Welcome to this press briefing of the Information Service in Geneva.
I will immediately start by giving the floor to Rolando Gomez, spokesperson of the Human Rights Council that, as you know, has opened yesterday.
It's **** level segments with many messages from heads of States and governments, but also from the Secretary General and the President of the General Assembly.
You have received the speech, so now we give the floor to Rolando for an update.
As Alessandro just mentioned, the 46th regular session of the Human Rights Council just kicked off yesterday morning with opening statements from the.
President of the General Assembly.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the **** Commissioner of Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
Their statements were followed by a group of states participating in the **** level segment, which continues today.
The 53 states in total addressed the **** level segment yesterday, including nine heads of state and government, which is incidentally a record for the Human Rights Council.
As expected, the common thread that we heard throughout all speeches yesterday was COVID-19.
That the pandemic was not only a health crisis but also a human rights crisis.
Speakers highlighted the various ways the virus has had an adverse effect on human rights, including its impact on the most.
Vulnerable among the women and.
Girls and in exercising freedom, freedom of speech, for example, among many other ways.
Moreover, speakers also highlighted the importance of equal access to vaccines, noting that the distribution of vaccines must be fair, equitable and affordable now.
Such messages were also echoed in the panel discussion that took place in the afternoon yesterday, which addressed the effects of COVID-19.
The effects COVID-19 has had on the fight against racism and discrimination.
And I guess the key message, the key take away from that panel discussion, which also featured President of the General Assembly, Secretary General and the **** Commissioner, as well as Doctor Tedros from WHO was that the fight against racism and COVID-19 must be fought together.
Now turning to today, at 9:00 AM, the Council held its second panel discussion for throughout the session.
This one is on the question of the death penalty and it carries the theme human rights violations related to the use of the death penalty, in particular with respect to whether the use of the death penalty has a deterrent on a deterrent effect on crime rate.
I sent you a concert paper last night.
We had an opening statement from the **** Commission of Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and the panellists this morning include the Minister of Justice of Chad, the Commissioner of the International Commission against the Death Penalty, an NGOA member of the Human Rights Committee.
Professor of criminology at the University of Oxford.
In her opening remarks, the **** Commissioner specified that there is no evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than any other punishment.
And quote, On the contrary, she states, studies suggest that some states have abolished the death penalty, saw their ****** rates unaltered to even decline and then quote So at roughly 11:00.
In a little while, we'll.
Resume with the **** level segment and the this will last throughout the day from 11:00 to 6:00 today.
We have 52 speakers inscribed on the list for today alone.
So I would ask you just to consult the list, the updated list which I shared with you last night.
Segment, as mentioned, will continue.
Tomorrow there are another 30.
States inscribed to speak.
During the **** level segment.
Tomorrow, and then the Council will move to what?
Segment, which is an extension of the **** level segment at the ambassador level.
So that should commence sometime just before noon.
After that we will have rights of reply so.
State who wishes to speak in a right of reply based on any of the any of the statements that were uttered throughout the **** level segment and general segment.
Does have that their right?
To speak tomorrow, I'd say it will be probably late morning or perhaps around noon tomorrow.
So that's for the rights of reply.
Tomorrow afternoon there are series of country reports to be presented and I'll, I'll recite them in the order in which they will be presented.
And this will be at approximately between 12:00 and 1:00 tomorrow, I would say starting off at between 12:00 and 1:00.
So first we have a **** Commission report on the Occupied Palestinian territory.
That will be followed by a special rapporteur oral update on Eritrea, **** Commission report on Sri Lanka and finally a **** Commission report on Nicaragua.
Now all of these presentations I just mentioned on country reports will be followed by concerned country statement and an interactive discussion with States and NGOs.
So that'll take up all of the afternoon tomorrow.
One last note before I conclude.
There has been, there was a draught resolution that was tabled yesterday on Sri Lanka.
This is the first of many that we expect to see tabled over the course of the coming weeks and all resolutions will be considered on the 22nd and 23rd of March.
Those are the last two days of the 46th session, and I should just note that the draught is posted on the externant.
I sent you a link to it last night and I'll end it there.
Rolando, do you have any question for him in the room or online?
Have a nice, good second day of the **** level segments.
Oh, sorry, there is a question from Lisa.
Yes, hi, good morning and good morning, Rolando.
See, sorry, tomorrow afternoon those reports Eritrea and there were a couple of others.
Are they going to be oral reports by the?
Rapporteurs and will they be followed?
By the the country that is.
Involved and will you be?
So of the four reports, three are actually written reports.
So the **** Commission, there's a report, a written report on the Occupied Palestinian territory.
There's a written report on Sri Lanka and a written report on Nicaragua.
All of these are online on the website on the Council, on the 46th session website.
The on Eritrea, it is indeed an oral update, so there's no report.
This is an update by the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, so OPT Eritrea, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua, in that order.
Let me see if there is any other question.
I don't see any reliance.
So this time we didn't miss you for good.
Thank you very much for the update.
So I now turn to my rights.
We have Thompson P for the World Food Programme.
Thompson, today he brought with you a guest, in fact, virtually brought with a with you a guest, Mr Miguel Barreto, who is the World Food Programmes Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
I see that Mister Barreto is online.
I would like to ask my colleagues to mute him and Buenos Dias, Buenos noches nose que Raisin.
I am actually in Rome, so it's.
The same time that Geneva.
Thank you very much for being with us today To brief the Geneva press score.
I'll start by giving the floor to Thompson and then you'll have a few introductory remarks.
Thank you so much, Alessandra.
Quickly say to colleagues that.
The number of angry people in Central America is nearly.
Quadrupled over the last two.
Years due in part to devastating hurricanes that are compounded by economic.
COVID-19 and leaving millions.
And many of them planning.
Circulated the news release with.
Details and now we are joined and very pleased by by Miguel.
Who can talk you through some of those issues?
Thank you so much, Thompson.
And good morning everyone.
I would like to give you a quick overview on of the food security.
And of course, then after take your questions, let me start saying something that since 2014, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua has been experiencing prolonged dry periods and excessive rain that destroyed the crops and livelihoods of farmers and their families, particularly in the dry corridor in the in a region where poverty, inequality and climate shocks are the root causes of food insecurity that countries also experienced El Nino in 2015 and 2019.
So in our analysis of rain.
Was the driest year since 1981, so the situation then improved because of good rainfall at the end of 2019, but then suddenly the pandemic.
So rural communities has been greatly impacted.
But so have urban communities.
And this is a different that we have now.
The face of hunger has changed in Central America.
Countries not only certain areas and is increasingly urban.
Phenomenon, as you may know, 50% of labour.
In in in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Informal and the same it.
Happened in Central America, so in some countries it is even higher than 70% the informal labour so with COVID-19 restrictions.
To access markets and jobs.
Millions of people in Central America and elsewhere lost.
In common jobs, so they were.
Left with very little or nothing to meet their basic needs.
Depend on daily pay, the tourism, the service sector.
Or on temporary jobs, so lockdown.
Hardly impact most of the.
Also forced to reduce the amount of quality of food they will eat and the situation.
It started to improve as of as of September 2020 when lockdowns were partially or totally lived.
And then came Hurricanes 2, strong Category 5 Hurricanes ETA and Yota in November.
1020 hurricane season was really horrible.
It was the most active on record with setting named storms in late In late May Tropical Storm Amanda hit El Salvador hard and it is considered the worst storms since Eurich and Mitch in 2098.
People were affected by ETA and Jota in Central America, of which 3 million in Nicaragua, and the real number could reach up to 7.3 million in the next.
Lost their homes and their livelihoods, including in the fishery sector.
So all this together made food insecurity even worse in the region.
Same, for instance, a beneficiary.
That she and her husband lost their jobs with the pandemic and have not recovered.
Part of their homework was damaged by the.
Storms, Her husband, a bricklayer, worked.
Only three days in January for a pay of $10 a day they are selling.
Plastic bottles and scraps for $0.08 a pound.
This is not enough to feed them and their four children.
What they have to the kids and don't eat so all the time they go to bed.
Of coffee, her harrowing.
Indeed, replicated across Central America nowadays, so WFP has been monitoring the food security.
In the region through assessments.
And remote surveys that took into account coping.
In 2018, after a drought year on an average 8.
Percent of respondents said that.
They were making concrete plans to migrate versus 15% double in January 2021.
Back in Honduras is even 17.
Emigration is the last resort.
People want to stay home.
Given country should be between 00.5 and 1% while in Central America this.
Has increased up to 15% in January 2000.
Integrated food security classification that WP use.
And we use data and secondary.
Also on our own assessments.
Jam from 2.2 million to 7.9 million, almost 8 million between December 2018 and January 2021.
This is the hard Figure 4 times in more than two.
And this includes moderate and severe food insecurity, which are crisis and emergency.
Of these, nearly 8 million people.
1.7 are in an emergency phase, so.
The situation is really precarious given the level of destruction and setbacks.
We anticipate a slow and long recovery because most of the harvests.
Are being affected and the next harvest in Central.
America is in August so to respond to the emergencies in 2020.
WSP has already escalated.
Up its operation, reaching 1.9 million people in Central America last.
Again and assist this year 2.
Point 6 million people, but we need $47 million for the next 6 months.
We provide urgent food assistance to the most vulnerable people in the form of food rations and vouchers they can.
We serve include families of at least.
Four members pregnant and lacked.
Acting women Also women with three children under five years age.
The elderly, people living with disabilities and the other vulnerable.
So we also assist communities in building resilience and adapting to climate.
And this is indeed the ultimate goal.
So far we have helped during the last two years 40,000 families.
That has been graduated resilient.
Communities between 2018 and 2020, but we have to graduate 2,000,000 more so the gap is really.
And we need sustainable and multi year resources and this is also a way to stop.
Not just poverty, but also emigration.
In our view, it is critical to invest in development and tackle the.
Causes of food insecurity it is also critical to expand national social protection programmes to include most vulnerable groups so they have a safety.
Net at times of emergency.
I would be glad to answer your questions.
Thank you very much, Mr Bareko, for this briefing.
I have a question from the correspondent in Geneva of FA, Antonio Brotto.
I'm not sure you understand.
Yeah, I would like to ask in Spanish, but so that everybody can understand, I'm going to try with English.
And my question is on the humanitarian work last year, how how was it affected by the pandemic?
For example, the donors decreased last year because of this of the money was needed in other fronts and was the work of WFD somewhat limited because of the pandemic last year?
I have to say that in 2020.
We start the year sinking.
In a plan of work of around 200 and.
$509,000,000 so the donors came and support not as.
Needed because of course with the COVID, the number of beneficiary has increased dramatically and also.
The way how we work, so one of the main concerns that we had in 2020 is that the schools were closed.
Is to distribute foods ration home ration foods.
For them to take, to take and we have increased.
Electronic methods so, but what has happened?
Also is that some countries in the region has started to invest through WSP particularly to provide.
Them service provisions like for instance the case of Guatemala.
Them to procure food and to distribute food to the most.
And this is happening also in other countries in Latin.
America and the Caribbean.
Have to say is that donors come in and of course our crisis response window increased a lot in 2020.
The main problem now is to continue this trend in 2021 and this is where our.
Continue because the situation.
A prolonged crisis for Latin America and the Caribbean, having in mind that the economy has.
So it's going to be a very hard year in 2021 and probably 2022.
Of resources at or more level of resources that we had in.
You have another question from Paula Dipras.
Thanks for taking my question.
Whether there have been issues with access to distribute the the assistance?
You know, after the the hurricane as well as in certain.
Countries are the countries receptive to to your.
Could you answer the issue please, Mr Barrett?
If we concentrate in Central America, governments have come.
Support more than 6,000,000.
People and we are planning to support probably 7 million people through direct.
Reaching a thousands through the.
Government's social protection systems.
We haven't experienced any.
Type of restriction access even in in in countries for instance like Nicaragua, our our alliance and partnership with the government has increased a lot and we.
Are doing jointly targeting and monitoring and something that is also happening in some countries is that now they are also asking WC to implement funds that they got from international financial institutions.
Window that has been open.
The reason behind is not just because we are the agencies who have more.
But also we are able to move between emergency and development.
Thank you very much, Nikamim Bruce, New York Times correspondent.
Thank you for taking the question.
I'm straying, straying a little off topic and just wanted to ask specifically about Venezuela.
You don't have an office.
But I wonder if you have an assessment of the hunger there and I wonder if you have any update on the discussions?
That you've been having with Venezuela?
To try and get food into the country, whether you see that situation changing anytime soon?
Which became public in 2019.
At that time, 2.3 million of Venezuelan people were under civil food insecurity and seven more under moderate food insecurity, which is indeed a very, very, very **** figure since.
Then we have been engaged with the government in negotiation.
Which of course are confidential, but we are continuing discussing with the.
Willingness to get into the country and support the people in need, but something that is absolutely important for us.
We'll continue working with the.
Government and I hope we can find a common.
Solution soon in order to allow us to.
Get in, but again under the respect of humanitarian.
Let me see if the Oh yes, a follow up from Antonio.
Do you think that the blockage of immigration by US and Mexico last year worsened all these humanitarian situation in the region?
It's difficult to say what we are now doing and we're going to start this very soon.
Is is a study OK with primary and secondary data on what is the link between food insecurity?
Climate change and migration.
We hope we will have it ready this report by mid year to be launched, I hope in Washington probably during the.
This is when we are going to basically have more evidence on the link between food security and migration.
Thank you very much, Mr Barito.
No, we don't have other questions for me, from you, for you at this point.
But before closing with the World Food Programme, I think Thomson has an announcement.
I will be circulating Miguel Barreto's remarks with you.
All soon after soon after this briefing, I also wanted.
That tomorrow, Wednesday, the 20.
4th of February double FP will be.
Launching the state of school feeding worldwide.
Important report for us and.
Juncture that because, among other things, this report.
Indicates that how COVID-19.
Some of the historic advances we had made in children's access to school meals.
Embargoed news release later today, together with a copy of the report.
And everything, the embargo.
Central European time tomorrow.
Thank you very much, Thompson.
And I don't see any other requests for the floor for you.
So thank you for this briefing.
And again, muchas Gracias Al Senor Barito for this briefing and for bringing us this news from the Americas.
The humanitarian situation in Syria.
Increase this year in the number of people in need, mainly due to the last.
Point 4 million people are estimated.
To require humanitarian and protection.
Assistance this year up from.
11,000,000 last year, we're back at the same **** levels of need that we saw in 2016 and 2017.
Population that were previously less affected have been pushed into.
And for those who already needed it, the situation.
Driving up the number this time is a sharp currency depreciation.
Percent in value in just one year.
Record price increases and cuts.
This has led to growing food insecurity, people cannot afford to buy the food that's available and increasingly unaffordable basic services, including healthcare, safe.
Water and education for children.
2,000,000 Syrians live in extreme poverty we estimate that the cost of providing.
Assistance in Syria this year.
Will be around $4.2 billion.
I sent with my notes before this briefing the link to the full document, the summary document of Syria in 2021.
Thank you very much, Ian, for this important update.
Do we have any question for OCHA?
I don't see any in the room or online.
So thank you very much, Ian.
And on my right, I've got the pleasure to welcome Herve Ferroso for unit aid on COVID-19.
I saw a hand, but it disappeared.
Is this a question for Jens before Jens leaves?
Jens and it's about Yemen.
Do you have any more details on the on the Yemen meeting next Monday or should we wait for Mr Loco's briefing for logistics there?
Yeah, Thank you, Christian AS.
I've shared, of course, the the media advisory we hope to have for you.
On Friday morning, a press release.
United Nations, Sweden and Switzerland.
That we will give you, but.
It will be on the embargo till.
Monday early Monday morning so that we will have.
That at the end of the of the event.
So around 7:00 Central European time, there is a press briefing with principals from the three.
Co hosts and I encourage you to send.
To, to, to, to that press conference, you'll be able.
To send questions up till 2 hours before the closing of the event.
So I will also encourage you to.
Look out for the for the opening speeches and of course, the pledges of which we expect the big.
Ones will come at the beginning of the meeting so that you can ask also your questions on the back of what you have heard.
At that point, but please do send to me, you can send your.
Questions to me in English and French or to my colleague Hayat if you wish to ask your question in.
The press conference will be in English, but where there will be a parallel live feed.
With simultaneous translation into Arabic.
Thank you for these details, Jens, and thank you for the briefing, Erwin.
I would like to speak to you about a very important subject with the situation about medical oxygen following COVID-19 and the situation about oxygen in low and middle income countries.
Since the start of the pandemic, affordable and sustainable access to oxygen has been growing challenge in low and middle income countries where COVID-19 has put a huge pressure on health systems with some hospital running out of oxygen resulting in preventable death is also put pressure on medical oxygen for diseases like pneumonia, malaria or surface.
It is estimated that more than half a million people I want the world, but more specifically in low and middle income countries currently need more than 1.1 million cylinders of oxygen per day.
That's more than 8,000,000 cubic metres a day in low and middle income countries only, with 25 countries currently reporting surges in demand, the majority of which in Africa, but also some in Asia or Latin America.
Today, united and welcome on behalf of the Access to COVID Tools Accelerator, ACTA, in partnership with The Who LED consortium of partners, is announcing the launch of a COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Task Force that will build on the work already done by partners since the beginning of the pandemic.
This is a global emergency that needs a truly global response from international organisations and donors.
The Task Force has determined an immediate funding need of more than $90,000,000 to address key challenges in oxygen access in up to 20 countries including for example, Malawi, Nigeria or Afghanistan.
This first set of countries has been identified based on an assessment coordinated by WHO Health Emergency Programme in order to match in country need with potential financing such as through the World Bank or the Global Fund.
The 1st 20 million will be put forward by United and Welcome.
The urgent short term requirement of additional countries will be measured and costed in the coming weeks.
But the overall funding needs over the next 12 months is estimated by ACTA to $1.6 billion, a figure that will be regularly review by the task Force One more time.
This is an important problem.
This is an emergency that need a truly global response from international organisation, countries, concern and donors.
More information will be released on this with a full press release at the end of the week and we will also have specialist available at your disposal.
Ravi Kant has a question for you.
My question is under Actor A until now, how many pharmaceutical companies have actually shared their technology and no hope because without that, the, you know, rapid production of vaccines and therapeutics cannot happen.
And also does do you support the TRIPS waiver?
Then I can put you in contact with some of our specialist on that issue was was not in relations with with Oxygen.
We are working with organisations like MPP that United has launched a few years ago, not only for COVID in general to basically work on, on those kind of issues.
That's a very interesting subject and I will put you in contact with a specialist on that this afternoon.
Thank you very much, John Zarro Costas.
All right now we have a problem with your sound, John, because you are muted.
Let's go to Antonio, who has a question too.
I am curious to know if the developing countries can produce their own oxygen of or they need to import and if they need to import, which are the main exporters And you mentioned Latin America, Do you know specifically which countries are having more problems of distribution of oxygen in that region?
Yes, I will come first with your first, your last questions and I will just take one example in in Latin America is Peru.
That's many reports for the moment including from media, but also from organisations in Peru who explained to us that no oxygen is even sold on the black market for three times the price than the normal price in Peru.
That give you a bit an idea of the of the, of the problem and the scale of the of the problem on on the first question, some of the issues that we have in fact in the low and middle income countries are also linked to the limited or less structured country and regional markets.
And something's quite important, the lack of of established private sector contracting mechanism and the weak distribution and transport facilities and systems.
And that's why the task force will work on all that, including with the private sector to facilitate the access to the market.
Some of the other problem will also be maintenance and training will be important for those countries.
Let's try John again, if you can unmute John Zarro, Costas.
So either you send your question directly to ervay or to me, and I read it for you.
In the meantime, I'll give the floor to Paula again.
So is are there any Latin?
American countries that are included.
Those twenty countries that you mentioned not in the 1st 20 countries.
In the 1st 20 countries are mostly African countries plus some Asian countries such as Afghanistan or Cambodia or Vietnam.
The other ones are in Africa.
Important country will be Malawi but also DRC for example Zambia and and other ones.
Yeah, thanks for taking my question.
Elve, I'd like to ask you about Malawi and Zambia and I wasn't clear from your last answer.
Are countries like Malawi and Zambia able to manufacture their own oxygen?
And if not, where do they get it from at the moment?
I can ask the questions to specialist on those specific countries where, where the the source of the oxygen, medical oxygen is in those specific countries.
To be honest, I, I don't know.
I don't know for those typical countries the the answer, but most of the oxygen of course is is imported.
I'm waiting to see if John Zarcos has sent his question, but not for the moment.
So thank you very much for this, for this briefing and for the follow up on the questions.
And I'll go now to our last, but definitely not last list Speaker Babar Baloch from the the refugee agencies and Babar is on the line.
Babar, good morning, everything on Ethiopian asylum seekers.
So thank you, Alexandra, just pulling up the note.
Highlight a new situation in Sudan.
Several thousands of people fleeing escalating violence in Ethiopia.
Blue Nile state over the last.
Month tensions have been **** in medical zone inside Ethiopia's Bin Ishangul Gummuz region since 2000.
With several reports of Inter.
Communal attacks in the region the situation has.
Rapidly escalated in the.
Past three months, the federal government.
Of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in the area on 21st of January this year.
Unit CR, The UN refugee agency, is working with Sudanese authorities and partners.
To assess the situation and respond to.
The humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have come in hard to reach, locations along the border.
The region is in western Ethiopia.
As I currently understand, this displacement is not.
Directly related to the conflict in the country's northern Thick Ray region.
Refugees to seek safety in.
Refugees who have arrived in Blue Nile state nearly 3000 have been registered.
Expected to increase as the verification.
Exercise continues in all.
Locations where refugees are being hosted.
In the past weeks, uniciar.
Our partners have already provided.
Humanitarian assistance to nearly 1000 refugees on yabachar site on Sudan, Ethiopia border refugees have received.
Access food, access to health.
Water and sanitation facilities.
The majority of asylum seekers are living among the Sudanese.
Host community who continue to welcome people seeking safety.
To support the government in its response, I'll stop here.
Thank you very much, Barbara, Robin, AFP.
Do we know who is being targeted in these attacks and are those fleeing?
Do we know and And finally, are there any details?
On on specific attacks which have taken place, which have forced.
People into into fleeing across the border.
Thank you, Thank you, Robin.
As far as we understand it is intercommunal between two communities and one of them being the the Gumus and they have been fleeing we we know the.
Tensions have been **** since past few months in in the region.
The refugee arrivals itself started in.
Of 100 refugees crossing into Sudan but in in the in the last few weeks.
The number has picked up.
Stories that refugees are.
Bringing are fleeing attacks from from their opponents.
Region in Tigre which has sent over 61,000 refugees in Sudan as well.
Hi Babar, could could you explain what what are they fighting about what why the tensions?
You talk about it as a new situation and then since you mentioned Tea Grey, we haven't been hearing very.
Least from the UNHCR recently.
Could you bring us up to, you know, tell us more about it?
Because there've been some really terrible reports coming out about the extent of humanitarian needs in the area and apparently people.
Are not getting there are.
You able to access the region and provide any kind of humanitarian aid assistance and also sorry about this but.
What is the latest you have on the?
Eritrean refugees in Tigray.
Being a new situation, the meaning is this is a new.
Situation in terms of more.
Refugees coming into Sudan from.
Part of of Sudan and the tensions as the refugees mentioned as as we are getting reports is linked to inter communal tensions, one community against the other and and that tension has has has.
The past days and weeks and that's why we have seen more refugees coming.
Ethiopia, which is in, in, in in the Western.
So, so that's the, the, the reason for these refugees fleeing and, and, and the Sudani or the Ethiopian federal government.
Has declared a state of emergency in this region since January 21st of this year in in terms of.
Tigray and Eritrean refugees, as we have been mentioning in in the past, the two camps in the.
Raising our concerns we were.
Refugees, Eritrean refugees being dispersed from those camps.
In in the 2 southern camps.
Where we are helping them with other Eritrean refugees, things have eased up as far as I understand a little bit.
Call for access to displaced and refugees across the thick grey region.
In regard to the new situation you mentioned, I, I.
Looked at the press release, I'm not sure that you have the.
Names of the communities The two communities that are.
If you could send that along, that would.
Could you be more specific?
Causes of the tensions Are they fighting over land?
Are they fighting over various resources?
I mean what is the situation?
They hate each other, but why do they hate?
It is linked to resources.
And and the communities living side by side in in the region.
I'll I'll try to ask for the specific.
Who the communities are and I'll.
As far as I understood, at least majority of those who were.
The the opposing side as well.
Thank you very much, Babar.
And I don't see any other question for you.
So thank you for this briefing.
I've got a few announcements to give you.
The first one is about the the Security Council that this afternoon, 23rd of February, we'll hold, I mean this afternoon for Geneva, we'll hold the Ella **** Level Open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security, climate security.
The discussion will focus on addressing threats to peace and security posed by climate change, including through consideration of related conflict risk, peace building approaches and support for adaptation and resilience in climate vulnerable settings.
I'm telling you the about this important debate as the Secretary General will be addressing the meeting alongside other briefers, including Sudanese youth.
Climate activist Nisrin El Sayim was a member of the Secretary General's Youth Advisory group on climate change.
The debate will be chaired by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
You will be able to follow the event which will start at 8:30 New York time on web TV as usual, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
So this is about the Secretary General engagement of today.
We have two press conference coming up.
1 is organised by Angktad.
It's about the publication of the Technology and Innovation Report 2021 with the title Catching Technological Waves, Innovation with Equity.
The report is embargoed until Wednesday 25th of February, 6:00 AM GMT.
And the speakers will be Isabel Durant, Acting Secretary General of Anktad and Shamika Siriman, Director of the Division of Technology and Logistics.
Katherine is on the line if you have any question on that.
And also we have announced to you a press conference on the 1st of March, Monday, 1st of March at 11 AM.
This is a conference from by Waipu on the subject International Patent Systems in 2020, International Trademark and Design System in 2020.
Here too, there is an embargo until the 2nd of March at 10 AM Geneva time, and the speakers at the press conference will be the Wiper Director General Darren Tang and Kirsten Fink, who was the Chief Economist of Wiper.
A couple of updates on the meeting at the Palais.
The Conference on Disarmament is continuing this morning and the whole day.
The **** level segment under the Presidency of Brazil, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will be meeting in public today and tomorrow from 12:30 to 2:30 PM to pursue its review of the report of Denmark.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be meeting in public from 4:00 to 6:00 PM today, tomorrow and after tomorrow to review the report of Latvia.
And then my last announcement starting tomorrow, 24th of February until the 17th of March, you will be able to see in the city of Geneva an exhibition called Paledinacion Anton de Reflection Paso Francais don't sit in exposition photography de Janeiro, particularly the perception set exposition consistency, the photo realise Duron le premier confinement photography presented OCDC solicit web de la de la photography de Geneva.
Central European Time, so the embargo is on Thursday 25th of February at 7 AMAM Central European time, but I will repeat that this afternoon at the press.
Thursday, 25th of February at 6:00 AM GMT, Correct.
Has the human rights spokesperson left the room?
He spoke first because he needed to go back to the council.
But you can definitely contact him directly.
Second question is to the haunted Catherine, I believe you delivered a report or circulated a report on the digital trade last week or this week.
No, I, I, I'm happy to, to put you in touch with one of the experts who wrote this report, but I can't answer any question on that right now.
I don't have the the document now.
So Ravi you will have to go to both spokesperson directly to Orlando for the council and Kathleen for the front.
I don't see any other question in the room or online.
So thank you very much and bon appetit Monjouri orva.
