Thank you for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this press briefing today, the 1st of October.
We have a very, very heavy and very important agenda for you today.
We have Ukraine, we have Lebanon, we have the situation along the Lebanon, Syria border.
And we also have briefings on Nepal and briefings and updates and announcements from colleagues from WHO.
So we'll start off immediately with a colleague in Ukraine who Liz Thrussell of the Office of **** Commissioner of Human Rights will introduce.
Yes, good morning, everyone.
We have this morning published our latest report on Ukraine.
It covers key human rights developments from the 1st of June to the 31st of August 2024, during which civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure increased significantly, with 589 civilians killed and 2685.
Sorry, if we can do that again, if we can cut the the PA system in the room, that was a bit of an echo if we can try that one more time.
OK, let's so if you can start from the beginning again.
We have this morning published our latest report on Ukraine.
It covers key human rights developments from the 1st of June to the 31st of August 2024, during which civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure increased significantly, with 589 civilians killed and 2685 injured.
There was a 45% increase in casualties on the previous three months.
The deadliest single day was the 8th of July when a large scale coordinated missile attack by the Russian Federation left at least 43 civilians dead.
The majority of casualties occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine.
A significant development was the Ukrainian Armed Forces cross-border incursion on the 6th of August into the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
While we have established some names of civilians who were killed and injured in connection with this incursion, we have not been able to establish the exact circumstances of these casualties due to a lack of access and limited available public information.
In August, we requested that the Russian authorities facilitate our access for these purposes, but to date this has not been granted.
As of the 31st of August, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine had verified that conflict related violence had killed 11,743 civilians and injured 24,614 in Ukraine since the 24th of February 2022.
During the reporting period, Russian Armed Forces continued to target energy infrastructure across Ukraine, affecting essential services and deepening concerns about the plight of the civilian population.
With winter approaching, these trends continued into September.
The civilian casualty numbers for September are on track to be as **** as in August.
Intensive military efforts by Russian Armed forces near the front line.
Sorry, intensive military efforts by Russian Armed forces have forced the Ukrainian government to evacuate thousands from near the front line.
Attacks across cities across Ukraine, for example in Sumi, Kharkiv and Zaprasia, have damaged and destroyed civilian property and infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and even a geriatric care home.
And we've documented even more attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure regarding prisoners of war.
The report, based on hundreds of interviews, details how Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian prisoners of war to widespread and systematic torture and I'll treatment.
A range of factors indicate that supervisors in the detention facilities were aware of this treatment and had the ability to prevent it.
Some public figures in the Russian Federation have explicitly encouraged inhumane treatment and even killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The report also assesses that the Russian prisoners of war were subjected to torture or treatment by Ukrainian forces during initial stages of captivity.
The **** Commissioner for Human Rights will formally present this report to the UN Human Rights Council on the 8th of October.
I'll now hand over to Daniel Bell, the head of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, for more details about the report's findings on torture and attacks on energy infrastructure.
Can we, can we Danielle and also do something about the PA system in the room, please?
I'm sorry, Danielle, it seems that we have a problem with the audio.
Could we take a moment to try to correct this situation?
Just if you can, be patient with this colleague just for a few seconds.
Apologies colleagues, we're trying to fix this, OK?
Recording and progressing and progressing and progressing.
Hello, can you hear me in the room?
We, we can hear you now, but there seems to be an echo still in the room.
If we can correct that, that would be ideal.
Danielle, could you say something, please?
OK, I think I know that you have to leave soon, Danielle.
A signal once it's been remedied.
And how is the sound now?
In the room No, it's fine now it's fine Let's.
I'll begin by addressing the torture and I'll treatment of prisoners of war before turning to some details of our findings on attacks against energy infrastructure.
First, since February 2022, my team has interviewed 377 Ukrainian PO WS following their release from internment and 434 Russian prisoners of war interned inside Ukraine.
The report released today focuses on findings from our interviews conducted over the past 18 months.
A key finding of the report, as Liz mentioned, is that Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian prisoners of war to widespread and systematic torture.
We've interviewed 174 Ukrainian prisoners of war and this includes 5 medics since March of last year and almost every single one provided credible and reliable and detailed accounts of torture and and severe I'll treatment.
The PO WS described severe beatings, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, dog bites, mock executions, sensory deprivation, threats and degrading treatment.
68% have reported sexual violence, torture.
Oral treatment occurs at all stages of captivity, during administration, during the initial capture administration procedures, and in the daily routines under appalling Interment conditions.
The abuses were documented across multiple facilities, both in the occupied territory and in the Russian Federation, showing consistent signs of mistreatment and patterns.
Conditions of detention were typically poor, with most PO WS reporting food shortages, lack of medical care, overcrowding, and poor hygienic conditions.
We documented the death of 10 Ukrainian PO WS due to torture, lack of medical care and dire health conditions.
This ***** was not isolated.
Several several key elements point to coordinated efforts across multiple state entities.
For example, the routine nature of the ***** occurring on a daily or weekly basis and continuing throughout the period of internment, which sometimes it's getting up to three years, indicated knowledge of faculty supervisors.
Russian public figures have openly called for the inhumane treatment and execution of Ukrainian PO WS, often using dehumanising language in public forums and also through state owned media.
Safeguards meant to prevent torture, such as regular medical care, family communication oversight, and access by independent monitors, were frequently absent or ineffective when external officials of the Russian Federation visited internment sites.
In many instances, the the torture and I'll treatment temporarily ceased and conditions improved, indicating that those responsible for these facilities were aware of the mistreatment.
These factors, combined with the adoption of broad amnesty laws for Russian service persons, have contributed to a climate of impunity.
Turning to Russian Pows, over half or 104 of the 205 Russian PO WS that we've interviewed since March have reported torture or I'll treatment by Ukrainian authorities in almost all cases during the initial phases or the first few days of their internment.
Methods included severe beatings, threats to violence, and in some cases, electric shocks.
10 Russian PO WS have reported sexual violence.
The ***** occurred almost entirely in unofficial or transit locations and typically ended upon arrival into the official internment facilities, where conditions generally meet international standards.
My team continues to have unimpeded access to POW internment facilities inside Ukraine, and this has fostered an open and frank dialogue with the authorities and has led to improvements.
Let me stress accountability for abuses remains essential and ending torture is a legal and moral imperative.
Let me move to attacks against energy infrastructure.
The report also covers the Russian Federation's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the resulting harm to civilians.
The analysis of the report is based on visits to seven thermal hydroelectric power plant and thermal power plants and substations, 28 community visits, and 112 interviews with local authority energy experts, tech experts and residents of affected communities.
Between March of this year and August 2024, the Russian Federation launched 9 waves of large scale coordinated attacks targeting Ukraine's energy generation, primarily thermal, hydroelectric and heating plants.
Many of the facilities were struck repeatedly, some until they were completely destroyed.
These attacks hit facilities in 20 regions, including Kiev.
Consequently, this year alone, 9 gigawatts of generation capacity has been destroyed.
73% of thermal power units were rendered inoperative, leading to an energy deficit and a reliance on imports.
The cascading damage from these attacks has affected essential services like electricity, water, heating, sewage, public health and education.
Vulnerable populations, for example, older persons, persons with disabilities, lower income households and children have been disproportionately affected.
Last summer, many areas, including here in Kiev, experienced power outages daily of more than 12 hours.
Rolling blackouts are expected to resume this winter.
But let me emphasise, significant efforts are underway to restore Ukraine's generation capacity and to mitigate the risks of a harsh winter.
But this situation is exacerbated by ongoing attacks.
Before we open up for questions, I would like to reiterate or return the civilian protection concerns that Liz raised.
We documented a 45% increase in civilian casualties compared to the previous three month period during this attack.
And as Liz said, this continued until September.
Noting, for example, the deadly attack on hospital in Sumi on Saturday, which killed 10 and injured more than 20 is a sobering reminder of how civilian, how civilians across Ukraine continue to be affected by this war.
Thank you very much, Danielle, and of course, Liz for those briefings.
We'll start in the room and then we'll go online.
Christophe AFP Hi, Crystal Vogtar, Jean Franz Presse, Thanks for taking my question and for the briefing.
I was just wondering if you could tell us, you said that the Ukrainian authorities were collaborating, that you have unimpeded access to the detention facilities.
I was also wondering if you have any, any idea if there have been any indictments yet or even any trial sentences for the people responsible.
And if I got you right, those abuses really happen in the first few days of people being getting into detention before getting to the facilities where they will be held for a longer time, yes.
Thank you for the question, Christophe.
Yes, we have unfettered access to internment centres in Ukraine.
So this includes the four POW camps.
We visited all of them and we visit regularly as well as the Cezos or the gaols that sometimes temporarily accommodate Russian PO WS.
So we have access and we are able to carry out very open dialogue with Ukrainian authorities on where to make improvements.
You asked about accountability.
The Office of the Prosecutor has opened up five investigations into acts of torture, but these haven't proceeded beyond the initial investigative phases.
And we hope that that will take place soon.
I hope that answers the question over.
OK, no further questions in the room.
Then we'll turn to Yuri of Rio Novosti.
Yes, good morning, Rolando.
I have in fact three questions because I have read the wall reports for some precisions.
For the first one, you have just say that more than the half of the two 205 Russian prisoners of war interviewed by your office, more than the health report about torture and mistreatment.
But you are not considering that despite this very **** percentage, the torture and mistreatment of Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine is common.
So I just wanted to understand why.
Why are you not talking about systematic when this it is more than the House and even knowing that no one has been prosecuted for this act by the procurer, only 5 cases have been opened, but no one was suspected in that.
Do you want to take question by question maybe or do you want to take the?
I think question by question because these are important questions and I don't want to skim over them if that's OK.
First, thank you for reading the report cover to cover and and further questions.
Yes, more than half of Russian PO WS have had have been tortured or I'll treatment it occurs so.
But the difference between the treatment of the Russian PO WS and the Ukrainian PO WS is different in scope and scale.
So with the Russian PO WS, it takes place on the at the initial capture in the early days and it stops and they're safe once they're inside the internment facilities.
Why haven't we used the widespread and systematic language when it's happening to almost half the scope and scale of torture in the Russian Federation and occupied territories of the Ukrainians is different.
First, the geographic spread.
My team has documented instances of detention in 60 unofficial sites and 76 official internment sites inside the Russian Federation.
And of these 76 facilities, for example, more than in 57 of them we document torture on a regular basis.
Second, so it's geographic spread.
Second, in terms of frequency and duration, it's not just happening once or twice when you know they're first captured or an odd time or random.
It's happening through the duration of their internment.
So when we're interviewing the Ukrainian PO WS, when they've come back and after 2 1/2 years, they're telling us about torture in multiple facilities throughout the the internment and it's happening on a daily or weekly basis.
So for example, I interviewed a return to POW about 10 days ago and he said a day doesn't go by without somebody being being beaten.
Another factor that led to this assessment is the number of state entities involved.
So it wasn't limited to just one group because there are groups and certain shifts at certain facilities where they where it doesn't happen.
But because it is happening across the places by different bodies that also contributed.
Another is the indicated knowledge of the torture and I'll treatment by those running the facilities.
For example, what PO WS have been telling us consistently is in advance of an inspection or a visit by an external authority, the conditions change.
So for example, the torture and all treatment stops for a period of time and the food rations increase and then it goes back to the way it was before after the inspection.
And so this indicates a knowledge or awareness of those running the facilities that the torture is indeed taking place.
But again, to coming back to your point, you know, accountability is essential and initiating investigations is not sufficient.
Every act of torture must be thoroughly investigated and purpose and every perpetrator needs to be held accountable.
So sorry for the long answer, Yuri, but that was a really good question and I look forward to your second question please.
Thank you very much for the precision of the answer.
My second question is about you have a part in the report that is talking about the civil rights in Ukraine.
And I was quite surprised because there is absolutely nothing about the issue of the 1st and violent mobilisation, even if we can see everyday dozens of videos across the country with people, that being.
Catches in the streets taken and the throwing throw to buses.
And this is really every day in Ukraine and every day there is scandals with Texaco, with the mobilisation centre, with some people that have been beaten there that can't call to the family, called, can't call and advocate.
And there is nothing in your report.
Thank you for the question.
And indeed, mobilisation and conscription is a hot topic and a very important topic in Ukraine right now.
My team, when we receive accounts of mistreatment and such conduct around conscription, we follow up these cases.
And what we haven't seen is we haven't seen these cases amounting to the level of torture, etcetera.
So it doesn't mean we're not following up on it, but and we are aware of it.
And if we do see an increase or if we see greater patterns, indeed it will be included.
But this is something we are we are watching.
Thank you for the question.
Yuri, is that did you have one last question?
We do have quite a number of other hands up there is a lot.
This is on the curse region.
In your report you are saying that you, you, you have how to say, register some casualties for some civilian casualties, but you can't say what are the circumstances.
So in your report, nobody, there is no clearly saying who is the responsible of that.
So it means that in your report we can just see that there are casualties, but you couldn't find any prove or argument saying that the firing of the Russian army against the region, for example, are responsible for civilian casualties.
But you are doing this, for example, in Ukraine, when Russia is bombing somewhere.
You can say that Russian is responsible for that.
Why it is not the case for the coast almost.
Thank you, Yuri for the question.
So in the report we document 12 civilian deaths and 22, excuse me, 12 civilian deaths and 201 civilian injured.
And most of those casualties occurred during the early days, like in the first week after August 6th.
In terms of attribution, like why aren't we naming one one party or another in the context of intensive fighting?
And in fighting on both sides, it is almost impossible for us to precisely determine attribution in the context of crossfire.
Having said that, as Liz said at the beginning of her presentation, the OHCHR has requested access into these areas as well as to occupy territory.
And having access to these areas would allow us to fully document the circumstances of individual attacks.
So for example, with other attacks and the attacks where we have give an attribution, it's because we have had or it's contributed because we have had direct access to some of these areas.
Thank you again for the really good question.
So Lisa Shrine, Voice of America.
Yeah, very interesting and disturbing.
Do you see any, do you have any concerns about the possibility of any of the nuclear facilities being attacked either deliberately or by accident?
No, thank you for the question, Lisa.
And as you pointed out, attacks against energy infrastructure is a huge concern in Ukraine right now.
In terms of the attacks against nuclear facilities, this is something that we're monitoring.
We can't predict what will be happening in the coming days, weeks, months, but you know, obviously it's a concern and we're hoping that the aerial defence systems will mitigate any, mitigate any incoming aerial attacks to these facilities.
At the same time, we are worried about the upcoming winter and it's impossible to predict what will happen this winter.
For example, if the attacks continue, the blackouts may be intensified.
The repairs to the destroyed and damaged thermal power plants and substations are underway and we hope this continues.
If I can also point out, Lisa, the the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine has also issued A bulletin specifically on this topic.
It's on our website and it gives some more details or it adds on to the, it adds on to the periodic report that was issued today.
So I encourage you to go into that report and there'll be some more details to more precisely answer your question.
Thank you so much, Danielle.
OK, Jamie Keaton, Associated Press.
Thank you, Miss Bell for for coming to see us.
It's really nice to to have you.
I just wanted to follow up on two question and two, two issues.
The 1st is if you could just sort of put it in a nutshell, the differences between the types of torture that you're hearing both of Ukrainian PO WS and Russian PO WS.
Is it safe to say that the torture that exists of Russian Pows or Russian detainees in Ukraine is happening like very quickly at the very or or right at the beginning, whereas in Russia it is happening of Ukrainian Pows is happening much more long term?
I think if you could just summarise that in a single sentence.
And then the second question I have is I assume that the, the, the I think you said 200 or 104 Russian PWS you you had interviewed that was done in Ukrainian detention facilities.
So I'm wondering what access do you or what access did the United Nations generally have to PO WS in custody in Russia or in Russian controlled territories?
In a nutshell, the summary you provided is accurate, but what I need to emphasise is torture is always wrong.
It doesn't matter if it happens once or 50 times, it's wrong every time.
But yes, with the Ukrainian PO WS, it happens across internment facilities both in the Russian, Russian Federation and occupied territory.
And it happens at the different facilities.
So the guys that we interview have often been held in 347 facilities.
So it's happening through the duration.
So it's, and with the Russian PO WS, almost every single instance that we've recorded in the past 18 months has been in the first few days of their capture, either in a temporary Interment centre or where they're initially interrogated.
Once they're transferred to the camps or to the Cisos, they're safe.
And so again, we have access, we have access to the Ukrainian Pows after they've been transferred and we typically will interview them while they're receiving treatment in the hospital or other locations.
So we usually interview them a couple a couple of weeks after they've been back regarding the treatment and access.
You vote the the Russian PO WS Yes, we interview them at the camps and in the gaols.
We have full access and yes, half in the past 18 months.
So 104 of the two O 5 have reported torture or I'll treatment.
You ask, do we have access to Pows in the Russian Federation?
And as Liz had said, we've been, you know, asking for access for a long time.
So that is why we interviewed the Ukrainian Pows once they've been released.
Thank you very much, Danielle.
We have one final question for you from Gabriella Sotomayor of El Proceso of Mexico.
Gabby, could you unmute yourself please?
We'll have to by e-mail later on.
Thank you, Danielle, for for offering that way of communicating.
Yeah, I think we'll have to move on then to the next subject.
And maybe Gabby, if you can pose your question maybe to Liz.
Ahead, my question is for Liz Drossel in another.
OK, if it's another subject, if we can ask for your indulgence, if you can wait, we have a lot of other briefers on, on other subjects.
So if we can wait till the end, that would be great.
So I just want to thank you again, Danielle.
It's really great to have you join us here.
And of course, you're welcome back anytime.
With that, I will turn not to my colleague in the 2nd row there, Jenslerk of of the Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, who has an announcement about a humanitarian flesh appeal for Lebanon.
And just to note that we will take questions to strictly on the flash appeal and then we'll go on to the situation in Lebanon with Liz and a colleague from IFRC.
But yeah, it's over to you.
The United Nations and our humanitarian partners in Lebanon have just launched with the government a three months flash appeal to address rapidly escalating humanitarian needs in the country.
The appeal aims to support 1,000,000 people with humanitarian assistance.
The ask to international donors is $426,000,000.
Since mid-september, Lebanon has experienced an unprecedented surge in casualties and displacement.
In just the past two weeks, more than 1000 people have lost their lives and over 6000 have been injured.
Since October last year and rapidly escalating in these past weeks, there are today an estimated 1,000,000 people directly affected or displaced by the crisis.
Those are the ones that we are responding to with the Flash appeal and that is according to the Lebanese authorities, those numbers.
We and our NGO partners are already responding with food, nutrition for children, water and essential supplies such as mattresses and hygiene and emergency health kits.
The basis the basics for people's survival and well-being distribution is taking place especially in collective sites housing displaced families.
This appeal aims to rapidly reinforce and scale up these essential.
Services in support of the government LED response and we of course appeal to the donors to look at that and support it.
But to add that you will have seen in recent hours the reports of the beginning of an Israeli ground offensive in southern Lebanon, and we're deeply concerned about this development.
We urge all parties to prioritise the protection of civilians, adhere to international humanitarian law and engage in immediate, immediate de escalation to prevent further loss of life and to prevent further suffering.
Now, we have just launched this appeal for the needs that we know, but we fear that with these developments things could get worse.
Now we have won time and time again for almost a year against the widening of this conflict.
Because I think if there's one universal truth in Humanitarian Affairs, it is that it is infinitely easier and faster to break things and hurt people than it is to fix them.
Thank you very much, Jens.
Let's maybe take questions strictly on the appeal.
Then we of course, we do have Liz and her colleague from IFRC who will speak also to the situation in Lebanon.
You, you, you mentioned 1,000,000 people in need.
Do you know how many of them are Palestinian refugees in Lebanon?
You can you disaggregate the, the, the number.
And the other question is talking about finance again, how much is the fresh appeal for for Gaza finance right now?
You're watching this one.
In, in, in, in Lebanon, but what's the percentage of, of the, the funding right now for the, for the, for the one in Gaza?
We the situation is rather chaotic and people are still on, on the move and in being displaced.
And with the recent development we're seeing, we should expect more displacement, of course, mostly from southern Lebanon, but also from the southern densely populated suburbs of of Beirut, which have also come under a heavy attack.
It is a mixed population group in Lebanon, as you know, I think we estimate there's about one and a half million refugees from Syria over the decade or more of, of war and conflict there.
There are Palestinian refugees as well.
There are other nationalities and you know, they are spread out in some, Some of the Palestinians have lived in camps we know in in southern Lebanon.
Others have settled there for a, a very long time, but still have status of, of refugee.
So I can't give you a complete breakdown at the moment.
What we look at when we issue an appeal like this is OK, what is the totality of the need over the past year?
Because it we are looking at an escalation in recent months, but it started 11 months ago with rockets flying in both directions, but particularly now into into Lebanon.
It's a number we have from from the government and that's what we're trying to address with this.
I would say large appeal is for three months, 400 / 400 million dollars.
You want to add before you excuse me, I forgot the second one.
Keep just to say give me a second and I will look up what the my bad.
Yeah, If we can get back on that one and then we'll turn in the meantime to Jamie AP.
I just wanted to know if anybody, either you or or Yens or or anyone else, but presumably you can discuss the situation with the UNIFIL troops in Lebanon, particularly what their activities are given the ground incursion that was just referenced.
I mean, are, is there are there any plans to to do anything with those UNIFIL troops?
Are they just going to hunker down?
Can you can you address that?
Yeah, I think I'll need to connect.
I don't have lines at the moment, but I'll need to connect with our colleagues.
We do have colleagues in Akura in the South in the blue line area.
So I'll just need to check with them And double back to you if I get something during this briefing, I'll certainly certainly share that with you.
In the meantime, I don't know if you had another question for Jan specifically or maybe the second part of that question.
I don't know if you had anything for or Jeremy yet or should we go to the next question?
He ends next question then.
Hi, thanks for taking my question.
I was just wondering how many staff you have on the the ground in Lebanon and also in terms of logistics, how difficult it is at the moment?
We are just to give an idea of what it's like to actually get the the essentials in and where you're distributing them as well.
I don't have an overall number of of UN staff.
There are great many UN organisations in, in Lebanon.
It's normally something we asked UN department for, for safety and security about.
I don't know if there are any concerns there, but there are certainly a substantial number of of of UN staff and we have tragically seen several who have been killed.
We know that many of them have been displaced as well, including.
Stuff from from my own organisation.
So that is what I can say about that in terms of logistics of getting stuff in and stuff out.
It is not something that I have heard as a immediate concern.
However it however, it's always of concern when we hear about, as we have heard in recent days, closure of airports right in, in Beirut, which has come under attack.
That's always a concern moving things around for now seems to be possible, but it is a function of of the hostilities and where the bombs may fall next.
I can I have a short update I can share with you in terms of Unifil.
And I mean, of course, despite the extremely difficult situation our our troops in the South of Lebanon, UNIFIL military and civilian peacekeepers remain committed to the mission and continue to adapt to deliver on the mission's mandate in UNIFIL, continues to engage actively with the parties and of course, it stands ready to facilitate any diplomatic efforts.
So this is really just the general lines that we have.
But of course that we can dig deeper and maybe check with our colleagues, the spokesperson at the mission, who I will pose your question to Jamie.
And we can also reconnect you or rather connect you with our colleagues in southern Lebanon.
Jens, you want to add something maybe to the first question?
It's, it's about the flash appeal that we have for the OPT.
So it actually covers both Gaza and the West Bank.
It's the entire population of Gaza and a very substantial part, I think it's 700,000 in the West Bank.
The requirements are $3.4 billion.
It's currently 49% funded, 49%.
We still have three questions and we do have Liz and our colleague from my FRC who also addressed the situation on the ground.
OK, Alozi Duke Estiola Premier for we answer concerned only the plastic.
The short answer to your first question is no, we do not have enough supplies.
We do not have enough capacity.
And that's exactly why we are launching this appeal, because we need this additional injection of funds to actually procure it and have the staff and capacities in place to increase the response, which is not where it should be because we are, as usual running after the fact.
As I said, it's easy to break things and hurt people, but getting them back to some sort of normality takes a very long time and it costs a lot of money.
So that's why we need to, to stop this development, de escalate the conflict as soon as possible.
We are distributing primarily in the collective shelters.
I believe there is around 800 schools and possibly other public facilities that the government have has opened, which also of course, tragically means that kids are not going to school, but they're sheltering displaced families there are in one place.
So it is, if you like, easier to actually distribute food and mattresses and that sort of thing on mass.
When people are gathered in one place, all of these displaced people, many of them are moving from place to place.
They're sheltering with friends and families.
As you know better than I do, It can be difficult to to reach them.
But of course, the intention is to provide the support for the, for the full 1,000,000 people that have been identified as in need.
Musa maybe I, I again, I, I will try to connect you and get some updated lines with the situation of, you know, pertaining to our mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL.
But of course, you know the idea.
We strongly urge the parties to recommit to Security Council Resolution 1701 as the only viable solution to bring back stability in the region.
And of course, of importance, of paramount importance is the safety and well-being of our staff while trying to continue our mandate under these very dire circumstances.
But I'll connect you with colleagues and see if we can get some updates as they are very fluid.
Yeah, Thank you for taking the question.
Yes, there's been quite a lot of pledges of aid already coming in from France, Canada and from the region, from Egypt and the Gulf countries.
I think there was even $100 million pledged by the UAE.
Is that coming in through the UN?
It's just been coordinated by the UN.
Mechanism for getting some kind of coherent international operation here.
I, I don't have the the details of that.
Of course, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stands ready and is available to help coordinate incoming international aid in Lebanon and elsewhere.
OK, Maybe we'll turn John for the last question to Jens and then we'll have to open it up to other briefers on the same subject, but from a different point of view.
I was wondering on your flash appeal if you have a bit of a breakdown of the prior the two or three priority areas that where the money you hope will go of the 4:26?
Million thanks very much.
I sent you all a note and there's a link there to the full Flash appeal and you will see on page 5 there's an overview of the different sectors and clusters, whether it's the specific breakdown in terms of how much money each one needs.
Basic assistance is very is very ****.
That basically means food and and other really survival supplies.
We also have shelter as very ****.
And let me see, education is also **** and of course, protection of civilians, which is extremely important here.
Thank you very much, Jens.
OK, maybe I'm going to throw it to Liz, but maybe just to give you a further update, if you will.
I just received something from our colleagues in the region.
And just to mention that despite the dangerous development Peacekeepers, Unifil Pizza, that is they remain in position.
We are regularly adjusting our posture and activities, and we have contingency plans ready to activate if absolutely necessary.
Peacekeeper safety and security is paramount, and all actors are reminded of their obligation to respect it.
This is just some lines that were just shared with me.
Again, we can provide more details should you need those.
And then we'll afterwards throw it to our colleague who's joining us from Beirut from the IFRC.
But Liz, over to you first.
We are gravely concerned by the widening hostilities in the Middle East and their potential to engulf the entire region in a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe.
The prospects that the situation may deteriorate further with a terrible impact on civilians and that it could rapidly expand to embroil other states in the region are real, with own violence between Israel and Hezbollah boiling over.
The consequences for civilians have already been awful and we fear a large scale ground invasion by Israel into Lebanon would only result in greater suffering.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have reportedly killed over 1000 people in the past two weeks alone.
Hundreds of thousands have also been displaced in Lebanon alongside those recently fleeing into Syria, and over 60,000 have been displaced in Israel since Hezbollah's escalation of missile fire from October the 8th last year.
Even before the most recent escalation in mid-september, 10s of thousands of homes across Lebanon had been reportedly damaged or destroyed by attacks.
Medical facilities have been damaged, with 10% of health centres in Lebanon closed.
41 medical workers have been reportedly killed and 111 wounded since October 2023, with 14 killed in the last two days alone.
25 water facilities have been damaged, impacting nearly 300,000 people.
Schools and nurseries have been closed and some 300 converted into shelters in northern Israel and parts of the northern occupied West Bank.
Sirens have sounded and residents instructed to remain close to shelters, limit their movements and avoid gatherings.
The impact of the escalation resulting from Houthi missile fire from Yemen into Israel and Israeli attacks in response are also deeply troubling.
All parties to these conflicts must clearly distinguish between military targets and civilians and civilian objects in the way they conduct hostilities.
They must do all they can to protect the lives of civilians, their homes and the infrastructure essential to their daily existence, as clearly required by international humanitarian law.
Too many innocent children, women and men have been killed and too much destruction has been exacted.
The UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights for Kotok urges all parties to pursue negotiations to end the current path of destruction and violence that shows no end insight.
He reminds everyone to ensure accountability of those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law that have taken place or are ongoing, whoever the perpetrators may be, and to ensure justice for the victims.
Again, in the interest of time, we're going to now I'm just going to give the floor to Christian Cortez, who of the IFRC, who's the head of the delegation for IFRC for Lebanon is joining us from Beirut.
And then we'll take questions on on the overall subject of Lebanon.
Hey, good morning and thank you to being here.
I would like to start with personal history.
Few days ago my wife's brother was killed in the line of duty while rescuing others, he said with dedication in the Lebanese civil defence.
His death told the Busting.
It's not just a personal loss for our family.
He joins the heartbreaking list of Lebanese humanitarian workers and civilian who have tragically lost their life in the recent escalation.
He leaves behind his wife and three young children and like 1000 of other Lebanese, they now face the hardship of the displacement.
I start with this history to show how personal this is.
He's just one of million of history of fear and trauma.
Tension has been escalating for months, of course, but over the last week it is escalated into humanitarian crisis.
I will sketch out the needs that how Lebanese Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Crescent, both supported by IFRC are responding science mid-september, the situation in Lebanon has deteriorated significantly.
We are seeing **** number of displacement, intense violence and increase in humanitarian needs.
Nevertheless, this escalation comes on top of the Lebanon severe economic crisis where around 75% of the population live below the poverty line.
Lebanese Red Cross has been at the front line of the emergency response from the first day.
They are the first primary responders of the emergency services in the country.
They are working 24/7 in the transportations and evacuation of injuries around the country, especially in the South area, Bika area and are surrounded.
They have around 51 ambulance centres, 13 blood transfusion centres across the country and 15 rescue teams that they are working as I mentioned 24/7 since the escalation.
They are responding to 1000 of medical emergencies, providing critical care and distributing food and essential supplies to displayed families.
However, the challenge are immense.
Lebanese Red Cross is facing shortage of medical supplies, ambulance and fuel, and the Fords are also severely underfunded.
As an IFRC, we allocate to million Swiss francs as a part of our disaster response emergency fund on September 23rd, but overall our IFRC emergency appeal, that is for a total of 55,000,000 Swiss francs for Lebanon, is only 12% cover.
We urgently need international support to address the growing crisis and to keep humanitarian operation and running in Lebanon.
The impact of the conflict is also being felt across the border in Syria.
We we know that around 89,000 people are displaced to Syrian between Lebanese and Syrian population.
Many are returning Syrian nationals but a **** proportion as well as Lebanese.
The Syrian Arab Crescent is actively responding to the influx, working in the border, providing urgent medical care, relief suppliers and shelter.
They are deploying as well mobile health unit and emergency medical teams to assist to assist the people on need.
Today more than ever, living on need, the support of the international community.
Financial support is needed, yes, but also pressure from governments to on those in the table to introduce some restraint to end hostilities.
We call all the parties to the conflict to respect IHL.
Humanitarians and civilians should not be a target.
The Lebanese Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Crescent with the baking of the IFRC remain committed to providing critical humanitarian assistance under incremental challenging circumstances.
With this response cannot continue without international support.
Thank you and I am happy to take your questions.
Thank you very much, Mr Cortez, and of course, expressing to you and your family and the people of Lebanon.
We will take questions starting on the room.
No, no questions in the room.
So we have Gabby again, I think she had a question for Yens if I'm looking at the chat correctly.
Thank you very much for Orlando.
I have a question for Jens and for Mr Cortez.
How much money did you receive from Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, USA and European Union?
If you, if you can give us a little bit of more details.
You caught me on the wrong foot there.
I don't have those numbers.
I would need you to to specify, is that for total funding for all appeals?
I'll need a bit more details.
Maybe you can you can write to me or or or text me and we can sort it out and try to find the numbers.
For Lebanon, not only for Lebanon.
Well, for for Lebanon prior to this we did not have a humanitarian response plan for Lebanon.
There is another response plan which is product which has into which we have folded humanitarian needs.
It's a bit complicated, but the the short of the of the long thing is that we did not have that.
So this is the first humanitarian appeal this year strictly humanitarian for Lebanon.
So we have just launched it right now.
So we'll have to wait of course, some time to see how the donors respond.
And I'm happy to look out for the list of of I didn't catch all of them, but for the list of countries that you are interested in.
Did you have a question specifically for Mr Cortez?
Yes, the the same question that that I asked for James.
Mr Cortez, if you can provide any details.
Thank you so much for us.
You know, our funding is coming through the different Red Cross and Red Crescent members.
We have only 12% of covering of our appeal.
Our support is through mainly our Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners.
Thank you very much, Mr Cortez Musa.
Well, in Mexico, Marquess St.
Paul Liz, how do you describe the assassination of the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Naslallah, from human rights perspective?
As you know, the attack targeted 6 building.
Well, clearly this has has sent shock waves reverberating around the region.
I think what we have seen unfolding in recent days has added to our concerns, which is why we've said we are gravely concerned by the widening hostilities in the Middle East.
You're referring to targeting someone.
Clearly, the Israelis had their reasons for targeting Hassan Nasrallah.
What we are always concerned about and we repeat it time and time again is the impact on civilians, the impact on innocent children, women, men of hostilities, which is why we are saying the **** Commissioner is saying yet again, halt this path of destruction and violence that has no end.
The hostilities must stop.
And I think we've heard it powerfully from our colleague from IFRC in Lebanon about the impact that this has.
It has personal consequences, as you could hear in his voice how he and his family have been impacted.
So I think that's what we would say at the forefront of everything for us is the protection of civilians and abiding by international humanitarian law.
Easy things to say, of course, and we've seen that these have not been regarded in recent years in other conflicts as well as this one.
But I think we reiterate, for us, protection of civilians is paramount.
Thank you very much for that.
Before going to Nina and Gabi on that question, Yeah, go ahead, Chris.
Liz, could you just clarify, when you say that the Israelis had their reasons to target Nashua, do you mean there were good reasons they could be legally defended?
Can can you just clarify what you mean by that?
We're not party to to what the Israelis may be thinking.
So we can't comment directly on that.
I mean, it would assume that for them to carry out such such an act, they would have their reasons.
We will obviously be gathering more information on this and what happened, but that is not something that that we are in a position to to respond to directly.
Thank you very much, Liz.
And I'm going to double back to Musa because I think you might have a follow up on that same point, Musa.
I mean, this is not an incident that we're able to to to comment directly on.
As you know, we respond frequently to questions of this nature citing international humanitarian law, the respect for protection of civilians, respect and abiding by the principles of distinction and proportionality and precaution in attack.
But we're not in a position to comment directly on this.
Thank you very much, Liz.
OK, two more questions then we'll have to go to our colleague Louise from UNRWA, who has been waiting patiently.
Thank you for taking my question.
It's, it's on the same subject, but it was about the, the bomb that was used in the attack on Nasralla, which apparently was one of these 2000 LB bunker blasters.
What I mean, you've, your office has put Liz, your office has put out a report previously about these large bombs being used in civilian, densely populated civilian areas in Gaza.
I'm wondering if you have thoughts on the use of this bomb in this attack.
Well, as I said, we're not really in a position to comment directly on the attack, but heavy weapons such as, just as the one that, that you were describing are of grave concern precisely because of these principles that, that, that I, that I referred to earlier, you know, the principles of distinction, precaution, attack and proportionality.
The, the, the, the, the size of these bombs do raise huge concerns with regard to, to, to, for them hitting sort of civilian areas and the resulting civilian casualties.
But as I say, we're not in a position to comment directly on, on, on what may have happened, what, what may have been the actual circumstances of what happened the other day.
One final question, Gabby, once again over to you.
I have questions for Liz on another subject.
Because no, if you don't mind, I'm sorry, but I really need to throw now to Louise Waterridge of UNRWA, who's been waiting patiently.
Stay patient if you don't mind.
But let's turn now to Louise Wateridge of UNRWA, who's joining us from Amman and she has an update on the situation in Gaza.
Then we have other subjects afterwards.
Louise, thanks again for your patience.
So it's been 12 months of brutal war in the Gaza Strip.
My colleague Muhammad's daughter was born on the 31st of October in Gaza City through relentless bombing.
He rushed his wife Mai to hospital himself because they couldn't get an ambulance, which they were busy responding to people injured in strikes.
She delivered her baby at a hospital with limited medication, surrounded by people screaming in fear and dying.
A similar experience to that of around 50,000 women who've given birth during the war.
On December 5th, my colleague's 4 year old daughter Salma was shot in the neck and died in her father's arms as the family were trying to flee Gaza City.
At least 11,000 children have been reported killed in the last 12 months, although the exact number is presumed higher because many are still buried under the rubble.
In January we lost contact with my colleague Hussein for a whole week when the Unruh facility his family was sheltering in was besieged, surrounded by tanks, trapping over 40,000 people inside.
Ambulances and emergency teams were denied access.
When we finally got through to him, he told us he was burying the bodies of those killed, including children, in the courtyard.
198 owner facilities have been hit since the start of the war and many while sheltering families inside of them.
Some of the most impactful images of this war have been taken by my colleague Abdullah.
In February, Abdullah was hit in a strike while documenting N Gaza.
Both of his legs had to be amputated while doctors tried to keep him alive in Al Shifa, the hospital came under Israeli siege.
Miraculously, the UN was able to reach him.
I was first permitted entry to Gaza myself in April and visited Abdullah in a field hospital in Rafa.
Doctors informed us he only had days to live because they did not have the equipment or medicine necessary to treat him further.
My 2 colleagues who had matching blood types donated their blood on the spot just to keep him alive.
Two months after being hit, he was finally approved medical evacuation just days before the Rafa crossing closed permanently.
Today, there are more than 10,000 people still in urgent need of medical evacuation in the Gaza Strip.
In May, my colleague Jamal was one of the first people to flee Rafa due to the evacuation orders and start of military operations in the area.
The first night he arrived in Darrell Bala, he was killed sleeping with his family by an airstrike.
Meanwhile, Muhammad fearing nowhere safe to go, was one of the last people to flee Rafa with his family.
Not far from his own shelter, he bore witness to an airstrike that killed families sleeping in a tented area.
The screams of children burning alive still keep him awake now, as disease has spread through the shelters and camps through summer months, my colleague Raja has had to care for her sister who caught Hepatitis A.
With no access to medicine and no clean water, she's been malnourished for months of poor diet.
We're now at 12 months into this war and I can tell you that 1.9 million people have been displaced.
I can tell you that a reported 41,000 people have been killed.
I can tell you that 63% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
But I cannot quantify the horrors that people have endured relentlessly for 12 months.
I cannot fully portray the fear instilled upon an entire population every hour of every day.
I cannot share the overwhelming smell of blood in hospitals surrounding doctors in despair, unable to save countless children.
The situation in Gaza right now is as bad as it's ever been.
Our ask has remained the same during the last 12 months of war.
We need an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages, and safe and sustained delivery of aid to give families a chance to rebuild their lives.
As difficult as to hear these statistics, it is is indeed very good that you share those with us here.
Do we have questions for Louise?
Gabby, I'm not sure if this is for Louise, but if so, I think I know you have a question for Liz, but I just wanted to make sure we.
And then please my questions is international community forgetting about Gaza because of what is happening in Lebanon?
Do you think that are you feeling that way or?
I think from what colleagues and people on the ground expressed to me in Gaza is there's always a fear that they have been forgotten throughout the 12 months, not just in the recent weeks of, of escalations.
They fear the, the world overlooks their suffering and their pain and they fear that not enough is, is able to be done or being done to help their, their cause and what they need.
So yes, I mean, 12 months into this horrific war, I think it, you know, I can express on behalf of people who speak to me that that they do feel forgotten and they do feel that their needs are not important as others and, and what they need just basic things, food, water, shelter are completely overlooked in in such devastating circumstances.
Thank you so much for that Louise, and thanks to your voice and that of your the Commissioner General Ron, who briefed you here last night.
The idea is really not to to make sure that people of Gaza have not been forgotten.
So thank you so very much.
I don't see further hands for you or rather questions for you.
So I'd like to thank you again, Louise, you're you're always welcome to brief us here.
And with that, maybe I'll turn back to you.
Gabby, I know you have a question for Liz.
So before we go to our briefer on Nepal, I'll, we'll take your question.
I'm so sorry that I'm asking a lot of questions, but today is a very special day for Mexico because we have a new president today.
The first woman to hold that post that her name is Claudia Shane bound my questions.
One who from the UN is going to Mexico to the to to the inauguration of of Mrs Shanebound's post.
Second question is what consequences could have the initiative of Mr Donald Trump, former President of USA and Kamala Harris, Vice President of USA, both saying that cartels of drug in Mexico should be named as narco terrorists?
So what are the consequences of naming as a terrorist to the cartels of Mexico?
OK, so it's only three questions.
Mr Putin was invited to the inauguration of new President Claudia Shane bound in Mexico.
But Mr Putin has an arrest warrant so against him, so for crimes against humanity, as you may remember.
So do you think that if Mr Putin go to Mexico could happen the same as Mr Pinochet?
I mean, because Mexico is a part of the Criminal Court and also on freedom of expression in Mexico.
Several journalist intellectuals have been critical to the government of Mr Lopez Obrador, have been fired from the media outlets that they used to work.
Some of them are actor Aguilar Camin, former minister of Exterior, Jorge Castaneda, Marian Paro, Casa Leonardo Curcio.
And if you remember, I was fired too.
So I just want to to to know, what do you think about this?
And I'm sorry for taking the time of of your briefing, but I had a lot of questions.
This is a very special day.
Don't worry Gabby, I know it's an important day indeed.
Just to mention that we don't, I don't know here at this podium who will be represented.
The UNI will definitely check with colleagues or you're free to do this over yourself.
In terms of your comments about Mr Trump and Miss Harris, of course we don't.
That is, the UN does not comment specifically on electoral processes, sovereign processes.
We do obviously give general comments to to ensure that that democratic processes are upheld and transparent, etcetera.
But beyond that, we wouldn't be able to comment on specific comments from from the candidates.
And then I believe the other question was about Mr Putin and then the freedom of expression.
So maybe it is something you can add on that, Liz?
Yes, thank you for that, Gabriella.
Indeed, I personally am well aware that Mexico is is about to have a new president.
And as you've said, it is for the first time in Mexico's history that a woman has become president.
And I think we can all agree that that sends a powerful message with regard to the crucial role of women in decision making and their rights to participate in public affairs.
With regard to your specific questions, I wouldn't want to speculate on what might or might not happen.
Should or should not the Russian President attend the inauguration with regard to freedom of expression and obviously the work of journalists in Mexico.
And we have said on on repeated occasions that their work is is incredibly important, is vital and they should be in a position to to be able to report freely, to be able to to voice opinions.
I should should everyone what I think we we would really say at this point where where indeed the the the new president that is about to to take office, Claudia Scheinbaum.
We we really would encourage her to continue the efforts and consolidate the progress made towards poverty reduction and social equality in Mexico.
We, as we often do, acknowledge that Mexico has complex challenges in addressing violence, which we often speak about here.
We are concerned about the growing role that the military has taken in public security and other law enforcement functions.
That should, of course, be the responsibility of public entities and of a civilian nature.
One other thing I think we we would really want to highlight at this point is that the the authorities should really double their efforts to address the issue of disappearances in Mexico, which you, Gabrielle obviously know, know, know all too well is such a huge issue.
They should try and address this double their efforts by bringing a justice and effective remedies to the families of the victims.
I know if I may conclude on this, I think as you know, the UN human Rights office, our office in Mexico engages and has worked closely not only with the Mexican authorities but with many stakeholders.
And I think as, as we now have a have a new administration in Mexico, we will of course continue to support the authorities and institutions at the federal, state and municipal levels to promote and implement a solid human rights agenda in the country.
Thank you very much, Liz, and thank you, Gabby for your questions.
And now I'd like to turn to the situation in Nepal.
We have asmat Ula, who is Ifrcs Head of Country in Nepal.
He'll brief us on the situation of floods in Nepal.
Thank you very much for your patience, Asmat.
Yeah, Nepal has flooded almost every year.
I've been living here for four years, but this is totally different.
I've never seen anything like this.
I live within 20 minutes walk from one of the main areas where the major Kathmandu River, Baghmati discharges, and it was like a mighty, mighty waterfall.
I shudder to think what the toll of damages it would bring along this path and downstream.
As you know, the Kathmandu is at about 1500 metres in elevation.
For more than two days it rained and it just didn't stop.
I've seen a lot of major monsoons, but I've never seen one that doesn't have one minute of break.
The flow and the quantum will flow, which have led to the devastation and the disaster further downstream.
So far claiming about 200 lives and more than 40 people are still missing.
The number can rise the rapidity and of the floodwaters streaming away and Thai villages, homes and very important livelihoods as well as major infrastructure such as roads, bridges and even affecting hydroelectric station because of a lot of landslides have caught a great toll.
As I said, just to reiterate, where annual floods are common, I've never seen something like this and it really stood out for severity, the human police profile, not only with life lost, but entire communities.
We have still quite a lot of communities South of the Kathmandu Valley being cut off from the rest of the country due to landslides and destroyed infrastructure.
In Kathmandu alone, over 3600 people have been rescued and many have lost not just their home but entire livelihoods.
Access to essential resources such as freshwater will be a challenge and even when the flood water recedes, there could be a major outbreak of dengue.
There are still many villages which are isolated due to impassable road and broken bridges.
In response, the Nepal Red Cross and the IFRC have mobilised swiftly and effectively.
Over 200 Nepal Red Cross volunteers have been working around the to help authorities with evacuation, search and rescue as well as distributing essential supplies.
The Red Cross has also been coordinating closely with local authorities to clear roads, restore access, especially in highlight elevation areas where landslides continue to pose significant challenges.
So far, the Red Cross have distributed supplies to 5000 people with the emergency relief items.
Despite the destruction, these efforts are making a difference.
Volunteers embedded in community, trained and prepared for the disaster like these have played a key role in initial response.
Looking ahead, the Red Cross is preparing for a long term recovery and the IFRC is currently finalising an Emergency Appeal fund to further support Nepal's ongoing effort.
So ladies and gentlemen, just at the nation to conclude, as the nation faces increasing spread of climate change which has intensified disaster like this one, preparedness within communities in our opinion is the key.
The the having trained volunteers, having empowered volunteers within the communities, as well as having access to relief items and finally it their coordination with national, local and national authorities is also of paramount importance in strengthening the the humanitarian assistance for future challenges.
The disaster highlights the need for scaling up these efforts to protect vulnerable communities in years to come.
Thank you very much, Mr Ullah.
Do we have questions for a colleague?
Christophe Vogt, Agence France Press Thank you for taking my question and for the briefing.
I was just wondering if you, you were talking about preparedness and, and at the end of, you know, scaling up the.
Do you have any idea of what the priorities would have to be to protect against this type of floods?
Is it even possible and how much do you think money would be needed?
So that's a very difficult question.
As I said, I've seen many floods in Nepal and the South Asia region.
I haven't seen something which came so fast.
It was a little bit like a tsunami, very short and very fast.
And as I said that I think when the when a disaster hits, they are vulnerable people.
And the response with the Red Cross network, positioning the volunteers within communities and having community volunteers to me is the key to deal with this.
How do we, I mean, whether I can predict that such floods will come again, I don't know.
The climate change is changing a lot of things with glacial outbursts not only in Nepal but the whole region and beyond.
There was a question on funding here.
On your second question, we are hoping to in your with our emergency fund, we are hoping to raise with our members IFRC and his members up to about 1,000,000 Swiss francs at this stage.
OK, thank you very much, Mr Ola, for joining us and for your patience.
And of course, preparedness is key as as we've heard here in many situations like this around the world.
With that, now I turn to our colleagues from WHO.
Margaret Harris is here and she'll have an announcement shortly.
But maybe I'll just turn really quickly to two guests from WHO, who are going to speak to a situation of arboviruses, Dr Rahman, Vela Udan and Doctor Diana Rojas Alvarez from The Who.
Perhaps we'll start with you.
So today the World Health Organisation is launching the global Strategy for Preparedness, Readiness and response to tackle dengue and other 80s born alpha viruses which will be published later today.
The plan as you have just heard from Nepal, dengue ****** is global and the plan aims to reduce the burden of the disease, suffering and death from dengue and 80s borne arbour viruses by fostering a global coordinated response.
Dengue cases have surged across all WHO regions with an estimated 4 billion people at risk globally and the total number of cases recorded so far has reached 12.3 million and by the end of August with over 7900 deaths and which virtually means the number of cases have doubled every year since 2021.
Dengue as you know is a vector borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.
There are 4 distinct to serotypes of the virus that cause dengue and these are known as dengue 123 and 4.
The majority of the infections are mild and may not be noticed.
Severe dengue is potentially lethal, uncomplicated, which can develop from a dengue infection and usually it is the second infection.
Serious than the first, factors such as unplanned urbanisation, poor water supply, sanitation and hygiene practises, climate change and international travel have all facilitated this rapid geographic spread of the disease.
The disease is now endemic in more than 130 countries and similar trends have also been observed in other Alba viral diseases such as Zika, chikungunya and more recently the Rupuch virus, especially in the Americas.
This global escalation underscores the urgent need for a robust strategy to mitigate the risk and safeguard the population, taking into account that urban centres are at greater risk.
The vector mosquitoes have silently spread across several countries and continents.
Parts of your southern USA and several countries in Europe are also at risk of this viral disease.
As some of you may recall, we had warning from the Swiss government on the spread of Asian tiger mosquito.
Here and even in Geneva, several locate localities were mentioned to have recorded these mosquitoes.
Vast majority of these dengue cases reported in 2024 are from the American region, mostly from Brazil, and there are several other Arbo viruses reported from that region.
About these diseases, I will now request my colleague Diana to brief us on us on this.
Thank you very much Rahman for for giving me the floor.
So additionally to dengue, there are other viruses which are also climate sensitive diseases including in this global strategic and preparedness and greatness and response plan.
So chikungunya is also a virus which is a spread by the same mosquitoes and Co circulates usually with dengue and today the 118 countries have reported chikungunya transmission.
The main burden of this disease is due to chronic disabilities and severe impact on quality of life.
In 2024 / 465,000 Chikungunya, Chikungunya cases have been reported globally with **** circulation.
That continues in Brazil where most of the cases have been reported.
So as you hear most of the cases, dengue cases have been reported from Brazil.
We have **** cost circulation of these viruses because they are transmitted by the same mosquito.
And then we have other countries in in South America, in India also has reported almost 70,000 cases as of June 2024.
And there are some other countries with that have reported transmission.
You might remember Zika virus which has a public health emergency of international concern in 2016.
Zika is also spread by these that the same mosquitoes that transmit dengue and chikungunya, but it can also be transmitted sexually between people and from mother to child during pregnancy.
Zika virus disease have declined globally since 2017 as they as but they still occurred in very low levels.
We have 92 countries and territories that have current or previous spread of Zika virus by aiding mosquito and so far in 2024, more than 36,000 cases have been reported mostly from the region of the Americas.
But we have also increased number of cases in India, in the Maharashtra and Karnataka state.
So since the Zika emergency was almost nine years ago, it's enough time to accumulate susceptibles and to build to a new epidemic.
So that's why this plan, integrated plan is is so important.
And if it was not enough, we are also closely monitoring an emerging avovirus in the Americas.
The name is Orofucha virus which causes sort of puche virus disease which is also a large trouble borne disease.
But this one is not transmitted by the same mosquitoes, dengue, Ziga chicken going down but to the bite of an infected mage.
So these mages sometimes are called nosy arms or hyenas in Spanish.
So they are very small insects that usually bite during the day.
They live in humid areas with organic matter and also in forested areas such as the Amazon bathing.
So this virus was the isolated in the 1950s and has been circulated in the Amazon region since then.
In 2024, we have detected an increased number of Orapuche virus transmission and expansion outside the Amazon basin, which is alarming or concerning.
And as of September, over 11,000 and 600 cases have been confirmed compared with last year where 835 cases were reported in all the region during 2023.
The symptoms are very similar to dengue fever and it can easily be be misdiagnosed in areas where we have good circulation of these different Narva viruses.
There are currently no specific treatments or vaccines for Autopuche as it's an emerging Alba virus and you just treat the the symptoms.
Why Autopuche is a current concern because it's occurring outside the Amazon basin.
So usually the Autopuche cases were reported in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
But this year we have found Autopuche in Cuba, in the Dominican Republic and areas that are not traditionally don't don't have traditionally Aurapuche transmission.
Also several deaths have been reported in people with Aurapuche for the first time.
And we have confirmation of increasing Yambara syndrome cases, which is a condition in which the body immune system attacks the nerves.
So it causes weakness, numbness or paralysis.
We also see Guillain Barre with Zika, with COVID-19 and other infections.
So this is, this is concerning because this the people who show Guillain Barre syndrome, they, they need ICU and then infection during pregnancy has been associated potentially associated with foetal death and potential birth defects.
So that's why we are doing further investigations on, on auto buche.
So we, we will keep monitoring all these viral virus threats and it highlights the importance of the global strategic preparedness, readiness and response plan to tackle dengue and other albuviral diseases.
And with this, we try, we want to foster the global coordination and prepare the countries and the regions to be able to respond and prevent all these viruses.
Thank you very much and over to you.
Thank you both very much.
Very important updates indeed.
We have a question from Gabriella Sotomayor of El Proceso.
Thank you very much, Orlando.
How is the situation of dengue and chikunguya and other countries in America, like in Latin America that are for your concern and also the new one?
I I don't get it that, that how do you spell olo kucha or something like that?
How how is the situation also in Mexico?
There are places like Acapulco, like Oaxaca that the the for climate change, there are heavy, heavy rains, huracanes and the situation is really, really dire over there.
So I don't know if you're if you have noticed that if it's in in your radar and your attention.
Thank you so much and sorry for asking, OK.
And I should note that Margaret has shared the notes with you with the correct spellings of of everything that was mentioned, including little pucha, if I pronounce it correctly.
Yes, so well, Mexico is endemic for for dengue and other viruses.
They currently have the four serotypes that that Brahman mentioned Co circulating and they have thousands of cases that that have been reported.
The same with chikungunya, it Co circulates.
They they even reported few Zika cases in the in the last year.
So they have the three Arbo viruses currently Co circulating in, in most of the in most of the the country with the report.
It's an emerging virus as I mentioned before and it usually was just circulating in, in Brazil and in South America.
But now our regional office, PAHO has sent a diagnostic kit to all the countries to start looking for this for this virus, as I say in this transmitted by midges is not transmitted by by the by the mosquitoes that are responsible for the transmission of the other two viruses.
So additionally to testing all the negative cases for dengue because they would have puchevirus disease looks very similar to to dengue to dengue fever.
And also they are doing entomological or they are looking for the for the vector who is involved that in Mexico probably called Hejen or or that's how it's called in in South America.
So they are looking for this very, very tiny Mitch and if there is, there is, if the meat is present, there is there is risk of transmission.
However, in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, they are looking for other potential vectors that might be involved in the transmission such as cooling skin step asiatus and maybe other mosquitoes.
But this is everything we are.
We are currently investigating and we will keep you posted when we have more information.
Thank you so very much to you, Diana and Ramen.
I don't see further questions, so we'll now move to our last item.
Last but not least, Margaret is on the podium with me and she has an announcement for us.
Yeah, just a couple of things.
Later today we'll be having a press conference at 2:00 but far by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation, better known as SAGE, and they've got a lot of interesting recommendations on the use of a range of vaccines to prevent respiratory syncytial virus, cholera, polio and the universal rubella vaccine.
So definitely one worth attending and we're sending the highlights of the meeting out to you very shortly.
We aim to help them to in your mailboxes, I think in the next 15 minutes under embargo so that you've got a chance to read it before we actually do the press conference.
The other thing tomorrow is World Oxygen Day and you might wonder why we who have designated a day for oxygen where since we seem to have it all around us.
But it's an absolutely critical essential medicine and it's something that has not been available in many, many countries.
It's actually been some classic case of inequity and a lot of our work has been to help countries develop the capacity to generate their own oxygen, are generated at hospitals so that you can actually provide this when people are suffering from pneumonia.
It's the difference between life and death if you can't get oxygen.
So that's why we've got some details and stuff on World Oxygen Day.
I think that's it for me.
Margaret, do we have questions for Margaret?
No, I don't see that's the case.
So thank you again for joining us, for your patience and we're almost done.
Just a couple of announcements for me, just to keep you on track as always, proceedings here in Geneva with the Committee on Enforced Disappearances who are, which will wrap up its 27th session this coming Friday, the 4th of October, after having concluded or issued its observations for the reports.
Three countries reviewed during this session, Ukraine, Morocco and Norway.
The Human Rights Council is still underway today.
The Council is reviewing various reports.
123-4567 different reports.
To finalise the process, the universal periodic review process for these seven countries, all available in the update shared with you.
That's all day today at the Council and then this coming Monday, the 7th of October, the World Meteorological Organisation Secretary General, in fact, Celeste Salo, she will be here with colleagues from the WMO to launch a State of Global Waters Resources report.
State of Global Water Resources report being launched here in this room at 10 AM on Monday by the Secretary General of WMO.
In addition to World Oxygen Day, today is the International Day of Older Persons and obviously we hear too often how the plight of older persons is is direly affected through places that we hear Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and so many other situations that we brief on here.
So this is this year the subject is ageing with dignity, the importance of strengthening care and support systems for older persons worldwide.
Lastly, just to mention that tomorrow is another observance message for the international rather the International Day for Non Violence.
And we shared with you a message from the Secretary General for this important observance, which actually is the commemoration of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
And of course, through his message, the SG notes the various crises and conflicts raging, including in Ukraine, Sudan, in the Middle East and far beyond.
And he uses this opportunity to note that quote, Gandhi believed non violence was the greatest force available to humanity, more powerful than any weapon.
Together, let's build institutions to support that noble vision which is need to know more than ever.
So on that note, I end this briefing.
But I do have a couple of questions popping up for me, I suppose, Christian.
I was wondering whether Pascal is there and whether we can get an idea of what the Human Rights Council might be planning or might be happening there on the 7th of October.
Pascal's not here, but I he's maybe tuned in or at least colleagues from his office and they're better placed to brief you.
Of course, we haven't heard of anything for our part, but I would maybe direct your question to Pascal to see if they have anything planned.
I think it's more of a there is a probably a definition I mean about minors that's that's clear depends on certain interpretations.
I can tell you after this long briefing, but I don't know the answer to that.
Just because I'm here, it varies from country to country, so each country gives their own definition.
Me, I'm well over all those agents and I don't feel, I don't feel that I need a stick quite yet.
So it varies from country to country, but generally probably over 60.
I think once once they give you a free bus pass you can call yourself elderly.
Well, I'm not quite there yet, but thank you for that, that elaboration, Margaret.
And with that, I wish you a good afternoon and see you here on Friday.
