UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 29 January 2021

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UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 29 January 2021

1:27:24

MP4

741.5 MB

29-01-2021

Press Conferences | UNHCR , WHO , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 29 January 2021

ENG

Humanitarian situation in northwest Syria

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that heavy rainfall and floods in north-west Syria in recent weeks had had a devastating impact on displaced people living in self-made camps, and the situation was going from bad to worse.

Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, said in a statement that more than 120,000 people living in some 300 displacement sites had been badly affected, when torrential rain and strong winds had damaged or destroyed the tents in which they had been living. Humanitarian staff were now struggling to reopen access roads to reach the displaced in the north-west with emergency shelter, food, clean water and other supplies. It was a massive undertaking, and the work would continue for months. Unfortunately, less than half of the USD 49 million needed for winterisation had been received thus far.

The full statement by Mark Cutts is available here.

Responding to questions, Mr. Laerke said that the ceasefire was by and large holding, but there were sporadic breaches and hostilities going on.

Displacement in the Central African Republic

Boris Cheshirkov, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that, as insecurity in the Central African Republic had displaced more than 200,000 people within the country and in neighbouring states in less than two months, UNHCR was warning that tens of thousands were facing dire conditions. Refugee arrivals to the Democratic Republic of the Congo had reached 92,000 according to local authorities and some 13,240 people had crossed into Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo, since the eruption of violence in December 2020, ahead of CAR’s general elections. Refugees continued to arrive.

Some 100,000 people remained internally displaced inside CAR, informed Mr. Cheshirkov. The continuing volatility had hampered the humanitarian response and made access to the internally displaced more difficult. The main road used to bring supplies had also been forced shut. Armed groups were reportedly present in the Batangafo and Bria sites, where displaced communities were sheltering. Such presence posed a grave protection risk for those displaced, from risk of forced recruitment to restriction of movement to extortion or threats.

Most refugees were living in dire conditions in remote, hard-to-reach areas close to the rivers without basic shelter and facing acute food shortages. They were dependent on catching fish and on what the local villagers could spare. UNHCR was urgently appealing to the international community to mobilize funds, so humanitarian organizations could deliver life-saving assistance to the Central African refugees and their hosts.

Press briefing note is available here.

Responding to questions, Mr. Cheshirkov said that at the start of the new situation around the 27 December 2020 elections, some 185,000 people were estimated to have moved within the country; many of them had subsequently returned home. He explained there were currently some 105,000 refugees from CAR in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and other countries. UNHCR was reiterating its appeals for the violence to stop.

Displacement in Darfur, Sudan

Tomson Phiri, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said the WFP was ramping up assistance to displaced people following a spate of inter-communal violence in West and South Darfur, forcing over 100,000 people to flee in search of safety. An estimated 70,000 of the displaced people were gathered in over 70 centres across Geneina city in West Darfur. Additional gathering points had been identified as people continue to arrive where the WFP and Sudan Humanitarian Aid Commission joint population assessments were being planned.

WFP had started distributions of emergency food assistance to people inside Geneina so far reaching 40,000 people in 30 of the 71 centres. Food distributions to reach the remainder of the affected population were currently ongoing within the city, while food distributions outside of Geneina would start upon completion of the verification exercise. WFP was extremely concerned with the continued violence, as even a momentary burst of violent disruption of livelihood activities could have a long-lasting impact. The biggest loser were the poor households whose food security situation was further compromised.

In response to questions, Mr. Phiri said some people were moderately and others severely affected by malnutrition. The UN renewed its calls to the parties to stop the violence, which was having severe adverse effects on the local population.

Essential diagnostics list

Adriana Velazquez Berumen, Senior Advisor at the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the third edition of the WHO essential diagnostics list would be published today. The WHO put the list together based on evidence; a group of experts, through an established process, had reviewed all the inputs submitted to the list. The purpose and format of the test were looked at in the process, among other factors.

This year, the list included a total of 175 tests, including newly added tests, such as sickle cell test, made possible by new technologies. Every year technologies were evolving, and the list was accordingly updated. Donors, governments and insurance companies could refer to this authoritative list. Two COVID-19 tests – PCR and antigen test – had been added to the new list, for example. On the other hand, some older tests, such as for HIV and tuberculosis, were no longer included in the list.

Ms. Velazquez, in an answer to a question, said the essential diagnostics list contained types of tests, while individual manufacturers could then produce their own specific tests. Not all submitted requests were accepted, she explained. The essential diagnostics list was a policy document primarily targeted at national health ministries. The list would be published online as well. Safety and quality came before anything else when preparing the list, said Ms. Velasquez.

COVID-19

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), responding to questions, said Dr. Tedros would be addressing the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda after 5:30 pm today. She elaborated on the quarantine regulations in China and said she expected that the WHO investigative team in Wuhan would continue to work over the weekend, looking for all the relevant evidence. On the COVAX meeting the previous day, Ms. Harris explained that countries had submitted their requests and were getting ready for the rollout. The selection and use of essential in vitro diagnostics - TRS 1031

Geneva announcements

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that today at 4:45 p.m., there would be a hybrid press conference in Room XVI by the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, following the conclusion of the fifth round of the Small Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee. Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, would address the media. Live webcast at webtv.un.org, with Arabic interpretation, would be provided.

Rhéal LeBlanc, speaking on behalf of the Human Rights Council (HRC), informed that the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review continued to meet at the Palais des Nations and would today adopt reports for Myanmar, Rwanda, Georgia and São Tomé and Principe. The session would carry over to 2 February to review Nauru.

Mr. LeBlanc said the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) would convene in Switzerland next week from 1 to 5 February, with the facilitation of the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Stephanie Williams. During the meeting, the LPDF would vote on the positions of a three-member Presidency Council and the Prime Minister in accordance with the roadmap adopted by the Forum in Tunis in mid-November. This new interim, unified executive authority would be primarily tasked to lead Libya to national elections set for 24 December 2021 and to reunify state institutions. More details were provided in UNIS’s note to correspondents.

Mr. LeBlanc also informed that The Conference on Disarmament should have its next public plenary meeting on 4 February, at 10 a.m., still under the presidency of Ambassador Marc Pecsteen of Belgium, to discuss a revised version of the draft package proposed by the President.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child, currently holding its virtual 85^th session, was not reviewing any country reports. It would hold its next public meeting on 4 February, in the afternoon, around 5 pm, for the public closure of its session.

Responding to a question about UN Geneva’s operations during Covid-19, Mr. LeBlanc explained that the general directive to UN Geneva staff was to telework as much as possible, and that the presence at the Palais des Nations currently stood at around 20 per cent. UN Geneva would continue to follow current health measures and guidelines.

Teleprompter

All right.

Good morning, everyone.

Bonjour, Ratos here put me.

As you know, the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is going to be, I know, I thought it was ending today, but it's actually carried to Tuesday the 2nd of February.

Today they will be adopting the reports from Myanmar, Rwanda, Georgia, Sotomay and Principi.

And indeed, the session will be continuing on Tuesday the 2nd of February to review Nauru.

And if you have any questions about that, you can contact Rolando Gomez.

Just a reminder that this afternoon at 4:45 PM, Mr Peterson, the UN special envoy for Syria, will be briefing in this room about the conclusion of the fifth round of the small body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.

But we'll see what what he has to say about progress achieved this week.

And this will be live webcast on webtv.un.org with Arabic interpretation, of course.

We have just issued, you will have seen a note to correspondence about the meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, which is taking place next week here in Geneva, in Switzerland.

Rather, from the 1st to the 5th of February.

This is going to be the the the members of this forum are going to be voting on the positions of a three member presidency, council and the Prime Minister.

This is in accordance with the road map that was adopted by the forum in Tunis in November.

And this new interim unified executive authority will be primarily tasked with leading Libya to national elections on the 24th of of December of this year and try to reunify state institutions.

So the nominations the the there was a one week.

This week for submission of candidacies to these positions disclosed yesterday at midnight.

Now a verification committee is charged with verifying the candidacies and a list.

I guess the list of candidacies will be shared in due time.

Once the verification verification process is over.

You will have seen in the note we've given you a few details, logistical details, yes, given the given the the COVID situation, the meeting will be basically not accessible to media.

But every effort will be made for at least the opening of the event to be live streamed on on Monday, as well as possibly other important activities and media stakeouts or press conferences that would be organised next week.

But there will be a daily feed of footage and photos, Bayou and Smale with the support of our UN television team and hopefully maybe over the weekend if we have, if we can provide you with more details, more information, we will send out another note I have.

Yes, I see Lawrence Yaro has his hand up.

[Other language spoken]

On that note, it would be good that before Monday we know exactly what time the the meeting is supposed to start and and be live stream.

And then it's going to be a quite complicated election because I, if I understand, understood correctly, there will be 1 election per region for one member at the Presidency Council.

So it would be good also by Monday that we know approximately when throughout the week the, the voting are planned because it's five days, I assume there won't be a voting process every day.

It would be good that by Monday, we, we, we could have that kind of indications.

[Other language spoken]

Definitely.

I'm, I'm sure we will be sending you more details over the weekend.

The first session will begin on Monday.

Exactly what time I don't know, but maybe we can give you more details over the weekend.

And of course, in terms of the voting, I think it's fair to expect that the voting would, is likely to take place in the later part of the week plus probably not at the very beginning.

But we'll, we'll try to give you more updates on that.

And I see Christian Irish also has a question.

[Other language spoken]

Is this specifically meant to be a secret where this meeting is happening or do you know where in Switzerland is is going to happen?

And is Miss Williams here now or she's going to be here next week?

[Other language spoken]

We can't disclose the location at the moment.

Ms Williams will be arriving today, that I'm told.

And the the the delegations from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum are expected to travel tomorrow.

[Other language spoken]

Sorry, I don't see any other questions.

So we'll get right into our agenda for the day.

Let's start with Boris Chesharakov from the UNHCR, who is with us on the online to tell us about Central African Republic displacements.

[Other language spoken]

Many thanks for all and good morning to you and to.

Everyone on the call.

We're briefing today on the situation in the Central African Republic.

Its insecurity in the Central African Republic has displaced now more than 200,000 people within the country and in neighbouring states in less than two months.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is warning that 10s of thousands are facing dire conditions.

Refugee arrivals into the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC have reached 92,000, according to local authorities, and over 13,000 people have crossed into Cameroon, Chad and the Republic of Congo.

Refugees continue to arrive.

Some 100,000 people remain internally displaced inside CAR, according to figures compiled by UN OCHA.

The continuing volatility has Hanford the humanitarian response and made access to the internally displaced more difficult.

The main road used to bring supplies has also been forced to shut.

Armed groups are reportedly present in the Bataan, Fargo and Bria sites where displaced communities are sheltering in violation of the humanitarian civilian nature of those sites.

Such presence poses a grave protection risk for those displaced, risk of forced recruitment, restriction of movement, extortion or threats.

In the DRC, new arrivals have crossed the Ubangi, Bomu and Buele rivers that form the natural border with CAR and into 40 localities in the provinces of North Ubangi, S Ubangi and Basuele.

Refugees have told UNHCR that they fled in panic when they heard gunshots, leaving their belongings behind.

Many refugees are living in dire conditions in remote, hard to reach areas close to the river.

Without basic shelter and facing acute food shortages.

They're dependent on catching fish and what the local villagers can spare.

Unfortunately, the host communities have extremely limited resources.

For many, the river is also the sole sole water source for drinking, washing and cooking.

Malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoea have become common among the refugees.

UNHCR partners are treating patients and distributing medicine, but the needs are mounting.

[Other language spoken]

Extremely poor road conditions mean that the humanitarian assistance takes time to reach people in need.

UNHCR is already distributing emergency supplies to the most vulnerable families in South of Bangi, while additional supplies arrived last week in the north of Bangi and Vaswala provinces.

UNHCR is pre positioning emergency supplies in North Ubangi before vast areas become inaccessible by Rd with the looming rainy season in in six weeks when costly airlifts will be the only means of delivering assistance.

Funding for Unhcr's humanitarian response is already critically low and in 2021 amounts to 151.5 million U.S.

[Other language spoken]

Just 2% of this is funded.

The needs are now growing with the new displacement.

We're urgently appealing to the international community to mobilise funds so humanitarian organisations can deliver the life saving assistance needed by the refugees and their hosts.

I'll leave it there.

Thank you, Ralph.

Thank you, Boris.

[Other language spoken]

We bonjour, really bonjour, Ratus Marquezion concerns South African Republic, Democratic Congo.

Boris, did you understand that?

Not in full.

My French, unfortunately, is still not up to par.

But OK, this is Freddie Milongo.

He was asking about the the displaced people coming from CAR to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He wondered if you could if you had a number to share and whether these people were being given that the Congo is already quite a fragilized, fragile country itself.

Is there some form of accompaniment give being given to these displaced people?

Many thanks Freddy for the question.

Indeed, the situation is, is concerning in the DRC.

What we see and these are reports and estimates coming from local authorities that already 92,000 refugees are present inside DRC and they're scattered across 40 localities.

These are hard to reach remote areas and it's difficult to get assistance.

We're already scale scaling up the support, but we need to mobilise more resources and more funds and this is exactly what we're calling for.

One of the things to to stress urgently is that the needs are acute for food, for shelter.

We're having reports already of of even some resorting to survival sex because they're not able to cope.

The host communities are generously supporting, but they're also facing extremely limited resources.

Beside that, we also need health support.

The ****** of the spread of diseases, including COVID-19, is there.

That means that we need to see more humanitarian actors involved.

But in order for this to happen, the international community has to mobilise more resources.

Thank you very much, Freddie.

Freddie just to complicit response ES cucha cesi cuboris tadi ready super mercy pedre Rd IFP.

[Other language spoken]

I will ask the question in English for you.

You are saying today that 200,000 people are displaced within the country, Central Africa and the neighbouring countries.

But at the beginning of January, you already say that 185,000 people were displaced inside South Africa and 30,000 were refugees in the neighbouring country.

So that was already more than 2100 people displaced.

So could you today specified within the 200,000 people displaced in general, which one were displaced in the country and which how much were displaced outside?

Because if not, it makes no sense to say that there are more than 200,000 people displaced because it was already the case at the beginning of January.

Thank you Anyas for for this question.

What we saw were early reports from UN OCHA and the estimates for internal displacement inside CAR are based on what UN OCHA is is gathering in terms of reports Is that at the start of this new situation around the general elections of the 27th of December, mostly as a preventative measure, there were 185,000 people that had moved in surrounding areas inside CAR.

Many of them, the majority of them then returned home.

What we saw is the escalation of people moving both within their country, being displaced inside CAR, but also then crossing the borders into DRC, especially into DRC where that number grew.

When we reported the 30,000 on the 8th of January, we had 24,000 inside DRC.

That number is now 92,000.

So it's substantially higher than before.

What we see at the present time is that there are 100,000 displaced inside CAR and then 92,000 refugees in DRC and Cameroon, in Chad and also some already in the Republic of Congo and and those numbers are continuing to increase.

Thank you, Boris.

We have Lisa Schlein from Voice of America who would like to ask a question.

[Other language spoken]

Hi, Good, Good morning to everybody and to you, Boris.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you so much for that question.

The clarification is really important.

And before I ask my question, Boris, if you could then, then essentially what you're saying is that it's almost 5050, about 100,000 are displaced internally and inside CAR.

Is that correct?

And that the other 100,000 are displaced, I mean, they are refugees.

They have fled across the border, most into the DRC and then the rest into Cameroon.

Is that correct?

I mean, I just want to make sure that I've got that right because this is really kind of important.

And then my question to you is, and I'm kind of confused about this, you say that in your your release that armed groups are reportedly, you know, present in a couple of sites for displaced communities.

And you say that, you know, this goes against the civilian nature and humanitarian nature of those sites.

I mean, armed groups, how do you control them?

And do they really obey laws, civilian and humanitarian laws that I mean, can you say no, no, no, wag your finger at them and say you're not supposed to be there?

I mean, this, this seems a little bit strange to me.

Are you able to control them in any way?

And who are they, these armed groups?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, Lisa for the numbers.

You're, you're exactly right.

So right now we're talking about 100,000 internally displaced people ID PS inside the Central African Republic.

And then what?

Now it's 105 already with the latest figures that we're just receiving 105,000 refugees, mostly in the DRC, but also in Chad, Cameroon and and the Republic of Congo.

So the numbers are that we've now passed the threshold of 200,000.

That is far higher than our initial update at the start of January when we're reporting 30,000.

Now on the question of the armed groups, first of all, these are, as far as I know, these are unidentified armed groups.

But what we are receiving is very troubling reports of human rights violations as these armed groups are moving, some of them retreating and they are moving through villages.

We're hearing reports of pillaging, of sexual violence that is increasing rapidly.

And, and this situation is really concerning.

We've been calling, and we called recently again, that all violence must stop, that all should come back and return to meaningful dialogue.

And we need to see a return, the peace that the violence must stop.

And specifically for the two sites that we have, Bria and Batanfagu, these are IDP sites which now we understand they, they have armed groups inside.

Those armed groups are trying to, to restrict, in some cases restrict movement, in some cases forcibly recruit.

So this is a very concerning situation.

The IDP sites are civilian sites and any presence of armed groups is a clear violation of humanitarian and and the civilian.

Nature of these sites.

Lisa, your hand is still up.

Do you have a quick follow up question on that?

[Other language spoken]

Regarding, regarding these, these sites, do you know how many, how many displaced people are, are at risk are in these two particular places that you mentioned And I gather there's no protection, is there?

I mean, are they UN forces around there?

Does the government have any forces?

I mean, you know, they, they don't pay attention to humanitarian law.

That's pretty clear.

So how, you know, is there any sort of security for these people at all or are they just sitting ducks, as we say in the United States?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, Lisa for your follow up.

I don't have more details to share right now.

I can certainly check if there's more available with colleagues.

But what's important to say is that the ongoing volatility in the country is hampering our access, not just ours, but for other humanitarian organisations as well, which means that we don't have full information and also the delivery of humanitarian support and of protection is being limited.

One of the main problems that we see at the moment is that the the main artery, the main route along which supplies are being delivered, has been forced shut in this ongoing uncertainty.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

Boris.

I don't see any other questions for you on this issue.

So thanks for being with us today.

We'll turn it now to Jens Lark from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who is here to update you on Northwest Syria.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, Rial.

Good morning, everybody.

[Other language spoken]

Heavy rainfall and floods in northwest Syria in recent weeks have had a devastating impact on displaced people living in self-made camps, and the situation is going from bad to worse.

Mark Cuts, our deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, says in a statement that more than 120,000 people living in some 300 displacement sites have been badly affected and one child was killed when torrential rain and strong winds damaged or destroyed the tents they were living in.

Many people who were already struggling to survive have had their food stocks and household items and other possessions washed away, and water sources were contaminated.

In some cases, small children, the elderly, pregnant mother, mothers and other vulnerable people were left stranded in remote areas in the mud as temperatures dropped below 0.

Thousands of people found themselves cut off from basic services and support for days as rescue workers and humanitarians tried to get to them and provide support.

Humanitarian staff are now struggling to reopen Access Rd roads to reach the displaced in the Northwest with emergency shelter, food, clean water and other supplies.

It is a massive undertaking and the work will continue for months.

So far, the international response has not matched the scale of the crisis.

In November last year, Orcha issued a call for $49 million for priority winterisation activities, including to deal with flooding, but less than half of this has been received.

To date, there are a total of 2.7 million people displaced in Idlib and other parts of northwest Syria, many of them in camps and informal sites.

Last year, 1,000,000 people in this area were displaced by fighting and many are still living on the trees by the roadside.

And there are simply not enough camps for everyone.

I have sent you my notes and a link to the full statement from the Coordinator for the Syria Crisis.

[Other language spoken]

I see we have a question from Yan Eberman.

[Other language spoken]

Morning, Yeah, it's on the security situation in the Idlib region.

I was wondering whether you Yanks can tell us whether the the ceasefire between the Russians and the and the Turks is still holding.

There are reports out of Moscow saying that the Turkish Russian Commission has said that there are loads of breaches of the Seas where I think the Russians have counted 28 in one day and and the Turks about 10 or so.

So what about the security situation and secondly, the COVID situation?

Could you please update us on the COVID situation in in Idlib and especially, of course, in these IDP camps?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Jan.

On the on the security situation, I cannot comment on on, on those numbers that are coming from other parties.

What what we do say is that the, the, the ceasefire is by and large holding.

However, there are, we're aware of sporadic breaches and and hostilities going on, but not near the scale that we have seen in the past.

On your second question, which is very good, it is, it is a concern of course and has been for quite some time and there are cases in the area.

However, I, it would be best for me to just double check with that and come back to you.

I'm, I'm sorry for that on the exact, on the exact situation as it is this morning.

[Other language spoken]

Are there any other questions for Yens on this topic?

[Other language spoken]

So that's I think we can close there for that item.

Thank you very much for for being with us.

And we will go right to Thompson Firi from the World Food Programme, who is joining us also online with an update on its response to displaced people in Darfur, Sudan.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you so much Real.

Good morning, Thompson, the United.

Nations, thank you.

The United Nations World Food Programme, WFP is ramping up assistance to displaced people following aspect of intercommunal violence in West and South Defore which has forced over 100,000 people to flee in search of South.

An estimated 70,000 of the displaced people are gathered in over 70 centres across Gemini City in West Defore.

Additional gathering points have been identified as people continue to arrive where WFP and Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission joint population assessments are being planned.

The total number of displaced people is feared to exceed 100,000 people.

WFP started distributions of emergency food assistance to people inside Geneva, so far reaching 40,000 people in 30 of the 71 centres.

Assistance is comprised of the staple sorghum.

We are also providing pulses and salt for to enable people to make meals as well as **** energy biscuits which provide immediate nutrition for children and adults without the need for water or cooking.

Food distributions to reach the remainder of the affected population are currently ongoing within the city, while food distributions outside of Geneva will start upon completion of the verification exercise now.

WFP is extremely concerned with the continued violence.

November to January is when farmers are engaged in the winter season planting and in the main season harvesting of Millet and soga.

Even a momentary best of violent disruption of livelihood activities can have a long lasting impact.

If a planting or a harvesting.

Is missed, it may not be resumed.

If livestock cannot be moved to pasture or water, they may not survive.

And the biggest ***** in all these are the poor households whose food security situation is further compromised.

I will circulate my notes to you all and we'll stop here and see if there are any quests.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Thompson.

Yes, we do have a question from Lisa, Lisa Shrine from Voice of America.

[Other language spoken]

Thompson, I'd, I'd like to well if you if you could elaborate a bit upon the condition of the people that you are that that are displaced that you are helping in terms of malnutrition situation there with children and so forth and also whether there are any disease outbreaks there.

And then I'd like I gather that fighting is still going on.

Do you have some information about the intensity of the fighting that is going on and importantly, how the Sudanese government had promised, had said, that it was going to be sending a security force to to the area to protect the area.

Essentially, has the force arrived, Have our soldiers there?

What sort of protection exists?

[Other language spoken]

Thanks, Lisa, for the questions.

In terms of the conditions, people are in different shape.

They are people who are badly affected by the violence.

And then there's somewhat moderate acute malnutrition.

That Sudan is a country that already has issues and violence only only contributes to further Western people's conditions, particularly if they are poor farmers, would would largely depend on subsistence farming as well as international support from donors and humanitarian agencies.

What we are seeing right now is that those that are arrived after walking, after taking tuk tuks to to flee violence, they come with very few possessions.

They don't have much.

The majority of them were supposed to be planting or were supposed to be harvesting.

So they're just fleeing as quickly as they can in search of safety.

And that means they arrive often with very little possession.

Unfortunately, I do not have exact NUM exact figures of malnutrition rates to share with you, but I could give the gain and probably circulate to the group afterwards.

In terms of unfortunately fighting continues and we're extremely concerned with continued fighting.

And like I say, even a best of two weeks of violence at a strategic at a strategic time in the agricultural season is of great consent for us because it can have repercussions of up to 18 months in terms of the food security situation.

We are also have to rely on support and provided by the government of Sudan for our as police escorts, as the military to deliver assistance in some areas as they secure more areas and security theft and security is guaranteed.

We are also going to expand our assistance with law.

Unfortunately, I do not have a good update on the intensity of the violence, but violence in whatever form, regardless of its impact, is never is never easy when when there is violence, there is risk to live all life.

And as the UN, we renew our calls to the parties that are that are the parties to the conflict to these communities to to to find difference, to find each other and resolve their differences in an amicable manner over.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Thompson.

I think there's another question, John Zaracosta.

[Other language spoken]

My question is not on this topic, but it's relevant to Thompson and the other humanitarian agencies that are following the briefing like Yenzel, UNICEF, Marixi.

It's basically a follow up to the concerns that were raised recently in the Security Council by Mr Lowcock.

Last week, the new US administration, we said that they're reviewing the status of classifying all the Houthis as a terrorist organisation for one month.

The measures won't apply to humanitarian aspects.

How has that changed the situation?

Because some companies doing business with Yemen in food supplies, etcetera, they're reluctant to act because of this legal uncertainty.

If any have a follow up, what is happening from the UN, if they're touching base with Tony Blinken's office and if this will be expedited or not?

John, unfortunately Yens has left the room.

I'm not sure if he will join us online and I don't see him.

I don't know if Thompson, do you have any perspective on this from your agencies, from your agency?

I'm afraid I did not have anything at the moment.

[Other language spoken]

Well, John, I think, you know, from the UNS position, I think it's we, we, we, we see the, the, the consequences of such a decision on the humanitarian assistance that needs to go to the people of Yemen.

I believe that it's been, you know, there have been discussions and the, the, the, EU NS position has been made very clear.

Now we'll need to, to wait to, to see exactly what the US administration will decide.

But I'll ask Jens if he has further details for you to contact you directly about this, this very issue.

[Other language spoken]

If there are no other questions for Thompson, then we'll close here with you.

Thompson, thank you very much for joining us this morning.

And we will move now to Margaret Harris from the World Health Organisation, who is joining us with Doctor Adriana Velasquez Berman, who is a senior advisor.

They're going to give you some information on the latest edition of The Who Essential Diagnostics list, which will be posted tomorrow.

Margaret, would you like to introduce the topic?

Yes, indeed.

Thanks very much for Allen and hello everybody.

Nice to see you all.

Yes, the essential diagnostics list is what every country needs to have in there cupboard.

It's just as important as as the essential medicines list and it's just been updated.

I should correct the information I gave was sent yesterday, so it's actually going to be posted today.

But without further ado, I'll introduce Doctor Adriana Velasquez Beruman, our Senior Advisor in access to medicines and health products, who has been working on this and knows everything about it.

And it's got plenty of interesting things to say to you.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Velasquez, I'm the team lead for Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics.

And yes, we're very happy today to show the 3rd edition of the Essential In Vitro Diagnostic List.

The name is called Selection and Use of Essential in Vitro Diagnostics.

Because in vitro diagnostics are those that you take a sample and then it is related to laboratories.

And now everybody's familiarised with the swab test, the samples, the drops, a drop of blood and with those then we can analyse and detect diseases.

And if the diseases are detected timely, then of course treatment can start timely.

So the way WTO puts the the, the list is made based on evidence.

So we have a group of experts, the strategic advice to a group of experts that need and review everything that was submitted.

And we invite the industry, the NGOs, academics to submit a proposal to add to the essentialist.

And so we have a very tight process to review the evidence and then we see if this really matches and if there are for diagnostics or for monitoring or for screening, exactly what is the purpose of the test?

That is very important.

Then what kind of essay format that means?

Is it a rapid diagnostic test or is it a other kind of test with a bigger machine and bigger technologies that we put in the laboratory?

So the list is divided into those that should be using community settings and that could be rapid diagnostic tests that are you obtain the results very quickly and the other equipment and tests that are done for general laboratories.

Every year we update it and this year we have now a total of 175 tests.

We added, for example, try for vaccines for vaccine preventable diseases.

We added for neglected tropical diseases test for trip anosome and leishmaniasis.

But we also added some tests that are very important in the in the in the community.

For example, if the sickle cell test, the sickle cell test is the it's prevalent in, it is like an anaemia type of anaemia and it's prevalent greatly in Africa.

And we have last year we have the test for the laboratory.

But now last year new technologies are coming in the market and we saw that there was a point of care coming.

[Other language spoken]

IT was reviewed by the committee and it was included and this really.

This is the kind of work that we do.

So we are looking to the horizon to see what tests are there, what tests are better than the ones that are available now and then promote those tests that are better.

And it is very important to note that for the first time ever, the list contains it.

Do not do not recommend.

So, and I say ever because this is these are two tests that are very important.

One is for HIV and the other is for tuberculosis.

And the tests that we're available before they are tests that are either unreliable or there's a very poor sensitivity or specificity.

So that means that maybe you cannot detect the, the, the, the disease and so it takes longer to be treated the patient.

But these technologies are evolving every year we have different.

So we're looking into technologies and then the idea is that with this list, then this list will be used by governments, by ministries, by donors so that they can see what are the generic tests that should be available in the different countries.

And so it will be better for like they could use it for reimbursement or procurement or donations etcetera.

So and of course every country will adapt it to their own needs and with their own resources, both human resources and technological resources and financial resources.

But that is about the least and I don't know if you have any questions.

Thank you very much, Doctor Velasquez Berumen.

[Other language spoken]

And yes, indeed there are.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, Good morning, Doctor Velasquez, can you hear me?

Yeah, we hear you perfectly.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, just a a general question, the this essential diagnostics list, the 3rd edition, have you included the for the various generic tests that might be available, the price range of which they can be procured and how they compared with the brand diagnostics?

Because my understanding is the differential in diagnostics is even bigger than the price differential in some pharmaceuticals up to 90% sometimes.

So that is critical for developing countries with small health budgets that I'm just wondering if that information is available in that latest report.

And I've got a general observation that perhaps Margaret can help us.

Your press conference schedule for 4:30 this afternoon is smack in the middle at 15 minutes later we have a briefing on Syria.

So one or the other needs to give way.

We can't be up both simultaneously.

[Other language spoken]

If I may respond to you and I think I forgot to say something very important that normally the stage, the strategic advisor group of experts meets in one week and then we make a decision.

And the week that was proposed last year was March last year.

And of course we could meet and the the members of our group were the ones that were dealing with the with the COVID in the different countries.

So they were not able to meet with us.

So we have 20 sessions of two hours all along.

But at the end in November and December, we added the two COVID tests, the ones for PCR and the on the antigen tests for for communities.

And concerning this was just a note that I really want to comment that further.

The idea is when we say generic, I'm meaning the generic name of a test.

It is like clinical chemistry to measure troponin, uric acid, etcetera.

So it is the, but it doesn't mean that this is a generic like the medicines, the generics for medicines are totally different.

This is the classification of the naming of the type of tests that has to be done.

And then you have many different manufacturers that can have it.

Then we the studies that we're doing, we're getting some cost effectiveness studies and the, the, the more we evolve, we're getting much more information about cost of that.

Normally these are price list, list prices and then we will have to adapt it to, to, to the different countries.

They will have maybe a different price of course, but the, the medicines they do have generic medicines and proprietary medicines and, and in the case of the equipment and tests, we don't have exactly that type.

So the, the, what we're, what we're listing is the type of test.

But then they can the specific manufacturer we can go in WTO through pre qualification.

So many manufacturers apply for pre qualification and that list it's the specific for brand and model and the manufacturer etcetera.

So that that is important.

And I I don't think I responded to your question or if you have any other.

Thank you very much, Doctor.

[Other language spoken]

Margaret, did you want to add anything at the moment or we continue with the questions?

[Other language spoken]

Sorry, the timing of the of the lounge, it's at 2:30 in in W2.

[Other language spoken]

But I should add John's, John's question, I will jump in there now.

So yeah, we're going to launch the the essential medicines will be available today.

But the press conference is earlier today because of Davos, the DG has to go and speak at Davos.

So we very much didn't want to clash with Syria.

[Other language spoken]

And we, we, that's what we've started it a little earlier and big apologies, but we just can't make it work any other way.

[Other language spoken]

OK, let's go to Catherine.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, good morning, real good morning, Doctor Velasquez.

[Other language spoken]

So I'd like to ask Doctor Velasquez if she could at the end of my question, show again the, the addition so I could take a picture of her with the, with the addition.

And this is some housekeeping.

And, and I'd like to ask a question about the list that you decided to put in that third edition, meaning the the test that, that, that you cannot rely on.

Could you please elaborate a little bit on that?

Why did you decide to put such a list?

Does it mean that those tests and the HIV one and the TB one are likely used in certain regions and that's the manufacturers are selling them when knowing they're not reliable?

And my second question is regarding COVID-19, the I see if I understood well, you did put two kind of COVID-19 tests in this edition, OK.

And I'd like to know if when did you wrap up in fact, did you conclude and and before the the list was ended because we know apparently that scientifically some tests are not detecting certain variants.

So are the tests that you put into the list regarding COVID-19 are what are they detecting?

Thank you, doctor.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much for for your question.

First of all, the two tests that we didn't that that was said that do not do one of them is for immunoassays for HIV.

Before 2014 those were the tests that existed, so they were available in the market.

But then after 2014, there are new tests available, which are in that case the the Western blood and the immunoassays were much more, they are still more expensive, more difficult and less reliable.

And now they are there.

Since 2014, there are new tests that are rapid tests that are much more reliable, less expensive, and of course, the patient has the result immediately.

So the recommendation, and this is following a policy document that was released in WTO specifically for this case.

So we are aligned with the clinical guidelines and all the evidence and that is 1.

The second one was about the serology test for tuberculosis.

It has very poor sensitivity, specificity.

And in reality if if that happens then you can have either an over diagnostics or not.

So it is there, the technology continues to advance.

So we need to keep updating and say which test should not be sold anymore.

So it should not be purchased anymore by the by the government.

So I think if that clarifies so.

But of course, of course, for example, for the serology for tuberculosis, we really need innovation.

We need more tests.

We need more more that the industry really develops new serology tests that could be better.

And then of course, then we could make another different decision.

And I may say that we have a lot of requests, but not all the requests are accepted to come to the list.

So we have edits and revisions and, and this this was the final decision.

Secondly, you were asking about the COVID test.

The COVID test we have the two type, the the PCR and the antigen test.

This revision was based on the the last meetings that we hold.

We hold it November and December.

That is why this list is delayed.

Normally it should but have been coming on September last year.

But it was first of all that the meeting took longer.

But secondly, we really wanted to analyse the the evidence that we had for the COVID test.

So it is both and it is aligned with the guidelines from WTO.

There's not not any difference and when we release them we still didn't have these issues about the variants anyway.

The pre qualified tests that are when we still not prequalified, but they are listed in WHS emergency use only the emergency use listing they are being analysed right now, but normally they will detect will continue to be detecting as indicated last year, November this year.

So but of course studies are undergoing we need more evidence, we need more cases and WHO will issue any other recommendations if needed.

So we'll do that.

[Other language spoken]

There you go.

I hope, Catherine, you were able to get your picture.

Let's go to Caviana Sotomayor.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

My question is for Margaret 122.

Very quick One is at what time is going to Doctor Tedros will speak at Davos?

And the second question is yesterday we saw some images in TV about the mission, the group of the mission that is in China, they were in a bus together.

So my question is, are they free to move in China?

I mean, they can go anywhere they want.

They can meet anywhere they want.

For example, I'm wondering if someone of the mission will speak, for example, with the journalist that is in gaol because of her reporting on COVID.

Maybe she has something to say.

I don't know, but that's my question.

[Other language spoken]

Do we want to finish on the with Doctor Velasquez?

And then we we take those questions so you.

Hold back to those questions.

[Other language spoken]

Sacco This is a question on the Essential Diagnostics list for Doctor Velasquez.

Yes, yes, morning Doctor Velasquez, I would like to do, I would like people to understand why this update of the list of this list is important for them, for patients and for common people.

What's changed for them.

For example, if you can give a broad answer to this question, but for example, for the test that you don't recommend anymore for HIV and TV, for example, how many countries or how many people are still using this kind of test that I've not recommended and how, how long normally countries take to apply these changes?

And if I may one last is in this, I understand, if I understand well, these you change for an another a different kind of or you you push for a more diagnostics in vitro.

And I would like to to know what are the diseases that could be better detected with this kind of technology?

[Other language spoken]

First of all, as you say, for normal clean people, what does this mean?

Well, in reality this, this list, it is like a policy document.

Is it more to the Ministries of health or so to make decisions of which list, which are products should they put in their national list?

And these nationalists are normally the list that countries have like a, they call it a positive list, reference list, basically priority list.

And these are lists that the countries and the ministries decide what are going to be reimbursed or what are being procured or for the donating agencies, which tests, which type of technologies should they give the the the to their countries.

Something that is very interesting is the information was not available so they couldn't find it.

And now that the information is available, many more interested academics, but also patients themselves, they search for the information.

Maybe Margaret knows this, but for example, one of the reports that's most downloaded in WTO is the diabetes report.

[Other language spoken]

Because maybe they are trying to find information for them.

So in this case if, and this is another thing that I have not told you, but that would be a good one, is that besides the book, we will also release today an electronic version.

So in the electronic version, anybody anywhere in the world can go and search diabetes or can search sickle cell and then try to to fight what are the what is the evidence, what is the information?

Because now patients are making decisions so they want to be informed.

So now they will have opportunity to get this information that before was not available.

So I think that is that is that is something and that that is really bringing the information to the ones that want to use it.

Secondly, this nobody has seen the results.

So manufacturers, NGOs, everybody submitted their proposals and then we had all these discussions and believe me, there were not simple discussions.

And now today they will learn which ones were approved or not or if we say we support that, do not use.

So we will see the reaction from the industry.

We don't know yet, no, but this was released.

The recommendation was 2011 and then 2020 from the DC areas.

But right now placing it into ADC and technology book like this maybe we will have reactions from the industry.

But the recommendation is specifically actually it specifically says we do not recommend that there is the manufacturing of these devices anymore and that is no longer the procurement.

So we are disincentivating this and of course we'll we'll discuss with the industry, I think.

Have you responded to your questions?

[Other language spoken]

We still have a few journalists wishing to ask questions.

So if I could ask you to limit your questions to 1-2 at the very most, please, so we can try to get everybody in.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, it's a, it's a follow up question to what I asked earlier.

Do you have any at least the price range for the two COVID-19 tests And in your recommendations of the negative list of what not to manufacture anymore is this, do you provide a good analysis on the medical reasons why these tests should be discontinued from being manufactured and procured?

And did you consult the companies before you you're making this announcement?

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, yes, thank you.

Both of OK.

In the in the submission form, there's a submission form that they have to be submitted by manufacturers and also or academics.

In the submission form there is a proposal of the ranges of prices.

So those are published whatever information we got from the submitters, it is published and it is transparent.

You can see exactly everything that they submitted.

So and it is important that they said this is information that was submitted by the submitter and this is information and the recommendation that is coming from W2.

So you can see the the ranges of prices for all all those tests that were submitted.

Secondly, you were asking, I forgot the other question The the do not do they do not do they already in 2020 the HIV and 2020 eleven in 2011 the disease areas.

So tuberculosis launched already and, and, and published the guidelines document that they should not be using the serology tests that was released in 2011.

And then the ones for the Western blood for an immunosis for tuberculosis for HIV were just released last year.

So in reality we will, we will start to see how the industry moves.

But they are very, I mean they are aware that new technologies are being developed and they themselves are, are moving that way.

So well, we hope they they will have a good reaction and they will develop new new technologies accordingly.

I hope that.

[Other language spoken]

Quick follow up and then we'll go to Stephanie Nabe.

Yes, thank you, real Doctor Velasquez, I'd like to come back to the my question, my priest question and the question of of John and and my colleagues regarding that not to use list.

How come that certain manufacturers are still selling non efficient, I would say not reliable tests to countries and I suppose that they they particularly sell it to developing countries.

And is there a link for us, Margaret to already have access to that list?

Because I did check my mails and maybe I, I missed it, but I haven't seen a link to this report.

And I'd like to come back to, to what John said about the prices, because for instance, APCR test can be $30 in one country.

And for instance, the same test is 180 Swiss francs.

So is there some guidances that you give that should be followed by countries?

Thank you, doctor.

[Other language spoken]

And I, I just want to clarify everybody that I don't have a PhD, so I'm not a doctor, I'm a biomedical engineer.

I just want to clarify that.

[Other language spoken]

Secondly, the the, the studies for cost, we're really looking into it Catherine, because right now what we wanted to do is the evidence that the test can detect, monitor, screen whatever and the sensitivity and specificity are good enough and they can be used and they are safe for the patient.

So safety and quality come before everything else.

And then we're, we're, we, we are now looking into are they affordable or not.

But the affordability is, is mentioned here if the, if the test range is expensive or not or if there are others, but we're not analysing specifically that.

So that has to be further work that we have to do and we are actually proposing now and we will launch today also besides the electronic version of the EDL.

So it will be the EDL, we will also be launching the consultation for technical specifications for inverter diagnostics.

So those technical specifications will be generic and then this will allow bidding and then from the bidding we can get better prices and then we could be analysing the prices.

So Please note that the in vitro diagnostic and this list, it has just three years.

The EML has been 40-5 years and W2 has been working in medicines much, much longer.

So there's a lot, much work, but we really need support to do this work on vitro diagnostics and other medical devices, which we think it's absolutely necessary.

And yes, we will be working on measuring affordability for for countries, which is absolutely essential.

Otherwise it could be a perfect, very good device.

But if they cannot be afforded, it is the the ACE that we have is safety and quality, but then we have acceptability, affordability, availability.

And so those are our famous A's and we want to achieve them.

[Other language spoken]

Stephanie, is this a question for Miss Velasquez?

[Other language spoken]

It's actually from Margaret.

[Other language spoken]

I'll, I'll take note of it.

We'll come back to you.

[Other language spoken]

Is that it?

Is this a follow up on your question?

Yes, yes, because I didn't have an answer on the people are still using the the the tests that are not anymore recommended for HIV and TB.

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, some countries are still using them, but it really it, we really need, we need you, we need you to disseminate all the messages from the real choice so that they can reach everywhere, so that can people can understand what things are better and, and to get more information.

So we put the information in there, but it's really like for communications like you that really can help us disseminate this information so that then we can get every, every corner of the world and manufacturers and procurers.

And so, but of course these will come, this advice will come to the ministries of health and then the ministries of health will be taking their, their measures and of course, also the industry.

So all of this is transparent.

And by the way, everything was published in the website before.

So the submissions were published, the comments are published and now the results will be published.

So everything is published in all the, all the, of the, the decision.

So we hope that with that it will be it will have an impact.

[Other language spoken]

Jamil, is this a question for Miss Velasquez or for Margaret?

Oh, it's for Margaret, but I just want to thank Mrs Velasquez for being here with us.

[Other language spoken]

We'll just see if go key the last question if that's for Miss Velasquez.

If not, we will let her go and we'll come back with Margaret to answer the other questions.

So in case of.

[Other language spoken]

Premier man Publication The Women US Francis Espanol.

We learn from Masuke Quesela about the the latest Condua Ochenje we may sell a premier foil of umbrella reaction to the lenders tree AOC the the minister de Sante they say some Salman de de test the Lotto Cote on a place to do sound test.

Laura Mondua, the monitoring screening.

I, I think that's all the questions we have for you, so we will let you go.

Thank you so much for having been with us this morning.

Adriana Velasquez Berumen, Senior Advisor at WHO on The Who essential diagnostics list that is being posted tomorrow.

Thank you and we hope to see you again.

Thank you very much.

Just for clarification, it will be posted today that Margaret will tell you.

[Other language spoken]

Will be posted today.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you for the clarification.

[Other language spoken]

Stay safe as well, Margaret, we come back to you.

[Other language spoken]

And you already have that first question from Gabriella and then we'll go back to Stephanie and Jamil.

Exactly on the DG, it will be speaking at that was after 5:30 this evening, after 1730.

So the, the press conference, The Who press conference will be the usual hour, but it will have to be from 4:30 to 5:30 because the DG will then be speaking at Davos after that.

The second question you had, I've got it written down.

You'll have to repeat it.

I'm sorry, I've managed to forget it.

[Other language spoken]

AI think it was on on the mission in China.

In China, it was the quarantine, yes.

So China has a very strict regime, quarantine regime.

They have the first quarantine is in the hotel, you can't leave your room and you get tested several times a day.

The second then they have so they have a 14 days of that.

Then they have a following 2nd 14 days where you have restricted movement.

So the team will go out but only at where they will be bussed to wherever.

So they won't have any contact with the community, they will only have contact with those individuals that are being organised as part of the test, so as part of the study.

So it will be very limited contact, but they will see the different groups and experts and places that are on their agenda and they will also continue to be tested.

Thank you for that first question, Stephanie Nabi, Reuters.

[Other language spoken]

Sorry.

[Other language spoken]

I think they finished their work for the day in Wuhan from what I have seen.

Do you expect them over this weekend to continue their field visits and specifically go to either the the, you know, seafood market or the Wuhan Institute of Virology?

[Other language spoken]

Thanks, Stephanie.

Yes, we do expect that they will continue their work as they have been in the previous 14 days.

They worked the whole time.

[Other language spoken]

They really have put in tremendously long hours and days.

And yes, those two places are on the list.

[Other language spoken]

Over to Jamil.

[Other language spoken]

Oh, really?

You got the stuff.

[Other language spoken]

No, I understand that yesterday Kovacs had a very important meeting and I would we would like to have more transparency and I understand that even Mr Durham Barroso was there.

It would be very important because it's public money by citizens paying for this.

So it would be very important to understand what were the issues in this meeting, what was dealt and more important and this is really the question, what was the decision taken on the 1st dispatches of doses because that was the main issue of the meeting.

I know that the big transfer of of doses will happen only in March, but there's a first one that will happen in February, and we really need to know this.

I know that they have a separate press officer and all of this, yes.

But since Mr Tedros speaks as if it was his, I think it is also a duty from your side to be transparent on these meetings by Kovacs.

[Other language spoken]

And of course, it is in the world's interest to be very involved in the efforts to get the vaccine out to everybody in the entire world at the same time.

So you're absolutely right, this is critical, critical work.

I not sure which meeting you're talking about, but certainly the good news is countries have not only submitted their requests, but also have been really looking at their readiness and doing tremendous work to get ready for the roll out.

One of the crucial things for any country vaccinating is to have trained staff, the good cold chain, all those things in place as well.

And I can tell you those things are falling into place.

And it do expect to see some very interesting and important announcements in the next weeks or so.

But I will go back to, I think you're talking about Gaffy that do make the decisions about certainly the, the negotiations on the vaccines and so on.

And I will get back to them and let them know that we, we need to try to do more to, to provide opportunities for you to have more information.

[Other language spoken]

OK, we have three people on the line up.

We'll take these three questions and then I think we'll have to call it a date almost 11:50.

So Isabel Sacco, then Tomashiro Del de Gucci from Kyodo and then we finish with John Zaragosta.

[Other language spoken]

Clarification please.

I would like to clarify and when you said that the Biology Institute and the market are on the list for visits do and regarding the question of Stephanie, are you mean, do you mean that these places are will be visited this weekend or later?

And then?

I don't have the agenda, OK.

So but the first one I don't have the agenda.

But as we've as has been discussed though certainly are areas of work that they want to do.

Those are areas of interest, but I do not have a specific agenda.

This is not a day or time or anything, no.

So you can say anything on if after the this second period of foreign time that they are doing, if they after that they will be free of meeting anyone at Rabila said any anyone they want and to meet even people that they maybe are don't agree with the official narrative.

They are scientists.

It's not about official narrative.

It's about looking for the evidence.

[Other language spoken]

On the Wuhan mission, how long are they going to be staying in China?

They've been there for already two weeks, but are they going to stay there for additional 2 weeks or?

[Other language spoken]

Well, the second phase of quarantine is also 14 days so and after that I don't have an exact end date.

[Other language spoken]

Just following up on Jamil's question, The Who has a representative on the Garvey board.

So you have an insight on what is going on there.

And given that Doctor Tedros has been stressing so much the importance of COVAX, I think what Jamil mentioned is a really very relevant and I'm just adding to that.

But my question is with reference to the visits to various laboratories in China.

Can you send us possibly a link to WHR analysis on how many laboratory accidents have occurred worldwide in scientists working with samples of coronaviruses over the last two decades?

[Other language spoken]

Goodness, John, I'm not sure there is such a link, but I will certainly ask the infectious hazard management team whether or not there are such studies.

I mean, we certainly anecdotally know of these over the over the this does occur over over decades, but I'm not sure if there's a specific link to that specific issue, but I was I will pass your question on.

[Other language spoken]

Someone has sent me a question by WhatsApp asking if you could tell us whether the Moderna vaccine would be approved this weekend.

Do you have any information on this?

I do not the requests for emergency use listing at WHO go through and usually take considerable time.

I but we do look at the the work of regulatory bodies such as the Europeans Medicine Agency.

I do have a link to our current assessment of all vaccines.

We've got something like 15 vaccines and different groups that have made applications for emergency use listings that are at different stages.

And I can provide that for who, whoever the person who asks the question or the team if I provided it last week, but I can send it again.

[Other language spoken]

That would be much appreciated, Margaret.

[Other language spoken]

And I see John still has his hand up, so it's probably just a quick follow up and we'll end that there with him.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, it's a follow up before the weekend.

And Margaret, following up on what you just mentioned, is my understanding correct that WHO Member States under the International Health Regulations have an obligation to report if there is a laboratory accident dealing with any pathogen?

And it's not anecdotal.

There have been accidents that have been reported, I understand in the in the past dealing with pathogens, including coronavirus linked pathogens.

So that wasn't an official statement.

But if you go through the history of infectious diseases, indeed occasionally this occurs, but I would have to check.

The specific regulations about the obligations under the International Health Regulations off the top of my head.

I couldn't give you further detail, but I'll check it for you John.

Very good, Margaret, as always, thank you so much for being with us this morning and answering so many questions and bringing very interesting guests as well.

So on that, we'll let you go and I will just close off with some final announcements which are, let me just see, yes, just to remind you that the Conference on Disarmament should have its next public plenary meeting next Thursday, 4th of February at 10 AM.

And the Committee on the Rights of the Child will be holding it's next public meeting Thursday on the 4th of February in the afternoon.

That's in terms of meetings.

And as well, as I said at the very beginning today at 4:45 in this room, press conference by the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr Pederson, I want to brief you on the discussions this week by the small body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.

[Other language spoken]

Good morning, Royal question for you please, if you can hear me.

[Other language spoken]

I was just wondering if you could tell us how you're viewing the world of work after the pandemic at the UN.

Do you think you'll move to a pan, you know, a hybrid model permanently?

I'm thinking about journalists, but also about UN staff and diplomats.

Have you given much thought to what briefings and meetings will look like later in the year when the pandemic is hopefully over?

[Other language spoken]

Well, I mean we have to try to make provisions for the next few months at least.

I mean, I think, I think we, we all recognise that we will have to continue working in, in this type of format for some time still hybrid or virtual.

And I mean, I think, you know, these, this, this type of briefing, making it accessible to people quite easily has, has given us some very interesting food for thought.

[Other language spoken]

I, I would say we, we, you know, we hope that one day we will be rid of this virus and that we can come back to something a little bit more normal than than what we like we've experienced in the past.

Because I mean, it's, it's always much better to be able to, to have personal contact with, with, with people and interact face to face for the moment.

But I think we, you know, we have to continue in the way we have been working.

And it all depends on, of course, the advice, the, the decisions by the health authorities on how we must proceed.

So we are watching the situation very carefully.

And as things change, we adapt our methods of working for the moment we are still, you know, the, the, the directive is still for people to telework as much as possible.

So in terms of attendance here at the Paledinacion, I think we are you know hovering in around the 20% rate out of you know, 2500 to to 3000 staff.

And normally on site only the most essential staff are are coming to to the padded these days.

So security officers, maintenance crews, people who need to work on technical people who need to work on, on meetings, etcetera.

And we will continue to work in this fashion as long as we're told to do so.

And, and respecting the, the various health measures to, to help contribute to eradicating this, this virus.

If you need more, let me just give me a call after and we can discuss further.

But I think, you know, that's generally the overview of of what I can tell you.

[Other language spoken]

Final question to John and then we really need to end this briefing.

[Other language spoken]

Next week's conference on disarmament, will it be webcast?

And with regards to the meeting that was held this week, we got the list of speakers, but we didn't get the speeches.

And you normally send along the speeches.

I was interested in the speeches by the DPRK in Iran, for instance.

Is it possible to have them sent to us?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, the conference on disarmament is not webcast, but you can listen to it from our website.

There's an audio link and I can send that to you, but it's it's pretty easy to find on our the homepage of our website.

I think it's under meetings and there's an audio live link and you can select the room to listen to the meetings that are taking place for the Conference on disarmament.

The speeches, yes, this we, we had traditionally tried to send them to you, but working remotely has made that a little bit more difficult for us.

We don't always have access to the speeches.

I'll see with our colleagues from conference management if there is a way that we can, we can have access to those speeches.

It's we're also dependent on the Member states giving us the speeches obviously.

And as I said, as we are all working remotely, sometimes that doesn't happen as easily possibly as before when we were in the room and we could get the the actual speech as it was being delivered.

But we'll see whether we can improve that situation.

So on that, well, let's end here and we'll see you this afternoon for the press conference by the UN special envoy for Syria.

And I wish you a bon appetit and a good afternoon and a good weekend.

[Other language spoken]