UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : UN Geneva Press Briefing

Thank you very much for staying with us.

We are now going into the regular press, part of the press briefing, and our first topic is Ukraine.

As we've heard from the President of the General Assembly, we are in this 4th anniversary of the Russian Federation's full scaling vision of Ukraine.

So I'll start by reading the statement of the Secretary General on this anniversary, on this 4th anniversary, Tuesday 24th February.

Today mark four years since the Russian Federation launched it's full scale invasion of Ukraine in violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.

This devastating war is a stain on our collective consciousness and remains a threat to regional and international peace and security.

The longer the war continues, the deadlier it becomes.

Civilians bear the brunt of this conflict, with 2025 witnessing the largest number of civilians killed in Ukraine.

This is simply unacceptable.

I reiterate my call for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

For peace to be just, it must be in line with the UN Charter, international law, relevant United Nations resolutions respecting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The United Nations remains ready to contribute to all efforts towards this and this the end of the statement of the Secretary General.

And to hear more about the situation in Ukraine, we have today Matthias Zhmale, who's the Assistant Secretary General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, who is coming, who is calling to us from Kiev.

And on my left, Mr Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Regional Director for Europe and Refugee regional Coordinator for Ukraine.

So maybe we'll start with Matthias.

Good morning, Matthias, nice to see you.

Welcome to the Geneva press briefing.

We'll hear from you first and then we'll go to Philip and then I'll open the floor to questions.

Mathias, thank you very much.

Good morning to all of you from Kiev in Ukraine.

Entering today the 5th year since the full scale invasion and the 13th since it's onset.

The war in Ukraine continues to inflict immeasurable human suffering, putting millions at risk and generating grave humanitarian needs and compounding the challenges and costs of recovery.

Allow me to mention that we yesterday launched with the government, the World Bank and the EU the 5th so-called Rapid Damage and Needs Report.

It is now estimated that it will.

The costs of recovery are a staggering 590 million billion dollars, $590 billion over a 10 year horizon, which amounts to three times Ukraine's GDP last year.

I underlined at the launch yesterday that Ukraine's most critical asset is its people.

What an RDNA can never fully capture is the destruction of the lives of human beings and their souls and mental well-being.

People are central to recovery.

Return, refugee return, veteran reintegration and women's labour force participation will shape the economic and other forms of recovery as much as capital flows and rebuilding infrastructure.

Recovery must be human centred and community based.

Now back to the humanitarian side of this, we estimate that over 10 million people, 10.8 million people, which is roughly 1/4 of Ukraine's population as far as we know, remain in need of humanitarian assistance.

This includes up to 1,000,000 people in the territories occupied by the Russian Federation.

Now me also to note that our human rights colleagues have pointed out that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since the start of the full scale invasion in 2022.

At least 2500 civilians were killed and over 12,000 injured last year.

This is more than 30% increase these compared with 2024.

You have heard me also talk about Ukraine being among the most mined countries in the world, with almost 1/4 of its territory and area 4 times the size of the country you're in, Switzerland that is potentially contaminated.

Allow me also to highlight that currently we are witnessing the devastating impact of systematic attacks on energy infrastructure that have disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies across the country, in some cases leaving entire towns without electricity and water supply for weeks.

In Kiev, I'm told that there are more than 3000 high rise buildings that are now out of order, not not inhabitable for the rest of the winter, putting the most vulnerable older people, people with limited mobility and health conditions, as as well as families with children at serious risk of harm.

This kind of weaponization of energy must stop.

Back to the people dimension.

The war has left deep invisible scars and put millions at heightened risk of violations and abuses, including risks of conflict related sexual violence and gender based violence, in addition to the constant threat of bombardments and mind contamination coming towards the end of my comments.

With the generous support of the international community, we have been able to respond to humanitarian needs at scale.

We reached last year some 5 million people, reprioritizing support to those most in need.

By the end of December, our winter response activities reached around 1.5 million people, mainly along the front lines, so not covering the emergency caused by energy disruption that I have mentioned in particularly in cities.

So as this year evolves, we are having to adapt to this new dimension of crisis, a crisis within a crisis, for the next few months and into the summer.

Allow me to end with a small recalling of meeting a couple recently in Kharkiv Oblast, near the frontline.

They have survived occupation and they are looking after their son living with serious disability.

They told me that they appreciated the humanitarian support they're getting, including seeds to plant recently, but that they were not sure whether they should plant, given the relentless attacking by the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the uncertainties they face.

Their lives have been severely disrupted, but they are not giving up.

We owe it to countless civilians like them who are also not giving up.

And we should not give up and continue our very practical solidarity through humanitarian and recovery support.

Back to you and Genevanson, Thank you very much.

Matthias Philippe Leclaire, thank you.

I would like to compliment Matthias Schmaler analysis of the situation after four years of war.

Indeed, Ukrainians need a just and lasting peace, as the Secretary General has stated, as just minutes ago, the President of General Assembly, Mrs Bebrock, was mentioning as well.

But as long as the war continues, Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance.

We are just back with the new High Commissioner Bahram Sali of a one week visit to Ukraine, where he and I were in Hakif, in Zaporija, in Nepal, meeting all those that have been continuously victim of the shells, the drone attacks.

In addition, this extraordinary cold winter that Ukraine is going through.

We have met elderly who had to be eloquated.

The number of people who had to be eloquated, from adjutant zones to the front lines, have grown tremendously in the last six months because of the pressure exercised by the military attacks and by this combined extreme cold winter.

We have seen elderly who were staying in their homes for four years under extremely difficult conditions and we could see in their eyes that for abandoning their home, sometimes with just two suitcases, a cat in their eyes, we could see that they did not have the hope of returning to the house that they had left and that they had stayed in for for long years when children had been evacuated long time before.

So indeed, hope based on the lasting peace is necessary.

We were struck again by the extraordinary resilience of the people.

The president of the General Assembly was referring to Harkif and the fact that children were not going to school in the early part of the offensive.

What we have seen is that the mayor of Harkif, the governor, as well as in Zaporija, now 18 bunker schools exist where everyday children and teachers are willing to continue living.

Of course, it is not natural to have school in a bunker in a metro station, but it shows the extraordinary will of the Ukrainian people to stay where they are, even under adverse conditions and as long as the peace can come.

So again, today we are longing for a just and lasting peace, but we need to ensure that the people of Ukraine are supported and of course, close to the frontline, where millions of people continue living, as well as in other parts of the country which are attacked.

So that electricity in the situation of a cold winter does not work.

And that indeed in many rural areas from Kiev, Liv and so many other places which are far away from the front lines are directly affected by war.

So today, war is the daily life of millions of Ukrainians.

And again, we need to show that solidarity and that support that we have seen with NGOs that are immediately after each attack going to the people, providing psychological support, legal support, shelter support, so that the people who want to remain in places which have been touched by the attacks can do so.

More and more, I said, are adequated from frontline areas.

The collective centres they are brought in where they're provided with medical care are not sufficient anymore in view of the number of the queues.

The humanitarian response led by Matias and involving many United Nations agencies is everyday present, complementing the government response to its own citizens.

And again, very much working with the NGOs, the Ukrainian NGOs like Poliska, like Right to Ukraine, like the IDP councils that we have helped organise themselves, so that internally displaced people themselves are looking for their own assistance with our help.

I would also like to remind all of you that because of this ongoing war, 5.9 million refugees remain outside of Ukraine and 5.7 in Europe alone, with an extraordinary solidarity that continues to be a shown very directly to Ukrainians, with the European Union Member States providing temper protection.

And having said that, until March 27, sorry, they will be providing that assistant and legal security for refugees to remain.

While at the same time, as we have seen in Ukraine and as we see in asylum states, Ukrainians are looking at the future, at the recovery of their state, of their oblast, of their economy.

And for that, they will need the refugees.

And we see that despite 4 years of an atrocious war, most of the refugees that we asked about return are envisaging to return.

More than 60% of them are envisaging to to return while at the same time their inclusion in the societies.

The the work, the employment that they have in asylum countries is enabling them to be self reliant.

We have to accompany and make sure that the refugees will be able to contribute the youth.

When meeting President Zelensky, the High Commissioner was told by him of the decision he made of of allowing the use from 18 to 22 years old male men to leave the country if they so wished.

More than 120 thousand of them in recent months have done so.

36,000 of them have returned.

It is important that social cohesion is prepared for the rebuilding and the reconstruction of the whole Society of Ukraine.

This will take time.

Many vulnerable individuals are are paying the price of the war.

Mental health of male of divorced families is growing.

And This is why even when time of peace will come, we ask asylum states to ensure that the most vulnerable among them will have the time to remain in the asylum states before returning.

So again, our commitment remains the same.

We will ask donor states to enable the United Nations agencies to respond to the humanitarian assistance needs of the people.

UNICER for its part, since 22 has been supporting 10 million people through various ways, shelter, cash support, psychological and legal aid, which are key for people to remain self reliant and for the most vulnerable to be assisted.

We count on the continuous support of donors of people within the world to continue supporting programmes, to have the Ukrainian people stand on their feet right now as we speak, in times of war, but also to prepare for the future.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the for this briefing, both Mattis and Philippe.

I'll open the floor to questions now.

If there are any, Let me see.

Yes, Robin, AFP, thank you.

So if, if more than 60% of Ukrainian refugees are looking to return, that means that around 40% are, are not looking to return.

Does that mean that UNHCR will have to be offering them some kind of assistance or, or support in those countries where they where they wish to remain?

And, and do you get the sense that those countries are are willing to to keep that 40% within their within their borders?

This is for you Philip, after four weeks, four years of disaster, as we can see.

It is I believe and as a you experienced humanitarian worker over 36 years, to see that so many Ukrainians are still willing to return and envisaging to return to to Ukraine when part of its territory is temporarily occupied.

And we don't know and they don't know what will be the future of these territories.

Many, perhaps 25% of those who are refugees in asylum states in Europe originate from the four oblasts which are occupied by the Russian Federation.

We have to take all that into context when looking at how Riccurians are looking at the the future and if you compare with other situations of war, be it Syria, after 13 years of conflict, the number of people willing to return to Syria from Europe, for example, more than 1,000,000 are there is far lower than this will express by the Ukrainian people.

So I think indeed it is important that states provide legal possibility for them to remain.

And again I want to commend the European Union and it's member States for providing until March 27 temporary protection to all of them.

We are working with the Commission and the Member States to look at alternative legal statuses that would be possible for Ukraine's to keep.

I would just like to say that refugees are not a burden all the time, as often communicated.

In the case of Poland, for example, we have shown through a Deloitte study that the presence of Ukraine refugees has actually increased the GDP of Poland by 2.7 percent.

80% of the refugees in Poland now are are working even though they were mostly women with children.

It means that the children are going to kindergarten, are going to primary school, are going to secondary school, allowing the Ukrainian women to be self reliant, even though often underemployed in in comparison with their education, but contribute so many of the European states economy, as you know, are in need of workforce.

So we believe certainly that many of the Ukrainians who would not dare to return to Ukraine will contribute to these societies and many European states will allow them to continue that way.

That's why I was pointing out to the most vulnerable.

Ukraine does not need in the present circumstances of war and even in the early peace to come soon.

Hopefully that many vulnerable individuals will go back to Ukraine.

So we are insisting with the states hosting large numbers of Ukrainians that they focus in particular on the vulnerable individuals so that they can continue benefiting for some time of national services for them.

So again, we will accompany as well all the refugees with private sector, other, other entities who are looking at the future of Ukraine, the reconstruction of Ukraine, so that those who have benefited from education in the asylum countries can contribute very directly through return of talent to the recovery and the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Miss Siboku, the other question in the room.

[Other language spoken]

Let me go to the platform.

Gabriel Sotomayor, Professor.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

I joined the briefing a little bit late, but I don't know if you already referred to the situation.

I remember that I don't know how many children were kidnapped and they were taken to to Russia.

So I would like to know if you have something to say about those children, if they are going to join their parents, the real families.

[Other language spoken]

And then I have another question for James, but in another subject.

[Other language spoken]

I don't know, Mathias, you want to tackle this or?

Yeah, I can say a brief word on it.

The case of abducted children remains a top priority for the government.

I don't remember the latest numbers.

A few 100 have been returned and other actors, including some friendly governments and the ICRC, have been involved in the actual return process.

the United Nations helps with the reintegration of children into society once they are here, notably UNICEF.

But so we try the best we can to support children who are back.

To repeat, it remains a major concern that considerable numbers remain in the Russian Federation.

[Other language spoken]

Just to compliment what Matthias was mentioning when exchanging with Mr Lubinez with the Ombudsperson for in, in Ukraine and also President Zelensky referred to the up to 2000 children who actually now have been returned 2006 exactly out of the, for the time being 20,000 children, which were who were identified as missing, which does not mean in the Ukrainian authorities view that they may not be more than the 20,000.

But so far with ICS and the other actors Mathias mentioned, at least 2000 of them have now been returned to their families.

Thank you very much.

Is there any other question to our colleagues?

I don't see any.

So thank you very much.

To Philippine Eugene, you send out the notes, please And thanks very much to Matthias.

Sorry.

John raised the hand.

John, is that for one of our colleagues before I let them go?

Yes, it's for Matthias actually.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

John, with The Lancet in France 24, I was wondering, Sir, if you can bring us up to speed on the number of people that required lifelong rehabilitation assistance and in particular amputees in mid 2024.

There were over 100,000 amputees at the time.

And secondly, if you have figures on people missing in Ukraine, many of them soldiers, do we know how many are missing?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you for your question.

I don't have the precise figures, so if we can get your contacts, we'll get back to you.

What I can say is that the worry or the concern and the focus is that there are up to 1,000,000 veterans that need to be reintegrated into society.

And of course many of them have suffered lifelong injuries and and are coming with amputations and disabilities.

So there is at least a couple of 100,000 people involved in the war effort that will have to be reintegrated and among them are our employees, of course.

But we will have to get back on both your specific questions with the numbers you've asked for.

Thank you very much.

I see and sticky notes, John, he'll probably come back to you if there are no other questions.

OK, one after the other, Robin.

Just one more on on the number of people leaving Russian occupied Ukraine.

We're now four years into the into this war.

Are we still seeing people leaving the Russian occupied areas?

And if so, is that a flow which has gone up or gone down or or dwindled?

If if you have any information on that, Thank you.

Well, as you know, UNACRI know UN agency has a direct engagement in Ukraine and it we do not observe movements of people, high movements of people leaving the occupied parts of of Ukraine.

There is no possibility to travel from one through the front lines.

So, So again very limited number of people managed to leave and if they would leave, they would leave through the Russian Federation and tried to reach Belahus or other countries and and reach other countries which again we do not see in any significant number.

This time I'm asking is there is any other question?

I don't see any hand up.

So if John has just raised his hand, is that a follow up?

[Other language spoken]

And actually it's a follow up for Matthias.

Again, you mentioned a number at the beginning.

So I think 590 billion in estimated damage in going forward.

Do you have any estimates from this joint study?

What would be the priority areas and how much would need to be earmarked in the first couple of years to reinstate some form of normalcy in the area?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, John for the question.

So what I can answer is priority areas from the point of view of government, supported of course by the World Bank, EU and the UN.

And a lot of that is critical infrastructure.

I mentioned in my opening remarks energy.

Modern societies cannot survive without functional energy systems that are also modern.

In terms of green, that's one bit.

Transportation is a second key bit, not necessarily in that order, but we have seen recently also attacks on the railway infrastructure.

Of course, if you want to revitalise your economy, including exporting agricultural products, you need a functioning transportation system.

1/3 priority is housing in my memory from yesterday, the biggest affected sector in terms of damage remains the housing sector.

And it links with the questions you asked earlier and that Philippe commented on refugee return.

But also IDP is going back to their internally displaced people, going back to their place of origin.

Housing is a key incentive for them to to potentially return.

And then finally, it's about jobs, lively and decent jobs and and a lot of focus was on how do you create if there hopefully is soon a, a just a ceasefire that will lead to some form of justice.

The economic recovery will be a big part and a priority for government clearly is to to modernise the economy and to rely to a significant extent extent on the private sector driving recovery effort that is needed.

In terms of your specific question on, you know, I can we again again give you the specific figures that are tied to these priorities over time.

I mentioned that the sum of 590 billion roughly is calculated for a period of 10 years and obviously in in the first few years, then some of that would be given to the priorities that I mentioned back to you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Matthias, for this, for this briefing.

And thanks to Philippe.

[Other language spoken]

I'm asking Ian to stay on the podium.

And thanks for the briefing and for answering and sending the notes to the journalist.

[Other language spoken]

So and thanks Matthias, really good luck with your important work on site.

Gabriela, you can ask your question to Yens, he's with us on the podium.

Yes, thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

As you may know President Trump declare A cartels as terrorists.

So now in Mexico is under fire.

Cartels have AI don't know how many cities they are they have taken, but cartels and you know, these terrorist organisations, as Trump said, they are not obeying international humanitarian law or, you know, they are not taking care of the wounded, they don't care.

So I'm, I, I want to know if you are like aware of the situation in Mexico and how does the if, if, if Mexico needs humanitarian help, How do you deal with cartels?

You work for human rights.

Thank you, Gabriela, and good morning, everyone.

First up, yes, we are aware of what goes on in Mexico because we read the news like everybody else and it is indeed dramatic.

First of all, you're making reference to IHLI, haven't seen any determination that what is going on in Mexico right now rises to a level where IHL regulating the conduct in armed conflict comes into play.

But our human rights colleagues may be able to to speak to you about that.

In terms of humanitarian aid, in the case where the government of Mexico asked us, asks us as OSHA to help coordinate and mobilise international humanitarian support, of course, we stand ready to do so like we will do for any other member state.

That has of course not been the case.

I don't see that coming, but only time will tell.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Jens.

[Other language spoken]

So let's go to the other topic of today, which is and it's important to continue speaking about that.

As we we said also during the PGA is a brief briefing which is the situation in Gaza.

And for this Ricardo that I see on the line has brought us Jonathan Cricks was the units of Chief of Communication in the State of Palestine and was reaching us from Jerusalem to give us the highlights of the results of the Gaza We Want initiative unless Ricardo wants to go first.

I give the floor immediately to Jonathan to hear from him on his introductory remarks, please.

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to share some important developments, I would say, on the children in the Gaza Strip.

For the past two years, Gaza's children have been spoken about extensively.

Their death and their injuries have been reported, their suffering has been described.

But what has been less visible is something which is more simple and yet incredibly important for us.

It's their own voices and that is why UNICEF launched Together.

[Other language spoken]

So today I can share not only what children across the Gaza Strip have endured, but also some of what they are asking for the Gaza We Want initiatives.

It captures children's perspectives on recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, addressing a critical gap what children in Gaza want for their own futures.

By documenting children's priorities and views, these initiatives helps to inform child centred recovery, reconstruction and policy planning, while reinforcing the importance of meaningful, ongoing child participation in decisions about Gaza's future.

So what we did with our partners is we engaged with children aged 5 to 18 across all 5 governorates of the Gaza Strip, including children with disabilities.

In total, it's more than 1600 children who completed a structured questionnaire and at least 11,000 children who participated through various creative activities, each one designed to be safe and voluntary.

No child, of course, was asked to go or to relive the violence they have been through.

They were asked to imagine dignity.

The children were invited to express themselves in the forms they prefer and that they use naturally all over the world.

Drawings of neighbourhoods and and parks, models made from recycled materials, poems, short stories, letters.

They also participated through group murals, plays and simple surveys supported by by train facilitators.

These drawings and the the poems, they're, they're not symbolic, they're data.

They're evidence expressed with, with crayons, cardboards and courage.

And when thousands of children across different age groups and and different places in Gaza independently draw very similar things, trees, schools, hospitals, clean streets, playgrounds, it's not a coincidence.

It's a direct appeal to the world.

They want their childhoods back.

[Other language spoken]

She's a 15 year old girl that I met in the temporary learning centre from UNICEF where we were distributing education supplies in, in the Bala.

And she told me and I quote, missing school affected my learning a lot.

Education matters for my future and I dream of a safe life, having a secure home, my own room, a good school where I can learn and grow.

And in one sentence, Hella summarised what I heard so many times in Gaza.

Children want a proper home, they want safety and they want to be back on school benches and all decision makers should hear their call and consider it the utmost priority.

These are not extraordinary demands, they are the the fundamentals of of childhood.

So through through the Gaza we want initiative initiative, sorry, children are telling us not only what they lost, but also what needs to come to come next.

And first comes shelter and safety.

The children deepest wish is simply the ability to sleep through the night to walk to school without fear.

Yet since the start of the ceasefire, more than 135 children where we reported killed in the Gaza Strip.

Second, children want real schools, not tents.

Schools with proper walls and roofs.

Schools where they will feel safe with desks, toilets, running water, libraries and playgrounds.

School not as shelters hosting thousands of displaced family, but as places where childhood resumes.

For Gaza's children, school represent normality, stability and the possibility of a better future.

Third, children described hospitals that are calm, clean and safe, not places that and, they said, smell fear.

Hospitals where they would feel safe and secure.

Again and again, they asked for mental health support alongside physical care.

I met too many children whose bodies had healed from the war but was here had not children.

They know trauma does not end when the bombing stops and 4th play is not a luxury.

Young children especially are unequivocal.

Parks, benches, sports fields, safe places to play.

Play is how children reclaim what war stole from them.

Children did not stop at just sharing their dreams and wishes.

They also provided timelines and priorities to the adults leading on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

They told us first they want safety, shelter, learning spaces and psychological aid.

This is the most urgent.

Then permanent homes, schools, parks and clinic and later universities, industries, cultural centres and places for remembrance.

This is actually a recovery road map written by children who understand loss and hope.

It's difficult to ignore the the clarity of children who have lived through such uncertainty, and a recovery in Gaza that ignores children's voices will fail them.

[Other language spoken]

I also want to share the voice of a 14 year old girl, Maya.

She she attended one of our events the the Gaza We Want discussions and she told us lie and I quote.

Life has been so difficult.

No child should ever have to live through this.

The Gaza I want is a beautiful place with proper functioning hospitals, schools and safe buildings.

I was injured in the war and it affected me so much.

[Other language spoken]

But during the Gaza we want activity, I felt so much better in my head.

Listening to children is not optional, it's the minimum stand out for credible recovery in Gaza.

Because the Gaza children describe what they describe is not abstract.

It's the gas that they want and have the right to grow up in.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Jonathan, for this very clear briefing on the situation of the children.

Let me see if there are questions for you in the room here in Geneva or on the platform.

Give the journalist one second now.

I don't see any hand up.

So thank you very much and thanks to Ricardo.

If he can distribute your notes, that would be very useful.

And good luck with your important work.

[Other language spoken]

I think we are now at the end and got a few announcements for you if I can find them.

So let's start with the press conferences you have on on Thursday, the 26th of February at 1:00 PM in this room, a conference on the special procedures, which is OHCHR, attacks against the UN system, special procedures and the Special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian territories.

[Other language spoken]

As I told you last time, there will be two of these Special Rapporteurs in person here.

That's going to be Nicholas Levrat, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, and Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and three other experts online.

George Cattrugalos, the independent expert on the promotion of democratic and equitable international order, Francesca Banezi, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Fernanda Oppenheim, the member of the Working Group on Business and human Rights.

I think Solange has just sent you the invitation to another press conference of the special Procedures, and that's going to be given by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and on the report on this report on women's and girls right to health in Afghanistan.

The Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett will speak also at this press conference.

Nazifa Jalali, the Director of Dialogue, a Hub and Steering Committee, member of Human Rights Defender Plus, and Soraya Dalil, former Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan and former Ambassador of Afghanistan to the UN in Geneva will be the speakers to this press conference.

That will happen on Friday at 12:00 after the regular press briefing.

As you know, the Human Rights Council is continuing it's 61st session.

I refer to the communication from Pascal on the list of speakers at the high level segment.

And I just remind you that the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will close it's 79th session tomorrow, Wednesday.

And this is what I had for you if there are no questions and I don't see any hand up.

But thank you very much.

Good luck with the rest of the week is we're not we're even finished.

I see people nodding and yeah, good luck and I'll see you in the next briefing.

[Other language spoken]

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 24 February 2026