UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION COMMITTED TO HELPING BURUNDI -- OFFICIAL

UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION COMMITTED TO HELPING BURUNDI -- OFFICIAL
New York, Apr 14 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is committed to supporting Burundi, including by helping mobilize resources to fight poverty, an official from the newly created body, which aims to prevent countries from relapsing into conflict, said today in Bujumbura, the capital.

"I have reiterated the strong support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission to the Government and people of Burundi concerning ongoing efforts to consolidate peace," Ambassador Johan Løvald told reporters after wrapping up a four-day visit to the small central African State, which has been the victim of violent coups and political instability since gaining independence in 1962.

The eight-member delegation from the PBC met with the President, government ministers and other officials as well as representatives of civil society, women's groups, the private sector and religious communities.

"I have reiterated the commitment of the Peacebuilding Commission to work with the Government and other stakeholders, within our mandate, to assist in resource mobilization in the fight to eradicate poverty and promote community recovery," Ambassador Løvald said.

From the meetings, he said the PBC delegation learned of the country's determination to "deal with the problem of poverty and the need to secure a better future for all, not least the young generation," he added.

Government officials also appealed for participation in a planned donor conference to be held in May. "We also received a uniform message for increased resources for development," Ambassador Løvald said.

He noted that in meetings with government officials, he stressed the importance of adhering to all peace agreements as well as promoting "inclusive political dialogue, human rights and good governance."

Last month, the PBC sent a delegation on a five-day maiden mission to Sierra Leone. Established in December 2005, the Commission focuses on reconstruction, institution
development in post-conflict countries.

2007-04-14 00:00:00.000

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UN EXPANDS FIGHT AGAINST POTENTIALLY FATAL CHAGAS DISEASE THAT AFFECTS MILLIONS

UN EXPANDS FIGHT AGAINST POTENTIALLY FATAL CHAGAS DISEASE THAT AFFECTS MILLIONS
New York, Apr 13 2007 8:00PM
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is joining forces with Bayer HealthCare to expand global efforts aimed at eliminating Chagas, a parasitic disease that affects an estimated 9 million people, mostly children, and which causes the slow swelling of victims' internal organs and is fatal to around a third of those infected.

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is joining forces with Bayer HealthCare to expand global efforts aimed at eliminating <" http://www.who.int/topics/chagas_disease/en">Chagas, a parasitic disease that affects an estimated 9 million people, mostly children, and which causes the slow swelling of victims' internal organs and is fatal to around a third of those infected.

The expanded WHO programme will be supported by funds and free tablets from Bayer HealthCare, which manufactures nifurtimox, a drug used to treat the disease, and these will allow the treatment of an estimated 30,000 patients over a period of five years, the agency said in a press release.

"This disease still poses a threat to so many people in Latin America and now that threat has spread to other countries via blood banks lacking adequate screening of infected donors. This provision is indeed an important step towards elimination efforts of Chagas worldwide," said Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, WHO/PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) Regional Director for the Americas Region.

For decades, Chagas disease largely affected people in rural areas of Latin America but blood donations and poor safety in blood banks have led to infections in other countries as some people who may be unaware they carry the infection have donated their blood to the national blood supply. As a result, the disease has now appeared in Europe and various parts of the United States.

The disease is caused by the protozoan parasite, which enters the human body though broken skin, and can be passed on either by the bloodfeeding 'assassin bugs' that emerge at night to bite and suck blood, through transfusion with infected blood or congenitally from infected mother to foetus.

Usually a small sore develops at the bite where the parasite enters the body. Within a few days, fever and swollen lymph nodes may develop. This initial acute phase may cause illness and death, especially in young children.

However more commonly, patients enter a symptom-less phase lasting several months or years, during which time parasites are invading most organs of the body, often causing heart, intestinal and oesophageal damage and progressive weakness. In 32 per cent of those infected, fatal damage to the heart and digestive tract occurs during this chronic phase.

For therapy, two drugs can be used for the early chronic phase.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON TO HOLD DARFUR CRISIS TALKS WITH HEAD OF AFRICAN UNION

BAN KI-MOON TO HOLD DARFUR CRISIS TALKS WITH HEAD OF AFRICAN UNION
New York, Apr 13 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will hold talks on Monday with the head of the African Union (AU) in a bid to generate momentum for the peace process in Darfur, where the planned deployment of a hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force has stalled amid differences with the Sudanese Government.

Alpha Oumar Konaré, Chairperson of the AU Commission, will be at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Mr. Ban and with the two organizations' special envoys for the Darfur crisis, Jan Eliasson of the UN and Salim Ahmed Salim of the AU.

UN spokesperson Marie Okabe said today that Mr. Ban and Mr. Konaré are expected to brief the Security Council on Monday afternoon on the latest developments regarding the conflict engulfing Darfur, where Government forces and allied Janjaweed militias have been fighting rebel groups.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and 2 million others displaced from their homes in the fighting, which has led to the destruction of entire villages. There are increasing fears that the conflict is spilling over into neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Monday's talks will take place less than a week after a technical-level meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, between the UN, the AU and the Sudanese Government to finalize the measures for the UN "heavy support package" to the current AU peacekeeping mission known as AMIS.

The heavy support package is the second phase of the three-step process culminating in the eventual deployment of the hybrid UN-AU force of approximately 17,000 troops and 3,000 police officers.

Under the plan, the UN Mission in <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88&Body=Sudan&Body1=">Sudan (UNMIS) is currently providing AMIS with a "light support package" that includes police advisers, civilian staff and additional resources and technical support. The heavy support package discussed this week in Addis Ababa will feature several hundred UN personnel assisting AMIS.

At a mini-summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last month with the AU and the UN, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir agreed to re-double efforts to resolve the Darfur conflict and on "the shared need to move expeditiously ahead" with the hybrid operation. But Sudan later voiced reservations about the plan leading to the hybrid force.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON SENDS UN LEGAL CHIEF TO LEBANON TO HELP BREAK IMPASSE OVER TRIBUNAL

BAN KI-MOON SENDS UN LEGAL CHIEF TO LEBANON TO HELP BREAK IMPASSE OVER TRIBUNAL
New York, Apr 13 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is dispatching the United Nations legal chief to Lebanon on Monday to help the Government and the country's other political leaders to end their political impasse and set up a special tribunal as soon as possible to try the suspected killers of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Nicholas Michel, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, will "offer his legal assistance… to help their constitutional procedures," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1015">told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, referring to the parliamentary ratification necessary for the tribunal to enter into force.

Mr. Ban said he hoped that Mr. Michel's trip would help to "clarify all concerns or apprehensions" that might exist about the tribunal.

In February, on behalf of the UN, Mr. Michel signed the agreement with Lebanon to set up the tribunal, but the country's parliamentary forces have been deadlocked and there has been no vote so far on the tribunal agreement.

The planned special tribunal in Lebanon will be of "an international character" to deal with the assassination of Mr. Hariri, who was killed along with 22 others in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut in February 2005.

Once it is formally established, it will be up to the tribunal to determine whether other political killings in Lebanon since October 2004 were connected to Mr. Hariri's assassination and could therefore be dealt with by the tribunal.

Mr. Michel told journalists today that his aim during the visit would be to "help the Lebanese parties to talk to each other and to find common ground so that the institutional process can be promoted towards ratification of the agreement."

He stressed that the UN had never tried to impose such a tribunal on the Lebanese, but had responded to an initial request from the country's authorities for such a court.

"So I work in that spirit, in the spirit of an assistance to be brought to the Lebanese authorities, in the spirit of a national dialogue, reconciliation, mutual understanding towards the establishment of the tribunal."

In April 2004 the Security Council set up the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) after an earlier UN mission found that Lebanon's own inquiry into the Hariri assassination was seriously flawed and that Syria was primarily responsible for the political tensions that preceded the attack. Its mandate runs out next year.

Serge Brammertz, the current head of the IIIC, told the Council last September that evidence obtained so far suggests that a young, male suicide bomber, probably non-Lebanese, detonated up to 1,800 kilograms of explosives inside a van to assassinate Mr. Hariri.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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EXTENDING UN MISSION IN GEORGIA FOR SIX MONTHS, SECURITY COUNCIL URGES DIALOGUE

EXTENDING UN MISSION IN GEORGIA FOR SIX MONTHS, SECURITY COUNCIL URGES DIALOGUE
New York, Apr 13 2007 7:00PM
Stressing the need for dialogue between the Government and Abkhaz sides in Georgia, where fighting 14 years ago drove nearly 300,000 people from their homes, the Security Council today <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc8997.doc.htm">extended the United Nations mission in the country for another 6 months until 15 October.

In a resolution adopted unanimously, the 15-member body also condemned the attack on villages in the upper Kodori valley on 11-12 March and urged all sides to fully support the ongoing investigation conducted by the Joint Fact Finding Group, which is led by the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unomig/index.html">UNOMIG).

"The Security Council… decides to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for a new period terminating on 15 October 2007... [It] stresses that the situation on the ground in the areas of security, return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and rehabilitation and development must be improved and calls on both sides to resume dialogue," the resolution states.

The Council "urges the sides to address seriously each other's legitimate security concerns, to refrain from any actions which might impede the peace process, and to extend the necessary cooperation to UNOMIG and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) peacekeeping force."
In his latest report on the work of the UN in Georgia, which was released last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last month's rocket attacks in the upper Kodori valley were "a major setback", but added there have been recent signs of progress between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides.
Mr. Ban cited the continued joint patrols of the valley by UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force as one example of the progress being made, adding that the patrols had observed no heavy weapons and a reduction in the number of armed personnel since a similar patrol in October last year.
UNOMIG was set up in 1993 and expanded in 1994 to verify compliance with a cessation of hostilities and separation of forces accord, with patrols of the Kodori valley a specific part of its mandate. But it stopped patrolling the upper part of the valley in 2003 when four mission members were held hostage. Patrols were resumed after a break of three years last December.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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MORE CHINESE POLICE ARRIVE TO SERVE WITH UN MISSION IN HAITI

MORE CHINESE POLICE ARRIVE TO SERVE WITH UN MISSION IN HAITI
New York, Apr 13 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah">MINUSTAH) today announced the arrival of nearly 100 Chinese officers, including seven women, who are serving with a Formed Police Unit (FPU) in the Caribbean country.

The 95 new police, who joined a group of 30 FPU members of the same contingent that arrived last week on 4 April, brings the total number of Chinese officers in Haiti to 125.

China has contributed more than 1,000 officers in Formed Police Units since the Mission was established in October 2004 after an insurgency forced then President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to go into exile.

The latest contingent, replacing one which has rotated out, comes from Guandong Province. Prior to their deployment to Haiti, its members underwent a five-month training course covering language, shooting, driving and combat/defensive tactics.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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UN WINDS UP REPATRIATION SCHEME FROM CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO SOUTHERN SUDAN

UN WINDS UP REPATRIATION SCHEME FROM CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TO SOUTHERN SUDAN
New York, Apr 13 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency has wrapped up its voluntary repatriation programme for southern Sudanese who had been living in the Central African Republic (CAR), with almost 10,000 people having returned home since early last year to try to rebuild their lives.

The CAR is the first of six nations neighbouring southern Sudan to complete the voluntary repatriation of refugees following the January 2005 end to the 21-year north-south civil war in Sudan.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461f67102.html">told reporters today in Geneva that the last official repatriation flight from the CAR, which transported 31 returnees from the Bangi refugee camp to the town of Nzara in southern Sudan's Western Equatoria state, took place on Wednesday.

About 8,400 southern Sudanese have returned from the CAR since February last year on flights arranged by either UNHCR or the International Organization for Migration (IOM), while another 1,319 people have returned on their own.

The number of refugees to have been repatriated to southern Sudan with the assistance of UNHCR has now topped 50,000, with returnees arriving from Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya, as well as the CAR.

At a peak in the early 1990s, as many as 36,000 southern Sudanese were living in the CAR, and many returned before the official UN-supported repatriation programme began in 2005. About 2,000 refugees are expected to stay permanently in the CAR because they have established local businesses or bonds.

The first voluntary airlift from Ethiopia is expected to start tomorrow, with a plane carrying 50 refugees scheduled to travel from Gambella to the southern Sudanese town of Juba.

Over the next 10 days, more than 1,000 refugees – mostly ethnic Dinka and Shuluk – will take part in the airlift, which has been arranged because of the lack of roads in much of southern Sudan.

UNHCR provides returnees with basic items before and after departure, including blankets, sleeping mats, water filters, mosquito nets, sanitary kits, soap and cooking sets. The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=736">WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&ISO3=SDN">FAO) gives out three months of food rations as well as tools and seeds.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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NIGERIAN UN OFFICER DONATES UNIFORMS TO LIBERIAN NATIONAL POLICE

NIGERIAN UN OFFICER DONATES UNIFORMS TO LIBERIAN NATIONAL POLICE
New York, Apr 13 2007 4:00PM
In another example of the ongoing personal contributions made by United Nations uniformed personnel to the countries where they are deployed, a Nigerian police officer serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has provided sets of uniforms and accessories worth $7,000 to the national police there.

Aliyu Abubakar's <"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=2138">donation to the Liberia National Police (LNP) includes 60 sets of police uniform, 60 reflective jackets, 100 pocket notebooks, 110 hand gloves, 50 Fez caps, 60 reflective hand bands and 60 whistles.

It came in fulfillment of a promise he made last year when the LNP launched the programme "Help the Police to Help You" to appeal to the public for assistance, UNMIL said in a news release.

"This is the small way I can assist enhance the capacity of the Liberian police and ensure that UNMIL achieves its mandate," Mr. Abubakar said in presenting the items.

The Nigerian police officer called for the institution of a monthly motivational package for officers of the Traffic Unit of the LNP, pledging that each month he would personally sew a new police uniform for the three most dedicated officers in the unit.

Receiving the items, LNP Deputy Inspector-General of Police for Administration, Asatu Bah Kenneth praised Mr. Abubakar as a police officer who approaches his duty with humility, love, and commitment.

UN Police Coordinator for Reform and Restructuring, Mohammed Thatha, also hailed Mr. Abubakar for his concern for the public appearance of the LNP traffic officers, saying that with their daily interaction with the public, traffic officers carry the image of the police.

"The image of the police depends largely on the appearance and conduct of the traffic officer," he pointed out, adding that UNMIL is committed to helping re-build the image of the LNP to regain the trust of the people.

In another development, UNMIL chief Alan Doss on Thursday commissioned the newly rehabilitated Owensgrove Police Station, some 50 kilometres south of the country's capital Monrovia, which was renovated by the Mission.

The completion of the project brings to 25 the total number of police stations constructed and rehabilitated under the UNMIL Quick Impact Projects programme in eleven counties.

"UNMIL recognizes that without the rule of law and the presence of the police, it would be difficult to stimulate economic recovery," Mr. Doss said, noting that effective policing could only be done with the active support and involvement of the communities.

Thanking UNMIL, Ms. Asatu Bah Kenneth challenged her fellow LNP officers to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and responsibility in the discharge of their duties.

"This will ensure that the people of Owensgrove can feel safe and have a sense of security," said County Superintendent Julia Duncan Cassell.

UNMIL was established in 2003 to support Liberia's ceasefire and peace process, and currently has over 15,200 uniformed personnel, along with around 500 international civilian personnel, almost 1,000 local staff and 220 UN Volunteers.

Late last month, the Security Council <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1750(2007)">extended UNMIL's mandate and, citing progress in a number of areas including the re-integration of former fighters, asked the Secretary-General to report on plans to draw down the level of blue helmets in Liberia.

Mr. Doss has assured Liberians that UNMIL would not leave the job half done. "We have a lot of work to do to ensure that those trained are out there to help protect the people of Liberia and that they have the means to do it."
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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STATES SHOULD PROMOTE JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR OLDER PEOPLE - UN COMMISSION

STATES SHOULD PROMOTE JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR OLDER PEOPLE – UN COMMISSION
New York, Apr 13 2007 4:00PM
Governments should tackle the implications of the ageing of world population by increasing the self-reliance of older persons, including by promoting their continued participation in the workforce and their continuing education, the United Nations Commission on Population and Development stated today.

<"http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2007/comm2007.htm">Concluding its annual meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, the Commission also called on governments to invest in young people, to have in place policies ensuring adequate economic and social protection and to ensure the sustainability and solvency of pension schemes.

The Commission invited governments to set up mechanisms assisting individuals to accumulate assets through personal savings and investment, so as to cover consumption needs at older ages.

"There are real challenges posed by ageing populations," World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) expert Somnath Chatterji told the Commission, "including higher costs for social services, possible labour shortages and higher costs for pensions and health care."

It was a myth that people were "ageing better, like good wine," Dr. Chatterji said. It was not certain that the "baby boomer" generation in the United States, for example, would continue to remain healthy.

The same was true of the developing world, "which is actually getting older before it gets richer." Several chronic illnesses considered "diseases of the rich" were actually prevalent in the developing world, where older people had faced several health challenges and were unlikely to remain in good health for the last 20 to 30 years of their lives.

In the developed world, Dr, Chatterji added, "those supposed to retire at the still-productive age of 60 or 65 years will live for another 40 years, which is very different from the traditional '10-year horizon' understanding of retirement."

In Western Europe, social security gave people incentives to retire, since their quality of life would be better after retirement than before. The real question was how to "incentivize" people to remain in the workforce and continue to contribute – including women, who, while living longer than men, traditionally retired earlier.

The 47-country Commission has been meeting since Monday on the changing age structure of populations and their implications for development.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS KILLING OF MEXICAN JOURNALIST AMADO RAMIREZ

UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS KILLING OF MEXICAN JOURNALIST AMADO RAMIREZ
New York, Apr 13 2007 3:00PM
The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=37487&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">condemned the killing of Amado Ramirez, the Acapulco correspondent of Mexico's Televisa broadcasting network who was shot in the back earlier this month.

"I condemn the cowardly murder of Amado Ramirez," Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said, voicing his expectation that Mexico's authorities "will do all they can to protect journalists who are in the frontline of the war for human rights and rule and law."

Mr. Ramirez was shot three times in the back by unknown gunmen on 8 April. There have been 12 other reports of similar execution-style assassinations throughout Mexico recently. According to the International Federation of Journalists, eight reporters were killed in a wave of violence against investigative journalism in Mexico last year.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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UN TRIBUNAL TRANSFERS BOSNIAN CROAT CONVICTED OVER DEADLY VILLAGE ATTACK TO SPAIN

UN TRIBUNAL TRANSFERS BOSNIAN CROAT CONVICTED OVER DEADLY VILLAGE ATTACK TO SPAIN
New York, Apr 13 2007 3:00PM
A former Bosnian Croat militia commander who was sentenced to 12 years' jail for a notorious attack on a village where more than three dozen Muslims were killed will serve the rest of his sentence in Spain after being transferred today by the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Ivica Raji&#263;, 48, became the 27th person to be transferred by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2007/pr1155e.htm">ICTY), which sits in The Hague in the Netherlands, to another European country to serve out the remainder of his custodial sentence.
As a result of agreements signed by countries and the ICTY, men or women convicted by the Tribunal are now serving their sentence in Austria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, France and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Raji&#263;, former commander of the Second Operational Group of the Bosnian Croat Army, pleaded guilty in October 2005 to four charges relating to breaches of the Geneva conventions: wilful killing, inhumane treatment (including sexual assault), extensive destruction, and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.

At his trial the ICTY judges found that Mr. Raji&#263;'s crimes in the central Bosnian village of Stupni Do on 23 October 2003 "were committed on a large scale, were of particularly violent nature and caused severe pain to the victims and their relatives."

Under the command of Mr. Raji&#263;, Bosnian Croat forces attacked and gained control of Stupni Do, forcing residents out of their homes and robbing them of valuables before sexually assaulting some of the women. The village was largely destroyed and 37 Muslims, almost all non-combatants, were killed.

When one group of villagers tried to flee, two women and three children were murdered in front of their home, while another group were found hiding in a cellar and killed. The bodies of other victims – including elderly women and young children – were found burned inside their house or their shelter.

In a separate attack on the same day, Mr. Raji&#263; and his forces rounded up more than 250 Muslim men, regardless of their civilian or military status, in the nearby town of Vareš. The men were arrested, often robbed, and then detained at two schools under treacherous conditions in which many were beaten.

The ICTY noted the importance of the role Mr. Raji&#263; played in these events when, following orders of his own superiors, he planned and ordered the attacks and further ordered the rounding up of Muslim civilians, knowing the substantial likelihood that criminal acts would ensue following these orders.

As mitigating circumstances, the Tribunal held that Mr. Raji&#263;'s guilty plea helped to establish the truth surrounding the crimes committed in Stupni Do and Vareš, and also noted the remorse he expressed at his sentencing hearing.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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UN'S ENVIRONMENTAL TELEVISION PRODUCTS TO BE SHOWCASED AT INDUSTRY CONFERENCE

UN'S ENVIRONMENTAL TELEVISION PRODUCTS TO BE SHOWCASED AT INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
New York, Apr 13 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations audiovisual family will offer 'green' stories and projects to major international broadcasters as they join MIPTV (Marché international des programmes de television), the leading international television programming marketplace, next week in Cannes, France.

"We invite TV broadcasters to discover the wealth of material and media services which exists within the United Nations system that they can use to produce a variety of formats from the small screen to mobile devices," said Caroline Petit of the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), who will be attending <"http://www.un.org/av/unfamily/miptv07.html">MIPTV along with representatives of several other UN agencies.

Through its award-winning series "UN in Action," UN Television has produced short documentaries on numerous environmental subjects, including stories on the future of the Aral Sea, the prevention of natural disasters in Kazakhstan, and cleaning up radioactive waste in Serbia.

"21st Century," a newly launched 26-minute monthly magazine, combines narrative storytelling and news reporting from around the world, while DPI also furnishes stories from field missions through its UNifeed satellite transmission.

Among the UN system's many new green projects to be featured is "So You Think You Know About... Climate Change," a documentary series produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the award-winning United Kingdom-based back2back productions in association with BBC World.

"Bling: A Planet Rock" is a 90-minute documentary produced by VH1 Rock Docs, Article 19 Films and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Featuring hip-hop artists from the United States and Sierra Leone, it spotlights millions of diamond diggers to help disadvantaged communities and promote conscious consumerism, encouraging the purchase of 'clean' diamonds through the power and influence of popular music.

Also providing products will be the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Bank and the Millennium Campaign.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN DR CONGO FOR ANOTHER MONTH

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN DR CONGO FOR ANOTHER MONTH
New York, Apr 13 2007 3:00PM
Stressing its commitment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the country's post-war transition period, the Security Council today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc8996.doc.htm">extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission there for another month.

In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Council's 15 members agreed to extend the current mandate and personnel strength of the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC) until 15 May.

The resolution reaffirmed the Council's support for "the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence" of the DRC, which is trying to rebuild after decades of civil war and misrule.

Last month hundreds of people were killed in the capital, Kinshasa, during fighting between Government forces and the guards of the former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba, who lost the run-off round of landmark presidential elections to Joseph Kabila last year.

In the wake of those deadly clashes, the Council called on the DRC's authorities and political parties to pursue national reconciliation and resolve their differences through dialogue.

In a separate development, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy, will begin a six-day visit to the African country on Sunday.

Mr. Despouy, who has been invited by the Congolese Government, will make recommendations on how to strengthen the independence of the justice system after meeting with the Prime Minister, Government officials, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, UN staff, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others.

He will also look at the level of professional training for judges, prosecutors and lawyers, and the public access to the justice system.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS IN 'STRONGEST TERMS' TERROR ATTACK ON IRAQI PARLIAMENT

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS IN 'STRONGEST TERMS' TERROR ATTACK ON IRAQI PARLIAMENT
New York, Apr 13 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations Security Council today <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc8998.doc.htm">condemned in the "strongest terms" the deadly terrorist attack on Iraq's Parliament, calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and urging all States to cooperate with Iraqi authorities.

Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom, which holds this month's Council Presidency, read out a statement reaffirming the 15-member body's view that all terrorism is unjustifiable and constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace.

"The Security Council underlines the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urges all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Iraqi authorities in this regard," he said.

"[It] further reaffirms the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts," he added.

States "must ensure that any measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law."

Thursday's attack has also been roundly condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as by his Special Representative to Iraq, Ashraf Qazi. Mr. Ban said it had "targeted Iraq's elected officials and attempted to undermine one of the country's sovereign institutions."
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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COMPLETING REGISTRATION OF NEPAL ARMY WEAPONS, UN ENDS FIRST PHASE OF PROCESS

COMPLETING REGISTRATION OF NEPAL ARMY WEAPONS, UN ENDS FIRST PHASE OF PROCESS
New York, Apr 13 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Political Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) has <" http://www.un.org.np/pressreleases/UNMIN/2007/2007-4-12-UNMIN-Press-Statement.ENG.pdf">completed the registration and storage of Nepal Army weapons at a barracks in the capital Kathmandu, wrapping up the first phase of a process that has already seen the registration of an equal number of weapons from former Maoist fighters.

"The first phase of registration and storage of weapons has been achieved with excellent
cooperation by both the Nepal Army and the Maoist army, and is a significant contribution to the peace process in Nepal," said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Nepal Ian Martin after inspecting the Chhauni Barracks site.

"It provides a sound foundation for the second phase of this process, when UNMIN will verify details of registered combatants in Maoist cantonments."

This next phase, which was agreed last year as part of a peace deal that ended more than a decade of conflict between the Maoists and the Government, is scheduled to begin shortly, the Mission said.

After a three-day process, which ended on Thursday, UNMIN registered 2,855 Nepal Army weapons, including, rifles, machine guns, sub-machine guns, pistols and mortars, and stored them in locked containers that are under 24-hour monitoring, including by electronic surveillance.

The number of weapons registered and stored under UNMIN monitoring is the same as those from the Maoist Army, and they are of equivalent types. Both arrangements are identical as stipulated in the Agreement on the Monitoring of Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA).
The Security Council established <" http://www.un.org.np/unmin.php">UNMIN in January to assist with the follow-up to the Nepalese peace deal and also to support this year's planned elections in the impoverished country, where over 10 years of civil war killed around 15,000 people and displaced more than 100,000 others.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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CAMBODIA: UN ENVOY CALLS SENTENCES FOR LABOUR LEADER'S MURDER 'GRAVE INJUSTICE'

CAMBODIA: UN ENVOY CALLS SENTENCES FOR LABOUR LEADER'S MURDER 'GRAVE INJUSTICE'
New York, Apr 13 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations human rights envoy for Cambodia has expressed deep regret over yesterday's decision by an Appeal Court to uphold the conviction of two men for the murder of a union leader, describing it as a "grave injustice" that underlines "continuing impunity" in the country.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court in 2005 sentenced Born Samnang and Sok Sam Ouen to 20 years imprisonment for the murder of trade union leader Chea Vichea, but Special Representative of the Secretary-General for human rights in Cambodia Yash Gai said the prosecution had failed to present credible evidence linking the two men to the murder, adding also that the trial had violated international human rights standards.

"The upholding of the conviction against Born Samnang and Sok Sam Ouen, despite fresh witness statements and other strong exculpatory evidence, along with the failure to observe minimum guarantees for fair trial throughout the process, is a grave injustice and underlines already existing concerns about judicial independence, the rule of law and continuing impunity in Cambodia," Mr. Gai said in a statement on Thursday

He also reiterated his calls for a thorough, impartial and credible investigation into the murder and for the prosecution of those responsible.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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AS FIGHTING RAGES IN SOMALIA, UN REFUGEE AGENCY SENDS IN AID

AS FIGHTING RAGES IN SOMALIA, UN REFUGEE AGENCY SENDS IN AID
New York, Apr 13 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency has been begun delivery of 28 tons of relief supplies to war-ravaged Somalia, where officials from the world body warn that fighting is at its heaviest since the outbreak of war over a decade ago.

Amid the violence, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461f670f16.html">UNHCR) is sending in 9,000 blankets, 1,800 plastic sheets, 3,600 jerry cans and 1,800 kitchen sets which will be distributed to up to 20,000 people who fled recent fighting in Mogadishu, the capital, spokesman Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva today.

"Thousands of displaced Somalis have spent nearly two weeks without proper food, water or shelter," he said. "Families with no relatives or clan links in the area continue to live in the open, or under trees. The need for shelter material is now more pressing because of the rainy season which normally begins this month."

UNHCR has additional stocks for up to 5,000 families in Mogadishu and smaller quantities in the town of Marka. But Mr. Redmond warned that obstacles remain. "We are still facing difficulties in bringing items out of the warehouses for distribution to thousands of families who fled from the capital," he said, adding that "insecurity in parts of Mogadishu has continued to jeopardize humanitarian access to the Somali capital and surrounding regions, making the plight of civilians all the more desperate."

About 128,000 Somalis are believed to have fled from Mogadishu since the beginning of February. Nearly 90,000 of them have sought safety in the adjacent provinces of Middle and Lower Shabelle, according to UNHCR, which estimate that 18,000 people have settled in the district of Afgooye. And up to 4,000 people may be recently displaced in Baidoa.

These figures "may still rise as people continue to flee Mogadishu, where a truce had been holding for about 10 days despite sporadic gunfire," Mr. Redmond said. Clashes resumed Wednesday between the Ethiopian-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces and insurgents.

On Thursday, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, voiced deep concern over the dire situation facing the displaced, who have been harassed, threatened, raped and robbed.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that aid workers are being thwarted in their efforts to assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups by the deteriorating security situation, harassment, intimidation and even detention.
2007-04-13 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES DEADLY BOMB ATTACKS IN ALGERIA

SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES DEADLY BOMB ATTACKS IN ALGERIA
New York, Apr 12 2007 8:00PM
Condemning "in the strongest terms" yesterday's deadly bombings in the Algerian capital, the <" http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/index.html">Security Council today stressed the need to bring the perpetrators and sponsors to account and reiterated that acts of terrorism can never be justified.

National authorities said 33 people were killed and hundreds of others injured in the two suicide attacks, which took place at separate sites in Algiers.

In a statement read out by Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom, which holds this month's rotating presidency, Council members deplored "these heinous acts of terrorism" and offered condolences to the victims and their families.

"The Security Council underlines the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice," the statement said, adding that all countries should cooperate with Algerian authorities as they investigate the bombings.

The 15-member body reaffirmed that terrorism of any kind "constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed."

Reminding all States of their obligation under previous Council resolutions to combat terrorism, Mr. Jones Parry said that any measures taken must also comply with the UN Charter and all commitments under international law, especially those concerning human rights, humanitarian issues and refugees.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out yesterday against the Algiers blasts, saying in a <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2514">statement issued by his spokesperson that they were further evidence of the need for concerted global action to defeat terrorism.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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AS FIGHTING IN SOMALIA INTENSIFIES, UN OFFICIAL VOICES CONCERN FOR CIVILIANS

AS FIGHTING IN SOMALIA INTENSIFIES, UN OFFICIAL VOICES CONCERN FOR CIVILIANS
New York, Apr 12 2007 7:00PM
With fighting in Somalia is at its heaviest since the outbreak of war over a decade ago, the top United Nations humanitarian official today voiced deep concern over the dire situation in the war-torn country where civilians fleeing the capital, Mogadishu, have been harassed, threatened, raped and robbed.

The fragile ceasefire between warring sides agreed to on 1 April crumbled when the fighting resumed yesterday in Mogadishu.

"Although it seemed that there was some hope, it took only days for the truce to be broken and the suffering of the population to be on the rise again," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes.

Last month in Mogadishu, hundreds of civilians were killed and more than 1,000 wounded were registered in the city's two main hospitals. Almost 200,000 people have fled Mogadishu because of the bloodshed since 1 February.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA) reported that aid workers are being thwarted in their efforts to assist internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) and other vulnerable groups by the deteriorating security situation, harassment, intimidation and even detention.

Relief providers are further hampered by the difficulty in accessing aid supplies in Mogadishu because of the military's presence and activities.

"These incidents compromise the independent and impartial nature of the humanitarian response," said Mr. Holmes. "Indeed, they are paralyzing the response."

Violence in the capital has increased since the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), backed by Ethiopian forces, dislodged the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) from Mogadishu and much of the rest of the country at the end of last year. Mortar rounds and other fire have since killed many civilians in residential areas and settlements housing 250,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Southern and central portions of the country have been hard hit by unprecedented droughts, flooding and three waves of intense fighting within the last year, further compounding the critical humanitarian situation in the country.

Due to flooding late last year, the east African country also faces an outbreak of acute water diarrhoea, which has affected 400 people so far.

Meanwhile, human trafficking from northern Somalia to Yemen continued in March, with tragic consequences. Since the beginning of this year, at least 200 people have died – some after being thrown overboard by smugglers – in attempting to reach Yemen. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR), more than 5,600 people have landed on the Yemeni coast but many others remain missing.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL 'PROFOUNDLY MOVED' BY PROFESSIONALISM OF UN STAFF: SPOKESPERSON

SECRETARY-GENERAL 'PROFOUNDLY MOVED' BY PROFESSIONALISM OF UN STAFF: SPOKESPERSON
New York, Apr 12 2007 7:00PM
Marking his first three months in office, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today told staff at United Nations Headquarters in New York and around the world that he has been "profoundly moved" by their professionalism and commitment, his spokesperson said.

Mr. Ban took questions from staff attending the meeting in New York and from others around the world who were participating via videoconference, and told them he is asking his senior managers to identify their priorities and goals in a measurable way, and that he is also working to strengthen the Management Performance Board.

In <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp">remarks to the press after the meeting, Mr. Ban described the discussions as very useful, rewarding and candid, as he promised to have "closer dialogue" with UN staff in the future. He also highlighted the issue of staff mobility and how this can help ensure more professionalism in the organization.

"As far as mobility is concerned, this is a decision by the Member States that the Member States had taken in 2002. And from May 2007 this year, this first phase of mobility should be implemented. I know that there are certain areas of concern, but while promoting this mobility, I will try to ensure that we need to have a strengthened career development, training, and other issues," Mr. Ban said.

"I think that through mobility, when in place, we can ensure more efficient, and more multitasked and versatile staff, and more professionalism."
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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INDEPENDENT RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR UN TREATY ON DISABILITIES

INDEPENDENT RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR UN TREATY ON DISABILITIES
New York, Apr 12 2007 6:00PM
Welcoming the dozens of countries which have signed the landmark new treaty protecting the rights of the world's estimated 650 million people with disabilities, a United Nations independent expert called for more States to back the pact and foster inclusive education.

Vernor Muñoz, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, issued a <"http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/28F44F646CD583BCC12572BB0046645D?OpenDocument">statement today describing the large number of signatures to both the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as "a very positive sign of a change of attitudes towards persons with disabilities."

Some 81 Member States and the European Community signed the new treaty on 30 March, a record for the first day of signature of any convention, while 44 nations signed on to the Optional Protocol.

The Convention needs 20 countries to ratify it to enter into force, and so far Jamaica is the only country to have taken this step.

Congratulating the countries that have signed, Mr. Muñoz "also would like to strongly encourage States that have not yet signed to do so, hoping that in the near future all States will ratify the Convention and its Optional Protocol."
The <" http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/disabilities-convention.htm">Convention outlaws discrimination against persons with disabilities in all areas of life, including employment, education, health services, transportation and access to justice.
It requires that public spaces and buildings be accessible to persons with disabilities, and calls for improvements to information and communications infrastructure.
The <" http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/disabilities-op.htm">Optional Protocol will give individuals recourse to an expert committee on the rights of persons with disabilities when all national options have been exhausted.

Mr. Muñoz said international instruments such as the Convention "constitute a fundamental mechanism for the realization of the right to education of persons with disabilities, since they crystallize the commitment of States to protect their rights, recognize the link between inclusive education and the right to education of persons with disabilities, and lay down the legal bases for its implementation."

Mr. Muñoz, who serves in an independent, unpaid capacity, reports to the UN <"http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil">Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION VISITING BURUNDI TO FIND WAYS TO CONSOLIDATE STABILITY

UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION VISITING BURUNDI TO FIND WAYS TO CONSOLIDATE STABILITY
New York, Apr 12 2007 6:00PM
An eight-member delegation from the newly established United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) – created to prevent countries emerging from civil war and other conflicts from sliding back into bloodshed – is currently visiting Burundi in a bid to help consolidate stability there.

Led by Ambassador Johan L. Løvald, Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN, the delegation will wrap up its four-day trip on 14 April to the small central African State, which has been the victim of violent coups and political instability since gaining independence in 1962.

On this trip, the delegation aims to see first-hand the current situation in Burundi and assess the challenges the country faces in fortifying peace.

It will meet with various groups – including Government officials and representatives from regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), human rights and other civil society groups, religious leaders and media – to discuss how the PBC can best support peacebuilding efforts.

"Visits by members of the PBC to the countries under consideration are a very important element in the work" of the body, said Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support.

Last month, the PBC sent a delegation on a five-day maiden mission to Sierra Leone.

Established in December 2005, the < "http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding">PBC focuses on reconstruction, institution-building and the promotion of sustainable development in post-conflict countries.

The body, which operates in conjunction with several of the UN's principal organs, namely the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), also recognizes the importance of individual countries spearheading efforts to consolidate peace within their own borders.

"This visit by members of the PBC to Burundi underscores the importance of national ownership in peacebuilding," Ms. McAskie explained.

Burundi was the first country to receive financial support from the <"http://www.reformtheun.org/index.php/eupdate/2548">Peacebuilding Fund, established from voluntary contributions to aid countries which have recently emerged from war from slipping back into conflict.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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CROPS WORLDWIDE THREATENED BY NEW WHEAT-KILLING FUNGUS, UN AGENCY WARNS

CROPS WORLDWIDE THREATENED BY NEW WHEAT-KILLING FUNGUS, UN AGENCY WARNS
New York, Apr 12 2007 6:00PM
Warning that a virulent new wheat-killing fungus called wheat stem rust could destroy harvests across the globe, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today said that it has partnered with other organizations to fight the spread of the dangerous strain.

Warning that a virulent new wheat-killing fungus called wheat stem rust could destroy harvests across the globe, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000537/index.html">FAO) today said that it has partnered with other organizations to fight the spread of the dangerous strain.

Also known as wheat black rust, the fungus, which first emerged in Uganda in 1999, has spread from East Africa to Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula.

Approximately 80 per cent of all varieties of wheat in Asia and Africa are vulnerable to this new strain which spreads rapidly and is transmitted by the wind across continents and over long distances.

"Global wheat yields could be at risk if the stem rust spreads to major wheat producing countries," cautioned FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said.

Destruction of wheat crops, causing billions dollars worth of losses, "could lead to increased wheat prices and local or regional food shortages," he said.

This could have dire implications for developing countries, he added, since they rely heavily on wheat and do not have access to wheat varieties resistant to the fungus.

FAO has joined forces with the Global Rust Initiative – an international group lead by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center – which receives most of its funding from Canada, the United States and India.

The partnership will assist efforts to develop wheat varieties resistant to the fungus, bolstering plant protection and developing contingency plans in the event of crop infection.

FAO urges countries already affected, particularly Yemen, as well as countries at risk to heighten their surveillance of the rust.

The strain of fungus found in Yemen is already more virulent than the one in East Africa, the agency said, and there is a high risk that Sudan will be affected next.

FAO said there is a possibility that wind currents could carry the fungus spores from Yemen north along the Red Sea to Egypt or through the Saudi Arabian peninsula to the Near East.

In the late 1980s, a similar disease appeared in East Africa, traveling to Yemen, the Near East and Central Asia, finally reaching South Asia in four years. This massive spread resulted in losses in crops worth over $1 billion.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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SCHOOLS IN MIDDLE EAST MUST BE 'ZONES OF PEACE:' UN ENVOY ON CHILDREN IN CONFLICT

SCHOOLS IN MIDDLE EAST MUST BE 'ZONES OF PEACE:' UN ENVOY ON CHILDREN IN CONFLICT
New York, Apr 12 2007 6:00PM
Completing a three-day fact-finding mission to Lebanon, the United Nations envoy for children in armed conflict today <" http://www.un.org/children/conflict/pr/2007-04-12allpartiesagreet149.html">called on all sides in the Middle East to respect international humanitarian law and ensure schools are "zones of peace" where children are protected.

After visiting the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy said she was shocked to see the destruction caused by last year's conflict between Hizbollah and Israel and its considerable impact on children.

"All parties should respect International Humanitarian Law with regard to the protection of children and ensure that schools are zones of peace. For the sake of future generations, a framework for a permanent peace should be negotiated with Israel," she said.

Ms. Coomaraswamy said that she felt very encouraged by the response of the Lebanese authorities, civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the international community to the crisis with regard to children.

She also welcomed commitments made by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora on behalf of Lebanon's Government and by Parliamentary Deputy Mohamed Raad on behalf of Hizbollah to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. Ms. Coomaraswamy stressed that children should not be used in political mobilization or armed violence.

During discussions with these officials, she also raised the issue of cluster bombs and unexploded ordinance and asked Lebanon to take a leading role in the development of and advocacy for an International Protocol on Cluster Munitions.

After visiting the Shatilla Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, she expressed concern over refugee children and called for better access to social services, education and employment, while also recognizing the efforts made by the Government to address the issue of living conditions in the camp.

"It is crucial for the future of the country to encourage children to continue to go to school especially the most vulnerable and marginalized ones," she declared.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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TRADE LIBERALIZATION MAY HARM POOREST STATES, UN AGRICULTURE REPORT WARNS

TRADE LIBERALIZATION MAY HARM POOREST STATES, UN AGRICULTURE REPORT WARNS
New York, Apr 12 2007 5:00PM
The results of renewed negotiations aimed at liberalizing international trade might hurt rather than help the world's poorest countries unless those nations are given the necessary leeway to protect their food security and essential development needs, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000536/index.html">FAO) has warned.

In its annual <" http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0950e/a0950e00.htm">report on the state of the world's agricultural commodity markets, released yesterday in Geneva, FAO urged government ministers participating in the revived Doha Round of trade talks to make sure any new rules are compatible with a global target – known as the Millennium Development Goal (<" http://www.fao.org/es/ess/mdg_kit/contrib.asp">MDG) – that calls for the proportion of people living in extreme poverty to be halved by 2015.

The report stated that while economically advanced countries are likely to benefit from further liberalization of the global trading system, and some developing countries are becoming much more competitive as well, others could be left behind.

"Many lower-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are less well placed to gain in the short- to medium run from trade liberalization," it said, pointing especially to those most dependent on agricultural commodities to support their development and efforts to reduce poverty.

Launching the report, the Chief of the FAO's Trade Policy Service, David Hallam, said it was not surprising that the world's poorest nations regard trade liberalization "as a threat to their domestic production and food security."

If tariffs are reduced, there will be increased competition from imported foods for local products, and domestic production systems may not be able to adequately respond, threatening rural incomes and employment levels Mr. Hallam said.

"It is clear that many countries will need to be allowed some flexibility in the implementation of new trade rules, and also to be given assistance, at least for the short term, while they adjust to the new market realities arising from trade liberalization."

The report called for action to be taken to ensure that the potential benefits from trade liberalization are spread as broadly and equitably as possible, suggesting developing nations be given more training and greater policy advice on how to defend their interests during trade negotiations.

The so-called Doha Round of trade talks, named after the Qatari capital where they began in 2001, stalled last year amid disputes between developed and developing countries over agricultural subsidies.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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UN CONTINUES AIDING TSUNAMI-HIT SOLOMON ISLANDS, BUT SOME AREAS STILL OUT OF REACH

UN CONTINUES AIDING TSUNAMI-HIT SOLOMON ISLANDS, BUT SOME AREAS STILL OUT OF REACH
New York, Apr 12 2007 5:00PM
Relief efforts in the Solomon Islands following last week's deadly tsunami are being hampered by the lack of access to the more remote regions, the United Nations humanitarian arm warned today, with some areas still not yet reached by emergency teams, ten days after the disaster struck.

But the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?MenuID=12607&Page=2349">OCHA) said radio contact has been largely re-established to affected areas and the threat posed by communicable diseases has been brought under control, with few reported cases of diarrhoea and surveillance systems in place to handle any outbreak of malaria.

Providing shelter and helping the thousands of newly displaced persons to return to their home areas remain the biggest challenges, OCHA said in a press release issued in New York.

The Solomon Islands estimate that at least 35 people died and more than 9,000 others were affected by the tsunami, with some 1,500 people needing urgent assistance. Many people are camping on hillsides, afraid to return to their coastal homes because of frequent tremors since the original quake.

The tsunami struck the Solomon Islands – and parts of neighbouring Papua New Guinea – on 2 April after an earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale which struck 345 kilometres northwest of Honiara, the capital of the South Pacific nation.

One of the hardest-hit towns is Gizo, where tanks and water pipes need urgent repair after suffering damage. The quake and subsequent landslides have also damaged many water sources. The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/solomonislands.html">UNICEF) has sent tens of thousands of packets of oral rehydration salts, while several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also operating in Gizo or surrounding areas.

UNICEF, the World Health Organization ("http://www.who.int/countries/slb/en">WHO) and the Solomon Islands' Ministry of Health have planned a measles vaccination campaign for Monday, and repairs are continuing at the Gizo hospital.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICES IN NAIROBI, GENEVA SOLEMNLY MARK ANNIVERSARY OF RWANDAN GENOCIDE

UN OFFICES IN NAIROBI, GENEVA SOLEMNLY MARK ANNIVERSARY OF RWANDAN GENOCIDE
New York, Apr 12 2007 4:00PM
United Nations offices in Nairobi and Geneva this week held solemn ceremonies marking the <" http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=a/res/58/234">International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda, paying tribute to the memory of the 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus who died at the hands of Hutu militias and others in a three-month orgy of violence.

In the Kenyan capital today, the Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi and Executive Director of UN Human Settlements Programme (<" http://www.unhabitat.org">UN-HABITAT), Anna Tibaijuka, called upon the international community to "never stop working to prevent another genocide."

Reading from a <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2512">message delivered by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when the Day was marked in New York on Monday, she recalled that UN peacekeepers had "saved as many lives as they could, and should be remembered for their courage and commitment."
The event, organized by the UN Information Centre in Nairobi, included representatives of the diplomatic community, religious leaders and UN staff members who all observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims.

A minute of silence was also on the programme during a solemn ceremony on Wednesday in Geneva.

"In remembering the horrors of the genocide in Rwanda, we honour its victims and we show our respect to the survivors," Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, <" http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/F487A533DC13D068C12572BB004D076D?OpenDocument">told participants.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES IMMEDIATE, UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF MISSING BRITISH JOURNALIST

BAN KI-MOON URGES IMMEDIATE, UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF MISSING BRITISH JOURNALIST
New York, Apr 12 2007 4:00PM
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today called for the immediate and unconditional release of the British journalist Alan Johnston, who was abducted in Gaza one month ago.

"His coverage of Palestinian issues has earned a great reputation worldwide. Freedom of coverage, as well as freedom of the press, should be protected as a matter of principle," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm10941.doc.htm">statement to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York.

"I sincerely hope that those who are responsible for this abduction should release him unconditionally and immediately. I will do whatever I can in my capacity as Secretary-General. My sympathy is with the family of Mr. Alan Johnston. I wish him well."

The Secretary-General said he was "deeply concerned" by the abduction and his call for Mr. Johnston's immediate release comes amid similar appeals worldwide and also after a message from the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=24359&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) last week, the body that is mandated to protect freedom of expression.

Mr. Johnston, who has been living and working for the BBC in Gaza for several years, was abducted on 12 March near his office as he was returning from the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN LEAD UN FOOD AGENCY TO ALTER OPERATIONS

IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN LEAD UN FOOD AGENCY TO ALTER OPERATIONS
New York, Apr 12 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2434">WFP) announced today that it will gradually switch operations in southern Sudan from emergency relief to long-term recovery after projecting that demand for its aid will fall by almost a fifth this year as the region recovers from two decades of civil war.

Better harvests and a more stable security situation across southern Sudan mean the amount of food aid will drop from 133,000 metric tons last year to an expected 108,000 metric tons this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<" http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA).

This means about 1.3 million southern Sudanese will depend on WFP for food aid this year, compared to 1.6 million last year.

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said the increased stability, following a comprehensive peace agreement ending the north-south war at the start of 2005, brought with it greater food security.

"As the war in the south fades into history, we want people to return to their farms and restart their normal lives," she said. "We recognize that we cannot abruptly stop the flow of aid but we can gradually shift people back to greater food independence."

WFP has been operating in southern Sudan since the north-south war began in the early 1980s, often using airdrops to deliver food because of the vast region's unreliable food network. At its peak in the late 1990s, the WFP operation was using 10 cargo planes to each make three food delivery runs per day.

But since the war ended, many of the internally displaced persons (<" http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) and refugees who have returned to their home areas are farming again, taking advantage of seeds and agricultural tools provided by UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other aid groups.

Food production in southern Sudan is forecast to jump from 805,000 tons to 838,000 metric tons this year, said Justin Bagirishya, WFP Coordinator in Juba, the southern Sudanese capital.

"But the real change is not so much about tonnage, but rather about how food is used," noting that air drops will stop completely as many vulnerable communities are easier to reach thanks to an improving road network.

No food aid will be provided for free this year, according to OCHA, except to children under five, the elderly, people affected by HIV/AIDS, returnees who have just arrived and chronically food insecure groups who are unable work.

But WFP is scaling up its school feeding programme, which not only provides nutrition to pupils but offers an incentive to go to classes in an area with some of the lowest attendance rates in the world. This year the Programme plans to give 450,000 children a hot meal at school, up from 152,000 in 2006.

More than 1 million people have returned home to southern Sudan since the war ended, and another 430,000 are expected to make the journey this year, either from neighbouring countries or other regions of Sudan.

To encourage more returnees, WFP is also expanding its "food-for-work" scheme, where communities receive food in return for participating in projects such as the construction or rehabilitation of schoolrooms, health-care centres, dams, dykes and wells.

The agency is continuing its intensive relief operations to assist Sudanese in Darfur, where conflict in has caused some 200,000 deaths and displaced approximately 2 million others, and across the border in Chad.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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NEPAL: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS TOSS VOLLEYBALLS WITH REFUGEES IN UN-BACKED INITIATIVE

NEPAL: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS TOSS VOLLEYBALLS WITH REFUGEES IN UN-BACKED INITIATIVE
New York, Apr 12 2007 12:00PM
Three members of Japan's gold medal-winning volleyball team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics have visited a camp in eastern Nepal to share their skills and knowledge of the game with refugees from Bhutan in an initiative backed by the United Nations refugee agency (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461ceaff4.html">UNHCR).

"It is great to see how sports can bring refugee and local communities together and also encourage girls to actively participate," said Kaoru Nemoto, who heads the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in the nearby town of Damak.

"It feels great to be here," said Olympian Takako Takagi, who with her teammates routed the Soviet Union's squad 3-0 to capture the gold medal in Montreal. "More than technical training, we want the refugees to have fun and learn how to work as a team."

Ms. Takagi and her two of her former teammates, Hiromi Ikeda and Katsuko Tanaka, also donated volleyballs, special shoes and other equipment during their two-day visit to Beldangi II camp, one of seven camps hosting 106,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal.

Many of the children and teenagers in the camp – who had previously been using cheap balls to play – could barely contain their excitement when presented with professional volleyballs, and scores participated in morning training sessions with the Olympians.

"We are happy to get the opportunity to learn and play with the Olympians," said camp resident Ram Bahadur while practicing with his friends on a grassy football field.

The three Japanese volleyball players recently established an aid agency called Montreal Kai to promote sport among youth.

"These kinds of recreational activities are needed in the camps to keep the youth positively engaged," said Binod Khatioda, who works with young people in the camp.

The visit concluded with a volleyball tournament in which teams from all seven refugee camps in eastern Nepal, home to 106,000 people, competed.

"It's definitely not a one-shot deal and we will surely find an opportunity to come again," said Ms. Takagi, a Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee and a silver medalist at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. "I have made the girls promise that they will practice regularly, so I can check how much they have improved by the time I return."

Given the success of the inter-camp tournament in which girls and handicapped children participated, plans are underway for another large competition on the occasion of World Refugee Day on 20 June.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY IN IRAQ STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD

TOP UN ENVOY IN IRAQ STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD
New York, Apr 12 2007 10:00AM
The senior United Nations envoy to <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=50&Body=iraq&Body1=">Iraq today strongly <"http://www.uniraq.org/get_article.asp?Language=EN&ArticleID=321">condemned today's attacks in Baghdad on the Al-Sarrafiya Bridge and at the Iraqi Parliament, calling on the country's authorities to apprehend those behind the acts and bring them to justice.

The bombings "constituted attacks on the symbols of Iraq's proud history and hope for its future," the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq Ashraf Qazi said in a statement.

Calling today's acts "criminal," he said that they "demonstrated the horrors of wanton violence and the need for enhanced dialogue and national reconciliation."

Mr. Qazi expressed his deep condolences for the families of those killed, and said that he hopes for the speedy recovery of those wounded.
2007-04-12 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON SELECTS TWO NEW EXPERTS FOR TALIBAN SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP

BAN KI-MOON SELECTS TWO NEW EXPERTS FOR TALIBAN SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP
New York, Apr 11 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his decision to <" http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/190">appoint two new members of the monitoring group established in 2004 to help track the application of United Nations sanctions against the Taliban, Al-Qaida and their operatives.

Saudi Arabia's Mubarak Mashhoor al-Shahrani and Carlton Greene of the United States, whose appointments are detailed in a document released today at UN Headquarters in New York, are to serve as experts on the monitoring team until 30 June next year.

The Analytical Supports and Sanctions Monitoring Team was set up to work at the direction of the existing UN committee dealing with sanctions against the Taliban and Al-Qaida, and reports periodically to the Security Council on its work.

The new members replace Egypt's Ashraf Mohsen and John Smith of the US, who resigned from the team in November last year and last month respectively.
The sanctions were originally adopted, and later tightened, in response to the indictment of Usama bin Laden for the 1998 terrorist bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.
States are required to freeze financial assets, including property as well as funds derived or generated by any undertaking owned or controlled by the Taliban, and to ensure that they are not used by the group. Countries are also obliged to freeze funds, property and other financial assets of Usama bin Laden and his associates in the Al-Qaida organization, and to prevent their entry or transit through the State's territory.
In addition, nations must prevent the supply, sale and transfer of all arms and materiel – along with any form of military training – to the named individuals and entities.
The monitoring team will help countries increase their capacity to implement the sanctions against the Taliban and Al-Qaida, and is also mandated to collate, assess, verify wherever possible, report and make recommendations on information regarding violations of the sanctions.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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UN STARTS REGISTERING NEPALESE ARMY WEAPONS UNDER LATEST PHASE OF PEACE DEAL

UN STARTS REGISTERING NEPALESE ARMY WEAPONS UNDER LATEST PHASE OF PEACE DEAL
New York, Apr 11 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations Political Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) has begun registering and storing Nepal Army weapons as part of the world body's assistance to the peace deal signed between the Government and the Maoists last year that ended over a decade of deadly civil war in the Himalayan country.Under the Agreement on Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA), the Nepal Army agreed to register and safely store under <"http://www.un.org.np/unmin.php">UNMIN monitoring an equivalent number of weapons to those stored by the Maoist army.

"I am very pleased with the weapons registration process today, which has gone smoothly," said General Jan Erik Wilhelmsen, the UNMIN official in charge of the monitoring of arms and armies. "The Nepal Army has provided full cooperation in this registration and weapons storage process, and I am confident that we will complete the process this week."

The process <"http://www.un.org.np/pressreleases/UNMIN/2007/2007-4-10-UNMIN-Press-Statement-ENG.pdf">began yesterday when the Nepal Army presented around 850 weapons for registration and storage by UN teams at the Chhauni Barracks in the capital Kathmandu.

Fourteen UN registration teams, supported by the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP), registered each weapon individually, attaching a barcode before storing it in one of 14 large containers. UNMIN monitors are present throughout the registration process, and will maintain a 24-hour presence at the barracks. Surveillance cameras have been installed at the site to ensure 24-hour electronic monitoring, the same arrangements that have been put in place for the Maoist weapons.

The number of weapons stored by the Maoist Army is 2855; in addition it maintains 524 weapons for cantonment perimeter security (30 at each divisional site, and 14 to 15 at each satellite site) and continues to hold 96 weapons pending an agreement on arrangements for leadership security.

Registration and storage of the Nepal Army weapons represents the final step of the first phase of registration of arms and combatants. The second phase will be the verification of Maoist combatants, and this will commence shortly. <p
The Security Council established UNMIN in January to assist with the follow-up to the Nepalese peace deal and also to support this year's planned elections in the impoverished country where over 10 years of civil war killed around 15,000 people and displaced more than 100,000 others.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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AGEING POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE POSE KEY POLICY CHALLENGES, WARNS UN OFFICIAL

AGEING POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE POSE KEY POLICY CHALLENGES, WARNS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Apr 11 2007 6:00PM
The number of elderly people will triple in the next 25 years, and a "large majority" of them will soon be living in the developing world, an official from the United Nations health agency said today, calling on policymakers in rich and poor countries to grapple with the challenges posed by this long-term demographic change.

Somnath Chatterji, team leader of Multi-Country Studies at the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO), told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York that the phenomenon of a rapidly ageing population can no longer be considered to be confined only to affluent nations.

Many developing nations are in transition as well, Dr. Chatterji said, shifting – albeit later than in developed States – from a comparatively young population where infectious diseases are prevalent to an older population where chronic diseases, such as heart disease, are more common.

He cited China and India, which together represent one third of the global population, as among the most notable examples of this transition.

Dr. Chatterji, who has been attending the <"http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2007/comm2007.htm">40th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development, said the absolute number of people aged over 65 will treble within 25 years.

A report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this year on the changing age structures of populations and their implications for development projected that by 2050 the number of older persons – defined as aged 60 or more – would exceed the number of children for the first time in history. By then, there should nearly 2 billion elderly persons, up from about 705 million this year.

The world's poorest nations, many of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa, will continue to have a relatively young population for some years, Dr. Chatterji, adding that the HIV/AIDS epidemic was a key factor in this trend.

Nyovani Madise, senior researcher at the African Population and Health Centre, told journalists at the same press conference today that the continent's enormous young population remains particularly vulnerable to the scourge of AIDS.

Dr. Madise called for greater investment in health care across Africa and recommended an increase in targeted programmes aimed at promoting more responsible behaviour among the continent's young people – whose use of contraception is generally lower than that of older people, exposing them to a higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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UN MISSION HELPS OPPOSITION FIGURE LEAVE DR CONGO FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT

UN MISSION HELPS OPPOSITION FIGURE LEAVE DR CONGO FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
New York, Apr 11 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has helped former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba, whose guards were involved in deadly fighting last month with the Congolese army, to leave the country safely today for medical treatment.

The mission, known as MONUC, provided security for Mr. Bemba's transport from the South African embassy in the capital, Kinshasa, to the airport, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.

Mr. Bemba then took a flight to Portugal, where he is scheduled to receive medical treatment for an old injury.

The MONUC move follows a request from Mr. Bemba and Congolese authorities after he was granted permission to leave Kinshasa by the President of the Provisional Office of the Senate.

Hundreds of people were killed during several days of clashes in and around the Gombe district of Kinshasa last month between Government forces and Mr. Bemba's security detail.

Last year Mr. Bemba was defeated by Joseph Kabila in the run-off round of landmark presidential elections in the DRC, which is rebuilding after the end of a six-year civil war.

<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC has been involved in discussions with Congolese authorities about the handover of opposition forces, some of whom have taken refuge with the mission in Kinshasa, to Government authorities for reintegration or disarmament.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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UN TRIBUNAL TRANSFERS BOSNIAN SERB CONVICTED OVER SREBRENICA MASSACRE TO FINLAND

UN TRIBUNAL TRANSFERS BOSNIAN SERB CONVICTED OVER SREBRENICA MASSACRE TO FINLAND
New York, Apr 11 2007 5:00PM
A senior security and intelligence officer in the Bosnian Serb army who was sentenced to 20 years' jail for his role in the 1995 massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica will serve the rest of his sentence in Finland after being transferred today by the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Momir Nikoli&#263;, 52, became the 26th person to be transferred by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty">ICTY), which sits in The Hague in the Netherlands, to another European country to serve out the remainder of his custodial sentence.

As a result of agreements signed by countries and the ICTY, men or women convicted by the Tribunal are now serving their sentence in Austria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, France and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Nikoli&#263; pleaded guilty in May 2003 to one count of crimes against humanity (persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds) after prosecutors agreed to drop other charges and Mr. Nikoli&#263; agreed to testify in other trials at the ICTY. The trial chamber later sentenced him to 27 years' jail, but the term was reduced on appeal in March last year.

A teacher by profession, Mr. Nikoli&#263; was mobilized into the Bosnian Serb forces and rose to become the Assistant Commander for Security and Intelligence in its Bratunac Brigade by 1995.

At his trial, the judges found that Mr. Nikoli&#263; attended three meetings at which Bosnian Serb military leaders determined the fate of Muslim civilians from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, which had been previously declared a UN safe area.

The enclave was overrun by the Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995 and at least 7,000 men and boys were murdered, while thousands of women and children were deported to other areas.

The ICTY found that Mr. Nikoli&#263; recommended possible detention and execution sites, supervised some deportations and separations, and later coordinated the exhumation and reburial of Muslim bodies, this ensuring that key evidence was destroyed and many families still do not know the whereabouts of their murdered relatives.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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'AMERICAN IDOL' STAR AND UNICEF AMBASSADOR CLAY AIKEN SPOTLIGHTS AFGHANISTAN

'AMERICAN IDOL' STAR AND UNICEF AMBASSADOR CLAY AIKEN SPOTLIGHTS AFGHANISTAN
New York, Apr 11 2007 5:00PM
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador and singer Clay Aiken is currently on his first visit to Afghanistan, aiming to raise awareness about the hope and promise he has seen in the young people of the war-torn country.

"The people here are very strong and they are very proud of their country," Mr. Aiken <"http://www.unama-afg.org/news/_pc/_english/2007/07April11-aiken.html">told reporters in Kabul today, praising the "strength and conviction of the Afghan people and their ability to make sure that this country returns to its glory after such a long darkness."

The singer, who gained a name on the televised talent competition 'American Idol,' has been a Goodwill Ambassador since 2004, has been in Afghanistan for the past week to see first-hand the grassroots health and education projects being delivered by <"http://www.unicef.org/people/people_ambassadors.html">UNICEF.

"It has been a long winter for Afghanistan and it is Spring time finally," he said, adding that he is "thrilled" to be associated with UNICEF's support for the country's rebuilding efforts.

Traveling with UNICEF country representative for Afghanistan Catherine Mbengue and his high school teacher Mary Props, Mr. Aiken has visited schools in Kabul and in Bamiyan.

In Kabul, he met young women at Macfee High School who "have an amazing positive outlook on their future now," he said.

Mr. Aiken called Bamiyan one of the most beautiful places he has ever seen, and mentioned one school he visited there in particular where boys and girls were being educated together. He also visited clinics where he had the opportunity to administer polio vaccine to a newborn baby.

"I have never in my life seen such a thirst and an excitement for learning," he said, joking that his former teacher, Ms. Props, was very jealous of how eager students in Afghanistan are to attend school.

Calling the people of Afghanistan the country's "greatest natural resource," Mr. Aiken said that he also hopes to inform people in the United States, who he said too often associate Afghanistan with conflicts, troops and military activities, of the genuine desire on the part of children to learn.

"If we did see more about the kids [in the media], we will see more positive support and help," noted Mr. Aiken.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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RWANDA SIGNS ON FOR 'ONE UN' PILOT SCHEME TO HARMONIZE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

RWANDA SIGNS ON FOR 'ONE UN' PILOT SCHEME TO HARMONIZE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
New York, Apr 11 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations and the Government of Rwanda have officially announced that the central African country will <" http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2007/april/rwanda-un-reform-20070410.en">participate in the "One UN" pilot programme which seeks to better coordinate development activities nationally.

The scheme will test how the greater UN family can ensure efficient and more effective development operations, while aiming to speed up activities to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<" http://www.undp.org/mdg">MDGs), eight targets for tackling poverty, hunger and other social ills by 2015.

The reform projects – also set to be carried out in Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam – will consolidate the UN's presence by replacing current structures with one leader, one programme and one budget, thus allowing various UN agencies to play to their strengths while also building on the strengths of different members of the UN family.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Moustapha Soumaré, said the main goal of the "One UN" approach in the country is to craft a more efficient UN to create a better future for Rwandans.

He also commended the country's Government for its support of the "One UN" project.

"Rwanda would not have been selected as pilot for the implementation of the One UN Reform without the efforts of its Government, which demonstrated the desire and the commitment to play an essential role as the main owner of these reforms," he added.

"Rwanda is proud to have been selected as a pilot country for the implementation of the One UN Reform at country level," Rwanda's Minister of Finance and Economic Planning James Musoni said at a signing ceremony on Tuesday attended by Government representatives, UN agencies and the donor community.

"The efficiency of the UN agencies is crucial to the success of Rwanda's development endeavors," he added, voicing hope that the reforms will help his country to meet the challenges posed by the MDGs.

The initiative is part of the larger reform efforts called for in a report by a group of experts, called the UN High-Level Panel on System-wide Coherence. Entitled <" http://capacity.undp.org/index.cfm?module=Library&page=Document&DocumentID=6029">Delivering as One, the report recognized the UN's importance in fostering development, but pointed out inadequacies in the current system.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON TO VISIT ITALY, SWITZERLAND, QATAR AND SYRIA - UN SPOKESMAN

BAN KI-MOON TO VISIT ITALY, SWITZERLAND, QATAR AND SYRIA – UN SPOKESMAN
New York, Apr 11 2007 2:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will head to Europe and the Middle East next week for an official visit that will include stops in Italy, Switzerland, Qatar and Syria as well as meetings with numerous leaders and the Pope, a spokesman for the world body announced today.

In Rome, Mr. Ban "plans to meet with senior Italian leaders," spokesperson Marie Okabe told a press briefing in New York. "He also expects to meet with the Pope in Vatican City."

While in Switzerland, he will hold talks with leaders of the Swiss Government and will chair a meeting of the Chief Executives Board (<"http://unsystemceb.org/features">CEB) which brings together top officials from across the UN system.

Mr. Ban will address a Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade in Doha, Qatar, before heading to Damascus, where he "plans to meet with senior government officials, including the president, on a range of issues," Ms. Okabe said.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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CONDEMNING BLASTS IN ALGERIA, BAN KI-MOON URGES GLOBAL ACTION AGAINST TERROR

CONDEMNING BLASTS IN ALGERIA, BAN KI-MOON URGES GLOBAL ACTION AGAINST TERROR
New York, Apr 11 2007 1:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke out against the deadly blasts that rocked Algeria, calling the "deplorable" attacks further evidence of the need for concerted global action to fight terrorism.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist bombings that occurred today in Algeria, killing and wounding many innocent civilians in what has been reported as an attempt against the Prime Minister," a spokesperson for Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2514">said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General believes this deplorable incident, the latest in a series of similar attacks in the Maghreb region as a whole, shows the need for concerted international action against terrorism which has the effect of undermining the normal functioning of societies and disrupting the lives of ordinary people," spokesperson Marie Okabe said.

Earlier this year, in an <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/search_full.asp?statID=67">address to the General Assembly, Mr. Ban said terrorism "strikes against everything the United Nations stands for" and called the fight against the scourge "our common mission."
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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RACE TO NORTH POLE BEGINS WITH BRITISH PAIR AIMING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR UN REFUGEE AGENCY

RACE TO NORTH POLE BEGINS WITH BRITISH PAIR AIMING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR UN REFUGEE AGENCY
New York, Apr 11 2007 10:00AM
A 640 kilometre race to the North Pole kicked off this week from the last inhabited outpost in northern Canada, with a pair of British adventurers seeking to raise almost $500,000 for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461bab264.html">UNHCR).

Jack Morland, 31, and James Turner, 30, comprise Team Refuge, which is racing to raise money for UNHCR and has so far has raised $50,000.

"We would like to earmark this money for a special trust fund to cover urgent medical evacuations for refugee children," said Mr. Morland, who has worked for UNHCR over the past seven years in places such as Iraq, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka and Sudan. He hopes this fund will act as a "quick access fund for field officers to bypass too much paperwork."

"This is also an opportunity for James and I to use the Polar Race as an excuse to talk to people about the refugee issue," he added. "We will return to the [United Kingdom] in May to begin a series of talks on the race and refugees at schools, community centres and universities around the country."

Team Refuge, one of six competing in the race, took the early lead on the first day of the endurance race which entails dragging heavy sleds across icy terrain, enduring minus 40-degree Celsius temperatures and constantly looking out for dangerous polar bears.

What scares Mr. Morland most is not the polar bears, but instead the bitter temperatures.

"The cold is terrifying," he said. "No sooner have you left the tent than your eyelids freeze together and your bones begin to ache."

However, Mr. Morland and Mr. Turner, a long-time friend and schoolmaster, have trained extensively for the event in the gym and also went on a two-week trip to the Swedish Arctic.

The team must carry the essentials for survival – including food, medical supplies, communications equipment and urine flasks so they do not have to leave their tents at night to answer a call of nature – in heavy sleds.

Arch Insurance, a European company, has given Team Refuge $80,000 to cover the costs of the race, allowing all funds raised by the pair to be donated directly to UNHCR.

The public will be able to continue donating to Team Refuge for the rest of this year.

The race is expected to take at least four weeks, and the winning team will be awarded the Wedgwood Blue Ice Trophy.
2007-04-11 00:00:00.000

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WORLD HERITAGE LIST SITES AT SERIOUS RISK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, WARNS UN REPORT

WORLD HERITAGE LIST SITES AT SERIOUS RISK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, WARNS UN REPORT
New York, Apr 10 2007 6:00PM
Some of the world's most renowned natural and cultural sites, from the Great Barrier Reef to Kilimanjaro National Park to the city of Venice, are at serious threat from climate change, <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=37390&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">according to a report released today by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, increased risks of flooding and reduced marine and land biodiversity could all have potentially disastrous effects on the 830 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the report said.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura called for "an integrated approach to issues of environmental preservation and sustainable development," warning that climate change will constitute an enormous challenge over the next century.

The report, which featured 26 case studies, focused on five areas: glaciers, marine biodiversity, terrestrial biodiversity, archaeological sites, and historic cities and settlements.

One of the at-risk sites is the Great Barrier Reef, off the north-eastern coast of Australia. The report found that rising sea temperatures and increasing oceanic acidification mean that corals are more and more likely to bleach and turn white, jeopardizing the numerous fish species which rely on the reef.

The Italian city of Venice and its surrounding lagoon face the threat of more frequent flooding because of rising sea levels, the report noted, while rising water levels could endanger the historic areas of many other famous cities, including London and Prague. The decorative surfaces of many of the buildings in these cities are considered to be at particular risk.

In Tanzania, the rapidly diminishing glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, could lead to the complete disappearance of its ice fields within the next 15 years.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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UN HEALTH AGENCY HAILS MOVE TO CUT PRICE OF KEY HIV/AIDS DRUG

UN HEALTH AGENCY HAILS MOVE TO CUT PRICE OF KEY HIV/AIDS DRUG
New York, Apr 10 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/hiv/en">WHO) today welcomed the decision of Abbott Laboratories to reduce the price of a drug which has proved particularly effective as a "second-line" antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The price of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, marketed as Kaletra/Aluvia) has been lowered by Abbott in some low and middle-income countries, where many HIV/AIDS drugs are unaffordable and demand for this medicine is growing.

Worldwide the number of people being treated with ART keeps growing in low and middle-income countries. This has caused a rise in the number of people in those nations who have developed resistance to so-called "first-line" treatments, thus boosting demand for second-line ART.

In a statement released today, the WHO welcomed Abbott's decision and said it would continue to work with countries, people living with HIV/AIDS, organizations and the pharmaceutical industry "to find mechanisms that address the immediate need to rapidly increase access and affordability of life-saving drugs, while maintaining the long-term need to foster research and development in innovative medicines."

WHO has pledged to work towards universal access to HIV prevention services and to treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS, all by 2010.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH GLOBAL FOOTBALL BODY AHEAD OF SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP

UN AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH GLOBAL FOOTBALL BODY AHEAD OF SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP
New York, Apr 10 2007 6:00PM
Ahead of the soccer World Cup in South Africa in 2010, the United Nations tourism agency is teaming up with FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) to help promote development, including eliminating poverty and supporting sustainable tourism, across the African continent by using the sport as the driving force.

"The World Cup constitutes an opportunity that the countries of the region can seize in order to obtain the maximum socio-economic, promotional and cultural benefits. It should also contribute to strengthening the image of Africa", said UN World Tourism Organization (<" http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/Releases/2007/april/fifa.htm">UNWTO) Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.

Aware of the fact that Africa can benefit from this major event, the heads of FIFA, the UNWTO and the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation (Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty) are preparing a partnership to assist African countries within the framework of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, UNWTO said in a press release.

Particularly through its <" http://www.unwto.org/step/index.php">ST-EP programme, UNWTO is working for poverty alleviation, linking its longstanding pursuit of sustainable tourism with the UN Millennium Development Goals (<" http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs) and its own Global Code of Ethics. The MDGs are a set of globally-agreed time-bound targets aimed at eliminating a host of social ills.

The World Cup, through the assistance provided by UNWTO and with travel and tourism as its main thrust, represents an opportunity to promote the whole of Africa to international markets, to reinforce the image of the continent as a safe and significant tourism destination and to help people develop closer relations, the agency said.

Earlier this year, the African Union (AU), South Africa and Ethiopia nominated 2007 as the International Year of African Football, an initiative that was welcomed by the UN as part of its global drive linking sport with development.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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UN MISSION TO SUPPORT HOLDING OF HAITIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS LATER THIS MONTH

UN MISSION TO SUPPORT HOLDING OF HAITIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS LATER THIS MONTH
New York, Apr 10 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah">MINUSTAH) has announced plans to provide security and logistical support to the Caribbean country's Provisional Electoral Commission when it holds local mayoral and municipal elections later this month.

About 300,000 voters are expected to cast their ballots on 29 April, voting for 73 delegate seats across 10 districts, MINUSTAH spokesperson Sophie Boutaud de la Combe told journalists on Thursday at the weekly press briefing in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.

Ms. Boutaud de la Combe urged all eligible Haitians to vote in the polls, which follow successfully staged legislative and local elections last year.

MINUSTAH has already provided training, coordinated with the Haitian Government, to thousands of candidates and civilians to help the municipal administrations better manage their affairs, especially in budgetary matters.

The mission has been supporting the polling process in Haiti since 7 February 2006, when the presidential and initial round of parliamentary elections were held – the first nationwide voting since an insurgency forced former President Jean- Bertrand Aristide into exile two years before.

MINUSTAH peacekeepers are also continuing law-and-order operations, most recently working with the Haitian National Police (HNP) in Port-au-Prince to detain 51 presumed gang members during the past week.

The arrests are part of joint efforts to cut crime and improve security in the capital's most crime-ridden neighbourhoods, where armed gangs have operated for many years.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN: BAN KI-MOON URGES STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO BOOST STABILITY AMID RISING ATTACKS

AFGHANISTAN: BAN KI-MOON URGES STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO BOOST STABILITY AMID RISING ATTACKS
New York, Apr 10 2007 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for stepped-up efforts to promote stability in Afghanistan after a series of attacks there this month resulted in the killing of six de-miners, six Canadian troops serving with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), nine civilians and a local journalist.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban added his voice to that of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA), which has already condemned the attacks, and he offered his condolences to the bereaved families.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns such acts of violence and calls upon the Government of Afghanistan and the international community, including the ISAF, to redouble their efforts to ensure stability, combat impunity and ensure an environment of respect for human rights," the statement <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2513">said.

Many of the recent attacks in Afghanistan, which is trying to recover from decades of war and misrule, have been concentrated in the south and southwest of the country, where the Taliban has been active again in the past year after it was dislodged from power at the end of 2001.

On Sunday, six Canadian troops died after an improvised explosive device attack in Kandahar province, the same day that the Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi, who was abducted by the Taliban on 5 March in Helmand province, was murdered.

A day earlier six Afghan de-miners working in Farah province were ambushed and killed, and on 1 April a suicide bomber in Laghman province murdered nine others, including five children.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS SITUATION AFTER ATTACKS IN SOUTH-EAST CHAD WORSE THAN FEARED

UN REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS SITUATION AFTER ATTACKS IN SOUTH-EAST CHAD WORSE THAN FEARED
New York, Apr 10 2007 5:00PM
Following last month's brutal attacks in south-eastern Chad, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today that the humanitarian situation is far worse than it had initially estimated, with between 200 and 400 killed and thousands displaced during the offensive possibly carried out by Janjaweed militias from Sudan's neighbouring Darfur region.

"Because most of the dead were buried where their bodies were found – often in common graves owing to their numbers – we may never know their exact number," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461b63df2.html">said at a press briefing in Geneva.

"Many who survived the initial attack – particularly those most vulnerable such as the elderly and young children – died in subsequent days from exhaustion and dehydration, often while fleeing," he added.

Over 9,000 Chadians from 31 villages have arrived the new Habile camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) since the attacks, joining 9,000 others who fled previous eruptions of violence.

However, the precise number of new IDPs is unclear. Aid agencies are registering new people daily, but there have been cases of previously displaced people attempting to pass themselves off as newly-arrived IDPs to receive additional assistance.

For many of the new arrivals to the Habile camp, this was not the first time they had been displaced, as some had moved several times over the past year. The majority of IDPs are women and children, while the whereabouts of many men are unknown.

Given the rise in tensions among communities, all IDPs were transferred within two days by <"
http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461bb1262.html">UNHCR trucks or by their own means to the new Habile camp.

Mr. Redmond said that UNHCR led an assessment mission in Chad on Sunday to Tiero and Marena, scene of the 31 March attacks, and one agency staff member described the situation as "apocalyptic."

Decomposing bodies were still being found in the area, but the security situation has stabilized with a massive deployment of Chadian military forces to the region, allowing families to return to bury their relatives.

Hundreds of homes had been burned to the ground, and an overwhelming stench emanated from the rotting carcasses of domestic animals, UNHCR said. Most people had little time to pack their belongings, as evidenced by the many essential household goods, food and animals left behind. Many abandoned belongings – left by those who collapsed or died where they fell – were also found along routes used by people to reach safety.

UNHCR said that while much remains to be done, the rapid response of humanitarian agencies has helped to reduce the suffering of thousands of Chadians affected by these attacks. UNHCR and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/chad.html">UNICEF) provided plastic sheeting, soap and buckets to all new arrivals in Habile, and plans are underway to distribute blankets and mats in the coming days.

The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=148">WFP) has provided a 45-day food ration to be distributed by the ICRC, and the NGO Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) has provided drinking water.

Chadian officials have offered their support, based on the gaps identified by aid agencies delivering assistance.

In a related development, representatives from the UN, the Government of Sudan and the African Union (AU) yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia finalized an agreement on the UN heavy support package for the existing AU mission, known as AMIS, in war-torn Darfur. The AU mission has about 7,000 troops to patrol Darfur, where rebel groups have fought Government forces and allied Janjaweed militias since 2003, prompting 2 million people to flee and leading to the deaths of 200,000 others.

As part of a three-phase plan, a proposed hybrid UN-AU force comprising some 17,000 troops and 3,000 police officers will be deployed in Darfur.

Representatives at yesterday's meeting agreed that all sides will move forward promptly, but consensus could not be reached on one item, and the Sudanese delegation "will further consult and hopes to provide a positive and expeditious response," according to a communiqué issued by participants.

In New York, a UN spokesperson, asked about the outstanding issue, said she understood that it involved tactical attack helicopters.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS) today issued a statement strongly condemning the "unprovoked attack carried out today by unidentified armed men on an AMIS patrol team" in North Darfur. An AMIS soldier from the protection force died shortly after his evacuation from the injuries he sustained during the attack, while two others were seriously injured.

The mission said it "looks forward to the outcome of the investigation of the attack announced by AMIS in order to identify the perpetrators and to hold them accountable."
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY HEAD TAKES OFFICE, CALLS FOR RENEWED COMMITMENT TO WORLD'S HUNGRY POOR

UN FOOD AGENCY HEAD TAKES OFFICE, CALLS FOR RENEWED COMMITMENT TO WORLD'S HUNGRY POOR
New York, Apr 10 2007 4:00PM
The new chief of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) officially took up her duties today by calling for a renewed commitment to the almost one billion hungry men, women and children throughout the world and highlighting that every year 4 million more people become malnourished.

Executive Director Josette Sheeran will spend her first month in office focusing on the organization's most important operations and areas of work, spending half her time at WFP headquarters in Rome and half her time in the field, where her first mission will be to Africa which she will visit at least twice in her first 90 days.

"Despite enormous efforts by WFP and its donors and partners, we are losing ground on hunger with 4 million more people malnourished each year than the year before. Together, we can turn that tide," she <"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2433">told staff in Rome.

"I feel very fortunate to join WFP, which I learned during my time on the UN's High-Level Panel is a gem in the UN system. WFP has earned the trust of the world's most vulnerable and the respect of more than 90 donor nations. All its supporters, public and private, know that over 93 per cent of their donations are used directly to reach the hungry, giving WFP one of the lowest overheads of any aid provider."

Every year WFP feeds an average of 90 million people, maintaining a logistics operation that encompasses an international team of nearly 12,000 in more than 80 countries.

<"http://www.wfp.org/aboutwfp/how_run/biography/sheeran.asp?section=1&sub_section=3">Ms. Sheeran was selected for the post in November by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/english/dg">FAO) Director General Jacques Diouf, with the unanimous concurrence of WFP's 36-member executive board.

She brings to WFP a broad background in the public and private sectors, with more than 20 years management and leadership experience in diplomacy, government, foundations, journalism and business.

Most recently Ms. Sheeran served as Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs at the State Department in the United States and as alternate US delegate to the World Bank and regional development banks, working on economic issues including development, trade, agriculture, finance, energy, telecommunications and transportation.

Last year she was asked by the former Secretary-General to serve on the High-Level Panel looking at UN reforms in the areas of humanitarian assistance, development and the environment. She spent nine months travelling the world conducting hundreds of interviews with UN aid recipients, country teams, private sector donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

"I come into this position with four commitments. First: to the more than 850 million men, women and children who know what it is like go to bed hungry, I promise you that you will never be forgotten and I will do everything I can not just to bring you food, but hope for a better future," said Ms. Sheeran.

The Executive Director listed her other commitments as being to WFP's supporters and to all the UN, NGO and other bodies that work with the organization. She also promised WFP staff that their efforts will not be taken for granted but that their sacrifices will "always make a difference."
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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NUMBER OF UN-ASSISTED AFGHAN RETURNEES FROM PAKISTAN TOPS 3 MILLION

NUMBER OF UN-ASSISTED AFGHAN RETURNEES FROM PAKISTAN TOPS 3 MILLION
New York, Apr 10 2007 2:00PM
The number of Afghans helped by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to return from Pakistan since 2002 has passed the 3-million mark, but the agency warned today that 2 million other Afghans remain in exile in the neighbouring country, unwilling or unable to make the journey home.

<" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461b95544.html">UNHCR has processed 3,009,484 Afghan returnees since the Taliban regime fell at the end of 2001 and formal returns began, the agency reported from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Some 860,000 others have been assisted home from Iran during the same period.

The busiest year in Pakistan was 2002, when at least 1.56 million people returned to Afghanistan, and numbers have steadily declined since then until last year, when there were just over 133,000 UNHCR-assisted returnees.

But the rate has surged again ahead of a deadline later this month when Pakistani authorities have said all remaining Afghans who did not take part in an earlier registration exercise or who have not agreed to return home with UNHCR assistance will be deemed to be illegal immigrants. So far this year more than 135,000 Afghans have already returned.

UNHCR's assistant representative in Pakistan, Kilian Kleinschmidt, said its operation has seen many ups and downs since 2002.

"These fluctuating trends reflect the voluntary nature of repatriation, and we have tried our best to help Afghans make informed decisions on if and when they should go home," he said.

Mr. Kleinschmidt said hundreds of overloaded trucks are now approaching UNHCR's voluntary repatriation centres in Pakistan every day as the 15 April deadline nears, making it difficult to sort through the applications.

"The challenge at the moment is to sift through hundreds of families every day to separate genuine returnees from those who are just here for the cash grant. We appeal to the Afghan community not to allow bogus returnees to block the repatriation process for those who genuinely want to be assisted home by 15 April."

UNHCR provides successful applications with assistance averaging about $100 per person, and also works with the Afghan Government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide shelter, job opportunities and vocational training to returnees.

Officials are conducting interviews, fingerprint biometrics and iris verification technology to try to prevent fraud.

Mr. Kleinschmidt added that a programme will begin after 15 April to voluntarily repatriate Afghans who have registered with Pakistani authorities and hold proof of registration cards. But he warned that not all may return home and called for greater international assistance.

"Voluntary repatriation is the preferred solution to the protracted Afghan situation in Pakistan. At the same time, there will be groups of Afghans who won't be able to go back and will need other solutions," he warned.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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PREPARATIONS BUILD FOR UN MEETING ON AID TO IRAQIS WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FLEE

PREPARATIONS BUILD FOR UN MEETING ON AID TO IRAQIS WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FLEE
New York, Apr 10 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today reported that preparations are gaining momentum towards holding a conference next week in Geneva on the humanitarian needs of the nearly 4 million Iraqis who have been forced to flee their homes in a mass exodus sparked by bloodshed, want and insecurity.

"Spiralling levels of sectarian, political and criminal violence, dwindling basic services, loss of livelihood, inflation and uncertainty about the future have all contributed to an exodus now estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 a month fleeing their homes inside Iraq," UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461b63de4.html">told a press briefing in Geneva today.

"Since most of those who have fled have not gone to camps, the movement has not been so obvious, but it is enormous nonetheless and those who have fled are becoming increasingly desperate as they and their host communities run out of resources."

Numerous governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have confirmed their participation in the <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/events?id=45e44a562">meeting, which will be held from 17 to 18 April and chaired by UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in a bid to spotlight the plight of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons.

"Although the world is aware of the military and political situation in Iraq, the immense and growing humanitarian needs are not well-known," said Mr. Redmond. "The idea of next week's conference is to alert the international community to the humanitarian dimensions of the displacement crisis in and around Iraq and to forge an ongoing international humanitarian partnership to alleviate suffering, to provide protection and to share the burden with those countries and communities that have so far borne the brunt of the crisis."

He stressed the need for the international community to focus collectively on the approximately 2 million Iraqis now in neighbouring countries and the estimated 1.9 million Iraqis who remain displaced inside their own country, "many of them in increasingly desperate conditions."

Since the beginning of last year nearly 730,000 Iraqis have become newly displaced by sectarian violence, according to UNHCR, and more are fleeing their homes daily.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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NEARLY THREE DOZEN MORE REFUGEES DROWN IN DOOMED BID TO REACH YEMEN - UN

NEARLY THREE DOZEN MORE REFUGEES DROWN IN DOOMED BID TO REACH YEMEN – UN
New York, Apr 10 2007 2:00PM
At least 34 people fleeing Somalia across the Gulf of Aden drowned after being forced overboard by their smugglers in deep waters off the coast of Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency said today, citing its own information as well as reports from survivors and Yemeni officials.

The latest deaths add to the mounting toll seen in the region during the annual smuggling operations, which the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has repeatedly warned are run by unscrupulous individuals known for beating, robbing and drowning the Somalis and Ethiopians fleeing civil conflict or drought for Yemen.

The latest incident occurred early on Friday when three smuggling boats approached the Yemeni coast near Bir Ali following a two-day voyage from the Bosaso region of Somalia.

"Witnesses and survivors said two of the boats had begun dropping their passengers off near shore when they reportedly came under fire from Yemeni authorities and moved back out to sea," UNHCR spokesman Rod Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461b63df20.html">told reporters in Geneva.

Although no one appeared to have been injured in the shooting, 22 people were later forced into the deeper water, where they drowned.

A third boat which approached the coast of Yemen early Friday afternoon forced its passengers overboard far from shore and another 12 people drowned. "Passengers aboard the third boat said they were beaten throughout the voyage from Somalia and that at least two Ethiopian men unable to endure the mistreatment jumped overboard," Mr. Redmond said.

In all, the three boats that arrived Friday carried 365 people, including 234 Ethiopians and 131 Somalis, according to UNHCR. Three more boats carrying 270 Somalis and Ethiopians arrived on Sunday near Bir Ali. All were believed to have reached shore safely.

Since the beginning of this year, more than 5,600 people have landed on the Yemeni coast and at least 200 people have died. Many remain missing.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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COLOMBIA: AS THOUSANDS FLEE FIGHTING, UN REFUGEE AGENCY VOICES CONCERN FOR CIVILIANS

COLOMBIA: AS THOUSANDS FLEE FIGHTING, UN REFUGEE AGENCY VOICES CONCERN FOR CIVILIANS
New York, Apr 10 2007 10:00AM
As thousands have fled their homes in the Nariño region in southern Colombia to escape fighting between the Government and rebel forces, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/461b63df11.html">UNHCR) today called for the protection of civilians and urged authorities to provide assistance to those affected.

In the past two weeks, over 6,000 people have taken refuge in El Charco and La Tola, two small towns north of Nariño, according to UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond.

Local officials have opened schools and other public buildings to shelter the newly displaced, but despite the efforts of authorities, the church and international organizations, there is a shortage of clear water and basic health supplies. In El Charco, only one out of every 30 people who arrived in the town last week has a mattress to sleep on.

"The conflict in Nariño has been intense for over a year, and UNHCR is extremely worried that civilians continue to suffer in large numbers," Mr. Redmond told reporters in Geneva.

"We will send a mission this week to the worst-affected areas," he added. "But the presence of humanitarian staff cannot in itself guarantee security and provide solutions to the thousands of people at risk."

Approximately 3,000 displaced were in El Charco as of yesterday, but the figures are constantly changing. In spite of uncertain security conditions, several hundred families returned to their homes, while an additional 300 arrived in the town who had been caught behind the front lines of the fighting for several days. There are reported hundreds more trapped by combat facing dwindling food supplies.

UNHCR is extremely concerned for the safety of both those who have returned home as well as those attempting to flee the fighting.

The security conditions continue to deteriorate in the rest of the Nariño region, as new irregular armed groups have emerged and deployed. Dozens of small villages are emptying in the mountainous regions around the Policarpa municipality, and there have been two instances of mass crossings of the displaced across the border into Ecuador.

Colombia has the largest population of concern to UNHCR with some three million people uprooted by more than 40 years of fighting between the Government, leftist rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and criminal gangs. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent some 8 per cent of the total population of over 40 million.

Last month, High Commissioner António Guterres visited the country last month, and met with President Álvaro Uribe. He also chaired a conference in Bogota, the capital, to draw attention to the humanitarian consequences of displacement and encourage the full implementation of the law so that all displaced people have equal access to their rights.
2007-04-10 00:00:00.000

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GOVERNMENTS MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT, UN MEETING TOLD

GOVERNMENTS MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT, UN MEETING TOLD
New York, Apr 9 2007 6:00PM
Countries should seize the unique "window of opportunity" offered by current changes in world population structure, the top United Nations official in charge of economic and social issues said today at the opening of the annual UN Population Commission <" http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2007/comm2007.htm">meeting in New York.

José Antonio Ocampo, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said many countries are at the stage when fertility falls from high to low levels and the number of people in the prime working-age category increases compared with that of children and older persons. During this "window of opportunity," the number of potential workers rises in relation to dependants, with possible beneficial effects on the economy.

But such benefits are not automatic, Mr. Ocampo said. "The right policies are necessary to improve human and physical capital, increase employment and promote savings," as well as "to increase the educational attainment of children and young people" so as to provide enough trained workers to the workforce.

In addition, "to ensure that the window of opportunity gives rise to economic growth that may persist even after the window closes, it is essential to increase not only production but also savings and the accumulation of assets," Mr. Ocampo said, adding governments should foster institutions that promote savings for retirement and the accumulation of other assets. Lengthening people's productive lives and increasing retirement age was another option, he said.

"The current bulge in the youth population presents an unprecedented opportunity for growth and transformation depending on the choices that governments make," <"
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=956">said UN Population Fund Executive Director Thoraya Obaid. "Investing in young people's education, health including their sexual and reproductive health, and employment" would yield large returns.

Governments should make greater investment in young people "and especially adolescent girls, so that they can pass safely to adulthood," she said.
According to a UN report, the region with the longest "window of opportunity" and the highest ratio of potential workers to dependants is Africa, where older persons represent just 5 per cent of the population and children comprise 41 per cent. Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean have a couple of decades to benefit from the optimal worker to dependant ratio, while Europe and North America are no longer likely to benefit as they are well advanced in the population ageing process.

The annual session of the UN Commission on Population and Development, which focuses on "the changing age structure of populations and their implications for development," concludes on Friday.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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UN CONDEMNS BLOODY WEEKEND IN AFGHANISTAN; AGENCIES HELP FLOOD VICTIMS

UN CONDEMNS BLOODY WEEKEND IN AFGHANISTAN; AGENCIES HELP FLOOD VICTIMS
New York, Apr 9 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations today condemned separate bloody weekend attacks in Afghanistan, resulting in the killing of seven civilian de-miners and the deaths of six Canadian soldiers belonging to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is helping to bring stability to the war-torn country.

On Saturday a convoy of civilian de-mining and security personnel travelling on the Kandahar to Herat road in the south was attacked, leaving seven killed and two wounded and also killing two mine detection dogs.

"The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemns this attack on individuals who are actively working to improve the lives and safety of the Afghan community," spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York.

Separately, a <"http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA spokesperson in the Afghan capital Kabul expressed the world body's sadness and condolences over the deaths and injuries to the Canadian soldiers, which also occurred in the south of the country.

"The commitment and sacrifice of the men and women of the Canadian armed forces, together with all those serving together under NATO-led ISAF command is an inspiration to us all as they continue to play a crucial role in efforts to restore peace in Kandahar, Helmand and all of Afghanistan," said Aleem Siddique.

This latest bloodshed comes after the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom Koenigs spoke out on Sunday against the killing of Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi, who had been abducted by Taliban extremists early last month, and called for action to apprehend the perpetrators.

Also in Afghanistan, UN agencies are continuing to help those affected by flooding in the impoverished country. The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_afghanistan_latest.html">UNICEF), the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=004">WFP), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/afghan?page=home">UNHCR) are providing emergency assistance, including the pre-positioning by WFP of 350,000 tons of food in five locations around Afghanistan for rapid deployment.

In a related development, the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/AFGHANISTANEXTN/0,,menuPK:305990~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:305985,00.html">World Bank's Country Director for Afghanistan Alastair McKechnie told reporters in Kabul that while the country faces many challenges, not least of which is poverty and insecurity, progress has been made over the past few years, including much greater access to basic health care and more children in schools.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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SOLOMON ISLANDS: UN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AID AS 5,500 DISPLACED IN WAKE OF TSUNAMI

SOLOMON ISLANDS: UN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AID AS 5,500 DISPLACED IN WAKE OF TSUNAMI
New York, Apr 9 2007 5:00PM
After a deadly tsunami struck the Solomon Islands one week ago, the United Nations continues to provide aid and technical assistance in the wake of the natural disaster which has displaced at least 5,500 people in the South Pacific nation, the world body's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<" http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?MenuID=12609&Page=2200">OCHA) said.

According to Government figures, 35 people have died after last week's tsunami which was caused by an earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale, whose epicentre was 345 kilometres northwest of the country's capital.

Approximately 1,500 people who were forced to flee their homes are now residing in 12 camps around the town of Gizo.

Sanitation remains a problem in the camps around Gizo, as streams and rainwater are the main source of water for the displaced. Since many water tanks and pipes in the town were damaged in the earthquake, news tanks have since been installed.

Also, shops in Gizo, despite retaining stocks of food, are not yet open for business, but are expected to begin selling items in the next few days which will increase the food supply.

The UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (<" http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=552">UNDAC) team dispatched to the Solomon Islands is working closely with the Government in bolstering coordination and information management, while the UN Resident Coordinator based in Fiji, Richard Dictus, is in Honiara to meet with UN agencies on the ground and officials.

The UN Children's Fund (<" http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/solomonislands_39316.html">UNICEF) has sent emergency health kits, as health officials continue to monitor diarrhoea-related illnesses, malaria and measles. OCHA said that a measles and vitamin A campaign will be launched next week.

The Government reports that there are enough medical professionals and supplies to administer to the current needs. However, the number of injured may climb as people from disaster-affected communities return to their homes from higher ground and go to hospitals, OCHA said.

Five medical teams from France, Taiwan, Canada, Australia and the Red Cross have been deployed to support the Ministry of Health, and the French military has airlifted drugs and other medical supplies to Gizo.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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UN DEMOCRACY FUND'S ADVISORY BOARD TO MEET TOMORROW TO REVIEW FIRST-YEAR PROGRESS

UN DEMOCRACY FUND'S ADVISORY BOARD TO MEET TOMORROW TO REVIEW FIRST-YEAR PROGRESS
New York, Apr 9 2007 5:00PM
The Advisory Board of the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), established to promote and consolidate new and restored democracies with financial and technical help, will meet tomorrow to review the Fund's progress after its first year of activities and decide on future priorities and policies.

<"http://www.un.org/democracyfund">UNDEF began its first day of practical work on 6 March last year, although it was established by the Secretary-General in July 2005 and welcomed at that year's World Summit, which reaffirmed democracy as "a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural system."

The <"http://www.un.org/summit2005">2005 World Summit also affirmed that "there is no single model of democracy, and that it does not belong to any country or region".

The Fund complements current UN efforts to promote free and fair elections, human rights, support to civil society, pluralistic media and the rule of law. So far, it has received a total of $61.2 million from 28 countries, with an additional contribution of $4 million firmly pledged by donors. The largest financial contributor is the United States with $18 million, followed by Japan and India.

The Secretary-General's Advisory Board is composed of 17 members, including representatives from the largest Member State contributors to the Fund, those from Member States selected by the Secretary-General to reflect diverse geographical representation, and also representatives from civil society and personal representatives of the Secretary-General.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to address the Board early on Tuesday morning in New York.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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UN SENDS DISASTER ASSESSMENT TEAM TO MADAGASCAR IN WAKE OF ANOTHER CYCLONE

UN SENDS DISASTER ASSESSMENT TEAM TO MADAGASCAR IN WAKE OF ANOTHER CYCLONE
New York, Apr 9 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations humanitarian arm has dispatched a five-member disaster assessment and coordination team to Madagascar, where relief operations are under way after the sixth cyclone of the season struck the island nation last week.

The team from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA) will support the UN country team already in Madagascar and the African country's authorities as they determine what emergency supplies and facilities are needed to avert further deaths and diseases.

Madagascar has been battered by six cyclone or tropical storms since December, with tropical storm Jaya striking last week, causing flooding and forcing many inhabitants to seek shelter at higher ground.

The city of Maroantsetra in the northeast was isolated by rising waters, and its airport was forced to close temporarily. But OCHA officials said they expect the flood waters to recede relatively quickly now Jaya has passed.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/madagascar.html">UNICEF) has obtained more than $1.6 million in emergency supplies, although its distribution operations have been hampered by the lack of access to some of the affected areas in the country's north. The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=450">WFP) is also helping in efforts to bring aid to areas where it can be reached by cyclone survivors.

OCHA said last week that it is most concerned about a possible rise in child and maternal mortality in the wake of the storms because of malnutrition, lack of sanitation and poor access to basic health-care services. Tens of thousands of hectares of rice, the basic food source for the Malagasy, have been destroyed by the floods.

The Office described the planned national immunization and preventative health programme for the week beginning 23 April as critical and urged that it be carried out in all areas. The programme includes giving vitamin A to children and pregnant women, as well as offering de-worming treatment and measles vaccinations.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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LIMITED PROGRESS MADE IN DISARMAMENT IS 'UNACCEPTABLE,' BAN KI-MOON SAYS

LIMITED PROGRESS MADE IN DISARMAMENT IS 'UNACCEPTABLE,' BAN KI-MOON SAYS
New York, Apr 9 2007 3:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed disappointment in the minimal progress made in curbing the threats posed by accumulation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons, calling for increased global cooperation to address disarmament issues.

"Unfortunately, we seem to be in a rut where setbacks in the field of disarmament have become the norm, not an exception," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2510">said in an address to the UN Disarmament Commission at its first meeting this year at UN Headquarters in New York.

He said the current "unacceptable" situation is evidenced by the failure of the 2005 review conference of Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (<"http://www.un.org/events/npt2005">NPT), the deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament and the need for new impetus for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Although nuclear weapons threaten mass destruction, he also warned that of the devastating cumulative damages inflicted daily by conventional weapons, such as small arms, anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.

To counter such dangers, multilateral cooperation is essential, and existing treaties must be strengthened, he told the Commission, a subsidiary body of the General Assembly established in 1952.

Calling disarmament one of his personal priorities, Mr. Ban voiced hope that the new Office for Disarmament Affairs, which will replace the current Department for Disarmament Affairs, will "better mobilize the political will necessary to overcome the current stalemate and re-energize action on both disarmament and non-proliferation."

He thanked the General Assembly for its support for his proposal, which he presented to the 192-member body in February, and said that he will soon appoint a High Representative to head the new Office.

Mr. Ban called on the Commission to establish the consensus among Member States necessary to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in preparation for the upcoming preparatory meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

"Your deliberations can also consider measures that help ensure the continuing relevance and strength of the <"http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/npttreaty.html">NPT," he said, of the landmark treaty which entered into force in 1970, and to date has been ratified by 190 Parties.

He also said it is necessary to seek a middle path to alleviate the pressure on countries to amass conventional arms while "safeguarding the legitimate right to self-defence of all Member States.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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RECALLING RWANDA, BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR 'GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AGAINST GENOCIDE'

RECALLING RWANDA, BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR 'GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AGAINST GENOCIDE'
New York, Apr 9 2007 2:00PM
Thirteen years after some 800,000 Rwandans were murdered by their compatriots in an orchestrated criminal campaign, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called today for "a global partnership against genocide" and pledged to strengthen United Nations mechanisms to ensure that such an event never happens again.

The post of UN Special Adviser for the <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_genocide">Prevention of Genocide – currently held by Juan E. Méndez of Argentina – will be upgraded to a full-time position, Mr. Ban said in a message marking the anniversary of the start of the genocide.

The UN Advisory Committee on Genocide Prevention will also be boosted, the Secretary-General said, adding that Africa has taken its own steps as well, such as signing of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development for the Great Lakes Region, which contains measures on genocide prevention and punishment.

"Preventing genocide is a collective and individual responsibility," Mr. Ban said. "Everyone has a role to play: governments, the media, civil society organizations, religious groups, and each and every one of us.

"Let us build a global partnership against genocide. Let us protect populations from genocide when their own government cannot or will not."

Mr. Ban paid tribute to both the victims of the 1994 genocide and the survivors, whose "resilience continues to inspire us."

The Security Council established the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://69.94.11.53">ICTR) to prosecute individuals responsible for committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide during 1994, when Hutu militias and others killed Tutsis and moderate Hutus, often using machetes or clubs.

Noting that Member States have agreed in principle to the "responsibility to protect" populations in danger of genocide or war crimes, Mr. Ban said the "challenge now is to give real meaning to the concept, by taking steps to make it operational. Only then will it truly give hope to those facing genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing."

Later today Mr. Ban will give a signed copy of his message to Rwanda's Permanent Representative to the UN.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN SAYS 'EYES OF THE WORLD' ARE ON TIMOR-LESTE'S ELECTION

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN SAYS 'EYES OF THE WORLD' ARE ON TIMOR-LESTE'S ELECTION
New York, Apr 9 2007 12:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2508">told the people of Timor-Leste that the "eyes of the world" are upon them as they vote in today's presidential election, the first in the tiny nation since gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002.

Mr. Ban also called on the people to respect the election results, and further pledged the world body's commitment to supporting the country. He also highlighted the close collaboration between the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.unmiset.org">UNMIT) and state institutions in providing security and logistics for the ballot.

"So today, the eyes of the world are upon you. I wish you the best on election day, and in the weeks and months ahead. I call on all candidates and their supporters to accept the results in a peaceful manner," the Secretary-General said in a video message.

"And I pledge that the United Nations will remain steadfastly committed to supporting Timor-Leste on the path of stability and development, in a climate of democratic, accountable and responsive governance. We will continue to walk with you on your journey."

He said the election was a "new milestone" in the country's effort to consolidate democracy as he expressed hope that there would be no violence and intimidation and the poll would be "free, fair, transparent and credible."
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: UN AGENCY WELCOMES RELEASE OF HIJACKED SHIP USED TO CARRY FOOD AID

SOMALIA: UN AGENCY WELCOMES RELEASE OF HIJACKED SHIP USED TO CARRY FOOD AID
New York, Apr 9 2007 11:00AM
Calling on authorities to take action to curb piracy in Somali waters, the United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2432">WFP) hailed the release of a hijacked ship used for carrying food aid which had been hijacked in February off the coast of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in the northeast of the African country.

The MV Rozen and its 12-member crew, comprising six Kenyans and six Sri Lankans, had completed its contract with WFP on 22 February when it dropped off 1,800 metric tons of food from Mombasa in Kenya to Bossaso in Somalia when it was hijacked on 25 February.

"WFP welcomes the release after 40 days of the MV Rozen," said the agency's Somalia Country Director Peter Goossens, thanking elders in Puntland for their mediation efforts in securing the ship's release last week.

"The treat of piracy however is still very much alive in Somali waters," Mr. Goossens added, and he urged the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and authorities in Puntland to curtail piracy.

News of the ship's release was delayed due to security concerns.

This incident has caused reluctance among shippers to carry cargoes to Somalia, creating delays in delivering much-needed food aid to the country.

In 2005, the MV Semlow, the MV Rozen's sister vessel, was hijacked while carrying WFP food supplies and held for more than 100 days.

Another ship contracted by WFP, the MV Miltzow, was hijacked as it was unloading food aid at the Somali port of Merca and held for 33 hours.
2007-04-09 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN: UN ENVOY CONDEMNS MURDER OF LOCAL JOURNALIST BY TALIBAN

AFGHANISTAN: UN ENVOY CONDEMNS MURDER OF LOCAL JOURNALIST BY TALIBAN
New York, Apr 8 2007 7:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Afghanistan today spoke out against the killing of Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi, who had been abducted by Taliban extremists early last month, calling for action to apprehend the perpetrators.

"I condemn this senseless murder unreservedly and call on the authorities to bring those responsible to justice," said Tom Koenigs in a statement released in Kabul.

"The perpetrators of this crime have shown absolute indifference to the value of human life by ignoring the calls of family, journalists and Afghans who with one voice called for his safe return," added the envoy, paying tribute to the slain reporter, who was taken captive on 5 March, for "playing a vital role in highlighting the concerns and challenges of the Afghan people as well as a firm resolve to see justice done."

Mr. Koenigs emphasized the need for all to respect to rights of journalists to work free from interference or harm. "At this difficult time, our thoughts remain with the family, friends and colleagues of Ajmal Naqshbandi as well as with all those in this country who value freedom of expression and human rights," he said.

In another development, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Afghanistan, Rick Corsino, told a press briefing in the capital today that the agency has is trying to assist some 75,000 people affected by floods. He called this "a true emergency and because of this it is straining the capacities of the humanitarian agencies and the Government to respond."

WFP is distributing one month of food rations to each family, typically containing 100 kilograms of wheat, 10 kilogrammes of beans, two tins of cooking oil and 1 kilogramme of salt.

"This is just enough to help a family through the immediate life-threatening situation, providing 30 days of food," Mr. Corsino said, adding that work on addressing the longer-term impact will commence in the coming weeks.

2007-04-08 00:00:00.000

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