UNOG Bi-weekly press Briefing: Ethiopia Tigray Update OCHA - UNHCR - WHO - WFP
/
2:35
/
MP4
/
191.7 MB

Edited News | UNHCR , OCHA , WHO , WFP

UNOG Bi-weekly press Briefing: Ethiopia Tigray Update OCHA - UNHCR - WHO - WFP

UN working at ‘full speed’ to prepare for humanitarian mission to Ethiopia’s Tigray

The UN’s humanitarian coordination wing, OCHA, said on Friday that the Organization is doing its utmost to secure aid access to Ethiopia’s Tigray region, after a deal was struck to reach displaced civilians, after weeks of fighting between federal and regional forces.

“There are still operational issues of logistical nature, some of them are of security nature, that are being worked out so that we can proceed with the missions of everyone of course are working full speed to make that happen,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

On Wednesday, the UN announced that agreement had been reached with the Ethiopian Government to allow “unimpeded, sustained and secure access” for humanitarian supplies to reach those in need across areas now under its control in the north-eastern area.

At a press conference in Geneva, UN Refugee Agency UNHCR said that it was “ready to resume its full humanitarian activities in the Tigray region as soon as the situation allows following an agreement to restore access”.

Spokesperson Babar Baloch told journalists that “Ethiopian refugee arrivals continue into Sudan with a total number now have crossed 47,000”.

More than 1,000 people arrived on Thursday with more on the move behind them in search of safety, including “a small number” of Eritrean refugees, the UNHCR official said.

To date, 11,150 refugees have been transferred from Hamdayet and Abderafi border points to Um Rakuba camp, some 70 kilometres away from the Ethiopian border.

Mr Baloch noted that in the town of Shire in Tigray, the agency and partners “have already distributed water, high energy biscuits, clothes, mattresses, sleeping mats and blankets to an estimated 5,000 internally displaced people”.

But he added that discussions were still ongoing “with the federal government’s refugee agency on logistics arrangements, and the need to assess the security situation before the resumption of humanitarian activities”.

Responding to concerns about the impact of the conflict on civilians, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said that the worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region was to be expected, along with “injuries, malnutrition, communicable diseases such as malaria, as well as increased needs for non-communicable diseases drugs”.

For the World Food Programme (WFP), spokesperson Tomson Phiri said that the agency welcomed the signing of the agreement to enable access to areas under the Federal Government’s control in Tigray region and the bordering areas of Amhara and Afar regions.

The agency’s priority “is to locate some of the 50,000 Eritrean refugees who before the conflict received, received food assistance in four camps in Tigray” he added, although it was possible “that some may have fled by now in search of safety”.

WFP will continue to seek ways to “speed up delivery of food supplies to refugee camps in Tigray as well as to reach people in need elsewhere”, Mr Phiri insisted, noting that the agency has provided supplementary food assistance to 42,000 people in Tigray.

Overall, some one million people received humanitarian support before the fighting began in early November, according to WFP.

Ahead of assessment missions by the UN and its partners, the Organization provisionally estimated that up to two million people from Tigray Region would need assistance, WFP said in a statement.

  1. Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying.
  2. Wide shot, podium with speakers to rear in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs): “There are still operational issues of a logistical nature, some of them are of a security nature, that are being worked out, so that we can proceed with the missions; everyone of course are working full speed to make that happen.”
  4. Medium-wide shot, TV screen showing press conference in foreground and podium with speakers to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Babar Baloch, spokesperson for UNHCR (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees): “UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, stands ready to resume its full humanitarian activities in the Tigray region as soon as the situation allows following an agreement to restore access.”
  6. Close-up, journalist seen from behind listening and watching TV screen broadcasting press conference, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for WHO (World Health Organization): “The current situation will be impacted by this conflict and what we can except is to include worsening of COVID-19 pandemic in the region, injuries, malnutrition, communicable diseases such as malaria, as well as increased needs for non-communicable diseases, drugs.”
  8. Close-up, World Food Programme (WFP) spokesperson Tomson Phiri talking in foreground and Alessandra Vellucci to rear, side shot, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, WFP: “It is unclear at this stage how much relief food is in WFP and Government warehouses until assessment missions reach Tigray.”
  10. Medium-close-up, journalist seated to rear, taking notes, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Babar Baloch, spokesperson for UNHCR (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees): “In the Shire in Tigray, UNHCR Staff in the town together with our partners have already distributed water, high energy biscuits, clothes, mattresses, sleeping mats and blankets to an estimated 5,000 internally displaced people.”
  12. Medium shot, UN staff member looking at laptop, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  13. SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, WFP: “WFP’s priority is to locate some of the 50,000 Eritrean refugees who before the conflict received, received food assistance in four camps in Tigray. It is possible, as Babar has said, that some may have fled by now in search of safety.”
  14. Medium shot, journalist seen from behind watching TV screen showing press conference, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  15. SOUNDBITE (English) — Babar Baloch, spokesperson for UNHCR (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees): “Inside neighbouring Sudan, Ethiopian refugee arrivals continue with a total number now have crossed 47,000, more than 1,000 arrived yesterday, the majority in the evening.”
  16. Wide shot, press conference with podium and speakers to rear in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
  17. Medium close-up, Un Staff members with earphones, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  18. Medium shot, journalist looking at his phone, side shot, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza ENG FRA

“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians

Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA ENG FRA

As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani  urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis  - UN humanitarians

Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO ENG FRA

UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount

Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday,  But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi

1

1

1

Edited News

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi ENG FRA

A war reporter from Lebanon who lost a limb in the line of duty is calling for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists.

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | ITU

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025 ENG FRA

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OCHA

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gazans ‘in terror’ after another night of deadly strikes and siege

Amid reports that Israeli strikes across Gaza into Friday killed at least 64 people, aid teams once again pushed back strongly at allegations that aid is being diverted to Hamas and pleaded for the blockade to end.

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America ENG FRA

Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.   

Gaza health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza health update - WHO ENG FRA

Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO

In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.