The United Nations Office at Geneva
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Press Briefing Continuity 03OCT2023
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PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
3 October 2023
Situation in the Karabakh region and Armenia
Dr. Marthe Everard, Special Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director to Armenia, speaking from Yerevan, said that Armenia, a small but resilient country, was copying with a sudden, massive influx of ethnic Armenian refugees from across the border. More than 100,000 had arrived so far. A huge depot explosion had left at least 170 dead and 200 with terrible burns.
The new arrivals needed urgent emergency assistance. The Armenian Government was doing everything it could – providing free transport to refugees to anywhere in the country and booking rooms in hotels and guest houses – but the scale of the crisis was too large. In the short-term, besides shelter, there were urgent health needs for the most vulnerable, including treatment for chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Infectious diseases, including respiratory infections like COVID-19 and flu, needed to be monitored and treated. There were ongoing measles outbreaks in Armenia. Mental health and psychosocial support were also critical.
Dr. Everard stated that in the medium to long-term, WHO would support the extensive efforts of the Armenian Government to provide accessible and affordable access to health services to all affected by this event. This included supporting the integration of more than 2,000 nurses and over 200 doctors into the Armenian health system. WHO had offered full support to the health authorities and the Minister, as they worked together to deliver emergency health assistance to very vulnerable population. WHO Regional Director, Dr. Hans Kluge, would arrive to Yerevan on 4 October to further support WHO’s work and speak to the Ministry of Health.
Marco Succi, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team leader of the rapid deployment team, speaking from Stepanakert/Khankendi, said that the ICRC teams were working to help those people who had stayed behind. After a mass-scale population movement, very few people had remained in the area, so ICRC teams were using loudspeakers to alert the remaining residents that they could provide them with help. Mr. Succi provided an example of Susana, an elderly cancer patient, who had been left all on her own, who was then reached by the ICRC and evacuated by the ambulance to Armenia.
Mr. Succi informed that the ICRC had evacuated over 200 wounded and sick patients, as well as remains of 229 people who had died during the conflict and the depot explosion. Dignified burial of the dead remained a priority of the ICRC. Bringing essential food and supplies to the area was also of paramount importance.
Responding to questions from the media, Mr. Succi said that the city was now completely deserted, and no more than a few hundred people were believed to be left there. The escalation had a major impact on both people who had left the region and those who had stayed because the essential services had been disrupted. The priority now was to find those in extreme need of medical treatment, the elderly, or the mentally disabled people. ICRC had 20 to 25 people working in the city. Mr. Succi reminded that before the recent escalation of hostilities, the movement people and goods into and out of the region had been severely restricted. ICRC remained available to act as a neutral intermediary and transport people if asked to do so. He reminded that the ICRC maintained a confidential dialogue with the parties and rarely went public with its comments.
Also answering questions, Dr. Everard specified that the WHO Europe Director would be arriving the following day and would meet with the health authorities and burn victims. He would also be bringing in additional medical supplies. Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that the recent mission to the Karabakh region of the UN team, led by the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, was aimed to assess the situation on the ground and identify the humanitarian needs of both the people remaining and those who were on the move. More information is available here.
Humanitarian situation of South Sudanese returnees from Sudan
Mary-Ellen McGraoarty, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in South Sudan, speaking from Juba, stated that the humanitarian situation along the border was at a critical juncture and there was a hunger emergency looming. People arriving to the border had harrowing stories of escape, including robbery and sexual violence. By the time they would arrive at the border, their resources had been depleted; 90 percent of families were reported to have gone for multiple days without eating. Almost 300,000 people had so far crossed from Sudan into South Sudan over the past five months. Families seen crossing today were much more vulnerable and food insecure than those who had arrived in the early days of the conflict. A large majority of those arriving were South Sudanese. Transportation was complicated and access was difficult, especially in the rainy season. The already difficult situation was rendered even more difficult by the heavy rains. Some 4,000 people from the local host communities had also been displaced by the floods. Currently, there were around 12,000 people in transit centers waiting to be transferred, informed Ms. McGraoarty.
WFP was helping the arrivals with all it had available, including food and immediate health screening. Many of the returned had been living in the urban areas of Sudan for years and were now returning to mostly rural areas and did not have the necessary skills. Those people needed longer-term support to rebuild their livelihoods. As many as 7.4 million of people in South Sudan had been estimated to be food insecure even before the current conflict in Sudan and the influx of impoverished returnees. This year, WFP had received less than half of the funding it needed; that meant half of the food assistance needed, and people were getting smaller rations, of less than 300 grams per days. WFP was pulling people back from the edge of hunger; barely saving lives was not enough, and durable solutions were needed, stressed Ms. McGraoarty. Success stories could be seen when people were given resources they needed.
Answering questions, Ms. McGraoarty said that for the coming six months, WFP needed USD 526 million. In addition to South Sudanese returnees, there were also some Sudanese refugees. Local communities had been largely welcoming and sharing with the arrivals what they had.
Further information about the WFP activities in South Sudan can be found here.
Human Rights Council
Pascal Sim, for the Human Rights Council (HRC), said that this morning the Council was considering the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reports of Israel, Liechtenstein, and Serbia, to be followed by a general debate on the UPR, Palestine and other occupied territories as well as on the Vienna Programme of Action. On 5 October, the HRC would discuss several subjects related to the human rights of people of African descent. The Commission on Ethiopia would issue another paper today. Mr. Sim informed that the deadline to submit draft resolutions would be on 4 October. There had been no requests for a special session or urgent debate on Armenia, said Mr. Sim in a response to a question.
Announcements
Thomas Fitzsimons, for the International Parliamentary Union (IPU), informed that the forthcoming 147th IPU Assembly would take place in Luanda, Angola from 23 to 27 October. The theme would be “Parliamentary Action for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.” A new IPU President would be elected, and so far, candidacies had been received from four female African parliamentarians. IPU would launch several new products, including on youth participation in parliaments. More information is available here.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Ms. Vellucci informed about the Youth Climate Dialogue taking place on 4 October at 9 am, at the Palais des Nations, in Room XVII in hybrid format. The event would provide high school students with a platform to exchange and learn from each other about climate change, its impacts, in various parts of the world, and propose different solutions.
UNITAR 60th anniversary photo exhibition, displayed on the Rotonde du Quai du Mont-Blanc in Geneva from 2 to 27 October, would have an opening ceremony at 4 pm on 6 October, with participation from the Executive Director of UNITAR, UNOG DG, Mayor of Geneva and President of the Swiss Diplomatic Club.
Ms. Vellucci informed that on 4 October at 10:30 am, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) would present its Trade and Development Report 2023. Speakers would be Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD Secretary General, and Richard Kozul-Wright, Director of the Division on Globalization and Development Strategies. The report would be under embargo until 12 noon the same day.
On 5 October at 11 am, there would be a press conference by OCHA to provide an update on the humanitarian situation in Sudan. Speaker would be Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.
Finally, Ms. Vellucci said that the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was concluding this morning its review of the report of France. This afternoon, it would conclude its review of the report of Qatar.
Teleprompter
OK, so let's start this briefing of the Information Service of the UN in Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 3rd of October.
[Other language spoken]
We have a quick announcement from Thomas Fitzsimmons of the IPU and then we will go straight to our guests from Armenia.
Thomas, Thank you, Alessandro.
[Other language spoken]
I'm here to announce the next IPU Assembly into Parliamentary Union Assembly, which will take place in Luanda, Angola, hosted by the National Assembly of Angola from the 23rd to the 27th of October.
The theme is Parliamentary action for Peace.
Justice and strong institutions are very closely linked to SDG 16.
These are our biannual assemblies where we bring together hundreds of parliamentarians from around the world to encourage a platform for parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.
We are expecting delegations from countries at war or in conflict situations, including the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and we're also in touch with the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
There will be a lot going on at this assembly.
Our members will elect a new IPU president, so they are a sitting, they have to be a sitting member of parliament for the for the full term of three years.
And the new president will replace the incumbent Duarte Pacheco from Portugal.
To date, we've received candidates of four African women parliamentarians from Malawi, Senegal, Somalia and Tanzania.
So this is a historic first.
We will also be announcing the winner of the 2023 Kramer Pasi Prize, named after the IPU's founders so-called MP of the Year award.
And the the winning candidate is expected to have an outstanding record on climate action in tandem with the IP youth climate campaign, Parliaments for the Planet, which we launched earlier this year.
And finally, we will launch a number of new products, including our landmark report, Youth participation in Parliaments with the latest data on the average age of legislators and politicians.
And of course, this is a very topical issue at the moment, especially in the US with the advanced age of some members of Congress and the US presidential candidates.
[Other language spoken]
I'll stop here.
Thank you very much, Thomas.
Is there any question to Thomas on the Assembly?
I don't see any in the room.
[Other language spoken]
I don't see either.
So good luck for the meeting and we will go straight away to the issue of Armenia.
We have with us the situation of refugees in Armenia.
We have with us Christian bin Meyer from WHO.
Christian, you've brought us Doctor Marte Everett with the special representative of The Who Regional Director to Armenia.
Madam, you are connecting from Armenia, I guess from Yerevan.
Maybe you can just confirm this to us.
And also to speak about the situation in this region of the world.
We have Marco Suci, who is the ICRC team leader, also on Zoom.
I hope you are connected.
[Other language spoken]
And we have with us another colleague of ICRC, Matthew Morris, who's based in Goris, and he will also be able to answer questions, if there are any, from our journalists.
So I'll start with you, Christian, and with Doctor Everard.
You have the floor.
Yeah, of course, I won't lose too many words just to say we're about to send the notes out that Doctor Everard will be talking about, which is, of course, very helpful.
And just to mention it up front and over to you, Doctor revert.
Sorry, Madam, we have an issue.
Oh, now, now, now we have your voice.
It's the connection is a bit slow from European in Armenia.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
This small but resilient country is coping with a sudden and massive influx of ethnic Armenian refugees from across the border, absorbing more than 100,000 PPS as they move towards Armenia.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I have to interrupt you because we really have a very bad connection.
I wonder whether if it would be possible for our technicians and for you to maybe we give up with the video and just have the sound because it's really difficult to understand what you're saying.
Sorry, Christian, is this is this OK?
We try only with the audio, right?
[Other language spoken]
So, Doctor Everard, if you wouldn't mind to start again because we didn't understand what you said until now.
I'm sorry for that.
Yeah, I'm very sorry also that we are sitting here with more than 100 extra people in the UN house and but I hope that you can follow me now without audio a bit better.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Good afternoon from everyone in Armenia.
This small but resilient country is coping with a sudden and massive influx of ethnic Armenian refugee from across the border for the matter of four days time as they move towards Armenia.
A huge fuel depot explosion left at at least 178 and 200 with.
[Other language spoken]
I suggest that we go to ICRC and we try to reconnect with the Doctor Everard.
Maybe if we start the connection again, it would be a little bit better.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Let's hope that connect, that connection is a little bit better.
You have the floor, Sir.
[Other language spoken]
If you can hear me Well, I can.
For the moment, I can take the floor.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
My name is Marcus Ruchi, I'm the team leader of the rugby deployment team of the International Committee of the Red Cross, now working here in Armenia, Azerbaijan region, to assist the people in need after the recent escalation of 19 and 20th of September.
While 10s of thousands of people have left their homes and moved into Armenia, our teams, SSC teams are still working here to assist the people not able to move on their own and those who chose to stay.
They wanted to share a couple of snap snapshots of what we have been seeing just to show how the situation looks like on the ground today.
After the mass scale population movement of recent days, very few people have remained in the region and therefore our teams used megaphones to alert the residents that we are there to assist whom ever in need.
A couple of days ago, on the 4th floor of an apartment building, we met Susanna.
An elderly cancer patient was alone and unable to get out of her bed.
She also recently undergo A colostomy surgery.
She also had sign of the adoration, anaemia and malnutrition.
Neighbours had left her food and water several days beforehand, but their supplies were running out.
The neighbours could not take her with them during the at the moment the evacuation to the crossing into Armenia, and while she waited for help she had started to lose all hope.
On a personal note, I must say it's quite difficult to find the most vulnerable in need in circumstances like this and finding Susanna on on all her own was really an emotional moment.
After ensuring she was stable, she was brought down a narrow staircase and evacuated by ambulance into Armenia.
Another case, this was yesterday.
We help evacuate by ambulance an 85 year old lady living with two daughters.
Before leaving her home, this woman cleaned the house, arranged their clothes and the food in the fridge.
Despite speaking through tears as she left, she told us.
I hope any people coming to live in this house stay well and never experienced war.
These are just couple of examples of really extremely vulnerable people we met and we certainly will be meeting in the coming days.
Just a quick note on the operations, very briefly on what ICSE has been doing and offered in recent days.
Since 1920s of September, we have been able to evacuate over 200 wounded and sick patients, including people injured in the recent fuel, the PO explosion of September the 25th.
We also been able to transfer the remains of 229 people who died, both due to the recent escalation, but also during the fuel, the PO blast.
The dignified treatment of the dead remains a key priority priority for us and is helping family find and identify their loved ones.
Finally, we have been continuing to prioritise bringing essential food into the area and medical supplies to the local hospitals.
I'm very eager to answer a few questions that the colleagues from the media may have.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here.
Thank you very much, Marco.
The first question that comes straight on the chat is where are you speaking from, please?
I'm speaking, you know, the debates about names in this region is extremely politicised and there are not names agreed upon by all parties.
We are in the city called by the Armenian Stepanakert and by the Azerbaijani king Candy.
Thank you very much.
OK, so before I give the floor, I see Emma has raised their hand.
But I think Emma, it was about the location, right?
But I'll give you the floor anyway.
But I would just try to again to, to connect to Doctor Everard if we can.
Yeah, thanks for the location.
I, I appreciate the spelling.
Sorry, sorry, maybe this misunderstood with been misunderstood by my colleagues.
I, I just want to try Doctor Everard again before we open the floor to question.
So if we could try Doctor Everard again.
I see her mic is open.
So, Madam, if you could try, some journalists are telling me to try again with the video.
I'm not sure we will manage, but maybe we could start with that.
And if it doesn't work, go to audio.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
This small but resilient country is coping with a sudden and massive influx of ethnic Armenian refugees from across the border, absorbing more than 100,000 people in a matter of four days time.
As they moved towards Armenia, a huge fuel depot explosed, left at least 170 dead and 200 with terrible burns.
The new arrivals need urgent emergency assistance.
The Armenian government is doing everything it can, providing free transport to refugees, to anywhere in the country at the moment, and booking rooms in hotels and guest houses.
But the scale of the crisis is very large.
I joined Mr Rob Butler, the Special envoy of The Who Regional Director of Europe, on a mission to Goris, a key point of entry, over the weekend.
To see first hand what the health needs are, speak to refugees, health workers and officials.
It is clear that there are both short and long term health needs that demand our attention.
In the short term, besides shelter, there are urgent health needs for the most vulnerable, including treatment for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Infectious diseases including respiratory infections like COVID-19 and flu need to be monitored and treated.
There are ongoing measles outbreak in ammonia and we need to cover gaps in immunisation where they are.
Armenian officials have also told us that in an urgent need to strengthen the primary healthcare clinics in several remote villages where the local health system will be put under additional strain as it copes with the influx of refugees that can triple and even quadruple their population.
It's vital that treatment for chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes is not paused and it could negatively affect the patient's health.
Last, not last but not least, mental health and psychosocial support is critical in these circumstances.
In the medium to long term, WHO will support the extensive efforts of the Armenian government and it provides accessible and affordable access to health services to all affected by this event.
This includes supporting the integration of more than 2000 nurses and over 2200 doctors into the Armenian health system.
WHO has scaled up it's emergency support to Armenia over the past week.
Recent events including the massive explosion has been categorised as a Grade 2 emergency, enabling WHO to secure additional funds, deploy deploy supplies and search teams to support the Ministry of Health.
WHO has already provided trauma supplies to treat over 200 injured adults and children last week.
WHO dispatch burns kits to support the advanced care needed for the hundreds of burns patients, some of whom we met at the National Burn Centre in Girifan over the weekend.
It was heartbreaking to see humans suffering on this scale.
Burn experts deployed a specialist care burns team as part of WHO Emergency Medical Teams initiative arrived in Girifan over the weekend.
We have issued A wider call for further specialist teams to complement this workforce and to support moving some of these most critical patients to specialised centres abroad to support the general health needs of the refugee population.
WHO is also sending medicines for people with chronic conditions that will cover their needs for three months of treatment.
To conclude, we have offered our full support to the health authorities and the Minister, Mrs Anit Anavician, as we work together to deliver emergency health assistance to very vulnerable population.
In a sign of our commitment to Armenia, our regional Director, Doctor Hans Kluger will arrive to Yerevan tomorrow to further support WHO and to speak to the Ministry of Health.
Thank you and I'm ready to take any questions.
Thank you, Doctor Everett and thanks also for reconnecting.
The line was good this time.
So I will now open the floor to questions.
Just a reminder that other agencies of the United Nations have been providing life saving assistance to the this group, this population that moved to Armenia, including UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF and UNFPA.
And we have colleagues from UNHCR and WFP online if anybody has question also on those actions.
So let me start with the room now, Christian.
Christian Erich is our correspondent of the the German News Agency.
[Other language spoken]
My question is to Mr Suu Kyi, Can you please describe a little bit more the scenes that you see on the ground?
Are there, are there Azerbaijanis taking taking the flats or the houses?
Is it all deserted?
And how big is the area where you operate with your loud speakers?
Just to give us a bit more of a visual idea.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
We answer one question after the other, so if you can answer this one.
[Other language spoken]
Christian, sorry, I just forgot to say.
Can you also tell us how many people you think are left, how many Armenians are left in that area?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for the question.
Difficult to say how many people were, how many residents were living here before.
What I can tell you is since the days we are here or after the first days we arrived, the city is now completely deserted.
The hospitals, there are more than one, are not functioning.
The medical and administrative personnel are left.
The water board authorities left the director of the morgue just to tell you the health the the the stakeholders we were working with before have also left.
So this scenario, the scene is quite surreal I have to say.
So very probably few 100 people have left in city.
We are now roaming and touring the different quarters, neighbourhoods of the city in order to find, as I said in the statement statement, the vulnerable, in particular the social and the medical cases that would need treatment or evacuation of some sort.
Thank you very much.
Also in the room, Chris, you had raise your hand.
Christopher Vogg, AFP Yeah, the question is also for ACRC.
I was just wondering, so what's the main focus of what you're doing now?
And I'm, I'm going to say Stepan Akert, I'm not taking position.
It's just it's the name.
I know what's left there to do.
And how how many people do you have on the ground there?
Indeed, indeed.
That they should be the focus of our talks priority.
We know the escalation of the last week has has despite the ceasefire, there are still humanitarian needs.
And the escalation had a very strong impact on both people who left and moths leaving everything behind, the belongings, the livelihoods, but also on those who stayed because as I mentioned very briefly, essential services are are actually have been disrupted.
So electricity is working still, water is still working, but we cannot assess the quality of the water.
So if you ask me about the priority is for sure finding those who are in extreme need of medical treatment and extremely vulnerable cases, elderly, mentally disabled people, people left without anybody.
So that's why our teams are going from district or neighbour, not district but rather neighbourhood to neighbourhood to find who has been left behind and who would need assistance.
Luckily there are still a few staff from Americom who are the emergency services who knows very well every neighbourhood.
So with their help we are going and find who is left and needs also food, very basic commodities, water and food and health treatment.
Today we are receiving 300 foot parcels from Goris that we ordered yesterday in order to be able to provide indeed essential, essential commodities to these people.
As far as the team we have here, we are more or less 2025 people working now in the city.
Thank you for the question.
[Other language spoken]
Launch Radio France International.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Again, two questions actually, I would like to know what's the, what's the, the, again the scenes that you are witnessing regarding the the military, what's the attitude of the Azerbaijan military force?
Do you see looting, for instance?
Is it something that is happening right now?
And are the, the military having interaction with the people, the few hundreds of people that are left in Stepanakert?
And the second question would be, according to your experience, is it something that you have been witnessing in your career, a near country like situation that is completely crumbling?
And yeah, is it something that you that you've been witnessing?
Marco, thank you for the question.
It's you're right, it's an extraordinary situation.
The one we found, our colleagues found here and we as rapid deployment team found ourselves when we when we arrived is as I said, is a surreal scene.
Once a bustling city is now completely deserted, even though, as I said, essential electricity and water are still there.
We see a few police patrolling the streets for ensuring security and for looting.
[Other language spoken]
And we should also bear in mind that even before the recent escalation, the, the basic commodities were in very short supply in this community.
So shops were already half empty before.
Let's not forget that since January 2023, there has been a severe disruption of movement of people and goods into this region and that is the reason why our organisation and our teams have been transferring so many tonnes of medical supplies of foods, transferring patients out of the region over Sarmenia.
So I wouldn't say there isn't much to be looted, but I have to also say that many people left their houses and shops open for those who may be in need for those remaining.
And this is somehow reflecting what I was saying before in the initial statement about the old lady leaving the fridge and leaving the house clean and leaving the door open to ventilate the house.
Not for not, you know, for the newcomers to find the proper house when anybody would come.
I hope I answered the question.
[Other language spoken]
Any other question in the room?
Don't see any.
So let's go to the platform and I'll start with MFR to Reuters.
[Other language spoken]
I was wondering if you could answer my colleague's question about whether you're seeing any Azerbaijanis actually coming in to take the flats or houses that are that are left behind.
And also you, you mentioned the story of this old lady.
Are you systematically removing the people who are stranded and taking them to Armenia or just someone to stay?
And is it safe there for them?
[Other language spoken]
I haven't, I haven't understood well the last part.
Can you please, please repeat?
Is it safe for the people who are remaining?
Thank you safe for the people remaining.
Of course, we are in a in a situation of transition, in a in a in a limbo for sure.
What we observe is that people remaining have needs.
People remaining may needs not only food and water, but also treatment.
As a doctor Everard was mentioning before, chronic patients or patient with chronic diseases may need daily treatment and this is exactly what we need to look after in order to refer them to the concerned authorities and those who can treat them.
As long as the safe passage is concerned, of course, if the authorities ask us to mediate and to help and to offer our services for refer people to the adequate structures that we will for sure be available for that.
For the time being, we don't face any major issues in term in terms of security.
Again, our priority is to find where people in need are.
Let's not forget the forensic.
The forensic is a crucial need, in particular for those who have left people behind, the people who have a missing in the families.
We should not risk that the human remains are mishandled or misidentified, because family members would need, would need to know the fate of their beloved, beloved ones.
Thank you, Antonio Brotto, the Spanish news agency.
[Other language spoken]
My question is for you, Alessandra, because today the Armenian chief of negotiations with Azerbaijan has strongly criticised United Nations.
He said that with the the recent mission to Nagorno Karabakh, the UN is is trying to legalise the ethnic cleansing there by not denouncing the the violation of human rights there.
I wonder if UN has any comments on this.
Well, I don't have any other comments than what yesterday the spokesperson of the Secretary General said in his updates on our activities in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
We have done a mission.
It has been coordinated by the the resident coordinator of the UN in Azerbaijan.
It was an important mission.
[Other language spoken]
It was an important mission because it was really aimed not to speak about any politics on, on, on what and if and, and how.
But it was an assessment of the situation on the ground to identify the humanitarian needs of both the people remaining and those who are on the move.
So that is my answer.
That's, that's, that's really been the scope of that mission.
And if you want to have a a read of the details of the outcome of that day mission, the press release from the UN country team in Azerbaijan is available on the on their web page and we can send it to you if you wish.
I see Lisa, I know you have follow-ups, just I have more people waiting to let me go to the platform, finish the question, then I come back to the follow-ups.
Lisa Shrine, Voice of America.
Lisa, you have a question for whom?
For Devon, the name Marco, the ICRC man, Go ahead.
Sorry, apologise about your name.
Yeah, the question I'm asking or asking you have in a sense been asked, but I'm asking them again because I'm not quite sure that you answered them.
The people that are remaining will, will they remain in?
There are so few of them and they have little.
They must miss their families as well.
Will they remain in Nagorno Karabakh or is there a plan somehow or other to evacuate them to Armenia?
Whether you, as the ICRC are working on that, whether there have been any requests from them to leave and to go to Armenia?
And I'd like to know whether the government itself is in any way supporting these people.
I get the sense that they haven't really done much for them in the past, but what is happening there now?
And then also are the many houses that have been left and being occupied now by the people from Abkhazia?
And is there any sense that those who have left will receive compensation or reparations for the loss of their property?
And please send your notes.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for the questions, Madam.
[Other language spoken]
I we don't have all answers because most of these questions should concern actually the governments of the region.
What I can tell you is most people took the decision to leave or felt the need to leave this region in the past week.
We do not know and we cannot say what is behind everybody's reason or decision to leave.
That is for sure the people who chose to stay voluntarily or for the time being, if they if they, if they decided one day to leave and we can and the governments would approach us to help out, to support, we will certainly be helpful in that regard.
What we have been doing so far is ever creating medical cases into Armenia and we did that for more than 200 people in only the last week, including psychological cases, including wounded after discretion, including wounded after the fuel depot explosion, including the couple of cases that I mentioned before of elderly, bedridden, etcetera.
So as far as we need to evacuate people in with medical conditions, we have been doing, we're doing and we will be doing when it comes to transferring residents into Armenia.
Then again, if they express their will with the authorities and the authorities approach us, we can offer our services as a neutral intermediary for sure.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Most of your questions have have to be addressed to governmental officials.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I still have Laurent Ciero from the Swiss News Agency.
And just to tell Doctor Everett if she has any inputs or anything to add to what is being said, please just raise your hand.
I'll give you the floor.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Sorry if you addressed that because I was late because of a conflicting press conference.
Another question to ICICI, what about potential detainees in the region?
Because, yeah, we could hear that the former presidents of the the former separatist Republic was was arrested.
So is that also part of the mandate of your advance team, potential visits to detainees and and what are their conditions?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Laurent, for the question allowing me to describe and to mention and illustrate one of our main activities as ICICE, which is the visit of people detained in on the consequence of of our conflict.
That's our top priority everywhere in the world and for sure it has been in this region for the last 30 years.
We are here since 1992 now.
All observations about the people detained and their conditions are shared directly and confidentially with the authorities.
We really only go public and share publicly when is in the best interest of the people we are here for.
So allow me to, to, to stop you there.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
And I have a few follow-ups.
So I'll start with Christian.
Yes, Mark, the question was do you see Azerbaijan is moving into the city?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for the question.
For sure that are we see police patrolling the cities to to to ensure some sort of of of security for those who left.
And yes, answer is yes, Christophe follow up to yes.
My follow up was actually to WHOI was just wondering if you could give us more detail on Hans Kluger's trip.
So it's going tomorrow to Yerevan, if I got that correctly.
What's the purpose of the trip there?
Is it going to go to Nagorno Karabakh to just to see what the situation is like?
And we need then move onwards to Azerbaijan by any chance?
So if you could give us a little bit more details on what he's going to do in the region would be helpful.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Doctor Everard, thank you for this question.
Doctor Hans Kluger is arriving tomorrow very early and he would like to be in contact with the Minister of Health again and to see for himself the reality on the ground, especially the burns patients that have been admitted in 8-9 hospitals here around Yerevan.
Because he was very shocked to hear that they are severely burned.
And he comes also with some supply to especially specifically for these burn patients that WHO has ready and has been shipped over from our hub.
Hans has also want to wish with **** level government officials, but we have not yet confirmation yet.
It is indeed a very quick set up of mission.
I have not had his itinerary yet.
So I cannot confirm if he's going to Azerbaijan and I leave it here.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Jeremy, did I see your hand up?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I'm not sure whether.
There was a miss or delivered.
[Other language spoken]
Your people on the ground, have they seen any of these houses that have been abandoned by the former inhabitants of of Nagorno Kanabach be occupied by the people from Azerbaijan or are they essentially left empty?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you Lisa for the follow up.
I thought I did answer by saying that the town is still pretty much deserted and so we haven't seen what what you describe.
At the same time, we wander around to find whom can be in need of help.
And as it happens, in such situations, those who are the most vulnerable are also those who get the less help in situation of confusion.
So it's extremely important to we stay focused on our humanitarian mission and we find as many people in need as we can in the coming hours and the coming days.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
This concludes the questions from our journalists.
I'd like to thank very, very much Doctor Marty Everard, the Special Representative of WHO Regional Director to Armenia and Marcus Uchi, de CFC team Leader for having briefed our journalist on this very important topic.
And now let's change, complete the region, let's go to Africa.
We have the World Food Programme who has come and brief us on the situation, humanitarian situation for South S Sudanese who have left the country for feeding the war.
Marie Ellen Mcgroarty is with us.
She is the WFP country director in such stand.
You're calling in from Juba Madam.
And Ishita Sumra is also on the line to assist you.
So I give you now the floor for an update on this situation.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
And, and, and good morning to everybody in the room and, and good morning to everybody online.
And thank you for this, for this opportunity to speak to the, to the crisis at the border with Sudan.
I mean, the humanitarian situation at the Sudan, South Sudan border is really at a critical juncture and and we fear there's a hunger emergency is looming.
If we cannot and if the humanitarian response cannot scale up to the to the levels required.
People that are arriving at the border are arriving with harrowing stories of escape, many as they made their way to South Sudan.
You know, they're talking of robbery, sexual violence and long journeys on foot with no food or water.
By the time they arrive in South Sudan, the resources have been depleted and they're already well on their way to a hunger emergency.
Our the recent data collected by WFP shows that 90% of the families have gone multiple days without eating and are experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity.
One in five of the children that are crossing and more than one and a quarter of the mothers that have been screened at the border are malnourished.
Almost 300,000 people have so far crossed from Sudan into South Sudan since the conflict started more than five months ago.
And still, five months on, upwards of 1000 people continue to arrive every single day.
The families that we see crossing today are much, much more vulnerable and food insecure than those that arrived in the early weeks of the conflict.
[Other language spoken]
Over 90% of the people that are arriving are South Sudanese.
They're crossing.
They're coming in with a desire to move further onwards to family homesteads further inside South Sudan.
Onward transportation is difficult.
The only viable modes are by river twarth with challenges and expensive air solutions.
Joda at rank is the main crossing point.
Rank is over 1600 kilometres from Juba and access is particularly challenging and especially in the rainy season, and this is making the response much more arduous and much, much more complex.
An already difficult humanitarian situation is now exacerbated by the ongoing rainy season.
Because of heavy rains, flooding has wiped out roads and created severely waterlogged conditions just twice in in the past two weeks.
Even the local and the host communities are now severely impacted by the flooding and 4000 people, 4000 of the local host community have been displaced because of the floods.
The mud and stagnant water in the makeshift camps where people stay while waiting for transport is is a breeding ground for disease which is contributing to hunger and malnutrition especially along amongst the young children who are the most vulnerable.
And currently there are about around 12,000 people in the transit centres waiting for onward transport and we have new arrivals coming every day.
WFP is supporting the new real life families with everything we have available.
We're doing hot meals, **** energy biscuits, dry rations and cash based transfers.
We are screening young children and mothers for malnutrition and providing treatment or preventative support as needed.
But this is only a meeting.
Immediate needs of these families and the rations we're able to provide are only 50% of what they should be.
Many of the returnees have lived in urban areas of Sudan for years, decades or even generations and the areas they were returning to in South Sudan are unfamiliar and largely rural agricultural based communities.
Coming from urban environments, many of the families don't have the skills needed to build livelihoods for themselves and they have missed the growing season here in South Sudan this year.
This means that they don't need not only food assistance today, but they need longer term support as they try to build their livelihoods.
Before the war in Sudan and the tragedy it has caused, the situation in South Sudan was already desperate with sadly over 7.4 million people estimated to be food insecure.
Many of the communities people are returning to are also facing humanitarian crises of their own, driven by conflict, climate crisis and soaring food for food prices.
So far we have registered over 220,000 returnees arriving, some of the most food insecure zones of the country.
These returnees are fleeing danger, the danger of war to a situation of absolute despair and WFP is struggling to meet to address the immediate needs of the returnees, let alone help them build a sustainable future.
This year WFP received less than half of the funding that we needed and the outlook for next year is equally concerning.
Basically half the funding means half the food assistance and in order to reach as many people as possible, we have reduced rations to 50%, meaning people are getting less than 300 grammes of food per day, and this includes those people arriving from Sudan.
Continuing in this manner means that we are unable to break the cycle of entrenched hunger and provide a way out for families facing extreme hunger.
We are barely pulling people back from the Cliff edge of desperation and why we do not expect the funding outlook for 2024 to drastically improve.
We do implore the global community remember that just barely saving lives is not enough.
We need durable solutions that will assist the returnees to South Sudan and the South Sudanese in the deepest trenches of food insecurity to build their own livelihoods and live a dignified life free of the persistent hunger.
This will mean supporting communities to adapt to farming practises and reduce, introduce climate smart agriculture, investing in peace building programmes and improving infrastructure so communities can withstand and cope with numerous shops.
We have seen successes that are possible in South Sudan when people are given opportunities and the tools needed to succeed.
And despite the human growing humanitarian crisis at the border with Sudan.
If these people can be supported to resettle in their communities and rebuild their broken livelihoods, then all hope is not lost.
We need to bring this hope and possibility to the many children and the thousands of families who are fleeing the war in Sudan and making an arduous journey to safety.
They deserve and require our support.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Let me see if there are questions for you on this.
The higher situation in the room.
Yes, Christophe Fogg, the journalist from AFP.
Yes, thank you for taking my question.
So you were saying that only half, half of the money you need is funded.
Can you just remind us how much you need and just to get a better idea what it means to put 300 grammes of food on the table for like the whole day in terms of calories.
What, what kind of food is it?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
For the, for the next 6 months, I mean, to deal with the issue, the, the crisis of the returnees and also the, the food insecurity crisis in South Sudan, we need over 526 million million dollars.
Yeah, 300 grammes is, is, is not a lot of food.
And what we're giving is, you know, where we can give cash, we're giving cash so that, so that the families can choose themselves what, what, what, what they, what they want to eat and what they want to buy.
And while we're giving in kind food, it's, it's basically sorghum and pulses and a bit of oil.
But it's, it's, it's really quite a, quite a small package.
I mean, if you get you know, it's barely what a kilo is that size 300 grammes is it's pretty quite it's it's not enough to really to give people the substance they need, especially after they are just journey they have been through coming from Sudan.
Thank you Liz Ashlyn, Voice of America, thank you.
Yes, I was wondering beyond the returnees, are there also other refugees that are in in Sudan that have been fleeing to South Sudan for for their safety or are you mainly dealing with returnees?
And I was wondering how they are being received by the communities to which they are going, whether they are being welcomed or whether they're you get a sense of a growing hostility that these people are coming in and asking for help when they themselves need help.
And lastly, this your funding needs, are you also using some of this money to help the communities that are hosting their attorneys?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, we're seeing a small caseload of, of, of refugees coming in from Sudan as well.
I mean, there was already quite a number of refugees in in, in South Sudan.
So a number of those refugees are going into those, into those already established refugee camps, except there's one new camp established up in in Waddell, in Bahar Gazal, the returnees.
And really, you know, the South Sudanese have been extremely welcoming to the to the people fleeing the war in, in, in Sudan.
And really they need to be applauded for that.
So, so far, I mean, they are being welcomed into their communities.
People are sharing what they can.
But the stresses are mounting because, yeah, as you highlighted and as we know, many of these communities already put in secure themselves.
Yeah, our, our funding needs, it's not only for the returnees, it's really, yeah, to try and assist the, the, the, the, the large populations of food insecure people.
Also also in South Sudan, you know, this year we're just, we're just winding up what we call the traditional lean season support.
We're really where we try to give critical assistance when, when it's really when they're waiting on the new harvest to come in.
And we really had to scale that back to only prioritise those areas that were severely, severely food insecure.
And then still those area has got a reduced packet, packet of assistance over a reduced duration as well.
So it really is the work, the funding outlook is extremely concerning.
And I think, you know, going forward for next year, we're going to have to be prioritising within priorities, you know, going, just prioritising within severely food insecure people.
So it's pretty.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I don't see other questions for you.
It would be appreciated if Ishita could send your notes to the journalist.
And before we leave the issue of Sudan, just a reminder that on Thursday, the 5th of October at 11 AM, we will have a press conference from OCHA by OCHA on the humanitarian situation in Sudan with Clementine and Quetta Salami, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordination in Sudan.
Thank you very much again, Madam, for for briefing our journalist.
I turn to my last guest, Pascal, for an update on the Council.
[Other language spoken]
Good morning, everyone.
So today, the United Nations Human Rights Council is considering the adoption of the final UPR Universal Periodic Review reports, namely the reports of Israel today at noon.
And this afternoon we'll move on to Liechtenstein and Serbia.
And this will be followed by a general debate on the UPR.
And tomorrow, Wednesday, we'll have two additional general debates, one on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, and on the follow up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
This Declaration and Programme of Action, if you all remember, was adopted 30 years ago.
It reaffirmed the universality of human rights and he established the Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
On Thursday morning, the Council will hold an interactive dialogue with the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on their report focusing on the economic empowerment of people of African descent, as well as on their recent visit to the United Kingdom and to Australia.
And the same day, at 3:00 PM, the Council will hold an enhanced interactive dialogue on the promotion and protection of the human rights of Africans and people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violation by law enforcement officers.
**** Commissioner Volcker Turk and the expert mechanism on racial justice and equality in the context of law enforcement.
We'll present the latest annual reports on this issue.
And during this dialogue, the expert mechanism will also present a separate report on its visit to the United States last May.
And on another note, the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia will issue an additional report today, more specifically a conference room paper.
And this will be published at 2:00 PM this afternoon.
And just to remind you that the deadline to submit draught resolution proposal for this 54 session is tomorrow, Wednesday, October 4th at 1:00 PM.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Pascal.
OK, so let me see if there are questions in the room because there are a few on the platform.
I don't see any.
So let's start with the Ravikant.
You have the floor.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
You're ready to be far.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I just wanted to know whether the human rights permission has any statement to make about Muslim journalists media in India Today when couple of journalists have been arrested or about to be arrested under draconian laws because of carry on the flimsy charges.
So I just want to know whether the Human Rights Commission will have a statement to make on the situation in India Today.
Human Rights Council.
OK, so just to remind you that since 2006, the Human Rights Commission is now a Human Rights Council.
And I think your question would be better addressed by my colleagues from the Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights Media team.
So I'll be happy to give you their contact information.
[Other language spoken]
Indeed, Gabrielle, sorry.
And Gabrielle has a question.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
My question is, does the Human Rights Council is considering a special session on Armenia?
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
So far, we don't have such information.
There haven't been any request requesting a special session or an urgent debate for this 54 session.
[Other language spoken]
I don't see other questions for you on the platform.
Where I is that a hand?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So thank you very much, Pascal.
[Other language spoken]
I have a few announcements for you.
I start with one which I've been asked to read to you on behalf of UNITAR.
As you remember, Akiko Perona last week told us about the Unitar's 60th anniversary.
She also mentioned various events, including the photo exhibition for this 60th anniversary.
The photo exhibition displayed on the Houghton Duques de Mont Blanc from yesterday basically until the 27th of October will be opened on 6th October at 4:00 PM with a ceremony in which the Executive Director of UNITAR, the UNOG Director General, the Mayor of Geneva and the President of the Swiss Diplomatic Club will participate in also for this anniversary.
She would like to inform you that on the 4th of October at 9:00 AM the Paladin is shown here in room 17.
Will host will will welcome the youth climate dialogue.
This is in hybrid format.
The some of the participants will be here in the Palais.
It's an event dedicated to **** school students and you will provide the students with a platform to exchange and learn from each other about climate change, its impact in various parts of the world and propose various solutions.
The school participating The **** school participating coming from France, Japan, Kenya, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
Among these schools, we find the least international different Voltaire and Le Gymnas de Bourier at the in which is situated in La Tour de Belts in the Canton de Vos in Switzerland.
Franchions with schools of course, will be in person at the Palais and the other schools will be connected by video.
And of course Akiko is available if you have questions on this event.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is concluding this morning the review of the report of France, and this afternoon will conclude the review of the report on.
Qatar and last but not least, on Wednesday at 10:30, anchored will hold the press conference.
This is for the publication of the Trade and Development Report 2023 with Mrs Greenspan, with the actor Secretary general and Richard Kosu, right, the anchor director of the Division on Globalisation Development Strategies that produce the report.
The report is embargoed until the same Wednesday at 12 noon Geneva time.
And this is what I had for you as announcements.
I see a hand up, I think.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Did I hear correctly?
It's only Richard Cassel Wright not in the briefing on the report by on Ted.
It's only Richard Cassel Wright, not the direct, not the secretary general.
[Other language spoken]
I thought I mentioned, I thought I'd mention Rebecca Greenspan, Secretary General and Richard Cassel Wright.
[Other language spoken]
Any other question?
I don't see any.
So thank you very much for having followed this briefing and I'll see you on Friday.
[Other language spoken]