UN / SYRIA YEMEN HUMANITARIAN

Top United Nations officials in Syria called for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach those in need, a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York. UNIFEED-UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:45
• Production Date: 7 January 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 1543926
• Parent Id: 1543926
• Alternate Title: unifeed160107b

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA YEMEN HUMANITARIAN
TRT: 01:45
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 07 JANUARY 2016, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT

Shotlist

RECENT – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters

07 JANUARY 2016, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, UN spokesperson walking to podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General spokesperson:
“Yacoub El Hillo, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, and Kevin Kennedy, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, are calling for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach those in need in hard-to-reach and besieged areas in Syria. In a statement, they say that they have been particularly concerned about the plight of nearly 400,000 people besieged by parties to the conflict in locations such as Deir Ez-Zor city, Daraya, Foah and Kafraya, as well as besieged areas of East Ghouta.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General spokesperson:
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about the deteriorating health situation in Taiz, Yemen, where more than 250,000 people have been living in a state of virtual siege since November 2015. All of the city's six hospitals have been forced to partially close some services and are overwhelmed with injured patients. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to deliver medical and surgical supplies due to the insecurity.”
6. Med shot, reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Secretary-General spokesperson:
“WHO calls on all parties involved in the conflict to allow the secure movement and delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to all people, regardless of their location. In times of crisis, it is vital that health facilities remain functional and provide people in need with uninterrupted access to life-saving.”
8. Med shot, reporters
9. Wide shot, UN spokesperson walks away

Storyline

Top UN officials in Syria called for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach those in need, a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York.

Speaking today (7 Jan) at UN headquarters, Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, Yacoub El Hillo, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, and Kevin Kennedy, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, are calling for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach those in need in hard-to-reach and besieged areas in Syria.”

He added, “In a statement, they say that they have been particularly concerned about the plight of nearly 400,000 people besieged by parties to the conflict in locations such as Deir Ez-Zor city, Daraya, Foah and Kafraya, as well as besieged areas of East Ghouta.”

In the last year, only 10 per cent of all requests for UN inter-agency convoys to hard-to-reach and besieged areas were approved and delivered. In particular, almost 42,000 people remaining in Madaya are at risk of further hunger and starvation. The UN has received credible reports of people dying from starvation or being killed while trying to leave.

Dujarric noted the UN welcomed today’s approval from the Government of Syria to have access to Madaya, Foah and Kefraya, and he also pointed out that the UN is preparing to deliver humanitarian assistance in the coming days.

International humanitarian law prohibits the targeting of civilians. It also prohibits the starvation of civilians as a tactic of war. The UN called for immediate humanitarian access to all hard-to-reach areas and besieged areas and for the facilitation of safe evacuation of civilians.

On Yemen, Dujarric said the World Health Organization (WHO) “is concerned about the deteriorating health situation in Taiz,”where more than 250,000 people have been living in a state of virtual siege since November 2015.

He also said, “All of the city's six hospitals have been forced to partially close some services and are overwhelmed with injured patients. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to deliver medical and surgical supplies due to the insecurity.”

Five World Health Organization trucks carrying medicines and medical supplies have been prevented from entering the city since 14 December 2015. Three of those trucks are carrying 500 cylinders of oxygen that are critically needed by the hospitals.

WHO called on all parties involved in the conflict to allow the secure movement and delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to all people, regardless of their location.

The UN spokesperson added, “In times of crisis, it is vital that health facilities remain functional and provide people in need with uninterrupted access to life-saving.”