It's kind of nice to be back in Room 3 and to see some of the colleagues and some of the journalists here with us in the room.
It's a little bit of an experiment that we are doing today as this is our first hybrid regular press briefing on Tuesday, Tuesday, 23rd of June.
So we have some of our colleagues who are going to be here to brief you and some others who will connect with the usual Zoom platform.
I will immediately start then to ask Rolando Gomez to come and join me on the podium with social distancing.
Rolando, couple of chairs to brief us on what's happening with the Human Rights Council.
The final day of the Human Rights Council, 43rd session, but.
To today's programme and the coming days for the the.
Council, in fact, allow me to simply to remind you that the Council.
Adopted a total of 40 draught resolutions on Friday and yesterday.
Now these cover a wide range of human rights themes in country situations.
List of adopted resolutions.
With you last night, the list is the list and the adopted resolutions themselves are available on the Council Externet page.
If you have difficulty finding those, please send me a message SO.
Continuing the 43rd session later today, the Council is holding an informal consultation.
At present in the Assembly Hall.
This is meant to take stock of the various extraordinary COVID-19 measures that were applied during the 43rd session.
Commencing back in March, if you might recall.
At the end of the the the last days of the March.
Session there were already measures.
For this last week and and 1/2 in.
Of this exercise is to share is is to share for delegations to exchange.
Views on what worked well, what didn't work so well, and and.
Improvement and how to conduct.
The Council business during these exceptional Times Now ultimately the Council will decide whether to to accept a proposal, sorry a accepted proposal that that is to commence the 44th.
Session as from next week.
July and this was previously proposed by the president, so the decision will ultimately.
Be taken today if they will accept this proposal, so the consultations are currently.
Underway in the assembly.
Hall, the Bureau will then.
Meet and then we will announce when we.
Continue the 43rd session later today.
I'll announce the specific time.
As well as during which time the the the President will announce the decision on when the 44th session will take place.
So we'll know that later today.
Before concluding the 43rd.
Session to the Council will hear general comments from observer states.
We'll hear from NGOs as well and then they will adopt the.
Session and then it'll be business concluded.
Just to note that we will have clarity on the 44th session.
Once we have clarity on the 44th session, rather, we will arrange a press conference with the.
President of the Council, Ambassador.
Elizabeth Teehee Fisselberger of Austria.
So we will hopefully be able to announce that.
Later this afternoon after the.
Thank you very much, Rolando.
Now with this hybrid system, I have to look on Zoom if there's any question, first of all, I'll ask the journalist in the room.
I don't see any physical hands up.
Now the virtuals, virtual ends up there is one from Katrina.
Katrina, you have the floor.
I have the impression that there's a tunnel between you and and me.
I, I I would like to ask.
Question 2 questions, in fact.
The 1st is regarding the fact.
Finding mission to Libya that has been.
Adopted yesterday if I I read well and I I would like to know what is the next step on that one please?
Rolando, you should now be visible again.
Yes, this was the last resolution that was adopted by consensus.
Incidentally, the Among other things, the Council requests that the **** Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet.
Finding mission in in Libya.
So the next steps would be for the **** Commissioner.
To assemble, assemble that mission.
In that mission would be active.
For one, one year, with a mandate of one year from the point of when it would become active.
So I I don't know specifics when.
That will take place maybe.
You're better placed to contact.
Colleagues in his office.
To get a little bit more.
Details on immediate next steps.
Let me see if there is any other virtual hands up.
So if this is the case, thank you, Rolando, good luck.
Borla Suite And I go now via Zoom to Monica, Monica Ganer, who's, as you know, is the Head of Communication of ITU, who would like to briefly tell us about the launch of one of their reports.
Monica, are you connected?
Alessandra, good morning, everyone.
The Internet and related digital technologies.
Opened new ways for children to communicate, learn, play games, enjoy music and engage in a vast array of cultural and skill enhancing activities.
But they have also been exposed to a harmful range of content, contact and conduct.
Online children are easy targets for cyber criminals.
Many of the children come online at a much younger age than their parents may have originally planned because of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 crisis has underscored the vital importance of agreed international principles to help keep children safe, something that is close to parents hearts.
ITO is launching today the 2020 Child Online Protection Guidelines which are coming at a timely juncture because of COVID-19.
Especially AD experts from academia, government, NGOs and the private sector have worked together in their development.
In fact, we are launching 4 sets of guidelines today for children, for parents respectively, guardians, for policy makers and for industry.
We launched them today at a press conference which starts at 1:00 via Zoom.
The conference will feature 3 speakers who have participated in the development of the guidelines.
This is Doreen Bogdan Martin, the director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, Doctor Najad Malamjit, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children, and Mr.
David Wright, Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre.
We will send a press release with the guidelines and visual materials at Trello Board at 1:00 today at the start of the press conference.
To you all journalists accredited at the Pali and to journalists worldwide, please attend the press conference.
To do so, simply write to press.infopress.infotogether@itu.in T or to me personally, Monica Dot Gaynor at ITUINT and you will receive the Zoom link 30 minutes before the conference starts.
Pleased if you could attend.
It's a very important topic and it's a timely topic and we have great speakers.
Thank you very much, Monica, to you for this briefing.
And yes, of course, the press conference.
Any journalist would like to ask her something.
I see somebody in the room.
Peter, one of the courageous people.
Peter, you have the floor.
Monica, I was just wondering is there have you got any?
Data about since the onset.
Crisis about how access to the Internet has affected children in any way and whatsoever.
We don't have precise data, but we know that one in three children worldwide today are online and we assume that has increased with the COVID crisis, which is not over yet.
We heard Doctor Tedros saying that it's actually getting worse around the world, so more children will be exposed.
It's the first exposure to the Internet to stay connected, where the Internet is available.
And that brings us to the digital divide.
So this is also a topic this afternoon, of course.
Monica, you have a question online question from Lionel Faton.
Lionel, you have the floor.
Alessandra, the the issue is really for you.
If you want to have to know which journalist will be connected, then you have to do it in advance.
I don't think it's a problem for us.
I'm looking here, it seems it's OK.
We wanted to have a journalist outside the UN pallet to register in advance.
So we have an overview and there is a deadline, I think it was 10 O clock today.
But for the eunuch journalists is fine.
We have to complete list.
We give that to the host.
So this is hosted completely by ITU and we let in the people that are on the.
It shouldn't be a problem.
And this is, I think the last questions we had for you, Monica.
So good luck for the press conference this afternoon, my next speaker.
We are waiting for Peter.
OK, so we are now going to Jean Rodriguez, who is also connecting via Zoom to tell us about the World Forum for harmonisation of the Regulations.
Say good morning to all so the World forum for the.
Harmonisation of vehicle regulations.
Will be meeting virtually tomorrow afternoon.
We expect that the World Forum will be in a position to adopt 3 new UN regulations.
On three important topics, namely cybersecurity, software updates of cars and automated lane keeping systems.
The safe introduction of automated vehicles in certain traffic environments.
These three regulations will be the first.
Internationally harmonised and binding norms.
In these three areas, which are.
Crucial for the mass introduction of connected and automated vehicles if it up to tomorrow, the three.
Regulations would enter into force.
In January next year, January 2021, several countries, including the EU, Japan and Korea have announced their intention to apply these regulations in some.
Cases immediately, however, given the widespread use of.
UN regulations in the automotive.
We can expect a broad adoption of these.
Regulations among and beyond the 54 contracting.
Depending on the discussions tomorrow.
Issuing them on Thursday morning.
Guichard, Who's the secretary?
Of the Working Group of the world.
Forum responsible for automated and.
Autonomous vehicles will be at your disposal for interviews should you have requests so.
If you've got some request for further details, please feel free to come back to me on this important developments.
Thank you very much, Jean.
Any question for Jean in the room or virtually, let me see.
So thank you very much, Jean for this announcement.
And I will go to Rosaline now, Rosaline Yarde Aiello for a couple of short announcements.
Rosalinda, are you hearing us?
Yes, now you're connected.
The, the ILO will be holding an embargoed virtual press briefing tomorrow, 24th of June at 11 AM Geneva time on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on millions of migrant workers around the world.
Please note that there was an error in the time and then the notification that went out last week.
So to confirm, it's at 11:00 to 12:00 Geneva time.
Lifting at 12:00 Geneva Time and the press will be led by Manuela Tomei, director of the Ilo's conditions of work in the Quality Department, and Michelle Leighton, who's the chief of the Ilo's Labour Migration Department.
We'll also have regional experts from the Arab states, Asia.
And eastern and southern Africa, and they'll also be able to take some questions on Latin America.
We'll be sending you an embargoed press release and other materials this afternoon covering a number of issues, including the effects of the pandemic on seasonal workers, refugee workers and other displaced persons, as well as the impact and implications of remigration on the on those who are now returning home because of the pandemic.
On a separate issue, I also just wanted to let you know that on the 30th of June, the ILO will be launching the 5th edition of our Monitor of on COVID-19 in the world of work and.
The ILO Director general guy.
Ryder will present the latest findings at a press conference on the 30th, and I'll be able to send you the embargoed press release and report ahead of the briefing and also be able to give you some more details at this Friday's press briefing.
Rosalind, let me see if there's any question not in the room.
There is a question from Paula.
Paula, you have the floor.
I just wanted to know, so for Latin America, will you have a speaker?
There isn't a speaker, but our experts from HQ will be able.
To answer some questions.
Any other question, I don't see any.
So that concludes the list of our brief announcements.
Before I go into the more substantive briefing, I would like to also give you a few announcements.
First of all, on the 25th of June.
In fact, it's many things happening on the 25th of June.
On the 25th of June, 1st of all, let me remind you that you are kindly invited to connect to the second UN 75 dialogue that we are organising.
It's an hybrid event, so you can connect to the link that we made available in the invitation that we sent you.
And this particular dialogue will speak, will focus on multilateralism in the time of COVID-19, culture, sports and tourism.
This event is actually happening one day before the 75th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco, and it will benefit from video messages from a number of heads of agencies and a dialogue with student and young researcher.
We will be physically at the Graduate Institute and you will be able to connect to listen to the exchanges.
Also on the 25th of June, the Secretary General will be launching the UN Comprehensive Response to COVID-19.
This document will bring together all of the SG policy briefs on COVID-19 that we have been issuing during these months, and it will set out a forward-looking policy agenda to help governments in Member states to address the consequences of the pandemic and protect the most vulnerable population.
Is basically a first comprehensive overview of EU NS guidance on building back better as we enter a new critical phases of the crisis.
So this we will, as usual, distribute the documents under embargo and the statement of the Secretary General, which will be followed by a press conference in New York.
Also on the 25th of June, the 2020 World Drug Report will be launched globally at 10 AM Vienna time.
There will be a press conference.
Realist just sent you the invitation to the virtual press conferences.
So please feel free to join this press conference, which will see a speakers Gadahalli, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Chief of the Research and Trend Analysis branch of UN ODC.
And last but not least, and we will give you more information later on on this.
Also on the 25th, there will be the launch of the World Youth Report.
So a lot of things to cover on the 25th.
Some information has already been distributed, other will be.
And if you need to receive some other documents, we'll let let us know and we will send you more about especially about the SG plan.
All right, so that brings us to the first of our speakers.
We should have online Marixi Mercado together with Simon Ingram, who's the main author of the report on COVID-19 and its impact on children in South Asia.
And we also should have Jean Gaub, who's the UNICEF of South Asia Regional Director.
Let's see if we can connect to Marik C and her colleagues.
So I'll maybe start giving you the floor and then you give briefly the floor to your colleagues.
I think we can just go directly to.
Right away, who will talk over about the report?
Goff, our regional Director from South Asia, will take over.
OK, so let's start with Simon, if he can be unmuted, please.
And thank you very much for.
Giving us the time to brief you this morning.
On a report which I hope that.
Some of the journalists here.
Will will have already had a chance to.
Take a look at We circulated the report under embargo yesterday with COVID.
Surging across much of South Asia, there could not be, we feel a more timely moment to highlight the impacts that this.
Terrible virus is having.
Million children in the region.
The report UNICEF is releasing today details a perfect storm of negative consequences for children across the region that.
Quarter of the world's population, vaccination campaigns and other vital health services have been suspended Measles outbreaks.
Have occurred in several countries.
And other diseases are likely.
To follow polio eradication.
Efforts have suffered a set back.
More than 430 million children are locked.
Out of their classrooms, some children can continue their studies.
Remotely, but many in poorer communities cannot confined at home.
A growing number of children.
Have been subjected to ***** and violence, but this is only the beginning.
Families are being hard hits.
By the economic COVID-19 losing their jobs.
And seeing remittances from family.
Members working overseas dry up.
Already categorised as food insecure.
Surveys show that as incomes shrink.
More and more families are being forced to reduce their food consumption.
UNICEF projections show that in the worst.
Case scenario over the coming months, the number of children.
Living in multi dimensional poverty.
To reach 360 million, UNICEF calls on governments to act now to protect.
These most vulnerable children.
Two of the most effective ways of doing this are through emergency universal child benefits and school feeding programmes.
Such measures would help South Asian countries transition faster.
From the humanitarian crisis.
Caused by COVID-19 and move towards a more sustainable future.
Have long term benefits for children's well-being.
The economy and social cohesion.
Highlighted in this report.
Calls for the scale up of low tech home learning solutions, especially for girls.
Children living in remote.
Areas and urban slums and children with disabilities.
We call for installing adequate water supply, toilets and hygiene services in all schools and healthcare facilities.
And we also want to highlight the importance of working with religious leaders and other partners to address the myths and hate speech surrounding COVID-19.
And their futures are not devastated by the aftershocks of COVID-19, by hunger, disease, violence, exploitation and lost education.
Let me now pass over to Jean.
Goff, our regional director for UNICEF in South Asia, WHO is joining.
US from Kathmandu, Nepal.
Hello Jean or Jean, are you connected?
Yes, thank you, Simon, do you hear me?
Go ahead, you have the floor.
And thanks for the ones in the room, as Simon has said that COVID-19 has been affecting the South.
Ways I think no one could imagine the impact this has had on children.
Let me share with you a couple of things that we are seeing across the eight countries in the region.
1 One of those most powerful means that we have to communicate.
With children and hear that.
Voice is through helplines.
All the eight countries in South Asia have helplines.
We have seen a big increase in these calls, ranging from 40% to 60% across the countries in the region.
For example, in Sri Lanka.
We've seen an increase of 40% what children are telling.
When the call, when they're threatened, they want to report an ***** and beyond all, they're anxious, they're anxious.
They want help and support, so I think one of the things that they need urgently is mental health support and I think in a.
Where mental health is a taboo, all of us need to do all we.
Can to scale up programmes?
Let's move to Bangladesh and there to Cox Basar.
And where 500,000 million?
Children and Rohingya children are living and despite all efforts done by the UNICEF and partners to maintain the services in the camps, enrich them with information how they could protect themselves from COVID, they're still fearful.
A survey among Rohingya children's showed that 64% feared getting infected, 48% were the stress because their child protection centres and their learning centres are closed.
This is a very strong call for reopening of schools across the region when it's when it's feasible and because schools are a place where children could be helped to manage their stress and their.
A reduction on demand and.
Uptake of health services is a big.
Countries in the region, for example in Bangladesh, the average.
Monthly consultation for children below 5 years of age.
In government health facilities before the pandemic was around 350,000 children.
This has dropped in May to 80,000 children in Pakistan.
Immunisation in major cities has also dropped from around 80% to 40%.
Pakistan of Afghanistan are also key for polio of eradication efforts that we're all fighting towards that, but immunisation campaigns for polio another.
Hold This is a major set back for the Global Partnership for Polar Eradication because we were hopeful.
Explosion of the virus are.
Happening in very highly densely populated cities in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and.
Pakistan where people living in slums.
Are a very **** risk of contracting the virus and children in these areas face multiple deprivation from lack of water for hand washing, lack of toilet, lack of space for social and physical distance and I think they even face higher risk of going hungry.
The 600 million children in South Asia.
Need your help and I need your help now so I wanted.
You for the opportunity to share in this report with you.
Thank you very much, Jane and I will now open the floor to questions.
Let me see the room first.
I don't see any requests for the floor online.
Journalist online, would you like to ask questions to our colleagues from UNICEF?
For the moment, I don't see any requests for the floor.
So if this is the case, thank you very much to our three speakers.
Thank you, very 2 speakers.
And thank you very much, Marek C for presenting us this report.
And I go now to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Beers also connected via Zoom on the Syrian refugee operations by WFP.
Elizabeth, you have the floor.
We have the World Refugee Day and I would like to say a word about the situation of a Syrian refugee and WFP operations outside Syria in the five countries where most of the refugees have fled, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
These five countries alone host more than 5.5 million refugees.
Syrian refugees, the biggest refugee group in the world.
The COVID-19 and the consequent economic downturns has pushed hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugee in the region deeper into need.
Even prior the to the pandemic, most refugee families were living in extreme poverty.
The number of vulnerable refugee who lack the basic resources to survive in exile as dramatically A surge as a result of the public health emergency.
Loss of income has pushed refugee families to the edge.
Many are unable to pay their rents and are forced to take an additional debt, cut down on food and medication.
WFP is providing assistance to 1.8 million refugees and communities hosting them.
1.2 million of these are Syrian refugees.
WFP is providing assistance mostly through cash transfer and E food cards or voucher.
This is the largest humanitarian phone voucher programme in the world.
Assistance to refugees has evolved to address operational challenges and a limitation imposed by the pandemic.
Refugee are especially vulnerable to coronavirus and other diseases due to **** geographically mobility, instability, living in overcrowded condition, insufficient hygiene and sanitation and of course lack of access to decent healthcare.
WFP is adapting its cash based transfers to the situation such as though through mobile ATM in Jordan in Iraq, WFP is working to promote mobile traders and contactless payment using icart to give you an I an IDWFPS assisting in June 2020 now in Lebanon.
WFP assist 650,000, refugee in Jordan 470,000, in Turkey 55,000, in Egypt 75,000 and in Iraq 76,000.
In 2019 WFP assisted nearly 3,000,000 Syrian refugees very quickly.
I give you an idea and overview of the regional response.
In April of this year, about 77,000 Syrian refugees receive food assistance through monthly cash transfer in Egypt.
WFP in Egypt provide training to for 1000 Syrian refugee in Iraq.
WFP plans to reach about 75,000 Syrian refugee per month and WFP has scaled up to reach an additional 335 thousand of the most vulnerable refugees in camps in Jordan.
WFP provide mostly assistance to 470,000 Syrian refugee.
This includes refugee living in urban areas and the two formal refugee camps, Zatari and Azraq in Lebanon.
Also, WFP is assisting approximately 650,000 severally vulnerable refugee through cash assistance.
Finally in Turkey, you know that we have one of the biggest E food car programme in SIPS camps in southeastern Turkey providing monthly cash transfer to more than 55,000 refugee.
I will not continue with all the details for each country.
You have all the details in the note.
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Merci Boku Elizabeth Avon, Before I give the floor to the journalist for the question, I would just like also to remind you in Syria that on Friday, 26th of June at 9:30 AM, we will have a press conference by WHO?
That would be a virtual press conference and they will give you an update on the health situation in Syria with Doctor Richard Brennan, Regional Emergency Emergency Director for WH OS Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and Drive Akamal Majtimova, who is The Who representative in Syria and also for the journalist who are following us by Zoom.
We have with us Shabi Amantu from UNHCR.
If you have question on the refugee aspect of this briefing and I will now ask for questions first in the room, I don't see any then I go to Freddie.
Bonjour, Freddie was that was a Villa Paola.
Freddie problem technique.
Problem technique, Elizabeth.
Good morning, welcome in Room 3.
Glad to be back, I thought the.
It would help with the the communications but maybe not OK.
The World Meteorological Organisation is seeking to verify reports.
Temperature record north of the Arctic.
Convert it into Fahrenheit is.
It was reported in the Russian town of.
A prolonged Siberian heat wave.
And increase in wildfire activity the record was.
Reported to have occurred on 20th of June, so this.
Saturday and we've asked experts.
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorological.
And the environmental monitoring.
Which is known by Ross Hydromet as its name we've.
Asked them why and apparently this particular region of Eastern.
Winter but is also known.
Extremes in summer, so temperatures.
Obviously, 38°C is exceptional.
We've seen satellite images this morning.
It's, it's, it's striking and and worrying the the satellite images.
We've also seen satellite images of the the smoke.
From the Arctic wildfires if WMO receives confirmation of the temperatures from Ross Hydromet.
Then refer the finding to.
Extreme Extremes archive for verification.
This is a an official record which we which we keep.
It's like the Guinness Book of Records for for weather and climate it provides.
Details of global and hemispheric and continental extremes on heat, precipitation, etcetera.
Actually had a category for.
North of the Arctic Circle, but obviously in view of the.
Media interest in view of the scientific interest given what's happening with.
Are now actively considering setting up this new category.
I spoke to our Special Rapporteur on weather and.
Climate, weather and climate extremes.
Professor known Professor Randall Sevigny.
State University and he said.
Response evaluation team has.
Given tentative acceptance of this observation as a legitimate observation, it's.
With current upper air observations at the time Which?
It's been an unusually hot spring in Siberia.
And the coinciding lack of.
Underlying snow in the region.
Global temperature increase undoubtedly played a.
Role, said Professor Severney.
Just to give you a little bit more background, Siberia has witnessed unusual heat this spring.
Above average in many parts of Siberia.
And it was this extraordinary.
Heat, which actually drove may to be the.
Warmest May on record for certainly for the Northern Hemisphere and also we think, for.
Globe at global level as well.
The Arctic, as we know, is among the fastest warming areas on.
Earth It's warming at about twice the speed of the global average.
Arctic sea ice is declining and permafrost is is is melting.
And it wasn't just may that.
Was mild in Siberia there was, you know, we had.
Average temperatures in throughout winter moving on very quickly to the wildfires.
Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service, which monitors wildfires, said the number and intensity.
Wildfires in northern East in northeastern Siberia and the Arctic.
Circle has continued to increase over the past few days and the daily total.
Intensity is now at similar levels.
To that which was observed.
Passed your your memories back to 2019.
Very, very, very **** wildfire.
Activity in in in the Arctic Circle last year, so.
Thank you very much, Claire.
We have found a solution for the audio from Zoom, so I can now hear the questions.
We can hear the questions from the journalists.
And the first question is from Emma Farge.
Hope to be in there soon and to.
See you all in person again, Claire, Just to check, you said you're verifying this week?
Presumably this is like a procedural step there's.
No reason to really doubt it.
Secondly, you know this new category that you're creating, I mean, are there other?
Such categories being created.
Because of the new extremes in weather patterns.
Do you think this really is or is it going to be just?
Yes, yes, as as with anything, obviously.
Can't rely on on media reports.
This is a station where there is regular.
Surface surface observations.
Information from Ross Hydromet on the you know, on the on the actual temperature.
And hopefully that should come.
Actually assessing whether this is.
Much longer and the reason for this is.
Of verification we need to verify, you know, that the that all the equipment was working properly and conformed to international norms that it wasn't some sort of.
It's a procedure which does.
Take a month rather than days.
You know, to actually declare.
Worth the time, the time and energy invested in this.
Because, you know, once we do.
It's, you know, it's official, it's official.
Authoritative and it's it's reliable.
So it's not, you know, it's.
In terms of the new category, the weather and.
Climate Extremes archive It's.
It's constantly being reviewed.
You know, we're constantly adding new categories, new temperature records.
I might say that you know the the network.
It's it's that they they.
It's their part time job.
They they also have day day jobs.
So it's, you know, it is something that WMO takes very seriously.
You know, we do need accurate archives of weather and climate extremes for, you know, the sake of climate science research and to understand what is what is happening.
So we do envisage adding.
Say at this stage what So what, what what they what they will be.
Cast your mind back a few months ago.
We saw reported new Antarctic Peninsula temperature records then.
So obviously you know this is an area of.
Importance, growing interest and it's something that you know that we will work on.
Think with climate change and everything that we are.
Seeing especially in the.
You know, in the Arctic Circle, in parts of the Antarctic, I don't think you can.
There is a new norm, you know.
Month after month, you know, we are surprised, concerned by by temperature readings.
That, that, that, that we.
See, and there isn't really, unfortunately.
There's it's difficult, it's difficult.
To say that, let's just say you know, climate change isn't taking a break.
Carrying on rising, we are seeing, you know, continuing extreme weather events.
And so I think this does reinforce the main UN message.
Better and we need to grow back greener.
Some of the journalists who were listening and said they didn't hear the early, earlier part that you.
Would you be able to send your notes please?
I can repeat the first paragraph if that helps the World Meteorological Organisation.
To verify reports of a new temperature record for north of the Arctic Circle.
This is a temperature of.
Which was reported on Saturday the.
20th of June in the Russian town.
Of Verkoyansk, and this comes amid A prolonged Siberian heat wave.
And an increase in wildfire activity.
So next question is from Jamie.
Hi, Claire, Can you hear me?
I just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly.
What, if any, connection do you see between?
Global warming generally, and these wildfires.
Mark, that may have been crossed.
I mean, are you tying this together?
That's actually what you're saying.
Definitely a connection between.
Sorry, there's definitely a connection between climate change and heat.
We are seeing consistently rising temperatures.
And the Arctic is heating at twice the rate of the of the global average we've just had.
The hottest five years on record and 2019 is.
Currently ranked about second.
Warmest year on record the.
Connection between climate change and.
More nuanced there are different factors involved.
It's the dryness of soils is 1.
You know, whether people are clearing grassland is is another.
So it's it's not quite so straightforward.
Between climate change and and heat, but certainly I.
It's fair to say that the wildfire activity.
Last, last summer, you know, there was a climate change signal, a signal there.
Quite early days so far so far this year, and it depends a lot.
On the precipitation, you know if we are suddenly going to get precipitation in that area then then the wildfire activity will be reduced.
Thank you, Claire, let me see if there are other questions.
Just yes, please go ahead.
And while we talk about weather and climate extremes.
Just to let you know that this.
New records for extremes of.
Length of lightning and the duration of a of a single lightning flash.
I can't give you the exact.
Translating the press release.
But that will be this week.
Tamir, you have the floor.
Yes, thank you, Alessandra.
Frederick Collar because he said.
Problem and cannot ask questions and the questions are regarding.
WHO the first question is, can you confirm?
That WHO was first alerted?
The coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan by Chinese media report.
Why China health authority didn't notify WHO until then?
Second question is why did you accuse Taiwan for racist comments?
Didn't you know these comments came from mainland China's tool?
Thank you very much, Tamer.
We had to have Tariq online.
He said he was trying to connect during the briefing but I see he's not connected at the moment so I can't give him the floor to answer Frederick's question.
He will have to send them to Tariq by mail.
But I will also inform him that there were two questions from Frederick and and hopefully they will be answered later on.
I'm I'm sorry and I don't see him now connected.
So I can't I can't give him the flow.
So Ben, Ben Parker, he has a question.
I'm not sure if this is the right moment to ask, but do you have a figure?
For the number of UN staff who have contracted COVID-19 and how many have?
Survived and how many have?
Look, we had the last latest question.
The latest data I had is dated 7th of June, so and it is quite old.
I can ask and we can send it to all the journalists, the updated figure for today.
I just need to to ask New York and you'll have it in the beginning, the beginning of the afternoon, Jamie.
Jamie, you have asked for the floor just one second.
Question that Tamara relayed.
Yeah, we would all like I think or at.
Least I know I would want to respond to that also so.
If it's sent by Freddie as an e-mail, if Tarek could respond to all of us, that would be great.
Look, when when Freddie spoke, we had the technical problem in the room.
So I am not sure of what I'm saying.
I was told by people who were listening that the question was more for human rights.
So Jamie, you would like to have the answer to Tariq's question to to the question to Tariq or and the one that Tom or just.
Read the one that the one that Tom or just read.
Oh, the one that Tamer just read.
OK, so I would let Tariq know that maybe it's the question from the question from Frederick should be answered and the answer distributed to the journalist.
Secondly, the journalist here in Geneva, I'll tell him, but I would definitely recommend also that rhetoric sent the the questions to Tariq in writing.
It would be much easier, but I will allow alert him to that question.
So I don't see any other hand up.
I'm left to tell you a couple of things about.
Well, first of all, you have been told, I think, and I just confirm that the two meetings, the two formal plenary meetings of the conference on this amendment, which were foreseen for today, were cancelled for technical reasons.
We have also Wednesday, 24th of June at 2:00 PM, a virtual press conference by Anktad, who's going to speak about a COVID-19 in tourism, assessing the economic consequences.
And I'd like to remind you that Doctor Mukisa Kittui, the Secretary General of Anktad, will also speak on the issue of tourism and also cultural and sport at the virtual dialogue on the 25th of June that I mentioned before.
On Thursday, 25th of June, at 2:00 PM, OHCHR will present you the report on the impact of new technologies on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of assemblies, including peaceful protests.
This report is on the strict embargo until 25th of June at 3:00 PM CET.
So I think we've sent you the invitation.
And of course, Rupert has more on this embargoed press conference.
And last but not least, on Monday 29th of June at 2:00 PM, UNFPA will present the report on State of the World Population Report 2020 against my will define the practises that harm women and girls and undermine equality.
This is also under embargo until Tuesday 30th of June 6 O 1:00 AM Geneva time.
And the speaker will be Monica Federer, Director of UNFPA Geneva.
And I think I've told you everything I had for today.
Let me see if the meantime there has been any question requests for the floor.
Oh, Peter, sorry, I'm looking at my screen and not looking at the room.
Only the virtual world seems.
To count now, I would just.
About the Conference on Disarmament, you said it's cancelled.
Is it cancelled or postponed?
You, the information I have is that it's cancelled.
I'm sure they will reschedule it at some time, but they have to solve the technical problem first, which was related to the interpretation with hybrid formula that they had chosen for the meeting.
So we will keep you informed about the decision of the presidency as soon as we will be told.
Sorry again for this technical glitches.
We will be more efficient on Friday for another hybrid press briefing.
And have a nice afternoon.
