Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this UNIS press briefing.
Friday, the 30th of July, we're going to get right into our briefing this morning, dealing first with the issue of Tiray, the humanitarian situation there.
The briefing on yes, the deteriorating humanitarian situation in this.
Region of Ethiopia and I understand.
Tigre and has quite a informative briefing.
For you on the nutrition.
The ends you will start first.
And then we'll move to Marixi.
Yeah, thank you very much, Rihanna, and good morning, everyone.
I'm sorry, I'm a little bit technically challenged this day.
I was unable to print my notes, so I'll have to read them off my screen.
So I, I want to just to give a little bit of of context, set the scene of where we are, but what then kind of the broader information we have of the situation in Tigray.
And then of course, Morixi will go into much more specifics on that and for questions relating to food, logistics and that on.
We also have Thompson from WFP here, of course, the expert on that dimension of it.
So yesterday, Emergency Relief coordinator Martin Griffith arrived on a six day mission to Ethiopia.
This is his first official mission as the UN humanitarian chief.
During the mission, he's also expected to travel to the Tigray region.
After more than eight months of conflict In Tigray, 5.2 million people, that's about 90% of the population, needs life saving and life sustaining humanitarian assistance.
Millions of people are severely food insecure and hundreds of thousands are facing famine like conditions.
Extremely concerning levels of acute malnutrition have been observed among children.
The conflict in Tigray started in the middle of the harvest season in November 2020.
At that time, 25% of crops had already been lost due to locust infested.
Over 90% of what was left after that locust attack is estimated to have been lost due to looting, burning or other destruction.
There's also been widespread looting and killing of livestock in the region.
The planting seizing now on the way has been significantly interrupted by the conflict.
There's extremely limited time left to halt the rapid deterioration of the food security situation.
Trucks should be arriving into Mackellar everyday.
Aid organisations estimate that at least 500 trucks of supplies are needed each week to meet the needs of people in Tigray.
Horrific violations against civilians have been reported throughout the conflict.
This includes the widespread and systematic use of **** as a tactic of war, and more than 1600 cases of sexual and gender based violence has been reported since the conflict began.
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed, but there are no verified casualty figures.
2 million people have been internally displaced since the conflict began and registered across more than 300 sites in Tigray and the in the neighbouring regions, 10s of thousands have sought international asylum and protection.
In Sudan, health facilities have been targeted, attacked and looted.
Only 16 out of 40 hospitals in Tigray are fully functioning.
Women and girls who have survived sexual violence have few, if any, place to go for medical help.
Access to basic services, including healthcare and water and sanitation has been decimated.
We are concerned about the risk of disease outbreaks, especially during the upcoming rain raining season which runs into September.
This lack of fundamental services is really a silent killer.
Since the conflict began, humanitarian partners have reached nearly 3.7 million people with protection and assistance that includes food and non food items, emergency shelter, water trucking and mobile health and nutrition teams.
But the response is challenged by cut off communication services and widespread power cuts.
Humanitarian access is the biggest challenge.
Following the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the Federal government of Ethiopia on 28th of June.
Humanitarian access into Tigray has been extremely difficult.
Access inside Tigray has improved but previously inaccessible areas now reachable by aid organisations.
However, since late June only 50, only 150 truck convoy of supplies have been able to enter into Tigray from outside.
The movement of aid personnel and supplies has only been possible via 1 route through the Afar region, which requires passing through multiple checkpoints at which humanitarian personnel have been interrogated, intimidated and in some instances, detained.
The operating environment for aid workers in Tigre is extremely dangerous.
At least 12 workers have been killed, including on the 24th of June when three MSF staff were brutally murdered while responding to the crisis.
Finally, money is also a problem.
More than $430 million, that's half of the total requirements, is still required for the humanitarian response until the end of the year.
Requirements are likely to increase significantly as operational challenges continue, needs in newly accessible areas are assessed and the conflict continues.
Thank you, Yens, for this overview.
Very difficult conditions under which humanitarian assistance can be delivered.
To delve a little bit more deeply into this issue, Marixin Mercado from UNICEF.
I understand you've just returned from the region.
Good morning, colleagues.
As UNICEF reaches areas of.
That were inaccessible in past.
Months due to insecurity.
Our worst fears about the health and well-being of children in that conflicted region of northern Ethiopia are being confirmed.
UNICEF estimates that over 100,000 children in.
Could suffer from life threatening severe acute malnutrition in the next 12.
Tenfold increase compared to the average annual caseload.
Screening data also indicates that almost half, that's 47% of all pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished.
These alarming rates suggest that mothers could face more pregnancy related complications, increasing risk of maternal death during childbirth, as well as the delivery of low birth weight babies who are much more prone to sickness and death.
The malnutrition estimates for children.
Of data from weekly mid upper arm circumference screenings conducted by UNICEF and partners since the outbreak of conflict in the region nearly nine months ago.
The screening data collected for more than 435,000 children provide a proxy estimation of two.
Percent moderate acute malnutrition, which exceeds the emergency threshold of 15%.
For mothers is based on screenings conducted at the same time this.
Malnutrition crisis is taking place.
Amid extensive systematic damage to the food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation systems and services that children and their families depend on for their.
Survival The risk of disease outbreaks is ****, particularly.
In the overcrowded and unsanitary sites hosting displaced families last week, I was able to join nutrition screenings in Wajirat and Gidget Warredas, which are two districts that had been virtually inaccessible throughout the conflict.
Confluence of conditions that puts children's lives at grave risk.
In many places, there were no supplies of therapeutic foods needed to treat severe acute malnutrition.
There were no antibiotics.
Health facilities had no electricity plus.
Children have not been vaccinated for months.
The recent uptick of fighting.
And Amhara regions where nearly.
1.5 million people already face acute food insecurity.
Aggravating conditions across all of northern Ethiopia.
People have been displaced food.
Stores have been looted without sufficient humanitarian assistance.
Will rise beyond the already alarming levels.
Leading to increased risk of.
Mortality among a vulnerable population UNICEF has ditched dispatching.
To meet new emergency needs in Afar and Amhara, we need unfettered access into Tigray and across the region in order to.
To children the children and women urgently need right now we have just 6900 cartoons of life saving, ready to eat therapeutic foods in our warehouses in.
To treat severe malnutrition in just 6900 children, reversing the nutrition, health, water and food security catastrophe requires a massive scale up of humanitarian assistance, and that in turn means the humanitarian community.
Without hindrance, which includes being able to access fuel.
Cash and telecommunications being able to bring in the.
And being able to conduct normal financial transactions, failing to meet these conditions could bring humanitarian assistance to a standstill.
Above all, UNICEF calls on all parties to respect their fundamental obligations to protect.
The dramatic nutrition and food security crisis in Tigray and neighbouring.
Being driven by armed conflict.
And it can only be resolved.
By the parties to the conflict, thank you.
You both Marixi and Yen's.
Right here in the room first.
Thank you for taking my question.
I was just wondering if you can give us more details on Mr Griffith's programme, Who is going to?
What is going to ask for and whom?
Work together with Samantha Power.
Ethiopia at the same time.
So let me read out what what I have of you from from his programme.
So it is a six day mission that that started yesterday.
I just want to add that Mister Griffiths has has said that it's important for him that his first official mission in in this new role that he has is Ethiopia, where humanitarian needs have increased this year due to the armed conflicts in G Grey and elsewhere.
He during this visit he is expected to meet with a number of **** level government officials and representatives of the humanitarian and donor communities.
As I mentioned, he will, he plans to travel to Tigray and there he will very importantly meet the civilians who are affected by the conflict and displaced people there to see for himself what they face and what the people responding to their needs are facing.
He will also meet with regional authorities in Amhara, in Bahiadar City.
And that is what I have on that.
I, we are working on him, of course, speaking to you a bit more after his, after his mission, when he has had all these meetings and met with the people we are trying to help.
Thank you, Rael, and good morning to you.
Happy to see you safe and sound.
When you were in Tea Grey, I'd like to get a sense of your you gave some, but your reaction when you met the women and the children.
Affected you most, and there is I.
I'm not sure whether you mentioned it.
A number of how many malnourished children there actually are?
Do you have any sense of how many have died or how?
Can the situation continues much longer and.
Makes any mention of COVID.
Is that a problem and how do you how do you deal with that?
Please send us your notes.
That would be very helpful.
Thank you, Lisa for the questions.
Going to ask Yens to please send out my notes because I don't have the latest list of Palais journalists so I'm asking to please send that out.
I'm also flagging that there is a link there to multimedia content that we were able.
So there's B roll, there are images.
I think what struck me most in in, in the visits, the in the, in the visits that we were able to do and.
We were able to basically.
See places that, as I said, were previously inaccessible.
So places that have had very, very little assistance or virtually no assistance.
Over the past months, what?
Struck me most was the the extent of need.
It is, it is, it is, it is a very, very large humanitarian crisis.
What also struck me in my conversations with doctors and and and a woman who had been.
Certain who was a survivor of sexual *******.
Is is the extent of psychological damage that is evident?
Among children, among women, among health staff, among, you know, ordinary people.
For example, I thought we, we.
Spoke to one young woman who had is a is a survivor of sexual *******.
She was raped by several.
Men as she watched her nine month old baby being tossed around by other men and what the doctors what the doctor at either at this UNICEF supported referral centre in Michaelis said which also struck.
Me was that in many cases, it's not the it's not the ******* itself that is the.
But it is the psychological.
How many children are malnourished?
Would recommend everybody take a look at is the is the Famine Review Committee's report of 22 July and I can send that around as well.
But you know, here are the here are the top line.
Figures from the report all.
Right, just give me one second.
Essentially you're looking at 400,000 people who are already living in.
Five conditions, that's catastrophic conditions.
So that 400,000 people includes around 40% of them are children.
On top of that, you have about another 404 million people who are in acute or emergency level levels of food insecurity.
Huge numbers of people who are extremely hungry right now.
In terms of how many have died, there are this IPC report, the Famine Review committee report, I think indicates that there are absolutely no mortality estimates at this stage.
But the one thing I think that the IPC review committee report also makes clear is that in a sense, you know, the the question of whether famine is declared or not is in a sense irrelevant because of the huge numbers of people already suffering.
And one thing is also we know from previous experience that.
Declared by then countless children will already have died due to sickness and disease and malnutrition.
So it is a very grave situation.
And on COVID, perhaps WHO may want to answer that question.
Can get some information from you on the COVID situation from WHO, if if WHO is on the.
Line and can add anything on this please.
Raise your hand and we'll we'll, we'll let you brief.
We have another question from Jan.
He was saying that since late June, only 150 truck convoy of eight supplies has been able to enter Tigre.
I was wondering, have there been any other convoys, you know, with, with fewer trucks like 10 truck convoy or or 20 truck convoy?
And and secondly, does it mean that the government in Addis Ababa is still blocking and hampering access to the suffering people despite it's promises to grant access to Tea Grey?
Thank you Jan on the on the logistics of these convoy.
I would actually kick that over to Thompson from WFP, which is the the agency managing that.
So over to you, Thompson.
It has been more than two weeks.
Since since AWFP LED convoy.
And made its way to Mekele.
A convoy of over 200 trucks is on its.
Way now from Semera to mekele this is a.
We need at least 100 tracks to be making their way every day into Tigre if we are to.
Reverse the catastrophic situation which you have, which you have you had today as things.
Stand yes, we are getting access.
But we need much, much faster passage.
A catastrophic situation, one that we can.
Already see will further deteriorate.
And we need all hands on deck.
In and out of Tigray at a much faster rate.
So this is where we stand.
For adding to this, we have another question now from Peter Kenny.
Ethiopian government making.
That's just something that is not.
Situations such as the situation.
Humanitarian agencies, including double FP.
Must work with all authorities, all parties to the conflict, and that is the situation you would like to add.
There's one thing that's that's a very concrete ask from us to the government of Ethiopia and that is that the government must permit humanitarians to bring in additional communications equipment and also provide longer term visas for NGO staff.
We, we, we need these things in order to operate.
We cannot, you cannot do a distribution of any kind of aid if you don't have the communication equipment whereby truck drivers, for example, can communicate with those who are sending the trucks out and those who are receiving the trucks for security reasons and other logistics reasons.
So it's it's very important that this communication equipment is allowed and that is the government of Ethiopia who can allow that.
Griffith is visiting Ethiopia this week.
Earlier this week, another senior UN official.
To to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Rosemary Dicarlo, the.
Under Secretary General for Political and Peace Building Affairs, uh, was.
25th to the 27th of July and during this visit she did meet with the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeki Mckonnon and as well as the Minister of Peace Mofferiat Kamil in in separate.
Meetings where of course.
The the She used the opportunity to discuss umm ways to strengthen the region's stability and national unity and.
She of course emphasised UMM.
Solution to the Tigre conflict.
As I said earlier this week, the Secretary.
Repeated has repeated often the.
A peaceful resolution to this and also for the need of unfathered.
Access to for humanitarian assistance to make its way to the people to the most.
Vulnerable people who need it.
Nice to have you back on what you just said.
Why is it that the government appears to be?
Dragging its feet on allowing you.
The communications and other equipment that is so vital to your humanitarian operation, and I gather that it's.
Dragging its feet also on granting visas to the the people.
Staff, do you actually have on the spot and how?
To really do a the the kind of job.
Nice to hear from you again.
I cannot speak on behalf of the government of Ethiopia why they don't allow this in.
We can say that this communication equipment is only for humanitarian purposes in a neutral, independent, impartial manner.
In order to carry out our our operations, we need satellite phones, for example.
We need that communication equipment to go in.
So we don't know why that is not happening.
We can only say we need this and we need those permissions.
Please, I'm just looking up to give you a precise number of staff because I do have it.
If we can go while I find if we can take another question, then I'll then I'll get that for you.
Stephanie Nebe from Reuters Now.
I just wanted to come back to some of the.
Figures you gave when you.
100,000 children may now have.
Acute form of malnutrition they.
Are presumably then among the 430.
5000 children who whom you've been able to screen, is that correct?
Perhaps you could just walk us through those figures.
You're talking about 2.3% severe and 15.6% moderate.
To those numbers represent.
Sort of the whole region of Tigray or are.
Those very much, you know.
Related to children you were.
Actually able to see in just certain areas.
Thank you Stephanie for the.
I will start out by saying I am not a nutrition expert so I will explain this as well as I.
Understand and if you have.
Absolutely put you in touch with an expert who.
Will be able to go in in in great detail.
The 100,000 figure is what we are.
We think we will see over the next 12 months.
Average year in that region, yes, these numbers are from Tigray and these numbers are.
The this this estimate of 100.
1000 is based on what we saw from screening these 435,000 children in Tigray in the areas that we were able to access.
Sounds like it and and hopefully my notes are.
Going out to everybody now.
So the numbers are there as well.
The issue about the number.
Of humanitarian staff there, Yeah, first, I, I, I have sent the the notes out.
So hopefully you have received them.
If if not, please yell on, on the number of staff.
There are now more than 2200 humanitarian colleagues working in Tigray for EU, for the UN and international non governmental organisations.
And the division of that is that there's a bit more than 360 UN staff and some 1850 NGO staff.
Of course the number of staff that is needed is a direct function of the of the access that we get in to, to Tea Grey.
What we have said very clearly is that of course we we need the the visas for for the UN staff.
And in particular we are asking that visas for the NGOs, which as the numbers says is actually the majority of aid workers there be of a longer duration.
Let's go back to Peter Kenny for a follow up question and then Catherine Fiancon.
It looks like the UN is operating in a difficult situation in Ethiopia.
Wondering against if you could perhaps clarify the Gaunt clubs?
You have to run in order to get staff and communications people into Ethiopia, you have to be granted permits, and in order to access the area that's under the control of the Tigran forces, you also have to get their approval.
Thank you, Peter, for for the last bit.
Perhaps our colleague who's just been there can say a little bit more about how how it operates.
But in all countries where the UN works, we need the government's permission to get into the country and we need the government's permission to go where where we are needed.
That is no different from from any other places.
Now, the the issue here is that it's not as fast, it's not as smooth as the situation merits.
Indeed, on behalf of the humanitarian community, the United Nations.
Humanitarian Air Service provides access into and out of Tigray.
However, there there there were.
Rigorous and lengthy security.
Cheques which delayed the departure of the of the 1st.
Flight and the owners flights which we have scheduled for.
Twice weekly haven't been able to take off.
Since, there have been delays in authorities approving the passenger list for further flights and.
WFP and it's humanitarian partners.
Are calling for regular and unrestricted flights to resume.
Into Tigray, the situation is difficult.
Yes, we will continue to appeal for unfitted access, but access.
This would also make the life of humanitarian actors even more easily so that we are able to reach more and more people in a timely manner.
Do do you have anything else to add Marixi or you're OK?
So let's then take maybe this last question from Catherine Fioncal.
Yes, good morning to all of you.
Other regions around Tigray?
Region located east of Tigray.
Are they affected by the situation or are do you do you?
That they will be affected by the by.
This situation, Thank you.
Thank you for the question.
Catherine Absolutely the neighbouring regions.
Of Tigray, both Afar in In Afar and Amhar are very much affected by the situation.
There is quite a bit of fighting going on there now.
As well and that is displacing 10s of thousands of people.
This is already Afar particularly is already a region that was seeing intercommunal conflict.
It's a place where there is drought, chronic malnutrition rates are already very **** there.
So what is happening in the neighbouring parts of Tigrea?
And that that is what is.
Worrying concerning for all of us is that it it looks like that the fighting is spreading into these neighbouring regions and beyond.
Already disastrous situation.
Thank you to all of you for briefing on this extremely important issue, which we will continue following.
And we'll welcome you at any time when you have.
Additional information to share as part of this briefing.
A briefing on the hunger hotspots by FAOWF.
P Early warnings of food.
By Annalise Conte, the WFP.
In charge of the Geneva Liaison Office, Thompson, do you?
Thank you real just to say that.
You should have all received.
Which is essentially FAO.
And WFP's early warnings.
On acute food insecurity with with an outlook that runs from August.
Now, this report is part of a series of analytical reports, or analytical products rather, that are produced under the Global Network Against Food Crisis Initiative and the reports Hunger.
Projections are based on the.
Latest integrated Food Security Affairs classification as well as the Card de Amonise analysis with.
That I think without further ado.
You can just go straight to.
To Patrick and Analisa who?
Jackson, you want to go first.
Then we'll go to Analisa.
The Global report on food crisis issued earlier this year highlighted record labels of acute food insecurity in 2020.
The situation since then has only worsened in many countries.
As of today, over half a million people are experiencing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity and some 41 millionaire in emergency conditions at risk of fading into famine or famine like condition.
Without urgent action to prevent widespread death, malnutrition and starvation, these figures are expected to rise further without urgent funding and safe and secure access for humanitarian assistance to those most in need.
Given that the large majority of people affected by those crises rely on agricultural production for their survival, it remains imperative that emergency livelihood assistance be at the core of humanitarian response and anticipatory actions to prevent further deterioration.
Agriculture will be key to averting famine and restoring food security.
The FAOWFP Anger Hotspot Report is a joint early warning analysis that alerts to emerging and deteriorating crises to advocate for urgent humanitarian action.
Issued 3 times per year, the report provides country specific recommendations for anticipatory action and emergency response to save lives and livelihoods and in some context where the risk is elevated to prevent famine.
This edition focus on the period from August to November 2021 and dedicates new and unconsidering deteriorations in part of Ethiopia, as we have just heard, and Madagascar, as well as continued **** levels of concern in numerous other countries, driving once again by conflict, climate extremes, economic turbulence.
And the secondary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report reiterates the alarming rates at which acute food insecurity is rising up ****** in line with the warning issued in the past three reports without urgent and scale up assistance, acute anger is set to increase between August and November 2021.
Ethiopia and Madagascar are the new highest alert hotspot in the July edition, while South Sudan, Yemen and Nigeria remain highest alert level hotspot from the previous edition.
Chad, Colombia, the Democratic People, Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Kenya and Nicaragua have been added to the list of hotspot compared to the March 2021 edition.
Given a strict set of methodological parameters.
The hotspot countries and locations were selected through a consensus based process involving WFP and FAO technical teams as well as analysts specialised in conflict, economic risk and natural hazards.
Conflict continues to be the primary driver for the largest share of people facing acute food insecurity.
Closely associated with conflict are humanitarian access constraints, which remains significant.
Compounding food insecurity, food prices increased steadily from June 2020 to May 2021 and despite the weakening in June, were more than 30% higher year on year.
**** international food prices together with elevated freight cost are likely to increase the global food import bill in 2021.
Once transmitted to domestic market, elevated prices with constrained food access or vulnerable households and negatively impact food security.
Weather extremes and climate variability are likely to affect several parts of the world during the outlook.
Dry conditions are likely to affect IT.
Nigeria, Middle Belt and the Dry Corridor in Guatemala, while forecast for above average rainfall, could result in flooding in South Sudan, Central and Eastern Sail and the Gulf of Guinea countries.
Transbundary threats are also of **** concern.
While huge progress has been made over the last 18 months, the desert locust threats remain and current field operations must be maintained in Ethiopia, northern Somalia and Yemen.
In southern Africa, including Angola and Madagascar, the number of locust is less is likely to grow and we go into the as we go into the hot season, which will require increased surveillance and monitoring.
I LED the floor to analyzer for more details on the country specific.
I would like to take you into a sort of deep dive on five of the the the hotspot countries, Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan.
We have been talking quite a bit this morning.
Situation in in Tigre and we have heard that the aggravation of the conflict is having catastrophic impact on the food security of the Tigre.
Than 400,000 people in IPC 5 which means that they are facing starvation if insufficient humanitarian assistance is is I mean if the the humanitarian assistance is not sufficient and also if access is not secure.
I would like also to highlight that in Ethiopia there are also other underlying causes of acute food insecurity, which are largely climate related, those weather extremes.
So if in 2020 the conflict prevented the farmers.
We have also to remember that first, there was insufficient rain.
Then there currently above average rainfall and.
All of this is resulting in some.
Are experiencing acute food insecurity meaning IPC 3 and above in in Ethiopia.
In this number we are including of course the 2 million people in IPC 4IN in integrate.
If we move to to Madagascar, Madagascar is experiencing.
Economic decline largely caused by COVID, then you know, pests like you know, the fall of army warmer longest invasion and as a result.
Point 3 million people are currently facing the acute food.
Insecurity IPC 3 and above.
Half a million people are.
Already in IPC 4 and estimated to be in those conditions at least.
Year The district of Ambosari Atsimo is particularly hit 75.
Of the population in that district that is affected by acute food.
Insecurity and this includes.
14,000 people that they are already in IPC 5 and.
The projection is that this number is very likely to double.
We were talking about acute malnutrition also in Madagascar there is.
Grand S that are likely to experience acute malnutrition with.
Than 100,000 children that are going to experience.
Severe I could acute malnutrition moving.
To South Sudan conflict, economic decline, COVID climate.
All having a compounding the devastating impact on the food security and the livelihoods of people, 60% of the population, more than 7 million people are acutely food insecure and.
Than 100,000 in IPC 5 for districts in western western people county facing a famine like conditions and unfortunately the prediction is that the population in two additional districts in that.
Same county are also going to to fall.
Into into IPC 5 security in South Sudan remains a very, very difficult the the situation is very fragile and several parts of the country are at a **** risk also of a major.
One Yemen 16 million people remain.
Risk of famine has been contained thanks to the increase the humanitarian assistance, but the situation remains highly volatile and given the fragile context, economic decline expected to continue from August to November, affecting the people's purchasing power and finally, Nigeria, in particular northern.
13 million people facing acute.
Insecurity 800,000 in IPC 4.
Food security likely to deteriorate.
In the incoming months and requiring humanitarian assistance along.
Always remember that we need also to bring a longer term solutions together to the humanitarian assistance most of those experiencing critical levels of food insecurity.
Areas affected by the conflict in particularly in the Borno State, where some 100,000 that require urgent urgent assistance but cannot be reached and therefore catastrophic level of.
Food insecurity are likely to occur.
So we have seen that conflict is definitely the main drivers, but then this problem is compounded.
By many other underlying causes, and that access to those people is in.
Creating the business situations of.
Thank you to both of you for.
This exhaustive deep briefing let's.
See if we have any questions.
Questions in the room or?
Don't see any hands raised.
I think your briefing was extremely detailed and Thompson you, you also sent out a press release you said right about this.
So if unless you have anything else to add.
Both of our guests, Patrick Jackson from.
FAO and Annalisa Conte from WFP.
Of course, if there are any other questions, they will certainly go through.
So continuing on, we are going, we have a few announcements to conclude this briefing.
So let's go to Charles Avis from the Basel Rotterdam Stockholm Conventions about a press conference they will be having this afternoon.
Charles, are you with us?
Charles, are you with us?
From the Secretariat of the Basel Rotterdam.
Conventions in Geneva for UNEP and we also have people in Rome with FAO just to say that the 2021 triple cops have been split into two.
And this week we've been doing the online segment of these meetings of the Conference of Parties to the three conventions.
As a reminder, these three conventions cover.
And and try and protect human health and environment from the hazardous impacts of hazardous chemicals and waste.
Segment has been ongoing all this week.
You would have received an invitation to this.
Previously and also a press release on the opening day.
And we're concluding now this afternoon and we'll be having a press conference later this afternoon.
It's scheduled for 3:00 Geneva time.
Thanks for all of you hosted.
By UNTV and dgis of of Unox this afternoon speaking will.
Be Rolf Paella, the executive.
Secretary for UNET for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and Remy Noni Wandim Who's the.
Executive Secretary for the FAO.
Part of the Rotterdam Convention we won't take very.
The outcomes and and move forward from there.
So I hope to see as many of you as possible at 3:00 this afternoon.
Charles, So indeed, yes, virtual press conference this afternoon at three.
Are there any questions for Charles?
Any clarifications needed or?
From the World Health Organisation.
Who also has an announcement about a press conference this.
Good morning, real good morning to all of you.
We will have a press conference today about.
Fedros and other experts at.
PM So it's this afternoon, Lisa, for the question about COVID in in Ethiopia and more specifically in the Tigray region.
I will send you some details by.
Tell you already is we have the number of.
COVID-19 in the region it's 8000, 171 commutative cases, but most of the cases of COVID-19 are reported in Addis Ababa, Amhara, Oromia, but for the Tigre region.
This being said, we can for sure.
Say that these numbers are underreported.
It's only part of the picture, we do not have access.
Other health threats that.
Is facing Let's talk about reasons cholera, malaria, respiratory infections, lack of, we have been told this morning.
That there is no supplies for there is no surgical kits.
We are also worried about.
Access to reproductive health.
So this is really concerning.
I would send you my notes in an e-mail.
After this press briefing.
Thank you very much, Fidela.
So WHO press conference this afternoon at 4:00 on COVID-19.
WHO planning another trip of the investigation into origin of COVID-19.
China and what is, do you have any update and any progress in this issue?
Of course, you can ask this question at the.
Constantly saying this is a scientific process.
We have done the phase one studies.
Was led by a group of experts and they.
Advanced our knowledge on the possible origin of.
The virus, however, we have.
Evidence all hepatitis are on the.
Requirement that scientists have the.
To operate, to search all novel viruses, including this one.
So it's not about politics, it's about science and to advance our knowledge and countries that have.
Collective responsibility to work together in the true spirit of partnerships and to to scientists.
And experts understand the.
Origin and have the space.
To work because it's very important.
To help us recurrences for future outbreaks as doctor was said it.
Are now working on proposing then for the working.
Research for a next phase.
Recently, we are open to.
Constructive dialogue and we thank all.
Countries who are part of this dialogue already, so we will know more.
Reminder that today at 1:15 PM, the Committee Against Torture will be holding the last public meeting of its 71st online session.
It will adopt its concluding observations regarding the report of Belgium, which the Committee considered during this session.
The two press conferences this afternoon.
So that's all that I have for you unless there are any final questions.
I will wish you a good afternoon and a very good weekend.
