The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
30 July 2024
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization.
Situation in Gaza
Answering questions from the media, James Elder, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), stated that the blowing up of a large water facility in Rafah was yet another reminder of a blatant disregard for children’s rights. Without it, vulnerable children and their families would be forced once again to resort to consuming unsafe water. The range of water availability in Gaza had been reduced, and it was now of two to nine liters per person while the humanitarian minimum standard was 15 liters. Mr. Elder reminded of sweltering heat in Gaza right now. Civilian infrastructure had to be protected, he reiterated.
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that environmental samples of polio had been tested, and the Health Ministry in Ramallah would like to test them again to confirm the outcome. If the cases were confirmed, the situation would be very worrisome. The virus was likely present in the population, but that did not mean that there would necessarily be a broader outbreak, he explained. Not many people showed symptoms; only heavy forms of polio could be mortal. Aid – food, medical assistance, and vaccines – needed to reach people, for which a ceasefire was necessary so that humanitarian agencies could deliver it safely. A proper polio vaccination campaign could only be conducted under safe circumstances. Before the war, Gaza had had very high vaccination rates. Mr. Lindmeier said that the world had been very close to eradicating polio completely, and it was hoped that Gaza would not turn into a pocket of polio. No cases of polio paralysis had been reported so far, added Mr. Elder, for UNICEF. There were tremendous challenges getting food in, including therapeutic food, said Mr. Elder. Children were very malnourished, there was a lack of clean water and sanitation, and Gaza was experiencing extreme heat, which all together created a very dire situation.
On another question, Mr. Lindmeier said that four children and their families had been medically evacuated from Egypt to Belgium; more children were now being evacuated towards the United Arab Emirates. Some ten thousand more medical cases needed to be evacuated.
Election in Venezuela
Replying to a question on the presidential election in Venezuela, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), stated that the Secretary-General had called for a peaceful resolution of the electoral dispute. He recalled that electoral authorities should undertake their work independently and without interference to guarantee the free expression of the will of the electorate.
Sudan talks
Answering a question, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), explained that according to the latest information, the next Sudan talks, expected to be held in Switzerland in mid-August, should not be UN-led, although the UN would be represented in the talks. All these efforts had the same aim: to lead to a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sudan. As soon as there was more information about the UN’s participation, it would be shared with the media, while the details on the talks should be sought from the Swiss Permanent Mission, said Ms. Vellucci.
Announcements
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that the third and last part of the 2024 session of the Conference on Disarmament was being held from 29 July to 13 September. Ireland was holding the presidency of the Conference until 16 August, after which Israel would take over from 19 August until 13 September.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination would hold its one hundred and thirteenth session from 5 to 23 August, during which it would review the reports of Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, United Kingdom, and Belarus.
On 1 August, the National Day of Switzerland, the United Nations Office at Geneva would be closed, informed Ms. Vellucci. It was planned not to hold a press briefing on 2 August.
Finally, Ms. Vellucci said that the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) would close at the Palais des Nations on 2 August.
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Heavy fighting in Sudan continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday.