Thank you for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this press briefing today, the 10th of June.
We have a few announcements and we have a topic for you as well.
Before we get to our colleague who is joining us from Port Sudan to this speak to the situation in Sudan, we will immediately go to Isabel from ILO to give you an announcement on the International Labour Conference.
And then we have other announcements after Port Sudan.
Just a quick update on the second week of the International Labour Conference.
Discussions continue on the new convention and recommendation on biological hazards with adoption expected by the end of the week.
The discussions is still ongoing on the Standard setting Committee on decent work on the platform and the platform economy.
We are planning a briefing with the ILO leads on both topics on Friday.
We will give you more information also next Thursday, so in two days, the Global Coalition for Social Justice will hold its annual forum.
Established in 2023, the coalition unites over 350 partners committed to advance concrete action for social justice.
Luis ABI Nadir, President of the Dominican Republic, will open the forum.
He will give the keynote speech alongside the coalition's coordination group members Gilles Baron, Bo Diallo, Director general, Luis Marino, representing the Government of Brazil, and Vice Chair Luke Triangle, ITCU general Secretary, and Roberto Suarez, IIOE Secretary General.
The sections explore 6 critical topics, Promoting living wages, responsible business conduct, just transitions through social dialogue, advancing a human rights economy, Empowering youth, Harnessing artificial intelligence for social development.
The sessions bring together over 20 ministers from all regions alongside heads of international organisations.
All the information is on the ILO website and you can follow all the panels.
All the discussions on ILO Live.
And last but not least, 2 delegations have expressed their availability for media interviews, the delegations of Malaysia and the delegation of Panama.
So if you're interested, please e-mail us at newsroom@ilo.org and we will connect you with the representatives.
I think you are very comprehensive, very thorough.
So thank you very much for that and good luck with the remaining bits of the conference there.
As mentioned, we're going to now turn to our colleague who's joining us from Port Sudan, Laurent Bouqueta, who is the World Food Programme Country Director in Sudan, who again is disconnecting from Port Sudan.
And thank you very much, Sir, for for do for doing this briefing with us here.
So over to you and then we'll go afterwards for questions.
I hope you all can hear me well.
So I've just returned from from Khartoum State in in Sudan.
This is where we have opened a new office in Amdurman.
For us, this marks a very key milestone in re establishing our presence closer to the communities we served and also reaffirmed the VFP commitment to deliver.
We saw widespread destruction, limited access to water, healthcare and electricity and a cholera outbreak in parts of the city.
Life is returning but many neighbourhoods remain abundant, such as a ghost city.
Over the past six months, WFP scaled up assistance and we are now reaching nearly 1,000,000 Sudanese in Khartoum with food and nutrition support.
Several areas in the South are at risk of famine.
Sudanese communities have been on the front lines hosting the displaced, but they are now at a breaking point.
With returns expected to heavily damage areas like Khartoum, pressure on overstretched resources will intensify.
We are deeply concerned and meeting the basic needs, especially foods, will be critical and is urgent.
Urgent action is needed to restore basic services and accelerate recovery through coordinated efforts with local authorities, national NGOs, UN agencies, any monitoring partners at large.
At the same time, funding shortfalls are already disrupting some of the assistance we are providing in Khartoum, Lunai, Al Jazeera and Sennar states.
Our Russians and the oil and the pulses in the food basket had to be removed due to lack of resources.
Without new funding in the immediate months, further severe reduction in assistance will have to be implemented in Khartoum.
Life saving nutritional supplements for young children and pregnant and nursing mothers are out of reach, not because of access constraints but you at the moment to a lack of resources.
Without urgent support, we will not be able to deliver the full package that Sudanese need as they return to Khartoum.
WFP has a long standing presence in Sudan, built over six decades of operations.
As we scale up our efforts and address urgent food needs, we also lay in the foundations for long term recovery, expanding cash assistance to revitalise local markets and supporting bakeries and small business in their reopening.
There is much we can do and are doing right now.
WFP is now reaching 4 million people a month across Sudan.
This is nearly four times more than at the start of 2024.
As access has expanded, including in previously unreachable areas like Khartoum, we have rapidly scaled up our operation to meet increasing needs.
We are aiming to reach 7 people, 7 million people on a monthly basis, prioritising those facing famine or other areas are at extreme risks, such as Darfur, Kordofan, Al Jazeera and Khartoum states.
With sustained support, we can do even more.
Progress remained fragile.
The rainy season is now starting, compounding an already dire situation.
At the same time, indiscriminate and unacceptable attacks on humanitarian personnel and operation are escalating, including last week attack on WFP UNICEF convoy just hours before reaching A besieged Al Fasher in Noor, Darfur.
The convoy was at about 80 kilometres from the city.
The convoy came under attack in Al Kuma, resulting in a tragic loss of five humanitarian personnel and injuries to others.
In April, 8 workers were killed during a major a major escalation of fighting in Zamzam, also around Al Fashion.
These attacks must stop immediately.
What we can't thank donor partners enough for their support to humanitarian and resilience activity needs at the moment are outpacing the funding that we receive.
Despite generous, generous contribution from our donor partners, we are running short of over 500 million for our emergency food and cash assistance alone for the coming six months.
The international community must act now, must act now by stepping up funding to stop famine in the hardest hit area and to invest in Sudan's recovery.
We must also demand respect for the safety and the protection of the Sudanese people and aid workers.
This is the moment we stand with the Sudanese people as they rebuild their lives, communities and hope that after two years of devastating conflict, we see a light at the end of the tunnel.
We demand respect and safety for the population and the monitoring workers.
Above all, the only solution, as we know, is peace.
Thank you very much, Laurent.
And naturally the Secretary General echoes as very important messages a call for a peace, cessation of hostilities and of course, the end of these horrific tacks in the in the flow of eight to those most desperately in need.
So let's start off with questions in the room.
Olivia from Reuters has a question for you.
Thank you very much, Laurent, for this.
I have three questions, please.
You've you've now got access to Khartoum, but have you had any access issues within the city itself or have you been able to get to most areas?
I just want to check in terms of the situation regarding famine, you're saying some areas in the South are at risk of famine.
I just wanted to check, do you mean in southern parts of the city or you mean in Sudan itself?
And linked to that question, has the opening up of access there revealed anything in terms of the depth of, of hunger?
And do you think any parts of, of how to may not qualify as as as being in a famine state?
And just finally, you said that you face a funding shortfall of about $500 million.
In April, that figure was just shy of $700 million.
So does that indicate you've had some funding through and maybe things are not as bad as you were expecting because I know you're talking about rations having to be declined etcetera.
No, thanks for the the questions.
I think on on the first one, the scale up that that has been significant since January has now reached a situation where we reached the 1,000,000 beneficiaries in Khartoum, the entire state and the seven localities.
At the beginning of our scale up, we could not reach all the seven localities.
Since April we can reach all the seven localities.
I think that's for me answer the the the first the first question when we look at the depth of anger, I think the area are in the South and I will just name one that's probably resonates.
Jebel Aliyah is the one that was the last, the last one held by RSF and it's the last one that's, that's, that was pushed and where we now have access.
The the level of hunger and destitution and desperation that was found when the first distributions took place last month were severe and basically confirm the risk of famine in those areas.
But with the significant scale up, we are now doing everything to avert and to keep it at that and to mitigate any further deterioration on the, on the funding we, we do receive.
And I think I wanted to emphasise the generosity and, and the fact that despite receiving contribution, what is the, the key issue at the moment is the, the, the needs are literally outpacing the, the continuous generosity that we receive from donors, the 5 + 100 million that we are looking at.
That was only the emergency food and cash assistance.
In addition to that, we are deploying other programmes, Nutrition, we are deploying school feeding, we are deploying a number of other activities that are yet again above the 500 mark that I decided to flag here.
So in between last one and this one, we did receive funding but unfortunately not in the tune of 200 million.
We still are short overall of actually more than 700 million when we consider all programmes within our operation.
We are hopeful and, and engaging with many donors and, and see and, and, and, and hope that the opportunities that we see both with our access and with the returns of many Sudanese towards place like Khartoum or Wadmadani will be matched.
And we'd be supported by an increase of contribution in in the very near future to basically anchor the peace and anchor an element of stability.
I think we cannot afford to to have a return and fail the return after peace is there and access has been regained.
Yes, Robin of AFP, thank you.
Those, those people who are coming back to Khartoum, whereabouts are they coming from?
And can you say a bit more about the, the sort of condition that they're that they're in?
Secondly, on, on Khartoum itself, are the conditions in the city conducive to doing the sort of operation that, that you would like to do that?
And finally, if you could, if you could say a bit more about the the famine in the South, just just on in terms of the depths of of the famine there.
So, OK, so on the on the return, I think first and foremost, I think the IOM has a tracking on the the displacement and not the return.
The information that we have available at the moment is actually the the the first part of the year massive return has actually been in Jazeera state and, and, and with also numbers in Khartoum, but more are expected to come in Khartoum.
So that's the the first elements there.
The origin of the displaced at the moment that are returning and that have returned are more first internally within Sudan and are returning from various areas that were defined as the the the largest elements of of the displacement in Casala, in Ghataref and in northern states.
I don't have at this point the exact details of their specific origin, but as as we track those returns, we will have that and we will have to rebalance the assistance both at origin and at destination in terms of the conditions.
I think as I, as I said in the in the aftermath of of the return and the access to the, the, the the furthest South location and in particular Jubilalia, the conditions were those that we were expecting.
Unfortunately, as the risk of famine had been declared.
As we scaled up the assistance and continue to scale up with Access, we hope that we can beat and keep it either at that or hopefully further away from Aristo Famine.
And of course, colleagues from some of our humanitarian agencies are connected.
Should you have questions specifically for them or if you want to chime in, please just raise your hands.
Further questions for a colleague from WFP, either in the room or online.
I don't see that's the case.
Maybe just to remind you colleagues, late Thursday we issued a statement pertaining to these attacks that we just heard about on behalf of the Secretary General and to which he naturally condemns in the strongest possible terms the attacks which took the lives of our colleagues, our humanitarian colleagues, and of course, civilians who we aim to protect wherever and whenever we can.
So I think on that note, we'll end it.
And I'd like to thank you very, very much to you, Laurent, and to your team for the doing the amazing work you do in the field.
And please don't hesitate to join us here at this press briefing.
I think you have a hand up if I sorry, I think there is a hand up from Oh yes, you're you're you're more attentive than I you're more yes, indeed.
There's a hand that just popped up.
Antonio of the Spanish news agency has a question for you Go ahead, Antonio.
I I raised the hand a bit late.
My question is, is in general for all the UN agencies including WFP, because we have witnessed the the exit of Elon Musk from the US government, He was the big advocate of cutting aid to the UN agencies.
So I want to know if this is having already some effect on the UN system or if you expect some effect in the future, some positive effect?
Maybe Laurent, you can speak from your own experience on behalf of WFP.
If anyone wants to jump in on that particular question, please feel free to do so.
As we've said, we're always looking for forms of funding in kind.
A lot of these agencies as you know, are funded through voluntary contributions.
Others, they're different mechanisms through which we do our work.
But we need cash, we need funds, we need resources to to provide vital services for those that we serve.
So that's just a general comment as we've been saying here repeatedly on on every single different context where there's a conflict in particular.
But maybe Laurent, if you had anything you wanted to add on, on that note, maybe how it's affected the operations maybe more generally on the operations in Sudan from for the World Food Programme.
No, I think it's an important question that that certainly has has had a a focus over the last few months.
So the, the first, the first answer is that the, the US remain our largest owner has been a a very large contributor to Sudan and despite a number of of cuts in funding, the, the funding that we had received over the last, last year has been preserved.
Part of that funding, it has remained with us and we have been able to implement today.
We are, as, as you indicated, doing everything possible to 1 acknowledge the generous contribution from all and to diversify and grow as much as possible the generosity for Sudan.
I think it's important we all do that as a collective.
My last point is despite a lot of uncertainty, there is a significant focus and we are we are hopeful to receive new support from the US.
We are at at at advanced stage of engagement and hope to be receiving a renewed support in the operation in Sudan both in terms of in kind and hopefully also in the form of cash.
I am looking just to make sure I don't miss any other hands popping up and I don't see that's a case checking in the room one last time.
So that's and thanks for that subsequent answer.
And then again, please thank you firstly and then and do join us here at this briefing whenever you can.
OK, colleagues, we have some announcements starting with Sandra Bison, who is a communication specialist with Giga, who is going to brief about an exciting festival that's coming up.
And then we'll go to our colleagues from ITU for another announcement.
But Sandra, over to you first.
Today, more than 2.6 billion people around the world are still not connected to the Internet.
This makes the digital divide 1 of the defining equity challenges of our time.
It is urgent, it is global, and it's impossible to ignore.
And there's another sobering reality.
Nearly half of the world's 6,000,000 schools remain offline.
As a result, some 500 million children and young people are being left behind, not just in terms of digital learning, but in the chance to connect, to grow and to seize the opportunities of tomorrow's digital economy.
On June 12th, the Giga Photo Festival, organised around the theme The Joy of Connection, will hold its official inauguration and award ceremony at the Pas de Bastion in Geneva, in collaboration with the City of Geneva.
This event is much more than a celebration of photography.
It puts a human face on the digital divide and offers a powerful sense of hope.
Above all, it reminds us all that solutions are not only possible, they are within our reach.
Giga is a partnership launched in 2019 by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union with a bold goal to connect every school in the on the planet to the Internet and to give every young person access to the information, the skills and the opportunities they need to shape their futures.
Since it started, GIGA and its partners have mapped more than 2.1 million schools around the globe and helped bring better Internet access to over 24,000 of them, benefiting nearly 11,000,000 students.
This is a global ambition made real to ensure that every child, wherever they live, can be connected to the world, can learn freely, and can dream without limits.
The festival's photo competition featured 3 categories, Single Image, Young Visual Storyteller and multiple images.
Each category invited photographers to tell powerful visual stories about how Internet connectivity can transform lives.
The winning entries, selected by a student jury from Hedronev and professional judges, advocate for something we deeply believe in, the right to digital connectivity as a basic human right.
On Thursday this week, we'll be proud to present 30 winning photographs chosen from over 3400 entries across 89 countries.
Among the winners is a photo series titled Accompaniantes, documenting how, amid major legal shifts around abortion rights in Latin America and the USA, new generation of women and girls is turning to digital tools to build networks of care and solidarity.
Other winning images showcase the powerful intersection between connectivity and major social and humanitarian issues, the human cost of migration, for instance, and how in exile technology has become a vital lifeline.
So a message to you and to the tiny or huge photographers community in in Geneva is clear.
Join us in Geneva on June 12th at the Pas de Bastion to experience the transformative power of Internet connectivity seen through the lens of photographers.
He heard in the voices of children and youth and reflected in a shared vision of a digital future where no child is left offline.
Thank you very much Sandra.
This is an immensely important 'cause and thank you for spotlighting it in such a creative way.
So I'm sure colleagues will go down to the park to Bastian on Thursday, this Thursday, the 12th for this nice event.
Do we have questions for Sandra and before we move to our next subject?
I don't see that's the case.
I think you're abundantly clear.
Last but certainly not least, we have our colleagues from the ITU, we have David with us, with Christina Buetti.
But David, I think you wanted to start off and do a few preliminary remarks, introduction if I can.
We'll be talking about Christina will be talking about the second UN Virtual Worlds Day, which is a global gathering to see how AI powered virtual worlds can address global change.
The event takes place on over 2 days, the 11th and 12th of June in Turin, Italy and will feature dialogues, interactive showcases, project presentations that explore the role of AI powered virtual worlds in shaping the future of cities and governments, including the future of digital public infrastructure.
Although in Turin, the event is open for participation, participation both at the venue and online.
We'll make sure to include the link in the briefing notes and we also expect to have a release closer to the attached the closing of that event that we hope to be able to provide to you under embargo.
And here then to tell us more about the event, Christina Bouetti, who is a study group counsellor at IT US Telecommunications Standardisation Bureau.
Thank you, David, and good morning to to all of you.
Indeed, I'm I'm delighted actually to share with you in information on this multi agency event.
It is actually Co organised jointly by 19 UN entities and it's really aun flagship platform to explore how virtual worlds, artificial intelligence and immersive immersive technologies can really support public service deliverable as well as also digital cooperation.
It will bring together global leaders.
We're going to have ministers, mayors, city representatives, academia and and private sector.
And you know, we we are going to have two days of discussion that will help actually to explore the challenges and opportunities that this new technologies bring.
But what are exactly virtual worlds?
They are immersive and interactive digital environments.
So spaces where people, systems and intelligent technologies can come together to learn, collaborate, simulate complex scenarios and provide services in in real time.
So these environments will really leverage a lot of enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence, you know, 3D technologies that can help us to visualise and interact with really complex systems in in different ways.
And let me be clear, this is not really science fiction.
This is something that it is being already used and seen today.
So indeed, actually virtual worlds are are are being used in various practical ways from for example, in cities where they are creating a driven AI driven digital twins to model traffic and energy use.
For example, humanitarian agencies are are using immersive simulation to train peacekeepers in complex conflict zones.
And schools are also using virtual classrooms to reach children, especially in remote or underserved areas.
So I would say that this, this technology is really are are here to help and improve public services, education, disaster response and, and really that's why the United Nations, all 19 U and entities, we have been teaming up together and also working through the global initiative on AI and virtual worlds, which was launched actually last year during the first edition of the UN Virtual Worlds day by the ITUUNICC and Digital Dubai.
We will have really the opportunity to explore what this new technologies can bring.
So at the event in Turin, we will be launching a new report participants that will have the opportunity actually to experience interactive demos first hand.
So there will be really an exhibition open to everyone and that's an event which is indeed actually open to everyone and, and, and you can also join online.
We will also launch a series of new initiatives that will be specifically focused for developing countries.
And the event is also expected to celebrate the participation of students.
In particular, we will be celebrating the students team that won the first C Diverse challenge.
So C diverse is really the application of virtual worlds in cities.
And we are going to have youth actually participating.
You know, they are the change makers.
So they will be the one that will be leading specifically discussion in a session.
We will also have the opportunity to carry out a foresight exercise.
So scenario thinking, envisaging what the world will look like in, in five years all together in a, in a collaborative way.
And, and that's really why I, I really invite all of you to join us in Turin.
But for those of you that will not be able to join us on site, join us online.
We'll be happy actually to to have also journalists contributing to this global gathering.
And I'm sure David, you'll share all the information on how one can connect.
Of course, in in person would be lovely.
And Torino sounds like a great youth engagement opportunity as well.
So thanks very much for that.
Gabriella of Proceso has a question.
We will have one additional item.
Eugene will brief momentarily on a global trends report.
So do stay tuned for Eugene momentarily.
But Gabby, is this a question for our ITU colleagues?
I would like to know if in the event you're going to have, do you hear me see, Yes, hello.
Yes, if, if, if you're going to have a, a, a special event or something talking about importance of communications in times of chaos.
You know, and for example, now in Los Angeles, there is, you know, the migrants are being attacked and with the police in, in USA and I, I heard that the government wants to, to cut the cellular phones and you know, the cellular communications.
So are you aware of this situation?
What can the ITU can do in, in moments like this?
Thank you for the question.
I would say generally as you we've said here many times, generally we support the access.
As you heard from our GIGA colleagues a little bit earlier that there are two 6.6 billion people in the world that do not have access with reliable access to communications and there are 5.5 that do.
And as a as a specialised agency of an information communication technology, we generally support the people have access to these devices.
But beyond that, we don't, you know, don't have anything prescriptive that relates to any specific situation such as that, that you're that you're referencing.
So it's really about have providing a platform for member states to come together to hopefully develop and provide the connectivity to the global community and for global community to be able to access these and to be able to have the skills and the capacity to use them.
May I proceed with my question if it's not related with the Torino Virtual Day, but related with standardisation, which is the home territory of Christina AI standardisation?
If I may, The question is, sorry, who is the question pointed to Christina about AI standardisation against the backdrop of the upcoming AI for Good Summit?
So my question is with regards to the upcoming I have Good Summit, we have a AI standard day.
Is it the first time we are having this AI standard day after the UN had the governing AI for Humanity report published last September?
Or is this the first time we have the AI standard day or the second one after last year you had Delhi one different categories And in view of the substances of the standardisation of the standard, as I'm reading from the governing AI for Humanity report, it says now there is a proliferation of AI standards reaching to a number of 117 AI related standards registered with the ITUISO and IE.
So what you plan to do whether in this AI for Good summit or in some upcoming instances to streamline this standards, this spahadi of standards?
Yeah, there's a level of specificity to the question that I don't have the the precise answer to for you right now, but we'll try to to get that for you.
There has been, there was work on this that took place at the IT, US, one of its statutory conferences, which was the World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly which took place in New Delhi back in November, if I'm correct.
And so there was some, some meetings on standardisation that took place there related to this.
And there'll be meetings here and there's certainly been meetings that, that go forward from there.
But as far as the, the technical specificity on that, we'll, we'll get, we'll get that to you.
We also, I should mention, have a, as we get closer to the summit, we'll have representatives from the Bureau who are the Telecommunications Standardisation Bureau who are very closely connected to that programme, more so than than Christina might be or myself to brief on that.
So I would suggest for the moment, if it's OK that we would both make sure that they're here and available to, to answer those questions, but we can be back in touch to, to specifically get to your question.
OK, thank you very much in the room though.
I think Gabby, is that a follow up for ITU?
No, my question is for you on OK, before we before we move to me, I don't want to be selfish here, but let's move on.
Just make sure we have no further comments for our colleagues.
And we also have a if you don't mind holding your question to the end for me, because we do have Eugene from unit CR who's waiting for an important update as as I mentioned, just came in.
So beforehand, I just like to thank you both, Christina, David, as always for joining us here and good luck in Torino tomorrow and the next day.
Yes, please hold on to that question, Gabby.
So Eugene from UNHCR has an announcement, I believe on the Global trends report from the UN Refugee Agency.
So, so as you are waiting for our Global 20 report of 2024 that we'll share the link where you can find the advanced copy and press release and photosat and B roll social media asset everything we will send it today.
This is UNHCRS flagship on your report, which include the figure of forces displacement across the world.
So as many of you followed every war every year that most of a data set are for 2024, but the main figure will include the data up to April 2825.
So this year, unfortunately, we're not offering the High Commissioners media briefing because he's travelling this week, but please contact one of us if you would like to do the interview with the High Commission Commissioner as well as other senior management, including Assistant High Commissioner and director, please contact one of us so we can arrange an interview for the Global Trends report as well as ahead of Word Refugee Day.
I think that was very clear and we'll look out for that information.
So I don't see any questions specifically on this subject for you.
So thanks again for jumping in on that important announcement.
OK, Gabby, I do have a few announcements, but maybe I'll just take your question 1st and then I'll get to those announcements after.
Yes, thank you very much.
Orlando, I I just wanted to to ask UNHCRC what what is the procedure to to, to ask for the interview?
Yeah, that now we can arrange for who is possible.
We cannot offer High Commissioner for everyone, but we will see that he's scheduled and then we will contact you.
And then my the question for you, Orlando is if Secretary General did a statement or say something on the situation in Los Angeles.
Listen, let me just start off by saying this is among my announcements.
The Secretary of General is currently giving a press conference in nisi may be finished by now.
I'm not sure if you address this specific subject, but as you know, we're all watching what's happening in in LA and Los Angeles.
Of course, we hope that everyone will de escalate this situation and, and the spokesperson of the secretary General yesterday echoed just that.
Certainly hope that all parties do escalate, de escalate situation and, and we don't want any further escalation of the situation on the ground.
And we hope that the local, state and and federal levels work towards that that goal.
So that's what I can say on behalf of the situation in Los Angeles.
So let me just go on to a few short announcements.
As mentioned, the Secretary of General is in Nice and his press conference may very well have wrapped up by now.
But whilst in Nice yesterday, he was at the opening of the UN Ocean Conference as, as you well know, which got underway and the S GS remarks, we did share those with you.
Among other things, he said that although the sea has sustained life for millennia, we are failing to protect the ocean thanks to overfishing, plastic pollution and raising rising temperatures.
He urged countries that have not yet ratified the agreement on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction to do so.
And then he also issued a strong call to all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution this year.
Now I, I should mention that we do have a big gathering here taking place in Geneva in August, from the 5th to the 14th of August.
We have a big intergovernmental, intergovernmental negotiating Commission meeting to discuss this pollution treaty.
So a very, very important gathering.
Of course, our colleagues from UNOP and ourselves, we will be sharing more details on how you can follow that important gathering from the SG Walston niece.
He also addressed in Africa for the ocean event.
He met with members of civil society, held a number of bilateral meetings, the readouts of which we've shared with you.
So do take a look at those emails very quickly.
We also want just wanted to flag the statement that we did share with you last night concerning Colombia.
The Secretary General strongly condemns the attempt on the life of Miguel Ureve Turbe, who is a Colombian presidential candidate in Bogota on the 7th of June this past Saturday.
And of course, the Secretary of General hopes for a full recovery of Mr Turbe and expresses solidarity with his family and the Colombian people.
That's in the statement we shared with you yesterday, two more quick announcements, actually three more quick announcements in terms of treaty body, human rights treaty bodies and no treaty bodies meeting this week.
And in terms of the Conference on Disarmament, we're still waiting for the dates for the next session to be announced.
And we'll do that, we'll share that with you as soon as we're aware press conferences.
In this chair tomorrow will be Ambassador Jorge Lauber, who's the president of the UN Human Rights Council, are also Permanent Representative Switzerland, and he will be briefing you on the upcoming 59th regular session of the Human Rights Council taking place from the 16th of June.
That's this coming Monday to the 9th of July.
So be here at 1:45 tomorrow, the 11th of June, for that encounter with Ambassador Lober, the president of Human Rights Council.
And last but not least, just an observance for you, a video message for the secretary General which notes speaking to the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, which is today.
And this is the first ever International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.
The Secretary General, Mr Guterres, says today that mission is more urgent than ever.
Dialogue among civilizations, that is, he calls that, he says where dialogue is missing, ignorance fills the void.
Very important message there.
Let's answer hate with humanity.
Let's listen with open hearts and open minds, and let's choose dialogue over division, which is indeed our mission at these United Nations.
Do we have any questions for me online or in the room?
I don't see that's the case.
So on that note, I'd like to wish you a good afternoon.
