UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: COVID-19 Preparedness OCHA
/
1:52
/
MP4
/
138.9 MB

Edited News | OCHA , UNOG

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: COVID-19 Preparedness - OCHA

Millions of people in crises will need UN humanitarian aid in midst of COVID-19 pandemic

More than 100 million people around the world are relying on life-saving support from the United Nations and will continue to need this as the COVID-19 spreads, a spokesman of the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA) said at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

The Press was following the briefing remotely after Swiss authorities yesterday imposed new measures to limit meetings to no more than five people, part of the coronavirus response in the country.

“The UN office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA) is determined that crucial line saving work for the world's most vulnerable communities must be sustained,” said spokesperson Jens Laerke. “That means continuing focus on coordination across the group of humanitarian system so that we have the resources they need and maintaining effective humanitarian operations leaving no one behind.”

The OCHA spokesman said that the UN’s top priority is to ensure that everything possible is done to keep providing life-saving help for these vulnerable people.

“We are working closely with the United Nations Member States and the private sector to ensure funding for the equipment is available to fight COVID-19 in the world’s most vulnerable countries,” Mr. Laerke said.

“The WHO has appealed for $675 million to fund the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he remarked, while adding that work is ongoing to coordinate a consolidated global humanitarian appeal.

UN agencies are currently assessing where and how humanitarian operations on the ground are being disrupted to identify solutions as quickly as possible.

“We are taking precautions to ensure the safety of staff and the people we serve,” Mr Laerke said, while “helping to raise awareness among vulnerable communities to inform them of how to protect themselves from COVID-19”.

1. Wide shot: exterior, flag alley, Palais des Nations, United Nations Geneva.

2. Wide shot: Press Room III, with four people visible in shot, including three on podium.

3. Medium wide shot: Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the Information Service at UN Geneva, with Jens Laerke, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) sitting some distance away to her left. A projector screen indicating “UNIS GENEVA Bi-weekly Press Briefing” is shown to rear.

4. SOUNDBITE (EN) - Deputy spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Jens Laerke: “The coronavirus pandemic now has a foothold in more than 140 countries. Some of these are countries that are already in humanitarian crises, due to conflicts, natural disasters and climate change.”

5. Medium wide shot: podium speakers seated some distance apart.

6. SOUNDBITE (EN) - Deputy spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Jens Laerke: “More than 100 million people rely on support from the United Nations humanitarian agencies. OCHA’s top priority is to ensure that we do all we can in order to keep providing life-saving help to those people.”

7. Close-up: microphones, empty tables in background, podium speakers to rear, spaced apart from each other.

8. SOUNDBITE (EN) Jens Laerke/OCHA: “From Geneva, we have dedicated teams which are looking exactly at these practical implications on humanitarian operations, on logistics, on supply chains, and so on and so forth. So, it is too early to tell you exactly what is going to be the fallout of this on our operations, but we are monitoring it very, very closely.”

9. Close-up: Jens Laerke, spokesperson for OCHA, speaking into microphone at podium, other podium speakers to rear.

10. SOUNDBITE (EN) Jens Laerke/OCHA: “The emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock has already released $15 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund to help fund WHO and UNICEF’s efforts to contain the virus in vulnerable countries. Other OCHA-managed funds in individual countries are also stepping up and country-based pool funds have released money to scale up immediate preparedness in Afghanistan, Sudan and Jordan.”

11. Medium shot: UNTV camera in foreground and to rear, empty chairs.

11. Wide shot: rows of empty chairs, podium speakers to rear.

12. Close-up: rows of empty chairs.

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change ENG FRA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Human Rights Council annual panel on adverse impacts of climate change.

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | WHO

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025

2

1

2

Statements , Edited News | HRC

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar presented by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral update by Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNOG

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025 ENG FRA

The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNOG

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025 ENG FRA

Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.

Gaza update-OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Gaza update-OHCHR ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on Palestinians killed seeking food in Gaza

Iran update - OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Iran update - OHCHR ENG FRA

Iran-Israel war: UN rights office concerned over strike on Tehran prison, reported espionage arrests

Tehran’s notorious Evin prison known for holding dissidents should not be a target, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday, a day after a reported Israeli strike on the complex.

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza

1

1

1

Edited News

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza ENG FRA

Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza documents war's impact, gaining global attention but facing personal peril.

Human Rights Council - Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Human Rights Council - Iran ENG FRA

As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the continuing exchanges of missile attacks between Tehran and Tel-Aviv.