UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 07 July 2020

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UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 07 July 2020

50:38

MP4

405.6 MB

07-07-2020

Press Conferences | OHCHR , UNHCR , WFP , ILO

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 07 July 2020

ENG

Human Rights Council

Rolando Gomez, for the Human Rights Council (HRC), announced that the Commission of Inquiry on Syria would hold a virtual press conference at 2 p.m. today. The Commission’s report on the events in Idlib, which had been mandated by the Council, would be under embargo until the press conference.

Today at the Council, the dialogue with the working group on discrimination against women was continuing. The new rapporteur on extreme poverty, Olivier de Schutter, would then engage with the Council. A report on violence against women would also be presented, as well as a report on practices of conversion therapy. On 9 July, a report on targeted killings by drones would be presented by the Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Agnès Callamard, informed Mr. Gomez. Thursday, 9 July would also be the deadline for submission of draft resolutions to the Council.

More information on the forty-fourth session of the Council can be found here.

COVID-19: impact on food security in Kenya

Elisabeth Byrs, for the World Food Programme (WFP), stated that in late 2019, 1.3 million Kenyans had been severely food insecure and needed immediate assistance. That number was expected to rise to between 3 and 3.5 million in July when families ran out of food as the lean season between two harvests peaked. Complementing the Government’s COVID-19 response, WFP was providing cash assistance for three months to 279,000 people living in informal urban settlements in Nairobi. WFP’s assistance was reaching families who had already struggled daily to feed themselves before the pandemic had struck and had now lost incomes because of related restrictions.

WFP would provide USD 40 monthly through mobile transfers to each eligible household to cover up to half the food needs for an average family of four – in line with the Government’s own cash assistance programme. The urban poor spent about half of their income on food.

WFP had appealed for USD 44 million in April to meet new needs due to the pandemic, and with adequate funding, WFP could provide food assistance to 725,000 people in Nairobi’s informal settlements and other hotspots.

Responding to a question, Ms. Byrs said only a small fraction of the USD 962 million needed for the COVID-19 response had been received so far.

COVID-19: updates from the World Health Organization

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that WHO briefings on COVID-19 would from now on take place twice a week, instead of three times, as had been the case so far. The next briefing would be held at 5 p.m. today. A journalist recommended that WHO Geneva briefings not take place on Tuesday afternoons so not to overlap with PAHO press conferences.

Responding to a question on claims that COVID-19 could be airborne, Ms. Harris said the issue would be addressed at the presser this afternoon. Updated travel guidance was in the process of preparation, said Ms. Harris, who reiterated the importance of physical distancing and not touching one’s face with the hands. Travellers should also be informed about the current levels of transmission where they were going and the local requirements. Things could change very rapidly and one needed to stay alert, she stressed. Ms. Harris could not currently provide further details on the upcoming WHO mission to China. Temperatures seemed not to have any effect on the spread of COVID-19, said Ms. Harris.

Ms. Harris also informed that a press conference on HIV would take place after the COVID-19 press briefing this afternoon.

Congolese refugees in Uganda

Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that more than 3,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo had arrived in Uganda between 1 and 3 July during a temporary opening of two border crossing points at Golajo and Mount Zeu, north-western Uganda. The new arrivals had been previously part of a larger group of some 45,000 people, according to local DRC authorities, who had attempted to flee towards the Ugandan border shortly after deadly clashes erupted between armed militia groups in the Ituri province on 17 and 18 May.

While some had been able to return to their areas of origin, others had remained close to the border, unable to cross for more than a month due to the closure of borders on the Uganda side to contain the spread of COVID-19. Sixty-five per cent of the new arrivals were children, said Mr. Yaxley. UNHCR had installed 318 family tents, as well as nine water tanks, health screening areas, toilets and hand-washing facilities. In addition, UNHCR and partners were providing food, water, medical checks and temporary shelter, and health teams and an ambulance were on stand-by in case anyone needed hospitalization. UNHCR welcomed the decision by the Government of Uganda to allow the group of refugees to enter the country and receive life-saving aid and protection. Mr. Yaxley said the UNHCR had received only 18 per cent of the USD 357 million required for its operation in Uganda in 2020.

Full press release is here.

Geneva announcements

Rosalind Yarde, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), spoke about the ILO Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work, the second stage of which was opening today at noon Geneva time. ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, would open the summit in a virtual conversation with the moderator, but he would not be making a formal statement. On 8 July, more than 50 Heads of State and Government would address the Summit via recorded video messages. On 9 July, government ministers, worker and employer leaders – the constituents of the ILO – would engage in discussions. The Summit could be followed on the ILO website.

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the UN Information Service (UNIS), informed that the 2020 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2020) would hold its first meeting today. The theme was "Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development". The HLPF annual meeting was the core United Nations platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s Sustainable Development Goals Report would be released today, confirming that the pandemic had reversed decades of progress, especially for the most vulnerable.

There was no plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament scheduled for this week, which was the last week of the second part of the 2020 session.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which had opened its seventy-sixth session the previous week, was holding this afternoon a public meeting devoted to an informal briefing for States Parties on the draft General recommendation on trafficking in women and girls in the context of global migration.

The Human Rights Committee, which had opened the previous week its one hundred and twenty-ninth session, would hold during this session several public meetings, all devoted to the review of its General Comment 37 on Article 21 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (right to peaceful assembly).

Teleprompter

All right, let's get started right on the .1030.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this press briefing of Tuesday the 7th of July.

I have a few announcements, but let's get started with our guests already.

Fernando Gomez from the Human Rights Council is here to give you an update on what is happening at the Council today and this week.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning, everybody.

I will be fairly brief today.

I just wanted before I get into the programme of the Human Rights Council today, I wanted to to announce that at 2:00 PM today we have a press conference with the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic.

This is a fully virtual press conference in that the commissioners are are not here.

They're not present here in Geneva.

Now I send copies of the report of the Commissioner inquiry, which covers its special investigation to the recent events in Idlib.

I sent the report to you under embargo at 9:00 AM this morning, strict embargo to 2:00 PM, the time of the press conference.

Also accompanying the the report is press release in English and Arabic.

So again, the press conference is fully virtual with three commissioners at 2:00 PM.

So this report, I should note, it was mandated by the Human Rights Council through a resolution at its recently concluded 43rd session and the Commission is scheduled to present this report to the Council on 14 July.

Now turning to today's programme in the Assembly Hall, it's it's lots of things going on.

In fact, in the Assembly Hall, lots of moving parts.

We have various themes being addressed.

We have a continuation of a dialogue going on right now with the Working Group on the discrimination, discrimination against women.

In a little while, we'll hear from the new Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, Olivier Olivier Discuta, who's not new to us.

He was formerly the rapporteur on the right to food, incidentally now the rapporteur on extreme poverty and his report addresses the progress, progress in the global fight against poverty and he's also presenting his predecessor's missions country reports to Malaysia and Spain.

Just before the break, the lunch break, we'll have a report being presented on by the rapporteur on violence against women, the Dupravka Simonovich, whose report focuses on combating violence against women journalists.

She also has reports being presented on Bulgaria and Ecuadorian missions.

This afternoon we will also will have the continuation of this report from the rapporteur and violence against women, before turning to the report of the independent expert on the protection and against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal Bodlos, whose report addresses practises of conversion therapy.

He also has a mission report to Ukraine.

Very briefly, looking at tomorrow, the Council will have a panel discussion on the impacts of and opportunities and challenges of new and emerging digital technologies and its implications on human rights.

This is a panel discussion which will take place in two parts in the morning and in the afternoon.

Wedged in between that we'll hear the Council will hear from the rapporteur on internally displaced persons, Cecilia Jimenez Damari, whose report touches on the situation of Idps with disabilities.

She also has a country report being presented on Iraq.

And just very briefly turning to Thursday, we will hear from the rapporteur on the on extrajudicial or summary executions on.

Yes, Kalamar, I mentioned this because the report was just put online and now her report addresses the issue of targeted killings through drones.

So through armed drones, I should specify armed drones.

So that report is online and will be presented on Thursday.

Last note from me is just to always remind you of the all the happenings on the sidelines.

We have several informal consultations taking place today and tomorrow on draught resolutions.

And on that note, I should mention that we have the deadline for the submission of draught resolutions this Thursday.

This Thursday.

What is that?

The 11th?

Sorry, the 9th, sorry, the 9th of July.

So 9th July, we have the deadline for the submission of draught resolutions to be considered by the Council this session.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much Rolando.

Sounds like a pretty busy week for you.

Let's see if there are any questions from our two journalists in the room.

Thank you for being there and let's take a look if anybody has a question from the online platform.

I don't see any hands.

As usual, you have very comprehensive information, so there are no questions for you.

Thank you very much, Rolando.

Oh, wait a second.

Yes, there.

There's Catherine.

Fionncon has just asked for the floor.

So can we unmute Catherine?

[Other language spoken]

Bonjour, Catherine.

[Other language spoken]

Sorry, Rolando, to be late asking question regarding the Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Expression, David Kay.

Is it possible, have you been able to contact him and to have a briefing organised with him or it will be difficult?

Thanks for asking, Catherine.

Yes, we are in the process of arranging that for you and given the time, different.

Well he is.

I should just note initially that he is expected to present his report to the Council this Friday towards the end of the day.

This will likely spill over to Monday the 13th, after which at some point next week, he is amenable to doing a press conference.

I just can't tell you specifically when.

I should note that he is in California, so there's a nine hour difference.

So the timing will be a bit tricky for all of us, but indeed, he is very happy to do this.

This is his final report to the council after six years on the job, so we wouldn't want to miss that opportunity.

We'll send you the details ASAP.

[Other language spoken]

Any other questions for Orlando before he goes?

[Other language spoken]

So I think you're free to go out.

Thanks very much, Orlando.

Let's go to Roslyn Yard from the International Labour Organisation, who is going to give you some information about an ILO global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of work.

[Other language spoken]

The second stage of the Ilo's summit on COVID-19 in the World of work opens today at 1200 Geneva time.

And today's event features highlights from regional events that took place last week.

And the ILO Director General, Guy Ryder, will open the summit in a virtual conversation with the moderator, but he'll not be making a formal statement.

And tomorrow's summit features video addresses from more than 50 heads of state and government, as well as prominent global employer and trade union leaders.

And they'll be, they'll address the summit via video message.

You should have received an e-mail this morning with a link to the list of speakers who'll be featured tomorrow.

And there's also a link to the agenda, so you can see the order in which they'll be speaking.

And you'll be able to follow the summit on the ILO website.

And then the third day on the 9th of July is the ILO Constituents Day.

And this is where government ministers, workers and employers leaders from ILO Member States will reflect on the previous day's events and discuss the implementation of the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work in the context of the pandemic and the Global Summit.

They examine a range of issues including how to promote full and productive employment in this new environment and post pandemic environment.

What needs to be done to address the massive vulnerabilities in the world of work which has been made evident by the pandemic?

Which workers, which groups of workers provide require particular support and attention, and how to position the reduction and elimination of poverty as central objections of sorry objectives of the recovery process.

It's also, they'll also be discussing how the international community can come together with a real common purpose and rededicate itself to the delivery of the UNS 20-30 agenda.

So we, you will be able to follow the discussions online and we if you are interested in any particular leaders address, we will be able to send that to you and you'll be able to contact me on YARD at ilo.orgornewsroom@ilo.org.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Roselyn, for that of that information.

Are there any questions for Roslyn?

[Other language spoken]

The the just wanted to find out if all of the statements are going to be recorded by the leaders or if some of them will be live.

[Other language spoken]

No, they're all recorded statements.

[Other language spoken]

And I see that we have a question from Gabriela Sotomayor.

If we could unmute your her mic.

[Other language spoken]

Hi, Rosalind.

Very nice to see you everyone.

Yeah, I just, I just wanted to know who's coming, who's, who's going to participate from Mexico.

Well, the list is online, but I can just, I'm just quickly scrolling through.

[Other language spoken]

I'm just looking through very quickly.

I don't see Mexico on the list, but I'm scrolling through quite, quite fast.

But you should have received the the link maybe about, you know, 15 or so minutes ago where you can, where you can click on there and you can, you can check who's speaking.

There are quite a few representatives from, from different countries in Latin America, but I don't see Mexico here.

But did everybody send already their their videos, their messages?

No, we don't present it tomorrow, Right?

[Other language spoken]

So we don't have the videos or I'm not able to send you the videos in advance.

[Other language spoken]

But when they when, when they're actually broadcast and we can then send send them to you or we can send you edits of them.

[Other language spoken]

Or maybe it's because the government of Mexico is very busy because they are going to be with Mr Trump.

So maybe that's OK.

[Other language spoken]

Gabriella, are there any other questions for Rosalynn?

I don't see any.

So thank you very much, Rosalynn for being with us this morning.

Let's move ahead with Margaret Harris from the World Health Organisation.

Good morning, Margaret, and you have a few announcements for us.

[Other language spoken]

My audio there yeah, there we go.

We hear you now Margaret go ahead and you can see me on.

[Other language spoken]

I have for on for some reason, but we hear you.

[Other language spoken]

There we go there we go Nice to see you again, Margaret function and you Hi.

Hi everybody.

Yes, just a couple of announcements as you probably worked on yesterday.

We've changed the COVID-19 briefings to two, two times per week.

And the this week, it will be this afternoon from 5:00 PM.

You'll get a media advisory soon and on Friday, but the aim is probably to go to Tuesdays, Thursdays from next week onwards, but it's not completely clear, but it will definitely be two times per week.

Also straight after the DG briefing, sorry to do this to you.

2 press conferences, 2 good ones.

We have an HIV press conference, press briefing on disruptions to service caused by COVID, looking specifically a lot at paediatric care.

And we have the director of HIV for WHO speaking, also paediatric expert and also two experts from South Africa to discuss the situation there.

So that one will be really interesting.

[Other language spoken]

Just to remind you that starts straight after the DG press conference.

So we'll have a hard stop.

So you can get on to that one next.

And that's that's about it for the moment.

Yeah, those are our main announcements.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks very much.

Thank you very much, Margaret.

Are there any questions for Margaret?

I don't see any in the room.

[Other language spoken]

Jamie Keaton from AP and then we'll go to our online participants.

[Other language spoken]

One is there was a report over the weekend in The New York Times that had to do with the possibility of airborne transmission of COVID of the novel coronavirus.

I'm just wondering yesterday we got a sort of a brief statement in writing from WHO.

I'm hoping that maybe since then we can have elaborated on that.

And if you could give us a little bit more substantive response on whether or not you believe that airborne transmission might be a vector for transmission and what how you're taking how you're responding to this letter by I think it was our expression by 200 or plus experts that are also concerned about the process of that's my first question.

My second question was just about the numbers over the weekend in the SITREP.

I wanted to just make sure there was seem to be some confusion about the numbers.

And I mean, maybe that's not something for you to answer right now, but if you could just just kind of look into that because the chart didn't seem to line up with the numbers that you actually presented.

And it just caused for some confusion about what were the highest number of cases that you've had worldwide.

So first one to the Airborne.

[Other language spoken]

So Airborne will be addressed this afternoon.

[Other language spoken]

The Citrip.

Yes, much appreciated that you you noted that and I went back to the team and there was an error, so they should have corrected it.

I'll double check that they have.

But you know, as I as I said to the team, it's a good thing.

We've got some brilliant journalists out there.

Speaking of brilliant journalists, we have four more waiting to ask you questions, Margaret.

So let's go to them.

[Other language spoken]

Can we unmute him, please?

[Other language spoken]

You probably got the the wrong you probably got the wrong journalist.

[Other language spoken]

Oh no, you're a wonderful journalist.

[Other language spoken]

It's two WHO you you're putting us in a difficult position to be honest.

You, when we ask on Latin America, you tell us to ask Paho.

Now Pajo and you are organising press conferences at the same time today.

It's exactly at the same time.

Could we?

[Other language spoken]

And, and they will stick to Tuesdays.

So will there be any possibility that this doesn't create a shock?

Because otherwise, you know, we would have to choose.

And obviously we're not going to choose.

We're going to choose you.

And then we're going to ask on Latin America and then you're going to revert us to Pajo.

And then once again, we have a problem.

So maybe if we could do Mondays and Thursdays so to leave Tuesdays for Pajo so we can have, you know, the regional.

[Other language spoken]

But anyway, very good point.

No, no, no, very good point.

And I'm actually meeting up with all the, the, the regional media leads as well to, to, to sort this out because exactly right.

There is no point in in two WH OS holding a press conference at the same time.

It's so we will sort that one out and but, but thanks for raising it.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning, everyone.

[Other language spoken]

Question please about air travel guidance because we were promised an update on that a couple of weeks ago and nothing's come through.

So I was wondering if you know anything about the timing and maybe if you could just elaborate a little bit more on, you know, perhaps why it's taking so long.

Is there a particular kind of sticking points that you're looking into and kind of what is The Who advice to summer travellers, you know, in the meantime, who are just waiting for this update in order to plan their summer holidays?

[Other language spoken]

So the travel guidance is we, we have quite some vetting procedures and also if you're doing it with different at the external organisations and you quite sometimes get a little bit of delay.

Now I don't know the specifics on the delay there and I'll find out because certainly we are hoping to have that out as quickly as possible.

So I'll come back to Emeron.

What what if there's a specific delay, I'll come back to all of you sorry.

And, and if we've got some sense of when it's coming out, the advice is the advice we give now understand you are, but you do not know what your exposures are.

So you must take the things we know the the measures we know work.

[Other language spoken]

You must ensure that you do not put an unwashed hand in your mouth, nose or eyes.

Understand that it may be difficult to social distance.

You want to be up to social distance at all times, a metre or more.

So no less than a metre, but more if you can do it.

And in queues and all sorts of places that may be difficult.

But if they, I know that the airports have put in a tremendous amount of work making it possible for people to sort of queue separately and not be too jammed together.

But once you're, if you're flying, you are likely there's no way you can social distance in a plane.

So you you will need to take other precautions, including covering your, your using a face covering.

I think most of the airlines are actually handing out masks.

They're insisting that people wear them throughout the travel.

If you've got problems with that or if you've got small children, you have to think about how you're going to manage that.

Also think about perhaps carrying your own food and your own implements and all these things so that you can ensure that you know where everything's been, what you're putting in your mouth, you know, where it's been.

Uh, so all the, the, the advice we give people when they're out and about also applies to travel.

And of course, find out where you're going, you know, what is the current level of transmission, where you're going, what are the current requirements.

You may find that when you go through a border, you may expect to be.

Advised or asked or insisted on quarantining for two weeks.

When you come back to your country, would you have to quarantine then?

So you're going to have to make a lot of decisions around how much time you take.

And also remember things will change or may well change.

We're seeing a lot of upticks, a lot of changes in different countries, countries that were having had successfully shut down their first transmission and seeing uptick, second upticks.

We're seeing this in places like Australia in, I've just heard from my husband in Hong Kong, everywhere.

This virus really takes advantage of the cracks.

It jumps in there, it transmits effectively.

So understand that things can change very rapidly and you must factor that into your planning.

You must keep very well informed.

Hope that helps.

[Other language spoken]

Indeed, it does sound like very helpful information.

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, Gabriella, you make the same point as Jamil about Pajo clashing with WHO And also in another subject, parents of children with cancer in Mexico are complaining since months about the lack of treatments for them.

So I would like to know if you are aware of this situation or with WHO I can talk about this in your office because it's it looks like that is extremely worrying.

OK, so could you send me an e-mail and thanks for mentioning the PAHO and I'll take that back.

Could you send me an e-mail specifically about the parents or children with cancer?

Because we do have a team and they certainly again work with people in Paho about access to services.

So if you send me the e-mail, I'll link you with the right people.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

I have a question about the cases of bubonic plague in China.

Have you heard about this once?

And how worried are you that this, you know, disease might emerge soon and might spread fast?

[Other language spoken]

Bubonic plague has been with us and he is always with us for centuries, but it's always with us.

We are looking at the case numbers in China.

[Other language spoken]

For specific information, I will refer you to office in Wipro.

But I was on a meeting this morning and at the moment if it's obviously something that we watch, but at the moment there are it's hi, sorry, Margaret, we had a slight technical issue.

Maybe you want to just, OK, you seem to be back, so maybe you can start again from a minute ago.

[Other language spoken]

So right.

So yes, we are monitoring the outbreaks in in China and we are watching that we heard closely and in partnership with the the Chinese authorities and the Mongolian authorities at the moment it's it's we're, we're we're not putting it considering it **** risk, but it's where we're watching it, monitoring it carefully.

[Other language spoken]

OK, Catherine Fiancon once again if we can unmute her.

[Other language spoken]

Hi Margaret, nice seeing you.

[Other language spoken]

Two things 1 is a a kind of follow up of of Jamil and and Gabriela.

Would it be possible for different offices of WHO when they organised briefings to try to coordinates with you and with Eunice?

Because I'm, I'm, I'm thinking about WHO Africa and, and my question, I have two questions on that one.

Also, apparently all The Who Africa briefings are subcontracted through the West and through a group that is called Apple APO group.

There was yes, APO group.

I I don't know, there seems to they seem to be a kind of communication agency.

And last time I did follow a very intry to follow a very interesting briefing, but the sound was terrible.

The the person was unable to moderate the event and it was impossible to place questions.

So and and I would like to know why all these WHO Africa briefings are subcontracted?

Why isn't it directly like the other?

I would say WHO Europe or you guys?

Why is there an an entity that is between the public or the press and and the organisation?

That is my first question.

My second question is a bit like Gabriella's one, but regarding Africa that in the field many people are complaining about not having any more the same access to normal medicine regarding for instance, malaria or other diseases because of COVID-19, the priorities given to Covic 19.

So also, would it be possible to to know a little bit more about that?

And is it just a problem that occurred for a couple of weeks because of the lockdown?

And are things going back now to normal or is it the problem that is going to last because of a lack of transportation, air transportation because most of the medicines are sent to Africa by air.

So I don't know if you have an answer.

[Other language spoken]

I, I can't answer that.

I'll go with the second one first.

I can't answer that on the spot, but it's an excellent question.

So I will send that to the access to Essential Medicines team if they may have to again refer for the specifics in Africa.

I suspect this is, is a problem worldwide because it probably because exactly the, the issues about supply chain, these issues also about production tend to be a global issue.

But I'll I for a definitive answer, I'll have to go to the access to a central medicines team and come back to you on that on the Afro again.

I will go to my colleague in Afro and have a discussion and, and pass that on and, and see if there's a more interactive way to organise these like the Zooms we do.

OK, Margaret, I think we have one last question for you from you Yoshi Takei from the Asahi Shimbun, if we could unmute.

There we go.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning Doctor Harris.

[Other language spoken]

WHO China mission to have research on the origin of the the novel coronavirus.

[Other language spoken]

On Wednesday, last Wednesday, Mike Ryan said the IT is pretty much the same arrangement as the the mission in February led by Bruce Edward.

Should we understand that this time frame is also similar to the previous mission and the how will it be how how the press availability at the end of the mission would be?

[Other language spoken]

On both of those.

I'm not going to be terribly helpful at the moment.

So as you'd understand, when you're setting up a mission like this is a lot of discussion about the scope.

Now the the two people who go first go to look at what can be done, how you can set up, where you can go, all those kind of things.

And and that scope is still being discussed.

So I don't really have anything new or interesting to tell you there.

Again, I will push very much for press availability.

This is an important issue.

There's a lot to a lot of questions that you quite rightly ask and I will push for that and I will get back to you.

[Other language spoken]

Sorry, yes, Jamie is asking if you could share the response to to that with everyone.

[Other language spoken]

OK, let's let's continue with two final questions on this Emma Farge from Reuters.

Please go ahead if we can unmute her.

Thank you so much for taking.

Thank you for taking.

A second question, since Margaret mentioned Australia, I just was hoping I might draw her a little bit more on that.

So obviously there've been some developments there.

Is there any feeling that potentially the the worsening of the epidemiological situation there might be due to temperatures?

And if so, what does that mean for the sort of Northern hemisphere colder temperatures?

If not, what are you attributing it to?

[Other language spoken]

So I don't have specifics on Australia and I would refer you to Wipro.

So I probably should not have mentioned any country.

I was just indicating that countries that have had managed to bring down their outbreaks even those countries are seeing some uptick.

So we have to my message there really is if it's anywhere, it's everywhere.

And that people who are travelling have to understand that, you know, it's it's this virus is widespread and people have to take that very, very seriously.

Sometimes people who have not seen people or known people who've got sick don't really understand the seriousness or the transmissibility of this virus.

It is super transmissible and in those people who get it, get the moderate or severe form.

It's a very serious, serious illness which as you know, has killed more than half a million people in the world so far and we don't want any more.

On Australia, no, temperature does not seem to be having any effect.

We're seeing very large outbreaks in very hot countries.

In countries on the equator where it's warm all year round, we're not seeing a temperature effect.

Thank you, Margaret, and we will indulge you for one last question from Bairam.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Last week, WHO announced that sending a team to China to investigate origins of the novel coronavirus.

So do you have any information that the team arrived China and did they start the investigation, investigate to the origin of the virus?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, Byron.

That's really the same question that Yoshitaki asked.

At the moment, we don't have further information.

We're still in the stages of setting up that mission.

As soon as we've got something clear, we will share.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Margaret, for being with us this morning.

We're going to let you go on that and we are going to move to WFP with Elizabeth Beers, who's joins us online to give you some information on the impact of COVID-19 on food security in Kenya.

[Other language spoken]

A short update today on the situation food security situation in Kenya.

In late 2019, 1.3 million Kenyan were severely food insecure and needed immediate assistance.

This number is expected to rise to between 3:00 and 3.3 million in July when families run out of food as the lean season peaks.

The lean season is between two harvest when the stocks are depleted and the family have the most difficulty to feed themselves.

Complementing the government COVID-19 response, WFP is providing cash assistance for three months to 279,000 people living in informal urban settlements in Nairobi.

WFP assistance is reaching family who already struggle to feed themselves before the pandemic struck and have now lost incomes because of related restriction.

The government is assisting thousands of urban families who survived on a daily wage but lost that livelihoods because of COVID-19.

WFP stepping up in to assist seventy, 70,500 more families whose incomes have reduced and are completely lost.

WFP will provide $40 monthly through mobile transfer to each eligible household to cover up to half of the food needs for an average family of four in line with the government owned cash assistance programme.

The food and nutrition security of an estimated 3 point 1.7 million people in informal urban settlement.

What's affected by COVID-19?

Urban poor spend about half of their income on food.

WFP will extend ITS support to Kenya Acute Malnutrition Programme providing nutrition rich product to treat acute malnutrition among 16,000 children under 5700 pregnant and breastfeeding mother and 6800 elderly people in informal settlements.

WFP is grateful to the United States, Finland, Holland and Sweden, whose contribution totalling $13.7 million help start the critical assistance.

But WFP needs another $33.9 million to protect people's food and nutrition security in informal segment in Nairobi and elsewhere.

WFP seeks funding to expand cash assistance to the urban poor in hotspots such as Mombasa, Nakuru, Kilifi and Quali counties, areas where the government has requested support.

WFP currently treats malnutrition in eight arid counties, reaching 112 thousand children and almost 95,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mother.

You will find more details in the notes.

Just a word in French for our colleagues from UN Radio Fandomil de Kenya.

[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

So these are urban poor in places like Nairobi and Mombasa and other centres and it excludes the people in the refugee camps at Kaduma and Dadaab.

Is that that's correct?

[Other language spoken]

And for the moment, WFP already provides food to over 400,000 refugees each month in Kakuma and Dadaab camp and we provide two months instead of the pre COVID one month of food being distributed.

Of course, to reduce risk of people gathering even with strict adherence to hygiene and physical distancing during distribution.

[Other language spoken]

We have a question from Robin Millard from the AFP.

[Other language spoken]

Just a question about the humanitarian air fleet and the possibility of it being grounded by the end of July if money was was not forthcoming, what is what is the latest situation on that please?

Yes, we on the budget of $965,000,000, we have so far secured $142 million for the logistic common services and we continue to provide this service to other UN agency NGOs and partners as long as we get money.

And we hope donors will quickly and swiftly respond to our appeal because of course we need more than 142 million.

We did much more to get those 965,000,000 needed for the COVID-19 response.

[Other language spoken]

I don't see any other questions for you.

So thank you very much for being with us this morning.

And we will continue with our agenda with Charlie Daxley from the UN **** Commissioner for the Refugees, who's here to tell us a little bit about the Congolese refugees that have arrived in Uganda in recent days.

Good morning everyone.

This is a follow up to the press release some of you may have seen last week that we issued on on Wednesday.

More than 3000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Uganda between Wednesday and Friday last week during a temporary opening of 2 border point crossings at Galaga and Mount Seiyu in northwestern Uganda.

The new arrivals were previously part of a larger group of approximately 45,000 people according to local DRC authorities, who had attempted to flee towards the Ugandan border shortly after deadly clashes erupted between armed militia groups in the Tory province on 17th and 18th of May.

65% of the new arrivals are children, while the group also included 33 pregnant women, two of whom were immediately taken to Zaiyu Health Centre.

3 last week where they each gave birth, 1 to a baby girl and one to a boy.

Some of the refugees shared heart wrenching accounts of militia attacks on their villages to our staff.

Many of them told us they were separated from their families and had little time to pack any belongings or look for family members before fleeing.

Very few were able to carry personal items and most fled barefoot with only the clothes they were wearing.

The group have been taken to the ZEU Farm Institute, an old training centre for farmers in Zombo district, which is now serving as a quarantine facility.

To support the centre, UNHCR has installed 318 family tents as well as 9 water tanks, health screening areas, toilets and hand washing facilities and in addition, UNHCR and partners are providing food, water, medical cheques, temporary shelter and health teams and an ambulance are on standby in case anyone requires hospitalisation.

The Ugandan Health Ministry has been conducting COVID-19 testing with the 1st 570 samples returning negative and refugees have received doses of vitamin A and vaccinations against cholera, measles, rubella and polio.

Following the mandatory quarantine period of 14 days and in line with national guidelines and protocols, they will then be transported to existing refugee settlements.

UNHCR welcomes the decision of the Government of Uganda to allow the group of refugees to enter the country and receive life saving aid and protection.

This effort demonstrates how through quarantines, health screenings and other measures, states can uphold their obligations under international law during the pandemic while at the same time limiting potential transmission of the virus.

With over 1000 COVID cases in Uganda, UNHCR continues to support the government with its COVID-19 response by constructing and strengthening quarantine and isolation facilities and increasing hand washing supplies and availability of masks.

Many of our transit and reception facilities across the country have been converted into quarantine centres where we are supporting hundreds of Ugandans and refugees on a daily basis.

However, the refugee response in Uganda continues to face multiple challenges due to underfunding, including severe food ration cuts.

New HR has received just 18% of the $357 million required for its operation in Uganda in 2020.

In the immediate term, $28 million is urgently needed to continue the current level of assistance to refugees in Uganda, including basic health services.

UNHCR appeals for international solidarity to help Uganda uphold its commitments towards the Global Compact on Refugees and maintain its progressive refugee policy during these difficult times.

Thank you very much.

Charlie, are there any questions for you on HCRI?

Don't see any in the room and I don't see any raised hands online either.

So I think that was crystal clear and they can always reach you should they have additional questions on that issue.

Thank you very much for coming, Charlie.

[Other language spoken]

I have a few announcements for you.

Just a reminder, well, we have the Human Rights Council happening here in Geneva, but in well virtually this year.

Today begins the annual **** level political forum on sustainable development.

I sent out a note to correspondents yesterday that gives you a number of links and and bit of information about this year's event.

The theme for this year is Accelerated Action and Transformative Pathways.

Realising the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.

47 countries are going to be sharing their voluntary national reviews, which are their plans to advance the Sustainable Development Goals while tackling the pandemic.

Yesterday, the Member States of the Economic and Social Council met to hear the analysis and recommendations from UN entities and the Council's expert bodies on the impact of COVID-19 on the SDGS and how to recover better and fairer.

The Secretary General delivered a video message to that segment, where he said that indeed, the pandemic was laying bare widespread and pervasive structural inequalities, from inadequate health infrastructure to gaps in social protection that are now a matter of life and death for so many.

The pandemic has in fact reversed decades of progress on poverty and hunger, he said, placing even greater obstacles on the pathway to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

And he reminded everyone that of course, those worst affected are those who are already quite vulnerable, the people who are living in poverty, the people with disabilities and other marginalised groups include, as well as women and children.

Today, before the opening of the the forum, the the Sustainable Development Goals report will be released.

I believe you, you have access to that in the links that I sent out yesterday.

And of course the report, as the Secretary General said yesterday, shows that the pandemic has referenced decades of progress, especially for the most vulnerable.

When the Forum ends on the 17th of July, there will be a **** level conversation on the kind of multilateralism needed today to respond to global crises such as COVID-19.

All the information is online.

If there's anything we can help you with, please contact us.

In terms of meeting other meetings, there are no plenary meetings of the Conference on Disarmament scheduled for this week.

We will keep you informed on meetings in the third part of the session that's starting on the 3rd of August.

After Austria, Bangladesh and Belarus will be assuming the presidency of the conference for the rest of the year.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women opened last week.

It's 76 session, and this afternoon is holding from 4:00 to 6:00 a public meeting devoted to an informal briefing for state parties on the draught general recommendation on trafficking in women and girls in the context of global migration.

The Human Rights Committee, which also opened last week, has planned to hold during this session several public meetings, all devoted to the review of its general comment #37 on Article 21 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

And of course, Rolando has given you an update on the Human Rights Council.

And in terms of press conferences, 2:00 this afternoon, virtual press conference by the Commission of Inquiry into Syria.

And that's all I have for you.

I don't see if anybody has a question.

I don't see any.

So that concludes our briefing for today.

Thank you very much for having been with us, and I wish you all a very good afternoon.

[Other language spoken]