UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 1 September 2020

1:03:50

MP4

746.8 MB

01-09-2020

Press Conferences | UNHCR , OCHA , WHO , WTO , UNDP

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 1 September 2020

ENG

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by the spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Health Organization.

Environmental impact of the Beirut explosion

Jihan Seoud, Programme Manager at the Environment and Energy Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon, speaking from Beirut, said that the impact on the environment of the recent explosion was a major concern, particularly when considering that the situation preceding the explosion had been already dismal. As a result of the destruction of the Port of Beirut, huge quantities of construction and demolition waste had been generated. Estimates varied between 100,000 and 800,000 tonnes.

The UN and the European Union were working together to ensure that debris removal and waste management was done properly and in an environmentally-sound manner, and not simply disposed in ways that would pose a threat to the environment or human health. The cost of environmental remediation and recovery resulting from the explosion was estimated at over USD 100 million, which was to be added to the Cost of Environmental Degradation in Lebanon, estimated at USD 2.35 billion in 2018. Reconstruction needed to be greener: integrating solar power, energy efficiency measures, insulating material and climate-resilient design in the reconstruction of buildings. A key aspect was that supplies necessary for reconstruction such as cement, tiles and glass were imported or donated from outside Lebanon since local supplies were limited and came at a high environmental cost since uncontrolled and illegal quarrying was a major concern in Lebanon.

So far, Ms. Seoud concluded, only small emergency funding had been secured from donors; much more is needed and fast.

More information on UNDP’s work in Lebanon can be found hereS

Sudan

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), read the previous day’s statement by the Spokesman of the Secretary-General, in which the Secretary-General welcomed the initialing in Juba of a peace agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Revolutionary Front and Sudan Liberation Army led by Minni Minawi. The Secretary-General congratulated the people of the Sudan for that historic achievement and commends the parties to the negotiations for their political will and determination in working toward the common objective of peace. The full statement had been distributed to the media.

Full statement can be read here.

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that heavy rains, mostly in Ethiopia, had triggered severe flooding in Sudan, where over the weekend the Nile had reached nearly 17.5 metres, the highest level in 100 years, according to the Sudanese authorities. In Khartoum state alone, more than 21,000 people had been affected by flooding and the Government had declared a state of emergency there. Across the country, as of 25 August, 380,000 people had been affected and 90 had been killed due to the floods.

Access to clean water - critical in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic - had also been affected. Around 2,000 water sources were contaminated or non-functional, according to initial assessments.

A quick response had been possible because the Government, UN agencies and partners had pre-positioned supplies to respond to the needs of 250,000 people before the rains started. Overall, the Sudan Humanitarian Response plan, which asked for USD 1.4 billion, was 44 percent funded.

Shabia Mantoo, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that heavy seasonal rains had caused flash floods and rivers to burst their banks, including the Nile in the capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman, and affected thousands of internally displaced people, refugees and host communities in Sudan. Homes and community buildings had been badly damaged and destroyed leaving many in desperate need of shelter. Some had lost all their previous possessions and had been left facing the prospect of starting over again from scratch.

An estimated 125,000 refugees and internally displaced people had been affected in total, particularly in East Sudan, White Nile, Darfur and Khartoum, many in urgent need of shelter and other emergency assistance. Rains had been particularly heavy in North Darfur, leaving an estimated 35,000 IDPs, locals and refugees in need of help. UNHCR and partners, in collaboration with the Government of Sudan, were providing emergency aid to affected populations in White Nile, including plastic sheeting to 3,500 refugees in Al Jameya camp and 65,000 other displaced and host community in the state.

Full statement is available here.

Detecting COVID-19 cases in Ecuador

Shabia Mantoo, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that refugee community networks were helping detect COVID-19 cases in Ecuador, as part of a Community Epidemiological Surveillance System (CESS) developed by the UNHCR.

The system was helping ensure the early detection and referral for treatment of COVID-19 cases among the country’s refugee population. Since the system had been launched a month earlier, more than 250 suspected cases had been referred to national health authorities. This innovative, community health referral strategy relies on UNHCR’s pre-existing humanitarian and refugee community networks to help identify COVID-19 cases among refugee and migrant communities. The network comprised partners, community organizations and civil society, complementing the Government’s existing Epidemiological Surveillance System to better reach refugees and migrants, who tended to move continuously within the country. Nationwide, six refugee and migrant-led community organizations had been trained by UNHCR to conduct epidemiological surveillance

Full statement is available here.

Ice melt in the Arctic, Alps and Himalayas

Clare Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that today was the start of the northern hemisphere autumn. Summer had had a major impact on ice shelves and glaciers. WMO’s Global Cryosphere Watchhad issued a summary, based on contributions from different partners, which showed that the summer of 2020 had hit the Arctic been marked by many new temperature records. On 20 June, the Siberian town of Verkhoyansk located above the Arctic circle at 67.55°N had experienced 38°C (100.4°F) for the first time. Further north, on the Svalbard archipelago, at 78°N, a new temperature measurement shattered a 41-year-old record, with 21.7°C (71°F) measured in the town of Longyearbyen on 25 July. Even further north, at Eureka station in Nunavut, the Canadian National Weather Service reported 21.4°C (78°F) on the 27 June. The heatwave across the Arctic had been accompanied by record-breaking wildfires in Russia, close-to record low sea ice extent, and the collapse of one of the last fully intact Canadian ice shelves.

Similar temperature trends were being observed in the European Alps, with similar consequences. Temperatures in the Alps had increased by 2°C during the twentieth century. This “amplification” was attributed to the decrease in snow ice cover revealing darker rocks that absorbed more solar radiation. Alpine glaciers suffered tremendously from above-normal summer temperatures. In the Tibetan region in China, persistent heavy precipitation, caused the Jinwuco moraine lake in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to break on 25 June causing significant damage.

Ms. Nullis stressed that the floods resulting from the outburst of glacier lakes were becoming an increased factor of high-risk in many parts of the world, putting at risk people and infrastructure. That was a worrisome trend and emphasized the need for sustained risk management and adaptation measures supported by a good understanding of rapid changes in those environments.

COVID-19

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), responding to questions, said that the WHO’s guidance, developed in cooperation with UNICEF, was for all children under 18 to be using face masks in schools. It was important to teach children how to wear masks appropriately, put them on and dispose of in a recommended way. WHO also recommended that people get vaccinated against seasonal influenza.

Geneva announcements

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), informed about a press conference on 7 September at 11 a.m. to present the 2020 Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people. The report would be embargoed until 8 September at 5 p.m. Geneva time.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the UN Information Service (UNIS), informed that a press conference by Simonetta Sommaruga, the President of the Swiss Confederation, on the freedom of media would take place in Room XVII at 1:15 p.m. today, just after the ongoing event on the same topic in Room XX.

Ms. Vellucci also informed that a press conference to launch the “Global Innovation Index 2020 - Who Will Finance Innovation?” would take place in Press Room III on 1 September at 11 a.m. The speaker would be Francis Gurry, WIPO Director-General.

Ms. Vellucci said that the Fondation pour Genève and UNOG, with the support of the City of Geneva, Genève, would open the travelling exhibition #YouNeedToKnow on 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The exposition, which could be visited at the Place des Nations from 4 to 11 September, would be open on 4 September at 4 p.m. by UNOG Director-General Tatiana Valovaya, Alfonso Gomez, Administrative Councilor at the City of Geneva, and Ivan Pictet, President of the Fondation pour Genève. Journalists were kindly invited to the inauguration.

Teleprompter

Let's start in time.

I'll connect.

Good morning, everybody.

Thank you very much for being here.

Thanks also for your patience that we had to move exceptionally.

The briefing at 11:00.

Thank you for being with us.

And I stopped immediately with the ANTA.

The Who has an announcement.

[Other language spoken]

OC Analysis.

[Other language spoken]

Do you have any question for in the room?

We will take your Director de la Division Globalisation Strategy Development, Richard Kozu Wright, particularly to Programme Assistance Coordinators programme Mercy Catherine.

Hello, Catherine, and we.

[Other language spoken]

Bonjour, Catherine, my Premier we.

[Other language spoken]

I'm sorry, speak English.

Now, Sarah, I think you are connected.

[Other language spoken]

And today you are with us, with Jihan Segud, who is the Energy and Environment programme manager of UNDP, who is talking to us from Beirut via Zoom.

So I will start by giving the floor to Sarah and then we will go to Mr Segud.

[Other language spoken]

They protect Anglo risk environmental and you really see Jihan Jihan if you if you want to start the floor is yours.

Thank you very much.

Good morning everyone.

The impact on the environment of the recent explosion is of major concern as mentioned by my colleague Greca earlier, particularly when you consider that the situation preceding the explosion was already dismal in the country.

As a result of the explosion of the port, huge quantities of construction and demolition waste have been generated.

Estimates vary between 100,000 tonnes and 800,000 tonnes.

On top of that, hazardous waste from chemical contamination is expected given that the types of material normally stored in the in ports like that of Beirut include pesticides, pharmaceutical products, industrial chemicals, lead from vehicles and other types of heavy metals.

These chemicals can negatively affect have a negative effect on the on health of people that are exposed to them and can also contaminate the soil and water.

So Lebanon already has limited land available for land filling and does not have any hazardous waste storage or treatment facilities.

To make things worse, the blast also damaged one of two municipal waste solid waste treatment facilities that service the city of Beirut and Mount Lebanon.

This means that more waste is going directly to landfill sites, one of which has nearly reached its holding capacity.

This means that we might face another municipal solid waste crisis soon if this is not resolved.

On the other hand, risks include contamination to the marine environment by seeping chemicals if the waste in the port is not contained and treated properly.

This needs to be investigated further.

Initial reported air pollution from the blast is now considered to be limited, however, chemical contamination of particles that were scattered by the explosion may become airborne again and could pose a public health risk.

So in response, the UN and the EU have worked together to ensure that are working together to try to ensure that debris removal and waste management is done properly and in an environmentally sound manner, not simply disposed of in ways that could pose a ****** to the environment or to public health.

Preliminary waste and environmental assessments for the areas outside the port and also those specialised for chemical impact assessment inside the port have started.

The World Bank also issued just recently, yesterday, I believe, the rapid damage needs and needs assessments that flags all of these concerns.

This data will be used to design management plans for the waste.

And here I have to say that yes, these management plans will take a bit of time to put together given that we're dealing with so many chemicals and that there's limitations in terms of what could be treated locally.

So hazardous waste in the port has it's important to treat that separately and that it's not transferred into the country without proper containment and treatment to avoid further contamination and pose a health risk.

However, work on debris from outside the port has already started.

This includes cleaning, sorting, and recycling of the waste to the extent possible.

As an example, I give that concrete and stones can be crushed into smaller sizes and reused in paving, sidewalks or rehabilitating abandoned quarry sites.

All of these options are being studied by international and local experts as we speak and coordinated with national authorities to find the most appropriate mechanism.

Impact assessments on air pollution and marine ecosystems have started with extensive support is still needed to upscale this, these interventions or these assessments.

It is important also to note that coordination with national actors working on the ground, including the Army and ministries as well as NGOs should be well managed.

In some cases, well meaning interventions could have negative environmental consequences if not based on proper and specialised data and techniques.

And if expectations are are not expectations in terms of what can and cannot be done is not clear.

To conclude, the cost of environmental remediation and recovery from the explosion is estimated by the World Bank and the UN at over $100 million.

This is to be added to the cost of environmental degradation that Lebanon already had, which was estimated at $2.35 billion in 2018.

[Other language spoken]

A very big part of the appeal is that reconstruction needs to be greener, integrate solar power, energy efficiency measures, insulating material and climate resilient design and the reconstruction of buildings and the port itself.

A key aspect is that supplies were necessary necessary for reconstruction, such as cement and tiles are imported or donated from outside Lebanon because I have to flag that local supplies are limited and come at a **** environmental cost.

Because uncontrolled and illegal quarrying is also a major concern in the country.

So far only small emergency funding has been secured from donors and much more is needed and tasked.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Gian.

And I see already Isabel Sacco, who wants to ask you a question.

Isabel is from FA, the Spanish agency.

[Other language spoken]

Alexandra, I would like to know about who exactly is taking care of the removing of the debris.

What is the capacity of removal these days?

Is enough staff, enough workers to to remove all the quantity that you mentioned of debris?

This is first and then I would like to understand where is the debris being taken?

Just spoke about a problem of municipal solid waste and and I would like to to know if there is a link with because I didn't understand very well your was very quickly.

So if you can explain again about the this crisis of municipal solid waste.

And 3rd, I would like to know this $100 million that is the budget for this, for the removal of this for this work, who is who is who is paying this?

[Other language spoken]

So right now, a lot of the removal from the outside the port, so from residential areas outside the port that were damaged is being coordinated by the municipality of Beirut.

And it's being done by a lot of volunteers and a lot of contracting and construction companies that volunteered their equipment and their removal and are removing the waste.

It's being stored in a temporary storage site within the city of Beirut.

And this is exactly, I mean the end postal site and the area where we can treat this waste and dispose of it is being considered and looked into now by the government, mainly the minister, Ministry of of environment.

So this is being looked into now.

The link to the municipal waste is that there are two sides to this.

One is that the blast itself damaged the municipal waste facility of Beirut, one of the two, and that needs to be rehabilitated because this means that more waste, less waste is more waste.

Sorry, waste is not being treated properly and, and, and landfilled, which means there's more going to the landfill.

It's filling up faster and we already have a potential crisis because of that, because the landfill is reaching its capacity.

So this was a pre-existing situation in the country that has only worsened and been compounded by the by the blast.

This is this is the point.

And also to clarify that this is also why the debris and the waste from the blast should not go to the the municipal landfills because there isn't enough room and capacity there.

It should they should be treated separately.

Who is paying So far there's there's little financing.

The government also has major issues in terms of financial.

It's it's the government has defaulted.

There's a financial crisis.

So the government has very little financing and cannot cover these costs.

We're hoping that this will be covered by by donors and letters.

[Other language spoken]

I hope I answered.

[Other language spoken]

Do you have any question from the room?

[Other language spoken]

Jihan for you.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning, Alessandra and to you, Jihan.

[Other language spoken]

I have a couple of questions here.

Well, well, first would would you or Sarah, maybe you could send us her notes please?

Thank you very much.

As to my questions, you were talking about the health risks.

Would you elaborate on what kinds of health problems are anticipated and whether some of them are already being seen in terms of people getting I'll because of the air particles that you mentioned that were roaming around?

You also said that you needed to have more investigations, not quite clear on more investigations into what specifically that followed.

Something about what you had to say about the risks to marine life and what exactly are those risks?

Are they expected to die out and will there be less fish or whatever?

[Other language spoken]

Lisa, just to start off with some of the health risks, yes, within the port, as I mentioned, because there's hazardous material and also there has been claims of potentially asbestos from the debris as well from outside the port.

It's these kinds of chemicals that we consider to be a health risk if not managed properly.

And if if the people that are dealing with the waste do not wear the appropriate protective gear and that if the waste is is not managed the way hazardous waste should be managed.

This is what we are keen to, to, to clarify for the air particles.

There was a lot of speculation at the beginning of or immediately after the explosion that it resulted in air pollution that could be a health risk.

Preliminary analysis by local academia and and institutes showed that there wasn't an immediate health risk because a result of the fumes from the explosion itself.

But here we have to keep in mind that the explosion itself spewed particle particulates and, and dust particles.

And what I mentioned is that these dust particles need to be also examined because if they're around the city and they are then airborne, again, there's the risk that people inhale it, inhale them.

So this needs to be looked into further.

We don't have any analysis yet in this, in this regard.

So precautionary principle is that they should be assessed and looked into further.

In terms of risks to marine life, this would be from the actual chemicals and, and the chemicals on the port that have have been dispersed on the soil in the in the port area itself.

We, we still are, we still do not know the extent of that contamination.

So the risk is that they would seep through the the soil and contaminate the marine environment.

[Other language spoken]

This has to be looked into in more details.

Sampling of this of the marine sea water needs to, needs to be looked at to consider this, this risk.

Jihan, thank you very much for coming for for being with us today to brief our press core in Geneva.

Good luck with your work.

And again, thanks to you and Sarah.

So I now go to the other issues of the briefing, in particular with Urcha UNHCR on Sudan.

And I will start by reading to you the statement attributable to the spokesperson for the Secretary General on Sudan dated yesterday, 31st of August.

The Secretary General welcomes today's initial, sorry today's initialling in Juba of a peace agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Revolutionary Front and Sudan Liberation Army led by Mini Minawi.

The Secretary General congratulates the people of the Sudan for this historic achievement and commenced the parties to the negotiations for their political will and determination in working toward the common objective of peace.

He also thanks the Government of South Sudan and President Salva Kiir for their important role in facilitating the task the talks.

The Secretary General calls on the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, N Abdel Aziz Al Hilu, and the Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdul Wahid Al Noor, to join the peace process.

The Secretary General is fully committed to supporting the implementation of this agreement, which marks the start of a new era for the people of Sudan and for people living in Darfur and the two areas in particular.

There is more in the statement that we have distributed to you, but also on Sudan.

We were now going to listen to Yance and to for, for OCHA and to Shabia, for UNHCR.

And this is on the humanitarian side of the problem, the flooding.

And Yance, I'll give you the floor first.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning, everyone.

Indeed, some encouraging news on the peace front.

Unfortunately, Sudan has other problems.

Heavy rains, mostly in Ethiopia, have triggered severe flooding in Sudan, where over the weekend the Nile reached nearly 17 1/2 metres, the highest level in 100 years, according to Sudanese authorities.

In Khartoum state alone, more than 21,000 people have been affected by the flooding and on Sunday the government declared a state of emergency in Khartoum.

Across the country, as of 25th of August, 380,000 people have been affected and 90 have been killed.

37,000 homes have been destroyed, forcing families to seek shelter with relatives and host communities.

Another 39,000 houses have been damaged, along with 34 schools and nearly 2700 health facilities.

Access to clean water, critical in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, has also been affected.

Some 2000 water resources, sorry some 2000 water sources, are contaminated or non functional, according to initial assessments in Khartoum.

Now, in the state of emergency, the immediate need is to shore up the banks of the Nile and provide shelter to the homeless.

Across the country, UN and our humanitarian partners are supporting the national response with emergency shelter and household supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, food, health services and vector control.

A quick response has been possible because the government, UN agencies and our partners had pre positioned supplies to respond to the needs of 250,000 people before the rain started, but these stocks are being depleted rapidly.

We therefore call on more support from donors.

Overall, the Sudan humanitarian response plan for this year, which asks for $1.6 billion is less than 44% funded.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much idea for HCR.

Hi, good morning everyone.

We're briefing today on heavy floods basically displacing, devastating, displacing refugees and host communities in Sudan.

Heavy seasonal rains have caused flash floods and rivers to burst their banks, including the Nile and the capital Khartoum and its twin city Umderman, and affected thousands of internally displaced people, refugees and host communities in Sudan.

Homes and community buildings have been badly damaged and destroyed, leaving many in desperate need of shelter.

Some have lost all their previous possessions and have been left facing the prospect of starting over again from scratch.

Hygiene and sanitary levels have plummeted due to flooded letterings and contaminated water supplies, preventing people from exercising necessary COVID prevention measures such as regular hand washing.

Some health facilities have been damaged, hampering their ability to treat patients should the transmission of COVID or other viruses or disease increase.

Many of those affected had previously been displaced by conflict and were already facing a loss of income due to the economic challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are now struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

An estimated 125,000 refugees and internally displaced people have been affected in total.

This is particularly in East Sudan, White Nile, Davar and Khartoum and many are in urgent need of shelter and other emergency assistance.

Rains have been particularly heavy in North Darfur, leaving an estimated 35,000 internally displaced people, locals and refugees in need of help and also 15 people have tragically died and a further 23 are missing in Khartoum's open areas on the outskirts of the city.

Many S Sudanese refugees were living in makeshift homes and are in dire need of shelter.

We are deeply saddened at the death of an 18 month old refugee girl who drowned in a collapsed lettering.

The damage to infrastructure has been devastating.

Roads have become too muddy for traffic to pass, making it extremely difficult or impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to some communities, particularly in Blue Nile, where humanitarian agencies are unable to reach some 5700 people needing humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR and partners, in collaboration with the Government of Sudan, are providing emergency aid to affected populations in White Nile, including plastic sheeting to 3500 refugees in Al Jamia camp and 65,000 other displaced and host community members in the state.

To mitigate flooding in the camp, UNHCR, in partnership with the host community and refugees, have unblocked some drainage channels with a tractor to restore the flow of water.

Further emergency assistance is set to be provided to communities in East Darfur, Khartoum, S Kordofan and E Sudan in the coming days and weeks.

Even before the floods, funding remained far from the levels needed to provide people with the support they require.

This year, UNHCR has received just 38% of the 274.9 US million needed for our operations in Sudan and we urge the international community to come forward with further financial support to provide humanitarian assistance, assistance to displaced communities in Sudan.

Thank you very much to both.

Let me see if there are questions in the room.

Yes, sorry.

What kind of support do you think can you give, can the UN give to Sudanese people concerning the peace agreement and the other the the flooding also?

[Other language spoken]

So, as the Secretary General said in the statement that was delivered by the spokesperson, he said that the United Nations, through UNITAMS Incomes and UNAMID and in partnership with the African Union, will offer support as requested by the parties and within its capacity and mandate to the implementation of this and future peace agreements During the transition.

the United Nations will also support Sudanese stakeholders in longer term peace building efforts aimed at achieving accountability and consolidating peace and security gains.

The question online, no, I don't see any.

So thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Just to remind you that with us on the line, we also have Rosaline Yard for ILO, Paul Dylan for IOM and Margaret Harris for WHO?

And in the room, Adriano Timosi for FAO.

Just for you to know.

Oh, one second.

I can see Isabel has raised their hands.

[Other language spoken]

There you go.

I raised my hand because it's for WHO and after.

OK, no, let's wait for for the briefer to to end up and then we'll I'll give you the floor to ask questions to Margaret Shabya, you have an item on Ecuador, please.

[Other language spoken]

So in Ecuador, refugee community networks are helping detect COVID-19 cases as part of a community epidemiological surveillance system developed by UNHCR.

The system is helping ensure the detection and referral for treatment of COVID cases among the country's refugee population.

Since the system was launched a month ago, more than 250 suspected cases have been referred to National Health authorities.

Although Ecuador grants access to public health services to all, regardless of nationality or residency status, access is not always immediate in practise.

Some refugees are hosted in isolated and remote parts of the country with limited services, while others may lack awareness of their rights or fear being fined for their irregular status.

This innovative community health referral strategy relies on Unhcr's pre-existing humanitarian and community refugee networks to help identify cases among refugee and migrant communities.

The network comprises partners, community organisations and civil society, complementing the government's existing surveillance system to better reach refugees and migrants who tend to move continuously within the country.

Nationwide, 6 refugee and migrant LED community organisations have now been trained by UNHCR to conduct epidemiological surveillance through telephone hotlines, home visits and in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR staff, as well as well as those of 50 other humanitarian and community based organisations, help monitor and identify suspected cases of COVID-19 among the refugee and migrant population and their local communities.

Once suspected cases are identified by the community network, the information is logged on an online private database and an alert is sent to public health services to follow up on the case and provide clinical treatment or advice as appropriate.

To date, more than 113,000 confirmed COVID cases have been reported among Ecuador's 17,000,000 inhabitants.

Official figures record just over 500 COVID cases among refugees and migrants in the country.

Beyond the identification of symptoms, the system also retrieves important information.

It takes into account whether those referred have access to biosafety equipment, whether they live in overcrowded accommodation, and have any other related needs or conditions that may require additional medical care, For example, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic diseases.

This is key in enabling humanitarian organisations to provide tailored assistance.

UNHCR has also launched a similar community health initiatives across Latin America, including in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Costa Rica.

Ecuador is home to nearly 70,000 recognised refugees, most from Colombia, in addition to some 400,000 refugees and migrants from Venezuela.

The impacts of the the impacts of the COVID pandemic are now leaving many in dire conditions, without any sources of income, at risk of homelessness, and with limited access to health and social services.

Latest data from Ecuador's Working Group on Refugees and Migrants, which forms part of the Regional Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants in Venezuela from Venezuela, Sorry, show that 20% of Venezuelans surveyed with medical problems could not access healthcare and eight out of 10 surveyed households were unemployed.

UNHCR is calling for international support to help refugee host countries severely affected by the COVID pandemic to be able to respond to this emergency in an inclusive manner.

[Other language spoken]

Is that again for a Minister preventive for WHO or you want to ask a question to this?

OK, go ahead then.

Yeah, the for Ecuador, I would like to understand, are the refugees themselves participating in this initiative to find out the COVID cases and if yes, how many refugees in Ecuador?

I suppose they are most of them they are from Venezuela.

If you can confirm some numbers and in what extent this, this initiative is all already operating in in these countries that I just mentioned in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Costa Rica.

[Other language spoken]

Indeed, the, the, I mean the, I guess the beauty of this system is that it relies on refugees contributing as part of the COVID response.

So as part of this community network, which is pre-existing, we already have refugee networks and many places around the world they've been, they're instrumental in, in protection of themselves and also their local communities.

So, so they're very much involved in, in this programme.

And basically they've been trained by UNHCR.

So within, in Ecuador, I think there are 6 refugee LED organisations.

So these can provide comprise refugee individuals who who've been trained and then also they can then train others.

So, so at least six across the country have already been trained.

So I don't have the individual figures, but that's the number of the refugee LED organisations and they're very much a part of the whole response now.

And so they've already, I mean, since the system was launched, a total of 250 cases were referred just by these networks, which include the refugees and also other community members.

Your second question on the number of figures.

So in Ecuador, there are 400,000 refugees and migrants from Venezuela and 70,000 refugees from Colombia.

And was there another follow up question?

Apologies if I've missed Isabel, you, was that OK or you had some other questions?

No, I see she has not raised her hand, so I should be fine.

Any other go ahead, go ahead.

No, yeah, you, you forgot there many questions on the how this initiative are operating already in other countries you mentioned if they are this initiative is is already been being implemented there in those countries.

[Other language spoken]

So for this specific case in Ecuador, I I mean the system has been set up with the alerts going to the National Health authorities, but we do indeed have similar initiatives set up in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Costa Rica.

It probably, they probably rely on the same kind of modality of of capacitating refugees and ensuring that they are also part of the response and preventing referring cases and raising awareness.

But maybe it's just a matter of the specifics being changed.

So if you're interested in any of those particular countries or all of them, for sure, we can follow up after that and give you some more information.

Great, thank you very much.

I don't see other questions for you, Shabia.

So we go to Claire, Claire for WMO.

And while Claire is coming to the podium, just would like to remind you the two press conferences that we have today in one is the press conference by the Swiss Confederation on Journalists Risk.

Let's protect media freedom and it will, the speaker will be the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonitas on Maruga.

That's going to be today at 1:15 in Room 17 at the end of the event, which is taking place on the same subject now in room 20, I think.

And then also today at 3:00, WAIPU will hold the press conference under embargo, virtual press conference under embargo for the launch of their Global Innovation Index 2020 titled Who Will Finance Innovation?

The speaker will be Francis Gurry, the WAIPU Director General.

And everything is embargoed until Wednesday 2nd of September at 11 AM CSST.

Claire Yes, good morning everybody.

Today is the start of the Northern Hemisphere autumn.

In meteorological terms, summer 2020 had a major impact on ice shelves and glaciers.

WMO we have a programme called the Global Cryosphere Watch programme.

Cryosphere.

It basically is frozen water and partners in this network have issued a summary of some of the key events as a result of the **** temperatures.

You should be receiving the briefing note shortly, so it will have all the details, but I'll just read you some of the highlights now.

So the summer of 2020 was marked by a number of new temperature records in the Arctic.

20th of June, as we've said before, the Siberian town of Verkoyansk experienced 38°C, so that's above 100°F for the first time, and maximum temperatures in June were above 30° C for the 10 days prior to that.

Further north, on the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, a new temperature record was measured at of 21.7° C on the 25th of July.

And even further north, at Eureka Station in Nunavut, the Canadian National Weather Service reported 21.4°C on the 27th of June.

The heat wave across the Arctic has been accompanied by record-breaking wildfires in Siberia, in particular close to record low sea ice extent and the collapse of one of the last fully intact Canadian ice shelves.

Regarding this Canadian ice shelf, between the 30th and the 31st of July, a 81 kilometre square portion of the Milne Ice Shelf broke off, reducing overnight the total area of the ice shelf by 43%.

Above normal air temperatures, the wind direction, lack of sea ice were all contributory factors.

It was one of the last fully intact ice shelves in Canada.

Many consequences of this collapse, including the loss of a rare ecosystem, the potential of acceleration of glaciers into the ocean, and the formation of new drifting ice islands, which can be a hazard, obviously, to shipping.

Temperatures in the Arctic are heating more than twice as fast as the global average.

As we repeatedly say, it's a vicious circle.

The rapid decline of sea ice then in turn contributes to more warm warming.

And so the circle goes on.

And the consequences do not stay in the Arctic.

Similar temperature trends are being observed in the European Alps with similar consequences.

So temperatures in the Alps have increased by 2°C during the 20th century.

And again we get the amplification of global warming.

Decrease in snow, ice cover, more dark surfaces, traps more heat.

And so again, the circle goes on.

Alpine glaciers, as we have seen repeatedly in recent summers, do suffer tremendously from above normal temperatures.

In Switzerland, the Toteman Glacier, which is in the Valley Alps this year split in two.

It lost 300,000 metres cubed in a dramatic collapse on the 6th of August in Italy.

You saw it in the media in the Iosta Valley, in the Mont Blanc massif, the the Plan Pancio glacier, which you know, scientists are concerned that, you know, may collapse in the future.

That speed up.

It started moving again this summer, as it did last summer.

People were evacuated more than 500,000 metres cube device were slowly peeling off from the main body of the glacier.

It didn't collapse, but scientists and the people who are watching this are concerned that this is a matter of time.

Moving across to the Tibetan Plateau, China, many parts of China have seen very, very heavy rainfall since since late May.

In the Tibet Autonomous Region, there was a a dammed lake in Niwu Township, Jiali County.

It burst on June the 25th, 2020 sending, you know, ice rock avalanches tumbling, tumbling down below, damaging infrastructure, causing loss of life.

And again, this is a pattern unfortunately, that we are seeing time and time again.

At the moment, many parts of Pakistan are having very heavy monsoon rainfall and the Pakistan Meteorological Department has set up a special warning service of glacial bursts and glacial outflow.

Floods from the outburst of glacial lakes are an increased factor, **** risk factor in many parts of the world.

It's a short term hazard, it's a long term water stress.

Once these this glacier melt disappears, we are going to face water stress for many, many people.

That's just the highlights.

As I've said, you should receive the briefing note and we'll post a more detailed story on our website.

And the impact of climate change on the cryosphere will be highlighted in a report to be released next week on the 9th of December.

It's called United in Science.

It follows a similar report this time last year.

It'll be released at a virtual press conference with the UN Secretary General in New York and the World Meteorological Organisation Secretary General Petri Tallis in Geneva.

The timing is 1700 hours, Geneva time.

I know it's late in the day for you.

We will send out a media advisory.

If you want interviews under embargo ahead of time, contact me.

But details will be in the, in the, in the media advisory.

We, we, we send out, but just, I've been asked already what, what it will contain.

It looks that greenhouse gas concentrations the impact of COVID-19 on new emissions.

The emissions gaps are where we stand in relation to the Paris Agreement targets, the state of the climate 2016 to 2020, and projections for the forthcoming five years.

It looks at climate change and the cryosphere and the oceans.

And finally, it has a chapter on COVID-19.

The impact of COVID-19 on our ability to monitor climate change combines input from WMO, the UN Environment Programme and the IPCC, the Global Carbon Project and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

So as I said, we will be sending you more details of that and the report and the press release will be under embargo.

[Other language spoken]

Hi, Claire, nice to see you.

For the temperatures that you've mentioned in the very beginning, the very the, the temperature records 21° in, I don't remember where that was, but can you give us an idea of how different that is to the temperatures that you would normally expect or even the 38 that you mentioned that compares to what exactly in the on the average?

OK, so starting with the 38°C that came, it was recorded in Verkoyansk.

It is a part of Siberia which does see extreme cold in the winter, but also, you know, fairly extreme heat in the summer.

But this was, you know, something obviously a temperature that they've never, ever witnessed before.

It was confirmed by the Russian state meteorological service.

And what we, as WMO are doing now is to set up our own investigating committee to verify whether this is a new record for north of the Arctic Circle, the 21.7°C that was in Svalbard.

So it's far north in, in, in Norway.

I'll double check.

I don't think temperatures have ever been above 20°C before, but I'll I'll double check on that and and and get and get back to you.

Basically the bottom line is that, yes, you know, in the past we have seen **** temperatures in certain locations due to, you know, specific factors.

If we get a, a warming Fern wind as we call it, you know, it can lead to to **** temperatures.

But what we're seeing more and more is these, you know, persistently **** temperatures in in in many places with knock on impacts such as the wildfires we saw in Siberia.

OK, anybody from room has questions?

[Other language spoken]

If you don't mind, I'll I'll answer in English.

The the impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown is one of the areas that will be considered in the the report which is being released next Wednesday, the 9th of September.

So there will be there will be more details in that in that Lisa.

[Other language spoken]

Morning, Claire.

You've you've answered the question, but I in a sense, but I'd like an elaboration in terms of the consequences of the melting glaciers.

You talking about flooding and the stress water stress.

I mean, what do you mean by by water stress?

Sounds like there's going to be more than enough water, but maybe it's the wrong kind of water.

So maybe anyway, if you could elaborate upon thee and also, I guess we're not going to be able to go skiing very **** up in the mountains, right?

Again, the, the, the impact on water supplies in the in the long term is, will be one of the issues which is considered in the report we're releasing next week.

But basically what we're seeing is that when you get the, you know, the, the, the rapid melt on some of these, these mountains, it is increasing the short term hazards such as avalanches, rock slides, the glacial outbursts.

But in the long term, once all these glaciers have melted, the communities which are dependent on glacier fed waters are going to face, you know, increasing increase, increasing water stress.

But as I said, it's that's one of the areas which is going to be, you know, discussed in the in the report next week.

And sorry, the your second question, just remind me, Lisa.

[Other language spoken]

I was unmuted.

[Other language spoken]

The the second part had to do with we're not going to be able to ski in, in terms of what this is going the the economics of that are going to be involved in terms of lost what pleasures that people coming in for, for athletics and so forth.

Climate change is having a big impact on winter sports and will have an increasing impact on winter sports.

[Other language spoken]

So Switzerland and I imagine other countries as well.

Switzerland certainly a couple of years ago issued its own national report on climate change impacts in Switzerland.

And part of this report did deal with the impact on skiing and the fact that, you know, people would have to go higher in future to, to, to, to, to ski.

That is, you know, that that's a pattern which is repeated in in many other parts of the world.

I can send you, you know, I can send you links if you if you need.

[Other language spoken]

And I was just wondering if you could put the 2020 impact of the summer on the ice shelves and glaciers in perspective a little bit.

I mean, is it an exceptional year would you say in that respect and or is it the worst year ever?

Can you put it in perspective in terms of history?

[Other language spoken]

I'll check with my colleagues on that.

It it depends where.

So for instance, last year, 2019 was a more extreme summer in Greenland in terms of the impact on the Greenland ice melt.

And there was a study which was released last week or the week before on that.

Certainly what we saw in Siberia this year was exceptionally bad, exceptionally severe.

And the fact that the Arctic sea ice extent, certainly in July, you know, was wet was very, very low.

That was partly because of the well, largely because of the the impact of water, the heat in, in in Siberia later on in September.

It's normally the third week in September we get the, the final figures on Arctic sea ice minimum extent.

You know, it's, we're coming to the end of the melt season now and the figures on Arctic sea ice extent will be released third week of September.

And then we will see if for the season as a whole it was the, the lowest on record.

Possibly not, but I, you know, I don't know at this, this stage.

So there was a bit of, you know, there was a bit of a divide, you know, parts of the Arctic were not extreme, but certainly, certainly everything that we saw in Siberia.

Yes, it was, you know, it was really a summer of extremes.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

I just want to give the floor now to Isabel to ask her a question to Margaret Iris.

But before she does so, before she does so, I would like to give the floor to Catherine, who has been able to change the time of the press conference.

So that's.

[Other language spoken]

So we are moving from the afternoon to the morning.

So the press conference to present the report on that assistance to the Palestinian people will be held at 11 on Monday, 7th September.

So we'll send the notification accordingly.

[Other language spoken]

And so now, Isabel, you had a question for Margaret, right?

For my classes, I can't hear.

Something's wrong with my audio.

[Other language spoken]

There we go.

[Other language spoken]

And Isabel, I'll start with you because you had asked for the floor before.

[Other language spoken]

In Spain, the government, as you know, has has taken the measure to make compulsory for children from six year old in school to wear the mask all the day means from more or less 9:00 in the morning to five in the afternoons from six years old.

And WHO recommendation is for children from 12 years old to use the mask.

So question is well, and this is very important as the school is opening in in in most of the Northern hemisphere countries.

So W consider that this is a recommendable measure for begin the school.

[Other language spoken]

Actually, our guidance is for all children between the under 18 and what we've actually said is that children over 12, the recommendations are similar as those for adults, but we do not, uh, say only children over 12.

Uh, we've got clear guidance, which we've put together with UNICEF on how to use masks in children under 12 between the ages of five and 12, what you should do, how you should help them.

The very important thing is if you are asking children in this age group to wear masks, that you teach them how to use it appropriately.

And you ensure that you've got hand sanitization available so that when they remove the masks, they are able to wash their hands.

And they also know to bring a bag so that they can replace, place their masks safely in their own containers, not throw them on the floor.

Ideally reuse them appropriately.

But this is something that all teachers and parents need to discuss properly and spend quite some time explaining and working with the children so that if they are wearing masks, they wear them appropriately and and dispose of them or manage them safely.

I'll provide the kind of advice on use of masks and if you need, I'll send you the link.

[Other language spoken]

One question for Margaret and hello, Margaret.

Nice to see you.

Hi, Gabriel, nice to see you.

Yes, one for Alessandra.

So it's autumn is coming here in in Europe.

And my question is, do you think that is that, I mean, do you recommend the vaccine of influenza if we should have it in order to know what we're having, if we have cold or not or whatever?

I mean, to avoid the confusion with COVID and influenza?

[Other language spoken]

And then I have just a quick question for Alessandra.

If the press conference with Switzerland is going to be hybrid, if we can participate.

That's it.

[Other language spoken]

I start answering because this will give the time to your colleague and yourself to, to go if needed.

No, it's only in person.

They have announced 2 press conference, the Swiss Confederation 1 is in person and the other one is virtual.

The one on Wiper, Margaret, Thanks and thanks for this great question, Gabrielle.

Yes, we do recommend that people get the influenza vaccine for for various reasons every winter season.

Those people who are most at risk from influenza are always at risk.

So yes, we haven't seen that much, but it's very important that people are protected against any surge of influenza during the winter months.

And, and you're quite right.

Also, it's important that that that there's no sort of confusion between what is flu and what is COVID because indeed the symptoms can be similar.

[Other language spoken]

Is that better?

[Other language spoken]

That's all.

And then you can speak in the mic like I do here from here.

ACT Accelerator last Thursday, there were 172 nations signed up.

Has that number increased?

And can you say what the involvement of the United States, Russia and China are, if any, in this programme?

[Other language spoken]

So as you know yesterday was the deadline for expressions of interest.

It was an important milestone.

It was a target date for countries to inform us of their intent to join the Kovacs facility.

We're still looking at who has actually made that expression of interest.

But our main goal is to confirm country's intention to participate with a view to securing the binding commitments to join by September 18 and and then we'll see the first upfront payments no later than 9th October.

I do not have the details on those specific countries, so I cannot answer that part of your question.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Margaret.

And I don't see any other question for you in the room.

Oh yes, Stephanie, Stephanie, go ahead.

Hi Margaret, if you can hear me, Thanks.

Just just following up a little bit on the first, since you just spoke about Kovacs, whether Germany's quote, unquote, joining implies that they will buy vaccines from the facility.

Has Germany spelled that out to WHO?

Similarly, Japan made an announcement this morning.

What is your understanding of those two countries participation?

And then I had a question and influenza vaccine, there's been some some talk about countries recommending children get influenza vaccines.

I think it's a debate in Germany.

Do you have any view on that please?

[Other language spoken]

So on Germany, certainly we're looking forward to welcoming Germany to the Kovacs facility.

I don't have the specific details again, but you will need to get those from Germany themselves because each country basically has their own sort of position on what they're doing with the Kovacs facility and the same will apply to Japan.

So please apply directly to those countries for more detail on the influenza vaccine.

I have not seen the reports of that, but every year we identify the most at risk groups.

We've got a influenza vaccine policy and the, the, the various groups are targeted.

I'll, I'll have to get you back, back to you.

[Other language spoken]

Sort of.

I'll have to have a look at the reports that you're referring to, to, to to understand.

What the issues are around there, But generally we do have a list of target groups for the influenza vaccine.

[Other language spoken]

Margaret, nice to see you follow up to Peter's question.

Could you please check the contributions or expression of interest or otherwise lack thereof of China, the US and Russia and get back to us, please?

Can you send, I'll contact the team and ask them if they can provide that information.

So China, Russia and the US are the ones that you're most interested in.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

And thank you, Margaret for being with us answering the questions.

I just had a couple of more announcements for you as you have may have seen from the media alert that we sent you.

And then I switched to French.

The foundation for Genel de Geneva was around that.

You need to know sort of the set objective the development durable position September the mean vans in love with that Cordiano and BT a participant position in the Monsieur Alfonso Gomez don't if there are no questions and I don't see any.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, very quick, quick.

[Other language spoken]

It would be highly appreciated if human rights **** Commissioner people are in the in the briefing, I mean listening, they can listen from the office.

I mean the situation in USA and there's a lot of things that we want to ask and I just wanted to comment on that.

[Other language spoken]

OK, just just for being fair, they have been here extensively.

Last week our Rupert came and gave an extensive briefing.

They come every time they can.

But today as you know, there is this event which is taking place on media and on the freedom of the price in room 20.

So I guess that was difficult for them to be in several places at the same time.

Thank you very much.

But any case, in any case is well noted.

All right.

So I don't see any other questions.

Thank you very much.

Have a nice afternoon.