The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Press Conferences | UNHCR , OCHA , WHO , WFP , UNCTAD , ILO
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 19 January 2021
Universal Periodic Review
Rhéal LeBlanc, speaking on behalf of the Human Rights Council (HRC), said the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group had begun its 37th session on 18 January, when it had reviewed the human rights situations in Micronesia and Lebanon. This morning, the Working Group was reviewing the human rights record of Mauritania and this afternoon St Kitts and Nevis.
Refugees in Tigray, Ethiopia
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that UNHCR had regained access to two refugee camps in the Tigray and found Eritrean refugees in desperate need of supplies and services two months after a conflict had forced humanitarian workers to withdraw from the region. UNHCR had led the first humanitarian mission to Mai Aini and Adi Harush refugee camps since the start of the conflict in November, after being granted one-time access by the Ethiopian authorities to conduct a needs assessment.
The assessment, concluded the previous week, had found help was urgently needed for the tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees in northern Ethiopia. Refugees were cut off from any supplies and services for more than two months. Wells were not functional without fuel for the pumps – leaving refugees to use water from a nearby creek for washing, cooking and drinking, resulting in diarrhea-like illnesses.
UNHCR was working with the government and partners to re-establish a regular presence at the camps and launch a response based on the information collected. Further north in the Tigray, UNHCR had not had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps since November. UNHCR reiterated the UN-wide call for full and unimpeded access to all refugees in the Tigray region and remained committed to work with the Ethiopian government to seek solutions together.
UNHCR briefing note is here.
Responding to questions, Mr. Baloch said that UNHCR had no information about how refugees and others had been surviving in the areas to which it had no access. Unimpeded access was paramount to the entire Tigray region, including to almost 100,000 Eritrean refugees who had been residing there from before the conflict.
Deteriorating humanitarian situation in northern Mozambique
Tomson Phiri, for the World Food Programme (WFP), stated that the Regional Directors for southern and eastern Africa had recently concluded a joint mission to assess the plight of displaced people and host communities in conflict-affected Cabo Delgado province. The mission had met with internally displaced people victims of attacks, continue facing insecurity and had lost everything. As displacement numbers increased daily, the lack of security, adequate food, water, sanitation, shelter, health, protection and education was exacerbating an already dire situation. What was happening was nothing short of a humanitarian and security disaster.
A virtual press conference would be held the following day, 20 January, at 10 a.m. Central African time. Speakers would include representatives of the FAO, the IOM, the UNFPA, the WFP, the UNHCR, the IFAD, and the RSCA, as well as the Resident Coordinator for Mozambique, informed Mr. Phiri. The link for the press conference is here.
Drought in Madagascar
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said the United Nations had issued a USD 76 million flash appeal to urgently support one million people in need of food and sanitation in the Grand Sud of Madagascar. The region was experiencing the worst draught in a decade, and people had been driven to the brink of survival. The food security analysis from December showed that 130,000 children could suffer from malnutrition in the coming months.
Mr. Laerke emphasized that Madagascar urgently needed donor support, which would, if fully funded, improve food security for 1.1 million people; provide access to water for 420,000 of the most vulnerable; give nutritional support to 300,000 children under age 5; and ensure essential health care services for 230,000 people.
In a response to a question, Mr. Laerke said the usual coping mechanisms during lean seasons would be to send family members to larger cities to look for work, but with COVID-19, people could not move as much as before, and jobs were less available.
The flash appeal can be accessed here.
Insecurity in Haiti
Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that OHCHR was concerned that persistent insecurity, poverty and structural inequalities in Haiti coupled with increasing political tensions might lead to a pattern of public discontent followed by violent police repression and other human rights violations.
In recent months, kidnappings for ransom, attacks by criminal gangs against perceived rival neighbourhoods and widespread insecurity had increased in a context of almost total impunity. In parallel, political tensions were resurfacing due to disputes over the timing and scope of elections and a referendum on constitutional reform proposed by the Government.
Ms. Hurtado stressed that Haiti should take steps to address the population’s grievances and the root causes that fuelled the protests, including widespread impunity, allegations of corruption, persistent poverty, structural inequalities, limited access to social services, and other difficulties in the enjoyment of economic and social rights by the Haitian people. UN Human Rights Office stood ready to continue supporting State authorities in their fulfilment of human rights international obligations.
OHCHR briefing note can be found here.
COVID-19
Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), responding to numerous journalists’ questions, informed that the WHO had been repeating its message to the countries not to go for “vaccine nationalism”, which did not make sense either economically or in public health terms. Until the pandemic was stopped globally, nobody was completely safe. Vaccine manufacturers ought to submit full data so that they could be properly and fully examined by the WHO; only afterwards could those vaccines be procured for the COVAX facility. Efforts ought to be accelerated to roll out enough doses to the countries which did not have the capacity to purchase vaccines. No vaccines had been rolled out via COVAX thus far.
Individual countries were using their own national or regional regulatory authorities to decide on the approval of various vaccines; it was not mandatory that countries use the WHO regulatory framework, said Ms. Harris. WHO would wish all vaccine manufacturers to provide the needed data in a speedy and comprehensive manner, which would allow the WHO to properly review the vaccine for a possible emergency-use listing.
Ms. Harris also informed that, in brief, COVAX functioned on the principle of wealthier countries providing funds to buy vaccines for poorer countries, which were not able to do so themselves. GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, was in charge of negotiating agreements for vaccines. Ms. Harris explained that three sets of data were looked at when analyzing different vaccines: data on efficacy, data on safety, and data on good manufacturing practice.
Presentations by Dr Mike Ryan and Dr Bruce Aylward to WHO Executive Board: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB148/EB_14.1_COVID_Update%20_EXD-en.pdf
https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB148/WHO-EB_Accelerating_ACT-A&COVAX-en.pdf
To another question, Ms. Harris responded that the independent panel headed by Helen Clarke and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was separate from the WHO, and that journalists would need to contact the panel’s communication focal point with inquires and requests for a press conference. The report was currently under discussion at the WHO Executive Board.
She stressed that vaccines would help, but not immediately, as the vaccination process would last for a while. All other public health measures needed to continue until then, including testing, distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands. There were many reports of the so-called “long COVID”, and everybody’s priority should really be to avoid getting infected in the first place.
Status of EUL applications to WHO here: https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/sites/default/files/documents/Status_COVID_VAX_14Jan2021.pdf
Geneva announcements
Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated that UNCTAD’s Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi had informed the Secretary-General he would resign from his position with effect from 15 February 2021. The Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Isabelle Durant, would be Acting Secretary-General of UNCTAD while the Secretary-General launched a recruitment process to find a successor to Mr. Kituyi. Responding to a question, Ms. Huissoud said that Mr. Kituy had indeed indicated, but not officially announced, his interest to run for the position of the President of Kenya.
Ms. Huissoud also informed that UNCTAD would publish, on 24 January at 7 p.m. Geneva time, new data on global Foreign Direct Investment for 2020. A virtual press conference would be held on 22 January at 2:30 p.m. to present the Global Investment Trends Monitor n°38 with James Zhan, director of the Investment Division.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said the first public meeting of the 2021 session of the Conference on Disarmament was taking place this morning, under the presidency of Ambassador Marc Pecsteen of Belgium. The other presidencies for this year session would be Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, and Chile.
Rosalind Yarde, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), informed about a launch on 25 January of the ILO’s ‘7th Monitor on COVID-19 and the world of work’. The latest Monitor looked at workplace closures, working hours, labour income and employment losses in 2020, comparing the data with the previous year. It also gave labour market projections for 2021, including an assessment of the type of recovery likely to be seen in the coming year. An embargoed virtual press briefing on 25 January at 11 a.m. would feature ILO Director-General Guy Ryder and Sangheon Lee, Director of the ILO’s Employment Policy Department. An embargoed press release would be sent out this week.
Responding to a question, Mr. LeBlanc confirmed that the Syrian Constitutional Small Body would be convening at UN Geneva the following week, 25-29 January, Covid-19 conditions permitting. The UN Special Envoy for Syria would be briefing the Security Council on 20 January at 4 p.m. Geneva time, and his remarks would be distributed shortly thereafter.
Mr. LeBlanc also informed that on 22 January at 5 p.m. Geneva time, there would be a media briefing on background with the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Climate Action, Selwin Hart, on the upcoming Adaptation Summit (25-26 January) and the World Economic Forum (25-29 January). Those interested to attend should RSVP to Florencia Soto sotonino@un.org by 21 January.
Finally, the Committee on the Rights of the Child had opened the previous day its 85th session – a virtual one during which, given the current situation concerning COVID, it would not review any country report.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , WHO
Yemen's health system nears collapse amid conflict, causing rising casualties and medicine shortages.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Update by the Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WIPO , WHO , UNICEF , UNHCR , IOM , WFP , FAO
WIPO Global Innovation Index 2026 launch and press conference, WHO Composition of influenza vaccines for the 2027 Southern Hemisphere flu season, UNICEF Yemen hunger and malnutrition; UNHCR Sudan displacement into Chad; IOM Ebola and population movements in DRC; WFP emergency food assistance in Nepal; and FAO food loss and waste.
2
1
2
Press Conferences | UNCTAD
Gaza reconstruction needs reach $71.5 billion as Palestinian economy and public finances face severe strain. Latest UNCTAD report documents the loss of decades of development gains, economic collapse in Gaza and tightening economic constraints in the West Bank.
The report identifies three immediate priorities: transferring withheld Palestinian revenues, safeguarding the banking system and aligning reconstruction support with the documented scale of damage and economic losses.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Press conference on the situation of human rights in Nicaragua by the UN Group of Human Rights Experts
1
1
1
Press Conferences | ITU , UNHCR , WHO , WMO
YEMEN - UNHCR: Escalating conflict in Yemen could fuel more displacement, refugee movement
CLIMATE - WHO / WMO: Health and Climate impact of El Niño
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Mariana Katzarova discusses human rights in Russia as a UN Special Rapporteur.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA , UNHCR , UNOPS , WHO
UN Geneva briefing: Yemen crisis worsens, urgent aid needed across multiple sectors.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Press conference on the latest report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
Victims Still Waiting: A Global Briefing on Transitional Justice Around the World
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | WMO
As world’s water reserves change, countries must prepare for a new reality: WMO
New data showing that rivers were at their lowest level for decades last year provides further evidence that the climate crisis is real and countries must act immediately to protect themselves from the increasing threat to communities and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
The key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 report covering the hydrological cycle and extreme events in the five-year period to last year:
- 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge in 35 years
- Past seven years have seen abnorfmal river flows
- Water storage on Earth’s land surface has decreased in past decade
- Widespread glacier loss across all regions for fourth consecutive year
- Asia and Africa are regions most affected by water-related disasters
- Water data availability has improved, but gaps remain in hard-hit areas
Highlighting the long-term decline in the Earth’s freshwater storage and glacier melt, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explained that the planet’s water reserves used to act as a planetary “savings account” that absorbed the occasional dry season, avoiding a water crisis. “One of the central stories of the 2025 report is what is happening to that savings account? And the simple answer is that we are depleting it,” she told journalists in Geneva.
Groundwater reserves are equally stretched and have been in decline since 2014, WMO’s report states, with nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showing levels lower than the historical norm and indicating a shift “further toward deficit…not recovery”.
“At the same time, we are seeing more water-related disasters,” Ms. Saulo said, while also stressing that the currently strengthening El Niño “will increase the risk of drought in some areas, and flooding in others”.
Glaciers disappearing
In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass, leading to short-term hazards including floods and long-term water insecurity, according to WMO.
Responding to a question about whether the changing global water cycle might have contributed to the deadly Nepal-China flooding disaster, Ms. Saulo explained that melting ice and rock was just one factor in the chain of events that ultimately sent a massive and deadly wall of water and debris downstream on 26 August, killing at least 1,367 people.
“You asked if it could happen again? Absolutely; the problem in this region is that there’s 63,700 glaciers at the last count,” she told a Press Conference in Geneva. “Even if you’re looking with remote sensing with satellites at these glaciers, you might see some faults, you might see some slight shifting, that does not mean necessarily catastrophic collapse. So, in order to plan for this, it’s very, very difficult. But the international community is looking very hard at ways in which we can bring people together to solve some of these monitoring issues.”
Data indicates that glaciers shrank between 2023 and 2025 with cumulative losses of 1,400 gigatonnes of water – or about one third of annual fresh water needs.
Every major glacier region on Earth lost ice for the fourth consecutive year.
“All 19 glacier regions around the globe lost ice; in Central Asia, Iceland, the Russian Arctic and western Canada and the United States, it was among the three worst years on record,” said Wayne Jenkinson, WMO’s Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere.
Some regions with smaller glaciers such as Central Europe, the Caucasus, the western Canada and the United States may already have reached “peak water”, Mr. Jenkinson warned.
“After this point, the glacier gives less meltwater each year simply because there is less ice left to melt. That matters for every community downstream that relies on water during hot, dry summers,” he explained.
Narelle van der Wel, WMO’s Head of Cryosphere Monitoring, Predictions and Services, stressed that while some further glacier loss is unavoidable, the eventual scale of the decline is not predetermined.
“Some glacier loss is inevitable, but total loss of glaciers is not yet inevitable,” she said, pointing to emissions reductions as central to limiting future losses.
Preparing for moving baselines
The report does not attribute every observed change to climate change alone. WMO says pressure on water resources and natural variability also contribute.
Mr. Jenkinson said governments need to prepare for “moving baselines” as historical patterns become less reliable.
“The situation 30 years ago is not where we are today,” he said. Countries, he added, need to prepare “for those changes that have really already arrived”.
ends
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WMO , OCHA , WHO , UNICEF , UN WOMEN , OHCHR , IOM , UNHCR
Update on Ebola from WHO and OCHA, update on the situation of children with the beginning of school in Ukraine from UNICEF, UN Women on the impact of the settlers and restrictions on women and girls in West Bank, OHCHR on the recovery of extensive human remains in Gaza, IOM and UNHCR on the new wave of displacement in Yemen