Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights,
the show about the government, policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy
and Rates. Your in Depictions of Media Radio, I'm your host, Michael
Cloggs. Well, there's a lot of issues happening in our world. Of
course, we've been following massive exist is from aberts around to our media.
We've been following Central Africa and what is happening there, and of course intense
and continued fighting in Sudan with people fleeing from Sudan to South Sudan and causing
massive hunger issues. We've heard lots about Haiti over over the years. Now
with Haiti with after a couple of disasters hitting that one island, and the
funny part is is that you have the Dominican Republic that exists on the same
exact island as Haiti. Their community is doing pretty okay and has recovered from
earthquakes, disasters, in storms and things that have hit that little island because
it's not a very big island, whereas Haiti has been stymied and stifled and
stuck in some state of rebuilding. In Haiti, it was was it was
a nice place, you know, pretty purely fairly decent economy and things like
that. You know, happy people, very festive people. Two now where
it's run by gangs and almost like a warlord sort of states and things like
that, and there's a lot of oppression happening, and in there there's stemy
state of rebuilding and trying to figure out who what is going to their government
is going to look like because of collapses, and what does that look like
for the United Nations and humanitarian efforts to get through and help Haiti. Brazil
has of course taken up the the torch for Haiti and they want to help
help them as best as best as as our world can actually help them with
what is happening. Along with that, we're going to hear some other issues
from from around the world in in a press briefing from the United Nations Press
floor. But we're also going to hear from Sudan, where there is a
impending food crisis about to happen, a massive hunger crisis because of people fleeing
fighting and military actions that where they're fleeing to in South Sudan is coming up
short for food. So we're going to hear from the World Food Program about
what is happening from that. They have a representative that's going to be there
via zoom and she's gonna tell us what's happening there in May what could be
done to help the situation. Of course, in many cases it does lead
to leave this question and will say this for final thoughts, how do you
help a nation and a group of people where the government becomes the roadblock of
oppression? All right, a good afternoon. In a short while, we
will be joined by Mary Ellen mccorthy, who is you know, is the
World Food Program's country director for South Sudan, and she will brief you us
today the World Food Program is warned that a hunger emergency is looming on the
border between South Sudan and Sudan. Families continue to cross the border towards South
Sudan every day because of the fighting in Sudan. She will join us virtually
from Juba, and as I mentioned to you yesterday, Monica Greley will not
be briefing you through the week. And at one point thirty pm here they'll
be a briefing by rim Al Salem, the Special Opperteur against Violence against Women
and Girls, its causes, and consequences, and she's here in New York
to brief the Third Committee. Update for you from our UN team in Armenia
as they boost the support for the government's response to address the influx of refugees.
More than one hundred thousand people have now crossed into Armenia, according to
information received from the government. The UN Development Program started renovating space for elderly
persons. For its part, the World Health Organization is also sending medicine to
treat noncommunicable diseases, covering three months of treatment for up to fifty thousand people.
The UN Refugee Agency is providing technical assistance to authorities for refugee registration,
distributing court relief items, also conducting protection monitoring in government run registration centers.
Our team on the ground is also focusing on much needed psychosocial support to refugees,
including with the UN Development Program the World Health Organization. The acting Resident
Coordinator, Natalia Nachi Natschilveli stress that behind each number is a child, a
woman, a man, an elderly person, a family who left everything behind
urgently needed support. She reiterated the UNS team determination to provide assistance. Quick
update from our peacekeeping colleagues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They tell
us that the UN peacekeepers on the ground have launched a joint operation with the
Congo East Armed Forces against the armed group known as Kodeco. The operation is
taking place in the Jugu Territory in the province of Iituri and comes in response
to recent attacks against civilians and the presence of CODECO members in the area,
including most recently near the La La camp for displaced persons, which is about
nine kilometers southwest of Djugu excuse me southeast of Jugu. On that occasion,
peacekeepers were deployed. They fired warning shots as they observe CODECO members approaching the
site and for and forcing them to withdraw. Peacekeepers are continuing to patrol the
area to protect civilians and deter armed groups, including physical protection for more than
one hundred thousand men, women and children who've been displaced through in four temporary
bases in the Jugu territory. Update to you from Syria. In a bit
of good news but also underscoring the dramatic health situation, the Office to the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the first radiotherapy machine to treat cancer arrived in
the Northwest over the weekend. This comes on the heels of advocacy efforts led
by the UN and our partners, with the support of the Government of Turkeia.
This is a monumental step for cancer treatment in northwest Syria. Radiotherapy sessions
are not available in local health facilities. Syrian cancer patients have been dependent on
cross border referrals to Turkie and the system was temporarily disrupted earlier this year due
to the earthquake. The machine, which can provide more than forty radiotherapy sessions
a day, is now in the largest hospital in Afrin. The hospital is
making adjustments to meet the operational standards and safety requirements of a radio therapy center.
Once ready, the facility is expected to meet the needs of up to
one third of all cancer patients in Northwest Syria. Turkish health authorities are also
providing support for a year, with Turkish technicians and oncologists operating the machine on
site and also training Syrian health workers. Just a flag that we need more
support to expand access to local cancer treatment services, including an Idlib governorate.
Turning to Haiti, the Secretary General of Course welcomes the adoption of yesterday's resolution,
which, as you know, proved the deployment of a non UN multi
national security support mission. In a statement issued after the vote, the head
of the Political Mission in the country, Maria Isabel Salvador, says this is
a positive and decisive step to bring peace and stability to Haiti. The decision
she had it comes after a request by the Haitian government and echoed by the
Secretary General, realizing that the country will not emerge from the current security situation
without strong international support from the Haitian National Police. Yesterday's resolution did not approve
a UN mission, but the Integrated Office sorry, yesterday's resolution was not about
the approval of a UN mission, but the UN Integrated Office in Haiti said
it will fully support the Multi National Security Support Mission within the limits of its
own mandate, of course, the human rights due diligence policy and in full
respect of the decisions taken by the Haitian state. While awaiting the deployment of
the mission, the UN will continue to engage closely with Haitian authorities, in
particular in support of the police, the corrections and justice system and the electoral
process and just For the record, I do want to note that yesterday we
issued a statement on behalf of the Secretary General condemning the attacks terrorist attacks that
had taken place in Ankara the day before, Benno, thank you, Steph.
A couple on Haiti. First of all, how many police forces are?
How many police forces have been pledged already? I think Kenya was about
like one thousand, but it's still pretty far away from the two thousands you
guys are aiming for, right I don't have the total numbers. As we
know, a number of countries have indicated support. The resolution calls on countries
that are interested to notify the Secretary General right now, as far as we
know, it's I mean, Kenya is the only country officially mentioned, but
obviously we will wait for others to pledge. Okay, and a few more.
I know that you don't really like to talk about time horizons, but
are we like to this till the start of this mission? Are we talking
about like months or weeks? Will it happen this year? What do you
expect at least? Well, you know the I mean again, if you
look at the resolution, it calls on the members of the of the Force
and the countries leading it to come up with the concept plan and to work
with the Haitian authorities. So that's a question that should be asked right now
of the kenyons. Okay, in the last one and more meta question about
the functionality of the Security Council, you yesterday said, this was exactly what
the SG said one year ago. This is exactly what he wanted. Now
the Security Council approved the mission giving given all the dysfunctionality in the in the
in the Council, Ukraine Cross Border DPRK. What's your assessment regarding what what
this decision means. Is it like a glimpse of hope or like how do
you see it? I take it as a positive development that answers the call
most importantly of the Haitians themselves and of the Secretary General to help to help
the people of Haiti. I'm not in the business of extrapolating and see what
what is the greater impact on this on on the on the universe. I
think I will leave it to journalists and analysts such as yourselves, Amili than
Deji, than Stefano. Thanks Steph. Follow up on Haiti. Several Security
Council member Ambassaday yesterday talked about learning lessons from the past in Haiti. What
do you think what the secretary think is needed to avoid this mission ends up
with leaving Heiti back to square one where it is today, which happened every
time after there was an international mission sent there. It's about keeping the long
term goals in mind and understanding that sometimes decisions made in the in the moment
will only increase the cost and then and the suffering, and to the international
community needs to stand by the people of the Haiti for the long term.
It's a long game, deji. So a couple of questions. But first
of all, up also on Haiti after the resolution, because we know that
Kenya is sending about one thousand what what what is what is the secret General's
expectation? How how fast could this be am this multi national force can be
assemboled to to dispatch there. Well, first of all, you know,
obviously the the faster the better. I mean that the things shouldn't I mean,
but I think, I think, but things need to be done in
a in a way where the force, once deployed, can function. I
mean, it needs to be done in a methodical way as quickly as possible,
but the owners should not only be on on on Kenya UH and those
who may step up more fish. It needs to be on the international community,
hold on the Security Council. The mission will need financial UH financial support.
So it is not let's let's not put everything on the shoulders of the
Kenyans at this point. The international community will need to help in whatever way
they can. But the thing is, as as I understand, even the
Parliament of Kenya didn't approval the I can't speak to the internal constitutional workings of
the Kenyon Okay, Now my question what was that before? That's the follow
up? Okay, So it's it's been quite it's it's been quite a while
that we didn't ask about the ladies' update on the Blacks initiative. That that's
the question, is okay? Okay? As Stefano knows, I like to
hear a question mark at the end of a sentence. So the only update
to share with you is that the Secretary General continues to be determined to get
as much of the Ukrainian grain and Russian grain fertilizer out to market, and
his efforts and the efforts of his team continue in that regard. The other
day, the Russian Foreign Minister laugh here said he was surprised that the Secrestian
general is still trying to fulfill the memorandum. I'm the MoU with Russia.
I don't I don't think anybody should be surprised by the determination, the determination
of Antonio Guterris. One last question. Sorry, on Monday. On Monday
early morning, Israeli army carried airstrike in Syria in de Lazur, which is
quite different because normally they would have the airstrike on the western part of Syria,
but now they went too deeper into the eastern part. Does the Secret
General think this is this might be an escalation in that region because we know
that the Syrian Syrian issue is quite a sensitive there. I mean, we
have spoken out regularly and will continue against the air strikes that we're seeing in
h in Syria, the violence that we're seeing in Syria, and I think
all of this is a reminder of the need for a political solution and for
people to rally around the work of gar Patterson Stefano. Thank you. Stepun.
One is a guest a follow up and one and then I have another
question on Ahiti who how did can you tell us how Kenya was actually the
country that was and understand that Kenya offer to be the leading country, but
because Kenya has a history with its police, and if we just google Kenya
police violence you find everything, even just a few months ago, how Kenya
was picked to beat the two points to make three points one. There are
few countries in the world that have not had one point of another issues with
police violence, right, I mean, and we see it north, south,
east and west. What is important? And it stated in the resolution
that all police and others that are deployed respect the human rights policies and go
through the We will support those countries with the human rights due diligence policy.
Secretary General did not choose Kenya. The Secretary General in the Haitian government put
out an appeal and Kenya step forward, and I assume and we've seen reports
and press reports of others stepping forward. Yes, But the ambassador, the
US ambassador was asked yesterday, who is responsible if the Kenyan forces abuse there
for their their demandate and they start to have a commit crime, and is
the US responsible that he is for example put in the money and she Hants
said no. Look, I was I was asked yesterday and I would kind
of repeat maybe a little bit more, uh, a bit more detail.
It is important, uh that everything be done to prevent any sort of abuse
by any troops and police that are that are deployed. We've advocated the Secretary
generally his proposal advocated for a strong and robust prevention response system to put safeguards
in place on that. Again, read the resolution. The resolution is fairly
explicit and says that member states participating in this force take necessary measure to ensure
appropriate conduct and discipline and to prevent sexual expectation abuse all. We call on
all member states to implement that framework. It is incumbent on any member state,
any member to ensure that there's a robust oversight mechanism to prevent such incidents
should they and if they occur, to deal with them clearly, you know.
Ultimately, as it is with peacekeepers who commit abuses, member states have
the ultimate authority and responsibility for the people they sent abroad. Well, I
was in this room actually with the former Secretary General also this Secretary General,
when there were conversation about that this system had to be changed because the abuse
that the Blue Helmet had in the past that was the problem, and then
there was the we can I meane, we can get a much longer conversation
about how the system. You know, this is not how the system that
we've put into place right now in terms of you and peacekeepers and you and
staff is much more I think, more effective, more victims centered, and
much more transparent. Has have we been able to eradicate every incident of a
human being abusing another human being? Sadly not right, But I think in
terms of responsibilities and where there is lie, it's pretty clear. Michelle and
I had that question this and between. I asked you a few days ago.
You said that you didn't have any handswert, but maybe now you have.
It's about the migrants situation in medi Iranian and that and agreement memorandum between
Europe and Tunisia. Now there are the problems Tunisia's is saying like that they
are not in the business of protecting some other countries borders. So does the
Secretary General have any opinion about if this agreement is legitimate? Is something there?
It's not for him to endorse, condone or otherwise. This discussion between
EEU and Tunisia, where the Secretary General wants and forgive me if I've said
this about two hundred and thirty times. Is for members for countries of destination,
countries of transit like Tunisia, and they're not the only one in countries
of origin actually come together and implement the frameworks that are already in place under
the Migration Agreement. Michelle, then Nevelyn apologies if someone's already asked this,
I was a little light coming in on Haiti. The resolution also requires countries
participating to notify the SGA of the participation. No, we're less than twenty
four hours in, but have your no as we've just we checked in anticipation
of such a question, which Beno kind of asked, and Amili and Deji,
uh No, we've not nothing. Evelyn. Yes, you put out
a statement yesterday and Azerbad that was so favorable. You would think that the
Armenians were being put out and put up in four star hotels. Meanwhile,
they've been chased out of their homes and there are all sorts of view and
agencies helping them. Is there any reason that the UN put out a statement
It wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't a it wasn't an opinion statement.
It was it was a statement of what they saw, right, of what
they saw with their own eyes and what they and it's talked about what they
saw and what they didn't see. We know very well we have been dealing
with now supporting the government of Armenia with one hundred thousand or so men,
women and children who've arrived in Armenia clearly under trauma right or being treated as
refugees according to refugee law. According to what UNHCR tells us, our colleagues
can only report on what they saw. People can analyze and you know,
extrapolate. That's your your role and your freedom as a journalist. But they
reported on what they saw. Well, they didn't see executions because there were
Well I'm just is that but what's the question? Yeah, never mind,
thank you, Yes, sir, I have one question about Black Sea Initiative.
All three parts on the Black Sea Black in operation. Ukraine was able
to organize this process on its own, uh, without Rush, without Turkey,
and without United Nations ships with grain out on their way, I mean
first Stan ships. So is the Black Sea Initiative a thin of best or
it has some future? I mean you know, we're not involved in uh
in monitoring the ships that are going out through the Black Sea. The fact
that there is grain going out is good is good news for for all those
involved, nobly for the global food market. We continue to believe that resume
Black Sea grain Black Sea initiative, along with the mo OU, would increase
the volume in a much more stable, in a stable, stable manner and
safer manner, Madam. And then we'll go to Margaret Bashir, who has
been very patient. I think, thanks Steph. I thought it was a
good idea too. You know, we had the Shagusian people coming just in
our Journalist Association to give us a little update on how the situation is between
this decision of the GA in twenty nineteen two place to give actually of the
CIG sarrey in twenty nineteen to give the GA the power to represent the Shagosian
people interest here at the UN. This is a GA thing, but for
the Secretariat. Would the Secretary General be ready to meet the representant of the
Shagosian people to try to make a move in this. I'm not aware that
any request to meet has been has been received. Margaret Basher, Voice of
America. Oh, thank you, sir. There's a length ppiece today out
by reporters that the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project zeros in on alleged corruption
bribery at the United Nations that went on over several years. And I know
you're quoted in the article, but if you could give us some reaction to
it and just tell us maybe when did the UN become aware of Carrie Anne
and Gina Zoo's activities at the UN? And have you raised this at all,
for instance, with the Chinese Mission or the Marshall Islands Mission. We
did become aware of their activities by way of an internal investigation that was ongoing
regarding a staff member. I think the story and the underscores the need for
all those who have access to this building to understand that it is something to
be protected and not to be sold in any manner. Now, obviously this
involves a very small number of of of people. And I can also tell
you that we have been as we it is, as it is our responsibility,
cooperating with local law enforcement. So was the as the investigation you're referring
to of a staff member was that John Victorian Coolo, I'll refer you to.
I won't say anymore this at this point, just a little follow up
to Stephano about migration and EU. Obviously you know that the EU is working
on a reform of their migration system. Are you guys observing this and do
you have any opinion for bibles. I have no doubt that people who are
involved with issues of migration's refugees are observing it, and I would refer you
rather, I think for a more informative answer to U n HDR and IOM.
On that note, I'd like to make sure Mary Ellen is connected from
Juba. So good evening, good data to everyone in the room on online.
So and thank you very much for this opportunity to speak to you from
Jubel today and just put a little bit of a spotlight on the situation for
people fleeing a war in Sudan. The humanitarian situation at the Sudan Sor Sudan
border is at a critical juncture and we really do fear a hunger emergency is
looming if humanitarian agencies are unable to scale up the responses as needed. People
crossing the border are arriving with harming stories of escape as they've made their way
to Sar Sudan robberies, sexual violence, and long journeys on food with no
food or water. By the time these families arrived in South Sudan, the
resources have been completely defeated only already well on the way to a hungred emergency.
The recent data and collective buyers also we have PEA shows that ninety percent
of families have gone multiple days without eating and are experiencing moderate to severe food
insecurity on arrival. One in five children and more than one quarter of all
mothers who have been screened at the border are malnourished. Almost three hundred thousand
people have crossed so far from Sudan into South Sudan since the conflicts started more
than five months ago, and upwards of one thousand people continue to arrive each
day. The families that can be see crossing today are even more vulnerable and
food and secure than those that arrived in the early weeks of the conflict,
and it's getting worse. Over ninety percent of the people aroundy are arriving at
the border crossing points with a desire to move further onwards to family and home
sets further inside. Sar saida onward transportation is difficult. The only viable modes
are river that air solutions. Jodah Rank is the main crossing point and Rank
is over one six hundred kilometers from Juba. Access is challenging in the best
of times, but most particularly in the rainy season, making the response much
more complex. An already difficult humanitarian situation is exacerbated by the ongoing rainy season
because of the heavy rains. Flooding has wiped out roads and created severely water
road conditions twice in the past few weeks, and the local communities or host
communities are not immune to this. They have been severely impacted by this flooding,
with over four thousand of them displaced. The mud and stagnant water in
the makeshift tanks for people staying while waiting onward transportation is a perfect breeding ground
for disease, which is contributing further to hunger and malnutrition, especially amongst the
youngest children who are the most vulnerable. Currently, there are around twelve thousand
people in the transit center waiting for onward transport with new rivals every day,
and over three thousand people at parute waiting also for transport. Under entire need
of support WFP is supporting the newly arrived families with everything we have available talk
meanings, high energy biscuits, dry rations and cash based transfers. We are
screening young children and mothers for malnutrition and providing treatment or prevented a support as
proquireds. But all this is only leaking in the most immediate needs of these
families, and the rations we are able to provide are fifty percent of what
they should be. Many of the returns needs have lived in urban areas of
Sudan for years, decades, or even generations. The areas they are returning
to in South Sudan are unfamiliar and largely ruraled agricultural based communities, coming from
urban environments that many of the families do not have the skills needed to build
livelihoods for themselves, and they have missed the going season for this year,
and this means not only do they need food today, but they also require
longer term support as they try to revolve the banks. Before the war in
Sudan and the tragedy it has caused, the situation in South Sudan was already
desperate. Was sadly over seven point four million people estimated to be food and
secure. Many of the communities people are returning to are also facing humanitarian crises
of their own, driven by the conflict, the climate crisis, and soaring
food prices. So far, we have registered over two hundred and twenty thousand
atorneys and are arriving in some of the most food insecure zones of the country.
They are fleeing the dangers of war to a situation of absolute despair.
SOBFP is struggling to address the immediate needs of the attorneys, let alone help
them to build a sustainable future. This year, WFP received lesson half the
funding that we needed, and the outlook for next year is looking equally concerning.
Simply put, half the funding translates into half of the food resistems.
In order to reach as many people as possible, WFP slash rations to fifty
percent. Meeting people received less than three hundred grams of food per day,
and this includes the people arriving from Sadana. Continuing in this manner means that
we will be unable to break the cycle of entrenched umber in Salcidon and provide
a way out of the families facing extreme hungry. We are barely pulling people
back from the cliff edge of desperation and why we do not expect the funding
outlook for twenty twenty four to drastically improve. We implore the global community to
remember that just barely saving lives is not enough. We need durable solutions that
will assist the attorneys to Sousidad and the Sudanese in the deepest trenches of food
and security to build their own livelihoods and live a dignified life free of this
persistent hunger. This will mean supporting communities to adapt farming practices and introduce climate
smart agriculture, investing in peace building programs, and improving infrastructures so communities can
stand and both within numerous shots. WFP has seen the successes that are possible
in Susidad when people are given opportunities and the tours needed to succeed despite the
growing humanitarian crisis at the border with Sidan. If these families can be supported
to resettle in their communities and rebuild the broken livelihoods, then all hope is
not lost. We need to bring this hope and possibility to the many children
and the thousands of families who are freeing more in Sudan and making an arduous
journey to safety. They deserve and require ours. Thank you, thank you
so much. Mary Allen McGroarty, the WFPAS country director in South Sudan.
If anybody has a question, please Evlingo Evelyn. I can see you,
but I can't see our guests were technical difficulties and please keep the mic.
But anyway, welcome on behalf of the un Correspondent Association. My name is
Evilently Leopold. The you talked about onward transportation to where is one question?
And the second is many years ago I did visit Juba and I wonder is
the government functioning at all there now? Doesn't have any role? Mary Ellen,
thank you, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. The people
the ownward Transportation has said over over ninety percent percent of the people that are
coming are actually sor studies, uh, citizens, attorneys. Many of them
are are looking for onward transportation to the original, the original place of family
origin homestead. Many of what we're seeing coming at the moment are going into
the Upper nine Unity state away. So I mean it's right, it's right
across the country where where they're returning to because many of them, I mean,
there's quite a large population of Sara Sudanese in Sudan, in the government,
you know, we constantly call on the on the government to to to
step up on the humanitarian assistance side. We do have to force command that
the huge welcome that is given to the people that are returning from Sidan,
and it's not only returnings but also refugees. But yes, definitely much much
more to be done, support with the transport and supporting with the humanitarian effort
over you're Micah, but they have Where would the onward transport go back to
Sudan or to which country? Yeah, the onward transport would make me coming
in. They're coming in up the very north of Sar Siddan a place called
Ranks. So it's basically onward transport to places like Malakal, to places like
ben to places like wall and places like fun artisan and even someone looking looking
to come as far as you go. Thank you, Mary Allen. Is
there any other question or anybody online? So okay with this, I thank
you so much. Mayellen mcgherty, the World Food Programs con your director,
and South Soudan, thank you for your time. Final thoughts, I asked
the question, how do you do you help a country and a group and
a people that has a roadblock that is the government oppressive government. While we
don't really have the answer to that, because they are the governing body and
if they decide to oppress their people, there that's the first roadblock into helping
people and changing how the government actually does things. Not an easy task,
and it isn't. It doesn't come with it with a whole lot of answers
either. So while I really can't I answer this question, and I don't
haven't found the person who could possibly answer that question. The only thing we
can do is try to find small and intermittent ways to get around the government
to help as many people as possible, for as long as it takes to
actually get real humanitarian efforts to help people so that no one has to remain
impoverished in everyone in our world, so that we can make this a human
right to have plenty of food and a safe home to live in. Thank
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