Let's start the press briefing of the UN Information Service here in Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 28th of January.
We have **** on the news the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lots of colleagues who have come to brief you on this situation.
I will start with the answer from Orcha.
Here on my left we have online Matt Salmarsh for UNHCR, Shelly Takharl, the WFP spokesperson in DRC from Kinshasa.
Doctor Adelahid Mahang, the emergency response Coordinator for the DRC at WHO, I think she's also connected on line.
And on my right, Patrick Youssef, the ICSC Regional Director for Africa.
So we will listen to all these colleagues and then we will open the floor to questions.
And thank you everybody for for participating and for briefing us on this extremely dire situation.
So I'll start with the answer to having an idea of the humanitarian situation there.
Thank you, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
The humanitarian situation in and around Goma remains extremely worrying.
And again this morning, our colleagues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo report heavy small arms fire and mortar fire across the city and the presence of many dead bodies in the streets.
We have reports of rapes committed by fighters, looting of property including of a humanitarian warehouse, and humanitarian and health facilities being hit.
Hospitals in Goma are reportedly overwhelmed, struggling to manage the influx of wounded people.
Electricity and water supplies are compromised and yesterday Internet services were cut off and Goma is still offline this morning.
Since the flare up of hostilities in the beginning of the year, hundreds of thousands of people have attempted to flee the violence, including the 700,000 people already displaced and living in dire conditions on the outskirts of Goma.
On Friday, sites hosting at least 300,000 internally displaced people were completely emptied.
Due to the rapid advancement of the front lines.
Non essential humanitarian staff have been relocated to reduce risks but critical personnel remain in Goma.
As you may have seen, EU NS Emergency Fund, the SERF has immediately allocated $17 million to support the humanitarian response.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC, Bueno Le Marquis, has called on all parties to agree on temporary humanitarian courses in the most affected areas and established humanitarian corridors to ensure humanitarian activities can resume at scale and facilitate the safe evacuation of wounded people and civilians trapped in combat zones.
The Humanitarian Coordinator has also stressed that it is critical to ensure the safe reopening of the Goma Airport and to keep the border posts between Wanda and the DRC in Goma operational to enable people to flee the violence.
Yes, I'd like to give the floor online to Matt Salmach for you next year.
Thanks, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
The humanitarian crisis in the DRC has further deteriorated since our last briefing to you on Friday, with now nearly half a million people displaced in North and South Kivu provinces in January alone.
Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee multiple active conflict zones, and the capacity to accommodate and assist them is now saturated.
Many of those displaced have fled violent attacks, including the use of heavy artillery targeting internally displaced people sites.
These are spaces that are intended to provide safety and refuge.
These attacks have destroyed shelters, essential infrastructure and tragically claimed many lives.
Several sites on the outskirts of Goma, as we heard from Yen so not sure housing.
More than 300,000 people were completely emptied within hours over the weekend and 18 IDP sites around the city have been largely emptied as those who are displaced flee heavy artillery.
We remain in the country and in the area and we're ready to assist when the conditions will allow.
The restricted access to the conflict zones is worsening conditions for millions of the displaced people.
With our partners, UNHCR calls on all parties involved in the conflict to immediately respect international humanitarian law and to prioritise civilian protection.
Our protection monitors are also closely following cross-border movements.
We understand that many people are waiting to assess the situation before making further decisions.
With our partners, we're ready to respond to any outflow of asylum seekers from the country, ensuring their protection and providing critical assistance to those in need.
The humanitarian crisis in the DRC is not just a regional concern, but it's a global responsibility.
The displaced Congolese people deserve an opportunity to live with safety, dignity and hope.
The international community must step up efforts to support affected populations and to facilitate long term solutions to end this cycle of violence.
Thank you very much, Matt.
We have online Charlie Thakal from Kinshasa.
Can you brief about journalism, the situation of food in Eastern DRC?
Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues and may also reiterate the worsening situation and growing humanitarian and protection needs that we're facing.
A major surge in violence in the eastern region of DRC has led to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing multiple active conflict zones.
WF PS priority is keeping staff and their dependants safe.
Only critical WFP staff remain in the area and once the security situation improves, we can resume our emergency assistance and operations.
There are growing protection concerns as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in and around Goma.
Many are exposed to gender by gender based violence and with limited access to food, safe clean water and income, the risks facing the populations hour by hour, day by day will only increase.
In these volatile conditions, we've seen families fleeing the fighting and they're facing unimaginable challenges.
Every step of their journey is fraught with danger.
Roads are blocked, ports are closed and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats.
Certain IDP sites have been emptied where fighting has been the most violent.
I spoke just moments ago to a an activist in Goma and he told me we're here, we're hiding, we don't know who will come to help us.
There's massive displacement of the population, including both new people and those who have been displaced multiple times.
Even before this recent escalation in violence, some 5.1 million people in a Tory North and South Kivu have been displaced and forced to live in overcrowded camps with little food and no security.
Food assistance activities in and around Goma have been temporarily paused.
WFP is concerned about food scarcity in Goma and rising food prices as the airport and major access roads within the region have been cut off.
So depending on the duration of violence, the supply of food into the city could be severely Hanford.
This is a huge test for Congolese trapped by fighting in Goma and surrounding areas of their resilience, and the next 24 hours will be critical as people start to run low on supplies and we'll need to see what they can find to survive.
WFP finally wants to reiterate that we strongly condemn the escalation of violence in the Eastern DLC that's endangering these populations.
We call on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and uphold obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection and safety of humanitarian workers.
Thank you very much, Mrs Decal.
I give the floor to Doctor Adel Haid Marchong, Madam, to hear about the health situation and consequences on the of the violence in this region.
I don't have in on my notes the place where you're talking from.
If you could tell the our journalist and I'll give you the floor.
Good morning, good afternoon.
I'm talking from Geneva and I will speak with you today on the health implications of the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the eastern DRC around the city of Goma.
Goma, previously a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced people, is now at the centre of escalating conflict, further endangering lives.
WHO Assistant Director General for Health Emergencies Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu recently visited Goma to assess the humanitarian and M Parks response.
WHO has hubs in North and South Kivu in the city's of Goma and Bukavu from where we respond and will continue responding to the Eastern Dr CS health needs.
Before the airport at Goma closed this Saturday, WHO was able to send critical medical supplies for trauma and emergency care, infection prevention, cholera and basic essential health needs.
WHO is providing tents for hospitals to expand their treatment capacities and to cope with the increasing number of injured.
Hospitals are overwhelmed.
There are currently hundreds of people in hospital, most admitted with gunshot and shrapnel wounds.
Secondary infections become a health risks.
WTO is especially worried for the health and safety of women and girls who are at the higher risk of violence, including ****.
Pregnant women are at risk with very **** maternal death rates even before this recent escalation of violence.
Capacity is to deal with the newly injured are stretched and WHO is working with authorities and partners to identify solutions and to increase local capacities to deal with this.
Sadly, hospitals and health workers are in danger too.
We are hearing reports of health workers being shot at and patients, including babies, being caught in crossfire.
WHO reminds everyone that attacks on healthcare violate the rules of war.
Healthcare must be protected at all times.
With people again on the move and infrastructure such as water stations and electricity grids damaged, the conditions arrive for the spread of infectious diseases like cholera and measles.
And along with the physical toll, there is also the mental health toll of this emergency.
While these risks grow, it also becomes much harder for people to get the health care they need and their coping mechanisms are exhausting.
Exhausted displacement happens over large distances.
People get exhausted and desperate.
Last year, North and South Kivu reported 21,672 cases and 59 deaths from cholera and 11,710 cases and 115 deaths from measles.
Malaria continues to be a major killer in the region.
Eastern DRC is the epicentre of the outbreak of the new mpox train, which The Who Director General declared of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024, just a few months ago.
Over 20,000 suspected cases of mpox have been reported from North and South Kiwu since 2024, including more than 6000 in the last six weeks.
Because of the violence, it's hard to properly track and treat the disease, even more so when people are constantly on the move.
1 / 1 in four people living in the region is facing emergency levels of food insecurity and risk of hunger.
With many people malnourished and weak in the face of disease, WHO is looking at scaling up the response as much as possible in the current situation, while at the same time ensuring the safety of its staff.
It is essential for WHO and other humanitarian partners on the ground to have safe and assured access to people in need.
Back over to you, Madam Chair.
And last but definitely not least on my right, Patrick Youssef.
Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and sorry, we're quite all heartbroken because of the we have to be back again here and talk about the the blood and suffering in the ease of DRC.
In the past days, with a growing alarm, we have been following developments in Sudan and the Eastern DRC.
I'm sure many have seen the horrific images that emerged from Al Saudi Hospital in Sudan city Al Al Fashi, where dozens of people were reportedly killed.
During that same time in Goma, heavy shelling and shooting in densely populated areas have resulted in an influx of many hundreds injured.
More than 100 people within 24 hours arrived at Endosha Hospital, where the ICRC surgical teams are working.
We would normally receive this number of patients in one month.
The influx is such that the hospital parking was transformed yesterday into a triage zone.
Beds are lacking and patients are left without anything and waiting in corridors.
And while the hospital is overwhelmed, we're still receiving calls from desperate, injured people who struggle to access healthcare.
Our teams, together with the hospital staff, have been treating people with mortar and shrapnel wounds, many of them with head wounds and chest traumas.
Very disturbingly, we have seen a significant increase in the number of severely injured children.
We've described what we see in two different conflicts in two different countries.
But there is a very alarming common trend.
Civilians are paying an increasingly heavy price for brutal armed conflicts and this must stop.
We urgently call on the parties to respect their obligations under the Geneva Conventions and do everything possible to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure.
By the way, in both DRC and Sudan, we increasingly see the use of heavy arterially in populated areas which compromise access to essential services like water, electricity and healthcare.
I remind you that the second worst displacement crisis in the world is in the DRC and the first one is unfortunately in Sudan by all standards.
To conclude, in DRC and Sudan, we continue our dialogue with the parties and insist they take immediate measures to protect civilians and critical civilian infrastructure.
And unless unless the law is protected and respected, the human toll will continue to grow.
Before entering the room, I just learned that our medical warehouse was looted in Goma and unfortunately has to be now urgently and refurbished.
That will obviously take time, but there is just one price that we have noticed ourselves compared to the thousands of heavy tolls taken by the civilians in Goma.
Thank you very much, Patrick.
And just to conclude, I just would like to remind you that we have distributed on Sunday the statement of the spokesperson for the Secretary General on the situation in DRC and also yesterday the Security Council press statement on the situation.
There is quite a lot of information there too.
So, and before I open the floor to question, journalists are asking online and I'm sure also in the room that everybody sends their notes as soon as possible as possible during the briefing so that they can be sure that they report correctly.
First I will say to our colleagues who you are as they don't all know you, Yuria Prelev, RIA Novosti and same question for Ocha.
Do you know how many people you still have there?
And because we heard about the fact that the UN is cutting back the non essential stuff, but how many people are still remaining there and how many people were sent out from this area?
I think you strategy staff generalist Qitrava Yanko Ragoma and Sikh on police Qatar staff medical Kitrava Ivan Qatar Alopital Dondocho Alopital de reference Agoma.
As you know of of these situations of armed conflict, we do not.
We do not give specifics about our staff.
I, I will ask if that is something we, we can, we can, we can tell you because it is of course, as we've heard from other colleagues now a security issue also for those.
But our point is that essential staff that are critical for programme implementation are still in Goma and they are the ones who will help.
You know implement the programmes that the 17 million from the SURF has now you know that that has been injected in, in the response, which is as you know very underfunded already.
So those people are are still there.
The non essentials have been relocated for their for their safety.
Maybe just to add to this, what Jean Pierre Lacroix, our and the Secretary General of Peace Operation said yesterday and a quoting, the mission has begun temporarily relocating it's personnel and their dependence from Goma over the weekend by air and road.
The process is ongoing with the locations continuing as he spoke.
Obviously the safety and security of our personnel is and must be paramount.
But parallel to that, of course, our colleagues at Monoscope continue to deliver on their obligation to protect civilians to the best of their ability.
And it's really important, I think, as Ian said, to to say that whatever, you know, decision are taken for the safety and security of our colleagues.
The most important focus for us is the protection really millions of civilians whose life and, and and fate really are at risk at the moment.
Lots of OK, small yeah just a quick Philippians, we have seen especially in Sudan and in Gaza the past years and in the past conflicts that the UN staff are not under great protection as it has to be the case.
Have you seen any incidents with your staff in DRC?
I I have not seen any reported incidents against OCHA staff, but that means what I said.
It means that I have not seen any reports from that.
It doesn't mean that it hasn't happened, but I have no indication that that's the case.
Emma Farge, Reuters Good morning.
I was hoping that WHO might be able to give us an estimate of the death toll, maybe from hospitals and maybe Yen's could give us an idea of how many dead bodies have been seen.
I'm wondering if you have any idea of the scale of this at this stage.
I'll start with Doctor Mashang.
Do you have any figure on the casualty, Madam?
We do not have any figures on the overall numbers of of deaths.
However, we from contacts with all the hospitals that we have maintained as much as possible and that was what we received.
As of Saturday morning, there were over 600 to 700 patients in beds in at least four to five hospitals that are taking in wounded patients.
We will be able again to give an updated figure once communication is established, but that doesn't mean that on the ground they don't have that figure.
So we are constantly in contact with hospitals looking at the gaps in equipment, in treatment capacity.
And as highlighted, we have constantly and flexibly try to allocate tends to increase bed capacity and treatment capacity, not just for the injured that that have been overwhelming hospitals, but of course also for other ailments that are coming in.
At the same time, also looking at maintaining an overview over patients with infectious diseases and of course child illnesses.
As we move forward, we are hoping to be able to allocate more supplies from what has already come in.
As mentioned, we have made distribution plans and as the streets and the security allows, we've heard that it was quite dire yesterday and even this morning.
We are ready to dispatch more of these items.
We are very concerned also about the issue of intra facility, intra hospital infectious prevention so as to prevent secondary causes of deaths from wound infections or from other or from intra hospital infectious disease transmission.
And therefore very mindful to prevent infections at the hospital level and had teams that that were in contact with with health workers to understand if there were any outstanding needs that we are covering as we move forward.
To Emma's question about if we know how many dead bodies are in the street, of course we don't.
As I just mentioned this morning, we have reports of heavy small armed fire and mortar fire across the city.
So for people's own safety, we don't walk around the streets and count.
But I have no reason to to doubt the reports that we get from our colleagues who are able to have a look out their windows, what they see in the street.
Just just for housekeeping.
I've got Jeremy, FPFA, Gunila, DPA, Basa, lots of questions.
Let's go ahead with Jeremy.
Jeremy launch Radio France international.
Alessandra, I think you all mentioned ID PS being attacked patients if being shot at.
I think that's what W should said.
And Patrick, you mentioned also like the, the shrapnel wounds and the, the mortar injuries.
I'd like to understand all those ID PS civilians being caught in the crossfire like in in the middle of the the shootings are, are they being deliberately targeted from what you're seeing on the ground?
Who would like to start my colleagues when there are questions also where you feel you can contribute, just let me know I'm start with those so I can see, but also online from in the Sorry Patrick, we have a novel situation.
Don't in ***** there are sure surely Minova Isola region.
I was in out and don't like give my have a book would book would crossfire.
It's a perfective mark here and as you don't security the set, the set tip avec the shelling the Mumbai the monkey result effective mark, the more would able to say it's a the work to rule report that I had.
I see we have a Ravina online.
She has raised their hand.
Ravina, would you like to add something?
Ravina from the Sania OHCHR?
I just wanted to back up what colleagues are saying.
We remain in the country as well as, you know, there's a joint human rights office.
So that's a part of MONUSCO and we have staff, you know, across the country, including some staff in Goma at the moment.
Colleagues pointed out the security situation for the UNI.
Also wanted to add that we are actually profoundly concerned for the situation of human rights defenders, civil society actors and journalists in Goma.
And we are reminding all parties to the conflict of their obligation to ensure the protection of civilians, including these people who are particularly at risk.
Similar to what colleagues have conveyed, we're also hearing reports of heavy gunfire, urban combat, and the use of explosive weapons within populated areas.
And once again, we remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international human rights law and international human rights and humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians.
Thank you very much for this edition, Ravina.
As I said, colleague, please feel free to intervene.
I've got Nina Larson AFP the list.
Thanks all for for your briefings follow up to WFP and the question to to ICRC on the suspension of I don't know if WFP is still listening WFP yeah, Shelley's online.
Yeah, yes, on the suspension of food assistant in in DRC in Goma specifically if he if you could specify if it's only UN food assistance or all food assistance of any organisations.
A polo policies are concerned on the Piage the voter and other organisations UN organisations.
Have you seen also any lootings of your warehouses?
We have also, you know, a critical team on the ground who are just really there to ensure that, you know, as soon as we can, as soon as safety permits.
And these are just in areas which have been affected by the ongoing violence.
We are still operating in other parts of North Kivu, S Kivu, where we can kind of get to get to people as safely as possible in terms of looting.
Sadly, the situation has deteriorated and and to reiterate also on the human rights and also with ICRC, we are seeing some of our warehouses being looted.
This is also it it just one, one warehouse in particular close to the airport.
I mean, this is just just goes to tell you how desperate, you know, how desperate people are now in terms of, you know, what, what it is they need and what they what, what, what we're really asking to asking for in terms of a cessation of these, you know, violent atrocities that are happening.
They are, I mean, loose ammunition, which are getting into the hands of the wrong people, which we don't contain quickly and as soon as possible.
You know, we we, you know, we this, this will just, you know, grow into a much larger crisis than it already is.
The P Kenya The P Director Medical I seek preserve key the facet we restaurant to do confidentiality bilateral make and important to reply call the dialogue a weekly party on contact permanent a regular a weekly party or conflict perfected moment here.
So dialogue pot to share this generic that's scary.
OK, so I go to the next question.
So my next one is Gunilla von Holtz fan SCADA Dagenblatt.
Thanks for taking my question.
I have two questions now.
One is you mentioned gender based violence.
I think several of you and ****.
What what do you what information do you have?
Is that who is behind that?
Is it M23 or is it DRC soldiers?
Second question is the Belgium foreign minister is accusing Rwanda of creating a catastrophic humanitarian situation.
What is your comment to that?
And are you concerned that donor countries would freeze aid to Rwanda that's allegedly is behind the M23 offensive?
Who wants to start on gender violence, Gender based violence?
I'm looking at my colleagues online also Ravina and Shelley.
Ravina, if Shelley would like to go first, that's fine.
I just, I just want to reiterate that gender based violence in the camps surrounding Goma has been an issue for a long time.
And when people have been multiply displaced from their homes and food, they've lost their incomes food and they have to go in search of firewood for cooking, They, they look to survival techniques, they look to survival sex.
They, they look to see what, what, how do I feed my children?
You know, how do I get food in front of my kids?
So to, to sit here today and say, who, who is responsible?
You know, that's not for me to comment on.
But I'm, I do want to reiterate that this is a protection crisis of huge proportions.
And the longer we people can't get food, they can't get clean water, they can't get to hospitals, they can't get what they need to survive, that is going to be a problem.
And I concur with the comments from the health side.
We have seen largely increases in cases of SGBV at health facilities in the camps around Goma and we have scaled up the clinical and medical capacity to treat them.
In addition to take care of the incredible trauma and stress that people that women especially go through this as women have been more affected by by this type of violence, at least in in in these conditions around Guma, some women have been raped several times in in their search for firewood or or just going outside of the perimeters of of the camps.
We also received new reports that there is an increase in in **** along the pathways that some of the conflict partners are now taking into into S Kibu.
And we're very vigilant to be ready and have some solutions to follow the populations as they move, as we have to adapt to the moving nature, if you will, of the displaced and to see to attend to their health needs where they are, including through through mobile teams and and mobile clinics.
Back over to you, Ravina.
Just to add to exactly what what colleagues have said, even before this current escalation, there has been grave sexual violence taking place in the DRC.
When the **** Commissioner was in the DRC in April last year and he visited camps for internally displaced people, including in Bolengo, he was told by women that they had to sell themselves in order to survive and that they were subjected to sexual violence while they went out to get firewood to be able to to take care of their families.
We are already receiving reports as well as sexual violence in during this current escalation and it is important to be that there is a heightened risk of sexual violence against women in the DRC at the moment and this needs to be taken very seriously.
We are again calling on all parties to ensure that they ensure the protection of civilians and in particular vulnerable communities, in particular women.
And just on your the second part of your question, Gunila, I think we can't speculate on what's going to happen on, you know, funds to this country, that country.
But on the issue of the Rwandan support, I would like to refer you to both the statement of the spokesperson of the Secretary General and especially the one on the Security Council.
We are which are very clear on the need on the on the call on the Rwanda Defence Forces to seize support M23 and withdraw from the DRC territory.
Just on the on the right question, very quick follow up question.
When you don't say that the reports of ****, do you then be in that from both sides?
I just need to understand what you mean when you say you're getting reports about **** and you don't want to say who it is, but it's from both sides.
I mean, it's so difficult to corroborate.
As you know, reports of sexual violence are always difficult to document and corroborate.
And in this climate, it's premature for us to be able to attribute responsibility.
We are continuing to monitor, and we will update you as the information is corroborated.
Christian, Eric, German news agency, Thank you.
Patrick touched on this already, but I wonder about the UN.
The appeals to all the parties to restrain and respect international humanitarian law is one thing, but who is the UN actually talking to and what is the response of those interlocutors?
Well, there are, I think again, lots of information in what was said in these days.
Basically, I think the the one thing that USG Lacrosse said yesterday very clearly was that.
We are, we remain really strongly committed to supporting ongoing regional peace initiative and continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to bring the parties back to the negotiation tables, which we are already doing in this regard.
He also said, we welcome the Eastern African Community announcement to hold the summit on the 28th of January and we also look forward to the African Union Peace and Security Council session which is scheduled for today.
So we're really bringing together and, and, and, and using all our contacts and, and, and, and, and leveraging on all the counterparts efforts to bring the warring party to the negotiating table again.
And the SG, the secretary general reiterated the United Nations support to the Rwanda process.
That's what we have to come back to.
Thank you, Alexandra, good morning.
I just want to ask about a little dictated WHA about the cholera cases.
You know there is a risk, are there risk of a spillover to the neighbouring countries?
Also are there any efforts on the vaccination?
And I also have a second question but on a different topic to Gens, but I can wait on that.
Yes, please, let's finish.
There's quite a few question online on DRC yet.
So Doctor, can you take I'm sorry Basis, our correspondent of the Turkish News Agency, another one, sorry, I should have introduced you.
OK, thank you and great question.
Thank you for the question.
Of course, absolutely there is a heightened risk for spillover of cholera into neighbouring countries, neighbouring provinces within the DRC.
We have seen this before.
In terms of vaccination, we have had one of the largest vaccination campaigns, OCV oral cholera vaccine vaccination campaigns in December 2023 where a very **** number of people were vaccinated in the east.
That has shown some defect effect, not defect already on the immunity in in 2024.
We have now again just before the airports closed, I have to say luckily brought in 1,000,000 of vaccines and another vaccination campaign was intended to take place.
We have to reassess the situation and the people that that were eligible for for the vaccination and to see under the current situations when some calm is being restored to to apply those again.
There is a very **** risk when the Goma water system and electricity system and around Goma are damaged through combat, fights, etcetera, that the access to safe water is, is Hanford is in danger and electricity amplifies that.
So there is a risk that increases highly when people would be willing or using lake water.
But we have to of course pool our efforts and prevent that these situations occur.
But the risk is, is, is highly increased and we're taking measures to to do everything possible, including vaccination to mitigate this risk over.
Lots of people have not had the chance to ask a question.
Let me go online now, Catherine, you've been patiently waiting with your hand up.
Catherine, our correspondent of Franz Van Catt.
Yes, Good morning, Alessandra.
Good morning to all of you and thank you for briefing us on DRC.
I have a couple questions.
The first one, Alessandra, is for you.
If I'm not wrong, there is a new meeting of the Security Council this afternoon, New York time, 9:00 PM Geneva time, an emergency meeting as the one who which took place Sunday.
So could you kindly send us the links and also statements that will be issued after the meeting as soon as possible the 9:00 PM tonight?
I'd like also to kindly request the spokespersons that haven't sent their notes meaning WFP to, to send it because like that it will facilitate or coverage.
And I'd like to ask a question to WFP again to Shelley.
Could you please tell us about your supplies?
For how many days do you have supplies left for WFP?
And yeah, also regarding ICRC, Monsieur Patrick Youssef, you spoke about shellings, the Bombardier man and Diane spoke about the fact or maps, I'm sorry, spoke about the fact that IDP sites were empty due to fights.
I understand well that this is due to the bombing, I mean the shelling, the bombardment of Rwandese troops.
It's Rwanda's troops from Rwanda, soldiers from Rwanda that are in fact shelling and fighting in the streets with soldiers of DRC.
OK, Katherine, for me, a second answer.
Indeed, that has been scheduled a meeting at 3:00 PM New York time on the situation in DRCS.
So yes, I'm happy to send to everyone the link to the web to the webcast and if we have any readout or any transcript to also send it to you WFP.
Shelley, you want to take the other and the other question please and, and for the notes if she does online.
So maybe she can kindly circulate your notes.
Yeah, thank you so much for the question.
Just up and, you know, just just literally up and up before the situation deteriorated.
So we're talking Wednesday, Thursday, we were feeding 800,000 people in, in, in these critical areas.
We have the supplies as long as the, you know, there is like we've heard looting going on there is this, this lawlessness, this law and order problem.
So, you know, we will, we will replenish what we can.
We want to get back to business as soon as possible.
You know, we don't want to waste another minute here.
But yeah, up until Friday, when it looked like, you know, things were circling Gomer in such a way that we had to put the safety of our staff first.
We will resume ASAP and we will get to those camps and we will get to the people.
We will continue to do food assistance, cash assistance to make sure that, you know, we and also this is now an urban issue with, with, with growing caseloads in, in Goma.
So, you know, we really need to, to think about getting the food, getting getting the food in keeping people safe and making sure that we can kind of continue the operations on the ground to, to, to really contain the situation.
And yes, maybe on the last part of the question or anybody else who wants to intervene.
I mean, what, what I can say and, and what I mentioned was that we had reports on Friday that these 300,000 people had moved out.
And that was in the span of a few hours from camps outside Goma.
As, as you know, what very often happens is that they move before the fighting hits.
You know, there, there are rumours, they're aware that the fighting, the front lines are moving close and they, you know, pick up sticks and they get out of there.
So that seems to have been what happened in in this instance.
Well, what we have and again, analysing the geographical scope of the war is that the shelling is happening between the M23 and the defence forces of, of, of Congo.
Now we, we learned yesterday and we read like all of you, a statement from the spokesperson of the Rwandese Defence Forces talking about the civilian death toll.
So again, I think it's quite premature and for our teams to be able to get out of a bunker or out of a hospital or out of a shelter, just to be able to go to the field, repatriate a few cases and then be able to do the actual protection work.
And therefore, I think before it's too late, we all know that the death toll, the injuries, but also the sexual violence will be rampant.
And will, will, will we will witness an upsurge.
It's not like it's unpredictable to comparing the trends from previous armed conflict should lead us to learn what will happen in the next couple of days.
Hence, A diplomatic but also political actions are needed to support those women.
Men are from the humanitarian community trying to do a good job but will fail if no political conjunction allows us to have a better access and a safe access to those in need in Goma and outside.
Nina, sorry, yeah, it's me this time.
Yeah, I just had a quick follow up actually for WFPI.
Was wondering if you could clarify.
I understand that your aid isn't a food aid isn't going to Goma now, but are there, is there other food aid available?
There is it is there, are there other organisations are able to provide food aid or has all food aid been cut off?
Shirley, sorry I had to unmute.
No thanks for the question, Nina.
I can only speak for the World Food Programme and, and obviously we work with other partners.
I know World Vision have probably also evacuated and got their staff to safety.
There are other smaller organisations, whether it's through community groups or or churches on the ground, who I'm sure will be doing what they can to, you know, to, to help provide some support.
What I'd like to do, Nina, is come back to you with a little bit more information so I can follow up properly with the question that you've asked.
Laurent Sierras News Agency.
Yeah, thank you for for the briefing.
A question on the airport Yens, you mentioned the the fightings this morning.
Have you had any indication that the fightings around the airport are going on?
And the question for the resupply on the middle, short, middle term, if you will have to plan massive airlift operation, what would be the consequences of the conditions of the airport?
Because I can remember that because of the the volcano just half of the the tarmac was available for landings.
And does that does it will it have a major consequences on on the Mesiv resupply operation if he it has to to take place?
And for you Alessandra, I I don't know whether there is still a summit, an emergency summit plan in the next days between the Congress President and the Rwandan president after as the SG been approached to to participate to that.
I unfortunately do not have a verified up-to-the-minute information about the current situation on and the fighting around the airport.
But I do have a message which was conveyed by the humanitarian coordinator that is for those doing the fighting to ensure that the conditions are in place so that we can reopen that airport, right, for people to leave and for aid to come in.
And I don't have an answer for you on your second question.
I'll try to get something as soon as New York weeks up.
OK, So these Kasmir was that a a hand up for something else?
OK, So I know that visa had questions for Yens.
We also have a couple more speakers.
But if there are no other questions on DRC, I'd like to thank everybody really very much for this very comprehensive briefing, not only, of course, Yens and and and Patrick, but also in the field, Shelley Matt's for UNHCR and Doctor Mashang in for WHO.
Thank you very much to you all.
And yeah, let's continue briefing the journalist on this dire situation, and I'll keep the hands on the podium before we go to the next speaker, Beza.
I want to ask about the Unraband situation.
You know, the Mr Lazzarini told yesterday, whatever happens, we will stay in Gaza until we can operate, until as much as we can operate.
I want to ask, are there any contingency plans regarding this ensuring humanitarian access, but also the safety of the convoys and everything under the no contact policy?
And second question, are there any discussions with Israeli authorities about an exception to this decision at least during the ceasefire window?
On, on UNWA, we, as we have done since the beginning, we stand fully behind UNWA and, and what they, what they say and what Mr Latterini is, is messaging about what they are doing.
We all know, and we have repeated this many times over, they are the backbone of the humanitarian operation for logistics and many other purposes, particularly health and education.
They have thousands of staff still working there, they have hundreds of staff who have lost their lives continuing to work during these 15 months of conflict.
So our position remain the same.
They are an indispensable part of the of the operation and they they need to remain absolutely.
There was another Kasmir, sorry, I don't know for whom is that I'm sorry, sorry.
A quick follow up on what you think about the no policy con no contact policy will code to the humanitarian safety and the operations in Gaza.
As I think we, we have said since this was first discussed in the political, you know, realm of, of, of this conflict that that does not make any sense.
And I recall when they were first introduced, we, we urged as as a UN system to reconsider these provisions.
It does not, it does not make sense.
It does not make sense to us.
Because me, I don't know for whom is the question.
Yes, it's from Geneva Solutions.
A question for Yen's and other agencies and organisations of the the Room online.
It's about the, the freeze in US foreign assistance.
Could you speak about the impact this has already had on on the ground, on projects on the ground, please?
Maybe first of all, I, I draw your attention to what was said yesterday by the spokesperson of the Secretary General.
We have distributed to you the, the where is it?
So if you haven't received it, I will not repeat it online because we've already distributed and a spokesperson has already done it.
But if you haven't received it, let me know.
I can send it to you again.
Don't know if there is any.
I'm not sure we can add that much to what was said by the SG yesterday.
No, I mean, we're part of the UN Secretariat and the secretary general is the boss of the secretariat.
So that is our statement as as well.
I'll send it to you again, Casmir, if you notice it.
Alessandro, are you able to comment specifically on Geneva or projects in Geneva that have been effective?
I've already heard from other conventions here of projects that were meant to be US funded that have had to be reshuffled or.
Yeah, look, I think this question has already been asked to me at the last briefing.
But I think that we can really, we can't.
We stick of course to what the Secretary General said.
But Fortune, even particular, as you know, we have a lot of humanitarian agencies here.
I think the the situation is that the colleagues are now mapping out what the consequences of.
First of all, it's a temporary decision.
So we have to see how much this will impact the humanitarian activities of the Geneva based agencies #1 and #2.
That is of course, an assessment that needs to be done by all agencies, whether it will, you know, only last for a certain number of days, if it will continue and these colleagues are doing now.
And I don't think we can really state anything before we are aware of the details of this, of the implications, except implications of this, of this decision.
I don't know if any colleague from any other humanitarian agency wants to say something.
I see Ravine, you've put your camera on.
I don't know if you want to say something.
Just let me finish by saying that the two points and two main points that we really would like to stress is first of all, that we are concerned that it's definitely a concern as the secretary general said yesterday.
But we are also confident that we will be able to, if there are issues to work with the the US authorities to, to, to solve those issue and to make and to, to, to solve, to, to overcome these problems.
But it's obviously essential that the US authorities, which have been really, you know, the US have been behind so many, so much humanitarian assistance that it continues in the best possible ways.
So I'll I'll turn to Regina who would like to add something.
Of course, we are also part of the secretariat.
So the, the secretary general statement, of course, applies to all of us.
And the concern that he expressed, you asked about the specific impact on on Geneva based organisations.
And just to say, we're grateful for the the support that we've received from the United States over the years.
They are one of our largest donors.
We are still assessing the the impact of this, but also to use the opportunity to call on all states to increase their investment in human rights.
The cost of instability is huge.
And investment in human rights is really an investment in prevention of conflict and prevention of instability.
And we urge all States and others to to step up their contributions to this.
Alessandra, my question is for Matt for unit, Sir, if he's still here.
Matt, somebody has left his mic open.
Matt, as you know, a Gaza is completely destroyed, almost completely destroyed after the by Israeli attack since 7 October, U.S.
President Trump suggested that Palestinians in Gaza can be moved the neighbour countries like Jordan and Egypt and then new housing can be built for them.
He he also said his opinions to another country's leader.
My question is how the our first question is add, add.
Do you think this kind of a plan is feasible and how does the United Nations see this proposal?
Maybe not before, before I give you the floor, I just would like to remind you that yesterday the question was asked to the spokesperson of the Secretary General who clearly stated what is the UN approach that we would be against any First of all, it's, it's hypothetical.
So we, we don't comment until we know it's, it's just something which has been stated.
But obviously, and we also see the comments from the countries involved.
So of course the United Nations would be against any plan that could or lead to the forced displacement of people or could or would lead to any type of cleansing.
And that maybe you want to say something about that.
Thanks, Alessandra, and thanks for the question.
Yeah, I mean, no, we don't have really anything to add to what Alessandra said or what you heard from New York.
You've seen the comments that have come from the countries that would be impacted by this.
And of course, the United Nations has said that the UN would be against any plan that could lead to the forced displacement of people or that could lead to any other types of human rights issues.
So we don't have anything to add to that at this stage.
So I would like to thank colleagues and particularly Jens who's on the podium putting.
And we continue with the briefing.
We've got Thomas from Unit Union ECE like to announce something positive.
And then we will go to WHO as the last speaker.
Thank you, Alessandra and good morning everybody.
Ukraine has ratified the amendment on public participation in decisions on the deliberate release into the environment and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms, known as the GMO Amendment to the AHOS Convention.
Now this amendment to the AHOS Convention, and I will give the full name of that convention too, that is the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and access to justice in Environmental Matters.
This amendment and the ratification by Ukraine triggers the entry inter force of the amendment following its adoption by Convention parties 20 years ago.
So a significant step which will become effective on the 20th of April 2025.
This means in practise that for the 33 parties that have ratified the GMO amendment, which include the European Union, as well as all UN Member States joining the amendment or the Convention in the future, it means they must establish in their regulatory framework effective means to ensure transparency and public participation in related decisions.
I've circulated to you all the list of parties to the amendment and the list of parties to the Convention.
I'd like to read a short statement from the Executive Secretary of UNECE, Mr Tatiana Mochan.
I quote Ukraine's ratification of the GMO amendment.
The Rs Convention which brings it into force is a milestone for the public's role in decision making on this crucial topic for health and the environment and has a far reaching effect on present and future parties.
This decision demonstrates the country's commitment to transparency and inclusive and effective decision making in this challenging area.
I encourage all our House Convention parties to ratify the amendment and hope this step for multilateralism will further inspire our joint action for sustainable development.
While the Our House Convention already establishes as law for its 47 parties the public's rights to information, participation and justice regarding environmental matters, the GMO amendment introduces further clarification and specific provisions on this complex topic.
The cultivation of genetically modified seeds is on the rise worldwide, and there has been a diversification in terms of the types of genetically modified organisms grown.
To put that into perspective, the planting area worldwide of GM crops is estimated to have grown over 120 times since 1996 and now accounts for 13% of the total farmland area worldwide, exceeding 3.4 billion hectares.
Now, the release of GMOs entails potential risks to human health and the environment, including to biodiversity.
The increased use of GMO crops over the past decades has coincided with the increased use of pesticides, as well as herbicides and other chemicals in agriculture, and indeed, a growth in weed.
Resistance to these global pesticide use has increased 13% since 2002 and has doubled since 1990.
That's according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
Now, this means it is essential to ensure that the public has full access to all relevant information and is aware of and can effectively participate, participate in decision making on this topic.
Now the Artist Convention, and I recall this is a global treaty open to accession by all UN member states, which is now strengthened by this GMO amendment, offers all countries and stakeholders a solid framework for engaging the public in such decision making.
This is a useful tool for sustainable development, but also specifically to help advance implementation of the Cartagena Protocol and biosafety, and that's under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
I would just add that the work on GMOs under the Artist Convention has been led by Austria, who is a lead party in this area.
And as always, our our experts remain available to answer your questions and we're available to follow up on any specific matters.
Thank you very much, Thomas.
Let me see on the platform, no hands either.
Yeah, thank you very much for this.
And I go to our last speaker now.
We have online, I believe Doctor Albiz Gabrielli, who's the unit head of the Strategic Information and Analytics global NTT programme from WHO, but I see Christian has also put his camera.
So Christian, maybe you want to start and then we'll hear from the doctor.
I don't want to make it longer.
So thank you all very much.
Yes, let me let me present Doctor Albert Cabelli, as you did already a unit head for the Global Neglected Tropical Disease Programme and over to you and I'm also available in case.
Madam Chair, so this Thursday, the 30th January, WHO and the global NTD community will be observing World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day under the theme Unite Art Eliminate.
So this is one of the official global health days recognised by WHO.
In fact, this is the first in the year in terms of calendar and and it offers an occasion to reflect on successes and challenges, which is the the purpose of of this briefing.
So we also have a dedicated website to well neglected Tropical diseases Day, which is accessible from WHO's homepage.
So I invite everyone to visit it and we have an exhibition of panels dedicated to NT DS, as we call neglected tropical diseases in the main building of W2.
So NT DS are a diverse group of 21 conditions caused by diverse variety of pathogens, bacterial, viruses, parasites, fungi and toxins as well.
They're very different, but they have two features in common.
The first one is the geographical environment.
So they're the burden is mainly located in tropical countries and then a social environment that the entities mainly affect poor communities.
Entities have a global burden.
We estimate about 1 billion people affected and at least 120,000 deaths per year.
And the total number of people requiring interventions every year is approximately between 15 and 20% of the global population, about 1.5 billion people globally requiring preventive or curative interventions every year, of which about 60 million in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Actually, activities not only have a medical burden in terms of mobility, mortality or disability, but they also have a very important social and economic burden in terms of stigma, social exclusion, discrimination and then risk of worsening poverty due to out of pocket expenditures.
Now in terms of progress, I want to remember that the programme, the entity, the global entity programme was established by WHO 20 years ago, so in 2005.
So this year we'll be celebrating 20 years.
Over these 20 years a lot of progress has been made.
First of all, the the the concept that entities can be eliminated, so the transmission of entities can be interrupted and WHO established processes official process to acknowledge the achievement of these goals.
54 countries have eliminated at least one entity as of today, which seven in 2024 only.
And actually we will be announcing 2 more countries on the occasion of world neglected tropical disease days the day after tomorrow.
So please check W choice website For more information on contact us.
The success the successes have been happened thanks to a variety of strategic approaches that have been implemented and it is require cross sectoral approaches to maternal public health, WASH, better control and of course treatment of humans through mass Drug Administration or individual disease management.
And every year approximately 809 hundred million people are treated for at least one neglected tropical disease.
I say at least one because it's very common to find that people living in endemic areas suffer from 234 neglected tropical diseases.
So these large scale treatment is is happens thanks to large scale donations that are made by pharmaceutical partners that are two WHO or directly to member states.
And as of today 20 medicines for entities are donated by 12 manufacturers globally.
So for example, in 24/20/2024 alone, approximately 1 point 1.8 billion tablets and buyers were donated for treatment.
Of course we have challenges, NT, DS are neglected.
So we we are used to face challenges, I'd say at least a few of them.
Certainly one of the most important is the insufficient financial resources to implement programmes at country level due to lack of prioritisation at global level and at country level as well, very often also in countries that are endemic for entities.
This results in uneven progress across countries and diseases we have.
We see countries that have eliminated 234 NT DS and others that have not started implementing programmes.
We have a problem with rental capacities and expertise, including the difficulties in generating and collecting good quality data, to the point that for some entities we don't have a precise idea of the burden of how much people are affected.
We also are affected by limited research and developing, resulting in the availability of only old medicines or old diagnostics.
And then of course, we have overarching challenges, including climate change.
It is mainly affecting victim borne diseases.
Some entities are victim borne and conflict, for example, limited access to areas, especially in countries that are now approaching for example, elimination or eradication of entities.
Now the way forward under the overarching umbrella of the NTD Road Map 2020 one 2030 is not only sets targets and milestone, but also provides directions on how these targets and milestone can be achieved.
I'd like to mention a few specific actions that have been implemented and are currently being implemented.
First of all, the implement the development of an implementation plan for the second five years of the road map with coasting and and which we expect will facilitate resource mobilisation establishment on some flagship programmes.
For example, the concholizes eradication, 2 of the of the three diseases are currently targeted by WHO for eradication are NT, DS, the concholizes Guinea world and EOS, the Global Arbovirus initiative, the Skin NTD programme.
These are other examples of flagship programmes.
We are also expanding the offer of capacity building tools through collaboration with The Who Academy, investigating the impact of climate change and adopting interventions to this to this to this change.
And then strengthening data systems and supply chain for medicines in order to collect good data and also be able to deliver effectively medicines and other health tools.
And finally, identifying research and development gaps through the development of a of a blueprint of an R&D blueprint in collaboration with the Science division.
It is going to be released this year.
Thank you, Madam Chair, over to you.
Thank you very much for this briefing.
Let me see if there is any question for you online.
Yes, No, Christian has asked for the floor.
Just I don't thank you very much, Elvis.
There will be two updates sent shortly.
If you want to get a touch for getting receiving goals embargoed ahead of time, please do so to media enquiries.
Yes, I, I sorry, I have question to WHO, but not on this last subject.
So I think Christian can take it.
But I'd like to to thank very much Doctor Albiz Gabrielli for for this briefing.
Yeah, go ahead for your question to Christian.
Yes, Hi Christian, I have two question for for you today concerning the situation in the US.
1st, we would like to have WHO reaction after the report saying that CDC was asked to stop to work with WHO.
So how that will affect the health information system all over the world, in particular with the with the situation of the bird flu that is actually ongoing in the US and in other countries.
And also there are also reports about US investigating some bird flu strain on a duck farm in California, if you have any information about that.
Yep, thank you very much.
I'm just looking for the H5 information.
But what I can say on the other part is the US has always been the really important partner.
So any cuts in any, any way would have an impact on the global health and on the, on the people and especially the poorest, not the poorest, those who need it most, no matter on what health sector and not what health partner.
But in regards of yesterday's recent announcement, I don't have any updates.
The assessment of this and the evaluation of it is ongoing actually as we speak and as there are daily new updates coming out.
It's, it's not easy to comment on a daily basis.
So we'll we'll have to see how all these are similar to what the colleagues have just before on the other announcements.
But what the assessment of all the coming announcements assess the situations is on H5.
Maybe let's go to the next question.
Why I'm looking for this otherwise we're wasting too much time here.
But I'll get back to you on this.
Gayeer Moulton, Associated Press.
Yeah, Hi, I'm just a very quick follow up on the CDC question.
Can you say at this stage whether communication between CDC and WHO is already halted or anything about what this means for the CDC staffers who are seconded to WHO, Christian?
So, yeah, thank you on that one.
So I have no further information on what this actually means and how communication or whether it's stopped.
I would really refer you to the US authorities, but at this point I have no further update on how this plays out on the ground.
And then the many country offices and then the many programmes where the US sometimes takes a leading role.
But before doing that, I'd like to leave you in the hands of Rolando.
And yeah, we still have one question.
And then I don't know if there is any, any other subject, but I'll leave you with Rolando and give the floor to Emma.
Hi, good morning, Christian.
It's a long running one, but I'd appreciate an updated comment from WHO It's on the Gaza death toll.
I'm wondering whether the ceasefire offers offers an opportunity to maybe get a clearer idea of the total death toll.
And can you just say whether you still have confidence in the Ministry of Health figures or or maybe even more confidence since they've changed their methodology and and have better access to to the real scale of the death?
Yeah, thank you for this, Emma.
So in terms of the death toll, yes, we do have confidence.
And, but let's not forget the, the death toll, the official death toll given by the Ministry of Health is deaths counted in morgues and in hospitals, so in official facilities.
And it was always mentioned that we believe there are at least 10,000, if not more people still under the rubble.
And, and we've had that number since many, many months, unfortunately.
So yes, now exactly as people go back to their houses, as they will start looking for their loved ones under the under the rubble, this casualty figure is expected to increase.
But let's not forget in all this search and look, there are still unexploded ordinances around there.
There are still mines or or yeah, mainly ordinances.
So unexploded shrapnel or or unexploded weapons out there.
So search is digging and it's certainly a dangerous action to take, but likely the casualty rates are increase increasing and the mortality, the figures of deaths, the official figures of deaths will most likely increase.
Please go ahead, Christian.
Let me go back on that one question about the the recently found H59 and nine in the USA.
So the H5 N 9 virus detected at the California Duck farm, and that's what we were just talking about in November 2024, is likely a reassortment of circulating H5N1 with other avian influenza strains such as those carrying the N9A special.
The gene, the NN 9 neuromimi does a gene, so bear with me here.
When one host is infected with two strains or variants at the same time, they can exchange genetic material to create a new variant or strain, a process called reassault.
That's how this happens, and that's fairly common for flu viruses.
The the pharms outbreak began on 23 November 2024 and involved both age 5 and 9 and age 5 and one viruses.
The epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine the exact transmission pathway, the origin and the potential risk factors.
Sequence data from this virus is not yet available in public databases.
Christian, I think maybe it's a bit technical.
If you could maybe share some of these notes for our benefit as well.
We'll include in the summary.
We have another question, Nick.
Yes, it is for Christian.
I'm just following up on what you've been talking about, which the alien flu, I mean, the understanding is the the Trump administration has halted all contact between all medical institutions.
Because my understanding also is that you have been largely dependent on the American Animal Health Organisation for your information on the spread of this H5 N 1 and H5 N 9 viruses.
So where are you left if if that communication is suspended?
An important question, Nick, yet a bit early to to talk about and to speculate And I do not want to speculate how this plays out.
I mean you heard announcements more than a week ago, then there was another announcement over the weekend, There was another announcement yesterday.
So really I would not want to speculate what this means tomorrow, if maybe tonight there's another announcement.
But to say that data sharing all across the world has always been absolutely essential.
And most of many of our biggest successes are based, I mean humanities.
The health successes are based on data sharing on the flu system, which shares the Gisses, the which shares data the the activities, the joint activities and polio programmes, PEPFAR, a programme initiated by the US.
So many, many activities need the international collaboration and it's a with you for you approach and we're all in this together.
Thank you very much, Christian.
Any other questions for Christian before we we do have another one for you, Robin.
Those those countries and territories that are not in The Who, do they still share data with The Who?
So would that make the United States a complete outlier if they don't have any contact with you at all?
I actually do not know how non member states are or if they are sharing data so that I would have to check.
Any last questions before we before we off the we have another one for you, Christian.
Sorry, not up the hook yet.
I was just wondering, this is a theoretical question, but could a state of the United States of America decide to join The Who?
Is there any rule against that?
I mean, from my knowledge it's just countries, but would that be possible in theory?
Do you know I that expands my knowledge, But I would concur with what you just said.
It's member States and otherwise it would mainly be a question for the US if they would allow such a thing.
But I would assume, now again, this is really speculation that we're talking member states, not member.
I remember counties or member, I don't know what city is.
All right, thank you very much.
I think that's interesting question.
Any further questions before we wrap with Christian?
Well, colleagues, this may be my easiest chairing job.
I just have one announcement in that case before we wrap up this over an hour and a half briefing just to announce, as usual, a couple of human rights meetings going on with the Committee on the Right to the Child, as you know, started a couple of weeks back, and it's concluding its session this coming Friday, the 31st of January with a meeting with states.
Actually this afternoon, Thursday afternoon, the 30th, there'll be a meeting with States and then they'll conclude their session Friday, this coming Friday, the 31st.
Also wanted to flag to the Conference on Disarmament.
They will kick off their next plenary session this coming Thursday as well, 30th of January in The Tempest Room, which is the, as you know, the construction by the flags and this is under the presidency of of Leonardo Benicio Bencini of Italy.
And also the UPR session, the Universal Periodic Review is still underway.
It wraps up this coming Friday.
And per the questions posed earlier, we will certainly keep you up to speed on the developments in New York, on Security Council meeting, on the DRC.
We'll make sure to send you any statements that come our way.
We'll keep an eye on this fluid situation.
And on that note, thanks to all our briefers today and I will see you here on Friday.
So with that, if there are no questions for me, I wish you bon appetit until Friday.
