Welcome to the Information service briefing of Tuesday, 11th of January.
We have a topic from OHCHR, some announcement and a number of colleagues who are listening and available to answer your questions.
So I'd invite you to look at the attendance list because there is really a lot of, there are really a lot of people on the line if you have any questions.
So I will start now with the announcements.
Let's start with the Claire.
Claire, you have an announcement on the global temperature ranking.
Yeah, good morning everybody and belated Happy New Year.
The World Meteorological Organisation will next week issue the consolidated global temperature ranking for 20/21.
We combined 6 leading international data sets from the European Union, from Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.
It means we are a little bit later than, you know, some of the other individual data sets.
But as I said, you know, our value is that this is a combined consolidated global figure.
The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change service.
They were the first ones yesterday who issued their annual findings which showed that globally 2021 was the 5th warmest year on record and the past seven years have been the seven warmest on record.
Europe, AS you will know, experienced a lot of extreme weather, especially in summer with the floods, extreme heat wave, and it was the warmest summer on record for Europe.
NASA and NOAA in the United States will issue their consolidated global rankings later this week.
And NOAA issued the state of the US climate, so just national climate yesterday.
And it's said that the contiguous United States had the 4th warmest year in 2021 and the 6th warmest year years on record have all occurred since 2012.
It was the warmest December on record for the for the United States, as we all know, climate change is not just a matter of temperatures.
Climate change plays out through extreme weather.
the United states is one of the few countries who does keep the detailed tally of disaster figures.
So in its report yesterday, the United states said there were 20 separate billion dollar weather and climate disasters in 2021.
So 2020 disasters which cost more than $1 billion each US disaster costs for 2021 exceeded $145 billion and that's the third highest cost on record.
So that's so that's it for me.
We'll send the press release yesterday, sorry.
Next week it will be translated in all official languages.
I can't give you the exact date for it depends on when we receive all the data, but it hopefully will be at the at the very start of next week.
Let me see if there's any question for you.
OK, we have one in the room.
We have a problem with the mic.
You have to speak in the mic.
Will there be a briefing on this?
No, well ish, we will issue a press release, but no, no, no briefing.
WMO at the moment is in mandatory teleworking mode, so everything will be virtual.
Obviously if you, if you want interviews, you know, please, please let me know.
But it's envisaged that there will be just a press release.
Thank you very much, Claire.
I don't see any other question.
And this gives me, sorry, this gives me the opportunity to remind everybody that as of today, we've started again to have hybrid press briefing.
So those who want to come to room B1 to 8 are absolutely welcome as they were today.
And please don't hesitate, OK?
So thank you very much to WMO.
Let me go to Rosalind Yard for ILO.
Rosalind, you have an announcement on the World Employment and Social Outlook Trends report of 2022 at the floor.
Good morning, everyone, and a belated Happy New Year to all of you as well.
On Monday the 17th of January, we'll be publishing a new edition of our annual World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 22 report, which looks at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global labour market as it enters its third year.
The report covers the extent and consequences of the labour market disruptions caused by the crisis and analysis global patterns, regional differences and outcomes across economic sectors and groups of workers.
It also offers labour market projections for 2022 and 2023 and outlines principles for a recovery strategy based on the global call to action for a human centred recovery that was adopted at last year's International Labour Conference.
And the ILO Director General, Guy Ryder and Richard Salmons, the Director of the Ilo's Research Department, will present the findings at an embargoed virtual press briefing on Monday 17th of January at 10 AM Geneva time.
And we'll send you a media advisory later today and embargoed copies of the report, the press release and other materials by Friday the 14th and possibly earlier.
And the report and all associated materials will be under strict embargo until the 17th of January at 12 O clock.
So if you do have any interview requests, please contact me or my colleagues at newsroom@ilo.org.
Any question on this report?
Yes, I just wanted to ask Rosalind if it's going to be a virtual.
Will the briefing take place at the Pele?
No, it's it's going to be a totally a virtual briefing.
I don't see other question for you, Rosalinder.
So thank you and I go to Fadella.
Fadella, you have a an announcement on a meeting of the Emergency Committee on COVID-19.
Please, you have the floor.
Good morning and happy New Year to all of you.
Just to inform you that the 10th meeting of the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 will take place on Thursday and as a very usual practise, they will meet from noon to 5:00 PM and then they will prepare the statement that will be sent to you as soon as it is approved by the Director General.
We will inform you if we are planning any press conference around the meeting of the Emergency Committee.
Another announcement, as you have seen, the COVID-19 press counting of Doctor Tedros and other experts will take place Wednesday, tomorrow from at 4:30.
And a third announcement.
Padela, sorry, I don't know if it's with you, but there is a very strong no noise behind.
It's not OK, sorry, but it's hard to understand.
So can you repeat what you said the last sentence?
So the the the press briefing with Doctor Tedros is confirmed on Wednesday, right?
Is confirmed for tomorrow at 4:30 and just to be complete, you have you will receive or you have already received the first the the 5th edition of the scientific brief on Omicron.
It was posted late last night.
You may have received it on your mailbox a few minutes ago.
Fidela, anybody has questions that be very true.
So first of all, on that technical document, I just received it, but it's dated January 7th.
I'm sorry, we have to ask everybody's patience.
There is a problem on the line and it's not very clear.
So it's not Fidela because it's continuing.
Just give us one second we check with our technical.
OK, let's let's try again.
Let's see if we can hear you.
Yeah, sorry, Fidela, just clarification.
It was dated January 7th.
Is that a mistake or I don't want to publish something late?
OK, so we heard you glad and clear.
But Fidella, you need to unmute yourself now.
We are we are muting you.
But it's it's much better.
No, it's not a mistake at all.
It's dated 7th January because the data included in the 5th edition of the scientific brief was stopped on 6th January.
As you may have noticed, we have decided week by week, so the last one was 23rd December.
This one is is dated 7th January because simply the data included in this brief stopped on the 6th of January.
Thank you for that line as a follow up.
On the emergency committee meeting, can you tell us a little bit more about what is expected?
And can you tell us a little bit more about how a pandemic might get undeclared?
Is that something you could tell us how that works?
And is that potentially being considered for this meeting potentially de escalating the level of the pandemic?
And then finally, I just wanted an update on the technical advisory group on COVID-19 vaccine composition early last week.
It was supposed to be in a couple of days, but I haven't seen or heard anything.
Can you just give me an update on that one?
I will take the last question first.
We are expecting a document on the target to come out maybe later today.
We are just awaiting final approval.
So as soon as we have it, we will share it with the media and we'll be posted.
Regarding your question about the emergency committee, it will be the 10th meeting of this emergency committee.
They will review all the evidence we have on the pandemic, the several aspect of it, of it, the information we have on the variant on vaccines, the travel requirement and they will make the recommendation for the Director General to approve.
So I don't know what the decision of the emergency committee will be.
Let's see what they come up at the end of the meeting.
I'm told by my colleagues, if you could just lower your volume a little bit, maybe that is where it comes the sort of echo.
Next question is from Bloomberg.
Just to follow up on my colleagues question, would would it be correct to say that the emergency committee will consider down grading the pandemic to to endemic from a pandemic status?
I let's see what the emergency committee will decide.
As you know, it's a group of scientists and experts.
They will make the recommendation.
So at this stage, I cannot make any prediction about what they will decide.
As you may know, since the establishment of this emergency committee for COVID-19, they have made several recommendations, but we are still in a phase of fake global emergency level.
So let's see what they come up with at the end of the meeting on Thursday around 5.
As soon as we have the statement, we will share it with you.
I have a question, follow up to Emma's question from Annez.
Annez says ** *** couldn't hear what you answer to Emma for the document to come today.
If you could say it a bit more on what is that about Fadela?
Every time we you get muted you have to sorry re mute but you have also to do it.
I know exactly what Emma was referring to.
So let me just repeat what it is about.
It's an interim statement on COVID-19 vaccine in the context of the circulation of the Omicron variant from The Who Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine.
So we have a document that is being circulated among experts and we hope to have it sent to you as soon as it is approved.
Thank you very much, Jamil.
Yes, Fidela, good morning.
First on your technical paper today, you talk about vulnerable populations on regarding more mobility.
I think in your definition, so we don't get it wrong, who are the vulnerable populations?
First question, second question last.
You had a problem with your weekly data, your the publishing of your weekly data on COVID.
What are we expecting for this week?
Should it come at the end of the week?
What is the new standard for that?
I'm sorry, the third one, Are you getting all the data you need from countries?
Brazil, surprisingly, has no cases.
Do you fear a blackout there?
Let me start with the last question.
Let me check for the weekly epidemiological report and for specifically the question on Brazil.
I think we are receiving information from countries and we encourage all countries to share data about COVID and also the variant that are circulating with WHO.
This is to make use of this information for the general public and also be able to come up with the best advice to our Member States.
For your question about vulnerable population, depending on what you are asking, is it what I can tell you for WHO vulnerable population are people over 60 and also people who have underlying health conditions.
And for if we are talking about vaccination, we talk about priority groups, people aged more than 60, people who are who have underlying health conditions and also health workers.
So if you are more precise about what you are looking for exactly, I can come up with a better definition.
Fadela Yan has a question.
Yeah, good morning, Fadela.
Board meeting session of of The Who, Could you please tell us when exactly the next session will take place and do we know when the DG will get reappointed during that session?
Thank you for this question Jan.
The next Executive Board meeting will take place 24th January, ends in 29 January.
We will have the document on the web shortly.
I was told the discussion about nomination of Doctor Tedros will be discussed on Tuesday on 25th January.
I don't see other questions.
Sorry, I don't see other questions for you.
Oh, yes, sorry, Emma may have a follow up.
Thank you for indulging me.
Just to follow up on my colleagues question, so if it if Ted Dress's nomination is discussed on the 25th, what does that mean in terms of the whole process of his election?
Is that mean that he's finally confirmed in for another term or are there more stages to it than that?
If you could just put it in perspective for me please.
So you know that there are two steps for the election of Director General WHO the member states of the executive Board will listen to the candidate, ask questions and then they will submit the the nomination to the bigger group of the Word Health Assembly in May.
So they have two steps, EB for the nomination and the Word Health Assembly for the acquaintance.
I thought you was the last one, but Katherine is has raised her hand.
Thank you so much Alessandra for taking my question.
Please remind us the dates of the General Assembly.
Unmute yourself, Fadella.
Sorry, the executive board meeting is 2429 and I will have to check for the word head assembly.
I would need to check the exact dates Kathleen for you.
So you said 2420 ninth of January?
For the executive board for the word head assembly, it's in May.
I would need to check the exact.
Thank you very much and sorry for this connection which was not always optimal.
Thank you very much, Fidela for this announcements and explanations.
So just to conclude that the announcement, so afterwards we can go to OHCHRI.
Just wanted to let you know that the press conference that we had announced on the launch of the UN Archives Geneva platform has been postponed for simply for technical reasons, the one with the DG that we had foreseen on Friday 14th.
We will send you the new date very, very soon.
And then I've been asked by the colleagues of the Human Rights Council Secretariat to inform you that the Human Rights Council will hold an organisational meeting this coming Wednesday, 12th January, starting at 3:00 PM.
The meeting is being held to draw by lot the groups of three states, known as Troikas that act as rapporteurs for the Universal Periodic Review session of 2022.
It is also anticipated that the Council will elect its Vice President from the Eastern European Group to complete this Bureau for 2022 and facilitate other procedural matters.
This meeting, which is public and it will be, it will be webcast live in the six official languages, is the first Human Rights Council meeting of the year and also the first to be presided over by Federico Villegas, the President of the Council for 20/22.
In addition, I'd like to remind you that the 40th meeting of the UPR Working Group will begin on the 24th of January and conclude on the 4th of February.
Sorry, the 12 countries under review at the UPR 40R Togo, Syria, Iceland, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Lithuania, Uganda, Timor Leste, Moldova, South Sudan, Haiti and Sudan.
This UPR session will be had in hybrid mode and will be webcast by UNTV as usual.
And this is what come to you from the colleagues of the Human Rights Council.
I think this is all the, these are all the announcement we wanted to give you.
And since Liz has now reached us, I'll give her the floor.
There's a question from Stefan.
I don't know if it's about what I've just read, Stefan.
Thank you for taking my question about the Geneva Archives platform.
Could you remind me of what it consists of?
What the, what the platform consists of, you mean it's well, that was the, the, the scope of this press conference.
This is the Geneva platform of the UN archives.
This is basically a quite revolutionary system that we have been able to put in place in the last years, which basically has digitalised, I think it's about 10 kilometres of documents of the archives and made them available to researcher, diplomats, journalists of the all over the world.
It's it's quite revolutionary platform in terms of archiving and it's completely digitalised, completely searchable.
And the idea was to present it to you at this press conference and we will do it very, very soon.
I'll let you know the date as soon as possible and the DG and the Director of the Library will be briefing you on this subject.
And if you want to know more, we can also organise some interviews or visits of the library for those who are interested.
Fidela, is that about what we are discussing now?
No, just to respond to, sorry, just to respond to Catherine's question about the the assembly.
I checked it will take place from 22nd to 28th May.
Thank you very much for this detail.
And now I will go to Liz.
Thank you very much, Liz, to be with us.
You have a point on the human rights situation in Tunisia.
Yes, good morning everyone, and as this is the first time we've briefed to you this year, a happy new year to you all.
Developments in Tunisia over the past month have deepened our already serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation there.
On the morning of the 31st of December, men in civilian clothing bundled Nuruddin Beri, an MP for the Inada party and the former Justice minister into a car outside his home with no warrant and no explanation given.
He was taken to a number of undisclosed places of detention and for several hours his family and lawyer did not know his whereabouts.
He was subsequently put under house arrest and then in light of pre-existing health conditions, he was transferred to hospital on the 2nd of January where he remains under guard.
Officials have indicated that he's suspected of terrorism related offences.
However, we understand that his lawyers have to date not been formally informed of any charges against him.
A second man was also taken away and detained on the same day and in similar circumstances, with his location unknown until the 4th of January, although the men's families and the UN Human Rights office in Tunisia have since been able to visit them.
These two incidents echo practises not seen since the Ben Ali era and raised serious questions regarding abduction, enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention.
We urge the authorities to either promptly release or properly charge these two men in accordance with due process standards for criminal proceedings.
The actions of Tunisia's internal security forces have long been a matter of concern and one which we have repeatedly raised and discussed with the authorities over the past decade.
President Kaif Syed's call after demonstrations were violently after demonstrated sorry were violently dispersed on the 1st of September.
For the internal security forces to change their practises and act in accordance with the law to protect citizens and respect their rights and freedoms was a positive step.
However, public commitments of the authorities to Tunisia's international human rights obligations have still to translate into practise, as well as the actions of the internal security forces.
We are concerned at the stifling of dissent in Tunisia, including through the improper use of counterterrorism legislation and the increasing use of military courts to try civilians, which raised serious concerns regarding the equitable, impartial and independent administration of justice.
The President, who on 25th of July last year suspended parliament and assumed all executive functions, has repeatedly vowed to reform the civilian judiciary.
Any steps in this area have to be in line with Tunisia's international human rights obligations.
Over the past decade, Tunisia has made tremendous progress towards promoting and realising human rights, which makes it all the more vital that efforts are made to preserve these gains.
To this end, we urge the Tunisian authorities to continue their dialogue with the UN Human Rights Office and other UN human rights mechanisms to ensure the reforms of the security and justice sectors that are so badly needed are fully compliant with Tunisia's international human rights obligations.
Thank you very much, Liz.
I'll open the floor to questions.
Let me see, is there anybody who has a question to Lase on this subject or others?
I don't see any hand up, is that right?
That concludes our briefing of today.
Just to remind you that there are a number of colleagues on the line in case you wanted to ask questions to any of them.
I'll just give you a more one more minute.
Let's conclude here the the briefing of today, Tuesday, 11th of January and we'll see you on Friday at the same time.
Oh, I knew a hand would come up, John.
I have a a a question for Liz.
Liz, do you have an update on the situation in Kazakhstan?
You put out a very detailed press note last week, but do you have any more follow up, especially given the news reports of some horrific killings, including the beheading of some of the security guards?
Do you have some human rights?
Have they been invited by President Tokayev or what?
And also I've seen in the chat that Lisa cannot raise her hand, but she has a question, so I'll give it to her afterwards.
Thanks very much for for that question, John.
Yeah, I mean, as, as you obviously know, last week we, we did put out a press release voicing our concerns with regard to to what was happening in Kazakhstan.
Now at the time, as you know, the the the Internet was, was basically blocked.
Now since then that has has been restored to some extent.
So more information is coming to light.
And clearly we've we've, we've all seen the pictures and heard the reports from there.
We have have an office in Central Asia that that is monitoring developments and we, we are getting some information about that.
I think what we would highlight really putting aside the, the, the killings, which I can come to in a in a moment, is that we understand that the, the Ministry of Interior has announced that some 9900 people are in detention as of the 11th of January.
Now this is clearly a huge number.
What we would say, of course, is that under the international law, people have the right to protest peacefully and, and the right to express their opinions.
And they shouldn't be detained simply for expressing their opinions.
So all those arrested and detained solely for exercising these rights should be released immediately.
Now, of course we have seen the, the, the, the damage and, and destruction.
For example, in, in Almaty, we've we've seen the burnt out buildings.
So clearly among these and we don't have a breakdown of, of who is, who is in detention.
It is a huge number, as I say.
But clearly there, there will be some people who, who have been arrested and, and are likely to, to be charged with that.
So what we would say, and this is irrespective of of what the person may have done, is that all detainees should have prompt access to a lawyer.
That's a key human rights safeguard that we repeat on many occasions, as you know.
So they should have access to a lawyer and that's what they're in there in pre trial attention, convicting and offence or really just awaiting being charged.
What is very important for us is, is that the ombudsperson, the Kazakh ombudsperson is able to fulfil fully her mandate related to what is called the national preventive mechanism and that relates to torture by visiting places of detention.
As you know, for example, the, the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture does conduct physics, works very closely with what are called national preventive mechanisms.
They vary from country to country, but they are essentially, for example, ombuds people as in this case with with Kazakhstan.
And it is very important that that people like the ombuds person in Kazakhstan are able to visit places of detention to prevent any torture and I'll treatment to monitor the situation of detainees.
So that is, is what we have with regard to detainees.
Now, with regard to the number of killings, there have been quite a lot of, of, of figures that have gone up and gone down.
And, and that what we understand is from the, the authorities from, from the, the Kazakh Permanent Mission here, they were speaking about 18 law enforcement officers that have been killed.
I think that some other official sources have spoken about 17, but it's around that number.
There have been reports, and I have to stress that these are reports quoting the Kazakh Health Ministry saying that 164 people died in protest.
And the the majority of those were 103 were in Almaty, Kazakh, Kazakhstan's main city, and some others in, in other parts of the country.
But, but that is of course, the, the figures that are coming from the, the, the Interior Ministry.
It's not something that we ourselves have been able to establish.
What we we expect and hope is that of course as as more information comes to light that we are able to get more complete and reliable figures.
What we think is very important, of course, is that with regard to, to what happened last week, that, that there are of course, you know, independent, prompt, independent, impartial investigations into these killings and, and that would include, for example, whether unnecessary and disproportionate use of force was made by the security forces.
At the same time, of course, we have to also stress that it does clearly seem that that there, there were also armed individuals who, who were taking to the streets of Almaty and other parts of Kazakhstan during the protests.
Those are really the, the, the main points that we have from Kazakhstan.
As I say, our, our, our regional office for Central Asia that is based in nearby Kyrgyzstan is, is monitoring developments and, and we will continue to monitor and and and engage with the Kazakh authorities whenever we we deem appropriate and, and wherever possible.
Thank you very much, Liz.
And I understand that Lisa has a question and she can't raise her hand, but maybe if we can unmute her please.
Raising my feet didn't work.
Good morning to you a few.
You may have already dealt with them in.
Elaborations What are these people who are in prison charged?
With if you could detail.
Under which they're being held.
Information about abuses which may have occurred torture, other.
Unpleasant things that are happening there and then you.
Speak about the progress that has been made why this turn around why why are things going South?
Why are things going so badly?
And I imagine that you're you're your office has been in pretty close contact with the government.
A sort of running dialogue with them and what have.
Responded to you when you have raised your concerns and please send your notes as soon as possible.
Lisa, just just to clarify, I realised as I was jotting out, you're actually asking me about Tunisia, aren't you?
It's a yeah, I'm unmuted again.
I I was asking about Tunisia.
But yes, more information about Kazakhstan would be useful.
Also your notes, if you have any, on Kazakhstan would be useful.
So your question what you have just asked was on Tunisia, right, OK.
If I'm still unmuted, yes.
Thanks for that, that Lisa.
Yes, I did wonder as I was jotting it down.
So going back to Tunisia, you're asking me about what the these two people who have been detained, what they're charged with Will that Will that is, is precisely the problem.
Their lawyers have not been informed of the charges.
There have been some public statements sort of talking about the, the, the terrorism related offences.
We are concerned about the, the manner in which they, they were detained that as I said, plainclothes men turned up outside the, the home, their homes, bundled them into a car, took them to various places and and really for several hours.
In the case of the of the first person, Nuruddin Biri, his family didn't know where he was for several hours.
Then in, in light of, of his health conditions, he, he was what, he was placed under house arrest as I said, and then he was taken to hospital and he remains under guard.
With regard to the second person, it was a similar situation.
So of course we, we would, you know, as I said in the note, we would really say to the authorities that either, you know, sort of charge them, you know, in line with, with due process standards or promptly release them.
So that that is with regard to to Tunisia, you were talking about the issue of, of torture and and conditions of detention.
I mean, I think that also actually relates a little bit to to to what I was saying about Kazakhstan.
But if I can really separate these 222 items on Tunisia, the, the, the two people concerned are under what is technically called house arrest.
One of them, of course, is in hospital at the moment.
We understand, we are, we are concerned about what happened and it plays into the ongoing concerns that I detailed in the note about Tunisia.
Tunisia has made progress.
And, you know, it is important, for example, there to be reforms of the the judicial sector, but it is important that that, you know, the public commitments that Tunisia's leaders have made to upholding human rights standards that's translate into practise and that any reforms of judiciary, the judiciary, for example, and the security sector are in line with human rights standards.
So that's, that's very, very important.
Moving on to Kazakhstan, you did ask for example, about detention and, and abuses and torture.
As I said, it's, you know, several thousand people have been detained as of as of today, some 9900.
And we are saying that we've made the point that it is very important for important, for example, for the ombudsperson in Kazakhstan to be able to carry out visits to places of detention.
It is very important that people who have just been arrested for exercising their right to peaceful protest are pleased and that those that are charged are are have access to a lawyer are promptly charged and that of course that, you know, there is proper monitoring of detention conditions.
Thank you very much, Liz.
And let me see if there's any other question.
So thanks very much for this extensive briefing.
And for those who haven't seen it yet, the note on Tunisia have already been distributed and then we will get those for Kazakhstan.
So let's conclude here this press briefing.
Just a reminder that in 10 minutes, the humanitarian appeal that OCHA and HCR are launching on Afghanistan.
The event will start in 10 minutes with the **** Commissioner Grande and USG Griffiths.
For those of you who have heard yesterday the press conference and have received the document, this is an important event where we will also have the awardee of the Asian Nansen Prize award who will speak with the two top UN leaders and everything is on UNTV in 10 minutes.
So I will invite you to follow that that event and and Yens has put a reference in the in the chat.
Fidel has also put one additional information on the stage in the chat.
So thank you very much to you all and I'll see you on Friday at 10:30 for the press briefing.
