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
Good morning.
Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Geneva Today's 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
Palais 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 ends 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 fifth of August, we will start the 101 113th
session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,
which will last until 23 August.
During this session, the committee will review the reports of Venezuela,
Iran, Pakistan,
Bosnia as the governor, the United Kingdom and Belarus.
And as you know, Thursday, First of August is the national day of our host country,
Switzerland.
So the United Nations Office at Geneva will be closed on this occasion.
We will not hold the briefing on Friday,
the second 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 are thinking of not having it at all.
But we will be here to keep you informed if anything comes up.
So, um, I now open the floor to question I see there are quite a few,
so just as a reminder, you have it on your email.
But we have available Dana for ILO Sara for U NDP James for UNICEF.
Jennifer is also on a line for OC Christian for WHOK,
for
FA
O. Catherine is here in the room with us
for
Ted. Claire is on the line for WMOE
for UN HCR.
So I'll open the floor to question. I think Emma has one. Go ahead.
Good morning. Um, a couple of questions on Gaza for Christian if he's up for it. Um,
I wanted to ask about the polio situation. Um, has there been any case yet?
And if there has been, um Or if there were to be, how much of a setback 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 Almasi. Uh, thank you very much,
Christian. Your
on.
Just unmute yourself. Please. We can see you, but we can't hear you.
That's it,
Yon
OK, I can see you. I can see you're talking and your mic is
on, but for some reasons, we can't hear you.
Let me check.
I see a record coming out of the regime,
So just one second, please.
OK, um
Enrico is back
and maybe we can hear you now. Christian, can you try?
No.
OK, so
I see James, uh, for UNICEF
has put his hand 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, uh,
answers to Emma, too.
James.
Alexandra. Thanks, Emma. Hi.
Excuse me, everyone, Uh, I'm going to answer the second part.
Emma, at least give some context in water, particularly over news.
We saw, um, on the weekend.
So that report, um,
that many of you will have seen of one of the main water facilities in Rafa
being blown up
or 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,
uh, supply across Rafa.
Until until recently,
uh,
that reservoir served thousands and thousands of
internally displaced people who had sought refuge,
uh, in Rafa
in the area now.
Without it, Emma already vulnerable Children of 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 dia diarrhoea and skin infections
all due to a lack of hygiene.
Um, 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 two and nine litres per person.
Uh, per day 2 to 9.
Uh, according to humanitarian standards, it should be 15 litres of water.
So some people are an absolute fraction of that.
Remembering it is sweltering, sweltering, hot. Right now,
Uh,
and, of course, civil in civil civilian infrastructure
must be protected and must be in line
The protection in line with humanitarian international law.
Um, 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.
How does it look like now?
go ahead.
Go ahead, Jim.
Sorry. I sorry. Yeah, only mostly with the focus. Um, 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 to water, but nothing on. Uh,
nothing on the polio question. The first part of Emma's question.
Lovely. Thank you very much.
look, I mean, so far, we know that environmental samples have been tested and found.
Um
uh, some more. And as announced by MH Gaza, extra tests have been done.
The, uh, the ministry in Ramallah would like to to retest these samples, Uh uh,
to confirm. Confirm the, uh, 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, um, vaccine derived polio virus in in the sewage,
uh, very likely means that it's that it's out there somewhere, um, in people.
But again,
about 75% of people having, uh having, uh,
infected by polio don't even show any symptoms.
So
that's important to note.
Uh, 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 Um, but of course, we need to be prepared.
We need to be utterly prepared.
And we need vaccinations, and we need vaccination campaigns.
Um, and, uh, maybe maybe, uh, James wants to say more about,
uh, possible vaccines, uh, coming in.
Uh, that's that's the big project, uh, 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 cease fire. We need conditions to be able to reach
each and every one in there in Gaza for for the necessary vaccinations.
Uh,
like we need the access to reach each and
every one for food and for medical assistance.
That means
we need the roads cleared. We need, uh, again a cease fire.
The best, but at least cleared and, uh, and safe, um,
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
Um, or on any other checkpoint just inside or outside Gaza with not much help.
That's the most important part here.
Yeah, go ahead.
And And Christian just on the, uh What?
How much of a setback 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, war time
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 WO considers
a high risk of, of of the spread of the strain within Gaza
and
internationally,
particularly given the impact the current situation
continues to have in public health services.
So that's that's the risk here. That's why.
Also, immediately, Israel went to vaccinating
their soldiers.
Health care workers typically get vaccinated, so the risk of getting
spreading this further is there,
and it would be a setback, definitely is. Unfortunately,
war situations, uh, chaotic war situations with absolute lack of access to
to any medical supplies to any water,
Uh, to any hygiene
efforts, um, is is very critical and very damaging.
Uh, and therefore, risking the spread of polio and any other diseases.
As we know, 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. Um,
ANAs?
Yes. Thank you. Hi, Christian. Uh, just a a follow up, Uh, on what you say.
You say that, um, even if people infected, uh, the the majority of them would, uh,
wouldn't show any symptoms.
Uh, could you, uh, explain us? Why, thank you.
Uh, I don't have the breadth and depth to to daunt the depth of the of the, uh,
medical explanation here, but it's like with many other, um, diseases,
viruses or or bacteria.
about 70%
of people only, uh, show symptoms.
And then it is only the the the the the heavy form.
Uh, of, uh, polio That could kill you. Or, um,
name you for life, So
yeah. Uh,
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.
Um, so it's not easily detectable un,
un 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,
I
am
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 created outside of Gaza Strip under the
coordinations in
this country.
Some patients and their companions
left the city of Deir
Bala
yesterday.
Ah, my question is, how many people are expected to
Ah
evacuated. And ah, can you give
information about this initiative and the
general situation about the evacuations?
Thank you.
Yeah. 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, uh,
it will be reported from the ground.
Um, but yes. Good news. Um,
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, um,
it needs 10,000 more
to be evacuated. It needs the conditions
to be able to get outside of Gaza to be clear, to get outside.
And it needs countries to receive them and to transport them further.
That's very, very grateful for every
member state for every country, um, to take
any of the medical
is possible.
Um, there are many, many, many in in need of it.
Indeed. Uh, thank you. I'll go to the platform. Um, Antonio,
thank you very much. My question is for you, Alexandra,
and he's from Venezuela.
Ok, um
well, 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 maybe they are
more
focusing on on what we were discussing.
Catherine, is that a question to Christian or James or on Gaza in general?
Good morning. Uh, Alexandra,
Thank you for giving me the floor. Yes, it's related to Gaza and to polio in Gaza.
Uh, Christian, Uh, good morning.
Um, my question is, um
when is, um, uh, uh 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, um, improving.
Do we need only one vaccination or does the
vaccination needs a booster after a certain time?
Thank you,
Catherine. Uh, thank you very much.
I must admit, I don't have the, uh, details on that one.
I would need to get them to you afterwards.
Thank you.
Thank
you. James.
Uh, Catherine. Hi there.
Um, a L? A little.
Excuse me. Sorry, colleagues. A little more. So,
um, currently no. No cases of paralysis have been reported so far.
Um WHO UNICEF
have worked with the Palestinian authorities to to help, you know,
continually supply those life saving interventions including polio vaccines.
the So the important thing to note is why this is really happening, and
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
high vaccination coverage across the population.
But due to the impact of the conflict
coverage, uh, now, for example, um 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
if it's the full course of vaccines,
then the risk of a child becoming paralysed by polio is negligible.
But as WHO has made clear, um, this week and last week,
this is why it's so critical to to ensure that all Children are immunised.
But the mass displacement, the decimation of health infrastructure,
the horrendously 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, Elise,
I suspect this is also a question on this.
And then I go back to Antonio.
Uh, yes, you're right. Your suspect your suspicion is correct.
My, uh, question is to both James and, uh, Christian, please.
First, uh, to continue on polio. Just a quick question.
Uh, what about a polio vaccine campaign? Is that in the offing? Is it? Uh uh,
yeah, that And also and whether the, uh,
neighbouring countries are perhaps having,
uh, considering polio vaccine campaigns.
And then, uh, I I'd like to know,
um was the the Excuse me one second.
Ah,
sorry.
Um, yeah, uh, the,
uh uh the, uh, blow up of the, uh, the water in, uh, in
Rafael. Was that intentional, or was that,
uh, an accidental situation? Uh, has there been any comment from
Israel? Uh, in regard to this And,
uh, what is the general water situation throughout
the Gaza Strip? I think it's been perilous in the past, I imagine.
Might be continuing,
uh, has famine been declared or not?
And, uh, specifically for James, the situation of,
uh, uh, Children right now, whether,
uh,
it it has become worse whether there are
more deaths and whether malnutrition has gone up.
Whether you're able to
reach these Children, Uh, I mean,
the the good news that you have Christian about the four Children.
Uh, 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?
Uh, OK, thank you.
Yeah, maybe let me start, uh, and then over to James for for others. Um,
well, on the last commenter media, 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, uh, while needing medical attention and medical care
is is, of course, important, uh, for now to Belgium. A big, larger
group today to the UAE. Um,
but yeah, it needs about 10,000 more
at least. Um,
on, uh, polio.
Uh
uh.
Give me. Give me. Give me a hint. Again. Um, what was the question? Sorry, Lisa.
Lisa, you want to re
re
Yeah, I I've I've I've been unmuted
uh the question was whether uh,
a polio vaccine campaign is in the all thing both in Gaza and whether you know, uh,
if any of the neighbouring countries were,
which also might be at risk because polio travels across borders, whether they are,
uh, considering having polio vaccines. Uh, campaign. Sorry. Thank you.
Yeah. So thank you very much. And then apologies for having to you to repeat that.
So together with UNICEF, UN
W
and the Ministry of Health, of course, W
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 the whole country.
But maybe James won't celebrate 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 or multiple complaints to identify,
uh, the recipients and so on and so forth.
And 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 did have
an extremely high 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
a 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.
Uh, sorry. Yes. Lisa,
um, let me try and try and go through. Um,
go through each of those, uh, may 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. The 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 or war
as far back as late last year,
there was always this risk of disease outbreak. Now that is happening on the ground.
Uh, that's happening, whether it's from skin rashes,
whether it's from diarrheal diarrheal impacts.
Um, And now, of course, we have this type two, variant polio.
Um, so a ceasefire, uh, speech to ticks. All those boxes.
Lisa, call it weeks of tranquilly. Something
something Where those parties who have the control can look at
the health, uh, both vaccines and, uh,
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.
Um, on the water. My understanding is, uh, that the ID F is investigating.
Um, what those reports seem to be of the demolition of that water facility,
and that that you'll have to see that online in in Israeli press and so on.
Um
and I think Lisa, in terms of famine,
no governments in the United Nations have have stopped short so far of, um
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, um,
in the north or the South, you know,
the declaration of I PC 34 catastrophic fire or famine
doesn't really make a lot of difference to them.
The reality is that
we continue to have great change challenges, um,
getting sufficient food supplies both in terms of food,
the backbone of of that kind of work, which would be UN
a,
um, completely blocked from taking food to the north.
An organisation like UNICEF in getting our, um, 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 I PC.
So
we're still there, Lisa, we're still at a point that somehow,
somehow people are holding on.
Um 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.
Um 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 at a ceasefire.
Thank you very much.
I don't see other questions on Gaza, so let me go back to Antonio.
Antonio, You had a question on Venezuela?
Yes. Um, so yesterday, uh,
Secretary
General Antonio Guterres asked for, uh,
peaceful solutions on the disagreements, uh, on electoral results in Venezuela.
After that, we have had violent clashes in in, uh,
in, uh, Caracas, Uh, with several there.
So I wonder if the United Nations has any comments related with this. Thank you.
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 the Sunday election.
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
recall if there is any further comments on the on
the
new unrest. I'll share them with you.
Kri
Yes, Alexandra,
I would like to talk about Sudan.
It has been said that a new meeting will take place around mid
August in Geneva led by U.
Would it be possible to get some more information? Thank you.
OK,
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 this meeting
in Geneva.
The UN will be represented
and we are now discussing on the more logistical organisational issues.
And as soon as I have something to announce, I will. If it's of UN and
competence, I will. I will definitely do. But let me just clarify that this is not
as the talks that we've just had with
the personal invoice team.
These are all efforts.
I think we are all trying to work towards the same objective, which is, of course,
trying to stop to come to a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Sudan
and the UN will be represented.
Um, yeah. Catherine, you have a follow up?
Yes. Thank you, Alexandra. So if I understand well, it it it is totally different.
But if I remember well, when the the talks, the proximity talks,
uh, organised, led by UN were financially supported by Switzerland.
Is it another way of follow up? I don't understand why? Um
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 will share with you whenever we have it.
But what has to be very clear
and I don't know, Catherine, 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 are all
efforts trying to bring
the belligerent, the warring parties to a peaceful solution,
at least peaceful discussion about
the resolution of the war in Sudan.
And we are really looking at many initiatives that work,
I would say in a co ordinated way towards the same objective.
So
it's not
as you remember, the person voice said, there will be an implementation will be for
up what he has been discussing here.
There have been the African Union efforts. Now there is this other effort
and these are all trying to pull
the belligerent towards the same or 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.
Um, sorry. Uh, OK, Jamie. And then Antonio.
Yeah, I'd like to go back to Antonio's question about Venezuela.
Do you know anything about why you and the OHC HR is not here today?
Uh, human rights, They have staff there or have had staff there.
Um, they've been present on the ground.
Um, it looks like we're looking heading into a looming, uh,
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? Um, what they have to say about
I
think that if they're not here, it's just that they couldn't.
But I will bring, uh, 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
uh, So, Alexandra, do you confirm that this, uh, Sudan talks are in Geneva?
Because in, uh, in the first news I read about it.
They said it would be in Switzerland, but they didn't say any
any CP. Uh, so it's gonna 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.
Um, I just wanted to remind you that on Friday,
uh, we will be concluding the NT Preparatory Committee.
I don't know if you remember we talked about it to you.
You had a media advisor. You had a press conference.
The conference has been the
The meeting has been going on,
Um
uh, 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.
You 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, uh,
Bon
fet
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.