Virtual Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:21:43
• Production Date: 16 April 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO; WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION - WTO
• Subject Topical: CEASEFIRES; CHILDREN; DEATH; EPIDEMICS; ROHINGYA MUSLIMS; SECRETARY-GENERAL; TOURISM; UNITED NATIONS BUDGET
• Geographic Subject: BANGLADESH; BARBADOS; BURKINA FASO; CARIBBEAN; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; NIGERIA; SUDAN; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2543200
• Parent Id: 2543200

Description

At 1 p.m. today, the Secretary-General will launch a policy brief looking at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, which highlights the risks they face.

Martin Griffiths, the Special Envoy for Yemen, briefed the Security Council, remotely, from Jordan.

This morning, Dr. Tedros, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), along with the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, spoke with the UN Resident Coordinators leading our work in 162 countries and territories to help governments combat the spread of the virus.

A report published yesterday by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that as of April 6th, 96 per cent of all worldwide destinations have introduced travel restrictions in response to the pandemic.

The UN team in 10 countries – including Barbados and other countries in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States – has put together a Preparedness and Response Plan for Eastern Caribbean nations.

And an update from Nigeria, where our colleagues tell us that they received a delivery of vital supplies to fight the pandemic.

With over 260 cases of COVID-19 now confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Humanitarian Coordinator, David McLachlan-Karr, has allocated US $10 million from the country’s Humanitarian Fund to support joint preparedness and response activities.

In Burkina Faso, where a fragile national health care system and massive displacements are increasing the risks of the spread of the virus.

At the request of the Government of Bangladesh, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners there are currently providing shelter and assistance to close to 400 Rohingya refugee survivors who disembarked from a boat in the Bay of Bengal this morning.

The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei has strongly condemned the attack by an organized Misseriya armed group on Mabok village in southern Abyei on April 13th. Four Ngok Dinka people were killed and two children kidnapped, while some 50 homes were burnt down.

So far, 81 Member States have paid their 2020 budget dues in full. We want to say thank you and welcome the latest payment - by Brunei Darussalam. They paid $695,334.

I am sad to report that Ann Charles, who had been a long-time reporter for the Baltic Review, has passed away.

For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General