Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Information Service here in Geneva.
Today is Friday, fifth of April.
the Council of Human Rights is currently terminating its first session of the year.
Sim will not be with us this morning.
He is going to send me an update that I will
read to you with the other announcements at the end of the
briefing. But of course we will hear more about that.
And he is available if you have any questions.
So sorry for the change in the programme that we have distributed to you.
So we will go straight now to our guests,
and I will start with the World Food Programme.
We have online Lenny Kinsley,
who is the World Food Programme communications officer in Sudan.
Uh, Mrs Kinsley, speaking from Nairobi.
Uh, and she is going to brief us on the first food aid in months, which reached Darfur.
Uh, so I'll give her the floor and then we will open the floor to question Mrs Kinsley.
Thank you so much for having me.
So the United Nations World Food Programme has managed to
bring desperately needed food and nutrition supplies into Darfur,
the first WFP assistance to reach the war wrecked region in months.
Yet we are extremely concerned that unless the
people of Sudan receive a constant flow of aid
via all possible humanitarian corridors
from neighbouring countries and across battle lines within Sudan,
the country's hunger catastrophe will only worsen.
Two convoys crossed the border from Chad into Darfur in late March,
carrying food and nutrition assistance for around
250,000 people facing acute hunger in north,
These are the first cross-border convoys of WFP assistance
to reach Darfur following lengthy negotiations to reopen these routes
after authorities in Port Sudan revoked permissions
for humanitarian corridors from Chad last February.
The temporary halt of the humanitarian corridor from Chad,
as well as ongoing fighting, lengthy clearance processes for humanitarian cargo,
bureaucratic impediments and security threat have
made it nearly impossible for humanitarians to
operate at the scale needed to meet the hunger needs in Sudan.
I was recently in Port Sudan where I met a young boy
named Ahmed whose family had recently escaped a besieged area in Omdurman
He told me he was 13 years old
and I could not believe it.
I asked him and his mother three times if that was true,
because he looked like he was only eight due to the lack of an adequate diet.
After having been trapped in his home under bombs
and airstrikes in Sudan's capital for nearly a year,
his mother, Fatima, told me that in the final weeks before they managed to escape,
they were surviving by Di
a staple cereal in Sudan with water and drinking it
once a day because it was all they had left,
he told me, At least there was food in Port Sudan,
even though him and his family are sleeping on mats
in a classroom where they found refuge from the war.
This is the case for millions in Sudan
who are trapped in conflict hotspots like Khartoum,
Jazeera state and the Darfur region.
WFP did manage to provide assistance to around 50,000 people
in the Kari area of greater Khartoum in the last week,
the first time since December because of lack of access.
There are many more families like Ahmed
who desperately need our support in these conflict hotspots,
WFP needs aid to be consistently reaching
war ravaged communities through every possible route.
Hunger in Sudan will only increase as the lean season starts in just a few weeks.
Our greatest fear is that we will see unprecedented levels of starvation
and malnutrition sweep across Sudan this lean season
and that the Darfur region will be particularly hard hit.
Last week, WFP trucks crossed into west Darfur from Adra and Chad,
and food distributions are underway in west and central Darfur.
However, we received reports that community members,
including many vulnerable women, stormed one of the distributions in Janina
because there was not enough food for everyone,
only those identified in the most severe levels of hunger.
This shows the immediate need that we need to scale up as fast as possible.
So innocent civilians who need our help do not resort to such measures.
But WFB has no clarity as to when the next aid convoy can travel via the route from ad
which is vital if the humanitarian community stands
a chance of preventing widespread starvation there.
Last year, WFP supported 1 million people in west and central Darfur
with food transported via Chad's
Another convoy of trucks entered North Darfur from Chad's
Tina border Uh in late March,
while a separate convoy of trucks reached the area from Port Sudan,
crossing into northern state and then into north Darfur
the first aid delivery to be transported across conflict
lines from within Sudan in the last six months.
lack of security and lengthy clearances by the warring parties have led
to delays in the distribution of this assistance to people in need.
WFP and our partners urgently need security guarantees and deconfliction
so supplies in North Darfur can be distributed to people who
are struggling to find even one basic meal a day,
especially with Eid approaching next week.
I am in regular contact, uh, with the head of a woman's farmer association, Anelle
Foer, who I met last year before the conflict started.
She said the living conditions for her
and her family are getting nearly impossible,
There's no way for her to make money or farm because of the insecurity.
And recent crop reports show that the harvest for cereals in Darfur
this year is 78% below the five year average.
That is why WSP is so deeply concerned about how
serious the hunger crisis will get this lean season.
That's why cross border operations from Chad to Darfur are so critical to
reach communities where Children are already
reported to be dying of malnutrition.
All corridors to transport food must remain open,
particularly the one from Andre in Chad to West
Darfur, where levels of hunger are alarming
and the delivery of aid into other parts of Darfur
border crossing or across conflict lines from within Sudan
must become quicker and easier.
Last month, WFPS executive director warned that the war in Sudan risks triggering
the world's worst hunger crisis
and those who have fled to south Sudan
and Chad receive desperately needed food assistance.
This requires unfettered access, faster clearances process
and funds to deliver a humanitarian response that meets the huge
needs of civilians impacted by this devastating war in Sudan.
Thank you. Thank you very much, Mrs Kinsley.
I'll open now. The floor. Two questions.
First of all, uh, I know that Lisa is gonna say this,
so I'm gonna say it for all the journalists.
If it's possible for ishita to distribute your notes as soon as possible, please.
So, Lisa Schlein, Voice of America.
Thanks. Alessandra, you've got my number.
Uh, good morning, MM Kenzie. Yeah.
Uh, first, Could could you tell me what
What changed? That you were able actually to deliver aid after months
to Darfur. Uh uh. And you seem to be in doubt that, uh,
that this will happen again, that this might be a one off for quite a while,
which would, of course, be very unfortunate.
And, uh, are you in constant contact with, uh, other,
uh, with members of the Sudanese army and so forth in order to get aid into, uh,
uh, the other parts of of, uh, of Sudan.
Um, LL. Let's see when When will the lean season,
uh, actually begin? You said, I think, in several weeks and so forth.
And then II I see that Christian Linde Meyer of WHO is on the line.
the, uh, critical health situation in Sudan.
Sort of add to that and anyone else who might have something to add. Thank you,
Lisa. Thank you very much.
In fact, we have Margaret in the room, uh, and Christian on the line.
But I'll start by asking mrs, uh, Kinsley to answer.
And then maybe one of the colleagues of WHO
can give us an update on the health situation in the country.
So thanks so much, Lisa, for your question.
Um, so, first to your question, how was this possible?
Um, so a little bit of background. In February, the authorities in Port Sudan
revoked permissions to transport aid via Adrey
West Darfur is largely controlled by the paramilitary rapid support forces.
So they revoked those permissions.
And through that specific border last year, we had reached 1 million people.
then there were ongoing negotiations on behalf
of the humanitarian community between the,
coordinator in Port Sudan,
Um, and the Sudanese armed forces and the authorities in Port Sudan,
Um, to basically reopen these cross border corridors.
The authorities agreed to open a new corridor from Tina and Chad,
which crosses into North Darfur.
Um, so it's much further north, Um, and that actually that route to get into,
in North Darfur, capital is much, uh,
lengthy and much more challenging because there's so many different,
um, armed actors, Um, along that route.
then authorities also on a provisional basis, granted access to move food from
Um, basically, um, considering that
aid agencies, including WFP, had already prepositioned food there
and now there is a lack of clarity whether we will
be able to continue and regularly use the cross border from
Darfur. Uh, which is so critical because West Darfur
is among the most food insecure areas in Sudan, especially Janina,
and historically has been over the last 4 to 5 years is
where we see the highest levels of hunger in the lean season.
And so if we aren't able to use that specific corridor
and continue to use it and scale up via that corridor,
that is what we are most concerned about is
what is going to happen to the people of West
Darfur. Um, who are bearing the brunt of this conflict tour in,
uh, you know, an unimaginable situation.
Uh, so that's to your first question on how kind of the background of how this um uh,
somewhat of a breakthrough in access happened into the Darfur
Um, then you were asking when the lean season starts.
So typically in Sudan, the lean season
is from May until September,
and sometimes it does in in certain areas.
It starts sooner or later, sometimes not until June.
Um, but this year we're extremely concerned that it's going to start even sooner.
uh, in the next week or so, because the, um, crop production was so much lower.
The across the country nationwide,
So that's wheat, sorghum and millet with 41% below the five year average,
meaning there's going to be less food availability in the lean season.
Which also means that the lean season may start sooner and also last longer
and be more severe and affect many more people.
I hope that answers your questions,
And I have, um, been joined here on the podium by Margaret Harris for WHO.
I don't have specifics data numbers for you, but I'm going to get them for you.
I'm just getting them and I'll send them to you by email.
But essentially, the health situation is disastrous.
People are not being able to access, uh,
healthcare health services with such a conflict going on for so
long that is preventing access to healthcare of all kinds.
Of course, we do have teams on the ground, and we're doing what we can,
uh, essentially, this is an ongoing health catastrophe.
And as I said, I will get you more detail when I have it.
Uh, Peter, Kenny, All Africa global media.
Peter, can you unmute yourself, please?
I think we have a muted here, but you have to do it yourself on your side, please.
Otherwise, we can't hear you.
I was just, uh uh, uh Wanting to ask, uh, Miss
you mentioned that the Sudan armed forces are
obstructing your movement from from the port.
Um, who who are the other actors?
Um, is is it only the Sudan, uh,
armed forces that are preventing your access to Darfur?
Um, the other party involved in this as well. Thank you,
Thank you. Sorry. It just took a second to Unmute I hope you can hear me now.
Um, so it's both parties to the conflict that have been interfering with
access, um, to the Darfur.
and especially what has been difficult is
the cross line access across battle zones.
So if you're looking at Sudan, the east is in control of the Sudanese armed forces.
And let's say very broadly,
the West is is largely in parts of big parts
of the Darfur in control of the rapid support forces.
So getting the clearances to move assistance from one area of control to another,
um, for both sides has been extremely challenging.
Um, there's a lot of politization of aid, um,
and accusations and propaganda on either side, Um, of of how aid is being used.
Um, and and so that's what makes it really, really difficult.
Um, and, uh, just just one clarification.
the the Sudanese armed forces or the authorities in Port
Sudan had revoked permissions for cross border from Chad into
Darfur, not from port Sudan, just to be a bit more specific on that one.
Thank you. I see. Um, Liza has a follow up.
Uh, yeah, uh, to you. Margaret. Uh, sorry. If I'm
putting you on the spot for this.
I, uh, heard an interview with Rick, uh, Brennan earlier, and he referred to
the situation in Sudan as catastrophic. He what?
What, uh, hit me about that was he said that
this was sort of the first time.
Or very rarely does he refer to any situation as catastrophic.
So, uh, what, in your opinion, makes this situation
so acute, so catastrophic?
And in fact, I've got our public health situation analysis,
which just came out so I can give you a lot more detail.
humanitarian needs across Sudan are at record highs
with 24.8 million people or every second person.
So how catastrophic is that
needing humanitarian assistance in 2024?
This is 9 million more than in 2023 people have been forced to flee
their homes due to the dire humanitarian
situation and the destruction of essential infrastructure
such as roads, hospitals, medical facilities and schools.
Uh, also power, water, communication, services,
everything and all the infrastructure you need just for for normal life.
The number of people displaced by the conflict continues to
increase with 8.1 million people fleeing their homes in Sudan.
Approximately 6.3 million people are displaced in Sudan,
and another 1.8 million people have fled abroad.
So we have this analysis giving you all the detail. But that's the overview.
That's what we're dealing with A catastrophic situation.
Thank you very much. I don't see other questions.
I'd like to thank Mrs Kinsley very much.
And again we wait for your,
uh, urgently for your notes to all the journalists.
Thanks, Margaret, for this update, Margaret stays with us. So don't worry about
to Rome where we have so Mrs
Kinsley, thank you very much. And good luck with your work.
one of your sister agency's colleague
who is joining us from Rome. You will know, Maximo
Torero. I don't need to introduce you to him.
Just remind you that Maximo is the
chief economist and we thank him very, very much
as he does quite often to update you on the global food commodity prices,
So you have the floor maximum. Thank you.
I see Maximus on the line. but I can't hear you.
If you could just add your camera, please.
Because now we have the audio
um Actually, it is a muted on our side.
Mister Torero Says he's still not
The machine doesn't let him unmute
we are trying to get you, sir.
And while we are waiting, I just read you the, um,
message that Christian has just put in the in the
chat saying that he would send out the the Sudan data
that Margaret has just mentioned.
we are trying to retrieve um,
we are trying to retrieve uh, Maximo,
um, maybe while we do that,
um, let me see if I can if I can see what's happening. Otherwise we go to the next.
We have, uh, the connection now,
OK, apparently, there's a problem with the with the sounds.
Uh, can I ask my colleague to try and solve this while maybe I will ask, uh,
to reach us on the podium.
Margaret has broken with her. Um
Who is the senior technical lead
and unit head on human rights to tell us about World Health Day, which,
as you all know, it's seventh of April.
And the theme this year is my health, my rights. So welcome.
Yeah, as you as you please.
start with your comments for Margaret?
So, as you know, I'm sure
April 7th is our birthday.
It's the day we celebrate as World Health Day because it's the day that the
And this year, very importantly,
we've selected the theme. My health, my right, because it's poorly understood
that health is a right, not a privilege.
I'd also like to I've got a couple of announcements.
Should I mention them now or just go into Lena?
we keep you there maximum and we finish with the colleagues from
thank you very much. And good morning, everyone.
So for World Health Day, this year is
placing a spotlight on the right to health.
constitution was in fact the first international
instrument that recognised health as a right.
member states have ratified at least one international
treaty that currently is the right to health.
This means that every human being on this planet has the right to health,
and every country in the world has an obligation to realise it.
the right to health is often unrealized or under threat.
In 2021 4.5 billion people and that's more than half of the world's population
were not covered by essential health services.
About 2 billion people faced financial hardship
The situation has been worsening rather than improving over the last two decades.
Progress is possible where there is political will.
Since 2000, 42 countries have succeeded in improving both health service coverage
and protection against catastrophic health spending.
On this World Health Day,
is calling for an additional annual investment of between 203 $128,000
billion to scale up primary healthcare in low and middle income countries,
and financial barriers are not the only barrier
to the realisation of the right to health
groups that are marginalised and discriminated against, face many,
many barriers and obstacles in accessing health services.
WHO is therefore calling for health services
to be available accessible for everyone everywhere without any discrimination.
We also call for meaningful involvement of individuals
and communities in decision making around health.
Fully realising the right to health also means improving
the conditions that allow people to live healthy lives.
Actions are therefore needed across all sectors of
society to address the causes of ill health.
is calling on governments to make every law and policy count for the right to health.
This means taxing tobacco succour and alcohol, eliminating trans fats,
stopping fossil fuel subsidies,
ensuring worker rights for health and care workers,
prohibiting all forms of discrimination and
ensuring access to social protection.
we have seen attacks on health facilities and
on health and aid workers in conflict settings.
Health workers facilities and supplies are
protected under international humanitarian law.
They must never be attacked
and they must never be used for military purposes.
Access to medical services must be ensured even during war and conflict.
is calling for the safeguarding of the right to health and for
the protection of health and humanitarian
workers and facilities in war and conflict
in line with international humanitarian and human rights law.
But attacks on health care is only one of the most
flagrant examples of the violations of the right to health.
Even in countries that are not in war,
too many people lose their lives
or are pushed into poverty because they
cannot access timely and affordable health care.
on this World Health Day.
WHO is raising awareness so that people know their rights in the context of health
and can advocate for these rights for themselves and for others. Thank you.
Sorry. Thank you very much. And I'll open the floor to questions, if any.
go up on the platform. Sorry. Don't see any hand up.
So thank you very much for this update on this very, very important day.
And before you go, maybe Margaret, you wanted to add something
on announcements, and then we will go to
just a couple of announcements. We've got
an embargoed press release on the hepatitis report. There's a
embargoed press conference that you're invited to this afternoon.
But also we're just giving to the
pale the embargoed press release as well. That should come
to your inboxes about 1130 this morning.
Um, the hepatitis report itself won't be available until next week.
It's a really big, really important report,
and we will get it to you as quickly as we possibly can,
but it's not quite complete yet.
Um, and the other thing, yes, it was just
that was it. And then, uh, the notes are from Lena's presentation. It's a fuller, um
uh, transcript That's already in your inboxes. I'm sure.
Yeah, thank you very much. And, uh so thanks again for for the update, Mrs Mitali
Margaret, you stay in the room in case there are questions later on on,
uh, the other subjects. Thanks again.
Happy that we have solved the technical problem and
I'll give you the floor for an update on
the FA O food price index monthly updates
is something was going wrong.
Uh OK, so this briefing concerns the FA O Food Price index.
Uh, which we released at 10 a.m. this morning. Prime time.
The FA O Food price index tracks uh,
the monthly changes in the international prices
of basket of globally traded food commodities.
It covers five commodity groups
and while it registered an uptick in March
following a seven month long decline trend,
the FA O Food price Index was down 9.9 points.
This is 7.7% from its corresponding value one year ago.
The increase in the FA O food price index in March
was led by increasing the world price of vegetable oils,
dairy products and meat which were more than the
offset decreases in the prices of cereals and sugar.
If we look at specifically to the FA O vegetable Oil price index uh WW,
which led the increase in the FA O food price index
pricing 8% from February and reaching a one
year high with quotations for po
soy and flour and rape, it oils all up.
International oil price rose due to seasonally lower outputs in leading
producing countries and firm domestic demand in South Asia Southeast Asia,
while soil oil prices recover from multiyear low,
boosted by a robust demand from the biofuel sector.
particularly in Brazil and the United States of America.
In the case of the FA O Dairy Price Index,
the increase for the sixth consecutive month in March, up to 2.9% from February,
led by the higher world increase in cheese and butter prices,
reflecting the steady import demand from Asia high in internal sales
in Europe leading to the spring holidays and seasonally falling production
and the FA O meat price index also increased, rising 1.7% from the previous month,
with international price rising for poultry peak and bovin meats
underpinned by continued steady demand
the FA O Serial price index declined by 2.6% in
March and was 20% below its March 2022 value.
The drop was led by decreasing global wheat export prices,
which declined due to the strong export competition among the European Union,
the Russian Federation and the USA,
which was underscored by cancelled purchases by China.
The FA O All Rice price Index did by 1.7% in March amidst of due global import demand
and by contrast, the main export price and edge upwards in March,
due in part to logistical difficulties experienced in Ukraine.
The FA O Sugar price index declined by 5.4% from February
with a drop mainly driven by an upward
revision to the 2023 2024 sugar production forecast
in India and improved pace of harvesting time,
So to conclude, despite the uptick in March,
food commodity markets continue to sustain the relative comeliness.
they remain prone to chocks as we all know
and again, the cereal prices has continued to decrease.
FA O also released today a new cereal supply and demand brief,
raising its forecast for world cereal production
in 2023 2024 to 2841 million tonnes,
reflecting the expectations of greater outputs of maize, rice and wheat.
And this explains why the cereal prices continue to decline.
FA O also adjusted its forecast for global wheat
Production in 2024 now peaked at 796 million tonnes,
marking a 1% increase over 2023
for cold growing crops. Sowing will begin soon in the Northern hemisphere
while harvest have already begun in the south of the equator.
While Argentina's output is expected to rebound after a drought impacted in 2023.
The smaller outputs are expected from Brazil and across the southern Africa.
FA O will continue to monitor developments and we will keep informing you.
Thank you very much, Maximo.
And of course I'm opening now the floor to question if there is any on this
ends up. So I'll thank you very much.
Sorry again for this technical issue.
And we count on your colleagues here in Geneva on
key to send us the notes of your briefing,
Thank you again for being with us.
you'll get very soon. The notes from Mr Torero.
So let's go now to the last point on our briefing.
And I know that you've been waiting for this.
We have rescheduled the briefing because, as you know, this morning
there was a, um a important vote at the Human Rights Council.
I understand this has been now approved. Maybe Jeremy, You have more on this.
The resolution and in general, on the occupied Palestinian territory.
The situation of humanitarian workers.
Yes. Uh, thank you, Alexandra.
as we approach six months of hostilities, it is with deep sadness and outrage
that we reflect on the devastation and death toll in Israel and Gaza.
Over 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and Children, are dead.
75,000 or more are injured
are presumed dead under the rubble.
Over 1200 are dead in Israel and hundreds injured.
More than 100 hostages remain in captivity.
have been bombed into oblivion.
The Gaza Strip has changed forever.
The violations of international law committed
since the seventh of October in Israel and Gaza
Inc. Including gross violations of international human rights law
and serious violations of international humanitarian
law by all parties to the conflict
as well as the destruction and suffering of civilians
in Gaza over the last six months are unprecedented.
And the risk of further atrocity crimes is high.
The world has collectively spoken
that this carnage and wanton destruction
must be released unconditionally
humanitarian aid and other goods necessary
for the survival of the civilian population
must be allowed to flood into Gaza
and be safely distributed
to every part of the strip.
the High Commissioner stresses again that there must
be accountability for the serious violations of international
human rights and humanitarian law
that have been perpetrated,
as well as a renewed resolve to reach a political solution
to ensure Palestinians rights to self determination,
equality and non discrimination,
and which guarantees the Palestinians and the Israelis
can live side by side in peace,
This should not be just rhetoric,
but action is needed now.
the world was shocked by Israel's killing of
seven people working for World Central Kitchen.
nearly 200 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza,
including close to 180 UN staff.
The Israeli airstrikes that killed World
central kitchen personnel underline their horrific conditions
under which humanitarian workers are operating in Gaza.
Israel has also killed law enforcement officials
and others involved in securing humanitarian aid delivery
contributing to the breakdown of civil order and putting humanitarian
workers and those in need of aid in further danger.
Following these latest attacks,
including world central Kitchen
and an era have suspended aid delivery and distribution to Palestinians in Gaza,
increasing the already risk of more deaths from famine
and disease at larger scale.
International law requires all parties to respect
and protect humanitarian relief personnel and ensure their safety,
security and freedom of movement.
Israel, as the occupying power, has the additional obligation
to ensure to the fullest extent possible
that the basic needs of the population of Gaza are met.
This means that it must ensure the provision
of food and medical care to the population
commensurate with its needs,
and if it is unable to do so,
it must facilitate the work of
humanitarian organisations to deliver that assistance and
the access of the population to it in a safe and dignified manner.
Attacking people or objects involved
in humanitarian assistance may amount to a war crime,
has repeatedly stated, impunity must end
thorough and effective investigations into all
alleged violations of international human rights
and humanitarian law committed on the seventh of October and subsequently
to be conducted promptly.
The High commissioner reiterates his call on all
duty bearers to ensure Co-operation with international mechanisms,
including the International Criminal Court,
and their families should be granted
Thank you very much, Jeremy.
And that gives me the occasion to
at 11 a.m. New York time, which it should be five o'clock. If I'm not wrong here,
the secretary general will talk to you to the press,
in New York and elsewhere ahead of the six
month mark since the horrific attacks of Hamas,
Hamas and other against Israel on the seventh of October
and at the start of the Israeli military operations that, as we know,
we have repeatedly condemned
towards the Palestinian as a collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Jeremy, So connect yourself at five o'clock with on Web
TV to listen to the statement to the mistake out
of the Secretary General on this six months mark,
I'll open the floor to question and I see Rhianna
Yes. Thank you, Alexandra. And thank you, Jeremy.
Sorry, Because as all of the journalists, I was in
the Council of the Human Rights where the resolution was voted by the States.
And in the resolution it is said that Israel has to let
your office and the commission of inquiry
to go to the territory for accountability.
and we had after that, a stakeout with the Israeli ambassador and
I asked her a question about the access for
your office and for the commission of inquiry.
She said that nothing will change in their position,
it seems that you will not have access
So what are the next steps for your office for accountability?
Because, as we all understand, without access, you couldn't
make any investigations to
say Who is accountability for what?
So what are the next steps for your office on that?
The first, uh, is our position is unchanged.
We'll continue to press, uh, the Israeli authorities for full access.
The High Commissioner has,
uh, communicated this expressly with the Israelis on a number of occasions
and will continue to do so.
That's our work. We work at the United Nations,
Uh, and we engage with states.
We will proceed with that strategy. Nothing changes
the the work that we we are still carrying on with our work.
Uh, we have, uh, a considerable amount of staff, uh, in the region
albeit not necessarily from Gaza. We have had access to Gaza on,
uh, a couple of occasions,
uh, over the past six months, but
with just one person going in, So there's
limited, uh, access for sure,
but for us to do our work thoroughly and, um, to the best of our ability,
go. Go ahead. Go ahead. Sure.
And the last one, about one more time.
This resolution in the resolution,
there is a call to your office saying that your office has
to send more people and allowing more resources to this conflict.
We all know that there is a problem of financing in the UN.
Is this something possible for your office to send more people?
Or is this are you now in the limit of what you can do?
to be honest with you, it's too early.
I wouldn't be in a position to make a comment on that.
listen, uh, we would like to send more people
There are issues of finances.
um, and, uh uh, Let me, uh,
inform you that we've just I've just been told that
the stake out of the Secretary General has now been moved to, uh, 9. 30 New York Times.
as I said, you can follow it on
UN Web TV. There is a live schedule available, uh, with the link.
Uh, any other question to Jeremy on this particular matter?
I don't see Yes, there is a question from
They can't open their mic, but they say question from
news agency to Jeremy, Do you have any reaction
to the announcement that Israel is going to open?
Two new pathways for humanitarian aid into Gaza
I just read out in the statement,
Um, our call has repeatedly been,
to be able to, uh, to be given, uh, to be
The situation is desperate. We know that
you've We've we've heard about
The Gaza is on the brink of famine.
People are, uh are starving.
The country is in ruins. Uh, Gaza is in ruins.
listen, I think the fact that that two more borders have opened,
is of course, that's good news.
much, much more needs to be done.
going into Gaza before, uh, October 7th.
Now, we're not even close to that.
Thank you very much. Any other question?
I don't see any. So Jeremy, you have another point. And that one was on Kyrgyzstan.
Yes, Thanks again, Alexandra,
we have serious concerns that a new law due to come into force in Kyrgyzstan
in just over a week's time will pose a serious threat
to the work of numerous civil society organisations in the country
and more broadly, violate fundamental rights to freedom of expression,
peaceful assembly and the right to take part in public affairs.
Earlier this week, President Sadir
the Foreign Representatives Bill.
This grants the authorities extensive oversight of non commercial organisations
and stipulates that NGO S engaging in what are broadly termed political activities
and receiving foreign funding,
must register as foreign representatives.
could result in their operations being suspended for
up to six months and possibly forced liquidation.
The majority of NGO S actively operating in Kyrgyzstan,
receive grants including from international organisations and foreign donors.
We are concerned that many of the affected NGO S could
feel compelled to close to avoid being stigmatised as foreign representatives
exposed to arbitrary checks by the authorities
and having to pay for annual audits.
Those that choose to be registered as foreign
representatives could end up having to self censor.
This, in turn, would lead to legitimate public advocacy,
human rights monitoring and reporting and discussion of
matters of public interest being seriously stifled.
We call on the authorities to repeal the new law
and ensure all future legislation fully respects international human rights law
We also urge the authorities to engage
in meaningful consultations with all relevant stakeholders,
including civil society organisations and human rights defenders in this regard.
Thank you very much, Jeremy, Any question on the Kyrgyzstan law?
Uh, no, I don't see any. So thanks a lot for these two briefings. Jeremy
I have quite a few updates to share with you.
So again, the Secretary general take out on the six month mark
from 7 October at 9. 30 New York time.
I have received an update from Pascal
on the situation at the Human Rights Council. So I read it to you
on the last day of its 55th session.
The UN Human Rights Council is considering five last resolution
put forward before it for adoption in addition
to those who have been approved this morning.
So the remaining five draught resolutions are
the one on the rights of the child,
realising the rights of the child and inclusive social protection,
then another one on the rights of the Palestinian people to self determination. A
third one on human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan.
The fourth is on Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory,
and in the occupied Syrian
and the fifth on remote Participation Modalities for
Hybrid Meeting of the Human Rights Council.
the Human Rights Council will also take action on
the approval of proposed candidates for 14 experts mandates.
This is the update from Pascal
and As I said, of course, you
can always contact him for more.
Also on human rights activities,
the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will
open next Monday at 10 a.m. its 112th session,
which will last until 28 April at
during which it will review the reports of Mexico, San Marino, Albania,
and the Conference on Disarmament will open the second
part of its 2024 session on 13 May.
Let me give you a few other announcements on other dates. First of all,
as you all know, the seventh of April, the international community remembers
the genocide. The 1994 genocide against the tooth
this year, as you can easily calculate,
is the 30th anniversary from this terrible event
that started on the seventh of April 1994.
The secretary general has issued a statement that we have distributed to you,
and I would like to remind you that on 15 April so not the seventh, which is a
But on Monday 15th of April,
we will have the commemoration of this International
Day here at the UN office in Geneva.
The programme will start.
There will be a ceremony on the Place
National at 10 o'clock which is managed by the organised by the
And then at four o'clock here in the Palais in room 20
we will hold a commemoration ceremony
And we will see speeches from
Of course, the message of Antonio Guterres, our secretary General.
And then we will have a statement by High Commissioner for Human Rights Turk.
And then we will have remarks from the
president of the Association of Genocide Survivors,
and testimony by a survivor.
We will have some artists from Rwanda
and the ambassador and permanent representative of Rwanda
will conclude with his own remarks.
So again, 15th of April, we will wait for you in room 20
other announcements on the ninth of April. So that is Tuesday. Coming Tuesday,
uh we we are pleased to inform you that we will start exceptionally the
UN Geneva press briefing at 10 a.m. instead of 1030 as we usually do.
And that will be because we will have with us
a in person here she will participate in our briefing as a prequel.
She will address the first ever a
branding in the run up to the A
the 60th anniversary which will be celebrated in June here at the
So we are very happy to have Mrs Greenspan
here in person at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. We start the briefing a little bit earlier.
would like also to announce that and not correspondent about this
participation of Mrs Greenspan is being sent to you by Solange
I wanted to inform you and also the written invitation will come to you very quickly
the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency
will launch the State of world population 2024. Report from Geneva.
report title is interwoven lives, Threats of hope,
ending inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
So we will have the great pressure to have with us the executive Director of
Kim in person here from the press room.
Um, the press conference, uh, is under embargo,
as is the report and every information about this report.
Uh, the embargo will be lifted at 6:01 a.m. on 17th of April.
Um, and, uh, which is, uh, also marked as, uh, midnight one, in in the UN in the US.
But, uh, that will be the the Geneva
A time for the lifting of the embargo. 6 a.m. 601 AM.
The report is available as an advanced copy
So if you need one, you will find in the announcement the contact of our colleague of
Wright. You can contact him. He will send you the em
good advance copy of the report.
And as I said, the media briefing will also be under embargo. But Mrs KMA
will be here to present the report.
Very important report and answer your questions. 15
April. You will receive the invitation
as I've already announced at 10 a.m. we will
open with the Director General and the mayor of Verne
and some other Swiss authorities. The week of the UN at B.
That would be really a nice event.
I really encourage you to participate and cover it.
There will be 16 UN agencies and international
organisations of what we call the international Geneva
that will be showcasing their impact impactful work
to the population. And as I said, as we cannot do open
we move to town to do it.
Um, and I think that was my last announcement
and maybe just one last point because many of you have asked
about the measures, the cost saving measures that are going to impact
and of which we have spoken to you
with the director of administration A few days ago,
we will be giving more information, more answers to your questions,
in particular about the timing of the closure of the Palais.
Um, so stay tuned for that.
We will come back to you with more information very, very soon.
And that's about what I had to tell you. So if there are no questions for me
and I don't see any hand up,
thank you very much for following the briefing
weekend. Oh, sorry. That was a hand. Oh, no, no. OK.
And I'll see you on Tuesday,
As I said again at 10 o'clock instead of 1030 with Mrs Greenspan.
