The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
6 December 2022
Drought and conflict force 80,000 to flee from Somalia to Kenya’s refugee camps
Boris Cheshirkov, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that more than 80,000 people had arrived in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camps. The majority had arrived over the past two years, fleeing ongoing insecurity in Somalia and the unrelenting drought, the longest and most severe in decades.
Despite a recent decrease in the pace of daily arrivals, UNHCR and partners in Dadaab estimated that some 24,000 people had arrived since the end of September. Adequate space in the camps, where the newly arrived were sheltered, was running out, forcing many to reside in makeshift shelters along the outskirts, where clean water and sanitation facilities were either grossly insufficient or non-existent. Further challenging the response, a cholera outbreak had been affecting refugee and host communities. Over 350 cases had been identified since the end of October, mainly affecting children. Together with health partners, UNHCR was setting up additional treatment centres to increase access to health care for new arrivals and to be prepared in the event more cholera cases were reported.
In June, as part of a regional appeal for the Horn of Africa drought response, UNHCR had requested USD 11.1 million to assist more than 257,000 drought-affected people in Kenya, including 55,000 new arrivals. So far only half of the needed funds to respond to the drought had been received, said Mr. Cheshirkov.
Full statement is available at this page.
Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Cheshirkov said the priority was to provide arriving people with urgent support. Even if cholera cases were seemingly under control, UNHCR continued to be concerned about the situation. UNHCR was cognizant of the important role Kenya was playing in hosting Somali refugees for over three decades; some half a million refugees and asylum seekers were currently in Kenya. Resettlement of refugees to third countries was also under discussion.
Announcements
Carla Drysdale, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that today at 3 p.m. WHO would host a virtual press conference on the World Malaria Report 2022. A media advisory had been shared. The embargo on the report would be lifted on 8 December at 12 noon.
The third meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate an international instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response was underway until 7 December, informed Ms. Drysdale. The body was looking into the conceptual zero draft of the instrument and discussing the way forward. One-on-one interviews with bureau members could be arranged. The meeting was being webcast live. Dr. Tedros had delivered opening remarks on 5 December, said Ms. Drysdale. The Bureau’s proposal on an updated timeline and deliverables can be found here.
On 8 December, there would be a virtual press conference to release the fifth Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Report. The report was based on inputs from 87 countries, and it was the first report trying to capture antimicrobial resistance rates since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, informed that on 9 December at 9:30 a.m., on the occasion of Human Rights Day, there would be a press conference by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The regular press briefing by UN Information Service will consequently be moved to 11 a.m. that day.
Mr. LeBlanc also said that the UN Secretary-General would be in Montreal today to attend the second part of the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The first part of COP15 had been held in Kunming, China, in October 2021. This second part would include the continuation of negotiations by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was hoped would lead to the adoption of an ambitious post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. COP15 would be webcast at UN TV.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
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).
1
1
1
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.
1
1
1
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.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Report of the Independent Expert on Human Rights situation in the Central African Republic.
1
1
1
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.
1
1
1
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.
2
1
2
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.
️
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Launch of the latest report by the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.
1
1
1
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.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Launch of FFM Venezuela’s latest report to the Human Rights Council
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNCTAD , OHCHR , ICRC , UN WOMEN , ILO
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 Trade and Development, UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.