Thank you for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this press briefing today, the 3rd of June, another very packed schedule.
I'd like to welcome our colleagues from Florida State University, if that's not incorrect.
So welcome to our press briefing.
We have again, we have a very busy briefing.
We'll start off immediately with Sena of the International Labour Organisation for an update on the ILC, the International Labour Conference.
We have colleagues who are going to speak to the Central African Forest Initiative, Colleagues will speak to the situation on Gaza, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan and World Food Safety Day.
So quite a packed agenda, but immediately throw to Sena for an ILC update.
Thank you very much, Rolo, and again welcome.
It's always nice to have students among us colleagues.
Thank you to all those who attended the DG Breakfast.
We were very happy to welcome you.
I'm here to give you an update on the International Labour Conference.
It's the 113th ILC held here in Geneva.
Just a couple of logistical points.
The first one is you're able to get the most up to date schedule for the day when you go to daily programme.
And that would be my advice to you is, is double check it if you're interested indeed the night before because it keeps on changing.
And in order to be able to access the daily programme, you go on to www.ilo.org\ International Dash, Labour Dash conference or you could just Google ILO ILC and you'll get there.
And then from there on you choose the 113th session of the ILC and if you Scroll down, you will see daily programme.
So you just click on it and you get the most up to date information.
I also wanted to give you a little bit of information on the protocol around the 12th of June, which is when heads of states are expected to attend the Global Coalition for Social Justice forum.
Last year, you may remember that we held our first forum ever.
This year we're holding the second.
We don't have a list yet, a finalised list of who are the heads of states.
But just to let you know that if you go to door 40 in, in the main, in the main Paddy building, you will see a red carpet, which is the the VIP section and there's a section there for journalists.
You are welcome to come to ask questions if you have questions.
And of course, it's up to the heads of state and their mission whether they would like to answer or not.
But it is not restricted to journalists that you're able to come and and stand there.
The other thing I'd like to let you know is we sent you the list of some of the events taking place in the ILC engagement zone.
That is the zone that is basically open to our constituents and the public with some, some curated events during the lunch hour, including the ILC conversations where we have panel discussions.
You know, quite not really as not nearly as technical as what you have inside the the meeting rooms on a number of topics including sustainability and business, AI and the world of work and just transitions as well as the upcoming second summit for social development which is taking place in the fall in Doha.
Just of the events, in case you're interested.
And last but not least, the Malaysian Mission has requested us to let you know that the Minister of Human Resources for Malaysia, Mr Stephen Slim, will be in town for the ILC from the 8th till the 10th of June.
And he is open to any interviews should there be an interest from the media to speak to him.
If there is, let us know and we'll put you directly in touch with the mission.
And that's it from my end.
I was just wondering, could you tell me what the Finance Committee will be deciding at the ILC exactly?
If you could just talk me through that.
Thank you for that question, Emma.
Indeed, the Finance Committee will be deciding on the budget and the programme of the ILO for 2026 and 2027.
Which Heads of State have you got confirmed for the 12th?
We do not have confirmations yet, but I will make sure to share them with you guys as soon as we do.
OK, thank you for the yes and yes AFP.
On the budget, could you let us know if it it would be possible to follow that online when exactly because we have many things going on.
So we we can it's very difficult for us to to look at everything to watch everything.
If you could let us know and and if you plan to, to publish a press release once it's adopted after.
Yes, I will get back to you on on both.
All right, thanks so much saying I think that does it.
Good luck for the remaining session.
I think we'll start with UNHCR.
Jeremy, we'll go to you just afterwards if that's OK with you.
So Eugene, where there you are, if you can come up from a UNHCR who has a guest joining us from Chad and he's going to speak to the Sudanese situate the refugee situation in Chad in fact, and I think you also have something of South Sudan as well, but over to you.
I'm here today to present our area coordinator, Patrice, who is at the moment at the border of Chad and Sudan, who will brief you about the situation, current situation there.
But to start with, because if you will focus on the the situation in Chad with the recent attack in Darfur region, but also to highlight that as of yesterday, 4 million people now have fled to Sudan into neighbouring country since the start of the war, now in its third year.
The 4 million people a devastating milestone in what is the world's most damaging displacement ISIS at the moment.
If the conflict continues in Sudan, 1000 more people, we expect 1000 more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake.
So you will hear more about the about the situation in Cheddar, specifically that those Sudanese refugee fled from Darfur region.
I'm glad to join you this morning from Amjaras.
Amjaras is in the far north of Eastern chart, one of the locations receiving refugees, Sudanese refugee since April 2023.
My briefing today is happening in a contest characterised by two two key realities.
The first reality is that chart Sudan in in chart the Sudanese refugees has triple has triple from 2003 to 2025.
For your information, in 2003, from 2003, the first conflict to April 2023, a chart has been has hosted 400,000 refugees from Sudan and from April 2023, the ongoing conflict to to date May 2025, more than 800,000 refugees more has crossed into charge, bringing the total of refugees the total of Sudanese refrigerating charge to 1.2 million.
Say the number of Sudanese refugees has triple.
So this shows you hell of the, of the, of the displacement and also the seriousness of the, of the, of the end of the situation that civilians are undergoing, you know, in, in Sudan.
The second reality is important also to highlight is that a month ago we, we briefed you on the, on the consequences of the recent attack and also ongoing attack in Northern Darfur.
Unfortunately, a month a month after this recent attacks, more than 70,000 new refugees has crossed into Chad, especially in the in the Wadifira province and also in the Nad E province where I am today, two provinces that are in the far north of of of the eastern part of Chad.
So refugees are coming in very dire situation.
You know what they are reporting to us is, is is difficult to hear horrendous stories of human rights violation.
They are fleeing in terror.
Many are under fire destruction as they reported to us our protection UNA share protection monitoring team you know has been able to to interview more than 7000 households in the protection interview and what they are they are reporting harrowing account of violence.
72% of those interview report serious human rights violations, physical and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, false recruitment.
60% of them say that they have been separated from the family members.
So this shows you the the family separation situation in which the refugees are here.
66% of school age children you know are out of school and have not been able to go to school for the last three years even before they cross into into into chat.
Among those affected 3 weeks ago exactly I was I was in this in this location, especially in the refugee settlement called Ureka Suni and I met a little girl called Hawa.
Hawa cross into charge with her older sister who is 18.
What Hawa and her sister Hawa is a little girl of seven years old.
And what they told me is is difficult to hear.
But I would like to share this story with you so that you you, you understand more, you know, the violations and the violence that civilians are going through.
Our and her families were living in Zamzam.
The house has been attacked.
Our lost her, her mother in this in this air bombing.
They decided to move to the Zam Zam IDP camps.
There again there have been aerial bombing and then our lost her, her father this time and two of her siblings.
Our survive major major injuries.
Unfortunately, one of her leg had to be amputated.
It's difficult to hear, but this is the reality.
So our and her sister of 18 years old, they decided to cross into chat in a very, very difficult context.
Many restriction on the way extortion of property and today our is in Amjadas in a very devastating, not only physical but also psychological damage.
So we our story is one of the countless stories that we are hearing here in in in Easter chart, especially from the Sudanese refugees.
There are many, many, many Howas who face a similar situation or CPC situation that are even difficult to difficult to to to to talk about here.
So jointly with with other actors, we have been providing response, providing response with local authorities, host communities, UN agencies, NGOs.
But unfortunately the response is dangerously underfunded because to date shelter condition has there, we've been able only to provide 14% or to address 14% of the shelter needs as exposing refugees to, you know, physical security, physical insecurity and also some, some violence.
Water we've been able to provide or we have been providing only 5 litres per person per day.
And we all know that the standard is between 15 and 2020 litres according to the international standard, SO5 litres for all the basic needs.
It's difficult for the refugees to, to, to, to, to, to survive, you know, in this kind of situation.
Mental health and psychosocial support are urgent to address immediate recovery, also very urgent to address not only, you know, for, for, for, for the health, but also for reconciliation purpose.
A last point important also to say is that due to this underfunding situation, more than 290,000 refugees are still stranded at the border, exposed to many, many types of of insecurity incident.
So I would like to use this opportunity to call upon, you know, the global community to acknowledge and act in order to eradicate the horrendous human rights abuses that civilians are are enduring.
And what they have been telling us here as as refugee, as part of the Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan Eurasia and all the partners in charge, we are urgently seeking 553,000,000 U.S.
dollar to respond to life saving needs of refugees and also of the host communities that have been sharing with them what they don't even have or the little they have sometimes.
So this will help us to address, you know, urgent needs in in water, in in shelter, in food, sanitation, health care, and most importantly mental health and psychosocial supports.
This is a crisis that this is unprecedented crisis that we are facing.
This is a crisis of humanity.
This is a crisis of and this is a crisis of protection based on the violation and the violence that refugees are reporting.
So the lives and future of millions of, of of innocent civilians, including children like Howard hung in the balance.
Without a significant increase in funding, life saving assistance cannot be delivered at the scale and at the speed that is required.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you very much, Patrice.
As difficult as it is to hear this, as you say yourself, it's important that you do to spotlight this, this crisis.
And of course, would be remiss of me if I didn't mention, of course, what the SG Secretary General has been saying since the beginning of this conflict.
We need to end of this conflict and we need a flow of aid to those most in need.
Let's start with questions, if any, in the room.
What's the appeal, the figure and and where do you think you're going to get it from?
Do you have any countries in mind?
Did did you get the question, Patrice?
Yes, I got, I got the question.
Yes, no, we, we are talking to to many, to many donors.
The appeal has been launched early, early this year and we are talking to many donors, including the private, the private sector donors in order to, to be able to address the, the life saving, the life saving assistance.
So here is not only one country, we're talking to all the traditional donors still talking to US.
We're talking to all the multilateral donors and also the private, the private sector donors.
And of course our engagement with development actors also in charge.
You know, is, is, is more important today because what is happening here is, yes, we have all the humanitarian needs, but at the same time refugees are coming in areas where they are underlying development, development, development crisis or development needs.
So we are engaging also more with development actors.
I'm talking about the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the INSPA to ensure that the, the, the, the situation in the refugee hosting areas, you know, can also be addressed through the development funding.
And of course, we are also actively talking to the government to see how the development funding that they have received about it, they have not been able to use them.
You know how this funding can be, you know, can be, can, can, can, can be tucked and targets, you know all these areas that are hosting refugees so that at the end of the day it become beneficial for more for not only for refugees but also for host communities.
So this is how we are, we are engaging all the all the donors just add to what Patricia said just to response to you Imogen.
So in 2025, a humanitarian partners, what we call the Sudan regional refugee response, we are calling the $1.8 billion to support the 4.8 million people, including refugee returnees and local Hosta community and as well as a third the country national.
What Patrice is referring, it's just the chaired part of it.
Chaired part of the the the funding that they needed 555, fifty, $3,000,000.
You will receive the note and then it will include all the detail.
Thank you both and for the clarification as well for the questions in the room.
I know that some of these refugees have probably come from North Darfur, from the AL Fashir region.
We understand that a convoy delivering much needed food to there was attacked today.
If you know anything about that, I'd like to hear it.
But more broadly, can you describe what the situation is in Al Fashir based on testimonies of people arriving?
How long have they been cut off from supplies?
Just just two points maybe and Eugene might add for the first one, the at the the convoy that has been attacked recently.
But what refugees are telling of their convoys attack every day?
But for the second question, the situation as reported by refugees, you know, on this side, what they are seeing is that since I mean, first week of April when the the the attack on El Fauche most important and especially especially on Zamzam started, there have been 300 civilians who died.
And some refugees or some internal Idps, internally displaced people decided to go in other parts of the FU and others decided to cross the border into into chat.
They are still reporting many, many, many violations.
For instance, they say to us that is difficult today to leave Elfache because there are restriction.
You are authorised to leave Elfache only, especially the Wheeler which is where there is a huge concentration of of civilians only on Monday and on Thursday.
The rest of the week you are not allowed to leave the town.
So making it very difficult for the for the civilians to to live.
The transportation cost is huge and people are working for three days, four days depending on where they are, if you are in Zamzam or Tawila.
So they have to work for days and days.
We also got report of refugees who say that that is it's very, very, very, very hot these days.
And some people because of lack of water or scarcity of water, they have seen many people who died during the flight, during the journey to chat.
Another harrowing story that I heard personally is the story of, of, of Armadu, who told me that the practise that armed groups are having in here for share is that you see this charrette that they use for transportation, They use the donkey, they use the horse.
And then the family members you know is, is already, you know, on the charrette.
So the practise today is that when armed groups see you leaving, they decide to, to let the donkey or the horse go.
And you as a human being, as a man, of course they will use you as a horse and ask you now to draw, you know, all your family members.
So this is a forced labour situation, very difficult to hear.
But this is what refugees are telling us.
So, yeah, let me, let me stop there.
It's, it's, there are many, many, many, many violence happening according to what we are hearing.
So it's, it's urgent, you know, to give visibility to, to these violations so that at least civilians can be able, you know, to, to, to seek for the protection if protection is not available or is is, is not possible in, in northern Darfu or in other parts of Darfu.
Last point is due to the checkpoints that are on the road, some civilians when they are going to, they are coming to charge.
They have to do AU turn, they move, they leave the the northern part of Darfu and they have to go through the western part of Darfur.
And according to them there are less checkpoint, there are less killings and of course they are talking about systematic killings and also false recruitment of men.
That is why today in the new displacement contest, you have about 90% who are women and and girls over.
We just added that, that the assault, recent assault on the displacement camp, including Zam Zam and Abu Shuk and Alpha Shore town killed more than 300 civilians.
That's the report that we're hearing, including the the humanitarian staff member.
This area has been under siege for a year already and then cutting off 100 of 1000 people in this area from the life saving humanitarian aid and the farming condition have already identified in Zamzam.
So this recent assault really forced this desperate family even at the breaking point.
And then even they went to Tabula town, which they they have access of some of the humanitarian aid that the humanitarian agency present there.
But we really need unhindle and sustain the humanitarian access to those people.
And that's what the humanitarian agency working in those area is repeatedly telling.
And then you hear the story of how this is one of thousand, thousand of children, which breaking my heart.
And I'm sure that what you're hearing today is also breaking your heart as well.
So pleased that we really need those access to monitoring access to those people.
And if you just allow me to add more, more really just to point you to the statement we issued earlier this week from the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Christine Hombrook, who echoed what we just heard from our colleagues.
And in these attacks, there was an attack on a hospital in northern Cordovan state, Alibi Hospital, where aid workers were killed.
These are people who are putting their lives in the line to provide these vital services.
And not to mention the the countless civilians killed, the relentless shelling in Al Fashir, closer to the Chad border, as we just heard from Patrice.
So to do take a look at that statement, which we continue to issue and hopefully they'll be some respite in this horrific conflict.
So let's take question from Jamie in the room and then we'll have another one online.
Hi, you didn't and thank you, Patrice.
I just wanted to make sure that the 4 million you're talking about was specifically Chad that you're talking about and is that for the and so could you just give us the broader context on that?
And then also how does that compare to other refugee crises that we're we're facing?
So 4 million I mentioned is the the the people from Sudan that including refugee and returning in neighbouring country.
So the inside of the country of course.
So we are talking about the more than 9 million internally displaced people which make 13 million people from Sudan displaced.
So of this how many are going to chat?
Can you just break it down for the other countries from Chad as the Patricia mentioned that what we call the last two years is 800 almost like more than 800,000, which make in total refugee, Sudanese refugee in Chad 1.2 million.
So if we're talking about the recent, the last two years, 408 hundred thousand.
And then previously the Chad already hosted the the Sudanese refugee from Dafur region since 2003 that that's 400,000.
We have another question for you Gabby of Gabby of process of Mexico.
Yes, I, I just wanted to know if you have an estimate of how many children are affected, Patrice, if you can shed light on that, that angle.
Yes, yes, I, I can, I can say, you know, all the children are affected depending on, on which sector we are talking about when it come to mental health and psychosocial support.
All the children are affected when it come to what, who we can call a war wounded because there are many children who are coming, you know, wounded.
We have identified so far 330 of them who are wounded, seriously wounded.
But in total, when we talk about children who are at risk either in a family, in the family separation situation or unaccompanied children, in total we are talking about 752 children, you know, who are in this kind of situation.
And to just add that that this crisis is a woman and children's crisis that I, I, I visited Chad at the beginning of the crisis.
I've never seen that there's so many women and children christened the vote every day.
We're talking about almost correct me, Patrice, if I'm wrong.
And almost 90% are women and children.
So you can imagine that the situation there, Jamie mentioned that how serious I've been in Syria crisis, the South Sudan crisis, this one, I've never seen that how many women and children crossing the border every day.
So you can see that the seriousness of this crisis.
Well, not exactly a follow up.
Thank you for the for the answer.
But you know, I'm outside here in the in the parking and they say that the the parking for the press, we have to pay Gabby, This is something that we can discuss afterwards and as is a housekeeping matter.
So let's let's please discuss this outside this briefing, if you don't mind.
OK, staying on the region, we have, I think Eugene, you have a statement on South Sudan.
So let's let's hear that from you and then we'll then turn to Gaza afterwards.
Let me just let me just excuse me, Patrice, thank you very much.
Firstly, for the work you're doing, for the work of you and your colleagues you're doing in this precarious situation.
So and please do join us anytime at this press briefing here in Geneva.
Thank you very much, Sir.
Unfortunately, we'll cross the border and then have another crisis, ongoing crisis.
I would say that because as I mentioned that I was in South Sudan for four years and then this is the crisis.
And then which continues.
You will receive the detailed the press brief press release later today.
But I'm just giving you the picture that since the late February, the the conflict started in South South Sudan, in particularly in Upper Nile State, that 100 / 165,000 people have a flat increasing tension and conflict in South Sudan inside of South Sudan and also that go across the border.
I will just stop here because you will receive the our press release later today.
Do we have questions on South Sudan since we have Eugene here?
I think we'll look out for that press release.
So thank you very, very much.
We're moving to another region, one that we've been briefing on for a long time now, situation in Gaza.
We have Jeremy of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who's going to address the attacks on aid distribution sites in Gaza.
Thanks, Rola, and good morning, everyone.
You will have just received a statement from the High Commissioner in the past five minutes.
I'll read out that statement for you now.
Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the poultry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable for a third day running.
People were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
This morning we received information that dozens more people were killed and injured.
There must be a prompt and impartial investigation into each of these attacks and those responsible held to account.
Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law and a war crime.
Palestinians have been presented the grimmest of choices, die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meagre food that is being made available through Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism.
This militarised system endangers lives and violates international standards on aid distribution.
As the United Nations has repeatedly warned, the wilful impediment of access to food and other life sustaining relief supplies for civilians may constitute a war crime.
The threat of starvation, together with 20 months of killing of civilians and destruction on a massive scale.
Repeated forced displacements, intolerable dehumanising rhetoric and threats by Israel's leadership to empty the strip of its population also constitute elements of the most serious crimes under international law.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice found that there was a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to the rights of Palestinians in Gaza under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The Court issued binding orders on Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full cooperation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care to Palestinians throughout Gaza.
There is no justification for failing to comply with these obligations.
And of course, as you're well aware, the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has also called for immediate independent investigation into the events where people who are simply risking their lives to to obtain food in this very, very difficult setting.
And of course, SG has condemned to these killings.
Turning to the room, Jamie AP good morning, Jeremy.
We've obviously got reports from from from officials in Gaza already talking about we've, we've got a figure of 27 currently.
Are you talking about that same number of people?
Is that a different incident?
Can you be specific about where and when this happened?
Just give us a few more details on, on the, the dozens more killed and injured that you're, that you're referring to, please.
So the information we have is roughly the same as what you have, 27 killed, including three women.
We are aware that children were amongst the crowd on all three occasions.
We don't have any information on on children, child fatalities, but you've seen what's happened over the past three days.
All incidents have taken place near the AL Alam roundabout near the distribution centre.
The details we have, we're also getting our own information from on the ground, which are verifying the information that we've received.
Thank you very much, Jeremy, for the questions in the room.
Yes, Robin, AFP morning Mr Jonathan Whittall, who is the the OPT head of office for Archer.
He described this this new distribution mechanism as as being quote essentially engineered scarcity.
Do you think that that is a reasonable description of the conditions that people are facing there with with regard to their human rights?
The High Commissioner has spoken strongly on this with respect to the how this flies in the face of humanitarian aid principles.
Not only that the principles, but we're talking about dignity here, dignity of those who are desperately distraught people trying to get food just to survive, simple as that.
Questions in the room before turning online.
OK, I think that's it for So back to you, Gabby Proceso.
Yes, can you repeat what you said in your statement about genocide?
I'll happily read it out for you again, Gabby.
That's the I'll read the whole paragraph on genocide.
We were referring to the International Court of Justice, which found that there was a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to the rights of Palestinians in Gaza under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
We remind you, the Court issued binding orders on Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full cooperation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.
And then I, we, the High Commissioner, continues.
Water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care for all Palestinians throughout Gaza.
Well, Israel is responsible, but who has to to face the justice, international justice or who can refer this case to the international court or someone has to be judged for, for this crime against humanity.
These crimes would be heard by, first of all, local courts, national courts, and then if it necessitates, it will go to the international courts.
That may be the International Criminal Court.
Our office gathers evidence and we share that evidence.
And of course, there's the work of the Commission of inquiry that are also gathering, monitoring and investigating these these horrific acts.
Any further questions for Jeremy on Gaza?
So there's this guys humanitarian foundation that there's not a whole lot of clarity as to who's behind it and who's running it and what not.
You mentioned the, the, the, the possible prosecution.
I mean, is there any, do you have any clarity as to who these people are and whether or not they in any way could be responsible for, you know, Robin just mentioned, you know, the, the selectives or was it scarcity that you know you?
I mean, in other words, is there is there any possibility those people also could be held to account for what's happening right now in connection with these efforts to distribute?
So I think there's so much which has happened in the past three days apart from the the tragic circumstances of human beings trying to gather food to survive and then being killed in the process.
There are questions being asked who did this?
And that's why we call for a full, independent, prompt, impartial investigation into these acts.
OK, sparked more questions here.
And yes, AFP, yes, thank you.
My memory is not very well functioning.
So I was wondering in the past when the distribution was done by the United Nation or the several UN agencies, do do you remember if there has been any such attacks?
With respect to that, I think you're probably better off asking UN agencies who were delivering the aid.
What I will say is that the aid when was being delivered by the likes of Ocher and Unruh who did such an amazing job, have been for years upon years doing this work.
They delivered aid and helped Gazans who are in desperate need.
They took the aid to the Gazans as opposed to the situation.
Now Gazans are having to walk miles, those who can walk and who are fit enough.
So we're excluding children, we're excluding elderly people, we're excluding people with disabilities.
They are being forced to walk to these centres and to now they're terrified probably they go there and they're thinking am I going to get food or am I going to get shot?
Yeah, let me just say because I feel compelled to do so.
You know, we've been speaking from here and talking about so many attacks, which it's almost as if they're hard to qualify and, and quantify even there have been attacks on, on health workers, There have been attacks on civilians, of course, more than 50,000 people killed, women, children, the Big Bear the brunt of this.
There have been attacks indeed, when people are collecting food.
I I can't tell you specifically when I invite colleagues who are online maybe to provide some granularity on that.
But the the fact is this is a surreal setting in which people are just trying to live their lives in decency and then they've been under attack relentlessly for for months on end.
But of course, if you have any specific examples that you want to draw and compare it to, we can try to get that free on.
Yeah, Jeremy, I just wondered if you had a casualty count for the the last three days altogether.
And I wonder also when you're referring to the most serious international crimes, could you just confirm that you are explicitly including the crime of genocide in that?
Yes, Nick, I'll, I'll go through my notes what I have at this time from on the tally of those killed on June 1, it was 32 Palestinians were killed.
Yesterday it was 3 and today the latest number we have 27.
Now those numbers could well have changed.
I'm, I'm just sharing you the the the latest we have when it comes to when we talk about the the most serious crimes under international law.
Let me refer you to the that first paragraph where we talk about war crimes and the wilful, wilful impediment of access to food and other life sustaining relief supplies for civilians, which may constitute a war crime.
Then we list a litany of other elements which raise serious concerns.
These other elements are elements which are the most serious crimes under international law.
Nick, you know full well what the three, what those crimes are, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Thanks for that clarification, Jeremy.
I also wondered, we've had a lot of reports about the the scale of the attacks carried out in the last three days and the range of of kind of forces that have been engaged in them.
And we've had of, of helicopters, of naval vessels involved, of tanks and of of ground troops.
Can you do do your reports confirm all those?
We are aware of those reports as well, Nick.
Now my colleagues who are working on the ground have interviewed, conducted interviews with witnesses and they do report fire from the IDF on those trying to access the food distribution centres.
We've received reports from other organisations on the ground to a similar effect.
OK, Gabby thinks this may be the last question.
With your experience in human rights issues, how can you explain that a country that has suffer terrible things like Israeli have have passing through?
How do you explain that they are so cruel with the, with the Palestinians?
Gabby, that's not really a question I'd be in a position to answer.
What I can say is that whereas the human rights office repeatedly point out the violations of fortunately, we've got makes it easy.
We've got IHL, international humanitarian law and human rights law.
And we base, we base all our findings on the law and the law we trust and we will we will examine it closely and the actions that take place in Gaza with respect to that.
I think that does it for the questions on Gaza.
So thank you as always, Jeremy, for joining us here.
Extremely important briefing and thanks to colleagues for reporting on this.
Did you have a quick question for you?
Jeremy, just one last thing.
There is a media operation for a Gaza humanitarian Foundation.
And to my knowledge, they have said up until now that there have not been any, any incidents in which there have been.
Let me just give you the exact language, if you don't mind.
The humanitarian foundation says there's been no violence in or around the distribution sites.
We've, we've gathered our own information.
We've spoken to witnesses on the ground who have shared what they have seen, heard and felt themselves.
The IDF did issue a tweet this morning to explain what happened, their version of events of what happened.
Did the did the High Commissioner try to speak with Mr Netanyahu about this issue?
The High Commissioner has repeatedly engaged, tried to engage with the Israelis not only on the issues that are taking place on the ground, but also for our office to gain full access to Israel, full access to Israel and to Gaza and the other occupied Palestinian territories.
He will continue to do so.
OK, thank you again, Jeremy, as always, my friend, please keep coming here and you and your colleagues briefing us on this important story.
OK, we're going to shift colleagues to another subject.
I see you as tell that you're if you're welcome to come up.
We have one more brief beforehand.
But we have colleagues joining us, both from Rome, I believe, Marcus Lip, who is the Food and Agricultural Organisation senior food safety officer, and Simone Morais, Morais Russell with the scientist, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, who are both joining us.
I think maybe 1 is from Geneva, one is from Rome, but on an important subject of World Food Safety Day.
So maybe we'll start with you.
Sorry, it's going to be a little bit of hard transition, but we wanted to present the World Food Safety Day 7th of June, which is of course this year on a Saturday.
So we will have celebrations or let's say events to highlight the need and the importance of food safety before and the week before and the week after of world of the 7th of June.
So this this year's theme is Food Safety Science and actions and we believe that this theme reminds us of something very, very fundamental and that this science is how we make sense of the world.
It gives us a shared way to explain that what we see and to measure what matters and afterwards to talk about risks.
This is where the work of FAO together with WHO comes in through our joint scientific advice programme, Food Safety scientific Advice Programme, we pull the best signs available from across the countries and disciplines and to define the core elements of what is food safety, what is the appropriate level of food safety and that that applies to all the consumers everywhere.
It's not really about imposing one's systems on everyone, it's about what we share.
It's what we share scientifically and what we share as a foundation for any kind of action and policies.
Building on that, on the science that the risk managers management through the members countries at the Codex Edimentarios Commission picks additional factors into account.
It could be called a local context or cultural norms or other things, and that's where actually science meets really.
The Consumers Codex will help and the members of the Codex committees will help to balance these pluralistic needs that we have in all of our societies and come up with a unified commitment to protecting public health and ensuring fair practises to trade.
So today, let's be clear, we need science, yes, but not as a top down approach as it is an authority, but as a science, as a shared understanding, a shared language and a shared way of communicate, communicating our interests and even our differences with respect and with clarity.
When we use science this way, we're not just managing food safety, we're building trust.
Trust between consumers, producers, between regulators, industries and between countries trading across borders.
And after all, we believe food safety isn't just about preventing harm, it is about creating confidence, creating trust, creating a shared reality.
The confidence in the food and trust in the food that we eat, in the systems that protect us, that protect food safety, and in the institutions that serve the public good for safe food.
So as we mark the World Food Safety Day on June 7th, let's keep that message front and centre.
Science is more than facts, it is a belief in shared knowledge, a shared reality.
And when it's used wisely, openly and inclusively, it becomes one of our most powerful tools for protecting public health, enabling fair practises and trade, and uniting people around a shared goal that is safe food for everyone.
So please join us for celebrating World Food Safety Day down on or around June 7th this year.
Thank you very much, Mr Lipp.
We now will hear from Miss Russell of WHO and thank you.
Good morning and thank you for joining us today.
Food safety is not a given.
It's a global responsibility.
The theme of the word food safety today is food safety.
Science in Action, as mentioned by my colleague Marcus, highlights the essential role of science in protecting our food supply and ultimately our health.
Everyday 1.6 million people around the world fall I'll due to unsafe food.
These illnesses are preventable and the science to prevent generate existence.
What you need is action, coordinated, evidence based and inclusive action.
The World Health Organisation in collaboration with FAO plays a central role in this effort through the joint FAOWHO Scientific Advice Programme WHO provides the scientific foundation for international food safety standards.
This year we mark 2 occasions.
First is the Joint FAOWHO Expert Committee on Food Additives that will hold it's 100th anniversary meeting sorry, and the Expert meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment that celebrates its 25th 5 years.
The work of these and other groups guides national policies, informs regulations and ensures that food trade across borders is safe for all consumers.
WTO also supports countries in strengthening their food safety system by improving surveillance, responding to outbreaks and building capacity in laboratories and regulatory agencies.
This work is especially critical in low and middle income countries where the burden of food borne diseases is highest.
On the occasion of the word food Safe today, W2 is hosting health talks on food safety on the From Today until Tomorrow to highlight how science drives progress in food safety.
However, food safety is not just the responsibility of governments or international organisations, it's everyone's business.
Policy makers must invest in science based regulations in data systems, food business must implement rigorous safety practise and support transparency, Academia must continue to innovate and educate and consumers, all of us must stay informed and practise to safe food handling at home because every one of us is a risk manager.
Every decision we make, from how we store leftovers or how we read the expiration date dates, can help to prevent illness.
Let us recognise the scientists, inspectors and public health professionals who work behind the scenes every day.
So today, let's raise awareness and committed to action.
Let's ensure that science is not just as studied but applied.
Let's build a future where safety food is a right, not a privilege.
Because if it's not safe, it's not food.
Join us to celebrate the word food safe today.
Thank you both very much to send out these incredibly important messages.
Has your office tried to send food to Gaza by air?
I heard that the UN occasionally drops packages with food and medicines and things like this.
So my my question is on food, if your office tried to do that with the to send to to Gaza.
Either of you want to comment on that?
I don't know if we also have colleagues from WHO, perhaps because they have addressed this issue, maybe Christian is online, but if either of you want to comment on that.
So it's a very important question and thank you so much for bringing up the question.
You may need to direct your question to other UN agencies as well, who are much more involved in food aid deliveries in crisis areas, World Food Programme, UNICEF to just to name a few, but there are others for FAO.
I'm not, that's not my area of expertise.
So you may need to redirect your question to fao-newsroom@fao.org.
That might be the easiest way or if you know the people and can directly communicate with them to figure out what we did from FAO.
In fact, we have a colleague WHO Tarek, go ahead.
And we already discussed this when Jeremy was talking.
We have our way of delivering supplies to Gaza.
We have teams on the ground.
We have now, right now 51 truck that is waiting loaded with medical supplies to go to those few hospitals that are still functional.
So what we need is really that we can bring in supplies, bring those supplies within Gaza to health facilities.
So so they can they can function.
Unfortunately, what is happening is just the opposite.
There is no hospitals in North Gaza functional anymore.
Yesterday, WTO team went to Indonesian hospital and basically evacuated all remaining patients and medical staff.
And now that hospital is completely empty.
So I don't think it's a question of of sending, sending your supplies by by plane.
It's about really finally getting the full unhindered access.
So WHO but also everyone else can bring to Gaza what is needed.
Thank you very much for chiming in Tarek to help out with that important angle.
Do we have further questions for our colleagues WHOFAO on World Food safety?
So thank you very much, both of you for joining us here on this important initiative.
We'll certainly spread the word.
Last but not, not not least, Merci Pavote persons, Estelle Faf, who is the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication at CAFE, otherwise known as the Central African Forest Initiative, who is here to announce a new partnership.
Yes, so on June 5th in two days is 2 days is a World International Environment Day.
And this is the day that Costa Rica has decided to join the Central African Forest Initiative so and really bring it its expertise to help Central African countries.
So 6 Central African countries in the Congo Basin to save their forests.
So this comes at a time where briefing on.
Costa Rica and agriculture who in community poor the forestry, durable forestry the performance, the question more traditional performance.
Local beneficiary person, for example, food security.
So I think there are no questions.
Thank you so much for your patience and for this important announcement.
Because I have a few announcements.
But let's take your question, Gabby, then I'll take my announcements.
Sorry for taking the microphone too often on Sunday in Mexico, the election of judges and and magistrates was it was held in Mexico.
This means that the judiciary will be made-up of people elected by popular vote, vote and not for their ability or their career.
So my question is, this is unusual in our democracy.
It is the only country in the world that has done this.
So judges and magistrates will be from the party in the power and not, you know, for their own capacity.
So I, I'm, I'm wondering if the secretary general or UN office or someone on your office has something to say about this because it's a serious issue, because you know what democracy is 3 powers, independence of judiciary and the judges are going to be from the party in the power.
And you know, the, the votes Mexicans were not citizens were were not going to, to vote.
So I think that, well, I just wanted to to, you know, to highlight this issue to your office.
Thank you for highlighting that.
I don't have a specific comment other than to say that as you well know, the UN is firmly supporting transparent, free, fair, peaceful elections.
And in any country either big elections, small elections, this is what we stand for and this is what we try to promote.
We've been involved in many electoral processes ourselves as monitors, observers.
But indeed, you may need to pose your question to the Secretary General's office in New York.
At the same time, human rights colleagues may have a comment on this.
Again, I would just repeat peaceful, transparent, free and fair elections on the merits of the actual qualifications of the candidates.
But this is something that is determined and we don't interfere in, in sovereign affairs in terms of elections.
But of course, this is what we try to uphold and try to inspire others to uphold these high standards.
But maybe maybe check with human rights, they may have a more specific comment on that.
So let me just announce a few things before we wrap up.
I already we were spoke about Gaza, the Secretary General statement which you will have received yesterday, which talked about these horrific attacks on, on these Palestinians who are lining up to get food aid.
The investigations have been called for.
There's a statement to that effect that the Secretary of General have shared with you yesterday.
We also shared with you yesterday a statement on Yemen on the one year mark of the tension of UN and other UN personnel and other personnel in Yemen from NGOs in particular when you're on, they're still in detention.
So this is a statement that speaks to that, that issue.
We have a statement that we shared with you as well on the election of the new president of the General Assembly, Miss Beierbach, who as you know was a former foreign minister of Germany.
So she's president-elect will assume this important role in September.
So the secretary general issued a statement on this election yesterday, noting that, of course, she's assuming this important role at a difficult time where there are conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality, which continue to challenge the human family.
That statement you have in your box, few announcements on events this or not this evening.
So Thursday evening, the 5th of June, which is an important day.
Of course it's UN Environment Day.
We have an event cine Unu, our next popular Events in Unu event taking place this Thursday the 5th of June to world to mark World Environment Day.
You're all invited to this screening that'll take place as usual at Cinerama and Rue de Carrouge in Plan Palais at 6:45.
We'll screen the movie not to nature, the call for reconciliation.
And this will be followed by discussion with the filmmaker who you well known.
There were now photographer Jan Artuz Bertrand.
You might remember his film Human, which is a fabulous film.
This one is equally fabulous.
So it's at 6:45 this coming Thursday at and you're all invited.
Colleagues, students, if you're around on Thursday, please come.
It's free and it's a lovely, lovely community event.
In terms of you and up, our colleagues from you and up, the UN Environment Programme asked me to announce a few things, in particular that on the 3rd of June, which is today, the press release and video package distribution of plastic pollution in a remote and mountainous areas.
This press release will be issued today, which is speaks to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions projects.
And then on World Environment Day itself on the 5th of June, in addition to the event I just mentioned, the cinema screening, we also have World Environment Day concert at Victoria Hall, which you're invited to.
No 830, sorry, 8:30, which is actually after our event almost finished here meetings.
There are no treaty body, no human rights meetings this week, which is a rare, rare window throughout the calendar year.
No human risk treaty body meetings.
And I can only tell you that the Conference on disarmament will have the the next public meeting will be announced soon, but I don't have details for you.
Just for the moment and almost done.
Sorry, we have Peacekeepers Day event.
As you know, the observance is actually the 29th of May, but we ourselves here at the UN office at Geneva are holding our event this afternoon to mark this important day, the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
And this will be done through a ceremony this afternoon at 4:00 PM in the park.
I think the rain will disappear, so we'll have sun inshallah in the UN Memorial, at the UN Memorial in the Ariana Park.
And this year's theme, as we announced last week, is the future of peacekeeping.
And of course, it reflects on the evolving role of PC operations and pays honour to the service and sacrifice to the various peacekeepers throughout the years.
We have the Director General, Tatiana Vallavaya who will be speaking, Mr Alone Atar Bairu, who's the President of the International Association of Peacekeepers.
We have a Major General sewer, Major General Jermaine Sewer, who's the head of international relations for at the Swiss Armed Forces.
And we have the ambassadors of Ghana and Italy representing troop contributing countries taking part in this very important event this afternoon, 4:00 PM, which are cordially invited to.
And I think this is the last note from me press conference, which I believe was announced by our colleagues at the Disaster Risk Reduction Office.
This is taking place on the sidelines of their eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction at the CCG.
Across the street, there's a press conference featuring the Director, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, together with Patricia Danci, who's the Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and Kamal Kishore, who is a special representative of the secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and the head of the UNDRR.
That's at 6:00 PM at the CICGI.
Know some of you are registered.
There's still space if you want to attend this event this afternoon.
OK, Well, I wish you a good afternoon and see you here.
Not, oh, sorry, not on Friday.
Don't show up unless you really really want to.
Friday and Monday are holidays.
Four day weekend everybody.
I'll see you here on Tuesday, next Monday's Pentecost and Friday's Eid.
