This is the press briefing of the UN Information Service here in Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 4th of February and we have quite a few invitees today.
So I would like to start immediately to by going to Amman where we are connected with Juliet Tumar, the Director of Communication, Undra.
Thank you very much for being here again to update us on the situation of the assistance to the Palestinian refugees by Umrah.
Please, you have the floor.
So I thought be good if I update you since we've last spoken, which was Friday, including on our operations and services to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian territory that includes the West Bank, including E Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
We start with the West Bank where our teams are staying and delivering services including Primary Health care and education are ongoing.
Schools and clinics remain open, including in occupied E Jerusalem, providing services to refugees in the West Bank.
When it comes to schools, they've reopened on Sunday after school break.
We are seeing attendance in Indra schools at over 80 to 85% in in the schools across the West Bank and we're seeing a steady increase in the number of patients visiting the Indra health centres in the West Bank.
For example, in one of our clinics in East Jerusalem, we have recorded more than 400 patients a day.
In Jenin camp, we have a noted that the camp is going into a catastrophic direction.
You may have seen the statement that we issued.
Large parts of the camp were completely destroyed in a serious series of detonations by the Israeli forces.
It is estimated that 100 houses were destroyed or heavily damaged.
The residents of this particular camp have endured the impossible.
All residents of the camp, according to our reports, have left the camp as of this morning.
They say the donation that happened on Sunday was when children were supposed to go back to school in that in that camp.
When it comes to under 13 schools in the camp and the surrounding areas continue to be closed.
That affected 5000 kids in that area.
Our services inside the camp have been interrupted for months on end and they stopped completely in early December.
We've not had any supplies come in since Thursday.
This is because of the target that has been set, umm, as part of the initial phase of the ceasefire, the target of 4200 trucks that was met.
We continue to have hundreds of trucks outside of Gaza in Egypt and Jordan.
Our staff in the Gaza Strip continue to work and to the degree possible, including in northern Gaza.
What they're doing is distributing supplies, including food and other basic items.
And our health team, we have our health teams, We have more than 1000 Indra health workers.
They continue to provide primary healthcare services in across the Gaza Strip.
We've issued a statement on this information and misinformation that continues to come our way at Indra.
The statement was issued by the Commissioner General of Indra.
And I will stop here, Alessandra, see if any questions.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thank you very much for briefing us, Juliet, this important subject.
I'll start with Emma Farge, Reuters.
Two of us here from Reuters today.
So just wanted to briefly introduce my new colleague, Olivia Laportevant, who started yesterday with Reuters.
So welcome to the community.
Just a quick clarification, Juliet, please.
I didn't quite understand that about the target.
So that means an overall target for aid or just Unruh's portion?
It seems that the needs inside Gaza are huge.
So why can't it keep coming even though the target has been met?
Thanks and hello to Olivia.
Our understanding and I can double check later, but the 4200 is overall trucks that have come into Gaza since the ceasefire started.
That's on the 19th of January.
And right now the focus is on distributing those supplies that were brought in.
The vast majority of the distribution is done by Indra team.
So there's two sides to the story of aid is bringing in the supplies into Gaza, which we've seen a very big increase in and that is of course very welcome.
And also the distribution of those supplies, which is equally important, including two areas like northern Gaza.
And what needs to happen we continue to call for that is to reduce the dependency on humanitarian assistance.
There needs to be commercial supplies, a standard flow of commercial supplies going into Gaza.
Are there the question in the room?
Yes, Nina, Nina Larson, AFP.
Thanks for doing this briefing again.
I was wondering if since Friday, if you've seen any, if you've had any interactions with the Israelis, if there have been any problems with the deliveries after they they halted communications with Inora.
Yeah, no, we've not had any interaction with the Israeli officials.
But the no ringing of supplies is not related to that.
Like I said, it's about meeting the target and it's also because of the weekend.
So let's bear that in mind.
What was the second part of the question?
You know, it was just if, if there had been any complications after they've they cut communications with Inura about the 8 deliveries or, or about being able to access, right.
So no developments on, on that front.
We've asked for the visas of our international staff who are normally based in the West Bank to be renewed by the government of Israel.
We've not heard back on that front.
Other hands in the room now.
So I'll go to the platform, Jeremy Launch Radio France International.
Hi, Juliet, just to make sure I understand clearly you said 4200 trucks since the ceasefire and you said that you haven't had any trucks getting in since last Thursday.
Does it mean that trucks are still going in, but not, you know, once or nothing is getting into Gaza since last week?
Just to make sure, no, there's not been any deliveries since, since Thursday for Andra.
And I think for the rest, but I can always check and come back to you.
Jeremy, thank you very much.
Jan works for several German newspapers, in Austrian newspapers.
First, could you tell us how many refugees have left the Janine camp?
And secondly, you've said that there is no contact to the Israeli authorities.
So then I presume that the Israelis haven't notified you on how they are willing to implement the two bans against Anra.
To date, they've not, they've not they meaning the government of Israel have not communicated to Andra on how they plan to implement the two bills.
And then on the Janine camp, it's the whole population.
So the estimates are 30,000.
And I can also send in the chat box the camp profile that Andra has and you can use.
You can quote the numbers there.
That would be useful, Juliet, if you could do that.
And then we will also send it to the journal because the journalists who are in the room are not necessarily connected.
So if you could put it in the chat And then we can also send it to all the other journalists accredited.
Thank you, Maya plans the the brief.
Good morning, Alessandra.
Thank you for taking my question.
My question is regarding the dismantling of USAID.
And there were reports just this morning that the USAID had lost all communication, the people on the ground where you're working with them.
Enlighten me a little bit if this is affecting in any way the work of Umbra.
Andrea is not a recipient of US aid funding.
Thank you, Imogen, folks.
Sorry, it's just clarification.
No aid since Thursday, which was kind of when the bands theoretically came into place.
And you say that, but like I said, Imogen, it's not to do with the ban, it's to do with reaching the target of the ceasefire.
So, so when is the next day due to go in and are you confident it will all go in smoothly?
No, and we're not confident about anything at the moment, Imogen.
What we know is what are the needs, and the needs continue to be **** in Gaza, although like I've said, we've seen a very welcome increase in the flow of aid, and the focus right now for our teams is to distribute that aid.
That aid doesn't just include food.
It includes blankets, mattresses, items that are not related to food in particular.
In a place like northern Gaza where the UN estimated that hundreds of thousands of people have made their way back, the needs there are likely to be the highest at the moment.
Thank you very much, Satoko.
Thank you very much for doing this.
I just want to double check you.
You don't know when will be the next delivery of humanitarian aid by UNWA.
Thank you, Christian Erich, our correspondent of the German news agency in the room.
Juliet, I also need one clarification.
4200 trucks have been brought in.
Does that mean that most of that aid is still somewhere and warehouses along the borders, because you emphasise that the focus is on distribution now?
Or can you give us an idea of when that aid will be distributed and new supplies are needed?
It's is it possible to say that?
Just a second because I'm getting clarification for all of you online at the moment.
Could you please repeat the question?
Yes, this is about the 4200 trucks.
Do I understand correctly that they are, But still whatever was on them is still mostly somewhere along the border and waiting for distribution?
Sorry if I was not clear.
The 4200 is what made it into Gaza including trucks for under and is being distributed now.
It's not all distributed and everyone waiting for the next load of supplies.
Or is everyone already waiting?
Because 4200 trucks is a lot, a lot of trucks.
And the aid is being distributed and the vast majority of the aid is being distributed by India for a very simple reason is because of the footprint, the number of people that we have on the ground in Gaza, over 5000 people, including one fifth of them are health staff.
Yeah, if I may, just one, one second clarification.
Did you say that everyone from the Jenin camp has left 30,000 people?
How many people have left the information?
This is the information that we got from the West Bank this morning, is that all residents of the camp have left the camp.
I think it's pretty clear who I had seen another hand.
Oh, Maya, you have a follow up.
Yes, thank you very much.
As a follow up, Eliza Stephan, Stephanie, the US Republican Senator that was nominated to become the next U.S.
ambassador to the UN said that it should do the support for Russia to completely end.
And since then, how is the leadership of reacting because most of the UN agencies received that received funding from the US government that are providing some of the supplies that you are distributing like World Food Programme, UNICEF, UN Agency for refugees depend on, on aid to through from the government.
the US government that's been so adamant on dismantling government institutions and foreign aid institutions.
How does the leadership of UNRA is reacting to that and preparing for that?
So like I said before, Indra no longer receives funding from the United States government.
the United States government has suspended its funding to the agency in January last year.
And in all cases, none of the funding that was coming to Indra from the United States government was coming from USAID.
It was coming from a different department.
Does that answer your question or is there any other parts that I've missed?
Maya yes, it's just the question that the World Food Programme in UNICEF and UN refugees account on US support in order to deliver the goods that they deliver to you.
So how do you anticipate to make up for that shortfall if it does happen?
Because the way it's going, it seems like they are not stopping this madness of dismantling institutions and government agencies.
Yeah, maybe it's a question more for the agencies that receive funding from the US.
And and I think we can, we can add on that that of course USA was is a critical partner of the UN and generous partner for many of the UN agencies, especially in the humanitarian and development work.
So, and I think that says we've said this at this podium already, we are looking into trying to make an assessment, a clear assessment with colleagues on the ground and try to get some clarity in this, in this environment.
And of course, we'll keep you informed on that.
Juliet, I see two more questions for you, if you don't mind, then we will go.
Yes, Alessandra, just before that to clarify on the tracks, 4200 is the target that was met last week.
So every week there's that weekly target and we are expecting that delivery of trucks including for Andrea will continue this week, later this week.
If you still have a few minutes and then I will go to my next.
There is there are two more questions.
And then of course there on Sierra at the Swiss news agency, it points for the briefing.
It seems that President Trump will have a new executive order today to extend the freeze of the suspension of aid funding for unrown.
Did you plan with it in the budget or is it obviously you, you probably dissipated that, but is it did you have several scenarios with and without the the resumption of US funding and how might that affect the the operations?
I mean, yeah, is there any consequence or not because you you might have anticipated?
We've seen the reports about that executive order.
So when the executive order and if the executive order is issued, we will be able to comment on that.
Having said that, the financial health of India is very, very bad.
It got worse over the past few months and expected to continue to worsen with the number of countries in, for example, Sweden deciding to stop funding to the agency.
We're not able to plan ahead too much and that primarily impacts the payment of salaries for the Indra workers, for the frontline E workers.
So far we've been able to make do and for example, in January we were able to pay the salaries.
But it's very, very difficult for us to have an understanding over the financial situation of the agency.
It's an it's been endemic.
This say financial crisis.
Yeah, we can remember the commissioner general's often spoke even from this podium about this issue.
Jamie Keaton, Associated Press.
Hi, Julia, Thank you so much for coming back to see us again.
Um, this time I'm not in the press room, but, uh, I just wanted to ask you, um, having heard from what you just said about, you know, that the schools are open and the clinics and various other, you know, treatment centres and whatnot, I guess could you just take a step back for us?
I mean, I think a lot of people are wondering kind of what the impact of this Knesset ban has really been.
It sounds like you guys are operating as much as ever, if not even more.
I mean, so can you kind of just like what, what actually has been the impact of that?
And, you know, our, our is unra alive and kicking more than people might have thought.
Yeah, Jamie, thank you and great to hear you.
Look, just to emphasise and to be accurate, the schools are open only in the West Bank, right?
So and that includes occupied E Jerusalem that includes around 50,000 kids -5000 in a in and around Janine.
While the schools, the Andreas run schools in in the Gaza Strip.
They've been closed for more than 16 months now since the beginning of the war on the 7th of October 2023 in Gaza.
That impacts over 330,000 boys and girls who have not been to to school since the 7th of October 2023.
So just to, on, on that one, on the general question, I wouldn't say we're operating more than than normal.
We're, we're delivering our services to the degree possible across the occupied West Bank, including E Jerusalem.
And that includes 2 areas.
That includes education and that includes primary healthcare.
In Gaza, we have more supplies because of the great window that we've had since the ceasefire started.
So these weekly targets are being met.
There is more supplies coming in, including to Andrea.
Andrea has brought in 60% of all supplies that came into into Gaza since the ceasefire began.
And so our teams are working because they have what to do, they have more supplies.
So I hope that answers the question.
I think that's oh, Nina, follow up quick.
And then we really go up to our guests also has a follow up.
I, I had a follow up on the on Janine.
I was wondering first if you've, so you've talked to people who had been in Janine, I mean, and also, do you have any idea of, of where they've gone?
If, if every, all the residents in the camp have left, do you have any idea of where they're gone and how they're being supported?
Thank you to to yes, thanks Nina to the surrounding areas around the, the camp that also includes Jenin City, but also other, other areas around the camp and the, our teams in northern West Bank, they've been providing them with providing people with with assistance, including matrices and basic, basic items.
So Toko, you also had a follow up.
Yes, thank you very much.
I just want to press what the other Jamie asked.
The last time you said you have no idea how the Israeli laws will be implemented today.
Do you have better picture of it?
So our focus is to stay and deliver.
That's really the, the focus is in Gaza.
The biggest priority for the agency is to bring in and distribute humanitarian assistance, continue with our primary healthcare.
By the way, Andrea gives 17,000 on average daily consultations through the health teams of Indra in the Gaza Strip.
So that's really the focus in the in Gaza and in the West Bank, it's health and education.
And of course, let's not forget the resource and the fact that a couple of dozens of our colleagues who would normally be based in the occupied West Bank, in particular in East Jerusalem, their visas have expired on the 29th of January.
They had to leave and their visas have not been renewed yet.
Thank you so very much, Juliet.
It's so important to continue talking about that.
And, and, and as the Secretary General said several times, we really reaffirm the whole strong and and and comprehensive support to Andra, which is the backbone of our operations in the Occupied Palestinian territory.
Come back, Juliet to to brief us regularly, please.
That's really appreciate it.
Yes, of course, whenever I have something new, I will definitely come back.
Thanks to the colleagues.
And then let me go now to my next guest on my left.
I'd like to introduce and and welcome Pugh Smith, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Pacific of UNFPA to tell us about your support to women and girls in South Asia.
Thank you very much, Alexandra.
UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, works with partners in over 150 countries to prevent maternal deaths and gender based violence and ensure access to family planning.
We are proud to have the support of more than 100 Member States, along with actors from the private sector, philanthropy and individuals who recognise the importance of this work for all of humanity.
But this life saving work is now in jeopardy.
As you all know, on 24 January, the US administration paused nearly all US foreign aid programmes pending a 90 day review.
In response, UNFPA has suspended services funded by US grants that provide a lifeline for women and girls in crises, including in South Asia.
As UNFPA's regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, I'm deeply concerned that millions of women and girls now face life threatening risks due to the lack of access to UNFPA's crucial services across Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In Afghanistan, over 9 million people will lose access to health and protection services, with nearly 600 mobile health teams, family health houses and counselling centres suspended.
Every two hours, a mother dies from preventable pregnancy complications, making Afghanistan one of the deadliest countries in the world for women to give birth.
Without your FPA support, even more lives will be lost At a time when the rights of Afghan women and girls are already being torn to pieces in Pakistan, 1.7 million people, including 1.2 million Afghan refugees will be cut off from life saving sexual and reproductive health services.
With the closure of over 60 health facilities in Bangladesh, nearly 600,000 people, including Rehanga refugees face losing access to critical maternal and reproductive health services.
This is not about statistics, this is about real lives.
These are literally the world's most vulnerable people and I've seen first hand the life saving difference that UNFPA makes.
Despite restrictions, last year UNFPA supported over 13 million people in Afghanistan through hundreds of women LED facilities in Cox's Bazaar, where over 1,000,000 Rohingya refugees remain trapped in dire conditions.
With UNFPA support, nearly half of all births now take place in health facilities.
This progress is now at risk, but UNFPA is committed to finding common ground with every member state, including the United States, to protect women and girls from violence and to save lives.
We remain extremely grateful to our donors who sustain our life saving work.
The humanitarian needs across the region, however, remain immense.
UNFPA requires over $308 million this year to sustain essential services in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
What happens when our work is not funded?
Women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions.
The risk of obstetric fistula is heightened.
Newborns die from preventable causes.
Survivors of gender based violence have nowhere to turn from medical or psychological support.
We hope that the United States government will retain its position as a global leader in development and continue to work with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families as a result of catastrophes they did not 'cause as committed humanitarians, we will continue to work diligently with our partners and with the communities we serve to uphold the safety, dignity and hope of every woman and girl, no matter what.
Because while political wins and funding decisions may change, our vital mission at your NFPA does not.
Thank you so much, PO, for this very important warning.
Thank you for for doing this briefing.
Have you already seen, you mentioned some of the consequences of the funding is when the funding is cut.
Have you already seen such consequences since the announcement?
And also this wasn't I think a surprise that the US under Trump would would cut funding to UNFPA has did you have any sort of planning in place to to mitigate the effects?
Yeah, thank you very much, Nina.
So in terms of the the the direct impact of this stop order, this is for funds that have already been committed to the agency.
And what we see is that programmes that have been focusing on maternal and reproductive health and psychosocial support will be affected.
So more than half of the facilities, so 596 out of the 982 will be impacted.
That includes 287 mobile health teams, 191 family health houses, 65 mother and health centres and 45 psychosocial counselling centres.
More than half of the female health workers who deliver life saving services to women and girls will lose their jobs.
So we're talking around 1700 out of the 3100 that we have in terms of, you know, what your FPA has been doing to anticipate this.
Of course, we've been working on the understanding that, like previous Republican administrations, that the agency would be defunded.
And we have been working to ensure we have different, you know, programme business continuity strategies in place.
But this impact that we're talking about now is with respect to funding that had all been is already in receipt at the agency.
Emma Farge, Reuters Yeah, thanks for this briefing.
Some aid officials have been complaining about confusion in some of the messages that have been coming from the Trump administration.
Was it for you pretty clear cut what you had to do?
That's the first question.
And secondly, are you pushing back against this in any way?
Do you have any hope for a waiver or is that a complete dead end in your view?
I think it's fair to say there has been a general state of confusion among all UN agencies with respect to the, the, the different instructions that have been coming out.
But what we, what I can tell you is that on the 24th of January, we received notification from State Department regarding 16 grants for the entire agency, not just for the Asia Pacific region that I cover.
And then the following week we did receive communication as top order work communications from USAID.
And so immediately in response to those communications, we adopted, you know, the immediate suspension of of activities and payments related to all US governments and grants that apply to those grants where the stop work order has been implemented.
This range is in, in the around I would say 16 countries where our programme operations are happening.
In terms of the the push back that you ask, I mean, you know, this is one of the reasons why we are undertaking briefings like this today with you.
But of course we're trying to communicate with the United States government to get more clarity around what actual programmes have been impacted on what the parameters of that are.
And of course, we we echo the message from the secretary general that I think has been made clear from this podium by Alexandra.
Yeah, and, and, and widely distributed.
Yes, absolutely, absolutely.
OK, so I'll go to the platform if I don't see other hands up here.
Lisa Schlein, Voice of America, yes, Good morning, Alessandra, Good morning.
How much of the eight and a half million dollars you say you need would the United States have given or how much of the amount of money that you generally get does the United States itself give?
And is it possible to make it up in other areas with other countries?
And I don't know whether it is possible for you.
You know, perhaps you have some kind of a figure on how many women's lives and also babies lives have been lost as a consequence of the financial cutbacks.
Another question has to do with the controversy that always roils around the issue of abortion.
the United States in the past has cut off the organisation financially because of this issue.
I believe you say you do not provide abortion services.
Is that something that should not be considered in regard to the United States cut off and other countries as well?
Thank you very much for for those questions.
So in terms of the, the actual figure of support that is received at the agency, I can tell you in the, in the Asia Pacific region, we had, we have suspended 53.7 million in project funding that was due from the State Department and a further 24,000,000 that had been received from the USAID again for activities in in Afghanistan.
But I mean, you know, suffice to say that the United States is one of the largest contributors for our humanitarian work across the globe.
And obviously we're pretty concerned about that substantial loss in, in funding with respect to the amount of lives or the, the, you know, that are impacted by this.
Again, if I just take the example of Afghanistan between 2025 and 2028, we estimate that the absence of US support will result in 1200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies 109,000.
And with respect to the question on abortion that always follows us, we have answered this on many occasions.
And to say that we do not provide those abortion services as is often alleged by Republican administrations and we're always acting within the the parameters of the law of the country where we work.
Just to clarify also because I see there are questions from that, that the estimate figure for the estimate, the figure for 2024 of the US contribution was about 47% of the global humanitarian appeal, around $14 billion.
I have seen another hand up.
Yes, for the entire humanitarian appeal, not just for the UNFP, of course.
You wanted to ask something.
They might, they might, they make.
Otherwise they don't hear you on the on the web.
Just to ask about the figures that you just say 20,000 and 1900 about the Yeah, you just say that the end of the US aid will cost 20,000 lives or something like that.
What I said was that we estimate between 2025 and 2028 the absence of US support will result in 12 hundred 1200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies.
And overall, I would say that you know, the the impact will be on approximately 9.1 million Afghan people in for example, in Afghanistan were were uncovering and the majority of whom are vulnerable people, women, girls, young people who have relied on UNFPA supported facilities that are providing health and psychosocial related services.
I didn't introduce you Yuria pref he's our correspondent.
OK, I go back to the platform if there are no questions here.
Gabriella Sotomayor, Proceso Mexican.
Do you hear me, Gabriella?
My question is if if you receive some offer from other countries to cover that kind of the quantity of money, maybe China or Russia or another country?
So what I can tell you is that we are extremely grateful to all of our existing donors who support our work across the globe.
And if I look at again the Asia Pacific region and and Afghanistan, millions of women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face critical gaps in essential services.
And we are working to minimise the impact by by prioritising those lifesaving services that I mentioned, meeting the needs in Afghanistan.
But all our programmes across the globe, that requires a broad coalition that we're working on constantly at UNFPA, it's governments, it's private sector philanthropy, individuals, all of whom are working together to safeguard the rights, the dignity and well-being of women and girls.
And we remain committed to working with all of our partners and communities to protect the women and girls of these most vulnerable places.
I'm, I'm curious, have you received any response from the US government as to why it is cutting your agency off from financial help?
The the letters that we received are similar to what other UN agencies have received and we are, like I mentioned earlier, engaging, trying to find more clarity from the US government and hope to get more details in particular as to why our programmes are being impacted, particularly those which we would hope would be exempt under the humanitarian rubric.
Lisa, what does the letters say?
We can, umm, I mean, it's the same as what other agencies have received.
I mean, we'll check if umm, in terms of a copy of the letter, whether that can be made available.
But I think it's what you've previously communicated.
We are also seeing some colleagues asking for your notes.
So I don't know if through Pernil and our office we could distribute the notes because there were a number of figures that was useful for them to have in writing.
And of course, we would publish the summary afterwards.
I don't see other hands up.
Thank you very much, Pierre.
This is very important that you came in and tell our journalist about the situation.
So let's stay with women and girls, but go to another continent.
Would you like to come to the podium?
And I welcome Sophia Caltrop, who's the Director General, Director of the Geneva Office and Chief of Humanitarian Action of UN Women, to hear about DRC.
While we are waiting for our two next speakers, I just wanted to read you just what Juliet asked me.
Juliet asked me to repeat to you just to clarify one more time, she says 4002, sorry, 4200 is the weekly target and not what has come in total since the ceasefire, since the 19th of January.
That's estimated at 10,000 trucks, the vast majority of which are for UNRWA.
And she also wanted me to mention to you that she will be at the Munich Security Conference from 14 to 16 February, and she will be available for interviews there.
If any of your colleagues is in Munich or you're going, she will be available for interviews there.
So you can contact her on this.
And let me see if we have Sophia online.
Yes, good morning, Alessandra, good morning.
And it's nice to see you.
So maybe I'll start with Sophia and then we'll hear just an update from Jens on the humanitarian situation.
Sophia, go ahead, please.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, and good morning to everybody.
I mean as, as you and women, we are deeply concerned about the increased vulnerability of women and girls in Eastern DRC.
The renewed escalation of violence has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis that are disproportionately affecting women and girls.
And as the clashes unfold in a country that has endured prolonged instability, women and girls are bearing the brunt of both the direct and the indirect consequences, with their rights, safety and dignity increasingly under ******.
Women and girls in the DRC currently face increased levels of sexual and gender based violence, with reports of **** and exploitation becoming tragically routine.
And in a recent UN Women Convene meeting, women's organisation voiced trust their urgent concerns about forced displacement, widespread sexual violence and significant gaps in protection and basic social services.
This context of increased displacement and resource scarcity added to pre-existing gender inequalities exasperate the vulnerability of women and girls in the DRC.
We welcome the ongoing regional political and peace initiatives and we urge all stakeholders to intensify dialogue and cooperation, paving the way for a sustainable resolution to the conflict.
Our collective efforts must be focused on ensuring that the voices and the needs of women are central to the response and to the recovery process and to that and as UN Women, we call for the immediate action by all actors to first of all end sexual and gender based violence and impunity of perpetrators.
That is strengthening prevention, protection and response mechanism and ensuring accountability for perpetrators and comprehensive support medical, legal and psychosocial for survivors.
Secondly, we call for support to local women's rights and women LED organisations, highlighting the critical role in the response to the crisis's partnerships with investments in these groups should be prioritised.
And 3rd, an increased humanitarian aid with a gender sensitive approach, that is to ensure that women in all the diversity are equally participate in the whole cycle of aid programming and distribution, ensuring the specific Health Protection and social needs are met.
And last but not least, we need to invest in long term gender equality, focusing on rebuilding women's resilience for education, economic empowerment, leadership opportunities, and by addressing structural inequalities.
UN Women remains deeply committed to supporting the people of the DRC and advocating for a future where women and girls can live free from violence and oppression and contribute fully to the rebuilding and peace of their nation.
Just realised that maybe the journalists don't necessarily know you, that you've become our the director of our Geneva office of UN Women just for everyone to know.
So if you have also questions later on, we can help you with the, the contact with the with Sophia.
So I'll turn now to Jens just for a more general update.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, and thank you for to your women for for this important briefing and, and aspect of it.
I just want to point you to a statement that the humanitarian coordinator, Bueno Le Marquis has just issued about an hour and a half, two hours ago, with a very strong appeal to the parties to make sure that the airport in Gorma can reopen.
As you as you know, the situation in the city is more calm that it was in the past.
That does not by any means mean that the human sense situation is actually getting any better, because we have this immense problem of getting medical and other aid into Goma.
There is an, an estimated 2880 people who have been who have been wounded or hurt in, in the fighting and they all need medical attention.
The hospitals are overwhelmed.
They are still overwhelmed.
Now we know that agencies are on the ground.
They are doing everything they can to get help to people who desperately need it.
But we need the supplies in and to get the supplies in, we need the airport open.
So I will share with you the, the, the statement.
I, I have it in French now.
I think it will come a bit later in, in English and I can send you both versions.
But he it's, it's a quite a strong statement.
And he says the humanitarian coordinator that every hour counts.
Now more people's lives are in danger every hour this airport is not open.
We are engaging with the parties and the actors who can reopen the airport, but the survival of thousands of people depend on that reopening.
Thank you very much to both Sophia and Yan's question.
OK, I'll start with Besa, Sophia.
Besa is our correspondent of the Turkish News Agency and other ones.
Good morning, Jen and Sophia.
I don't know which one of you would take this question, but we know that recently rebels declared A unilateral ceasefire.
Do we already see the effects of it because it should be in taken to effect today And do you think that maybe this ceasefire can lead to opening of the airport?
Yes, I mean we, we have seen already from from yesterday, I would say that there was increased calm.
We had some reports that some resemblance of life is is coming back, some shops are are reopening and so on and so forth.
Banking is not working for example, but people are more out and about including the the humanitarians.
The problem with the airport has not been resolved yet.
There is a security cordon around it apparently at the moment and we need to to reopen that.
So we are engaging with the parties.
And by parties I mean primarily, of course the M23 and the and the armed forces of the DRC.
Sophia, you want to add something?
I mean, of course, in terms of the needs of women and and girls to I would just reiterate what OCHA said to, to get the airport open and to, to make sure that we we can, can, can, can, can get humanitarian.
It's of course a priority for all of us within the UN at this point.
Other question to on the RC in the room.
Yes, please, Olivia, first question and the briefing.
Just have to thank you, Mike.
Thank you very much for this briefing.
Yes, there's a question to begin with with you, you, you were precising that the airport needs to be opened.
But just to to clarify, has any aid at all got in and are operations on the ground managing to to happen relatively freely?
And welcome, Olivia, to to Reuters here.
No, the airport has not been open since since it it was closed when the fighting reached reached the airport.
So we have not seen things coming in.
Of course, the humanitarian presence in Goma was already extensive and has been for for a very long time.
And there are warehouses and stockpiles that have been available.
So that would be where we go to for the immediate date.
But obviously given this massive spike in humanitarian needs, that needs to be replenished and that needs to happen through the airport.
Just for example, as as an example of what Yance is saying, the World Food Programme for example, has been actively pre positioning supplies and they are ready to resume their operation as soon as possible.
They are also saying that they are strengthening preparedness efforts in neighbouring countries, working with UNHCRIOM and others to develop contingency plans given the risk of increased displacement.
As we have seen it already, WFP is ensuring readiness in Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania because as they have said already one of out of every four people across the country faces acute hunger, especially children and pregnant women.
So they as as Ian said, this is for example one of the agencies who was there and working in preparation.
I had seen other hands up not in the room but on the platform.
So I'll go to Lisa Schlein was of America.
Yeah, thank you for Yens and also for Sophia Yens.
The DRC government I believe has said it's not content with MP3 M 23 taking over Goma, but that it will fight to regain it.
So do you expect the calm to continue for any length of time?
And I was wondering what impact the the US aid cut off global humanitarian aid has or will have upon your efforts to get humanitarian aid to Goma and for Sophia, you, you made these appeals.
I'm confused to whom are you making these appeals?
Are you making it to the international community?
Are you making it to the United States?
Are you making it to MP3 to, you know, to behave better toward the women and you spoke about girls and women being raped and sexually abused.
Has that stopped or it has is that continuing?
And do you know how many have been victims of this this atrocity?
And then lastly, I I don't know where you get, do you get your funding from the United States and from other nations?
How much money do you need?
I'm sorry, I don't know much about your organisation.
We hope, of course, that the this calm continues.
I can't say whether it will or not.
I've been doing this for, for too long to start speculating in that what I what I can say and what we can say is that the needs are very, very **** and it's imperative that calm continues and that fighting do not restart.
On your question about US funding, let me let me give you this little bit that that I have as Alessandra just mentioned that a while ago, some 47% of the global humanitarian appeal across the world last year, 47% of that was funded through the US government.
That gives you an indication of how much it matters when we are in the situation we are in right now with the messaging we're getting from from the government.
So in 13 countries in particular, last year, U.S.
government funding to humanitarian appeals exceeded 50%, right?
And among those countries you will find Democratic Republic of the Cocoa.
Sophia, thank you very much and thank you for the interest in you and women.
Our appeal is really for all actors to look into the needs and specific situation of women and girls and make sure that that those are highlighted and addressed and also that the voices of women and girls are listened to.
We do believe that that women and girls are imperative for humanitarian action and for making sure that, that people that, that, that, that the humanitarian aid is, is, is women and girls are very often, you know, first line responders and to empower them to make sure that they're fully posters of the responses is, is key for us.
In terms of, of, of the violence against women and girls, we are working very closely with our team on the ground.
I have no specific figures to give you, but can come back to that.
But obviously we do not see that that has stopped.
On the contrary, with, with the increased conflict and, and, and, and violence, we, we do see an increased violence against women and girls as well.
And then our, our funding, I mean, yes, you and women, we work with a number of, of, of partner countries, specifically in the, in the DRC.
We have been receiving funding lately from Germany, but also a number of our other partners that, that are investing in, in women and girls and, and the gender humanitarian action as, as an effective humanitarian action, but also happy to provide more information on that.
And if I may add, Lisa, there was at this podium, Jeremy Lawrence said the last briefing also gave quite a few numbers about the sexual violence in DRC and in particular the concern of **** Commissioner Turk that the latest escalation risks deepening the risk of conflict related sexual violence, violence much further.
Emma, can I ask a question to Jens, please?
You mean it's more general?
Well, wait, because I've got some others on on DRC.
Yeah, this is on on DRC and and the US funding just specifically has the suspension of funds and the stock work order affected or paused any of your emergency response in DRC?
That's for OCHA and UN women once you want to start.
I do not have any specifics on this.
As we heard from from colleague just just just before there is a state of confusion to be frank, mind you this is not the UN creating confusion, OK.
This is the US administration creating the confusion for us because we are getting.
Not very detailed instructions of what is supposed to go and what is supposed to not go so that that that is the situation we're in.
So I do not have any specific question, sorry, answers for you on on that particular one.
Of course, this is something that we're looking at very closely across all our appeals.
Sophia, I have nothing else to add at this moment.
OK, Jamie Kitten, Associated Press.
My question is for Jens and maybe for Mr.
But there's talk of the United States you've mentioned on a number of occasions about how the funding you mentioned the confusion just a second ago.
What do you say to the people in the United States who do not understand why the United States has been the country that the United Nations has been dependent upon for so long?
And what do you say to critics who say that, you know, it's time that that other funders step forward?
I mean, and, and how do you explain that the United States is responsible for 50% of the funding that you've got for humanitarian last year, as you mentioned.
Jens, please just answer that for the people in the United States who are wondering why their tax dollars are going to all these things so inordinately compared to other countries in the world.
And so I give you the floor.
I'm sorry, just just as a general point, I think what you are saying, Jamie, contains the answer.
I mean the we are extremely grateful for the generosity of the US towards the poorest, poorest, the more vulnerable.
I think it shows the solidarity, the the support that the United States have demonstrated towards the most vulnerable for many, many, many years.
And we are grateful to the US for this.
I think that it obviously the fact of supporting the poorest country, the poorest situation, the situation of conflict where civilians are suffering.
It's also not it's not just a gesture of humanity, which is obviously extremely important and support of our action, but also a way to help us avoid that situation, escalate into more violence, more conflicts.
I think this is extremely important to underline that supporting our humanitarian action means also reducing the suffering and the possibility of father violence and and conflicts in the world.
So I'll I'll maybe and she want to add something because it's your special at the end of it.
Thanks, Alessandra, and thank you, Jamie, for the opportunity.
For decades, the people of the United States has been a tremendously general generous donor to to humanitarian action across the world.
And we, we being the entire humanitarian community, are grateful for that.
There's no question about that.
However, to your specific question, why is it like it's an outsize proportion of the appeal funding last year for example that is funded by tax dollars?
To reply to your question, I would invite you to go in and look at the sizes of the economies around the world.
You can look it up in OECD and you can see what percentage, normally it's calculated as percentage of GNI of that of, of that income is spent on international aid, including humanitarian aid.
And that will give you an indication of what is the proportion of the wealth, if you like, or the the economy of any country that is given to humanitarian aid.
I think that is a good indicator of generosity, is it not?
And there you will see where the US sits on that list.
And I think Pierre wants to add, there's something on this.
I mean, Jens has said it extremely well, as have you, Alexandra.
But just to add, I mean, let there be no doubt at all that, you know, when we work in partnership as any UN agency with State Department, with USAID, with the US government, millions of lives are saved.
We're uplifting and building resilient communities and I think also we're helping to create a more equitable world that is also based on the premise that everybody deserves the basic access to human rights.
And that's good for everybody.
Given the interconnected world that that we live in.
That's good for the world, but it's also very reassuring for US taxpayers.
This is indeed money very well spent.
And I see Sophia now I have nothing to add but just to concur with what colleagues have said in terms of, you know, the importance to, I mean, as the UN to to together see how we can advance those discussions.
I just want sorry, thank you very much for your answers.
I just want to make maybe be very simple about it.
Yeah, obviously you mentioned you're, you're alluding to the assessed contributions.
Yeah, it's a lot of agencies also get voluntary contributions and those voluntary contributions in many cases are even greater than the assessed contributions for some UN agents.
My, my question is, my basic question is, does the secretariat or do UN agencies acknowledge that there has been too much dependency on the United States and that there needs to be a rebalancing overall?
What is the, what is the secretary or agency saying about that?
Does there need to be greater contribution from other countries?
I don't want to speak for the whole secretariat or all agencies, but I can say that for Orchard, we have made that realisation years and years ago.
And we have spoken about broadening the donor base.
We have spoken about, you know, expanding that going into the private sector to philanthropists and so on and so forth for exactly that reason, because there's a relatively small handful of donors, including the the United States that funds what, what, what we do, right?
And we need much more the streams of income, if you like, because as we just heard, this is something that benefits the entire world.
It's a global public good.
And of course, we would like more contributions to that global public good indeed.
And, and, and really, yeah, I think to what you said before, Jamie, the issue as we have answered to you, it's just not only for the world, it's also for the United States to make them stronger and safer.
And we can also, we are, we are working on identifying and and and communicating on stories where the generosity of the US taxpayer, the US government have made a real difference in not only in our action, but for the local communities and in the world.
But I haven't forgotten Emma.
I think the others are not specifically in DLC.
So I will go to Emma and then Imogen and Maya.
Yeah, Ian, I know it's a confusing and distressing time and you don't have all the answers, but some agencies, NGOs have already had to make decisions based on the executive orders and already had to lay off staff, for example.
Have you had to do this yet?
Is that in in the works or do you have sufficient liquidity for now to to at least ride out the 90 days?
And I just had one follow up on Gaza after.
Yeah, for, for Orcha as a, as an organisation, I, I don't have anything to, to report about layoffs or, or closing down access.
We, we have of course been in close contact with all our offices around the world who are also on, on their part in close contact with the US embassies that are in their countries.
Seeking more clarity about what this all means.
Would you have a follow up and just I'd, I'd be interested in more details on on Tom Fletcher's visit to to the region of Gaza and Israel and what he's who he's meeting with and what he's pushing for for the second phase of the ceasefire.
So regarding Tom Fletcher's visit, yeah.
As we said yesterday, he arrived in in Israel and OPT yesterday.
It's a week's long mission where he will speak with authorities, humanitarian partners, people working on the front line of the response, people who we are helping and so on and so forth to get the broadest possible understanding of what is going on and how he can help move the humanitarian situation into a into a place where we would like to be.
Yesterday he met in in Ramallah with the Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa and several Palestinian ministers.
He also met with the President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
In the coming days he will meet further with Israeli and Palestinian office officials and visit areas in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in Israel itself.
That is as much as I can say about his visit.
Imagine, Yeah, you've been very nice.
I mean, rightly, I guess, the generosity of the United States over the years, but you know, the mood has really changed.
And I'm just wondering how is your your sense of trust with this traditionally very big partner?
And apart from the words of gratitude, do you not want to respond to some of the kind of comments that humanitarian work, well USAID, but it's applied generally that they are, you know, radical Marxist, Leninist lunatics, etcetera.
I mean, shouldn't the humanitarian community be confronting that, that narrative more directly?
I mean my colleagues are in the but in general image and I think it's not a question of what we believe or what we feel.
The question is there has been a decade long relationship of mutual support, trust activities, funding, solidarity, working together.
We continue to do this and we engage what we've said it several times because of course the questions are are very numerous on this, that the UN are ready and are working to cooperate, to continue cooperating with the with the new administration of the US as we have done in the past.
It's not a question of believing, it's a question of continuing building this trust, building this confidence, building this cooperation.
And of course, I don't think we want to anybody wants to comment on on the words you use that that's not the point.
I think the point is really looking at continuing this work together and listening also to if there are criticism, constructive criticisms and points that we need to review.
The secretary general said it in in his statement.
Of course we want to work on this and continue this relationship of trust.
And of course, sorry, I I didn't want to cut everybody's else, but if anybody has had their comments, please no.
Just to say that public name calling won't save any lives.
I mean, I think everybody has to be responsible for their own words and actions.
What I can tell you is that at UNFPA we are extremely proud to work alongside USAID and dedicated humanitarians who we support and share values with, and together they are helping us as UNFPA to protect women from coercive family planning and forced abortion.
They are helping us to reduce the number of people that are seeking abortion.
They are helping the UNFPA to help children and young people recognise grooming and sexual *****, All of these lifesaving, life altering moments.
USAID has been for years, for decades, proudly shoulder to shoulder with us.
And that's what we hope to see continue.
Umm, I see one more question online, but is there any other comments?
Sophia, I haven't forgotten you're online in case you want to add something to say.
I mean, thank you, Alessandra.
I mean also from you and women, of course.
We are extremely grateful.
And that is a fact for the US leadership over decades and their investments that have meant so much for for for the education, for the health and for protection of women and girls in particular in humanitarian contexts over over the years.
Thank you very much, Maya.
I think you have the LA model FA we mercy just to my question is, isn't the United States a major benefactor of all this monetarian aid?
For instance, It sells all the goods that go through to UNICEF, to World Food Programme, all the excess production of wheat in the US.
So I think, I don't know if who makes this calculation, but maybe there is a think tank that makes this calculation.
And I think I've seen something online, I can't recall the exact name of the think tank because the United States benefits a lot from this humanitarian aid.
It gets too old actually.
That's what's the calculation.
What do you have to say to that?
Because it's not just charity, you know, money that's lost or just to build the soft power or security, peace and security issues for the United States, national security.
But it is also economically very profitable for the United States after all, because it's where it sells.
All this procurement that's made at the UN, most of the goods and services, vaccines, food are from the United States.
So let me make help me make sense of that.
I, I, you're probably right.
There's a, there's tonnes of analysis, there are tonnes of think tanks and, and what have you that are analysing these, these, these flows from Orcha as a neutral, independent, strictly humanitarian agency.
I will just point to the good things that funding from the US and others are doing in the crisis where we help coordinate the response.
But other effects it may have is kind of beyond my mandate to to speak to Thank you very much.
So that concludes our discussion.
I would like to thank Sophia online, Jens and PO here.
Thank you so much and ask UNECE, Jovana and Pascal to come to the podium.
So let's while we are having our news, our next speakers, I just would like to before we close the issue of women and girls, to remind you that the 6th of February, the international community is commemorating an International Day of 0 tolerance for female genital mutilations.
We have sent you the statement of the Secretary General on this important day.
I just would like to remind everyone that female genital mutilation, as he says in the in the statement, is a horrific act of gender based violence.
More than 230 million girls and women alive today as survivors of this abhorrent practise.
It's one of the most brutal manifestation of gender inequality, says the Secretary General.
Eradicating this vicious human rights violation is urgent and it is possible, as this year Team theme reminds us, He says we are making progress, but we must pick up the pace.
The Pact for the Future, agreed at the UN last September, includes A commitment by member states to eliminate female genital mutilation by tackling negative social norms and gender discrimination, and the Secretary General.
To conclude, let's join forces to make female genital mutilation history and ensure a brighter, healthier and more just future for all women and girls everywhere.
I just wanted to close our discussions on women and girls with this very important message.
And since we're speaking with you all about human rights, maybe I'll turn to you.
Pascal, you have an announcement on the council.
I will read the following statement in French, but the media advisory with the English version will be sent to you very shortly.
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Miss Pascal, the question is simple that United States has withdraw from HRC and in the next decision or the compensations we take the UPR to the United States.
Is that impact was that even states has withdraw from HRC is that United States has right to.
Refuse to answer specific questionnaires from UPR.
Thank you buddy, we like you.
We read this news report, but we haven't seen or received any official communication in this regard, so therefore we cannot comment on something that we haven't seen so far.
For the record, the United States was a member of the UN Human Rights Council from January 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2024.
And since January 1st, 2025, the United States automatically became an observer State of the Human Rights Council like any of the 193 UN member states that are not Council members.
So as an observer state, any observer state of the Council cannot technically withdraw from an intergovernmental body that is no longer part of.
That's all I can tell you for now.
Regarding your specific question on the UPRI mean, we welcome and we encourage participation and engagement from any UN member states with the work of the Council and with the mechanism of the Council.
Whether you're a member of the Council or whether you're just an observer state, everybody is encouraged to cooperate with the Council.
We have a set date for the UPR of the United States.
It's for the 10th of November of this year.
There's too many months between now and this date.
We'll see what the nature of the US engagement will be.
We'll see what kind of level of engagement it will be.
But as I say, as a general principle, everybody's encouraged to collaborate, to work, to discuss, to present views, different opinions, legitimate concerns, legitimate criticism.
But these concerns are better addressed within Room 20 rather than outside the forum of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Any other questions about Scott?
You have also have an upcoming meeting, but that's next week, right?
Next week, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe will hold the regular annual session of its Inland Transport Committee to deliberate on the future of sustainable transport.
Since 1947, the Inland Transport Committee has provided an intergovernmental forum where UN Member States come together to help efficiently address a global and regional needs.
The Inland Transport Committee is the United Nations global platform for Rd rail and in inland waterway transport it plays a role comparable to that of the International Maritime Organisation for Maritime Transport and to that of International Civil Aviation Organisation for Aviation.
Just to underline that over 3/4 of UN Member States are party to at least one of the 61 legal instruments of the Inland Transport Committee.
At the session next week, which will last from 11th to 14th of February, here at the Palais of Nacion, Palais de Nacion, the Inline Transport Committee will take a stock of the work achieved so far and it will also deliberate, as I said, on the future transport, sustainable transport.
And this comes at against the backdrop of ongoing challenges, mostly escalating climate extremes, rapid technological advances and geopolitical tensions.
So the **** level segments of the first day of the session, which will take place on the 11th of February, will focus on the promotion of sustainable regional and inter regional inline transport connectivity and very importantly on climate action of the transport sector.
The inland transport contributes to more than 72% of global energy related CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
Out of this figure, 69% stem from Rd transport.
By comparison, aviation responsible for approximately 2% of emissions on an annual basis, while maritime transport is responsible from 2 to 3%.
So, against this background, last year in February, the Inland Transport Committee adopted its ambitious decarbonisation strategy, which aims to achieve that net zero GHG emissions from inland transport by 2050.
Also as part of next week's session, the Inland Transport Committee will hold the regional consultation on the development of the implementation plan for the first ever UN decade on sustainable transport.
The decade will last begin in 26 and will last until 2035.
The session next week is expected to be attended by almost 20 **** level representatives of transport ministries from countries all over the world, as well as by some 20 heads of international organisations.
More information about the programme of the session is contained in the notes which was and I believe will be distributed to you.
I also did not mention in the notes that next week there will also be a demonstration of electric mobility.
On the first day of the session of 11th of February, there will be electric track, van and cargo bike together with the necessary recharging infrastructure.
So we're just waiting for the confirmation of the exact venue of this demonstration.
This also gives me an opportunity to remind some of you who are interested in this topic that UNEC is this year working to develop a globally harmonised methodology to measure the fast recharging of electric vehicles.
This methodology is expected to be a voluntary standard for legislators, car manufacturers, recharging stations, operators, but also for consumers.
In addition, recently UNEC conducted an analysis on the electric vehicle recharging infrastructure across UNEC countries, that's Europe and North America.
This analysis sheds light on the distribution and accessibility of recharging pools, stations and points, as well as remaining gaps.
Along with this planned methodology that UNEC is working during this week, this analysis seeks to improve the understanding of how the electric vehicle recharging infrastructure and capability are evolving and what needs to be done to support the growth of electric mobility.
Let me see if there's any question to you.
Any ECE online, I don't see any.
So thank you very much for this announcements and information.
Yes, Yuri for, for, for Ivana, I know we choose online we we had the more like Christian is there and Tariq let me see not Tariq is there.
I have also a question about USA, but specifically about Ukraine, because the US also say that they're withdrawing from WHO.
What will be the impact for your work in Ukraine?
Are you still able to work there?
And what kind of project do you will have to close after the fact that the US is withdrawing from WHO and cutting the financement in Ukraine?
As as we have already said on a couple of occasions, we are really assessing possible implications.
So I can't really give you any specifics on on on Ukraine, but we will do everything we can to continue our worker in emergencies and all the other work that we interested.
You have a follow up, Was that the hand?
So let me just give you a couple of announcements.
First of all, as you may have seen, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is reviewing today an exceptional report from the Democratic Republic of the Congo on sexual violence related to the conflict in the eastern part of the country.
So exactly what we have been discussing before, sorry, the next country is under review for this session are Nepal, Belarus, Luxembourg, Belize, Congo, Sri Lanka and Liechtenstein.
The Conference of Disarmament is meeting this morning for a public plenary meeting still under the Presidency of Ambassador Bencini of Italy.
And then I wanted to tell you on behalf of Waipu, that's why we'll be hosting an embargoed press conference tomorrow, Wednesday at 10:30 for the launch of the Waipotechnology Trends.
The report called Waipotechnology Trends Future of Transportation.
The official launch event will be held at 11 AM at Waipu.
So after the press conference with a range of interesting features, including a technological timeline charting the historical innovations and landmark developments across the transportation sector across the years, you will also see one of the world's oldest electric vehicles, which will sit alongside one of the latest EVs.
That's just that position between past and current innovations.
I just wanted to see if you could tell us what response have you received from other countries to Director General Tedros appeal to other countries to lobby on behalf of WHO to convince President Trump to reverse his decision for the pull out and and funding suspension.
What response have you received from other countries?
Are there other countries that have raised their hand to step step up?
Well, maybe you have not watched yesterday the the executive board session.
You can just go on our website and click on executive board and watch live.
There was a plenty of interventions yesterday in support of WHO so really best is to follow the executive board meeting and and you can you can re watch the discussions from yesterday.
Thank you very much Tarek.
I see Jamie has a follow up.
Sorry, could I, I thank you Tarek.
I as a matter of fact, I did listen to the executive board and, and I did not hear any specific commitments.
So I'm just wondering, could you be specific about any commitments that WHOI know that the voicing support is one thing and saying we support what you do is one thing, but I'm asking about specific commitments to, to, to increase national funding to make up for the loss because of funding from the United States.
Well, then, then, then Jamie, you may want to to to do to watch today at the at the programme of work and then you can find a document for today's scheduled work of executive board.
There would be normally discussion on on financing and proposed budget.
So maybe countries will will speak about that today.
So we will all be there listening to what countries are saying will be interesting.
It's just a quick question regarding there are two meetings scheduled in Brus, scheduled in Brussels today, one with ILO as the International Labour Organisation Director General, Joubert on boat with the Commission President von der Leyen at 6:00 PM.
And then there is one with Kaya Palace, the EU **** Representative for External Affairs that meets with Filippo Grandi also today.
Is anyone from those agencies there that could comment on what they're expecting to this meetings be about?
Let me see if she's still online.
If anybody is there from UNHCR, you want to take the floor?
I don't see anybody from UNHCR now, but I'm sure you can.
You can contact them and they'll be able to to answer to you.
And on the 1st, no, I don't see anybody.
I'm sorry, Maya, they, they were there, but ILO was not here, but unit CR was.
But ILO of course, you can always contact Dana.
So please do that separately.
I see Solange has sent you the notes of UNFPA and Juliet has sent the link in the chat for the Janine camp profile and we will distribute it to you so that everybody can have it.
Sorry, Maya, you have a follow up.
Yeah, I just received an e-mail to saying that the Viper conference is tomorrow at it's not clear is it 10:30 AM or 10:30 PM?
Because it said 10:30 PM, it was a time for me, OK, I don't know because we haven't done that, but I have been giving been given the message to read to you when it was well 10:30 in the morning for the press conference and and 11:00 the launch on Thursday.
So 10:30 Wednesday, the press conference and then the launch because as I said, the, the, the press conference is under embargo.
And then at 11:00 on Thursday, the launch.
But I can ask colleagues at Wiper to check if they there has been a mistake in the, in the information that has been sent to you.
Anyone else don't see other hands up.
So thank you very much for being with us until the end of this very long briefing.
Very interesting briefing.
And Bon appetit, I'll see you on Friday.
