Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– COVID-19 – Un Offices
– COVID-19 – Iraq
– Burkina Faso
– Financial Contributions
COVID-19 – UN OFFICES
In duty stations around the world, UN staff are taking precautions and doing what they can to flatten the curve of the COVID 19 infections.
At UN Headquarters in Kenya, managers are required to implement remote working to the full extent compatible with business continuity, in order to substantially reduce personnel exposures to transit and other crowded areas. Full implementation of telecommuting up to three days a week will significantly reduce the staffing footprint of the Nairobi complex, and therefore reduce risk to personnel.
Similarly, the United Nations in Ghana has decided, as a precautionary measure, that staff normally working in these premises should from now work from home. This measure is taken for a period of time.
After consultation with the heads of the UN agencies in Iran, the Resident Coordinator has there recommended on 1 March the full implementation of organizational business continuity plans, including work from home. The decision followed steep increase in COVID-19 cases in Iran, including of one UN staff member. The UN in Iran is still fully working from home, an arrangement that is reviewed weekly by managers.
In Geneva, guided tours have been suspended. Cultural events organized by Member States and international organizations together with the UN Office in Geneva have also been cancelled.
As of next Monday, and until further notice, the entrance to the Palais des Nations would be strictly reserved to UN and non-UN personnel whose workplace or office is located in the Palais de Nations complex; people coming into the Palais for essential official meetings; and journalists with permanent accreditation will be allowed in.
At UN Headquarters in New York, security staff said that the number of swipes at the different entrances to the compound on the 4th March – the day before the first measures were put in place – was 11,033 and last Wednesday, 11th March it had dropped to 5,393. The preliminary numbers for today showed an even steeper drop. The UN will continue to reduce its footprint.
COVID-19
Dr. Tedros said that more than 132,000 cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to the World Health Organization, from 123 countries and territories. He added that 5,000 people have now lost their lives, calling this a tragic milestone.
He added that Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China. More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic.
He reiterated his message to countries: you must take a comprehensive approach. Not testing alone, not contact tracing alone, not quarantine alone, not social distancing alone – do it all, he said.
He added that any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks “that won’t happen to us” is making a deadly mistake. It can happen to anyone, he warned.
Together with the UN Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, the World Health Organization launched the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to allow individuals and organizations to contribute.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=13%20March%202020