Rhéal LeBlanc, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), chaired the briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons for the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE).
Situation in Idlib, Syria
Elisabeth Byrs, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said that the WFP continued to provide emergency food assistance to people in desperate need in northwest Syria despite escalating hostilities, which earlier this week caused a 24-hour break in distributions. Heavy bombardments in the city of Atareb over the previous couple of days spurred significant population displacement. So far, airstrikes and armed clashes in northwest Syria had displaced nearly 800,000 people, 80 percent of whom were women and children. Families were moving north towards already overcrowded camps near the Syria-Turkey border. More than 140,000 people had been displaced in a single week, between 2 and 9 February. Since 1 January, the WFP had provided emergency ready-to-eat food rations to more than 300,000 displaced people; that food could be eaten without cooking and was light to carry.
The full press release can be read here.
Replying to questions from journalists, Ms. Byrs emphasized that the situation was dramatic, and was made even worse by the freezing temperatures. She informed that the trucks carrying humanitarian aid across the Turkish-Syrian border had recommenced their movement after a 24-hour hiatus. The food security situation was very difficult, and people spent, on average, 75 percent of their income on food.
In response to a question from a journalist, Jenifer Fenton, for the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE), emphasized an urgent need for de-escalation of the hostilities in the northeast, a sustained ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to affected populations. The Special Envoy was continuing to engage with all concerned parties on de-escalation.
Migrant flows into Yemen
Paul Dillon, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stated that, in 2019, on average 11,500 people had boarded vessels each month from the Horn of Africa to Yemen, making it the busiest maritime migration route on earth. Over 138,000 people had crossed the Gulf of Aden to Yemen in 2019. Nearly 90 percent of those arriving to Yemen in 2019 had intended to continue on to Saudi Arabia; approximately 92 percent of the people making the journey were Ethiopian nationals, while the rest were Somalis. Migrants appeared undeterred by either the conflict in Yemen or the Gulf’s strict immigration policies for undocumented migrants.
The most effective protection mechanism for migrants remained the establishment of legal pathways for migration. IOM was committed to supporting all authorities along the eastern route to better manage migration, ensuring the safety and dignity of migrants.
Mr. Dillon, responding to a question, said that there had been fewer than 60 recorded deaths on that route in 2019.
COVID-19
Fadéla Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that a press conference on COVID-19 would take place today at 4 p.m. The speakers would be WHO’s leading experts Dr. Mike Ryan and Dr. Sylvie Briand. Ms. Chaib said that all questions would be addressed at today’s press conference.
Geneva announcements
Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), informed about an upcoming analysis - “Impact of Brexit in the field of Non-Tariff Measures in developed and developing countries”. The analysis looked into two scenarios – with and without a trade agreement of the United Kingdom and the European Union. The analysis would be shared with the media, under embargo, before the end of the following week, and there would be a press conference to present the report on 24 February at 2 p.m.
Fadéla Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that an important new report on children, prepared by the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Lancet, entitled “Future for the World’s Children?” would be presented through a virtual press briefing on 17 February at 2 p.m. The report, prepared by more than 40 experts, included new recommendations, including commercial marketing targeting children with harmful products, climate and its impact on children’s futures. The report would be under embargo until 19 February.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that today, 14 February at 1.00 p.m. in Room III, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances would brief the media on its just completed 120th session.
On Wednesday, 19 February at 9.30 a.m. in Press Room 1, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger of Austria, President of the Human Rights Council, would brief the press on the upcoming 43rd session of the Council.
Mr. LeBlanc further said that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was reviewing today the report of Eritrea.
The Conference on Disarmament was holding this morning a public plenary meeting, the last one under the presidency of Algeria.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights would open next Monday its 67th session (17 February-6 March, Palais Wilson) during which it would review the reports of Guinea, Belgium, Ukraine, Benin and Norway.
Mr. LeBlanc also informed that the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) had launched Mission 1.5 as an online platform that educated people on climate action and connected them with their governments and policymakers. The Mission 1.5 game was available at mission1point5.org and could be played by people in every country in the world, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
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Press Conferences | IFRC , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , UNRWA , WHO
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the World Health Organization.
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Press Conferences | UNECE
UNECE Press conference on the Ministerial Meeting on Housing Affordability and Sustainablility
On 8 October 2025, UNECE member States' ministers meet to focus on the urgent challenges and strategic priorities surrounding housing affordability and sustainability in the UNECE region. Ten years after the adoption of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, ministers will highlight challenges and key priorities for the achievement of the Charter's objectives, and present good practice and strategic solutions in this regard. As the key outcome of the meeting, ministers will be invited to agree on practical commitments towards sustainable and affordable housing.
The meeting will take place as part of the eighty-sixth session of the UNECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management (8–10 October 2025).
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Press Conferences | OCHA , UNHCR , UNICEF , UNOG , WHO , IPU
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation, and the International Parliamentary Union.
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Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNICEF , UNIS , WHO
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Report of the Independent Expert on Human Rights situation in the Central African Republic.
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Press Conferences | UNECE , WHO , OCHA , UNHCR , UNICEF
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children Fund, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the World Health Organization.
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Press Conferences | WHO , FAO
Michele Zaccheo, Chief of the Radio, TV and Webcast Section at the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization.
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Press Conferences | UNCTAD
Global maritime transport is facing growing uncertainty, volatility and higher costs while growth in maritime trade is slowing down, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warns in its Review of Maritime Transport 2025, released on 24 September.
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Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Launch of the latest report by the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.
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Press Conferences | WHO , OHCHR , UNICEF
Michele Zaccheo, Chief of the Radio, TV and Webcast Section at the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Children’s Fund.
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Press Conferences | HRC
Launch of FFM Venezuela’s latest report to the Human Rights Council
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Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation