Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Office at Geneva, chaired the briefing, at which the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Filippo Grandi, gave an update on the situation of Palestinians living in the occupied Palestinian territories. Spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Economic...

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Office at Geneva, chaired the briefing which was also addressed by spokespersons and representatives from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe made statements. A spokesperson for the International Labour Organization also made a short announcement.Secretary-General's Activities Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would...

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Office at Geneva, chaired the briefing which was also addressed by Spokespersons for the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency and the World Health Organization.Secretary-General Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday welcomed a “new era of partnership” between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in a meeting in Chicago with the Rotary Club and the Mac...

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which was also attended by Spokespersons for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization and the Economic Commission for Europe. Situation in Chad Ms. Heuzé said copies of the presidential statement issued yesterday by the Security Council were in the press...

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Trade Organization, the World Meteorological Organization and the International Organization for Migration.Secretary-General’s Visit to Kenya Ms. Heuzé said Secretary-General...

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which focused on United Nations system efforts to address the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Kenya. Information was also provided on a $90 million appeal to assist internally displaced persons in seven countries launched by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Ms. Heuzé and others also bid farewell to Jean-Michel Jakobowicz of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), who was retiring after 34 years at the UN. Spokespersons for the Office for the...

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for and Representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Trade Organization and the International Organization for Migration.Secretary-General’s Travels Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier said Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon was in Davos where he addressed the plenary session of the World...

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Office at Geneva, chaired the briefing which provided information on the Secretary-General's travels, in particular his programme in Geneva; the upcoming sixth Special Session of the Human Rights Council, on Israeli human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; the opening of the Conference on Disarmament's 2008 session; humanitarian efforts in Gaza; the situation in Kenya; and an update on smuggling in the Gulf of Aden, among others. Spokespersons and representatives from the...

Elena Ponomareva-Piquier, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from the Spokespersons for the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Refugee Office, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and the International Organization for Migration. At the beginning of the briefing, Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier welcomed a group of Norwegian journalists who were in Geneva at the invitation of the Office of the High...

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which provided information about Geneva Activities, in particular highlighting the first session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women since its move to Geneva; United Nations action to counter terrorism; the situation in Kenya; and reports being launched in Geneva. It also provided an update on flooding in Southern Africa, where continuing torrential rains were continuing to threaten millions. Spokespersons for the World Health Organization, the Office of the...