The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 17 April 2020
/
2:12:35
/
MP4
/
1.1 GB
Press Conferences | OHCHR , UNICEF , UNHCR , WHO , UNITED NATIONS , WFP , UNECE
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 17 April 2020
COVID-19
Responding to questions, Dr. Margaret Harris for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that she did not have precise statistics on the number of health workers who had died due to COVID-19, but she reiterated that health workers were among the most exposed group.
WHO would as soon as possible provide a factsheet on the WHO’s 2020 budget and contributions from member States. She reiterated that the United States had been a great partner of the Organization.
WHO was looking into the genome of the novel coronavirus and could still not definitively confirm the origin of the virus.
Asked to comment on the firing of the Brazilian Health Minister, Dr. Harris said that the WHO did not comment on internal political matters, and reiterated Dr. Tedros’ call for solidarity. WHO had a lot of guidance in place, including on how indigenous communities could protect themselves.
Decision had not been made yet on whether the World Health Assembly would take place in May as planned or to which dates it might be postponed, said Ms. Harris.
COVID-19: Impact on children
Laurence Chandy, Director, Office of Global Insight and Policy at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that the predominant focus of the threats of the pandemic on the elderly often meant that the effects on children were overlooked. Schools around the world today were empty and child protection services had closed down, which meant that the effects on children went far beyond health. Many mitigation measures adopted by countries were necessary, but they heavily affected children and sometimes caused more harm than good. When households saw a reduction of income, that immediately had effects on children, especially if the households were already living in relative poverty. Children’s education was being disrupted, risks for children’s safety were considerable, especially for children stuck at homes where there was domestic violence. The virus to date had thankfully mostly spared children, but immunizations for measles and polio around the world had been put on hold, having longer-term health consequences. Information, solidarity and action were three fronts of action needed now and in the months ahead. It was necessary to ensure a more balanced approach: working together for children, greatly expanding social spending to support the most vulnerable families, securing local food markets, and not forcing people to abandon livelihoods which they needed to survive. Continuity of child services ought to be prioritized.
Responding to a question, Mr. Chandy explained that the effect of the COVID-19 pandemics on children was near universal, given the unprecedented scale of the disease, but poor children were feeling a disproportionately high impact. Never in history had all schools around the world been closed pretty much simultaneously. Almost 30 countries in the world had closed
schools preemptively, before even registering a single COVID-19 case. Decisions on when schools would reopen would have to be country-based, according to local contexts.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), recalled the Policy Brief issued the previous day by the UN Secretary-General on COVID-19’s impact on children, and his appeal to governments to act now to protect children and promote their wellbeing.
More about the UN call for greater protection of children during the COVID-19 crisis here. Latest updates on COVID-19 from UNICEF can be found here.
COVID-19: Impact on food and agricultural systems
Maximo Torero, Chief Economist and Assistant Director-General for the Economic and Social Development Department at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that one of the major challenges of the COVID-19 pandemics was that the lockdowns affected the availability of food. Lockdowns affected both the supply and demand sides, including access to markets, access to inputs, and being able to move goods. The macroeconomic aspects referred to the exchange rate fluctuations affecting the export and import of foodstuffs. One side of the coin referred to the unstable food supplies even though there existed more than sufficient reserves of staple commodities, and it would be logical for prices to be falling. There was no need for a food crisis right now. High-labour commodities such as fruits, vegetables and meat needed to be put forward as a priority sector so that the value chain continued to operate and those types of food could be flowing as well. Fish supplies had also been affected substantially because of the lockdown of many airports. FAO was trying to come up with measures to expand its food insecurity scales to assess the hot spots of people moving into food insecurity situations. Securing food value chains in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia were among the priorities at the moment. That was the other side of the coin: the expected recession which would affect the farmers and increase the rates of undernourishment around the world.
Responding to questions, Mr. Torero explained that this was an unprecedented situation in which every single country of the world was affected. The level of recovery in China was very slow at the moment, which indicated a longer and more sluggish global recovery. A tremendous reduction in remittances was also foreseen, as most migrants were sending money home from countries heavily affected by the pandemics. Given the high level of uncertainty, it was difficult to predict eventual levels of unemployment and undernourishment.
COVID-19: Raw material supplies during the pandemic
Jean Rodriguez, for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), stated that with almost half of the world under lockdown, the continued supply of certain critical raw materials needed for an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic had become a concern.
The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and excipients of several drugs, including antibiotics such as Azithromycin or Amoxicillin, incorporated minerals such as chromium, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel and many others.
That was also the case of the four antivirals which were being experimented in many countries as a preventive drug and treatment for COVID-19 under the WHO-led Solidarity Trial. In situations like the current pandemic with an immediate supply crunch, identifying alternative local or regional sources was key, stressed Mr. Rodriguez.
Full statement can be read here.
COVID-19: West and Central Africa
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that the UNHCR had stepped up efforts across West and Central Africa to protect millions of vulnerable people who were facing a renewed risk from the combined effects of conflict and the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 had exacerbated challenges in a region already dealing with one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, involving over nine million forcibly displaced people. The pandemic had led to border closures and added an increased strain on fragile health systems and weak economies. West and Central Africa had one of Africa’s largest displaced population with some 5.6 million internally displaced, 1.3 million refugees, 1.4 million returnees who still needed assistance, and 1.6 million stateless people. So far, all the 21 countries of the region had reported a total of over 5,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 100 deaths since the first detection on 28 February 2020. So far, only host populations appeared to have been affected with no coronavirus cases so far reported among the displaced.
Although, COVID-19 related restrictions were not targeted at refugees and asylum-seekers specifically, UNHCR had expressed concern that measures in the region could see people in need of international protection attempting even more risky and dangerous border crossings.
More details can be found in the UNHCR briefing note.
COVID-19: Situation in Libya
Rupert Colville, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the OHCHR was gravely concerned by the continued fighting in Libya, and the repeated impact the hostilities had had on civilians, hospitals and other medical facilities assigned to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite numerous calls for a global ceasefire during these difficult times, OHCHR had received reports that attacks had in fact escalated in Libya. OHCHR called on all parties to the conflict to immediately observe a humanitarian pause.
On three separate occasions from 6 to 10 April, the al Khadra Hospital in Tripoli, which had been assigned to receive patients infected with COVID-19, had been struck by rockets. Intensified fighting along the western coast over the past week had resulted in the suspension of services at four hospitals in Sabratha and Surman. Indiscriminate attacks as well as the targeting of hospitals and other medical facilities were violations of international humanitarian law and could, depending on the circumstances, amount to war crimes.
OHCHR urged the authorities to release anyone whose detention is arbitrary and to strictly limit pre-trial detention. Women, children, the elderly and those with a medical condition, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees currently in detention in Libya should also be released as a matter of urgency.
Full statement can be found here.
Safa Msehli, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stated that the IOM expressed grave concerns for the fate of hundreds of migrants returned to Libya by the coast guard this year who were now unaccounted for. According to recent government figures, roughly 1,500 people were currently detained in 11 state-run Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration centres.
However, at least 3,200 men, women and children aboard boats bound for Europe had been rescued or intercepted by the coast guard and returned to the war-torn north African country in 2020. Most ended up in data collection and investigation facilities or unofficial detention centres. IOM did not have access to those centres. Despite multiple requests, Libyan authorities had not provided any clear accounting as to the whereabouts of these people, or why they had been taken to unofficial detention facilities.
Ms. Msehli stressed that the IOM was alarmed by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya and reiterated that it was unacceptable for people rescued at sea to be returned to abuse, trafficking, and war. The Organization reiterated its call to the European Union for urgent action to establish a clear and swift disembarkation mechanism to end returns to Libya.
Full IOM statement can be read here.
Regarding who would be the next Special Envoy for Libya, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that Stephanie Turco Williams was the acting head of the UN Support Mission in Libya and the acting Special Envoy. An announcement on the next Special Envoy would be shared as soon as the decision had been made.
COVID-19: Myanmar/Bangladesh - Rohingya
Rupert Colville, from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that the OHCHR was shocked by the news that more than 30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar had died on board a boat in the Bay of Bengal, and that nearly 400 others had been found dehydrated, malnourished and in need of immediate medical attention after nearly two months at sea.
In light of reports of other vessels in similar circumstances still at sea, the OHCHR strongly urged stepped-up search and rescue efforts to be conducted in a timely manner.
Today, the situation in Rakhine and neighbouring Chin State was again dire. There had been a spike in violence between the ethnic Arakan Army armed group and the Myanmar army, impacting civilians of all ethnic groups living in the area, including Rohingya, Rakhine, Chin, Mro, Daignet and others. Myanmar’s military had been carrying out almost daily airstrikes and shelling in populated areas resulting in at least 32 deaths and 71 injuries since 23 March, the majority women and children, and destroying and burning schools and homes.
Recalling the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, OHCHR called on parties to the conflict in Myanmar to heed that call and to adhere to their obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law by protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Full OHCHR statement can be read here.
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), added that the UNHCR was taking care of the rescued group and providing shelter and assistance to close of 400 survivors. Most of them were in need of immediate medical attention, and absolute focus at the moment was on their wellbeing.
COVID-19: Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), warned that the latest rounds of violence in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo displacing thousands of people could unleash terrible consequences for the country as it grappled to initiate a new fight against COVID-19.
More than five million people had been uprooted by conflict within the DRC's borders, the single-largest internally displaced population in Africa. The country also hosted over half a million refugees, fleeing unrest and persecution in the neighbouring countries. Recent attacks in North Kivu and Ituri provinces were reported to have displaced more than 35,000 people in recent weeks including some 25,000 in villages south of Lubero territory. In the meantime, security had deteriorated in the Djugu Territory in Ituri province, where a growing number of attacks by unknown assailants had displaced over 12,000 persons so far this month. Those attacks hampered humanitarian access, hinder assistance to desperate displaced people, and disrupted vital coordination on COVID-19 prevention and sensitization.
Full UNHCR statement can be read here.
Rupert Colville, for the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that the OHCHR was alarmed by the worsening security situation in Djugu and Mahagi territories,
Ituri province, where more than 150 people had been killed in the last 40 days in a series of attacks by Djugu-based perpetrators. The attackers included members of the CODECO armed group, most of whom were from the Lendu ethnic community.
In March alone, the OHCHR had recorded 107 civilians killed and 43 injured. So far in April, another 49 people had been killed, 13 wounded and six abducted. In total, since the beginning of the year, 334 civilian casualties (206 civilians killed, 74 wounded and 54 abducted) had been recorded. The brutality of the attacks, with perpetrators using machetes to kill women and children, raping, looting property, destroying houses and killing livestock, suggested that the aim was to inflict lasting trauma on the affected populations, forcing them to flee, and so gain control over the territory, rich in natural resources.
Full OHCHR statement is available here.
COVID-19: UNCTAD announcement
Reading a statement on behalf of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Alessandra Vellucci informed that UNCTAD had just published a commentary and analysis on the way investment promotion agencies had changed their ways and means to serve their investor clients in the time of the pandemic. The text would be sent shortly to journalists.
COVID-19: ILO announcement
Reading a statement on behalf of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Alessandra Vellucci said that the ILO had carried out a number of analyses on the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on tourism, car, food, health sector, retail and other industries, threatening the livelihoods of millions of workers. ILO would hold a virtual press conference with ILO experts on Tuesday, 21 April at 2 p.m. Interested journalists should inform Rosalind Yarde.
* * *
The webcast for this briefing is available here: https://bit.ly/unog170420
Teleprompter
Good morning, everybody.
Thank you very much for being with us this morning.
We have two eminent speakers who are joining us for Far Away today, and I would like to immediately start with our first item on the briefing list.
And I would like to thank very, very much Lawrence Chandy, who's the Director of the Office of Global Insights and Policy of UNICEF and the lead author of the report that was launched yesterday by the Secretary General, the impact of COVID-19 on children.
I'm particularly grateful to Lawrence for being with us today, especially that he is in connection from New York where I believe it's 4:00 and 4:30 in the morning.
So I would like to particularly thank him for for being with us and I would like to give him immediately the floor and remind you that Marixi is also on the line if and she's obviously available to answer questions.
Lawrence, you have the floor.
Hi, good morning from New York and good afternoon there.
I hope you can all hear me well.
And I apologise for not using the video facility.
I hope you'll forgive me for that.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So let me just speak very briefly about the core messages of the report.
The report starts by by acknowledging the, the, the, the, the kind of the understandable perspective we all bring to this, to these extraordinary times.
I'm one of, I'm sure many people, perhaps all of us who regularly, perhaps even every day review the, the number of cases around the world in different countries, the number of deaths around the world and, and attracting the different patterns.
By doing that, we're naturally, we're naturally drawn to focus on the impact of, of this pandemic on the elderly, which I think hides the, the, the potentially catastrophic impact of this pandemic on children.
It also leads us to focus especially on the health effects of this pandemic.
Again, we kind of, we, we tend to think immediately of, of the effects already that are happening in, in hospitals around the world and health centres around the world.
[Other language spoken]
We have testimony of that from places like from Italy, from China, from the US.
And we expect more of it now in, in as the, as the pandemic shifts to it's the burden shifts to other parts of the world.
But think also about if you go to schools around the world, which today are empty, or you go to you go to child protection services, which today have largely closed down, the impact clearly extends far beyond how.
Finally, the the, the reason why the effects on children are so significant is less because of the virus itself, but because of the the sex board about by the by the measures and mitigation measures that have been adopted by countries.
Now, many of those mitigation measures are of course necessary, but it's the measures predominantly that are affecting children.
And tragically, those measures aren't always the most appropriate ones in every setting too.
So we're, we're now in a situation where where those measures in certain settings, especially in their resource settings, risk doing more harm than good.
In the report, we talk about, we go through the effects of we, we talk about the, the effects of the pandemic on all dimensions of children's lives.
Especially want to focus just briefly on the emphasise the economic effects because of the, the, the severity of the global recession we now find ourselves in.
I'm an economist and a recession literally means a reduction in income, and we see that at a global level.
We see that at a country level.
The IMF reported 2 days ago now that 170 countries around the world have seen a reduction in their income level.
But of course, we see that as a household level.
And it's a household level where when you see reductions of income, especially for poorer households, that has immediate impact on, on the expenditures of families on health and food for children, which is an extremely, you know, which extremely dire situation clearly for those children, for those children who live in households who are subsisting day-to-day.
I am, as I say we are, we, we look at the effects on, in these different dimensions.
We look at the effects on education.
Frankly, I think it's hard to even fathom what it means that children around the world have their education either or either sort of being disrupted by trying to learn from home or being on pause altogether.
The effect on child protection, I think it's on to child, children safety is I think, considerable and we will learn more about it sadly, only over time.
But children who are stuck, who are stuck at home with in in homes where there's where there's domestic violence is a grim thought.
We know that a lot of essential child protection services, as I mentioned earlier, have stopped and also we look at the effects on child health.
As I mentioned already, the virus to date has thankfully had less of a burden on children directly, but immunisation campaigns around the world have been put on hold for polio that was set back the the global campaigns and polio by years.
I suspect measles, there are 23 countries like we've counted around the world that have that have put on hold their measles and oculation campaigns.
And it again extends far beyond just that.
We all those, all those poor households who have seen cuts in income, who spend less on, on unnecessary expenditures.
Now on child health, we can expect to see worse outcomes for child health and the effects narrowly of the global recession on infant mortality.
One would expect to result in hundreds and hundreds of thousands of additional child deaths this year.
In terms of the recommendations, let me wrap up here.
We, we call in the report for, for urgent action, understandably the, the, the progress globally towards the goals we've set as a global community for children, Sustainable Development goals.
We're already off track before this crisis and the fear now is they're simply going to be put entirely out of sight.
And we, we desperately need to avoid the outcome.
That's going to require action on three fronts, information, solidarity, and action.
When I say information, I go back to my first point about broadening our focus beyond this narrow count of new cases and new deaths.
We need a more balanced approach to risk if we're to save the most lives through this extraordinary crisis.
In terms of solidarity, we need we need to stop competing and we need to start working together if we're to minimise the effects globally, including on children.
And I think I think children can be a rallying point because I think we all share a care for children and because children themselves can be incredibly effective actors in their own right.
And then in terms of action, we lay out some immediate and longer term actions that are required in terms of the urgent actions required today, that kind of the ones that really need to be taken as of now.
That includes the expansion of social assistance to families to enable them to meet their minimum needs and immediate steps to secure food markets where we are seeing some emerged, some emerging news and very worrying news about disruption to local food supply, which of course would affect food security.
And the urgent adaption of standard physical distancing and lockdown strategies in those places where frankly, those strategies are not truly feasible.
And all would result in, in a, in a, in more loss of life by forcing people who, who are to, to abandon the livelihoods they need in order to survive and for their children to survive.
We also call not just for now, but for the next several, for the, for the ongoing.
While we remain in the States for government to prioritise the continuity of child services and make sure access to those services are equal.
We talk about many ways you can do that, but it includes classifying core, core services, the essential services to include those services that are vital for children such as child protection services.
But we also talk about putting in place specific protection measures for vulnerable children at this time.
And because this the effect of this pandemic, while it's universal, its effects will not be distributed equally.
We expect it to be faced to be to be borne disproportionately by by child migrants, by displaced children, refugee children, minority children, children who are slum dwellers, children with disabilities, children refugee settlements and in and in and living in institutions.
We also call for governments to step up efforts to provide more support to parents and caregivers who are struggling at home and not knowing how to deal with the stress of the situation on them and their children as and also how to support their kids education.
The mental health effects of this pandemic are very hard to quantify today, but we are deeply concerned about those effects.
I say both directly on children, then indirectly via their parents on children.
Looking further ahead, once we're through the worst of this immediate phase, we want, we're asking, calling on governments to prioritise the restoration of child services as lockdown measures wind down and to ensure, ensure that children and adolescents have access to testing, treatment and vaccines as they become available.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Lawrence, and thank you very much again for being with us today.
And before giving the floor to the journalist for questions, I would like to remind that what you have just said has exactly been also called for by the Secretary General yesterday in his video message to launch the report where he said that the conclusion of the report is clear.
We must act now on each of these threads that you mentioned to our children.
The report urges governments and donors to prioritise education for children.
With the pandemic placing so many of the world's children in jeopardy, I reiterate, say the Secretary General, my urgent appeal.
Let us protect our children and safeguard their well-being.
You have all received the report and the comment of the and the message of the Secretary General.
So I'll open now the floor to question.
And I see Jamil Shade from Brazil, journalist from Brazil would like to take the floor.
[Other language spoken]
Listen, good morning, good morning to all.
Actually, my question will be to FAO and to OK, so wait, so wait for that we'll have FAO just immediately after.
And Gabriella, have you got a question for Lawrence and for UNICEF?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
Good morning to all.
So clearly lockdowns are not the solution.
So what can we see for the children?
Because I can't imagine how they are.
I mean, being a mother working with three children in a in a in a room, sometimes with violence because of the father lost their jobs.
I mean, so look into the future.
Lockdowns are not are not the answer.
So what?
What is, is there a need of mass testing or another solution for, for countries to to deal with this pandemia if we don't find the cure?
What what is your, your assessment on this looking look into the future?
[Other language spoken]
Lawrence, Gabriella is a journalist from Mexico.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Lawrence, would you like to answer?
Gabriella, thanks for the question.
I mean, I do believe that in some countries, if we go back, I mean, I'd say I'm living here right now in New York.
And if we go back a few weeks to when the numbers started spiralling at such a kind of terrific rate, I think in a situation like that, then I think some some measures like that look like a lockdown may be inevitable.
But that's because a country, that's because of firstly, I think that the rate of increase in New York was was unparalleled around the world.
And secondly, I think New York could afford to put in place a lockdown because the, because the US, you know, has the resources to be able to, to compensate households during a lockdown and, and, you know, the ability to do things like remote schooling if possible, The immediate the, and, you know, other, you know what, while there are still undoubtedly negative effects of the lockdown, I think that in a place like New York, it's worth it.
What I think is what I think the report says quite clearly is that in some setting, such a such lockdown efforts just wouldn't, wouldn't make sense and they risk doing more harm than good.
There's especially kind of our low, low resource settings thinking here, kind of dense urban slums, refugee settlements and so forth.
And there I think what you said is right.
I mean, one has to think about a response as a package of measures that interact with each other.
So if we don't right now in New York, we don't just have a lock, but we have had this big ramp up of testing.
We've had, we have had a lot of, a lot of public communication emphasising the importance of public and private hygiene.
We're now being all urged to wear masks.
We are, there is some effort to start to begin some contact tracing, although not at not the level that has been employed in places like from places like South Korea and Singapore and elsewhere.
So I, I think about this as a, as a package of measures, which you can kind of, we can think about it like an equation and you can, you can put more weight on one piece and less weight on another, depending on what is feasible in a given setting.
What is the, what are the capabilities and resources of a particular population or country.
So, you know, I would say in in places where a lockdown is, it's simply not feasible because it's not going to work because you're going to be essentially packing people in like sardines and places where they have a small spaces.
So you're only going to increase the spread of the disease by forcing people to stay inside homes or they have no hygiene facilities in their homes.
Then you have to think about how to rebalance the efforts to other to other interventions and measures.
I don't think the exact sort of equation will be set that, you know, it's going to be true, you know, going to hold across all countries.
So I'm I'm reluctant to say this is the one formula that should work everywhere.
Thank you very much, Lawrence.
I have on the next journalist with us for the floor is our correspondent of Voice of America, Lisa Schlein.
Lisa, you have the floor.
It is very brave of you would come at this early hour in the morning.
I'd like I'd like to ask you first of all, how many children worldwide are affected by the COVID-19?
I don't know if there is any number like this, but it seems to me that the kinds of solutions that possibly might work and and you've mentioned this work in developed countries would not be appropriate for developing countries.
And I'd like you to speak a bit more about that, like in in sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, the sorts of solutions or measures that you envision in in a continent like that.
And allied with that, I have read that girls are probably going to be most victimised or are being most victimised by the lack of education and lack of protection.
If you could elaborate upon that, please.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So I think I mean, there, there must be few children in the world who, whose lives have been affected in some way.
And I, I think that's, I think that's fair to say.
It means, given the, the, the unprecedented simultaneous closure of, of school of schools across the world is affecting alone 1 1/2 billion children, which is, we know almost all children in the world.
And the, the, the lockdowns we've talked about are the numbers in the reports that, you know, note that 60% of children worldwide live in countries today where there's a full or partial lockdown in place.
The report also mentions the 306 more than 360 million children across 143 countries who rely on school meals and can no longer get the, you know, obviously get those now their schools are shut down and those are those are typically the most reliable source of daily nutrition those children will get.
So the effect on children, I mean, it's, you know, it's near universal while being disproportionate, while the effects are disproportionately born for for more vulnerable children.
The the second the the other part of your question.
About the, the, the effects of measures in subtitle African countries and I my sense is that countries around the world, leaders around the world, governments around the world have they, you know, we there are certainly some countries who have some experience of dealing with epidemics.
And I'd say that, you know, without this is sort of anecdotal, but one can observe that countries who have suffered recent epidemics seem to have more familiarity, like kind of having a muscle memory.
I think we've seen that to some degree in, in East Asian countries who've dealt with, who've dealt with, with SARS.
We've seen that in West Africa in countries who've dealt with Ebola.
But I, but I, there's still something unprecedented about this particular novel novel coronavirus.
And because of that, I think we've seen countries tend to try and replicate and copy what countries are doing with some with some, or, you know, with some adaptation.
But for example, the shift the, the, the, this, this rapid movement to close schools, which as I say, hasn't yet.
We've never, we've never seen in history where where simultaneously all schools around the world close.
There were 20, I think I believe there were 29 countries in the world who closed schools before a single case of coronavirus was reported in their country.
So this was done as a pre emptive step.
Historically, school closures is something that takes place as a as a as a kind of reluctant last step because we know how disruptive it is on kids and on families.
So there I think there is this pattern today of of government feeling understandably under siege and act trying to act quickly by seeing what others are doing.
And that's why the sort of this we're, you know, the the the report calls and I think the I think it and I think this is, you know, this is the important point for this sort of adaptation, particularly in.
Sorry, you're going to speak.
No, I was just saying yes, if you there was also the part of the question about girls, if you could be answering that part also a little bit briefly, because we have another question and then we have to go to FAO.
Thank you, Lawrence.
So that the other part of the question of Lisa was about girls more vulnerable, of course.
So I'm there.
[Other language spoken]
Firstly, we, if we think about the impoverished, impoverishing effects of the global recession today and of people locking down, you know, being, I mean, to sort of abandoned their likelihoods, we know that means that families are going to have to cut back.
And historically we know that when that happens, families will disproportionately cut back on expenditures for girls.
This is kind of, you know, this is a clear pattern we know and health we know there are many health services that young girls will no longer be able to benefit from.
And so again, I think there are there are unique health effects for girls historically.
Again, we know that that that income shocks have effects on infant mortality and those are born disproportionately by girls too.
I think there are child safety concerns here that specifically concern girls, tragically.
And again, we have anecdotal evidence today of increasing reports of violence in homes and really, you know, really tragically of ***** and homes.
And again, I believe those those depending on the country, but those can disproportionately apply to girls too.
So yes, I think we should be especially concerned about young girls today.
Thank you very much.
I've got two more journalists who would like to ask you a question.
Could you, if you could please be brief because we have another guest who's waiting on the line from Rome, so from the FAO.
So Paula and then Ahmad, if you can quickly briefly ask your question.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, hi, it's for the new humanitarian.
I just wanted to to ask a question about whether you may well whether you have any comments regarding the vulnerability of children, indigenous children.
There was actually the case of the first, the first case of a death by an Indigenous child 15 year old in Brazil that was announced I think last week.
And just wondering whether you could speak about perhaps the additional vulnerability that these children may have perhaps from a health perspective respect to, but also otherwise possibly please.
Thank you, Lawrence.
[Other language spoken]
And I think this is, I think it's it's, I think it's an A very valid concern.
And I think especially because of comorbidities.
And I think that this is one of the this is one of the debates frankly, or at least the unknown today that is being discussed by by epidemiologists, health experts, economists around the world.
As the virus becomes more widespread in countries where children have have underlying conditions, more underlying conditions, may have lower levels of nutrition, may have lower levels of immunisation, may also be dealing with, may also have had recently suffered from malaria or other infectious diseases.
We don't yet know what the effects of that will be in terms of how their bodies will handle an infection by COVID-19.
That's something that today I think remains really unknown.
And we're relying to the extent we have data of the effects of the virus on children where we and we don't have a lot, we're relying almost entirely on data from China, the US and South Korea.
So it's going to so I think it's AI think it's a very valid concern.
And I think the the effects of these comorbidities just simply remains to be seen.
But it's something that's very important to track.
And I think that's why we can't just say simply, oh, you know, we know that children are kind of have largely been sort of, you know, sort of spared the effects of the virus because we don't really understand yet how it will interact.
Thank you very much, Lawrence.
And our last question for you is from Ahmed.
Ahmed, you have the floor.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, Very well.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thanks, Lawrence.
Just to to, to, to to clarify, Lawrence, do you encourage the announcement by some of of the governments to have back the children to the school in two or three weeks?
If not, how much is risky?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Lawrence.
I think the thank you Ahmed.
I think that the timing of when children should go back to school has to be has to be country based, has to be has to depend on the particular setting.
But I, I would say that that as we think about, as lockdowns are lifted and we think about secret, you know, we're not going to move from having no lockdowns to normal life.
We're going to be entering a different phase.
And that phase could last for a very long time.
And it's going to be a kind of a gradual phase as we, as we get back some aspects of our normal life.
And I think that what the report makes, what the report argues is that we should prioritise the return of child services among before other steps.
And I would put schools right at the top of that list.
So there has been some recent modelling done on how much we how much, how much kind of infections around the world can be attributed to schools.
So far, at least based on the modelling, it suggests that schools are not where most of the of the, you know, mostly infections take place.
But of course that work needs to be replicated elsewhere.
But I would what the report, as I say, I think what the report says and quite clearly as that as we as as we shift from this, the phase that most countries are in today that we that we prioritise the restoration of child services and before other services as lockdown measures wind down.
And I would put, I would put schools right near the top of that list.
Thank you so much, Lawrence.
That concludes the list of the speak of the journalist who wanted to ask you questions.
I will not dare to ask you to stay with us because it's very early in the morning.
[Other language spoken]
And I think if there are further question for UNICEF, she may answer.
But if you want to stay, you're absolutely welcome.
Thank you again for being with us such early hours.
I would like to remind the journalist also that Margaret, Dr Margaret Harris is on the line to answer question from WHO, as there were questions about health issues and and guidance for reopening the schools.
But now I would like to go to Rome where we have with us Mr Maximo Torero, who's the Chief economist and Assistant Director General for the Economic and Social Development Department of the FAO.
Mr Torero, thank you very much for your patience.
I'm going to give you the floor now so that you can tell our journalist in Geneva about the current challenges and threats of COVID-19 to food and agricultural food systems.
And I remind the journalist that Elizabeth Beers is also connected from WFP.
If there is a question, there is any question about also the work of the WFP in this area of food.
Mr Toreiro, you have the the floor.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
And let me try to split in three points what I want to say.
First, one of the major challenges that we faced at the beginning of this process of the COVID-19 is the fact that food was not taken into account.
And lockdowns complicated, of course, availability of food if if we didn't take them into account.
And why is this so important?
Because what we are facing is something unprecedented in the sense that we have a simultaneous supply and demand shock, supply chock because of the lockdowns, which is stop the production and stop the process of the value chain production and demand shock because of the economic crisis that that we are facing.
And that will go deeper as we move after the lockdowns.
Now on the supply side, the mere concern for us was access to markets first, especially for smallholders, access to inputs and being able to move the commodities and do the process of of production so that households will have access to the food that they need.
On the demand side, the issue is that what we expect is that there will be a restriction of demand and that will affect the cons what we consume and I will elaborate on that.
Then there was a macroeconomic part which the major problem there that we are looking at is the exchange rate devaluation and why because exchange rate devaluation make exports more attractive and make imports less attractive in the sense that they are more costly.
And this could create situations in which countries which export 80% of the commodities and keep 20% for their own production who prefer to export 100% and that's something that countries are worried and that's why some of the trade measures are have been taken.
And then the trade issue which is really important because the most poor countries are import dependent and we need to give them access to food.
And if we start putting measures of trade against trade could affect them substantial.
So what we are trying to come up is with a concept that there is two sides of the coin.
The first side of the coin is what we are observing today, which is some uncertainty in terms of food availability.
And that side of the coin in the staple world, which is wheat, maize, corn, soybeans and rice is not justifiable.
[Other language spoken]
Because we have sufficient stocks, more than double of what we have in the previous food price crisis.
And second, because we have a huge harvest this year, a bumper harvest in all the staple commodities.
The only concern is logistical, how we move the food from the land, from the harvest to the ports and from the ports to the countries.
And those logistical problems at the beginning were problematic.
There were countries, big exporters that were facing some problems, but today most of them have been resolved.
So logistically, in the staple world, we shouldn't be facing any crisis.
On the contrary, prices should be falling.
And this is very important because as much as we can with important information of how the logistical problems are solved, then we reduce the uncertainty to key exporting countries that are putting some export constraints.
As a result of that and as a result of the work FAO has been doing to to mainstream information on how logistical problems are being resolved, countries are starting to move out of those export constraints.
And for example, Romania and a grain export ban yesterday after just a week of it began.
So that's the movement that we need because there is no reason, no reason to have a food price crisis like we had in 2007, seven and 2018.
The staple world we have enough food available is just to resolve logistical problems.
On the other group of commodities which is **** value commodities, there is a bigger problem because the staples are capital intensive, **** value commodities, fruits, vegetables, meats are more labour intensive.
So the labour force is being affected because of the lockdowns, it's being affected because of the health issues.
Not only that, they are more affected by logistical issues because the the commodities are perishable.
And those are where we are saying seeing some complexities.
And that's where we are saying to the countries that they need to put them as a priority sector because that's we need to protect their value chain so that they can keep doing labour force, can keep moving to doing the harvest so that the value chain keeps to operate.
But also there is important logistical changes that need to happen to assure the health of the workers in their value chain.
But those are problems that needs to be resolved and countries are trying to put guidelines to try to make that value chain a priority because we need that type of food to flow.
But of course in that sector there are some some areas that are being affected more than others.
We are observing, for example, meats are being affected more because of not only of the logistical issues but also because of the behavioural issues are resolved that there is not sufficient evidence yet between the relationship between the health issue and animals and food.
And fish, for example, is being affected substantially because of the lockdowns of airports where most of the fish are being moved, especially the **** dead fish and so on.
But those are things that can be resolved.
Now what is the other side of the coin, where we are really concerned is that after this period of some uncertainty that we hope can be resolved, then we are going to face a significant negative choke of the demand and what that means, that means very low prices and very low prices for farmers, very low prices for what they are producing and that could create a significant effect in terms of the working capital especially for the small holders.
We are also very concerned about the fact that certain countries, especially in the most vulnerable ones in the in Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and in South Asia and in the small islands, there are farmers that already are in the period of harvesting and there are some which are in the period of planting.
And we're trying to help them through looking carefully at the crop calendars by commodity so that they can do those activities.
But the major concern of the other side of the of the coin is that the recession and how that will affect the income and the well-being of these people.
And it's very important to analyse for the emergency situation because right now we have food crisis countries, we know they are, but the expectation because of the out migration to rural areas as a result of the lockdowns and the COVID-19 is that we could have different areas being affected with hotspots of, of undernourishment and situations.
We will be facing problem problem situations because of new hotspots of, of undernutrition.
So our position is that it's really important.
And what FAO is trying to do is to come up with measures across the world of where these new people are moving.
And we are trying to expand our food insecurity scale, food insecurity experience scale across the world in several rounds to be able to assess where these new hotspots of people that could be moving into food, severe food insecurity will be located because not necessarily will be in the same locations that we know today.
And that's extremely important.
So our focus right now is to assure the food value chains in sub-Saharan Africa assured of food value chains in South Asia because these are the countries where the biggest vulnerabilities are and to try find ways in which we can support them through helping them to finish the harvest or start the planting so that they can then go into deep lockdowns.
But also in trying to look what we can do in in countries, small islands, development states, which they are affected in multiple dimensions.
They are affected because of tourism, they are affected because of food imports, they are affected because of climate shocks and because of remittances, which is also linked to the second side of the coin.
So just to finalise, it's important to look at the two sides of the coin.
First, the uncertainty that we face today, which we hope we can resolve and that there is no need for a food crisis right now.
But the other side, which is the recession, that could really affect the livelihoods of the farmers which are producing and which will keep producing, but they won't have good prices in the market, very low prices and not necessarily the demand they need to continue to subsist.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
That was Mr Torrado.
That was really absolutely clear.
And I remind the journalist that they have received also this morning the briefing notes of FAO.
So I have the first question and he's been very patient.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, good morning, good morning to all.
[Other language spoken]
From what you said, there is a possibility that you could see the rise of the numbers that were already registered actually in the last three years.
My question, have you already thought about what could be a rise in hunger in the coming months?
Is this something predictable or, as you said, prices will go down and maybe it will not happen, but how do you see the situation?
Thank you, Mr Torreira.
OK, so, so the situation we have measure, we have some estimations, but it's very important to understand that we live under huge uncertainty right now.
If even if you look at the IMF report, the outlook that just came two days ago and you look in detail into their documents, the variance of the simulations that they do in terms of GDP growth are significant.
Even look at Nigeria, it's very surprising that they don't project at a higher decline in the GDP growth of Nigeria.
So if we don't have certainty on those elements, I think it's very difficult.
But just to directly answer your question, we have done scenarios to try to see what are the potential ranges of of the increase in undernourishment between an optimistic scenario of A2 percentage point production in GDP at the global level and at the national level up to a level of 10 percentage points.
We are right now in the outlook around 5:00 and the numbers depending on the types of countries.
For example, for the netting net importing countries, we can go from 13 million of increase of undernourishment to 88 million of people moving into undernourishment.
For the low income food deficit countries between 10 to 73,000,000 and from the net 14 countries between 2 to 15,000,000.
So the range is big because we have uncertainty of what will be the evolution of the GDP growth.
So my position is that today the uncertainty of the logistical part shouldn't create a problem.
OK, we're able to resolve the logistical part, but the problem will come and will get deeper as we move into the recession.
And that's where those numbers will create a significant increase in the number of undernourishment in the world.
And we need to be prepared for that because that means that we need to have the safety Nets in place to be able to protect that.
Thank you, very.
Thank you very much, Mr Torreira.
My next journalist on the line is Jan Eberman, a German journalist.
He writes for German and Austrian newspaper Jan.
And Luxembourg and Switzerland, thank you completely.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Jerome, I have a question on your forecast of a recession and and lowering prices.
I was wondering could, couldn't it be exactly the opposite?
Because at the moment in Europe, in North America, in the Far East, rich countries are pumping billions and billions and billions, if not trillions of dollars, EUR and other currencies into the economies.
And, and this also has of course effects on the world economy.
And this huge amount of money, if it is not absorbed, then it will lead to an inflation.
And this could be also the case for the food markets.
Most probably there will be a recession combined with the inflation sort of stagflation.
What is your comment?
[Other language spoken]
So, yeah, let me let me explain a little bit on this and the level of uncertainty we're leaving.
I think it's one of the first times, even during the Spanish flu crisis that we have every country in the world being affected.
So it's not just the north part, it's not just Europe.
It's every part of the world, every little country in the world is being affected by this crisis and essentially most of the world is in a in a bad situation.
If you look at the potential machine of growth, which was the one who removed us from the financial crisis was China.
If you look at China today, it's still despite their coming back to work, we don't see the level of recovery that was expected.
On the contrary, it's very slow.
And that clearly tell us that we are talking of a low level of, of GDP growth across the world and that means a lower demand.
And that's something that I don't think we will be able to move.
The money that is being pumped in the system have several effects.
One effect is the valuation, which will make things more expensive for sure.
But that doesn't mean that the farmers will get bigger prices.
It means that the, the, the price that the importer countries will have to pay in the local currency will be higher.
But the the second thing which is important is that the levels of unemployment, we are observing today 21 million unemployed in the US and the levels of unemployment we're observing in most developing countries, which are mostly in formal economies, which they won't get the formal support.
So the millions that they are being pumped won't be touching them.
It will be very difficult to be able to touch them.
If that will happen in the, in the European countries, even in the US, the way companies can adjust, it's extremely flexible.
[Other language spoken]
So honestly my view is that the demand will reduce for sure.
It will reduce for most of the of the bigger export commodities which are basically fruits, meats, vegetables are literally great internationally.
And on the case of the staple world, the answer is very simple.
Today, before even going into a deep recession, prices of staples are going down.
The only case that is going up is rice, and the reason why rice is going up is because of the export restriction imposed by Vietnam, which we hope will be will be released.
So just today, before going into a recession, price is already going down because we have a very good harvest and a lot of reserves.
So I think that's the situation we're going to be facing and and that's what we'll put into a big problem most of our rural areas and number of farmers.
Thank you very much, Mr Torreira.
Next speaker Catherine Fiancon.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for for the briefing and answering your questions.
I would like to to follow up the question of my colleague Young about the rise of hunger and also the levels of unemployment.
What are your projections for developed countries?
Because we've seen that in United States of America more than 16 million people did register for unemployment.
In Europe.
We, we, we see in the countries that are particularly affected by COVID-19, like Spain, Italy, that there are people that have no income and that are starting to suffer of hunger.
Are you taking this into considerations?
And also the fact that some of these countries until now we're donors for the most vulnerable.
So how do you plan to manage that in the future?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, so first on the, on the situation of around the world.
And that's exactly our point.
And that's why we, we are making a plea to, to be able to implement a food insecurity scale, experience scale survey across the world.
This is a survey that is an SDG indicator and is based on 8 questions.
And we think and it will help us to identify the transition from hunger to severe situations of hunger.
So it will allow us to see the changes we implemented in China before the, the problem of COVID-19 and during the COVID-19.
And we clearly observe in urban areas the significant change of the, of the, of the hunger situation.
So we need that information.
That information doesn't exist today.
And you're completely right, this is something that will affect across the world.
[Other language spoken]
Because in many of of the European countries where there is a lot of migrant labour, there is a lot of labour that not necessarily will benefit from the substantial packages that the countries are trying to push.
And all that labour will be incomeless.
They won't have an income and that's what they will move in that terrible situation very quickly if they don't have sufficient savings to be able to subsist.
Even this will be even worse in seats because their major income source which is tourism is stopped completely.
And we don't know how much time it will take to recover because there is a lot of changes that had to happen to assure that there will be health safety in in in those activities.
They are also affected because they are import dependent.
So they have also the challenge plus the climate shocks and the remittances which will be a tremendous reduction because of most of the labour which to migrate out from those small islands go to developed countries which are basically facing periods of unemployment charge.
the US is now 21 million since yesterday, so it's more than 16.
And now we keep growing because the labour regulations in the US allows you to adjust immediately.
In the case of Europe is a little bit more tighter and therefore you you have a lot more labour security than in the case of the US, for example.
So yes, it will be affecting across the world.
But our emphasis of course as FAO is to focus in, in the most poorest areas, which are the city countries in food crisis like in Africa, in South Asia and in the small islands that that's our priority right now with the resources we have.
We have to support those.
But we want to assess across the world the situation.
That's what we normally do as FAO, is to bring those indicators in terms of the of the donors and in terms of what will happen to them.
That's a complicated situation because this is a time for cooperation, This is a time of working together, this is a time of keep helping each other.
And this is completely linked also to the trade issues.
Any export restriction is a problem to the world and it's not a time for that.
There is no need for that.
So we hope that part of this money that is being put into the system, what the IMF is doing, what the World Bank is doing, what the European Development Bank is doing, who have to keep moving and and keep supporting the activities that are being done for the most vulnerable people, because those are the ones that will really be affected.
And that's a consequence of the levels of inequalities we have in the world.
What COVID-19 will do is deepen even more the levels of inequality.
And that's where we need to to bring all potential international cooperation to, to cope with those most vulnerable areas.
[Other language spoken]
Next question to Gabriela Sotomayor from Mexico.
One second they are be she's been a muted.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I'm sorry and I was muted.
But my question is for UNICEF.
OK, then can you Please wait?
We will come back at the end.
And also Lawrence I see has been disconnected.
So maybe we can ask you the question at the end.
To Marixi Jameen, you had a follow up.
Yeah, sorry for that again.
Yeah, it's complicated with the follow-ups, but go ahead.
Sorry.
It's about the numbers.
It was so fast that there was no chance we could get the numbers that you mentioned on, on the issue of hunger.
Sorry for that.
Maybe Mr Torrado, you could repeat that.
[Other language spoken]
Look, I am trying to be extremely careful in not coming up with absolute numbers because it could be very problematic given the uncertainty we leave in terms of the changes in GDP growth.
But what I was telling you, we have categorised countries in in in three groups, net food importing countries, low income food deficit countries and net food importing countries excluding the low income food deficit countries.
But let's just focus on the net food importing countries, OK?
On those depending on the scenario of GDP decline, which can go from 5:00 to 10:00 or to six or to seven, depending on each country, we'll have a different change in the GDP growth.
The the numbers could increase substantially.
So we are talking that today we have 121 million people undernourished.
So we are talking of an increase of around 8% to to 10% of of that number if the changes in GDP growth.
So essentially our lowest scenario with two 2% GDP growth is around 30 million increase.
Our highest scenario is 88 million people going to undernourishment.
Now that is said there is variables the information that we work today.
But again I will try.
I think it's important not to come with absolute numbers at this point because of the level of uncertainty that we are facing.
There were some projections for example in changes in poverty, 3 weeks ago they were talking of 90 million people moving into poverty, today they are talking of 140 million people moving into poverty.
So the level of uncertainty is too **** and I think it's is responsible to be very careful on this.
What we know for sure is that the numbers will increase substantially and we need to be prepared for that.
Mister Ferrero, thank you very much.
That's and our list of journalists who wanted to ask you questions.
Again, as I said before, you're absolutely welcome to stay with us if you wish.
Otherwise, Adriano Timothy, the liaison officer for the FAO in Geneva, he's also on the line and can answer further questions.
But you're absolutely welcome to stay if you can.
And I'll go to my next speaker, who is Rupert Colville, spokesperson for OHCHR.
Rupert, you have the floor.
You have several issues today for the journalist, and the first one I understand is Myanmar.
That's right.
[Other language spoken]
We're shocked by the news that more than 30 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have died on board a boat in the Bay of Bengal and that nearly 400 others were found dehydrated, malnourished and in need of immediate medical attention after nearly two months at sea.
And many of those on board the vessel, as you may have seen from the pictures, were women and children.
The UN Refugee agency, UNHCR and its partners in Bangladesh are currently providing shelter and assistance to the survivors who disembarked from the boat yesterday morning.
We're aware of reports that this boat had repeatedly sought a safe harbour, but the vessel was unable to land in Malaysia.
Whatever efforts are taken to combat people smuggling, this should be a time for compassion towards those in desperate need of assistance and protection.
And in light of reports of other vessels in similar circumstances still at sea, we strongly urge stepped up search and rescue efforts to be conducted in a timely manner.
All states should ensure that their responses to migrants in distress at sea are based on international human rights and refugee law and that they are permitted safe disembarkation.
Dangerous interception practises, including pushing back boats that are trying to land, must be scrupulously avoided.
The refugees horrific journey at sea is a sad reminder of the events a few years ago when hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fled persecution at the hands of the authorities in Rakhine State, and many today are still living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.
In 2015 and 2016, many Rohingya took dangerous journeys by boat from Myanmar and from Bangladesh to other countries in the region.
Today, moving inside Rakhine, we're aware that the situation in Rakhine and in neighbouring Qin State is again dire.
There's been a spike in violence between the ethnic Arakan Army armed group and the Myanmar army, and that's impacting civilians of all ethnic groups living in the area, including the Rohingya, the Rakhine, the Qin, the Moro, the Denyette and others.
And Myanmar's military has been carrying out almost daily airstrikes and shelling in populated areas, resulting in at least 32 deaths and 71 injuries since the 23rd of March.
And the majority of those were women and children.
And they've also been destroying and burning schools and homes.
Despite the UN Secretary General's call for a global ceasefire during the COVID-19 pandemic, these calls for a ceasefire have been ignored.
And further complicating the situation, there's been an Internet blackout, I believe it's the longest in the world, in 9 townships across Rakhine and Chin states since June 2019.
So that's not far off a year now.
This blackout has greatly Hanford the availability of reliable public information on hygiene, physical distancing precautions and other preventative measures.
Internet restrictions have also been applied by the Bangladesh authorities to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazaar.
We call on parties to the conflict in Myanmar to heed the calls for a ceasefire to adhere to their obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law by protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
We also call on the Myanmar government to immediately lift the Internet ban and grant humanitarian access to all conflict affected areas.
Continued hostilities will not only exacerbate the suffering of civilians but also hamper efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bangladesh Daesh has provided important protection to the refugees from Myanmar and should continue to do so, and it should also facilitate their free access to information and communication, which are particularly important at this time.
Thank you very much, Rupert.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Babar has raised his end.
Is that something to the Myanmar issue Babar, because you you are briefing on something else, but maybe you have something to say on this Myanmar issue if you can be a muted?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
This is Andra and colleagues.
Just to add what Rupert was just saying, UNICR is taking care of the group that has been rescued and brought at the request of the government of Bangladesh.
We are working with our partners and currently providing shelter and assistance for close to 400 Rohingya refugee survivors who disembarked from the boat in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning.
We understand that those on board as, as being mentioned, you know, 30 other refugees may have passed away at the sea as boat ran out of food, water and fuel during the two-month long journey at the sea.
In terms of the details we have got, survivors include a large number of women and children.
They're all in weak physical condition.
Many are dehydrated and malnourished and in need of immediate medical attention.
Just to move on from there.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Just to add to that also our worries are for another boat with reports being adrift.
So we have seen alarming news reports of a boat carrying some 200 additional people, believed to be refugees that was prevented from safety disembarking in Malaysia yesterday.
UNICIA is concerned for the welfare of the men, women and children on board who may have been in need of urgent medical assistance, food and water.
We have no information at this stage, uh, to the condition of the vessel, which may not be sea worthy.
UNICIA urges states to allow for timely and safe disembarkation of refugees and asylum seekers, which is critical step life saving, Critical life Saving Act Preventing safe landing will either lead to the deaths at sea or irregular disembarkation without Health screening and quarantine solutions exist.
If health risks are identified, screening arrangements can be put in place together with testing, quarantine and others measure.
The government of Malaysia has shown how this can be managed.
Just a recent example with the group believed to be Rohingya refugees arriving by a boat at north of Malaysia early April.
The group had been allowed to disembark and appropriate measures had been taken by Malaysian authorities to screen and quarantine the group according to safety standards.
UNCR has offered its support together with our partners, I'll stop here.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much Babar for the supplement of information on Myanmar.
I come back to the questions of the journalist.
So Nick had a question for Rupert, I guess for Rupert and for Babar, Yes, go ahead.
OK, One question that you both may be able to answer, but whoever has the answer, good.
Where do these the guys who disembarked on Thursday morning, where had they departed from?
Was that from Rakhine state or are we actually seeing now Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh also now taking to the sea to try and escape conditions there?
That's one question.
A question on the Malaysian government response.
I mean you say that they've accepted one boatload recently.
Is there now a systematic policy that you're understanding that they are not going to accept landings by these people?
And then the question specifically for for Rupert, but if the bar has some information, that would be great.
[Other language spoken]
Nick, if you have another question, please ask it now because it's always quite hard to go back and forth with the technician.
The question is.
The casualties, are they a response that you've reported in Rakhine State, Are they a result of civilians just caught in the crossfire or are we seeing systematic Tatmador offensive sort of targeting civilian areas?
So who wants to start?
I can start, I'll request you, but to help.
So in terms of the origin of the boat that has been brought back to Bangladesh to very early stages, not no, no clarity there as well.
But our focus at this time remains on the well-being of all the individuals who have been brought there.
They have been at the sea for too long.
This should not have happened.
They are distraught, very weak women and children.
So the priority and focus now is on their health and on their well-being as well.
In terms of Malaysia, our call on all states, including voting Malaysia for the boat that we are worried, which is with reports being adrift is to be allowed safety and and all all states can do it.
Malaysia has shown the example.
We hope that the same example will be followed for for other boats which need a safety, a port of safety and where lives are at risk and in danger.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Rupert.
I mean just to I'm not entirely sure and I think you're next year I would have more details because they're directly dealing with the survivors about where they originated from.
But just to to move to the, the push backs and the potential for more push backs if we see a repetition of what happened in 20/15/2016, which we really hope does not happen because not only a push backs, not a legal response, they're also just incredibly cruel to, to push a group of civilians, a large, large boatload in this case, more than 400 people back out to sea when they're already in in a very, very difficult conditions and and medical cases and so on.
It's not clear if the push backs of it directly being related to COVID-19 and fears that people may be bringing it.
But clearly, as, as Baba said just now that, you know, there are ways to deal with that and they're not really that complicated.
You can quarantine a group of people relatively easy for the necessary amount of time is also if they've been at sea for a very long time, they're actually pretty unlikely to be to be carrying COVID-19.
So we would urge the states in the region absolutely not to go down that path that some states were followed in the path of turning boats back with very vulnerable people on board and resulting in deaths, as we've already seen in this case.
Bart, do you want to add anything on the origin of the refugees just mentioned?
You know, things are not clear at this stage.
The group is, is really, really needs quick attention in terms of medical food.
I mean they have been at the sea understandably.
And as I was mentioning, this should not have happened.
People should have been able to approach a portrait of safety as soon as the need was there.
OK, thank you very much, Alessandra.
I need to come back on Nick's final question, which is on Please go ahead.
In cyber kind, it's not entirely clear.
I mean, we're not present in Rakhine as you know.
In fact hardly anyone's present in Rakhine.
So it's it's very difficult to get precise information.
So as to whether the the reported casualties are a result of direct targeting or whether they've just been caught in crossfire between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar government army is not entirely clear.
But it does seem there is a significant number of deaths and injuries and significant amount of destruction to to including to important infrastructure as well as to homes.
So we would urge the Myanmar Army in particular, to take much more care to avoid any sufficient casualties or destruction of of civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Thank you very much, Rupert.
Next on the question is Jan.
Yes, I have a question or two questions on Libya to to whom it may concern Jan.
Sorry for that.
Rupert has a briefing issue on Libya.
So we would speak about this in a moment.
I'd like to ask journalists who have question on Myanmar at the moment to maybe raise their hands.
I have on my list, well, you wanted to ask something about Libya, so it would be just in a moment when Rupert deals with Libya.
I also have Steve Gabriella who wants to ask a question to UNICEF and that would be, as I said at the end with Marixi.
And I've got John Zaracostas, who I believe has a question, but not for Rupert or Rabar.
So any other journalist who have a question on Myanmar at the moment, please raise your hand, give you 2 seconds to to do so.
[Other language spoken]
I don't see any others so young.
[Other language spoken]
Is there somebody who has just no.
OK, so young, bear with us.
I'll give the floor to Rupert in a second to go ahead with Libya and then you would be able to ask your question.
But I have still on the line Mr Torero, who has been kindly waiting.
And I understand John Zaracosta has had a question for him.
And then we will go back to Rupert for Libya.
Sorry for this coming and going, but I'm afraid that's that's what we can do with the with the IT we have.
Mr Toraro, can you be just listening?
I'll give the floor to John Sarochos as one of our journalists for a question to you.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Mr Torrero, coming back to you, your outlook on food insecurity earlier today, I was wondering, Sir, if you've looked at the knock on effects on cash crop farmers having dramatic drops in their incomes, especially in West Africa and how that could affect potential purchases.
I'm thinking, for instance, like cash crop farmers for cotton and other commodities and how many people would be affected.
And secondly, the other element is the the cost of shipping and the lack of seafarers to man the ships.
How would that likely affect food and cargo movements, not only of food but of cash crops as well?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, John.
[Other language spoken]
OK, so let me answer the second one first.
We are crazing real time the mobility of vessels, OK.
What we know in some countries especially in the northern part of Africa, what is happening is that there is a delay in the in the unloading of the chips.
So chips that were taking normally one day to do all the unloading, they are taking two to given a little bit more that implies an increase in the price which is substantial but of the exporter.
But what what is happening also is that you have the exchange rate evaluation.
So the gains in exchange rate evaluation are netting out with the increasing cost of the, of the delays in terms of the, of the ports.
Now this is because of less labour force in the ports so that you can keep the, the health safety measures.
So I hope over time this will be start to be fixed and and this will go back to normal.
We, we are tracing this every day.
So, so I can, I, I can keep updating on that.
Regarding the cash farm crops, yes, cotton is a big problem today.
A lot of the contracts of purchases of cotton has been cancelled.
This is affecting countries like Pakistan and West African countries that have a, this is a key export commodity and I don't have an exact number of how many farmers will be affected, but the numbers are big, especially like countries like Pakistan.
But yes, there's a significant delay on that and that's what I am preferring as the other side of the of the coin.
So the recession is making manufacturers to reduce the demanding cotton and to cancel all these contracts.
And that is what will be really affecting our farmers and our rural areas in the future.
The same is with coffee.
For example, coffee has been growing around 2.5% over the last years that the projections are that they will be growing 0 or even negative.
Now the advantage of coffee is that you can also store it, but what happens with the next year harvest because these are trees this this will continue to produce and that's again the concern of the other side of the coin I was referring.
So yes, all cash crops will be affected and that will affect substantial amount of farmers and we need to find solutions for that.
The type of solutions that we are looking at is how we can smooth this period of six or eight months of this recession that could go up to one year or a little bit more.
But but how we can assume for farmers this by creating mechanisms that will allow them to cook, like for example, the storage mechanisms with E vouchers or a warehouse receipt system that will allow them to at least be able to sell by pieces over time what they have so that they don't lose all the working capital, but at least they recover our share of it that will allow them to continue operating.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
And I really hope that now we can free you to go back to your work and and thank you again for being with us.
So Rupert, now you will.
[Other language spoken]
You had an item on Libya and then we will go to Jan's question.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So yeah, in Libya, we're gravely concerned by the continued fighting in Libya and the repeated impact the hostilities have had on civilians, hospitals and other medical facilities assigned to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite numerous calls for a global ceasefire during these difficult times, including from the UN Secretary General, we've received reports that attacks have in fact escalated in Libya, and we call on all parties to the conflict to immediately observe A humanitarian pause.
On three separate occasions between the 6th and 10th of April, the AL Khadra Hospital in Tripoli, which is one that's been assigned to receive patients infected with COVID-19, was struck by rockets.
Intensified fighting along the western coast over the past week has resulted in the suspension of services at 4 hospitals in Sabrata and Surman.
And since the start of the year, up until the end of March 31st of March, the UN Support mission in Libya ONS Mill has documented at least 131 civilian casualties.
That includes 64 people killed and 67 injured, and this figure represents an overall increase in civilian casualties of plus 45% compared to the previous three months.
So indiscriminate attacks as well as the targeting of hospitals and other medical facilities are violations of international humanitarian law and could, depending on the circumstances.
The amount of war crimes, attacks of damage or otherwise affect the regular functioning of healthcare facilities are even more deplorable in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, given the country's health system is already overstretched and under resourced.
The Global Health Security Index places Libya among 27 countries out of a total of 195 that are, quote, most vulnerable to emerging outbreaks of illness.
On another issue, while welcoming the reported release of more than 1600 prisoners in Libya, you're concerned by the authorities failure for the most part to include women and children in measures to decongest prisons and detention facilities in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
We're alarmed that only a handful of women and children have in fact been released so far.
While the exact number of women prisoners is unknown, it's estimated they could number close to 500 in all.
And the number of children have also been arbitrarily detained without any charges, sometimes on account of their families alleged links with ISIL.
Some are as young as 12 or 1314 years old.
Children are usually not separated from the adults, which puts them in a greater risk of *****, and there is an absence of trained female guards.
We urge the authorities to release anyone whose detention is arbitrary and to a strictly limit pretrial detention as well.
Women, children, the elderly and those of the medical condition.
People with disabilities, migrants and refugees currently in detention in Libya should be released as a matter of urgency given the COVID-19 outbreak and the severe overcrowding in detention facilities and the lack of adequate healthcare in those facilities.
Thank you very much, Rupert.
And I'll go straight to Yan for his question on Libya.
You've been unmuted, Yan, go ahead.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
That's on the UN efforts to bring a stable and a lasting ceasefire for Libya.
I don't know who can answer this question, but I, I will, will, will pose a question.
Are the channels open to the conflict parties, especially to the rebel leader Haftar?
And secondly, are there any contact between the conflict parties under the umbrella of the UN currently?
Ian, thank you very much for this question.
I have to go back to my colleagues, but from what I remember last time that I ever read about this, as you know, the Secretary Chair, as Rupert also recalled, had made a specific appeal for his global ceasefire.
We had encouraging feedback coming from Libya.
And then indeed it it, it showed on the ground that this appeal had not been heard.
We have, as you know, a person in charge of our mission in Libya and Mr Gaston Salameh left, Stephanie Turkle, William is our person in charge there.
She is continuing her work.
But I will try to get you a little bit more update on that from my colleagues later on.
And you also said you had another question, was that Rupert also in Libya?
No, that wasn't another question.
My question was simply whether there are any talks going on, whether there are any contacts.
You know, you have a go between there.
The special representative of this, I believe she is continuing her work.
But I'll, I'll try to get you an update on that and maybe also send it to the other journalist.
[Other language spoken]
Jamil, you have a question for Rupert?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So what is the race?
And it's very difficult for me to understand who's wants to ask question to whom.
Next one is Ahmad.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, On Libya, Rupert, my first question is the one one 1600 prisoner released including the 400 released in in in Subrata that the statement of the UN mission in Libya talking about two days ago.
This is my first question.
My second question, we were reading in the statement of the UN mission in Libya about many and many violations in the towns and the areas taken by by by the UEFAQ authorities, Tarablas authority, if you want to say in Subrata, in, in Surman, in Alokaylet, in Al Jamil, in many in six areas.
Actually, if you can elaborate if this is violation is still continues and and if you can give us some information about that.
[Other language spoken]
On the prisoner release, the information I have, essentially we're talking the Ministry of Justice released an official statement that was on the 6th of April.
[Other language spoken]
They were reporting 1347 prisoners released over the previous weeks directly because of the risk of COVID-19, and that included from prisons in Tripoli, Misrata, al Zuya and Al Homs.
Then they've also been reports indicating another 345 people were released from Kuwaiti prison in Benghazi and just 23 women were released from a teacher prison and 60 from in Zara prison.
But none of those last ones are fully confirmed.
Sorry.
The second question was on, on the location of the fighting.
No, go ahead then, Ahmed.
No, my question was, was about the violation committed and still committing in the areas taken by Alufaq, Subrata, Surman and Jayla in the, in the West of Tripoli.
Actually, I don't have information on that.
I'd have to try and check on that and see what we have on 111.
[Other language spoken]
Rupert, do you have any information about the nature of the 400 prisoner released recently this last two days in these areas?
I no, I don't have any details.
I mean, one hopes that the type of prisoners we've been suggesting are released, the, the elderly, the people who have health conditions, people who are, you know, convicted of very minor offences or who are near the end of their sentences anyhow.
So those are the types of people we've been recommending pregnant women and, and obviously children as well.
They shouldn't be in prison in the 1st place.
No, I'm, I'm, I'm sorry, on this particular issue of the prisoners, I would like to ask you to go to the website on Oomsmail, who has made issued the statements on the 15th of April noting concern about this release.
And there is a whole paragraph on that.
Yeah, I I read it, but I didn't see anything about the nature of these prisoners.
OK, maybe we can, I can ask both for the requests that Jan made and also on this particular issue, I can ask my colleagues and please because because there is there is many information saying that this 400 prisoner released in this areas are from Al Qaeda and Daesh.
So we need to know.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And as I said, it was noted with concern, with grave concern from Onsmail that the release of 401 prisoners without adequate legal proceedings or vetting and so on and so forth.
So I'll, I'll follow up it.
It says Onsmith says they are following up on these allegations, which if verified would constitute great violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
So I'll ask for an update on the two things and come back to you.
Thank you for this.
And I'll go to the next question from John Zarocostas.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I was wondering Rupert, with the COVID-19.
If the Office of the **** Commissioner is tracking what could amount to the violations of the right to health and specifically I'm I'm talking about situations where countries have confiscated life saving medical equipment and supplies in transit through their sovereign territory.
Rupert, I'd have to check on that, John.
I haven't heard of those specific cases.
We're trying to track an awful lot of things.
You know, the number of sort of human rights related issues linked to COVID-19 are extraordinary.
So you know, you've got access to Healthcare is 1, but there are many, many others.
We have, by the way, and we'll send out an advisory on this on Monday, but we have a special page now with all the kind of guidance going up on all these types of issues.
Access to Healthcare is one of them, but also water and sanitation, the impact on debt and finance, privacy, surveillance information, so on.
So there's a special COVID-19 page on the www.ohhr.org website.
You'll see the the usual COVID virus image on the homepage and that takes you straight to this page where there's a lot of articles and and guidance documents and so on, which you may find useful for for other purposes and other articles down the line.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Rupert on that.
So that was the last question on Libya, or at least for the moment.
And then I would go.
So I will ask Rupert to stay on the line because we are going now to Babar.
But we'll we'll go back to to Rupert on another issue after Babar is also briefed because it goes together.
So Babar, are you connected?
Yes, I'll remind you, the journalist, because I'm, I'm receiving at the same time messages on my phone that Doctor Harris is old from WHO results on the line if you have any questions.
OK, so Babar, let's go to you and we start with West and Central Africa and coronavirus related issues.
You have the floor indeed.
Thank you very much, Alexandra Uniciar.
The UN Refugee agency is stepping up efforts across West and Central Africa to protect millions of vulnerable people who are facing a renewed risk from the combined effects of conflict and coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 has increased challenges in the region, already dealing with one of the world's largest Unitarian crisis involving over 9 million displaced people.
The pandemic has led to border closure and added an increased strain on fragile health systems and weak economies.
UNICR has stepped up support to governments to help address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Our focus is on ensuring access to safety and trying to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
West and Central Africa has one of Africa's largest displaced population with some 5.6 million ID PS, 1.3 million refugees, 1.4 million refugee returnees who still needs help and 1.6 million stateless people.
So far, all the 21 countries of the region have reported a total of over 5000 COVID cases, with more than 100 deaths since the first detection on February 28th.
So far, only host populations appear to have been affected, with no coronavirus cases reported among the displaced population.
However, a lake of concerted and coordinated effort to prevent an outbreak could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, with a sharp increase in the number of those affected.
In West Africa Sahil region, armed conflict and attack on civilians have displaced nearly 3 million people, nearly one million of whom have been displaced since January 2019 and more than 5.
5 million people are now facing food shortages.
Countries have officially imposed levels of restrictions on international movements, from complete to partial border closures and mandatory self quarantine for travellers arriving in the countries.
Although COVID-19 related restrictions are not targeted the refugees and asylum seekers specifically, UNICIA has expressed concern that measures in the region could see people in need of international protection attempting even more risky, dangerous border crossings.
The restrictions on movements, A slowdown or or even halt in economic activities will likely have a greater impact on refugees and internally displaced people.
We're also worried or the possibility of people seeking safety being sent back to danger as potential movements of Malians, Nigerians, Cameroonians and other nationalities continue to seek international protection.
Despite all the challenges, Urisia work in the region continues and operations are trying to reach a desperate people.
Our field teams are assisting those who are in need.
Some more details in the notes that you have already received.
I'll stop here.
Thank you very much, Babar.
[Other language spoken]
Ahmed, is that a question for Babar?
For Doctor Harris, actually.
OK, let's wait and see if there's anything for Babar on this particular issue of Western Central Africa.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yes, actually, my question is also for Doctor Harris.
OK, wait a second then.
So John Zaracostas, is that the question for Babar?
[Other language spoken]
OK, we'll go to Doctor Harris as soon as we're finished with that with.
Let me see if there's any other question for Babar.
No, I don't see any.
So Babar and Rupert, can you breathe both on?
Sorry.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Lisa might have a question for Babar if she can be unmuted.
Lisa, do we have a question for Babar on Africa?
[Other language spoken]
I'm actually astonished, Babar, that there are no cases of COVID-19 among the displaced.
I mean, hundreds of thousands more than that throughout the whole region.
Is it because there's no accuracy in in monitoring these people?
I mean, is this really believable?
And once unfortunately, if this occurs and probably will, the impact of this is going to be enormous.
I'd like your comments about this.
Indeed, Liza, I think so far in terms of getting accurate information as we work hand in hand with the governments, but there haven't been any major breakouts luckily in among the displaced population, but the fare is there.
So as the virus does not discriminate, the fear is if we don't prepare to prevent this could be deadly.
And in West Africa and and Central Africa on all the countries that we look at, you know, as violence continues, as displacement continues, as people are forced to to be in crowded situation without any access to water or sanitation.
So economies being affected, this could be really a lethal mix with COVID.
We are keeping an eye in terms of getting accurate numbers from the government working hand in hand.
And and as you have seen, we have been talking about a lot of regions.
So as soon as those numbers are available, we'll be sharing it here.
[Other language spoken]
Just very quickly if I may follow up and that is are you prepared to deal with this?
I mean, do you have enough staff on the area and do they have the the necessary protections because they too are at risk?
[Other language spoken]
Bye, bye indeed.
It's a race against time in, in terms of putting all the measures in place.
We keep talking about weak health systems, we keep talking about health economic systems, lockdowns affecting millions of people with schools being shut, including for the displaced as as well.
So the efforts are on the ground.
We are present in all locations in terms of putting, trying to put in place measures with with the government, but also delivering assistance to those who needed.
Resources are needed for sure and joint efforts as well.
That's why the appeal that no set of population can be left out in this fight against the virus, because even leaving 1:00 group would or could have deadly consequences for all of us.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Babar.
So I'm sorry, I need to do some some housekeeping here.
So I have no other specific question on Africa for you, Babar.
So I will go back to you and to Rupert to speak about DRC and then we will give the floor to Doctor Harris, who has some journalist who would like to to ask question to her.
So, Babar, can you please go ahead, head with DRC and then Rupert, a bar.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Let me find we can be a little bit brief because it's it's already midday.
I I will be, I will be, yes.
So I'm just going back to the paper on the on eastern DRC Uniciar, the UN refugee agency, is warning that the latest round of violence in eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing thousands of people, could unleash terrible consequences for the as it grapples to initiate a new fight against the deadly coronavirus.
Remembering Ebola in in the DRC.
More than 5 million people have been uprooted by conflict within the DRC's borders, the single largest internally displaced population in Africa.
The country also host or half a million refugees who are fleeing unrest in the the neighbouring countries.
Recent attacks in North Kivu and Ituri provinces are reported to have displaced more than 35,000 people in recent weeks, including some 25,000 in villages South of Lubuto territory in in North Kivu.
In the meantime, security has deteriorated in the Jugu territory in Ituri province, with a growing number of attacks by unknown assailants have displaced over 12,000 people this month.
These attacks hamper humanitarian access, assistance to desperate people and disrupt vital coordination on COVID-19 prevention and sensitisation as well.
There are other details in the note.
Thank you, Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
From being brief and concise.
[Other language spoken]
And I go to Rupert who will tell us something more about this violence is in Ituri.
We have some more detail on the on the violence in the Tory.
[Other language spoken]
We're alarmed by the worsening security situation, especially in Juku and Mahagi territories where more more than 150 people have been killed in the last 40 days in a series of attacks by Juku based perpetrators.
The attackers are for the most part the members of the Codeco armed group, most of whom are from the Lendu ethnic community.
In March alone, our office recorded 107 civilians killed, 43 injured and so far in April, another 49 people have been killed, 13 have been wounded and six have been abducted.
There are some more figures in the in the note, but the latest violence happened just last Saturday when Kodigo fighters attacked a village called Koli at night, killing 23 civilians just in that one village.
Assaults on communities by these armed elements escalated significantly during March, with several gruesome assaults being reported.
The attacks multiplied after the Codeco leader, Nujuru Duduku Justin was killed on the 25th of March and this reportedly triggered in fighting for control of the group, which is now split into 5 factions, all of which are carrying out attacks.
So you've got this already.
There's one very lethal armed group which we reissued a major report on back in January, but now it's split into five and there's a there's a power struggle going on.
It's important to note that the leaders of the Lendu community, so if you like the the civilian leaders, not the members of Kradiko, have mostly distanced themselves from from the attackers.
The brutality of the attacks, with perpetrators using machetes to **** women and children, ****** looting property, destroying houses, killing livestock, suggests the aim is to inflict lasting trauma on the affected populations, forcing them to flee and so gain control over the territory which is rich in natural resources.
Despite the atrocities committed against them, the affected communities, mainly the Hammer, but also the Allah, the indoor cable and the Mambisa have generally shown restraint.
But we are worried that if the attacks continue without decisive response from the security forces to defend the civilian population, those communities may form the self defence militias and that would increase the likelihood of of descent into sort of all out into communal violence, which would be absolutely catastrophic.
So we call on the authorities to strengthen the presence of the security forces and state officials in the region.
And again, there are more recommendations in the note.
Can't, can't hear you, Alessandra, can you hear me now?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much to both Babar and Rupert for for this briefing on DRCI.
Have the question from Gabriella on this.
Can I ask the other journalist who don't have questions now for Babar and Rupert but for Misses Harris to lower their hands.
I can't see the difference between 1 and the other.
So please lower your hands and we will go straight after to Doctor Harris and you'll be able to raise your hand again.
So I can see who has questions now for Babar and Rupert.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
And okay, so we spoke yesterday with Ken Ross, head of Human Rights Watch.
He said that censorship can be very dangerous in times of pandemia and for public health issues.
Speaking about China, he said that they hide vital information At the beginning of the outbreak, the first weeks of December, he said, so he thinks that they even hide information from The Who.
He also said that governments cannot be trusted because when there are problems, everyone tends to hide information.
So what do you think of these comments?
[Other language spoken]
Well, I mean, we fully agree that the the the importance of information of accurate information and timely information being given to populations.
And, and you just heard me earlier earlier saying how vital that was for the Rohingya who are not getting information either inside Rakhine State or or inside the camps in Bangladesh.
So yes, I fully agree 100% that the importance of passing accurate, timely, sensible information to all populations during this, this pandemic is, is absolutely vital With regard to, to what happened or didn't happen in China, I think, you know, we, we're not in a position to, to say exactly what happened and what didn't happen.
And I think obviously that's going to come out over time.
I think of course, right now the priority has to be dealing with now what's happening with this pandemic now and not necessarily going back to the roots of it and and concentrating totally on that.
It's not that it's unimportant.
We do need to know the truth of exactly what happened.
But more important is the measures taken now to stop the pandemic spreading or re erupting in countries where it's been been reduced so far.
But obviously Margaret Harris will be in much better position to, to talk about that than I can.
Thank you very much.
Rupert, I have a question for you from Catherine.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, good morning to all.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
My question is regarding human rights in DRC.
As Gabriella just mentioned, we had the you had a briefing with Ken Roth yesterday and I'd like to know if you're monitoring a bit what's happening with the political prisoners in DRC.
We know that with the COVID-19 outbreak, that's the people that are in gaol that are particularly vulnerable and exposed.
And for political prisoners that should not normally be in prison.
What's what can you tell us about DRC and the political prisoners?
Thank you, Rupert.
Rupert, thanks.
I'm, I'm sure the Joint human rights Office, which is, you know, located with MONUSCO, I'm sure they are looking into that, but I don't have details of it.
So we'll, we'll, we'll ask and get back to you on that, Catherine.
But yes, in general in, in all countries, political prisoners.
Of course, the problem is there are prisoners who we on the outside would determined to be political prisoners and on the inside countries designate them as criminals and terrorists and so on.
I'm not referring to DRC specifically there, but you get a difference in in branding, if you like, of the prisoners and that's used as a reason for not releasing them.
But I think in in all countries, we would urge all countries that have those type of prisoners, political prisoners or prisoners of conscience or, or people who've been imprisoned for their their opinions or their journalists who've been imprisoned for what they're reporting on COVID-19 or any other issue for that matter, that those people should be released and they shouldn't really have been imprisoned in the first place.
Thank you very much, Rupert.
This concludes the list of questions for you.
And I don't see what's up for Barbara.
Any other question I can now go if she's connected, I can see she is to Doctor Harris.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
It's nice to see you again.
I have a list of questions now.
Thank you very much for all the journalist patience.
And now they have raised their hand again.
They've been waiting to ask questions to you.
And I'll start with Peter, Kenny.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Doctor Harris, I'm asking you this question on behalf of Anadulu Agency.
I was just wondering if there is any global death toll figure for the number of health workers who have died as a result of COVID-19 or there are any statistics for those who are affected?
Thank you, Doctor Harris.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And I do not have a global death toll on me.
We've got numbers from different countries and different regions, but this is something that's not been collected overall systematically.
What I can tell you certainly in some regions you do have something as **** as 10%.
So healthcare workers are really most at risk, very much at risk, particularly when they don't get personal protective equipment or there are issues with the shortage of things or if they're under enormous pressure when there are very large numbers of cases coming into the hospitals.
But if you'll send me your question by e-mail, I'll see if I can I can get those numbers for you because I, I've been after the teams doing this kind of analysis to get some more numbers.
I'm sure this would be of interest to all the journalists.
So if you have a global figure, that would be really interesting if you could share it with all the journalists.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Number one, please.
Akanu has sent several letters messages to the communication team in order to have a clear, I would say snapshot of the budget of WHO and particularly of the contribution of United States of America for 2020.
We are not specialists to read all the figures and numbers that are on your website and it would be really great for people like me that are unable to read properly all these numbers to send us a very simplified board with the questions that everybody is asking and asking and asking again since President Trump delivered about his decision.
My second question is related to the WHA that is, was or is supposed to take place in May, May 17, if you I recall.
Well, I would like if to know if a decision has been taken to postpone or to cancel the WHA.
And I think that's it.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
It's quite enough already, Margaret.
Well, Katrina, good news on the first.
We've actually asked the budget people because we feel the same way.
There's a lot of information but not a lot of signal.
So we've asked them to update not just with the US budget figures, but the relevant information and that should be coming fairly soon.
And I will again let everybody know when we've got that fact sheet and send the link to that on the second one, no update yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we know.
Thank you very much.
And next one is Ahmad Marguerite.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, I can very well.
[Other language spoken]
My question is, is any ideas in The Who to launch an investigation to see the origin of this virus, if it's a natural one or coming out from a laboratory if this is scientifically possible?
[Other language spoken]
This has been asked by a number of question of people, Margaret.
Yes, over the time and it's the investigation is something that starts right from the beginning.
This is an important part of epidemiological investigation to understand exactly when the spillover happened, whether there are more than one species involved, because quite often when you have a spillover from the animal to human Kingdom, you see transit through one or even more species before it gets into humans.
Sometimes you see jumps, jumping, going back and forth before it gets very good at getting into the human population.
[Other language spoken]
A lot of it's relying on looking at the genomes.
So we know that the genome of this virus is very, very similar to the genome of a particular bat species, but we're still looking at more at what happened in between.
So as soon as we've got more information, we'll update you with that.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Margaret.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Otherwise, maybe I'll ask you to take another way of sending us your question because we can't hear you.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So let's go to the next one.
[Other language spoken]
Maybe you can SMS me or Margaret that Lee the question or later on.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
How are you, Doctor?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I'm sorry to go back yesterday night.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Sorry.
Wait a second.
We are on the line with Jamil.
We'll try with you just immediately after they're with us.
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, Sorry.
So the Minister of Health was fired because basically he took a position of social distancing and other elements actually that were based on double HO recommendations.
My question to you, how much political dispute such as this hamper the fight against the virus itself and how do you see the situation?
[Other language spoken]
So this sort of issue is a domestic issue, is a national issue.
[Other language spoken]
But overall, any kind of what we call for everywhere is solidarity.
Thank you very much.
John, can we try again with you if you have a better line now?
John Zarro Costas, if you can unmute him.
No, he is gone.
[Other language spoken]
So next on my list is Gabriela.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Do you think that safe zones must be used so that children can continue to be vaccinated in the times of COVID-19?
Because, for example, in countries like Mexico there is an outbreak of missiles, so there there could be a huge delay in what been had been achieved in terms of health.
So do you have an any advice on this issue?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
That's a really important question.
We put out something along with UNICEF a couple of days ago about this very issue.
Some of the concern is can you where can you vaccinate if you've got a large outbreak going on at the moment.
But these are important decisions for countries and we've sent a lot of guidance on how or what to do so that if you can vaccinate safely without exposing people to COVID, it's certainly something we want to see a balance between the two issues.
Thank you very much.
So again, a little bit of our skippings.
I have got my list, Paula, to ask questions to Margaret and Jan and then I remind you that we still have Jean Rodriguez who he needs to brief and then Rosalyn and Catherine who have given up and I will read their announcement.
So and then at 1:00, we have another event.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So it's actually I just want to re ask the question that I had earlier to Doctor Harris about the vulnerabilities of indigenous communities, particularly in the Amazon where we have seen some cases appearing.
There was a 15 year old child last week in in Brazil, that's who died.
And also whether there may be any advice that's that The Who may be given giving and I know, you know, the situation in Brazil right now is, is rather complicated given the the the departure of the OR the firing of the the health minister.
But has there been any talks regarding or giving giving advice about how to better isolate these communities where you know who have been asking that certain operations which is mining go away from their their lands because of this concerned over infection?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So this is a really important issue and one of the areas, the things that we've been working on, it's been one of our paramount areas of work.
Our regional offices and our country offices are working with each country and we do have a large amount of guidance.
Obviously guidance isn't the only answer.
You need to work at the level of the communities that are very vulnerable, work out what their needs are, what's going to to to be most appropriate to protect them.
Essentially all communities need to have the opportunity to be able to space themselves to the provision of water.
And we were talking before about internally displaced communities where this is very difficult.
So this is a matter of urgency to ensure that every community has the means to protect themselves and is well supported.
And there are a bunch of different guidance documents that I can provide if you want to send me the an e-mail.
Thank you very much.
And the next one is Jan.
[Other language spoken]
First of all, I would like to strongly support Catherine's appear.
The Who budget is really one of the big issues now and we urgently need clear and comprehensible information about that.
So please come up with a proper fact sheet.
And then secondly, I have a question on the US funds.
I was wondering, have the Americans transferred in 2020 any funds to The Who yet?
Because as far as I understand the usually the US usually pays its contribution to international organisations at the beginning of their fiscal year in October.
On the first one, yes, again I'll reiterate, we'll try and get that fact sheet to you as quickly as possible.
On the second one, I don't have information about transfer of funds, but certainly we do have A and not the portal, I'm talking about the funding portal.
We do have a tracking a part of the website that tracks that.
So I'll ask them to put the links to that in the fact sheet as well.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
Hopefully now we can hear him.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
My first question is with reference to the legal counsel's outline the other day on the actions that WHO has been working with Taiwan, but I stand to be corrected.
But does that include the Taiwan's participation also in the Global Outbreak Alert and response Network or are they not a member of that?
You're talking about the every country has access to that, so every country can provide us with alert.
[Other language spoken]
Are they members of that Goa?
I'd have to check that for you, John.
I don't have that information because there's allegations by US senators that they're not members of that.
So can you send that to me specifically?
I think the letter's already gone to Doctor Tedros from the senator.
OK, just send it to me and I'll check it for you.
And my follow up, my follow up question is with reference to the virus samples, which WHO member states have sent virus samples to WHO, reference labs around the world.
Can we get a list of which countries have done that and which have not?
I will ask again the the diagnostics and laboratory network people to see if they've got that information and send it to you.
Thank you very much.
OK, so sorry for that.
I'm have Gabriella, please really follow-ups are really difficult to manage here.
So I give you the floor but really brief.
And then I've got Stephanie and I am told, and I want to apologise for that, that we still had something to say about Libya from Iomi.
[Other language spoken]
We'll check in a moment, but please try to be brief.
Gabriella and I will not get any other follow up.
So Gabriella and Stephanie, thank you.
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, I'm sorry, but we have questions.
And then in the briefings with WTO, there are 400 journalists asking.
[Other language spoken]
Margaret, do you think that the attacks on WHO are due to the Trump's inefficiency in dealing with the pandemic?
We also how he underestimated the impact of COVID-19 at the beginning.
So if you have a comment on that?
[Other language spoken]
We don't really have a comment.
We the USA has been a fantastic partner always.
[Other language spoken]
That was concise and precise.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
As you know, the Chinese authorities this morning updated by quite a bit their figures for the toll that the COVID-19 has, you know, claimed in their, in their country, 1300 deaths had not been counted in Wuhan.
Can you a, react to that and B, perhaps put it in context, context for us a little bit about, you know, how, how this might be expected or you're perhaps seeing this in other countries as well.
And, and at what point was WHO informed about these revised figures?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thanks, Stephanie.
[Other language spoken]
I don't have any further detail for you at the moment, don't have further comment, but you'll get that later in the day.
So as you know, we have a press briefing this afternoon.
So on the second, no further detail.
Thank you very much Margaret.
I have a request from Catherine on behalf of Akanu that whatever follow-ups you have to the questions asked at the briefing, if you could please mail them to all the journalists accredited so that they can all get the same answers because I understand there is an interest in the answers by everybody.
Thank you so much Margaret for being with us again this morning.
And I would like to apologise now because for some reasons I didn't get the information that Safa from IOM wanted to brief you.
And if she's still on the line, which I believe it's the case, I would like to go to her.
Safa, can you be unmuted?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And we can see you.
Sorry for that.
[Other language spoken]
Can you tell us about the briefing?
What would you like to brief on which subject?
Yeah, so I'll be briefing on disappearances from from migrant detention centres in Libya and recently Libyans.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And sorry for not having let you brief with the other speakers on Libya.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
The International Organisation for Migration expresses grave concerns for the fate of hundreds of migrants returned to Libya by the Coast Guard this year who are now unaccounted for.
According to recent government figures, roughly 1500 people are currently detained in 11 state-run Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration centres, some for many years, the lowest figures since October 2019.
However, at least 3200 men, women and children aboard boats that were headed for Europe have been rescued or intercepted by the Coast Guard and returned to the war-torn North African country in 2020.
Most end up in data collection and investigation facilities or unofficial detention centres.
IOM does not have access to these centres.
Despite multiple requests, Libyan authorities have not provided any clear accounting as to the whereabouts of these people or why they were taken to unofficial detention facilities.
The lack of clarity about the fate of those missing is a matter of the gravest concern.
We are aware of many first hand accounts of ***** occurring within the formal and informal detention systems in Libya.
Multiple credible reports from migrant communities in contact with IOM alleged detainees are being handed over to smugglers and tortured in an effort to extort payments from their families, abuses that have extensively been documented by the media and UN agencies in the past.
IOM calls on the Libyan government to clarify the fates of those missing and overhaul the detention system.
In order to put an end to arbitrary detention, it must be a priority to dismantle this system and establish alternatives that guarantee a minimum degree of safety.
Over the past week alone, at least 800 people departed from Libya attempting to cross to Europe.
Close to 400 of them were returned, delayed disembarkation for safety concerns and later on detained.
At least 200 of those returned ended up in unofficial centres and are also now unaccounted for.
Many of those who reached international waters and the Maltese search and rescue zone was stranded at sea on flimsy, unseaworthy boats for days without being rescued.
At least 12 people are confirmed dead or missing at sea this week alone.
IOM is alarmed by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya and reiterates that it is unacceptable for people rescued at sea to be returned to *****, trafficking and war.
The organisation reiterates it's call to the European Union for urgent action to establish a clear and swift disembarkation mechanism to end returns to Libya.
We remind states that saving lives it's the number one priority and that distress calls must be responded to in line with international law.
[Other language spoken]
To Fargo of hard won international rights and states obligations towards vulnerable people.
Thank you very much and again, sorry for this.
So I will ask the journalist only to raise their hands if the question is for Safa.
So for Safa at the moment, Catherine, good morning, Safa and I'm seeing you.
Hope you're doing fine and your family too.
[Other language spoken]
I mean, this is a question for Safa and for Alessandra regarding maybe I, I start with you, Alessandra, it's regarding the replacement of Mr Ghassan Salami, the foreign minister of Algeria.
The former Minister of Algeria, Mr Hampton Lamarack, announced that he withdrawed his candidacy for the post so of UN envoy to Libya.
[Other language spoken]
Do you know who are and if you're able to tell us, of course, who are the people that are still on the list to become a special envoy?
And I suppose that there's a deputy or something like that.
And it would be nice if we could have a briefing from these people because now that we have virtual press conferences, it would be very helpful to have someone on that question and on, on Safa for, for you Safa regarding the, the, the 3200 people that were on boats and that have been returned to, to Libya.
Do you have more details by, by whom they they were returned and which country they were heading to?
Was it to to Italy or to Spain?
What was their route?
[Other language spoken]
Safa, do you want to start?
[Other language spoken]
So the 3200 people have mostly been returned by the Libyan Coast Guard.
We have, however, seen a few cases this this year, 2 cases in particular, where migrants have been picked up by commercial vessels and returned to Libya.
Most recently this week, a commercial vessel picked up 51 persons who were at sea for four days in the Maltese search and rescue zone and returned them to Libya.
These people have sent distress calls over the four days that they spent at sea and these distress calls were not answered.
States must recognise that they have an obligation and a responsibility to respond to distress cases at sea.
These people, I'm referring to, Catherine, our in the central Mediterranean route, so mainly people who have departed from Libya towards either Malta or Italy.
Thank you very much.
And on my side, Catherine, I will tell you exactly what has been said to other journalists who have asked the question.
As you know, at the moment, we have an acting head of mission.
This is our deputy head, Stephanie Turko Williams.
She is currently acting as head and acting special representative of the Secretary General in Libya.
And so she's in charge of our response there until we get a full time person named.
And of course, we'll make that announcement once we get it.
But I have also promised I will give you some updates on on smell on the other issues asked for from my and from Ahmad.
So if I can get any other information or maybe getting you a briefing by the spokesperson, I will do it.
With pleasure.
[Other language spoken]
You had a follow up to Safa, but I'm it's really if OK.
No, sorry, I have Babar wants to add something to that.
Babar I think I would stop with the with the follow-ups now because in 25 minutes we have another press conference and John Rodriguez still has to brief.
So Catherine, bear with me.
I give the floor now to Babar.
If you want to add something really brief Babar and then I'll go to Jean and then we'll conclude.
Babar, thank you very much to Safa as well.
In terms of talking about the group that was recently disembarked in Libya, on April 1551, people who had left from Libya were disembarked in Tripoli after being rescued from the Libyan coast.
Most of those in terms of their nationalities on board of the vessel originated from Eritrea and included a young children as well.
And as Suffolk was trying to make the call, you know, desperate people should not be taken into detention.
We are trying to seek access for all of those who are in detention.
We are also joining up voices with IOM that there is no exception to the rule.
Lives have to be saved.
And also people who need safety either at land or in the seas, they should have that access.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And I will now go straight to Jean.
[Other language spoken]
Sean, you've been very patient.
Thank you very much for your briefing.
If you can be short, please.
Sorry for that, Jean.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So we want to raise awareness on the need to secure critical raw material supplies, especially in the in the pharma sector today.
So, with almost half of the world under lockdown, the continued supply of certain medical of certain critical raw materials needed for an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic has become a concern.
The active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients of several drugs including antibiotics such as azithromycin or amoxicillin incorporate minerals such as chromium, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese, sodium, nickel and many others.
This is also the case of the four antivirals which are being experimented in many countries as prevented drug and treatment for COVID-19 under The Who LED Solidarity trial.
One example of a raw material widely used in the Pharmaceutical industry is phosphat.
It is also used in food additives and fertilisers.
Phosphat is produced from phosphatic rocks and is primary and it's primary production facilities are concentrated in a few countries.
China and a couple of countries in North America and the Middle East accounted for over 70% of production of phosphate rocks in 90 in 2019 and about 80% of proven reserves.
In situations like the current pandemic with an immediate supply crunch, identifying alternative local or regional sources is key.
the United Nations framework Classification for resources, the UNFC and its expanded version under development the UN Resource Management System.
The UN RMS can be used to source critical raw materials from conventional and unconventional sources either in multi metal or multi mineral deposits.
The UNFC's anthropogenic resource specifications can also be used to understand the social and environmental benefits of phosphate resources recovered from sewage sludge, compost and wastewater.
UNFC and URN RMS are thus suited to increase options for quickly spreading production options between local, national, regional or global sources.
The immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery from the severe economic downturn it will trigger will require a massive fiscal response.
Many such measures have been announced by numerous countries and multilateral financial institutions.
If we are to stay on course to meet the global the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is crucial that the related massive investments are directed towards a green and not a brown recovery, stressed UNEC Executive Secretary Olga Algariova.
However, the materials required for a green energy transition, such as copper, cobalt, lithium or rare earth elements are currently not sufficiently accessible.
The metals and minerals required for technologies such as solar photovatikes, batteries, electric vehicle motors, wind turbines and fuel cells already face key sustainability challenges, highlights Michael Haschke, which is the R&D manager at DMT Group in Germany and a member of our Group of Experts on Resource Management.
Pressure put on supply chains by the pandemic has increased this challenge and our Executive Secretary concluded by saying application of UNFC and UNUNRMS can provide reliable and coherent data on the availability and sourcing of these critical materials from all sources, conventional, unconventional, recycling, waste, etcetera, with a view to support the roll out of green technologies.
This can also contribute to foster the development of circular economy strategies and improve the long term resilience of supply chains.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And I'm looking at the list of journalists, but I don't see any hand raised for you.
So thank you Jean for your patience.
I have two things to read to you because as I said, our colleagues had to leave.
Katherine, we saw would like me to tell you that Ankit has just published A commentary and analysis on the way investment promotion agencies have changed their Ways and Means to serve their investor clients.
The text will be sent shortly to you all.
A short report with highlights and experts of course are available to give you more comments.
Thank you very much to Katherine for this notes.
Then I also would like to read you the ILO announcement.
Yeah, Rosaline had to leave too and she asked me to tell you that ILO has carried out a number of analysis of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on specific social and economic sectors and industries that have been massively affected.
These include tourism, Civil Aviation, textile, the car industry, food retail and health sector, threatening the livelihoods of millions of workers.
These briefs give the latest data and trends for each sector and details the response taken in countries as well as recommendation on how to lessen the impact.
We will, we, I mean the ILO will send you the briefs in advance and we'll be holding a virtual press briefing with the Director of our Sectoral Policies department, IRO Sectoral Policies department.
I'll let Van Leer plus a number of other experts and that will be on Tuesday, 21st of April at 2:00 PM Geneva time.
There will be no embargo on these documents and Rosalind asked is if for planning purposes, you could let them know in advance if you're intending to take part.
You can obviously contact her at yard at io.orgornewsroom@io.org.
So please let her know if you're interested in taking part in this briefing.
And last but not least, as I said, in exactly 18 minutes we will have a briefing on the global emergency supply system by being set up by the on behalf of the global humanitarian community to fight COVID-19.
This is going to see several speakers and from WFP and OCHA will be moderating the press conference.
So that and that will be, I remind you a background beefing until the last 15 minutes.
So I hope to see you back here in 15 to 18 minutes and I thank you all very much for your for staying with us for such a long time.
Thanks to all our speakers, especially those who were coming from far and on weekend and we talk again on Tuesday for those who are not there in 20 minutes.
[Other language spoken]
See you then.
[Other language spoken]