UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: WFP-WHO Solidarity Flight Covid-19 Response
/
2:36
/
MP4
/
249 MB

Edited News | WHO , WFP

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: WFP-WHO Solidarity Flight Covid-19 Response

The first United Nations “Solidarity Flight” is scheduled to leave Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this afternoon - from there, the aircraft will transport the vital medical cargo to all countries in Africa, where supplies are desperately needed to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The airlift represents the largest single shipment of medical supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO) since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The cargo includes face shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, masks, medical aprons and thermometers, as well as ventilators.

The cargo arrived in Addis Ababa this morning from WHO’s Dubai regional logistical hubs and these flights will move from Addis Ababa this afternoon around 3 pm Geneva time”, WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrssaid at a virtual media briefing organized by the UN in Geneva.

“These flights will transport the vital equipment to five other countries: Djibouti, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, and Tanzania”. From those five hubs they will be transported to as many countries as possible, across the African continent.

The cargo includes “one million face masks, face shields, gloves, googles, gowns, medical aprons, and thermometers as well as ventilators enough to protect health workers while treating 30, 000 patients across the continent,’ Ms. Byrs said.

This is by far the largest single shipment of supplies since the start of pandemic”, she added.

This cargo will ensure that people living in weaker health care systems can get tested and treated while ensuring that health care workers are properly protected.

WFP is setting up the Addis Ababa air ops this week to help transport protective equipment and medical supplies and humanitarian workers across Africa for the Covid-19 response”, Ms Byrs said, in reference to the airlift operation. “To do so, we badly need funding and we stand ready to set up a logistical backbone for global response effort”.

In order to continue providing these vital services, WFP is calling on donors to increase their funding for these air bridges that allow for the transfer of supplies, equipment and health care personnel to the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In reference to the WFP airlift, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said that the cooperation between the two agencies was an indication of the “crucial” nature of the supplies delivery, as well as of “ how important it is that we are all working across agencies and how this Covid response has to be an across-UN response.

“ This is how the world is going to beat it,” Ms. Harris added.

  1. Wide shot, exterior UN Palais
  2. SOUNDBITE (EN): Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “The cargo arrived in Addis Ababa this morning from WHO’s Dubai regional logistical hubs and these flights will move from Addis Ababa this afternoon around 3 pm Geneva time. These flights will transport the vital equipment to five other countries, Djibouti, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, and Tanzania”.
  3. Close up: UN Palais
  4. SOUNDBITE (EN): Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “The cargo includes: 1 million face masks, face chills, gloves, googles, gowns, medical aprons, and thermometers as well as ventilators enough to protect health workers while treating 30 000 patients across the continent. This is by far the largest single shipment of supplies since the start of pandemic”.
  5. Zoom out: UN Palais
  6. SOUNDBITE (EN): Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP is setting up the Addis Ababa air op(erations) this week to help transport protective equipment and medical supplies and humanitarian workers across Africa for the Covid-19 response. To do so, we badly need funding and we stand ready to set up a logistical backbone for global response effort”.
  7. Close up, Stop sign in front of UN Palais
  8. SOUNDBITE (EN): Margaret Harris, Spokesperson for the World Health Organisation (WHO): “This is an indication of how crucial it is and how important it is that we are all working across agencies and how this Covid response has to be an across UN response. This is how the world is going to beat it”.
  9. Wide shot: Broken chair in front of UN building
  10. Zoom out: UN Palais on Place des Nations, Geneva

Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Remarks to HRC 60 Urgent debate

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Remarks to HRC 60 Urgent debate ENG FRA

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council during a meeting on the Israeli strike on negotiators in Qatar on Tuesday. “Israel’s strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world,” he said.

Gaza Al-Mawasi update - UNICEF

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF

Gaza Al-Mawasi update - UNICEF ENG FRA

Gaza: Thirsty and starving, war-battered families face ‘inhumane’ evacuation 

As bombs continue to fall on Gaza City as part of the intensifying Israeli military operation, families with starving children are being pushed southwards from one “hellscape” to another, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK ENG FRA

New UN Human Rights report finds 10 years of increased suffering repression and fear

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday published a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014. 

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNICEF , UNHCR

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025 ENG FRA

The ongoing humanitarian response to the devastating Afghanistan earthquake disaster continued on Friday, although essential services have been cut for operational reasons following reinforced Taliban restrictions on women working with the UN, the global body said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu., 

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025 ENG FRA

A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO ENG FRA

Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO

Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.