster after a certain time?
Thank you, Catherine.
Thank you very much.
I must admit I don't have the details on that one.
I would need to get them to you afterwards.
[Other language spoken]
James is there.
He has more.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Catherine.
Hi there.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So currently, no, no cases of paralysis have been reported so far.
WHO, UNICEF work with the Palestinian authorities to to help, you know, continually supply those life saving interventions, including polio vaccines.
So the important thing to note is why this is really happening as Christian speaking to and last week is is again due to the decimation of the health system.
So the Gaza Strip previously had a very **** vaccination coverage across the population, but due to the impact of the conflict, coverage now, for example, around polio is around 89%, down from around 99% before the conflict.
Hence you've got this increased risk for children.
Now, if a child gets the full course of vaccines, then the risk of a child becoming paralysed by polio is negligible.
But as WHO has made clear this week and last week, that's why it's so critical to ensure that all children are immunised.
But the mass displacement, the decimation of health infrastructure, the horrendous, the insecure operating environment, they all make it much, much more difficult, hence putting more and more children at risk.
Thank you very much, James, for this information.
[Other language spoken]
And then I'll go back to Antonio.
Yes, you're right.
Your suspect, your suspicion is correct.
My question is to both James and Christian, please.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Is that in the offing?
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, that and also and whether the neighbouring countries are perhaps having considering polio vaccine campaigns.
And then I'd like to know was the the excuse me one second, sorry.
Yeah, the the blow up of the the water in in Rafa, was that intentional or was that an accidental situation?
Has there been any comment from Israel in regard to this?
And what is the general water situation throughout the Gaza Strip?
I think it's been perilous in the past.
I imagine might be continuing.
Has famine been declared or not?
And specifically for James, the situation of children right now, whether it it has become worse, whether there are more deaths and whether malnutrition has gone up, whether you're able to reach these children.
I mean, the the good news that you have, Christian, about the four children leaving and getting medical aid is indeed good.
But when you consider how many children are left in Gaza, it's not so terrific, is it?
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, Maybe let me start and then over to James for for others.
Well, on the last comment you made here, as I said, it's a drop in the ocean.
It's a it's a very important and good drop in the ocean every every single person who manages to get out while needing medical attention and medical care is is of course important for now to Belgium, a big larger group today to the UAE.
But yeah, it needs about 10,000 more, at least on polio.
[Other language spoken]
What was the question?
Sorry, Lisa, Lisa, you want to re re phrase?
Yeah, yeah, I've I've been unmuted.
The question was whether a polio vaccine campaign is in the all thing both in Gaza and whether you know if any of the neighbouring countries were which also might be at risk because polio travels across borders, whether they are considering having polio vaccines campaigns.
Sorry.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So thank you very much and then apologies for having to you to repeat that.
So together with UNICEF, UNRWA and the Ministry of Health, of course, WH is working to support the ministry in any response, which will include a vaccination campaign or campaigns.
Because you need to go in various rounds because you can't at the same time do this in in the whole country.
But maybe James wants to elaborate them.
But the planning is ongoing but important and it can't be stressed enough.
It needs the correct and the right safe circumstances for anybody to do such a, to run such a campaign on multiple complaints, to identify the recipients and so on and so forth.
And in in terms of other countries, you know that Israel already started and other countries run their normal routine vaccinations.
Let's not forget that polio is part of the routine vaccination and Gaza that did have an extremely **** coverage rate.
This is not something which was present in Gaza before, at least not noticeable.
And there were environmental sampling done regularly in Gaza.
This was a functioning place.
It was a functioning territory.
This was bombed to pieces, basically the whole health system.
And now we see the result of it, James, Sorry, yes, Lisa, let me try and try and go through go through each of those maybe potentially not potentially not in order, Lisa.
So exactly as, as Christian said, I mean, there are reasons that United Nations from the highest levels have called for a ceasefire.
And I think there's many, many reasons that most obvious has been to try and stem the bloodshed, to try and reduce the horrific numbers of casualties.
But as agencies like WHO and UNICEF for warning, as far back as late last year, there was always this risk of disease outbreak.
And now that is happening on the ground, that's happening, whether it's from skin rashes, whether it's from diarrheal, diarrheal impacts.
And now, of course, we have this type 2 variant polio.
So a ceasefire speech ticks all those boxes, Lisa.
Call it weeks of tranquilly something, something where those parties who have the control can look at the health, both vaccines and in terms of keeping people safe from bombardments, the health of Gazans and the hostages in Gaza.
So yes, it would, it would be a win win to get any type of poor cessation for people in Gaza and to be able to vaccinate as well.
On the water, my understanding is that the IDF is investigating what those reports seem to be of the demolition of that water facility and that you'll have to see that online, in Israeli press and so on.
And I think, Lisa, in terms of famine, no governments in the United Nations have have stopped short so far of saying that Gaza, that famine is happening in the Gaza Strip.
As we all know, if you were to talk to a mother or a child or a family in the north or the South, you know, the declaration of IPC 3-4, catastrophic 5 or famine doesn't really make a lot of difference to them.
The reality is that we continue to have great challenges getting sufficient food supplies, both in terms of food, the backbone of of that kind of work, which would be UNRWA completely blocked from taking food to the north, an organisation like UNICEF and getting our our therapeutic food again, very, very, very, very challenging to the north.
And that's why I get we have seen this, this severity and magnitude of malnutrition, particularly among two year olds and under twos and under fives, which was unprecedented in the most recent IPC.
So we're still there, Lisa.
We're still at a point as somehow, somehow people are holding on.
But of course, we are now in that deathly cycle whereby children are very malnourished.
There is immense heat, there is lack of water, there is a horrendous lack of sanitation.
And that's the that's the cycle.
And on top of that, of course, there there is a very, very active conflict.
And there is one way to break that cycle.
There's only one way to break that cycle.
And that way, of course, is to stop the bombs in a ceasefire.
Thank you very much.
I don't see other questions on Gaza, so let me go back to Antonio.
Antonio, you had the question on Venezuela.
[Other language spoken]
So yesterday Secretary General Antonio Guterres asked for peaceful solutions on the disagreements on electoral results in Venezuela.
After that we have had violent clashes in in in Caracas with several dead.
So I wondered if the United Nations has any comments related with this.
[Other language spoken]
I had I don't have further lines further, further statements on this from the secretary General, but I think we can just reiterate his call for a for a peaceful resolution of the issues, the electoral disputes that have been generated after this this Sunday election.
They, the secretary general said very clearly that the electoral authorities and need to undertake the work independently and without interference to guarantee the free expression of the will of the electorate body.
And this is I think what we need to stress and we need to to recall.
If there's any further comments on the on the new, on the new unrest, I'll, I'll, I'll share them with you.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
It has been said that a new meeting will take place around mid August in Geneva led by UN.
Would it be possible to get some more information?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So just just to clarify the mid August meetings that has been announced is not UN LED, it's Switzerland who is convening this facilitating the, the this meeting in Geneva, the UN will be represented and we are now discussing on the the more logistical organisational issues.
And as soon as I have something to announce, I will if, if it's of UN competence, I will, I will definitely do.
But let me just clarify that this is not as the Co talks that we've just had with them.
This the the personal invoice team, these, these are all efforts.
I think we are all trying to work towards the same objective, which is of course trying to stop to, to, to, to come to a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Sudan and the UN will be represented.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, thank you, Alessandra.
So if I understand well it, it, it is totally different.
But if I remember well, when the, the talks, the proximity talks organised led by UN were financially supported by Switzerland.
Is it another way of follow up?
I don't understand why it is different Look, could you give more information about it if you know, because it it's kind of strange.
OK, so as I said, I don't have more information on the organisational point of view.
We'll share with you whenever we have it.
But what is has to be very clear.
And I and I don't know Katherine, if you remember you asked this question and not maybe not you personally, but somebody asked this question about for example, when we were having the proximity talks about the efforts that have been done before with the African Union.
So these all efforts trying to bring the belligerent, the warring parties to a peaceful solution, at least peaceful discussion about the resolution of the, of the war in Sudan.
And we are really looking at many initiatives that work, I would say in a coordinated way towards the same objective.
So it's not as, as you remember the, the, the personal voice said there will be an implementation, will be a follow up of what he has been discussing here.
There had been the African Union efforts.
Now there is this other effort.
And these are all trying to pull the belligerent towards the same or the similar development of the situation towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
And as I said, as soon as we have more information on the UN side which will be represented, we will share it with you.
Sorry.
[Other language spoken]
And then Antonio.
[Other language spoken]
Do you know anything about why you and the OHCHR is not here today?
Human rights.
They have staff there or have had staff there.
They've been present on the ground.
It looks like we're looking, heading into a looming human, human rights situation there.
Did they tell you any reason why they didn't come today?
And could you please prompt them to try to find out what they have to say about I?
I think that if they're not here, it's just that they couldn't.
But I will bring, I will definitely bring your question to them.
I think Jeremy must be here.
I'm not sure about the others, but Jeremy should be here.
So we will definitely bring it to him.
And I had seen another hand.
Oh no, it's a it's a virtual hand.
And Antonio, so Alessandra, do you confirm that this Sudan talks are in Geneva?
Because in in the first news I read about it, they said it would be in Switzerland, but they didn't say any any city.
So it's going to be in Geneva.
I think you can ask this question to the Permanent Mission of Switzerland.
My understanding is that it is in Geneva, but as they are convening it, please ask them for confirmation.
Any other question, I don't see any online or in the room.
So that briefing was not that short as I thought.
So thank you very much for contributing to it for being here.
I just wanted to remind you that on Friday we will be concluding the NPT Preparatory committee.
I don't know if you remember we, we talked about it to you.
You had a media advisory, had a press conference.
The conference has been the, the meeting has been going on in the last two weeks, last week and this week and it will conclude on Friday.
So we will see, for example, that could be something we will send you some kind of either press release or information on the conclusions that we will see on Friday.
Even if we don't have the briefing, it will definitely be briefed in writing if there is anything to share.
So I don't see other hands up.
Thank you very much.
And Bonfed National on Thursday will be closed, I repeat.
And, and on Friday, there won't be the briefing unless there is something really urgent.
But we will keep you informed in writing of any briefing information, any briefing news that we might have.
Thank you very much.