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AstraZeneca: Coronavirus Vaccine Is 70 Percent Effective On Average; Toronto, Canada Begins Second Lockdown; G20 Vows Fair Access For All As Third Vaccine Shows Promise. Aired 10:00-11a ET
Aired November 23, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:36]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, this hour we are following breaking news on two fronts says yet more good news on COVID-19 vaccine.
There's new information on one that is more stable and cheaper than before. And breaking news here in the Middle East on a disputed meeting in Saudi
Arabia. More on that in a moment. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to the program.
First, to that major vaccine development. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca reporting its vaccine is on average 70 percent effective. What's more? No
hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID were reported as part of AstraZeneca's trial. So, what does that mean for you? Wherever you are
watching in the world? That's the big question, right? Let's get more from our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.
Elizabeth, last week, we were breaking news about the Moderna and Pfizer. How does today's news compare?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's always good to have vaccines that are effective, you know, the hope was for
something more than 50 percent. So, to get anything higher than 50 percent effective is good news. But I will say that AstraZeneca numbers are not as
impressive as Pfizer, and Moderna's. And those are the ones that were announced in the past couple of weeks.
So, let's take a look at what AstraZeneca announced today and compare it to the other two. So what AstraZeneca is announcing is 70 percent efficacy.
And that's based on a study of 12,000 study participants. Moderna had a much larger study about 30,000 study participants and it was much more
effective 94.5 percent effective, Pfizer 95 percent effective also based on a larger group, about 44,000 study participants.
Now it's important to note this AstraZeneca data, Becky, it is early. AstraZeneca is currently conducting a trial in the United States, which
will bring in even more study participants. This is not the last we've heard from them. But so far, their vaccine does not look as effective. Now
that could change with time, they might change the dosing around and that could change. But this is what we know right now. Becky?
ANDERSON: So, the big question for everyone is what is the forecasting on availability at this point?
COHEN: Right. So, it's going to be different in different countries. And I'm going to give you the forecast for the U.S. with two caveats. One, this
may not be the same for every country, it could be pretty similar, but it may not be the same. Secondly, this is just a forecast. And as we know,
with weather forecasts, they are often wrong, they change the weather might get better, it might get worse.
This timeline could get even better, or it could, you know, be dragged out longer. So let's take a look at what's been put out there the forecasts
made by Dr. Anthony Fauci with the National Institutes of Health in the United States, and also by Dr. Moncef Slaoui who was head of operation warp
speed in the United States. So, what Dr. Fauci told us last week is he thinks that high risk people will start to get vaccinated in the U.S.
towards the latter half of December.
High risk is elderly people, healthcare workers, essential workers, like police officers, people with underlying medical conditions to put them at
high risk for complications. And then Dr. Fauci said at around the end of April, he think -- he thinks vaccines will start for lower risk
individuals. People who do not fall into any of those categories. And Moncef Slaoui says he thinks it may that a 70 percent of the U.S.
population will be immunized by May.
Again, just forecast but I think that sort of gives us a rough outlook for what we can expect Becky?
ANDERSON: Elizabeth Cohen on the story. Much is being made of course of the commitment by big pharma and by countries around the world, not least those
that at G20. These vaccines will be made available to the developing world as much as they will be available to the rich in rich countries. We will
see. That is a commitment that we hope that the world will stick to.
Next hour, I'll be joined by the head of the Oxford University Institute that developed this AstraZeneca vaccine. We'll talk about what comes next.
So, do stick around for that. That is in the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD.
This hour before we get a vaccine lockdowns, go on of course in Toronto. They managed to flatten the COVID-19 curve in the spring, as of today, that
country or that certainly that city back on lockdown.
[10:05:12]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's challenging obviously for us, but it's our -- our, you know, societal obligation to do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): That obligation extends to staying home and seeing no one other than those who live with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully by Christmas, we may be getting in a controlled fire where families can get together for Christmas. But, you
know, it's nice, it sucks for most of these people that are running the small businesses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And that's full report is next hour.
Well, G20. Getting practical about the pandemic, the leaders of the world's richest country say they will ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines for
all people. They put that in black and white at the virtual G20 Summit in Saudi Arabia. This past weekend, the first ever held by an Arab nation. It
was all about global cooperation, what they call, "rising to the challenge together," a view echoed by the Saudi Crown Prince. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA (through translator): This pandemic knows no borders. It has reached all countries and affected
directly and indirectly every person living on this planet, which has necessitated the activation of the pivotal role played by the G20.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the G20 leaders also big on supporting the World Health Organization and finding a way to save the planet from climate change.
Except that is for Donald Trump. We will cover all of that in a moment. But we do have some breaking news into CNN. Israel's education chief confirming
that Prime Minister Netanyahu has met with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry denying the bat ever happen. CNN's Nic Robertson is in Riyadh. First of all, I'll connect you to that breaking
news about Mr. Netanyahu and the Crown Prince. Oren Liebermann has more on that from Jerusalem. What do you have that in, Oren?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Becky, a short time ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at one of his Likud faction meetings and
he said he wouldn't relate to the report, meaning he would neither confirm nor deny that he had flown in a private business jet to Saudi Arabia and
met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He did say he is always working to widen what he has called the circle of peace.
But it was his education minister, member of his own party, who earlier in the day when the reports started about Netanyahu meeting, Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman said this on army radio calling it an incredible achievement. He said let us say that the very existence of the meeting, the
fact that it was put out publicly, even if it's only half official at the moment is a matter of great importance from any aspect and matter.
It certainly sounds there like Education Minister Yoav Galant had the inside news that the meeting had in fact occurred. But of course there is
the official Saudi denial about the meeting itself.
It is of course worth note -- worth noting that at the same time that Netanyahu was reportedly in the Saudi City of Neom on the Red Sea.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also there. Pompeo on a swing through Europe and the Middle East. A-10 day swing that essentially wrapped up with
this meeting in Saudi Arabia where we know Pompeo met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The question of course and what Yoav Galant confirming Metanyahu was there as well. When did this meeting happen? On Sunday, plane spotters spotted a
private Israeli business jet flying directly from Israel to the City of Neom, staying on the ground there for about five hours and then returning.
And then the news first reported by Barak Ravid of Walla and Axios that it was in fact Netanyahu and Mossad chief Yossi Cohen on that flight to meet
with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It's worth noting that Yossi Cohen, who is again the head of the Mossad is first close to Netanyahu but has also been spearheading the normalization
efforts with other Gulf states, over the course of the past few months. Pompeo and the Trump administration have of course been pushing those
efforts as well. Saudi Arabia was always viewed as the biggest target on that list because it's so influential and because it has the ability to
pull other countries with it. Becky?
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. Nic, you are in Riyadh. And what are these denials that we are getting -- these official denials from Saudis
where you are?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We're getting what appears to be on the face of a denial from the foreign minister who was in
Neon at that time of the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo being there a meeting with the Crown Prince. Indeed, we understand that the foreign
minister drove in from the airport, met the Secretary of State at the airport and drove in to the meeting of the Crown Prince and then drove back
with the Secretary of State back to the airport.
[10:10:00]
ROBERTSON: But after that meeting, he's issuing this denial and I'm going to read it to you because I think there's maybe a hole in it that we can
interpret -- other interpretations other than a flat denial. But let's listen to it here. I have seen the press reports he said in a tweet about a
purported meeting between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, no
such meeting occurred.
The only officials present were American and Saudi. Now that's from Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the foreign minister. Does he indicate in that tweet
that it's possible that there was a meeting separately between Benjamin Netanyahu and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman? He doesn't rule that
out explicitly, or is it just a casually worded tweet and we shouldn't be reading too much into it.
What we do know and I've learned this from senior Saudi diplomat says, the kingdom has felt under huge pressure from President Trump to open relations
with Israel. It's something that even last night, I was being told wasn't on the cards immediately by the finance minister. He said, a precondition
and Saudi Arabia has been clear on this, for years, he said is that Israel must commit to a two-state solution of state for the Palestinians.
I think perhaps a deeper sense here in Saudi Arabia is, that the Crown Prince and the king have not prepared the kingdom for such a momentous
moment as opening relations with Israel, nor have they prepared the wider Muslim community around the world for the custodian of the two holy mosques
to enter into something like this. So, it would be a huge step for the Saudis to go -- to go into this and to acknowledge that meeting.
And at the moment, they appear to be in a phase of saying it didn't happen. Becky.
ANDERSON: Right. You have spoken, though, to the Saudi finance minister, I mean, the G20 in the kingdom. What did he tell you?
ROBTERSON: Yes, look, I mean, I pressed him on the issues of, you know, there's much talk here about money being satisfied and help given to poorer
nations for debt relief, for, you know, to make sure that they've got what they call the advanced COVID toolkit that they want to accelerate which
means the trip making sure there's enough treatments, testing and vaccine available for poor countries and they're not hurt economically.
But I said, explain to me how this works exactly. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED AL-JADAAN, SAUDI ARABIAN MINISTER OF FINANCE: I think a lot of lives, I think billions of lives are being saved, or now being saved with
the development of therapeutics and vaccines. I'll give you another example is that that surface suspension initiative, the first time --
ROBERTSON: The DSSI.
AL-JADAAN: That's right. The DSSI. Debt Service Suspension Initiative which is a breakthrough in the G20. Never happened, basically, G20 agreeing that
we will suspend that service, allow these poor countries to take this money and use it to support their communities during this health crisis, 14
billion. Within six months for three -- I think 43 countries have applied and benefited. I'll give you an example.
Exact example, Angola. Angola is a beneficiary of the DSSI. Their budget for the health care and their budgetary is about 4.3 percent. DSSI alone,
the money that was given to them under the DSSI instead of paying to the creditors, they used it for their health service, represent 3.1 percent of
their GDP, almost doubling their healthcare service. That touches people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So, the ability not to spend money on debt, spend it on healthcare, save lives. I did press down on the issue of this all looks
good on paper, and all sounds good when it's announced of these big -- these big summits. But how do you actually make sure all those vaccines get
to those very poor people in countries at the end of long supply chains that are maybe not ready to get these super chilled vaccines and have the
delivery services for him?
He said, look, the G20 is committed to this. We're going to work with the World Health Organization, we Saudi Arabia are committed to this as well.
We're going to continue to work on it, Becky.
ANDERSON: This was a meeting of leaders who control some 85 to 90 percent of GDP, give or take. Hugely influential, the G20 of course set up after
the financial meltdown of 2008. Before that we used to talk about G7 and then G71 or G.A. as it became known. And G20 then, you know, a big club
have very, very powerful countries who were the shear set up virtually and pretty much everyone attended most of the time, far one leader it seems
Donald Trump who was missing in the last session.
[10:15:08]
ANDERSON: Larry Kudlow sitting in for him as I understand it. And what was Trump's approach like when he did attend this year?
ROBERTSON: Part of it is difficult to judge, Becky, because around the first session, we only got the White House version of what his speech was.
We didn't get the tone of it. We didn't get the -- his intonation. But there was one speech that we did get to see. And this was the one about
climate change. And the whole panel had been laying out, we'd heard from the King of Saudi Arabia laying out how important combating climate change
was.
We'd heard from Xi Jingping, the leader in China, we'd heard from actually Trump's allies, Scott Morrison in Australia, talking about how much they've
done to sort of save the coral reefs and protect the country and protect the environment and protect the planet from climate change. You had all
these leaders laying that out. But when it came to President Trump, he was just right out there saying that this is something the climate change
agreement, not to help the climate but to kill the American economy, listen to his tone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To protect American workers, I withdrew the United States from the unfair and one sided Paris Climate
accord, a very unfair act for the United States. The Paris accord was not designed to save the environment. It was designed to kill the American
economy. I refused to surrender millions of American jobs and send trillions of American dollars to the world's worst polluters, and
environmental offenders. And that's what would have happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: And I was in the room when President Trump's speech and the other speeches were being played on a huge screen in front of Saudi
officials and a smattering of international journalists. There were -- there was applause for the king. There was attention paid to these other
leaders. But when President Trump was speaking and his speech was put last, people pretty much ignored it, Becky.
I mean, I think they have become used to President Trump's speeches, he is on the way out. And they really weren't paying attention to it. He was out
of kilter out of step and not just on climate change, but on his view on the World Trade Organization, which the G8 by the -- G20 has said that it's
-- that it is committed to enhancing the Riyadh initiative, something the Saudis put forward and on the support of the World Health Organization as
well.
ANDERSON: Fantastic. Nic, thank you and be sure to get Nic's analysis of the G20. The future of Foreign Affairs, especially in this region. Of
course, Donald Trump's departure from the world stage, ushering in Joe Biden in January. I may be part of some but this is a great read and well
worth it. That is at cnn.com. Well, President-elect Joe Biden will soon announce some of his key cabinet picks. So, we've got the very latest from
Washington. Up next.
Plus, the Thanksgiving travel rush gets underway across America against almost all expert medical advice. And later the Ethiopian military closing
in on the gray and Capitol sending thousands over the Sudanese border to safety.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:20:31]
ANDERSON: And we're following two big stories out of the United States this hour, including some major political developments as Donald Trump still
refuses to accept the clear results of the presidential election. And the holiday travel rush has experts extremely concerned over more potential
outbreaks of COVID-19. Let's start with the American president facing a critical few days and his last ditch efforts to try to cling to power.
Many states across the country are on the brink of certifying their election results sufficiently confirming Joe Biden is the next leader of
the United States and not Donald Trump, the loser. In the coming hours vote certifications are expected in Michigan and in most counties in
Pennsylvania. Tuesday, whose results have been highly contested by the Trump campaign.
Meanwhile, a growing number of Republicans are slamming Mr. Trump's continue bid to overturn the election results and now his campaign is
cutting ties with one of its top lawyers who pushed absurd conspiracy theories. Listen to what former New Jersey Governor and erstwhile Trump
ally Chris Christie had to say over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CHRISTIE, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: His legal team has been a national embarrassment. Sidney Powell accusing Governor Brian Kemp of a
crime on television, yet being unwilling to go on T.V. and defend and lay out the evidence that she supposedly has. This is outrageous conduct by a
lawyer and notice George, they won't do it inside the courtroom. They alleged fraud outside the courtroom. But when they go inside the courtroom,
they don't plead fraud and they don't argue fraud.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: CNN's Jeremy Diamond is connecting all from the White House. Step back for us at this point. I mean, you know the words of Chris Christie
there, clearly extremely important. This is an influential friend and ally of the U.S. President, really determined to lay out how he feels about what
is going on. We often talk about the week that was. My sense is that this could be the week that will be as it were, for Donald Trump and the
Republicans. Just explain what is going on at this point.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's certainly a growing number of allies of the president who hope that this will be the
week that President Trump finally comes to grips with reality, at least publicly and acknowledges that Joe Biden is the president-elect and will be
the next president of the United States. You're seeing this slow rising pressure campaign on the President's not only from allies like Governor
Chris Christie.
A friend of his Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of the investment group, Blackstone, who also came out this morning saying that Joe Biden is the
president-elect. We are also seeing some Republican lawmakers starting to make the case that the President's legal avenues have been exhausted. You
saw that from Senator Pat Toomey on Saturday. Now, to be clear, most Republican-elected officials, especially the lawmakers here in Washington,
they are not acknowledging that Joe Biden is the president-elect.
But even among that subset of Republicans, you are seeing calls for the President to at least allow the transition to proceed, given what they call
the likelihood we call the certainty that Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. And you're hearing from other Republican
lawmakers in addition to Governor Chris Christie, I want to show you a quick soundbite of that if we have that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. FRED UPTON (R-MI): The voters have spoken. I mean, here in Michigan, it was 154,000 vote margin by President-elect Biden, and no one is come up
with any evidence of fraud or abuse. It's over.
GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MY): Now we're beginning to look like we're a banana republic.
It's time for them to stop the nonsense. It just gets more bizarre every single day. And frankly, I'm embarrassed that more people in the party
aren't speaking up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Now, we've been told that privately the President does understand that he has basically no path to overturning the results of the election.
But he's pressed forward nonetheless. And he's turned from, you know, dozens of legal defeats in the courts to now trying to pressure these
Republican state lawmakers to essentially hand over the electoral college electors to him instead of to the candidate who won, President-elect Joe
Biden.
That effort is also failing rapidly. But again, the president for now seeking to de legitimize President-elect Biden's election and he's also
spending time at the same time raising money for a future Political Action Committee.
[10:25:03]
ANDERSON: We've heard this week for more than just Chris Christie, of course. Just briefly, what kind of things are we hearing from Trump's legal
team at this point?
DIAMOND: Yes. So, the Trump legal team cut ties, or at least sought to distance itself from the controversial attorney Sidney Powell. Now, Sidney
Powell, despite what the Trump campaign said, has been a member of the President's legal team for over a week. Now we know that because the
president tweeted about it. He announced that Sidney Powell was joining his legal team alongside Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis.
And then we saw Sidney Powell appear last week during a news conference at Republican National Committee headquarters alongside Giuliani and Ellis.
And she has been trafficking in all kinds of essentially pick your own adventure, crazy conspiracy theories, arguing that everyone from the CIA
too late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, even the Republican governor of Georgia had been involved in rigging the 2020 election. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNEY POWELL, AMERICAN ATTORNEY: Georgia is probably going to be the first state I'm going to blow up and Mr. Kemp and the Secretary of State need to
go with it because they're in on the dependence scam, what their last minute purchase or award of a contract at Dominion of $100 million. And
another benefit Dominion was created to award is what I would call election insurance.
That's why Hugo Chavez had it created in the first place. But I also wonder where he got the technology, where it actually came from, because I think
his hammer and scorecard from the CIA.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Now, those claims have no basis in fact or reality, Becky, but what's startling too is the fact that they're not all that far, from what
you're hearing from President Trump and from his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who still remain -- who still remains firmly in control of this Trump legal
effort. So, while they may be trying to distance themselves from Sidney Powell because she's gone too far, perhaps in conspiracy theory territory,
you're still hearing very similar claims from the President of the United States himself. Becky?
ANDERSON: Jeremy Diamond is on the story for you. Meantime, we are -- thank you, Jeremy. Slowly starting to get a picture of who will be helping Joe
Biden run America, CNN just learning he is set to nominate longtime foreign policy adviser Tony Blinken to be the next Secretary of State. Blinken
served several key roles in both the Obama and Clinton administrations including Deputy Secretary of State.
We'll be breaking down who is here and where he wants to take America in the world over the coming weeks on this show. But election turmoil aside,
let's get on to our second big strand. America trying to dodge another bullet and it's struggle with the coronavirus. Tens of millions of
Americans are expected to hit the road for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday this week. The travel rush well underway with airport seeing some of their
busiest days of the year over the weekend.
Specifically, about a million passengers both on Friday and Saturday. But the problem is the coronavirus is already spreading faster than ever. And
the CDC advises people against traveling because it could make the bad outbreak a whole lot worse. Other officials are on board with that advice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. RACHEL LEVINE, PENNSYLVANIA SECRETARY OF HEALTH: We don't want people to be traveling to our state for the holidays. We don't want Pennsylvania's
to be traveling for other states for the holidays.
DR. ATUL GAWANDE, PROFESSOR, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL: And with the CDC, I think that we're in a tough place right now.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR NATIONAL, INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGIES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE: Particularly the situation with the holiday season
where you see people traveling, you see the clips on TV, peoples at airports. I mean, those are the things we've got to realize are going to
get us into even more trouble than we in right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Let's talk to Anthony Fauci, of course. Still ahead. When can we expect coronavirus vaccine to roll out? Well, next hour we'll talk to a key
researcher from Oxford University where the AstraZeneca vaccine is showing positive results.
First up though is the deadly fighting in Ethiopia continues the government is giving two grand forces an ultimatum surrender in 72 hours or will give
no mercy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:41]
ANDERSON: We're about a day into the 72 hours that Ethiopia's federal government is given to Tigrayan forces to surrender. Ethiopian military
close in on the (INAUDIBLE) capital of Mek'ele, the government accusing forces of shelling the Aksum Airport, destroying the landing strip in the
process. Now, the two parties have been warring for weeks, causing thousands of Ethiopians to flee to Sudan.
CNN's Dave McKenzie has been monitoring this conflict for us, and he joins us now. What else do our viewers need to know at this point, David?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think they need to know that that 72-hour window that will close tomorrow given by the Prime
Minister of Ethiopia is a timeline of the federal government. That doesn't mean that it's a timeline of the Tigrayan officials and the military on the
ground in that region where there has been heavy fighting for some weeks.
Just a short time ago and I'm paraphrasing here, the spokesperson of the political party in charge there said that thanked the Prime Minister for
giving them the 72 hours but saying they're going to fight on as one would expect and we're not going to stop our struggle. We're not going to stop
that spokesperson hinting that if the Federal troops move into Mek'ele, the regional capital, they will just adjust the way they are fighting.
Certainly the Tigrayans have a long history of fighting in non-conventional forms. So, the ambitious timeline of the Prime Minister may not actually
stand up in the end. Very little concrete information, though, is coming out, Becky, from this region, there's a full blackout. Now media is in
there, the internet and lines -- the cellular lines are closed, shut off, we were able to get hold of a humanitarian official who confirmed that
there have been bombs dropping in and around Mek'ele and saying there were several injured.
But, you know, that's very much scant details. The U.N. is saying that there should be a temporary ceasefire to law humanitarian corridor for
those thousands of people screaming interested in and for those displaced with integrated self. Becky?
ANDERSON: David McKenzie on the story for you. The Ethiopian crisis has garnered international attention particularly the rush of refugees to Sudan
including from right here in the UAE, the director of Strategic Communications for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hend Al Otaiba
tweeting, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nyan urges Ethiopian parties to return to dialogue and expresses solidarity with Ethiopian
people.
The tweet went on to say that the UAE would provide five million through the World Food Programme and international organizations to help refugees
affected by the humanitarian crisis. Well, I spoke with the United Nations Human Rights Council Representative Axel Bishop who joined me from
Khartoum. He gave us a first-hand account of the thousands of refugees showing up along the Sudanese border has Ethiopians flee the violence. Have
a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AXEL BISSCHOP, UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE SUDAN: They are fleeing due to the fact that they feel unsafe. Some of them have seen fighting and they have
therefore the decided that the situation in -- at your belt have been too difficult for them to actually to live with.
[10:35:07]
BISSCHOP: So they're now fleeing on foot towards the border with Sudan. And they're crossing at the pace of about 2000 people a day.
ANDERSON: And what is that trip like, for these refugees? Can you describe what they've been through?
BISSCHOP: it has been very, very difficult for them. Many of them have left without having had the chance to actually take any of their belongings with
them. And they have been actually leaving on foot towards the border of Sudan. And there, there is a river between Sudan and Ethiopia, and they
have to cross this river. Their arrivals, we have seen have little belongings with them, and are at the moment being served by the
humanitarian communities, together with the government of Sudan.
ANDERSON: Now, as the situation continues in Ethiopia, do you have any idea how many refugees may seek safety in Sudan? And what support is needed at
present, sir?
BISSCHOP: It's very hard to predict. We are prepared for 100,000 immediately, but also, even further, should there be a need.
ANDERSON: And what do you need as an organization?
BISSCHOP: We need, first of all, food, aid to help these people. This is usually done through the World Food Programme. We need water, clean water,
we need healthcare, we need shelter. And we need assistance with COVID mitigation measures. People are arriving here. And we are at the moment
actually distributing mosques and also sold in order to keep the hygiene at a standard which can mitigate the COVID spread.
ANDERSON: How big a concern is COVID-19. I mean, one assumes that these sites may or are already crowded.
BISSCHIP: Yes, I mean, the hamlet of (INAUDIBLE) where people are arriving is a small hamlet of about 6000 inhabitants. At the moment we have about
14,000 refugees there. This is about 20. So, while it is the risk, we are trying to mitigate, we have not at this point enabled to actually identify
or we have not seen any COVID cases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Axel Bisschop of the United Nations Human Rights Council there. I will be right back after this very short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:42:18]
ANDERSON: An emotional moment at Elland Road on Sunday with an incredibly special day for one young Leeds fan with spectators still not allowed into
games of course in England. It means, the traditional young mascots walking out with their footballing heroes (INAUDIBLE) has had to stop but Leeds
came up with a way of making sure that one young fan could still be included in the moment.
Amanda is in the house. and Amanda Davies, I defy anyone to watch this and not well up.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, it really was such a special moment ahead of the Leeds game Arsenals. 13-year-old Elliot Metcalfe, who's
battling cancer despite all the restrictions at the moment, he got this moment that he had dreamed of with Leeds making sure he could still be
there in the tunnel chatting to the players and feel something of the experience of walking out onto the pitch with the captain Cooper and his
team ahead of the game.
It's a really, really lovely moment. You're in the midst of this pandemic. But interestingly, for our show, our World Sport show coming up from all
that emotion. We also had a tennis champion showing absolutely nothing after the biggest win of his career and he tells us why in a couple of
minutes, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. That World Sport after this short break. Thank you. CONNECT THE WORLD back with you after that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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