The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences | WHO , WFP
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing Tigray Update WFP - WHO 13 July 2021
UN appeals for smoother passage for aid convoys to Ethiopia’s Tigray UN humanitarians appealed on Tuesday for better access to Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region, after the first aid trucks in days to reach the local capital, Mekelle, encountered multiple, rigorous checks on their way there. “The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) convoy of 50 trucks arrived in the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle Monday with 900 metric tonnes of food as well as other emergency supplies,” said Tomson Phiri, spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP). “It was the first humanitarian convoy to reach Tigray since WFP re-started operations in the northwest on 02 July following fighting…Of the 50 trucks, 29 truckloads transported food commodities comprising of wheat, split peas and vegetable oil, enough to cover the most pressing urgent food needs of 200,000 people for a week. It is not enough.” Unobstructed aid deliveries are crucial in the northern Ethiopian region where four million people need emergency food assistance after more than eight months of conflict between regional and central government forces, the WFP spokesperson explained. “What is important here is to note is that these convoys are going through rigorous checks,” Mr Phiri said. “It should not be like that. We need to send these convoys every day from now on so that we are able to meet demand. We therefore appeal for quicker and smoother passage into the region as soon as possible.” According to WFP the aid convoy took four days to travel from Semera in the northeast to Mekelle, a distance of 445 kilometres. Drivers had to stop at 10 checkpoints where “at each and every stop, the humanitarian cargo was rigorously checked”, Mr. Phiri said. Some 100 aid trucks “need to be moving on any given day” and they need to for half the time if we are to reverse the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the region” he continued, before noting that WFP needs $176 million to continue to scale up its response in Tigray to save lives and livelihoods to the end of the year. Latest reports from Tigray on Tuesday also indicate that healthcare provision is non-existent in many areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. “Most health facilities are not functioning at the moment and first-hand accounts that we just received this morning tell us that medical equipment and supplies were removed or destroyed in almost all health facilities in the region,” said spokesperson Christian Lindmeier. Despite the challenges of access, the UN agency has allocated $1.9 million for malaria, cholera and nutrition treatments. “But this is only a fraction of what’s needed (it) will be critical for local authorities and partners to deliver assistance,” Mr. Lindmeier insisted. In June, the WHO warned that conflict between Ethiopian Government troops and those loyal to the dominant regional force, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), had left hospitals “barely functioning”, people displaced and famine “looming”. The agency also underlined the serious danger of communicable and vaccine-preventable diseases spreading owing to a lack of food, clean water, safe shelter and access to health care. ends
STORY: Tigray Update – WFP, WHO
TRT: 02 min 22s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 13 July 2021 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, overcast.
- Wide shot of press conference room at UN Geneva, TV camera on tripod in centre, podium and host/participants to rear and to sides.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, UN World Food Programme (WFP): “The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) convoy of 50 trucks arrived in the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle Monday with 900 metric tonnes of food as well as other emergency supplies. It was the first humanitarian convoy to reach Tigray since WFP re-started operations in the northwest on 02 July following fighting.”
- Medium shot, technician, masked, wearing white coat and checking mobile phone, partly obscured by conference microphones.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, UN World Food Programme (WFP): “What is important here is to note is that these convoys are going through rigorous checks. It should not be like that. We need to send these convoys every day from now on so that we are able to meet demand. We therefore appeal for quicker and smoother passage into the region as soon as possible.”
- Medium shot, participants seated behind laptops, masked, interpreters’ booths to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, UN World Food Programme (WFP): “Of the 50 trucks, 29 truckloads transported food commodities comprising of wheat, split peas and vegetable oil, enough to cover the most pressing urgent food needs of 200,000 people for a week. It is not enough”
- Medium shot, participants seated behind laptops, masked, podium with host and UN logo backdrop to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, UN World Food Programme (WFP): “We need 100 trucks to be moving on any given day for half the time if we are to reverse the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the region.”
- Wide shot, big screen TV showing remote participant and host seated at podium, UN logo backdrop to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Christian Lindmeier, World Health Organization (WHO): “Most health facilities are not functioning at the moment and first-hand accounts that we just received this morning tell us that medical equipment and supplies were removed or destroyed in almost all health facilities in the region.”
- Wide shot, big screen TV showing remote participant and host seated at podium, UN logo backdrop to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Christian Lindmeier, World Health Organization (WHO): “With our limited remaining financial resources, WHO is procuring vitally needed supplies worth $1.9 million for malaria, cholera and nutrition. But this is only a fraction of what’s needed; these will be critical for local authorities and partners to deliver assistance.”
- Wide shot of press conference room, TV camera on tripod in centre, podium and host/participants to rear and to sides.
- Wide reverse shot of press conference room at UN Geneva, TV camera on tripod in centre next to arc light, participants to the sides.
- Wide shot of podium, host seated and masked in front of UN backdrop, arranging papers.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
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.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
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.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the International Organization for Migration, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Meteorological Organization, the World Health Organization, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
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.
2
3
2
Press Conferences | WMO
Launch of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)'s Air Quality and Climate Bulletin 2024.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
The UN disability rights committee (CRPD) presented the findings of its 33rd session on DPRK, Finland, Kiribati, Maldives and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Jürg Lauber briefs the press in Geneva ahead of the Council's 60th session.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
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.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Federation of the Red Cross.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR
Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’
In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.