OK, so let's continue with the press briefing of this morning to the 10th of December.
We have unfortunately Mr Patterson had to leave, but Jennifer is here.
So I had still got a few questions for him for for the office of the special envoy.
And I will give you the floor to ask them to Jennifer who will be able to help.
OK, so I had seen Musa Musa Semayedin.
Musa, you have to, you have to unmute yourself.
It might be a technical problem.
So let me go to the next one and then we'll try to come back to Musa.
Gabriela Sotomayor Yes, thank you very much, Alessandra.
Gabriela Sotomayor Proceso So my question is what about the Syrian Army, the soldiers?
What treatment are they receiving in Syria?
I won't get into the specifics of anyone party.
I'll just reiterate what Mr Patterson said, that the goal is a unified, inclusive Syria, reflecting what Syrians want, which is supported by the international community, and that all conduct activities are conducted in line with international law.
Jennifer Musa, can you try again?
Albert Otti, the German press Agency.
I have a question that was asked twice directly to Mr Peterson.
It's a simple yes or no question.
Has he been in contact with HTS?
Mr Patterson has noted that he has been in contact with all relevant parties to the Office of the Special Envoy, has been in touch with HTS.
He has acknowledged that the situation has shifted significantly in recent days and that there are challenges ahead, but that he will continue to work with all parties and that UN engagement with these parties will be guided strictly by compliance with international humanitarian law and other relevant frameworks and will continue to do so in the future.
Iman Kerji Kuna Oh, thank you so much.
Actually, yeah, all questions are already after 2, Mr Peterson.
But I have just one simple question.
What is the next step now?
The dialogue here in Geneva included all the the parties, let's say all the parties.
And the other one is about actually, you know, the more than 300 attacks, Israeli attacks and this huge invasion of Syria by the Israeli army.
So what is the next step vis A vis Israeli authority?
So I know there is a condemnation, there is a, let's say what Mr Riterson said, the dialogue with with the Israeli.
But what is the next step actually?
Do you see any hope for a better future with this attacks in in in Syria?
I can't say it better than Mr Patterson said.
What we need to see immediately is a de escalation by all actors that includes Israel and that the civilian protection is paramount.
Regarding details of the convening of who and when those details are not available yet.
When they are, I will make sure to get them to you.
Thank you very much, Jennifer.
I don't see other questions on this subject, but we will keep talking about Syria because Jens has an oh, sorry, not sorry.
There's another one, Jane Eberman.
We'll hear from Jens from the humanitarian side now.
Jane Haberman, Tiger Spiegel, Berlin and other German media.
I was wondering, could you please elaborate on the resolution 2254?
Is it still the legal basis for upcoming talks?
And since it is almost 10 years old, I suppose it it should be updated in order to be relevant.
While United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 remains pivotal, it's essential to recognise how the context has changed significantly, as you noted, since it was adopted in 2015.
However, I will state that 2254 underscores at its core that serious future is a decision for its own people and that will remain central and any talks moving forward.
And I think this really concludes the list of questions.
But of course, Jennifer is available if you have more.
But let's stay on Syria and I'll give you the floor now.
Yes, for an update on the humanitarian situation.
Thanks, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
And also for me, thank you for the briefing from the Special Envoy.
I have some humanitarian updates as things are unfolding in Syria, still a highly fluid situation.
As of yesterday, all humanitarian organisations in Idlib and northern Aleppo have resumed operations.
The three border crossings from Turkey are used by the United Nations to deliver assistance remain open and we are providing assistance in the northwest, including to those who have been newly displaced.
In Aleppo, partners are providing basic assistance including food, health and nutrition services and support for access to clean water.
In the North East, we are also getting supplies out to the people who have been displaced from Aleppo Governorate and medical units have been deployed in reception centres and schools.
So we are supporting those reception centres for the displaced, providing food, water, fuel, tents, blankets and hygiene kits and supporting waste removal and health needs.
However, after nearly 14 years of conflict in Syria, the needs are enormous.
Before the recent events, nearly 17 million people, including millions of internally displaced people, already required humanitarian assistance.
And since the 28th of November, more than 1,000,000 people, mostly women and children, have been displaced across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs.
Some have reportedly begun returning home in recent days.
We also have reports that health facilities are currently overwhelmed, with hospitals operating at limited capacity due to shortages of staff, medicine and supplies.
Humanitarian partners continue to provide trauma care, maintain blood banks and vaccinations, among other activities.
Many border crossings have been closed and that is disrupting supply chains.
Shortages of bread and other key items are pushing prices upwards.
So the bottom line is that the humanitarian needs are growing and a scaled up response is urgently required.
Money is, as always, an issue.
Our $4 billion appeal for this year is currently less, less than 1/3 funded.
But allow me to add, because many of you have followed Syria, as have I, for the past 13 or 14 years.
This is a momentous time.
Remember when, back in 2011, people in Syria first rose up to the streets and voiced their aspirations, and then, in the years that followed, being killed and injured in astonishing numbers, barrel bombed, besieged, starved, poisoned, gassed, detained and disappeared?
We have briefed on it, you have reported on it, but no one wants to be the subject of our alarming reports.
No one wants to be the statistic behind the headlines.
So let's hope that going forward, things will change and Syrians will write their own headlines, hopefully, of peace, reconciliation, justice, prosperity, and a life and dignity.
Since I see Christopher as a question for you.
Hi, apologies for not being in the room with you.
I just had a question for you and on do we have any idea how many refugees have have re entered Syria since since the weekend from Turkey, I guess Lebanon And also what would be your advice to refugees?
Maybe I'll give the floor to Jennifer on this.
And then also we have Shabia online who can speak about the refugee situation.
So I'll start with Jennifer.
We, of course, defer to the **** Commissioner for Refugees and the refugee agency.
But I just want to stress what Mr Peterson has stressed, and it continues to stress, that any serious Syrians returning from areas of displacement, both inside and outside of Syria, their return must be voluntary, dignified and safe.
Refugees have the right to return to their homes whenever they choose to do so.
They must, of course, also be provided, as Mr Patterson said, with comprehensive support, which includes addressing the unique needs also of women, men and children.
Homeland and property rights are also among the most pressing needs and we need the international community to step up here and this will require strategic attention, particularly for those Syrians returning at this time.
Then I'll give the floor down to Shabia, maybe if you have numbers.
Look, we, the situation is very fluid.
So we are aware of returns of refugees to Lebanon and to Turkey, but we don't have a quantifiable number at present.
We are aware that movements continue across the borders but also within the country.
But in terms of the the situation, I think the main thing to really emphasise is that any returns need to be voluntary, safe and dignified.
And you would have seen our statement from the **** Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, yesterday, who basically also reiterated this message that this is a really remarkable opportunity for Syria to move towards peace and for people to begin returning home.
As many of you recall, this is actually one of the world's largest displacement crisis in terms of refugees who have crossed the borders for safety in neighbouring countries and further afield, and also in terms of those that are displaced inside the country.
So millions of refugees are now carefully assessing the situation.
They are considering whether it is safe to return home and are following developments.
And so our advice as UNHCR is to remain focused on the issue of returns and patients and vigilance will be very necessary, hoping that developments on the ground will evolve in a positive manner to ensure voluntary, safe, sustainable and dignified returns to occur.
And that's it from from us.
Thank you very much, Mousasi.
Mr are you regarding Israel activities, Mr Patterson has already addressed that, that we need to concede, we need to see all actors that includes Israel acting in line with previous agreements, upholding international law and immediately de escalating.
On the activities at the border, I don't know if.
And then also in the end he spoke about refugees.
So I don't know if he answer.
Shabia, you want to address that?
Look, as I mentioned, millions of Syrian refugees who remain outside are trying to understand what the rapidly changing situation means for them.
So they are considering how safe Syria is to return to and how far their rights will be respected before they can make an informed, voluntary decision to return home.
So they must be given the space to do so without any pressure.
And UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, reiterates that all refugees have the fundamental right to return to their country of origin at a time of their choosing, and all returns must be voluntary, dignified and safe.
And so we stand ready to support refugees who are willing to and want to return as conditions allow, while underlining that during such times of uncertainty that Syrians should also be afforded the flexibility to assess the conditions upon return, such as through go and see visits, for instance, which happens in in other contexts.
You, you, you mentioned, I think borders that have been closed and are disturbing the the DA, but others are wide open right now.
Is ad about to pour in in in Syria and question about maybe electricity is electricity running right now in Damascus or due to the situation do you have shortage and is that a a problem right now for humanitarians.
Yes, of course some crossings are open to, some are not.
We, we do have reports that the fact that some of the crossings are closed does pose an issue for our problem or challenge for the supply chain, particularly commercial, right.
So a lot of things are coming in there.
We have already AI would say a robust humanitarian infrastructure in Syria because we have sadly, I've been there for many years because the needs have been so ****, many things have been sort of upended.
I think we can all agree on that.
In the past couple of weeks as I I briefed across northwest, northeast and so on and so forth, Aleppo, the partners that we work with within that humanitarian architecture are responding and delivering material aid.
I think at the current moment with particular focus on the newly displaced who many of whom have left with little or nothing and it is getting cold, it's winter.
So we need that urgent immediate life saving response.
Of course, we have the intention of scaling up so that we hopefully to a larger degree can meet all the needs that are in Syria.
Our main challenge to that is the funding.
We have an active 4 billion appeal.
It's less than 1/3 funded.
I checked this morning, 32% at at the current time.
So there is nothing, literally nothing that stops any donor of goodwill to put money against that appeal today.
And it would certainly, it has to be part of the response of solidarity and compassion from the international community with a country which is in a very fragile situation.
Gabriella, you have a follow up.
Well, it's a kind of follow up of the other question for Jens.
So you have a Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, etcetera, etcetera.
So I want to know if your team can cope with another humanitarian crisis in Syria.
This is a question we will not like to answer.
You mentioned just a small percentage of the actual volume of humanitarian needs and the number of crisis that we are dealing with.
We are in all the major humanitarian crisis in the world where there is an international response.
We will continue to do that to the best of our ability.
We need the support and the resources required to to do so, of course.
If we could do with, we could do with without another crisis, could we, Musa?
And then I think this is the last one on Syria.
Musa Again, if you would speak English, it would be easier.
Otherwise we can translate.
You really have a problem in connecting Musa?
Maybe you can just put down your question in the chat.
Well, it's so much, so much, so much.
I written English my question concerning the Syrian in the border between Syria and Lebanon.
I saw two hours and days ago many, many Syrian waiting to come to Lebanon.
I want to know if you have some details about this situation, the number of Syrian trying to come to Lebanon.
And my second question concerning the.
No, what the question about the European measures, You know that some European countries take some measures concerning the Syrian refugees in Europe.
I want to know just some some the opinion of UNHCR concerning that.
Maybe this is for you, Shavia Mossa.
Just in terms of the movements of people from Lebanon and Syria, you were aware that the the movements are jewelled with people also fleeing from Lebanon to Syria.
And then now we also aware reports of Syrians who are returning from from Lebanon to Syria.
So some movements have been reported through the must now border crossing in the Becker.
And we understand that official border crossings in northern Lebanon are currently closed, while returns are being reported through unofficial border crossings in areas such as Wadi Khalid.
And according to the Lebanese General Security Office, measures have been announced to facilitate returns to Syria.
We understood and this is the information I had as of yesterday, that immigration structures on the Syrian side are reportedly not currently functioning.
And we're also aware of Syrian refugees continue returning through Turkey or through Baba Hawa and Baba Salaam border crossing in the northwest of Syria.
So as I mentioned before, we're aware of thousands of Syrians fleeing at the same time, Syria and to Lebanon and Syrians fleeing to other areas.
But we, when we have further updates on that, we can share that with you.
So with regards to your, your question about the, the measures that were announced.
So we, we take note of the reporting of the suspension of asylum applications from Syrian nationals.
So just to reiterate that, you know, we, we see that events are rapidly unfolding and the situation is changing.
So the displacement dynamics are are continuing.
So what is important is that to bear in mind the fluidity of the situation and that any Syrian or anyone seeking international protection must be able to access asylum procedures and have their application examined fully and individually on its merits.
So while this is happening and the the suspensions have been reported, it's we understand this is until such time as the situation and the country has stabilised and reliable information about the security and human rights situation is available to assess the international protection needs of individual applicants.
So also once conditions are clear, we hope that we will be able to provide guidance to states on the international protection needs of relevant profiles of Syrians at risk.
So we take note of the suspension, but it's also important to reiterate that Syrian asylum seekers who are waiting for a resumption of the decision making on their claims, they should be continued.
They should continue to be granted the same rights as all other asylum seekers, including in terms of reception conditions.
And no asylum seeker should be forcibly returned as this would violate the principle of non reformat or the obligation on states.
And we will continue to call on all states to ensure access to territory asylum and protection for individuals who seek safety.
Thank you to all the colleagues.
I don't see other questions.
We'll continue now with the briefing on another very dire situation with Olga.
If you can come to the podium for an update on the refugee situation in South Sudan.
So we know that the, the eyes are elsewhere these days, but we, we thought it's, it's important to to come here and brief you about some worrying developments we are observing in Sudan and escalating arrivals of refugees in South Sudan.
So UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed by the recent search of people arriving to South Sudan in need of protection and assistance, with 10s of thousands of people fleeing new violence in border areas in Sudan.
More than 20,000 Sudanese from border villages crossed into South Sudan last week, tripling the number of daily arrivals compared to previous weeks.
Since Saturday, there have been an additional estimated 7000 to 10,000 new arrivals each day, now including more S Sudanese refugees that are leaving the camps in White Nile state where they have been residing in Sudan.
The majority of those displaced are women and children.
In addition to the main border crossing at Joda, which is the border crossing between Sudan and South Sudan, many are arriving at informal crossing points which are extremely difficult for UNHCR and partners to access.
All are in need of life saving humanitarian support, with water and healthcare being the most urgent needs, especially given the ongoing cholera outbreak.
The transit centres in Rec in Rank are already overcrowded, sheltering nearly 17,000 people.
A UNHR team that visited the border yesterday met thousands of people walking along the 40 kilometres Rd between the border and the town of Rank in an uninterrupted line.
Families had also stopped by the side of the road, with some receiving food and water from local communities.
UNHCR and partners are scaling up efforts to support these new arrivals and strengthen basic services, but several underfunding remains a challenge inside Sudan.
Still, it is around refugee camps, and areas hosting displaced Sudanese pose grave and worrying risks to civilians, including refugees and displaced people.
UNHCR calls for the respect of international humanitarian law and the civilian nature of refugee camps, which must remain safe heavens for those fleeing violence, with humanitarian assets and supplies safeguarded.
White Nile States White Nile State where we are seeing the escalation, hosts over 400,000 S Sudanese refugees in 10 refugee camps and more than 650,000 displaced Sudanese who have fled conflict in other parts of the country.
Since the start of the war in Sudan 20 months ago, the S 3rd state has been a safe haven for those escaping violence in other parts of the country.
Following the latest escalation of hostilities, many refugees have moved from the three most impacted camps, with some heading to South Sudan and others moving across the Nile, to 7 camps that remain unaffected at the moment.
Military activity and heightened tensions at the border crossing between Sudan and South Sudan.
The Jodha border crossing is also deeply concerning.
This critical crossing point between Sudan and South Sudan serves as a vital lifeline for civilians fleeing violence and for humanitarian operations in White Nile state.
Of the 900,000 people who have crossed into South Sudan since the start of the conflict, more than 700,000 have used this border crossing to seek safety.
Keeping it safe and open is essential for those seeking safety and for providing emergency aid to displaced populations on both sides of the border.
So just a final recap on the on the numbers and the figures as as we stand today.
Since the war started in Sudan in April 2023, more than 12 million people have been displaced, including over 3,000,000 who have such refuge in neighbouring countries, making this one of the largest and most pressing crisis in the world.
Thank you very much, Olga.
Any question this terrible situation?
Don't see any in the room.
Good morning, Alessandra.
Not too clearly, but we can.
So maybe it's better like that.
Thank you Olga for for the briefing on, on, on the situation.
Do you think that you first of all, do you expect more people to cross in the coming days and do you have enough people and goods to support the the the refugees, the people that are crossing?
Is there any emergency need of something?
Thanks for your question, Catherine.
So we, we are actually following the developments inside Sudan like very closely.
It is difficult to to speculate, but indeed if the situation continues as it has in the past few days, we are prepare, we are preparing for an increase in arrivals.
I mean, already the numbers are quite frightening, seeing that the numbers have have tripled from from previous weeks and also over the weekend, as I mentioned, colleagues estimate between 7010 thousand new arrivals each day.
Of course, some of the people are leaving because of, of direct impacts by the by the violence, but others also especially refugees are telling us because of increased fears of, of how the situation can evolve in the next few days.
Our teams are on the ground, UNHCR and partners, but of course the situation is extremely worrying in terms of of humanitarian assistance.
The whole regional refugee response plan remains severely, severely underfunded with only 30% of the funds, so less than 1/3 and we heard it twice today in the briefing being covered.
There is extremely need for water, for healthcare, but also as I mentioned, like the the main transit centre at the border, transit centres at the border in rank, they are already overcrowded.
So there is a need for more funds to expand those transit centres and to support also relocations to other parts of the country of those crossing the border.
Thank you very much, Olga.
Catherine, as a follow up.
Yes, thank you, Alessandra.
Olga, do you have a figure to share?
What are the financial need to expand the the the centre at the border?
Do you know how much money is needed for to do that?
Katherine, I don't have with me the exact figure needed to expand the the transit centres, but I can, I can get it to you.
I can get the the the financial requirements for that specific intervention following the briefing if that's OK.
If not, we'll, we'll thank you very much Olga for this update, this very dire situation.
I give the floor now to UNECE Thomas Crow Knight on the Air Convention.
We are sat here in Europe where life expectancy is one year greater than it would have been without a treaty on air pollution known as the UNECE Air Convention.
This week in Geneva, countries from across the Pan European region and North America are gathering to mark 45 years since it's adoption.
And in times of tension, we can look to this history of cooperation.
That's why I'm here today.
As temperatures in the Northern hemisphere plunge and geopolitical relations continue to fracture and freeze, winter is also when air pollution is at it's worst.
But faced with complex environmental crises and tensions between countries, history can show us that the international community can come together to cooperate on environmental issues even at the most difficult times.
Indeed, when scientists in Europe understood that the acid rain responsible for the die back of forests and loss of life in lakes was caused by air pollution that travelled thousands of kilometres, it became clear that only collective action would suffice.
So at the height of the Cold War, in 197932 states from both sides of the Iron Curtain, including the Soviet Union and the majority of Western European countries, the United States and Canada signed the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
After proving its success through the cover, through the recovery of the region's forests, the Air Convention has developed into a highly successful regional and legally binding treaty and framework for corporation that links science and policy to reduce impacts of air pollution on health, the environment and the economy.
To recap a little on the achievements of this treaty, these are rather remarkable.
So reductions in key air pollution emissions of between 50 and 80% since 1996, hundred thousand lives saved annually and then and many other positive developments.
It's also as a means of tackling some pollutants that are not only contributing to terrible air pollution, but also climate action in an integrated manner.
Now there are still many more challenges to be tackled in Europe and North America and indeed elsewhere.
And following a landmark decision in 2023, the conventions executive body is meeting this week to go further and to advance discussions on the revision of the Gothenburg Protocol, which is one of the one of the means of implementation under the treaty.
Now a quick mention on the **** costs of air pollution.
The latest research by the scientists working together under this framework have shown that the cost of inaction is 25 times more expensive, so 2525 times greater than putting in place additional clean air policies.
Now of course, this is a globally relevant issue, this is a regional treaty.
But this is something which is affecting people worldwide and all the more important on today's Human Rights Day to underline that killing 7 million people every year according to the World Health Organisation with associated **** costs to health and the environment that are a huge issue for economies everywhere.
So from choking smog in India, toxic air in cities around the world, people on all continents are increasingly affected by severe air pollution.
And while the Air Convention remains the only binding regional treaty in any region worldwide, policy makers in other regions, especially in South Asia and East Asia, but also in South America, are looking to learn from this experience.
I will just close with a quote from the UNEC Executive Secretary, Tatiana Molchan.
The Air Convention shows what countries can achieve when we set aside differences and work together.
Because air pollution does not stop at borders and action for clean air pays off by saving both lives and money.
The political case for corporation has never been stronger.
UNECE stands ready to share the experience gained over the over the last 45 years through the Air Convention with countries worldwide.
Thank you, Thomas very much for for once good news, positive developments.
And I'll give the floor to Gabriela.
I, I didn't get the I'm sorry.
My, my question is how many countries have signed the convention in, if you can mention, and in Latin America, for example, Mexico is, is, is part of the treaty.
The convention today has 51 parties and it's a regional treaty.
It was negotiated as such and remains so today.
When I say regional, that is the member states of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
So that's most of, well, the member states cover the Pan European region, but stretched out to Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Western Balkans, but also North America, United States and Canada.
So this treaty has 51 parties that are only members of the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe.
So no countries in Latin America are party to this treaty.
But as I said, there are, there is increasing interest from countries around the world, from policy makers in different regions, including in South America, to learn from this experience.
And there is no other body, no other instrument, a binding instrument to address air pollution on a regional basis anywhere in the world.
So this is an experience that all countries can learn from, all regions can learn from.
And there is really increasing interest in this in South Asia, East Asia, South America, but also elsewhere.
And there was an international forum on cooperation of for to tackle air pollution, which has been established under the Air Convention to encourage this exchange of experience and to help other countries and partners around the world to learn from this experience.
Any other question to you, NECE?
Thank you very much, Thomas, for this positive update.
I've got a few information for you.
Let me start with the human rights committees, the Committee on the Protection on the of the rights of all Migrant Workers and members of their family.
We conclude this 39th session next Friday afternoon.
As you may remember, the countries that have been reviewed during this session are been in Egypt, Peru and Seychelle.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will also conclude it's 114th session on Friday and that the countries reviewed were Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Monaco, Armenia, Greece and Kenya and staying on human rights.
On Wednesday, 11th December at 1:30 PM, OHCHR has announced a press conference on the human rights violation in Gaza and across the Occupied Palestinian Territory with four speakers.
Francesca Albani is the special reporter on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 67, Margaret Satherwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Ben Sole, Special Rapporteur on the promotion, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms with countering terrorism, and George Catrugulas, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order.
I was specifically asked if the Special Rapporteur would be here in person and the answer I could dig was yes, they will be here in person.
Another HCHR announced press conference is the one on Friday, 13 December and 9:15, so just before, sorry, the regular briefing and this will be given by the UN Committee on Determination Racial Discrimination that as I said, is going to conclude that day it's session and you will have the full member of the committee briefing you.
The other press conference of this week, which is on Wednesday 2, but at 10:30, it's hosted by ILO.
It's an ILO press conference.
So as you know, it's it's hosted virtually by by our colleagues and it's about the launch of the ILO Social Dialogue Report 2024, which is that of quickly level social dialogue for economic development and social progress.
The report and the press conference are under embargo until Wednesday itself, but at 10:30, so one hour after, no sorry, the beginning of the press conference and Manuela Tomay, the ILO Assistant Director General for Governance, Rights and Dialogues will brief you together with Constantinos Papadakis, ILO Senior Specialist and co-author of the report.
And finally, I've been asked to give you this announcement on behalf of the World Trade Organisation.
The annual WTO Overview of global trade developments, covering the period from October 2023 to the October 2024, will be published tomorrow, Wednesday, on the WTO website at 4:00 PM Geneva time.
The report provides up to date information on global trends in trade measures and trade policy making by WTO members WHO, WAIPU and WTO.
We hold on Friday 13 December at W8 sorry at WTO headquarters, the 11th Trilateral Technical Symposium on strengthening manufacturing capacities to respond to the non communicable diseases burden.
This is an event that will start at 10 AM in our our time and will be attended by the Director Generals of the three agencies.
Journalists will be able to attend in person if they wish.
The event will also be live streamed on the WT OS YouTube channel.
And of course, questions go to Fernando or Daniel.
I think I've told you everything I had.
I think we've sent you several information also on Human Rights Day on the various event happening at the Pallet and at Pallet Wilson.
And yes, I think that's that's really all I had.
If there are no questions for me, I thank you very much and I'll see you on Friday.
