BEIRUT SELECTED BY UN CULTURAL AGENCY AS 2009 WORLD BOOK CAPITAL

BEIRUT SELECTED BY UN CULTURAL AGENCY AS 2009 WORLD BOOK CAPITAL
New York, Jul 6 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced today that Beirut has been chosen as the <" http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=32227&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">2009 World Book Capital as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to promote books and reading.

The Lebanese capital was nominated "in the light of its focus on cultural diversity, dialogue and tolerance," the selection committee said after meeting this week at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris.

The committee brings together representatives of UNESCO and some of the main professional associations in the book industry – the International Publishers Association, the International Booksellers Federation and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura hailed the fact that "the city of Beirut, which is facing great challenges in terms of peace and peaceful coexistence, is recognized for its commitment to dialogue, which is necessary more than ever in the region, and that the book is able to contribute actively towards this goal."
Beirut becomes the ninth city to be designated as World Book Capital, after Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogotá (2007) and Amsterdam (2008). The winning city begins its reign as World Book Capital on World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, each year.
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR TREATY AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM

UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR TREATY AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM
New York, Jul 6 2007 1:00PM
On the eve of the entry into force of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) <" http://www.unodc.org/unodc/press_release_2007_07_06_2.html">pledged support for the pact.

Antonio Maria Costa said UNODC stood ready to help countries become parties to and implement the Convention. "Indeed, we are the only UN body mandated, empowered and equipped to provide on-the-ground counter terrorism assistance on legal issues to Member States," he said in a statement released in Vienna, where the Office is based.

The treaty comes into effect tomorrow – 30 days after Bangladesh became the 22nd State to deposit its instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General. It outlaws specific acts of nuclear terrorism and aims to protect against attacks involving a broad range of possible targets, including nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors, bring perpetrators to justice and promote cooperation among countries.

UNODC assists Member States in ratifying and implementing the 13 international conventions and protocols related to terrorism. Since January 2003, it has supported some 137 countries. UNODC increasingly provides support for the incorporation of their provisions into national legislation and for strengthening the capacity of national criminal justice systems to carry them out.

Under the <" http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/RES/59/290">Convention, alleged offenders must be extradited or prosecuted. States are encouraged to cooperate in assisting each other in connection with criminal investigations and extradition proceedings. The treaty also obliges them to make every effort to adopt appropriate measures to ensure the protection of radioactive material.
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY APPEALS FOR URGENT AID TO SUPPORT COUNTRIES HOSTING IRAQI REFUGEES

UN AGENCY APPEALS FOR URGENT AID TO SUPPORT COUNTRIES HOSTING IRAQI REFUGEES
New York, Jul 6 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today urged States to step up and assist the two countries caring for the biggest proportion of Iraqi refugees – Syria and Jordan – which have still received "next to nothing," despite the pledges of support made during an international conference on the issue in April.

"It is unconscionable that generous host countries be left on their own to deal with such a huge crisis," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468e114f4.html">told reporters in Geneva. "We strongly urge governments to step forward now to support them in dealing with this situation and renew our call for international solidarity and burden sharing."

Syria and Jordan, with an estimated 2 million Iraqi refugees between them, are "struggling to cope," Mr. Redmond said. Syria continues to receive about 2,000 Iraqis a day and about 30,000 a month end up staying.

At the UNHCR-sponsored Iraq displacement <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/events?id=45e44a562">conference held in Geneva, some 450 delegates agreed on the urgent need to stem the outflow of people while assisting those in need, including by providing support to Iraq's neighbours which are sheltering refugees.

"The growing refugee population and the communities that host them are facing enormous hardships that will only get worse if the international community doesn't put its money where its mouth is," Mr. Redmond said.

As UNHCR emphasized in April, its $60 million programme for Iraqi refugees and displaced – soon to be raised to more than $100 million – is "just a drop in the ocean" compared to the huge needs in the region, he added.

While contributions to UNHCR have been "generous," totaling some $70 million with another $10 million pledged or in the pipeline, Mr. Redmond stressed that the agency "cannot do everything alone."

He urged donors to provide direct bilateral support to these host countries whose schools, hospitals, public services and infrastructure are seriously overstretched because of the presence of millions of Iraqis they have welcomed.

"Every week, we're seeing sick and maimed Iraqis, including many burn and trauma victims, arriving in Syria for medical help," Mr. Redmond said, pointing out that UNHCR is doing its best with the Syrian health care facilities, but added, "You can imagine the needs."

He also called attention to the plight of the youngest Iraqis, warning that "A whole generation of Iraqi children is in danger of missing out on an education" despite the best efforts of educational officials in host countries.

Meanwhile, UNHCR continued its appeal for the urgent medical evacuation of a dozen Palestinian children from Baghdad and from the makeshift Al-Waleed camp on the Iraq side of the Syrian border who suffer from serious and life-threatening medical problems.

"If these children are not evacuated soon, some may die or be handicapped for life," Mr. Redmond stated, adding that while there has been interest in the children from various European countries and from some individuals, "so far we have nothing concrete."
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE: UN ENVOY CONGRATULATES POLITICAL PARTIES FOLLOWING ELECTION

TIMOR-LESTE: UN ENVOY CONGRATULATES POLITICAL PARTIES FOLLOWING ELECTION
New York, Jul 6 2007 9:00AM
The head of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) today congratulated the country's political parties for their democratic conduct following the parliamentary election held at the end of last month.

"UNMIT will continue to assist in many areas, with a priority towards security sector reform, the strengthening of justice sector, the development of institutions of state and social and economic development," Atul Khare pledged at a meeting with the parties at the UN's headquarters in Dili this morning. Election results are still pending.

He called for their continued support. "We can't do that without the ongoing cooperation and the will of the leaders both within government and those in opposition."

During the meeting, the parties agreed that the most important challenge facing them was to form a government and opposition that would represent the citizens of Timor-Leste, UNMIT said in a news releases.

Mr. Khare said that interpretations of the various articles in the Constitution on the Government formation would be a matter for them to decide. He stressed the importance of moving forward in a legal manner that contributes to the continuing political stabilization of Timor-Leste, which the UN shepherded to independence in 2002.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED OPERATION RESETTLES ERITREANS IN UNITED STATES

UN-BACKED OPERATION RESETTLES ERITREANS IN UNITED STATES
New York, Jul 6 2007 8:00AM
Some 700 ethnic Kunama refugees from Eritrea are getting a new start in the United States thanks to a United Nations-backed operation that is flying them there after years of exile in northern Ethiopia.

The Eritreans were displaced by the 1998-2000 border war between their native country and Ethiopia. The operation being assisted by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is due to last until September.

The refugees left Shimelba camp earlier this week and flew out from the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday evening after a pre-departure briefing by staff of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is handling the logistics of the resettlement operation, UNHCR said.

The Kunamas, who will be flown to several US cities, including Atlanta, Orlando, Seattle and Las Vegas, are members of a largely rural ethnic group of about 100,000 people who reside on the disputed Ethiopia-Eritrea border. They crossed into Ethiopia complaining of alleged persecution and harassment by the Eritrean government.

Nagasi Gorado Becho was headed to Atlanta with his family of five, including a seven-year-old daughter born in Shimelba camp. "I opted to go further afield not because I do not like my country, but because I cannot return at this point," said the 45-year-old before boarding the first flight.

His wife, Tokko Masso Anduku, was looking forward to their new life across the Atlantic. "Friends who were resettled some time back are very much appreciative of life in America and I look forward to having better working and learning opportunities there."

UNHCR has determined that the 700 Kunamas cannot return home in safety and dignity and resettlement is the most suitable solution. The people who left on Wednesday and those to follow will all take part in extensive orientation programmes to help them adapt to a new and very different culture.

Today, almost 1,300 Kunama refugees are in Ethiopia, but not all of them want to be r

Several hundred withdrew their applications for resettlement, apparently due to their strong sense of kinship and a desire to remain close to their ancestral lands, according to UNHCR, which said they hope that one day a lasting political solution will be found and they will be able to return home.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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BUSINESS LEADERS AT UN SUMMIT ADOPT DECLARATION ON RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES

BUSINESS LEADERS AT UN SUMMIT ADOPT DECLARATION ON RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES
New York, Jul 6 2007 8:00AM
Hundreds of business leaders attending a United Nations meeting in Geneva today pledged to comply with labour, human rights, environmental and anti-corruption standards in a wide-ranging declaration on making globalization more beneficial to the world's people.

At the second UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, top executives of corporations such as Coca-Cola, Petrobras, Fuji Xerox, China Ocean Shipping Group, Tata Steel, L M Ericsson and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria adopted the 21-point Geneva Declaration, which spells out concrete actions for business, governments and UN Global Compact participants.

Some 4,000 organizations from 116 countries -- among them trade unions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some 3,100 businesses -- have so far subscribed to the Global Compact, pledging to observe ten universal principles related to human rights, labour rights, the environment and the struggle against corruption.

The Geneva Declaration calls for urgent action. "Poverty, income inequality, protectionism and the absence of decent work opportunities pose serious threats to world peace and markets," it says.

"Business, as a key agent of globalization, can be an enormous force for good," participants declared, adding that companies, by committing themselves to corporate citizenship, can create and deliver value in the widest possible terms. Globalization can thus act as an accelerator for spreading universal principles, creating a values-oriented competition for a "race to the top."

Summing up the outcome of the meeting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants that their reports showed how market leadership and sustainability leadership go hand-in-hand. "This will help us build the supportive measures needed to create more sustainable markets. And it will ultimately help improve the lives of many people around the world," he said.

Mr. Ban called on business leaders to convene board meetings to
developments at the Summit, and ensure that the Global Compact is fully carried out within their companies and through their suppliers and partners.

Civil society and labour leaders should "remain vigilant and engaged and continue to hold businesses accountable for their commitments," said the Secretary-General. He called on governments to support the Global Compact as a unique public-private partnership initiative. And he called on the UN to integrate the Global Compact principles throughout the Organization.

"Together, through the Geneva Declaration, we have deepened our collective commitment to embedding universal values in economies and markets," Mr. Ban said. "Let us each do our share to give practical meaning to the Declaration."

Anglo American Chairman Sir Mark Moody-Stuart saw progress at the meeting. "At the first summit three years ago, many companies subscribed to the Global Compact principles because it sounded like the right thing to do, but did not really know how to put them into practice," he said. "We are now moving forward towards implementation."

Today, a Ministerial Roundtable chaired by General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed al Khalifa discussed the role of governments in promoting responsible corporate citizenship. Six parallel sessions focused on human rights, labour, climate change and the environment, UN-business partnerships, corruption and responsible investment.

Global as well as local initiatives were launched at the Summit. Through the "Caring for Climate" platform, Chief executive officers (CEOs) of 150 companies from around the world, including 30 from the Fortune Global 500, pledged to speed up action on climate change and called on governments to agree as soon as possible on Kyoto follow-up measures to secure workable and inclusive climate market mechanisms.

The CEOs of six corporations -- The Coca-Cola Company, Levi Strauss & Co., Läckeby Water Group, Nestlé S.A., SABMiller and Suez -- urged their business peers everywhere to take immediate action to addres
global water crisis. They launched the "CEO Water Mandate," a project designed to help companies to better manage water use in their operations and throughout their supply chains.

Also launched at the Summit, the "Principles for Responsible Investment" seek to disseminate the tenets of corporate citizenship among capital markets. The "Principles for Responsible Management Education" aim to take the case for universal values and business into business schools around the world.

Over 1,000 people registered for the Summit -- most from companies, but also from government entities, international organizations, international business organizations, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, foundations and international labour organizations.

The first Global Compact Leaders Summit took place in New York in 2004, and the next is planned for 2010.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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KOSOVO'S PROGRESS COULD FALTER UNLESS FUTURE STATUS FINALIZED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

KOSOVO'S PROGRESS COULD FALTER UNLESS FUTURE STATUS FINALIZED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 5 2007 6:00PM
Kosovo's overall progress towards building a functioning economy and establishing democratic institutions of self-government has been encouraging, but those advances could soon unravel unless the Serbian province's future status is determined, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

In his latest progress <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/395">report on the work of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK), Mr. Ban writes that the progress being made under UN administration is threatened by the continuing tensions between the province's ethnic communities.

"Sustaining and consolidating progress made by Kosovo will require concrete prospects for the conclusion of the future status process and the active and constructive cooperation of all involved," he says, adding that the determination of Kosovo's final status should as such remain a priority of the Security Council and the broader international community.

In March, a report by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the future status process Martti Ahtisaari found that the only viable option for Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one, was a phased process of independence. Kosovo's Albanian leadership support independence but Serbia is opposed.

Mr. Ban notes in his report that Kosovo's so-called Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) have made "concrete progress" towards meeting the standards, a set of eight overall targets that include building democratic institutions, enforcing minority rights, creating a functioning economy and setting up an impartial legal system.

"The Provisional Institutions have laid the basis for a peaceful and normal life for all of the people of Kosovo," Mr. Ban writes, while observing that much remains to be done in achieving some of the targets.

UNMIK has run Kosovo since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.

The Secretary-General stresses that reintegrating and reconciling the communities of Kosovo "remains an uphill challenge." Kosovo Serbs in particular feel that the PISG do not represent them, and a large majority boycott the institutions and rely instead on parallel structures supported by authorities in Belgrade.

"At the same time, returns of Kosovo Serbs remain disappointingly low due to uncertain economic prospects and continuing security-related concerns."

Mr. Ban's report, released ahead of Security Council consultations on Kosovo scheduled for next Monday, contains a technical assessment of the progress towards the standards by Joachim Rücker, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in the province.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICIAL, DUCHESS OF YORK DEDICATE NEW SCHOOL IN LIBERIA

UN OFFICIAL, DUCHESS OF YORK DEDICATE NEW SCHOOL IN LIBERIA
New York, Jul 5 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations today dedicated a newly constructed school in Liberia at a ceremony attended by Sarah, the Duchess of York, who called for continued attention to the country as it solidifies stability after years of conflict.

She told participants at the event in Perry Town, Montserrado County, that Liberia is now at peace and "should not be forgotten" because of the present preoccupation with ongoing conflicts elsewhere.

The Duchess of York noted that the Liberian Government is "determined to make a difference and get the country back to its former condition through training and educating its children and young people."

The Duchess, who has been in Liberia for two days discussing ways of providing humanitarian assistance to the country, held meetings with officials from the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the Government as well as representatives of civil society organizations.

At the ceremony, UNMIL's Officer-in-Charge Jordan Ryan advocated "a nationwide campaign so that everyone in Liberia would be able to read and write."

Mr. Ryan emphasized the importance of education for women and girls. "Every woman who voted with a thumb in the last election should be able to sign her name in the next," he said.

The Sean Devereux Community School was built through an initiative by UNMIL's "Quick Impact Projects" to accommodate more than 300 children and to provide skills training for men and women of the community, the mission said in a news release.

It was established in memory of Mr. Devereux, a former missionary and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) staff member who lost his life in the service of peace in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. He had previously worked in Liberia for more than four years.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO URGES COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TACKLE 'FEMINIZATION OF AIDS'

MIGIRO URGES COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TACKLE 'FEMINIZATION OF AIDS'
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for a more broad-based effort to tackle the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls.

"The factors that drive the feminization of AIDS cannot be addressed piecemeal. But to be honest, despite our best intentions, many of our activities remain rooted at project level: we have still to make the leap from project to programme, to achieve truly systemic change," she <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/dsgsm328.doc.htm">told the International Women's Summit meeting in Nairobi.

"We know what that change should look like: real, positive change that will give more power and confidence to women and girls," she added, calling for steps to bolster education, carry out legal and social reforms, and promote awareness-raising among men.

Ms. Migiro advocated that "change that will free boys and men from cultural stereotypes and expectations, such as the belief that manhood comes from showing 'who's boss' or from frequenting sex workers."

This process, she emphasized, must include providing anti-retrovirals to prevent parent to child transmission, and microbicides, as they become available.

To have real impact, efforts must be guided by two key principles: accountability and a drive to achieve measurable results, she said, calling on participants to "set clear aims, and be prepared to be held accountable."

Also <"http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/20070705_nairobi/en/index.html">addressing the Summit, Margaret Chan, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), reviewed progress in combating AIDS, noting that last year the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa receiving life-saving drugs passed the 1 million mark. "That is proof of principle. It can be done," she said.

She urged all concerned to work to ensure universal access to prevention, treatment, care, and support for all who need it by 2010.

At the same time, Dr. Chan pointed to the gravity of the spread of the disease. "We have seen considerable progress, but we are still running behind this devastating, unforgiving epidemic," she said, pointing out that for every person starting treatment, another six people will become newly infected within a year.

To combat this trend, she called for pressing for universal access to treatment and care while working for prevention. "This is the only way to catch up."

Organized by the World YWCA and the International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS, the Summit will run for three days and is being attended by 1,800 participants from all over the world.

In a separate development, the Deputy Secretary-General today visited the UN headquarters in Nairobi, where she attended a town hall meeting with UN staff. During the meeting, she highlighted the importance of feedback to headquarters from the field to improve the UN's accountability and progress on the reform agenda.

She also paid a brief courtesy visit to Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and planted a tree at the headquarters complex before holding meetings with the senior management of the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (<"http://www.unhabitat.org/">UN-HABITAT).
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN'S DARFUR ENVOY ARRIVES IN SUDAN TO HELP SPUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

UN'S DARFUR ENVOY ARRIVES IN SUDAN TO HELP SPUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations envoy tasked with re-energizing the peace process in the violence-wracked Darfur region has arrived in Sudan for fresh talks on how to kick-start political negotiations between the parties to the conflict.

Jan Eliasson, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Darfur, met the African Union-UN Joint Mediation Support Team (JMST) in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to discuss preparations for the joint international meeting in Libya on the Darfur political process.

That meeting, to be held in Tripoli on 15-16 July, has been convened to assess the progress over the past months towards holding peace talks in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2 million others displaced from their homes amid brutal fighting since 2003.

The meeting will focus on the roadmap, the joint plan of the UN and the AU – whose Darfur envoy, Salim Ahmed Salim, is also expected to arrive in Khartoum this weekend – to solve the conflict between the Government, allied Janjaweed militias and Darfur's many rebel groups. Peace negotiations between the warring parties mark the third phase of the roadmap.

Mr. Eliasson left Khartoum today for the West Darfur provincial capital of El Geneina for talks with political parties, civil society groups, representatives of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local authorities involved in the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation process.

In a related development, the new AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur was scheduled to travel to Khartoum today to begin his new assignment. Rodolphe Adada will serve as head of the existing AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) until the planned hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force takes over. He will then head that operation.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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SOARING BIOFUEL DEMAND DRIVING UP AGRICULTURAL PRICES, SAYS UN-BACKED REPORT

SOARING BIOFUEL DEMAND DRIVING UP AGRICULTURAL PRICES, SAYS UN-BACKED REPORT
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
Increased demand for biofuels is leading to changes in agricultural markets that could drive up global prices for many farm products, according to a new United Nations-backed report.

The Agricultural Outlook 2007-2016, published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000620/index.html">FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), blames the recent hikes in farm commodity prices on factors such as droughts in wheat-growing regions and low stocks.

Biofuels are currently made from such materials as sugar cane, palm oil and maize and, given they can substitute for fossil fuels, hold the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The growing use of these materials is underpinning crop prices and, indirectly through higher animal feed costs, the prices for livestock products, stated FAO.

The report notes that "most biofuel policies are new and it is not clear which measures are most effective in achieving the mix of objectives such as lower fossil fuel dependence or less greenhouse gas emissions."

According to the report, annual maize-based ethanol output is expected to double between 2006 and 2016 in the United States, and in Brazil, annual ethanol production is projected to reach some 44 billion litres by 2016 from around 21 billion today.

In the European Union the amount of oilseeds used for biofuels is set to grow from just over 10 million tons to 21 million tons over the same period.

The report pointed out that higher commodity prices are a particular concern for States classified as net food importing countries, as well as the urban poor.

Trade patterns are also changing, the report noted. Production and consumption of agricultural products will generally grow faster in the developing countries than in the developed economies - especially for beef, pork, butter, skim milk powder and sugar.

Trade in beef, pork and whole milk powder is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent over the next 10 years, coarse grains trade by 13 per cent and wheat by 17 per cent. Trade in vegetable oils is projected to increase by nearly 70 per cent.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA CONCERNED ABOUT ESCAPEE IN BOSNIA

UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA CONCERNED ABOUT ESCAPEE IN BOSNIA
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has expressed concern to authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina about the circumstances surrounding the recent escape from a local jail of a man serving a 20-year sentence for the rape and sexual assault of Muslim women and girls during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

Radovan Stankovi&#263;, 38, escaped in late May from Foca prison, where he had been sentenced by the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) referred its case against him in 2005 – then the first time ever that the Tribunal had sent a case to a national jurisdiction.

Mr. Stankovi&#263;, a former member of a Serb paramilitary unit, had been convicted last year of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the rape and enslavement, for his actions in Foca after Serb forces overran the Bosnian town in 1992.

ICTY President Judge Fausto Pocar sent a letter on Tuesday to the Justice Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barisa Colak, to voice concern at the failure of Bosnian authorities to report to the Tribunal on the circumstances of Mr. Stankovi&#263;'s escape and the measures taken to secure his custody.

On 31 May, shortly after Mr. Stankovi&#263; escaped, Judge Pocar had requested this information in a letter to Mr. Colak, but received no reply.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION ENDORSES CALL FOR INQUIRY INTO ROCKET ATTACK

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION ENDORSES CALL FOR INQUIRY INTO ROCKET ATTACK
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire has announced its support for any international inquiry into last week's deadly rocket attack on a plane carrying the country's Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro.

Abou Moussa, the Officer-in-Charge of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), issued a statement on Tuesday backing Mr. Soro's earlier call for a probe into the attack, the Mission said in a press release.

Mr. Moussa said the country's Justice Minister has already prepared the terms of reference for an international investigation and would soon send the information to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Four people were killed and several others injured when unidentified attackers fired rockets at the plane transporting Mr. Soro as it landed at the airport in Bouaké, situated in the north of the divided West African country.

Mr. Moussa had earlier headed an international delegation – which included representatives of France, the United States, Germany, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – that offered condolences to Mr. Soro and the families of the four victims.

The delegation stressed that the international community remains committed to the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, an accord signed in March by Mr. Soro and President Laurent Gbagbo to try to heal the divide in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been split between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

The Ouagadougou agreement calls, among other steps, for: creating a new transitional Government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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NEWLY ESTABLISHED FORUM VITAL FOR ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT - BAN KI-MOON

NEWLY ESTABLISHED FORUM VITAL FOR ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 5 2007 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to governments, United Nations organizations, civil society, parliaments, the private sector and academia to make the most of a newly established forum to advance the world's shared anti-poverty goals, including by scaling up funds to ensure they are achieved on time.

The <"http://www.un.org/ecosoc/newfunct/develop.shtml">Development Cooperation Forum, launched today in Geneva, is "a decisive step forward in the implementation of the global partnership for development," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2656">told participants at the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

As an initiative supported by the heads of State at the <"http://www.un.org/summit2005">2005 UN World Summit, the Forum will be held every other year as part of the high-level segment of the Council's annual session. The first meeting will take place in New York in 2008.

Among its tasks, the Forum will focus on finding effective ways to support the achievement of the set of internationally agreed poverty reduction targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs).

Mr. Ban noted that in recent years, donors have committed to substantial increases in ODA and debt relief, and until recently, the long-term decline in development assistance was reversed.

The Secretary-General urged donors to commit to timelines for scaling up aid to reach development targets, stressing that "fresh funding is required if we are to overcome the financing gap" and reach the Goals on time.

A mid-point update on the MDGs issued last week stated that "the Goals are still achievable in most countries – if we act now," he stressed.

Mr. Ban also highlighted the importance of a body like the Forum in addressing the challenges surrounding international development assistance, which he said appeared "unnecessarily fragmented and complicated."

Donor aid flows tend to be concentrated in a few countries, while other low-income countries suffer from under-funding, he noted. In addition, the number of donors is increasing, and countries are burdened with responding to different demands by various players.

In ensuring that "all voices are heard," the Forum can foster an inclusive approach in dealing with these and other challenges, Mr. Ban stated.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY WARNS OF POSSIBLE LOCUST INFESTATION IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

UN AGENCY WARNS OF POSSIBLE LOCUST INFESTATION IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
New York, Jul 5 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000619/index.html">FAO) has warned that swarms of desert locusts from East Africa are expected to cross the Indian Ocean and could reach India and Pakistan within days, creating a potentially dangerous situation for a region already suffering from the impact of last week's deadly storms.

Two recent tropical cyclones have caused heavy rainfall in Pakistan and western India that will create "unusually favourable breeding conditions for locusts" until October along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border and, for the first time in many years, in coastal areas of western Pakistan, FAO said in a press release.

Both Governments are mobilizing field teams, equipment and resources in the Indian States of Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as in adjacent areas of Cholistan and Tharparkar deserts in Pakistan.

"Locusts can stay in the air for long periods of time," said FAO locust expert Keith Cressman, adding that desert locusts usually fly with the wind and can travel up to 150 kilometres a day.

Crossing the Indian Ocean on monsoon winds is part of the natural migration cycle of desert locusts and has already occurred in the past.

Meanwhile, FAO said the migratory grasshoppers have infested large areas of Yemen, which is facing the worst locust outbreak in nearly 15 years.

The agency is organizing an emergency $5 million aerial control campaign in Yemen that will start later this month and is expected to last 30 days.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Governments of Japan and Yemen are providing the funds, which will support two helicopters, pesticide, equipment, vehicles, and locust control and logistics experts.

If the campaign is not successful, there is a risk of numerous swarms forming and invading countries along both sides of the Red Sea during the autumn, FAO warned.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON GLOBAL COMPACT LEADERS SUMMIT TO CHART FUTURE COURSE

BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON GLOBAL COMPACT LEADERS SUMMIT TO CHART FUTURE COURSE
New York, Jul 5 2007 8:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged action on climate change and other shared international concerns in an address to the Global Compact Leaders Summit -- a gathering in Geneva of business leaders, government ministers, and heads of civil society groups committed to United Nations principles.

"This Summit is an important opportunity to take our partnership forward -- in learning as well as action," Mr. Ban told those assembled from over 90 countries. "Over these two days, we must make an honest appraisal of what the Global Compact has achieved, renew our commitments, and chart a courageous course for the next three years."

The Secretary-General stressed the importance of joint actions to address climate change and announced the planned launch of a Business Leadership Platform on "Caring for Climate" -- a joint project with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Mr. Ban recalled that since the Global Compact was launched in 2000 with 47 companies, it had grown to "what is today the world's largest corporate citizenship initiative, counting 4,000 stakeholders in 116 countries."

The Global Compact "has lived up to its promise -- bringing business together with other stakeholders, and infusing markets and economies with universal values," he said.

Participants, who are split almost evenly between developed and developing economies, "have taken thousands of actions in support of the Global Compact's ten principles" which relate to the environment and anti-corruption as well as human and labour rights.

The conference offers the opportunity "to assess the sea change that is taking place in the relationship between business and communities," he said, pointing out that in today's interdependent world, "business leadership cannot be sustained without showing leadership on environmental, social and governance issues."

Mr. Ban acknowledged that pro
principles is still uneven. "We need to apply policies more deeply and specifically across the board," he said. In areas that would benefit most from a robust global economy, business is still too often linked with "exploitative practices, corruption, income equality and other barriers" that discourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Ban called on representatives from business, trade unions, academia and governments to do their part to ensure the Compact's success, and pledged his full support in this endeavour "so that we fulfil the Global Compact's aspirations and vision."

Also addressing the Summit was Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, called on those present to "combine the universal authority of the UN, the global reach of international business and the mobilizing power of civil society to confront" global challenges together.

The Global Compact seeks to promote responsible corporate citizenship by partnering the private sector with other social players to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

It is not a regulatory instrument but relies instead on what it terms "public accountability, transparency and the enlightened self-interest of companies, labour and civil society to initiate and share substantive action in pursuing the principles upon which the Global Compact is based."

2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONCERNED AT ACQUITTALS IN MILITARY TRIAL

DR CONGO: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONCERNED AT ACQUITTALS IN MILITARY TRIAL
New York, Jul 4 2007 11:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today voiced concern at the recent decision by a military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to acquit all defendants of killings, torture and other abuses that occurred during an operation by the country's armed forces.

"I am concerned at the court's conclusions that the events in Kilwa were the accidental results of fighting, despite the presence at the trial of substantial eye-witness testimony and material evidence pointing to the commission of serious and deliberate human rights violations," said Louise Arbour of the verdict reached in late June in the DRC's Katanga Province.

"I am pleased that an appellate instance will have the opportunity to revisit these findings," she said, urging the appeals court to "fully and fairly weigh all the evidence before it reaches the appropriate conclusions that justice and the rights of the victims demand."

The High Commissioner also encouraged all competent authorities in the DRC to use all available legal means to bring justice to the victims of Kilwa.

In 2004, members of the country's armed forces (FARDC) regained control of Kilwa from a rebel group which had briefly occupied it.

In investigating the events, human rights officers of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) documented incidents of summary executions, torture, illegal detention and looting by the FARDC forces and concluded that little and sporadic fighting took place. Human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have also investigated the events and reached similar conclusions.

In a statement released in Geneva, the High Commissioner criticized the military court's assumption of jurisdiction over civilians in this case. "It is inappropriate and contrary to the DRC's international obligations for military courts to try civilians. While military personnel can in principle be charged by court martial, ci
not -- they should be tried before fair and independent civilian courts."

The High Commissioner called on the Congolese Parliament to adopt as a matter of priority the bill implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which would provide the civilian courts with clear jurisdiction for international crimes.

She recalled that during her visit to the country in May, the authorities had provided assurances of their commitment to the fight against impunity. "The victims of serious human rights violations demand concrete signs of such commitment, in the form of truth and justice," she declared. "That is only their right."

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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NEW IAEA REPORT OUTLINES PLANS FOR MONITORING NUCLEAR FACILITY IN DPR KOREA

NEW IAEA REPORT OUTLINES PLANS FOR MONITORING NUCLEAR FACILITY IN DPR KOREA
New York, Jul 4 2007 10:00PM
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which recently sent a team of experts to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has released a report on its future activities in the country, which has been under United Nations sanctions since last year when it claimed to have conducted a nuclear test.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's report, circulated Monday, is restricted, but the Agency said in a news release that it "outlines agreed arrangements for monitoring and verification by the IAEA of the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility and the reactor under construction in Taechon, that were reached between the IAEA team and the DPRK during their visit last week."

The team, led by Olli Heinonen, Deputy Director General for Safeguards, was in the country from 26 to 29 June.

DPRK ordered IAEA inspectors out at the end of 2003 and formally withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- including the pact's inspections and other safeguards against fuel diversion from energy generation to weapons production.

Mr. ElBaradei visited DRPK in March to discuss plans for the country to get rid of nuclear weapons in what he called "the first step in a long process" toward normalizing relations with the country.

The IAEA's 35-member Board will consider the report at its next meeting on 9 July in Vienna, according to the news release.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES URGE ACTION TO PREVENT RISING DEATH TOLL AT SEA

UN AGENCIES URGE ACTION TO PREVENT RISING DEATH TOLL AT SEA
New York, Jul 4 2007 10:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are joining forces to call for more action to prevent deaths among boatpeople making dangerous voyages across the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Aden and other stretches of water.

"There's a very mixed flow of people -- refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution, as well as migrants seeking a better life -- risking their lives on unseaworthy vessels often operated by ruthless smuggling rings who care nothing for human life," said Erika Feller, top protection official with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The call from the two agencies follows a meeting they held recently in London on the latest trends in irregular maritime migration, the risk to lives and search and rescue obligations.

Ms. Feller, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, was in Yemen recently, where refugees told her about the horrific voyages they had made crossing the Gulf of Aden from strife-ridden Somalia.

UNHCR has reported cases of people crossing from Somalia being brutally beaten and thrown overboard to the sharks, coupled with other abuses. Since the start of this year, more than 5,600 people have landed on the Yemeni coast and at least 200 have died while many remain missing.

With Europe now in summer, people are travelling in small craft -- from or through Africa -- across the Mediterranean or stretches of the Atlantic and running into trouble, requiring search and rescue operations to be launched, according to UNHCR. Dozens have died and more are missing.

"Finding people clinging to fishing pens, having been dumped in the water by unknown boats at midnight is not a one-off occurrence nor, unfortunately, is the refusal by coast states to allow their disemarkation after rescue," Ms. Feller said.

Shipmasters often face difficulties when arriving in the nearest port and trying to disembark people they have resc
are refugees, asylum seekers or undocumented migrants.

The UN refugee agency and the IMO said they intend to work more closely together and will hold a high level inter-agency meeting to forge closer co-operation with all agencies involved to find ways to help alleviate this humanitarian problem.

IMO -- the International Maritime Organization -- is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON 'PROFOUNDLY RELIEVED' AT RELEASE OF BBC'S ALAN JOHNSTON

BAN KI-MOON 'PROFOUNDLY RELIEVED' AT RELEASE OF BBC'S ALAN JOHNSTON
New York, Jul 4 2007 1:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced relief at the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston following 16 weeks of captivity in Gaza, and called for other kidnap victims to be freed.

"The Secretary-General is profoundly relieved at the release," a spokesman for Mr. Ban said in a statement released in Turin, Italy, calling for the earliest release without conditions of kidnap victims detained in similar circumstances.

"He pays tribute to Mr. Johnston's dignity and resilience in captivity, and equally, to the professional reporting of the BBC worldwide, in which Mr. Johnston has long been a gifted and reliable voice," the spokesman said.

The Secretary-General also acknowledged the work of all parties involved in the release, which he called "a crucial reminder of the need to protect not only the freedom, but the security and safety, of the media around the world."

In Paris, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) also expressed relief at Mr. Johnston's liberation.

"I am relieved and delighted that Alan Johnston has finally been freed, safe and sound," said Koïchiro Matsuura. "He and his family have displayed remarkable courage during this terrible ordeal."

Stressing that journalists must be able to operate without fear for their security, he congratulated all those who advocated for Mr. Johnston's release.

"Alan Johnston was held captive longer than any other journalist abducted in Gaza . It is now up to Palestinian authorities to see that those responsible are located and swiftly brought to justice," said the Director-General.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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GUATEMALA SHOULD ACT ON PROPOSED BODY TO PROBE ARMED GROUPS - BAN KI-MOON

GUATEMALA SHOULD ACT ON PROPOSED BODY TO PROBE ARMED GROUPS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
With talks underway in Guatemala's Congress on a proposed independent body to investigate illegal armed groups, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced hope that the country will take "this important opportunity" to fight impunity.

Under a December 2006 agreement between the Government and the UN, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (to be known as CICIG, its Spanish acronym) will have an initial mandate of two years, pending approval by the Congress.

Mr. Ban hopes that Guatemala "will seize this important opportunity to use international assistance to strengthen its national judicial institutions in the fight against impunity in a way that is fully respectful of Guatemalan sovereignty," said his spokesperson in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2650">statement.

"The Secretary-General wishes to emphasize that safeguarding public security and solidifying the rule of law are not challenges unique to Guatemala, but shared by many other countries emerging from conflict," the statement added.

The Commission will be able to conduct its own investigations and also help local institutions, particularly the Office of the Public Prosecutor. While it will be an independent, non-UN body, its commissioner will be appointed by the Secretary-General and report periodically to him.

One of its tasks is to recommend public policies and any legal or institutional measures for eradicating the illegal armed groups and preventing their re-emergence. The costs are expected to be borne by voluntary contributions from the international community.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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LACK OF FUNDS FORCES UN REFUGEE AGENCY TO HALT TIMOR-LESTE OPERATION

LACK OF FUNDS FORCES UN REFUGEE AGENCY TO HALT TIMOR-LESTE OPERATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The UN refugee agency has ended its emergency operation in Timor-Leste owing to a lack of funds, bringing to a close nearly 14 months of vital assistance to some 150,000 people displaced following the outbreak of factional violence last year.

The last international staff of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468a532c4.html">UNHCR) have now left the young nation, which the UN helped shepherd to independence in 2002, leaving behind only a small core of national staff to help rebuild the skills of civil servants and to look after a handful of refugees from Asia and West Africa, the agency said in a press release issued today.

"We accomplished a lot," said Robert Ashe, UNHCR's Jakarta-based regional representative. In the first three months following the April-May 2006 violence, the agency helped thousands of people in makeshift camps that had been set up in and around Dili.

UNHCR, along with Australian peacekeepers, worked to ensure that the airport in the capital, Dili, resumed functioning in the early days after the looting and fighting, which left at least 25 people dead and 150,000 displaced.

After Dili Airport was taken over by internally displaced people seeking shelter, UNHCR set up a nearby tent city which allowed the facility to return to its intended function.

Last September, UNHCR provided more than 1,500 lightweight family tents, plastic sheeting and other relief items to the Government, which estimated that some 1,500 houses were destroyed or badly damaged in Dili alone.

The agency says the situation remains grim for many of those still displaced, which the Government says could be as many as 100,000 people, with at least 25,000 of those in the capital.

Mr. Ashe added that last Saturday's peaceful parliamentary election, for which the votes are still being counted, offered hope for a brighter future if the new Government could focus on the issues of internally displaced people, poverty and employment.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES DEPLOY EMERGENCY TEAM TO FLOOD-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN

UN AGENCIES DEPLOY EMERGENCY TEAM TO FLOOD-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
A five member United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team is being deployed to Pakistan in the wake of the severe flooding and cyclone Yemyin that have affected the country in recent days.

"The Government of Pakistan is doing everything possible to provide aid under extremely challenging circumstances," said John Homes, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. "The United Nations is ready to supplement their efforts as required, as are non-governmental organizations (NGOs)."

In addition to sending the UNDAC team, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline3.un.org/">OCHA), through its regional office in Bangkok, will deploy two more staff on 5 July to support the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Pakistan.

OCHA also released an emergency cash grant of $100,000 for local procurement of emergency relief.

Some 12 helicopters are being mobilized in the areas of Balochistan and Sindh, where flooding has already driven some 250,000 from their homes and affected more than 1.5 million people overall, after the authorities requested additional helicopters to distribute highest priority supplies – shelter and potable water – to affected areas.

In response to calls for other emergency medicines and supplies in order to prevent an epidemic outbreak, several UN relief agencies, including the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) are gearing up their activities in parallel to NGO mobilizations, providing tents, blankets, emergency medicine kits, and water purification tablets. A convoy of relief items from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR) with 270 tents and 100 quilts left Quetta, the capital of the Balochistan, on 30 June.

UNHCR is also rushing 15 tons of emergency supplies to thousands of Afghan refugees and surrounding communities in south-western Balochistan.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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SUDANESE OFFICIALS AND UNICEF TEAM UP TO FIND FAMILIES FOR ABANDONED CHILDREN

SUDANESE OFFICIALS AND UNICEF TEAM UP TO FIND FAMILIES FOR ABANDONED CHILDREN
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40173.html">UNICEF) and Sudanese authorities have launched a campaign to prevent people from abandoning infants and to find temporary families to avoid placing the children in institutions.

A joint assessment carried out in 2003 by the Government and UNICEF found that an estimated 100 newborns were being abandoned on the streets of the capital Khartoum every month. "Half of these were dying on the streets, the others left with no alternative but institutional care," the agency stated in a press release issued yesterday.

These "alarming statistics" led the Ministry of Social Affairs for Khartoum State and UNICEF to develop a pilot programme to move away from institutional care towards the placement of children with alternative families.

Evidence shows that children's development is improved when placed within alternative families, including dramatic changes in motor, language and social development, the agency noted.

Based on the Islamic system of kaffala, which requires communities and families to support the welfare of vulnerable children, some 500 emergency alternative families that are willing to provide temporary care for abandoned babies have been identified.

This period of temporary care will allow social workers to trace the children's own families and attempt reunification. Permanent alternative families have also been identified to provide longer-term care for children who cannot be reunited with their parents.

The new initiative also focuses on prevention by collaborating with midwives, community leaders and families to reduce the risk of abandonment of children whose families face difficulties in caring for them.

The launch of the initiative coincides with the planned closure of Khartoum's largest orphanage, Maygoma, which in 2004 received nearly 700 new referrals despite concerns over the quality of care being provided to abandoned children. In the last three years, as the pilot family care programme was developed and non-governmental organizations assisted in the management of the orphanage, more than 2,500 children were moved to the family care system.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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AFRICAN CRISES SET TO TOP SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA THIS MONTH

AFRICAN CRISES SET TO TOP SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA THIS MONTH
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The crises and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East are expected to dominate the agenda at the Security Council this month, its President for July, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, said today.

Briefing journalists on the Council's programme of work, Mr. Wang noted that more than 50 per cent of the items on the provisional agenda related to Africa, from Sudan's Darfur region and Somalia in the east to Guinea-Bissau and Côte d'Ivoire in the west to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the central south.

The report of last month's Council mission to Africa is also scheduled to be formally debated late next week.

In response to questions from reporters, Mr. Wang said some Council members were working on drafting an enabling resolution to authorize the establishment of the proposed hybrid African Union-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003.

The Sudanese Government indicated last month, after earlier reservations, that it unconditionally accepted the deployment of the hybrid force to take over from the existing but under-resourced AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

Turning to the Middle East, the Council will hold briefings and consultations on the situation in Lebanon and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The discussions will cover the report of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team, which has been tasked with monitoring the border with Syria for possible illegal movements of arms.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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EX-MILITIA MEMBERS IN DR CONGO'S ITURI DISTRICT TO BEGIN DEMOBILIZING - UN

EX-MILITIA MEMBERS IN DR CONGO'S ITURI DISTRICT TO BEGIN DEMOBILIZING – UN
New York, Jul 3 2007 5:00PM
The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme for former members of three militia groups in the volatile Ituri district of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will start next week, the United Nations peacekeeping mission to the country (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC) has announced.

Under the scheme, to be run by the UN Development Programme (<"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/">UNDP), about 4,500 ex-combatants from the militias will be registered, asked to hand over their arms and then given assistance to reintegrate into either civilian life or the national armed forces.

UNDP expects that about 70 per cent of the combatants – from the militias Mouvement Revolutionnaire Congolais (MRC), the Front de Résistance Patriotique de l'Ituri (FRPI) and the Front des Nationalistes et Intégrationnistes (FNI) – will choose civilian life, while 30 per cent will retrain for the new integrated brigades of the armed forces.

Two transit sites will be opened before the end of this month in the cities of Bunia and Kpandroma to handle the demobilization process, and they will operate for six weeks before closing so that community reconstruction service programmes can then begin for the reintegrating ex-combatants.

The entire $2.5 million programme, which is being funded by UNDP along with Sweden, Ireland, Japan, Norway and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will run for just over three months in Ituri, located in the far northeast of the DRC.

Combatants rejoining civilian life will receive $110 to help with transport costs and an entry card into the community reconstruction service, which will allow them to work on manual labour projects such as the rehabilitation of roads, schools and sanitary systems for $2 a day for up to 90 days. If they want to set up their own business, they will be given access to microfinance through local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Former militia members wanting to enter the integrated armed forces will be transported to the city of Kisangani for training before they can enter the brigades.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN OUTLAWS USE OF RUBBER BULLETS IN KOSOVO AND CONSULTS ON POSSIBLE WIDER BAN

UN OUTLAWS USE OF RUBBER BULLETS IN KOSOVO AND CONSULTS ON POSSIBLE WIDER BAN
New York, Jul 3 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Police chief in Kosovo has banned the use of rubber bullets by any police unit in the UN-run province, he said today, adding that Member States who contribute officers are also being consulted about outlawing their use in all other peacekeeping operations.

Police Commissioner Richard Monk's remarks follow the deaths in February of two protesters who were killed when members of a Romanian Formed Police Unit (FPU) fired rubber bullets. His comments also come a day after a UN official investigating the deaths called for a "thorough review" of the use of rubber bullets.

"As regards the rubber bullets themselves, shortly after my arrival, I sent to UN Headquarters in New York a request that rubber bullets be withdrawn from the armoury of any state supplying Formed Police Units (FPU) to Kosovo," Mr. Monk told a <"http://www.unmikonline.org/DPI/Transcripts.nsf/0/084A83C8371E7FEBC125730D002A45E5/$FILE/Transcript%20of%20press%20briefing%20by%20Special%20Prosecutor%20Robert%20Dean%20-%2002%20July%202007.pdf">press conference organized by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK).

"And I received notification from New York that all police contributing nations are being consulted with a view to banning their use in peacekeeping missions. I also directed that all out-of-date rubber bullets be returned to their respective state or destroyed and I have prohibited the carriage or use of rubber bullets by any police unit in Kosovo for whatever purpose."

Mr. Monk took over in Kosovo in early March after his predecessor was asked to resign following the deaths, and he told reporters today that after his arrival he instituted a "bottom to top review" of UN and Kosovo Police Services (KPS) policies, procedures and tactics for dealing with crowd and riot control.
In his press conference yesterday, UNMIK's Acting Director of Justice Robert Dean told journalists that the experience of the UN Police during the demonstration on 10 February this year showed a "thorough review" was warranted. In addition, Mr. Dean's just-completed second report into the deaths includes six other conclusions and recommendations.
Mr. Monk said he accepted all the findings related to the February events, adding that most of the recommendations have already been implemented and emphasizing that "police should use only the minimum level of force necessary to overcome the threat or use of force against them or the person they are defending."

"I accept without qualification the recommendations of the Special Prosecutor and I am grateful for the findings of the all the other pieces of work. I am pleased to say that most of the recommendations have already been implemented into Kosovo Police Service Operations Planning and applied in the last three public protest marches," he said.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES OPPOSING CENTRAL AFRICAN GROUPS TO HOLD DIALOGUE

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES OPPOSING CENTRAL AFRICAN GROUPS TO HOLD DIALOGUE
New York, Jul 3 2007 4:00PM
The Security Council today called on authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) to hold a dialogue with the country's opposition forces and civil society groups amid mounting concern at the continuing violence and instability in the impoverished country.

Council members, who heard a briefing from Lamine Cissé, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative and the head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the country (BONUCA), also said they remain willing to consider deploying a multi-dimensional UN mission to the northeast of the CAR and to neighbouring Chad.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9069.doc.htm">statement to the press, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, which holds the Council's rotating presidency this month, said the 15-member panel was encouraging dialogue between the Government and others to try to consolidate peace and stability in the country.

"They encouraged the Government to continue its discussions with rebel groups in order to restore security to the whole territory, and called on these groups to act in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework by giving up any armed activity," he said.

The security situation has been worst in recent months in the northwest and northeast, where fighting has forced an estimated 200,000 people to become internally displaced and thousands of others to flee to Chad or Cameroon as refugees.

In his most recent report on the work of BONUCA, the Secretary-General called the situation in the country extremely precarious, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions, repeated violations of human rights, a culture of impunity, a lack of dialogue and tolerance between opposing groups, and persistent poverty and corruption.

Today's statement called on Central African authorities to tackle impunity and expressed serious concern at the human rights situation and reports that Government forces have used disproportionate force in their fight against rebels.

The statement condemned the human rights and international humanitarian law violations by both sides in the conflict, and noted the continuing activities of armed bandits as well.

But it voiced appreciation for the efforts of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, which has deployed a multinational force in the CAR, as well as to the African Union and the European Union for maintaining their political and financial support.

The CAR is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the Council statement said the Government and its international partners must intensify their efforts to fight poverty and promote sustainable economic development.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN, AFRICAN UNION OFFICIALS MEET WITH NON-SIGNATORIES TO DARFUR PEACE ACCORD

UN, AFRICAN UNION OFFICIALS MEET WITH NON-SIGNATORIES TO DARFUR PEACE ACCORD
New York, Jul 3 2007 3:00PM
Senior officials from the United Nations and the African Union (AU) have met with the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) to discuss next steps in the political process aimed at ending hostilities in the strife-torn region of Sudan, the UN Mission in the country said today.

Over the past week, the UN-AU Joint Mediation Support Team, led by the UN's Pekka Haavisto and the AU's Sam Ibok, has held talks with groups based in North Darfur and in Asmara, according to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

The DPA, which covers security, wealth-sharing and power-sharing, was signed in May 2006 between the Sudanese Government and part of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) with the aim of ending the fierce fighting in Darfur.

The team met with Eritrean officials in Asmara to discuss the next steps of the political process as outlined in the road map presented by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's envoy, Jan Eliasson, which calls on all parties to cease hostilities and prepare for forthcoming negotiations.

Together with Eritrean officials, the team also met with First Vice President Salva Kiir in Juba in southern Sudan on 2 July to discuss the role of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the political process.

Mr. Ban has said there are four main tracks in which the UN is addressing the Darfur crisis: humanitarian, political, peacekeeping and development.
At a press conference in Geneva yesterday, he called for stepping up the political process, which includes implementing existing agreements.

On the planned UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation, he said, "the people in Darfur have suffered too much and the international community has waited too long. It is now high time for us to take necessary action and I hope that the Sudanese Government will implement faithfully the commitment they have made."

Meanwhile in Accra, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said on Monday that attention must be paid not only to fighters but also civic players in Darfur. "Apart from the factions, there is also a need to be more inclusive," she told reporters. "There are women's groups and there are other civil society organizations and these have to be part" of the solution.

"This is a process that will take a bit of time but the two envoys have clearly set up a road map which we think is going fine and the United Nations is very much part of the support," she said.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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BRAZIL OFFERS RESETTLEMENT FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FROM IRAQ - UN AGENCY

BRAZIL OFFERS RESETTLEMENT FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FROM IRAQ – UN AGENCY
New York, Jul 3 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR) today welcomed an offer by Brazil to resettle an estimated 100 Palestinians formerly living in Iraq starting in mid-September.

The agency is "grateful for a generous offer by the Government of Brazil" to help roughly 22 Palestinian families settle in Sao Paulo state and 18 families in the Rio Grande do Sul, spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468a3e3d4.html">press briefing in Geneva.

Apart from Canada and New Zealand, in recent years Brazil has been the only country to offer resettlement to Palestinian refugees from Iraq, according to UNHCR, which has been spotlighting their plight.

Since 2003, most of the Palestinian refugees have been living 60 kilometres from the Iraq border in Ruwayshed, Jordan. "There, they have faced extremely harsh conditions in a dusty and scorpion-infested desert camp with nowhere to go," Ms. Pagonis said.

More than 1,450 Palestinians from Iraq remain stranded along the Iraq-Syria border in "deplorable conditions," with another estimated 13,000 Palestinians affected by violence and harassment in Iraq, she noted.

As part of the resettlement, Brazil is also focusing on successfully integrating the Palestinians into Brazilian society. Prior to departing, each group of roughly 30 people will be extensively briefed, culturally sensitized and given Portuguese languages lessons by Brazilian UNCHR staff presently working in Jordan that will continue for up to 12 months upon arrival in Brazil.

Bilingual (Arabic-Portuguese) UNHCR staff in Brazil will be trained in Palestinian cultures and traditions to facilitate the process.

All of the refugees will receive accommodations, furniture and material assistance for up to 24 months, with unaccompanied elderly refugees being settled in homes where medical treatment will be provided, according to UNHCR.

Last week, the agency appealed for the medical evacuation of at least 12 Palestinians – mostly young children – with serious medical problems from the Iraqi-Syria border and from Baghdad. Today, Ms. Pagonis reported that two European countries had provided "positive indications" in response, and voiced hope "that they will speed up their decision in order to save their lives before it is too late."
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN'S 'LONG NIGHT OF INJUSTICE' NEARING ITS END - BAN KI-MOON

AFGHANISTAN'S 'LONG NIGHT OF INJUSTICE' NEARING ITS END – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 3 2007 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged Afghanistan's partners to join hands with the fledgling democracy as it attempts to establish the foundations of law and order following decades of conflict, declaring that the country's "long night of injustice is nearing its end."

"Now we must herald the rule of law, and the era of the Afghan citizen," Mr. Ban stated in his <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2649">address to an international conference on justice and rule of law in Afghanistan taking place in Rome.

Recalling his surprise visit to Afghanistan last Friday, during which he met with the country's top officials, Mr. Ban said he was "heartened and moved" by their commitment and courage, but also shared their profound concern over the challenges still confronting the war-torn nation.

Decades of conflict had left a devastating mark, Mr. Ban noted. "Institutions were destroyed, authority was divorced from legitimacy, and rule of law flowed from little more than the barrel of a gun."

Mr. Ban hoped the conference would result in the establishment of an Afghan-led monitoring and evaluation system for the justice sector.

"Much rests on the success of this conference," he added, noting that the ability of the nascent State to define laws covering domestic, criminal, land, tax, contract and commercial issues will determine the shape of Afghan society for decades to come. "These codes will be the source of justice in a land that has for too long suffered from its absence."

Key to heralding a new era in the Afghan justice system, he said, are aligning the efforts of Afghanistan's partners with those of the country's own vision and national traditions. Also crucial were credible Afghan institutions for fostering the rule of law and political will on the part of the nation's leaders.

Mr. Ban also hailed the work of one of Afghanistan's youngest national institutions, the Independent Human Rights Commission, which had rapidly become the nation's "voice of conscience."

"Its documentation of human rights abuses ensures that past crimes will not be forgotten. Its promotion of human rights norms brings us ever closer to a day when the law is Afghanistan's one and only authority," he stated.

The Commission has also documented instances of civilian casualties resulting from the operation of international forces. Mr. Ban stressed that in countering the anti-Government insurgency that has been plaguing the country for some time, Afghan and international forces must act strictly in accordance with international humanitarian law.

"However difficult this may prove against a shadowy and unscrupulous adversary, we simply cannot hide from the reality that civilian casualties, no matter how accidental, strengthen our enemies and undermine our efforts."

Mr. Ban highlighted the need to "do better by Afghanistan's women," who suffer disproportionately from a failing justice system, declaring that "justice denied to Afghanistan's women is justice denied to all Afghans."

In recent weeks, Afghanistan has witnessed a string of attacks which constitute some of the worst violence since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, including shootings outside a girls' school and the murder of prominent female Afghan journalists.

"Those who kill or debase women simply because they dare speak their mind, or demand their rights, must find no quarter in a just and free Afghanistan."

Noting that Afghanistan faces real challenges with no immediate solutions, Mr. Ban urged patience as the country emerges from the "shadows of despair" following decades of conflict and travels down the difficult road to peace and prosperity.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF HAILS MOVES BY EGYPT TO ELIMINATE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

UNICEF HAILS MOVES BY EGYPT TO ELIMINATE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed a series of moves in the past week in Egypt to stamp out the traditional yet gruesome practices of female genital mutilation (FGM) and cutting after a 12-year-old girl died following the procedure.

Egypt's Health and Population Minister has issued a decree fully criminalizing FGM and closing a previous loophole involving health professionals conducting the practice, UNICEF said in a <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40168.html">news release issued yesterday in Cairo.

The country's highest Muslim authority, Al-Azhar Supreme Council of Islamic Research, issued a statement saying that FGM and cutting are harmful, have no basis in core Islamic law and should not be practiced.

Egypt's first lady, Suzanne Mubarak, has also launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the practice and to accelerate efforts to ensure it is eliminated, including by amending existing child laws.

UNICEF Egypt Representative Erma Manoncourt said the amendments could allow people to report on violators who continue to conduct FGM, which in Egypt has largely been performed by trained medical personnel.

"UNICEF will fully support the National Council of Childhood and Motherhood, the Ministry of Health and Population, and all partners to help fully implement the strengthened law and educate people on its meaning," Dr. Manoncourt said.

The changes in Egypt follow the death of the pre-teen girl in Upper Egypt last week. UNICEF estimates that 3 million girls and women are subject to FGM and cutting every year in Africa.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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ASIA SEES DROP IN POVERTY BUT RISING INEQUALITY -- UN REPORT

ASIA SEES DROP IN POVERTY BUT RISING INEQUALITY -- UN REPORT
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Rapid economic growth has spurred progress in the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in Asia, where the proportion of people living on a dollar a day has been cut by half, but inequality is also growing in parts of the region, <"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/jul/g27.asp">says a United Nations report released today in Bangkok.

The Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs) Report 2007 comes at the midpoint of a 15-year effort to reach those key development objectives that world leaders set at a 2000 UN summit.

Eastern Asia, where the proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell from 33 per cent in 1990 to 9.9 per cent in 2004, saw the greatest gain, according to the report. In South-Eastern Asia, where extreme poverty was already down to 20.8 per cent in 1990, the percentage had dropped to 6.8 per cent by 2004.

The report said the figures put the region "comfortably on track" to achieve the first MDG, which calls for halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

Buta's unprecedented poverty reduction was uneven, said the report, which noted that in Southern Asia, nearly one third of the population is still living on the equivalent of a dollar a day. Inequality is also rising within countries, such as in Eastern Asia, where the lowest fifth on the economic ladder is consuming less: from 7.3 per cent in 1990 to 4.5 per cent in 2004.

At the same time, the statistics show that Asia's path to the MDGs may be blocked by challenges in other areas such as health, environmental sustainability and gender equality. The report blames factors like deforestation, unplanned urbanization, and the fast rate of HIV/AIDS infections in some parts of the region.

Progress in improving child nutrition is still "unacceptably slow" compared to other regions, the report notes, warning that if current trends continue Asia will fall short of reaching the MDG target of halving the proportion o
of slow progress in Southern and South-Eastern Asia.

The annual statistical survey of global and regional progress toward the Goals represents the most comprehensive assessment of the MDGs, using the latest data gathered by a large number of international organizations both within and outside the UN, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in a news release.

2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF DONATES ANTI-MALARIA DRUGS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA

UNICEF DONATES ANTI-MALARIA DRUGS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and France have <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40160.html">donated nearly $400,000 worth of anti-malaria drugs to Liberia in a move immediately welcomed by the Government.

"This is truly a remarkable gesture for the people of Liberia, especially the children and pregnant women who suffer the most," said Minister of Health Dr. Walter Gwenigale.

He underscored the seriousness of malaria in Liberia today. "We are dealing with a situation where when 50 patients enter a clinic, 25 of them are malaria-infected."

The shipment, representing more than 678,800 treatments worth $389,000, will be joined by a second donation to Burundi later this year.

The drugs are being paid for by the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) and <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2006/s15/en/index.html">UNITAID, an international drug purchase facility. UNICEF has contributed $500,000 to support in distribution and other related activities.

Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases in Africa today. The disease kills over a million people a year or about 3,000 people per day, according to UNICEF, while at least 300 million suffer from acute malaria each year. Children under five, pregnant women and their unborn children, and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF YET ANOTHER IRAQI JOURNALIST

UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF YET ANOTHER IRAQI JOURNALIST
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38744&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">condemned the recent killing of a veteran Iraqi journalist, declaring that violence against media professionals in the strife-torn country has reached "terrifying proportions."

"No words are strong enough to condemn these recurring crimes, targeting courageous professionals striving to uphold the fundamental human right of free expression, and its corollary, press freedom," stated UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.

Hamed Abd Farhan, the latest member of the Iraqi press to lose his life, was shot to death in south Baghdad on 26 June, only a few days after the deaths of Alef Ali Falih and Rahim Al-Maliki, killed in separate bombings.

"It is crucial for the construction of democracy in Iraq that authorities do everything in their power to reinforce security for media professionals," Mr. Matsuura said.

Mr. Farhan, 57, worked for a number of Iraqi newspapers and magazines, as well as for the private agency Irakioun. He had previously spent 30 years on the staff of the Iraqi press agency. He was gunned down in his car in Al-Sidiya, in the southern part of Baghdad.

Alef Ali Falih, 32, correspondent for the independent press agency Aswat al-Iraq died in a terrorist bombing that killed several people on 11 June in Al-Khalis, 55 kilometres north of Baghdad.

Poet and journalist Rahim al-Maliki, 39, host of cultural programmes on Al-Iraqiya, was one of the victims of the suicide bombing against the Hotel Milia-Mansour in Baghdad on 25 June.

According to Reporters without Borders, 36 media professionals have lost their lives in Iraq since the start of this year.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UN COMMISSION SEEKS TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY, PROTECT CONSUMER HEALTH

UN COMMISSION SEEKS TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY, PROTECT CONSUMER HEALTH
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
A United Nations commission that is the highest international body on food standards has begun <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000617/index.html">examining new measures to ensure safer infant powdered formula and hygienic egg production in a bid to improve food quality and safeguard consumer health.

Representatives from more than 100 countries and numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are meeting in Geneva this week for the annual session of the <"http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp">Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint venture of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

The Commission, which runs until 7 July, will be examining the 1981 standard on infant formula, which was based on scientific knowledge from the 1970s. The revised standard is based on the latest scientific understanding of the composition of breast milk.

"It is important to support breastfeeding and promote its benefits to infants and young children," said Dr. Jorgen Schlundt, Director of the WHO department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Food-Borne Diseases, adding that in cases when breastfeeding is "either not possible or not appropriate," powdered formula is a dietary option.

But he warned that powdered infant formula is not a sterile product and can be contaminated with life threatening bacteria. "It is extremely important that these formulae are safe and properly labelled," he stressed. "The proposed standard will help save many infant lives in countries around the world."

The Commission will also be looking at a revised code of hygienic practice for eggs and egg products.

While a major source of food in all countries, eggs and egg products are a significant contributor to salmonellosis, a major food borne disease. Adoption of the revised code will improve safety, FAO said.

Among other items on the agenda of the meeting is a draft code to prevent or reduce Ochratoxin, a contaminant in wine that is known to be toxic to the kidneys, as well as new quality standards for three food products from the Middle East – canned tehina, a sesame seed paste; hummus with tehina, a sesame seed and chickpea mixture; and canned ful medammes, a popular bean dish.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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ANTI-POVERTY GOALS STILL ACHIEVABLE, BUT GREATER EFFORT NEEDED - BAN KI-MOON

ANTI-POVERTY GOALS STILL ACHIEVABLE, BUT GREATER EFFORT NEEDED – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The world's shared goals for fighting poverty and other economic and social ills remain achievable in most countries, but only if political leaders in rich and poor nations take urgent and concerted action, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11070.doc.htm">Addressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (<"http://www.un.org/ecosoc/julyhls/index.shtml">ECOSOC) in Geneva, Mr. Ban said the mid-point progress <"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/mdg2007.pdf">report on the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) – which was released today – contained encouraging messages.

"Countries in Africa and elsewhere are demonstrating that rapid and large-scale progress on the MDGs is possible," Mr. Ban said, referring to the set of eight development objectives which world leaders have agreed to work towards by the target date of 2015.

This week's ECOSOC meeting is focusing on two of the objectives: cutting extreme poverty and hunger in half, and building the global partnership for development.

The Secretary-General urged a "strong and sustained effort" towards the targets. "Advancing on these two items is essential for human uplift, and it underpins our entire UN development agenda… Needless to say, millions of lives quite literally hang in the balance."

He called on the leaders of poor States to ensure they have national development strategies in place that focus on job creation, productivity, practical steps for increasing investments in key areas and improving access to markets.

But "all of this will simply not occur without adequate financing, much of which has to flow from a strengthened global partnership for development," the Secretary-General warned, noting that progress towards the Goals has so far been too slow in some countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Ban said wealthy nations must keep their promises to eventually spend 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) on official development assistance (ODA) to poorer countries and "address the disparities in the global trade regime which handcuff so many developing nations."

He stressed the importance of a successful conclusion to the current so-called Doha round of trade negotiations.

"Existing trade barriers, agricultural subsidies and restrictive rules on intellectual property rights reinforce global inequities – and they make a mockery of our tall claims to eliminate hunger and poverty from our world."
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON PRESENTS AWARD TO BAHRAINI PRIME MINISTER FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION EFFORTS

BAN KI-MOON PRESENTS AWARD TO BAHRAINI PRIME MINISTER FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION EFFORTS
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today in Geneva presented Bahrain's Prime Minister with UN-HABITAT's top award for his efforts in carrying out better housing policies and urban development.

UN-HABITAT, the UN agency whose goal is to provide adequate shelter for all, awarded Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa its Scroll of Honour Award for his efforts in lifting the living standards for all Bahrainis.

The agency's mandate focuses on promoting duel socially and environmentally sustainable development, a standard which both UN-HABITAT and Secretary General Ban commended the Prime Minister for maintaining by respecting cultural heritage while facilitating modernization.

"Under the able leadership of your Highness, the Kingdom of Bahrain has made remarkable strides in reducing poverty. Over the past quarter of a century, Bahrain has transformed itself from a collection of rural villages into a thriving diversified economy while preserving the cultural heritage of the Kingdom," said Mr. Ban.

The award was presented by the Secretary-General at the opening ceremony of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

UN-HABITAT's Executive Director, Anna Tibaijuka, echoed the Secretary-General's praise of the Prime Minister, adding that "UN-HABITAT is proud to be associated with [his] success."

She highlighted the agency's long and constructive relationship with Bahrain and commended its leader specifically for his "sustained efforts in implementation of the Habitat Agenda and the associated Millennium Development Goals of water sanitation and slum upgrading in [Bahrain]…at a regional level," singling out the 2003 Royal initiative to rejuvenate dilapidated areas as a model to be emulated.

In his acceptance speech, the Prime Minister thanked the Secretary-General and the Executive Director, gave credit to the King of Bahrain and the citizens and stated that he looked forward to continuing cooperation with UN-HABITAT and the UN in helping the world meet the Millennium Development Goals, a set of antipoverty targets for the year 2015.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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DISPLACED PERSONS IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE NEED MORE HELP, SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT

DISPLACED PERSONS IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE NEED MORE HELP, SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
An independent United Nations human rights expert today called on Côte d'Ivoire's Government to ensure that the thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the divided West African country have the necessary means to make a safe and sustainable return to their home towns and villages.

Walter Kälin, the Secretary-General's Representative for IDPs, issued a statement after a five-day visit to Côte d'Ivoire in which he also called on the international community and donors to support the programmes in place to help returnees readjust to regular life.

"Without money, there is no programme," Mr. Kälin said. "Without programmes, there are no lasting solutions and if lasting solutions are not found" [for the IDPs], then the peace is also in jeopardy of not lasting.

He noted that some people have already started returning to the north and west of Côte d'Ivoire, which has been divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel-held north since 2002, when a UN peacekeeping mission to the country, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI, began maintaining a "zone of confidence" between the two sides.

But many of these returnees have few resources and their arrivals are placing a strain on local communities, he added. Female-headed households, young mothers and widows are especially vulnerable.

"Displaced persons, even when they return to their homes, live in an extremely vulnerable situation and they need continuing humanitarian assistance during the transition period."

Mr. Kälin visited Côte d'Ivoire to assess the IDP situation in the wake of the Ouagadougou agreement, which President Laurent Gbagbo and the rebel Forces Nouvelles leader Guillaume Soro – who has since become Prime Minister – signed in March in the capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso.

The Ouagadougou accord calls for: creating a new transitional government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the zone of confidence with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN OFFICIAL WELCOMES IDENTIFICATION OF MISSING PERSONS IN CYPRUS

TOP UN OFFICIAL WELCOMES IDENTIFICATION OF MISSING PERSONS IN CYPRUS
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The top United Nations official in Cyprus has welcomed the announcement by the Committee on Missing Persons concerning the positive identification of the bodies of 28 missing persons and its plans to start returning the remains to the families concerned.

Michael Møller, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Cyprus, urged everyone to exercise due restraint during this "sensitive and emotional time" and respect the privacy of the affected families.

Mr. Møller extended the sympathy of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP), which has been deployed on the island for the past 43 years, to the families concerned, and voiced hope that they would find "relief and solace after so many years of uncertainty about the fate of their relatives."

According to UN data, over 1,400 Greek Cypriots and 500 Turkish Cypriots are listed as missing. Some 270 remains have been unearthed on both sides of the ceasefire line following an agreement last year.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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PROBE OF KILLING OF KOSOVO PROTESTERS LEADS TO CALL FOR UN REVIEW OF RUBBER BULLETS

PROBE OF KILLING OF KOSOVO PROTESTERS LEADS TO CALL FOR UN REVIEW OF RUBBER BULLETS
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations should review whether rubber bullets should ever be used again for crowd control use on a UN peacekeeping mission, an official tasked with probing the killing by UN police of two pro-independence demonstrators in Kosovo said today.

Robert Dean, the Acting Director of Justice for the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK), told journalists in Pristina that the experience of the UN police during the demonstration on 10 February this year showed a "thorough review" was warranted.

Two people were killed that day when members of a Romanian formed police unit (FPU) in UNMIK fired rubber bullets during a rally by the ethnic Albanian Vetëvendosja group, which wants immediate independence for Kosovo, an Albanian-majority Serbian province that has been run by UNMIK since 1999.

The demonstration took place soon after Martti Ahtisaari, the UN envoy for the future status of Kosovo, where Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one, issued a plan widely seen by both sides as proposing independence under international supervision.

Aside from the call for a review of the use of rubber bullets, Mr. Dean's just-completed second report into the killings includes six other conclusions and recommendations to avoid a similar situation occurring again.

"We are fully aware that the use of rubber bullets is controversial," he said during a press briefing. "It is not our intent to defend or condemn the use of rubber bullets in general. Such policy decisions are for criminal justice professionals and experts in crowd control techniques."

But he said that any review should examine the type and quality of ammunition, the training of police in their proper use, as well as the training on clearly defined decision-making protocols in rubber bullet deployment.

"If rubber bullets are to be available, clear and concise standards understood by all in the chain of command is essential. Particular attention should be paid to how much discretion to give subordinates in this decision."

Mr. Dean found there had been ambiguity in the authorization to deploy the rubber bullets, a breakdown in the chain of command and in the supervision of the Romanian forced police unit, and ambiguity in the operational order for the day of the demonstration. The ammunition used by the unit was also outdated.

His report further concluded that Romanian domestic law differs from generally accepted international law and guiding UN principles on the use of deadly force and possibly on the use of rubber bullets.

"For instance, Romanian domestic law considers rubber bullets to be non-lethal. That proposition is very debatable. Therefore, attention must be paid to the domestic law of each contributing nation as to deadly force and rubber bullet deployment.

"Specific training protocols for each FPU, no matter where the FPU come from, should be carefully examined to ensure that the deployment will be consistent with UN-approved standards of usage."

Mr. Dean reiterated the findings of his interim first report, from April, which concluded that the deaths were unjustified and unnecessary and "the facts gave rise to a reasonable suspicion of criminal acts within the ranks of the Romanian gunners who fired rubber bullets at the protesters that day."

But he also found then that there was insufficient evidence to lodge charges against any particular officer in the FPU.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO CALLS FOR STRENGTHENING UN-AFRICAN UNION COOPERATION

MIGIRO CALLS FOR STRENGTHENING UN-AFRICAN UNION COOPERATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro has praised the "fruitful collaboration" between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations in securing peace and promoting development, calling for strengthened ties between the two organizations to build on this success.

In an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/dsgsm327.doc.htm">address to the AU summit in Accra on Sunday, Ms. Migiro noted that Africa has made progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of anti-poverty targets for the year 2015, but noted that enormous challenges remain. She cited the example of maternal mortality, pointing out that a woman in Africa has a 1 in 16 chance of dying in childbirth or from complications in pregnancy, compared with a likelihood of 1 in 3,800 in the developed world.

Noting that this year marks the midpoint between the adoption of the Goals in 2000 and the target date of 2015, Ms. Migiro said called for "more resolute efforts, and deeper partnerships, to reduce poverty, to address the needs in health, education and other sectors, and to promote gender equality."

She drew particular attention to the burden of HIV and AIDS on women, pointing out that in sub-Saharan Africa, women represent nearly 60 per cent of all people living with HIV, and nearly 3 out of 4 young people between 15 and 24 years old who are living with HIV are female. "Women are also more likely to be the ones caring for people infected with HIV," she noted, urging efforts to promote gender equality "as a way to fight AIDS."

Ms. Migiro also underscored the wider benefits of helping women, declaring that "only by empowering women and girls can we achieve true and lasting development."

The Deputy Secretary-General pledged the UN's commitment to improving its work in the field. "And the United Nations will be Africa's trusted partner in addressing the challenge of climate change, whose impact will fall disproportionately on some of the continent's poorest nations," she said.

She called for collective energies to also focus on preventing and ending conflict, and on assisting countries that are emerging from war. "Only by working together, through genuine partnership, can we overcome the challenges that confront this rich and varied continent."

Ms. Migiro praised the work of the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). "The United Nations is working with the African Union to develop a Standby Force capable of rapid deployment," she said. "The ultimate objective is to develop a new peace and security architecture that can contribute to preventing conflict and maintaining durable peace on the continent."

The UN and AU have built a "highly fruitful collaboration in a wide range of areas, from peacekeeping to the fight against AIDS," she said, calling for collective efforts to strengthen these bonds to achieve shared goals.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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CHINA CLOSES OZONE DEPLETING CHEMICAL PLANTS AS PART OF UN INITIATIVE

CHINA CLOSES OZONE DEPLETING CHEMICAL PLANTS AS PART OF UN INITIATIVE
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
China, the world's largest producer of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and halon, has shut down five of its six remaining plants as part of international efforts to phase-out the two ozone depleting chemicals, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said.

The facilities were closed during a symbolic ceremony on Sunday organized by Chinese authorities in recognition of chemical companies' efforts to stop manufacturing products that harm the ozone layer and as part of UNEP's "Remembering Our Future" initiative.

With Sunday's action, the country is two and a half years ahead of the 2010 deadline imposed b the Montreal Protocol, which regulates levels of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere. A weakened Ozone layer allows for dangerous ultraviolet radiation with harmful health effects, and UNEP estimates that without the Protocol, there could have been up to 20 million more cases of skin cancer and 130 million more cases of eye cataracts.

The shut down of the five facilities, in Chiangshou City, near Shanghai, will bring China's production of CFCs to just about 550 metric tons, down from 55,000 metric tons at its peak in 1998, UNEP said.

China became the largest producer of ozone depleting chemicals following the shut down of plants producing these chemicals in developed countries in 1996. The closure of the Chinese plants now puts India and South Korea as leading producers of the two ozone depleting chemicals in Asia Pacific, the agency said.

"With more than 95% of the ozone depleting substances being phased out, the Protocol is among the great success stories of recent years," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "This success underlines how, with political will, creative financing mechanisms and the support for industry and NGOs, the international community can rise to the challenge of sustainable development."

Under the Montreal Protocol ozone depleting chemicals are being successfully ph
Protocol's Multilateral Fund, which has financed activities in 140 developing countries, according to UNEP. Ozone chemicals like CFCs and halon have been phased out in developed countries by 1996 except for small essential uses. By 2010, production of ozone depleting substances will be banned in developing countries, including countries in Asia and the Pacific.

2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ATTACK AT YEMENI TOURIST SITE

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ATTACK AT YEMENI TOURIST SITE
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned today's suicide car bombing near a popular tourist site in Yemen that claimed the lives of nine people, declaring that no cause can justify such acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians.

"The Secretary-General is appalled by the killing today of seven Spanish tourists and two Yemeni nationals, and the wounding of eight other people, in a suicide car bombing near an archaeological site in the province of Marib in Yemen," said his spokesperson in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2648">statement.

According to media reports, the bomb went off as the visitors were finishing a tour of the site which contains a temple built 3,000 years ago at the time of the Queen of Sheba.

Mr. Ban also extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Governments and people of Yemen and Spain.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE CALM FOLLOWING PEACEFUL PARLIAMENTARY POLLS - UN

TIMOR-LESTE CALM FOLLOWING PEACEFUL PARLIAMENTARY POLLS – UN
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Security in Timor-Leste, which the United Nations helped to shepherd to independence in 2002, remains calm following last Saturday's parliamentary elections, a spokesperson for the world body announced today.

Voters in the small South-East Asian nation went to the polls to elect 65 members of Parliament to serve five-year terms. Saturday's polls follow the country's presidential election, which led to the swearing in of President José Ramos-Horta in May.

Balloting was conducted in "a generally peaceful atmosphere" and the security situation remains calm with no major incidents reported, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe said today in New York.

She added that the National Election Commission has announced that about 20 per cent of the total votes cast have been counted so far, and preliminary results are expected to be released later this week.

The head of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmit/index.html">UNMIT), Atul Khare, has previously stated that, with some 16 political parties in the fray, it appeared "practically unlikely" that any political party would get a clear majority, and predicted the possible need for a coalition government.

UNMIT, deployed following an outbreak of deadly violence last year, is helping with all aspects of the 2007 electoral processes, including technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ALREADY CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, SAYS PROSECUTOR

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ALREADY CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, SAYS PROSECUTOR
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html">ICC) is already moderating the behaviour of countries and raising awareness among local communities about their right to be protected from war crimes, even before its first case has gone to trial, the Court's Prosecutor has said.

The fact that 104 countries have become States parties to the ICC shows that the Court is "a landmark in international justice," binding all those countries to its rules, Luis Moreno-Ocampo said in an interview with the United Nations News Centre to mark yesterday's fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

"States recognize now that there are some limits, and that there can be no more genocide," he said, adding that his office's simultaneous investigations of cases in Sudan's Darfur region, the Central African Republic (CAR), northern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) indicated that the perpetrators of the world's worst war crimes and crimes against humanity can be pursued.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo also noted the impact the Court was having on local communities around the world, such as those in the DRC now debating the use of child soldiers, an all-too-frequent occurrence in that country's recent conflicts. In other countries, such as Colombia, he said the media has begun discussing whether activities there should be brought before the ICC.

So far the Court has issued arrest warrants for two suspects accused of war crimes in Darfur and five leaders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda. Thomas Lubanga, a rebel militia leader in the DRC, was arrested last year, while the Prosecutor's Office has just begun its probe of allegations of killings and rapes in the CAR.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo reiterated his call for Sudan to arrest the two Darfur suspects: Ahmed Muhammad Harun, currently the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and Janjaweed militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb.

"[Mr.] Harun is now supposedly in charge of looking out for all [the displaced people in Darfur]. This is unacceptable. He has to be arrested. Sudan has to do it," he said, adding that "while it may take time, maybe a few months or years, the destiny of [Mr.] Harun is in the dock in The Hague."

Asked about suggestions that his pursuit of indictments and trials of suspects in some of the conflicts his office is investigating, especially in Darfur and northern Uganda, might be hampering wider efforts to bring peace, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo stressed that his role was dictated by his mandate – to investigate the worst of all war crimes.

"Peace negotiations can be long and complicated. But I can't be involved in their aspects… The Security Council has noted that lasting peace requires justice and it's my role to help in that. My duty is to end impunity and to contribute to the prevention of future crimes."

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo, who took up his post in 2003, said his office had faced extra difficulties in carrying out its inquiries because conflicts or low-level violence continued to flare in the countries it has been investigating, making it hard to collect evidence and protect witnesses.

"This has been a major challenge for us," he said, noting the differences with the UN war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia and with the post-World War II war crimes trials in Nuremberg, Germany. "They were post-conflict situations and in many cases these are not."
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES SEEK FUNDS TO HELP HUNGRY REFUGEE CHILDREN IN KENYA

UN AGENCIES SEEK FUNDS TO HELP HUNGRY REFUGEE CHILDREN IN KENYA
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Three United Nations agencies today sought $32 million from donors to help cut malnutrition rates which they warned have reached "crisis levels" among children under five living in refugee camps in Kenya.

A total of 237,000 refugees, mostly Somalis and Sudanese, live in camps at Dadaab and Kakuma, where the acute malnutrition rate among children under five years of age is above the emergency level of 15 per cent, according to a news release from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which is launching the appeal with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"One in every five children under the age of five is so malnourished that they need special care, and some of them will die. This can't go on," said Marian Read, WFP deputy country director.

The UN agencies said the high rates of malnutrition persisted despite the fact that over the past two years WFP has provided 95 per cent of the general food distribution ration for refugees to meet the recommended minimum energy requirement of 2,100 kilocalories per person per day.

They said a complete package of assistance is needed to overcome chronic shortages in essential commodities such as firewood, energy-saving stoves and soap to ensure that refugees are not compelled to sell their food to meet the need for these items.

There is also an acute need for complementary foods such as groundnuts that provide extra nutrients, supplementary feeding for more children and therapeutic feeding to treat dangerously malnourished children.

The three agencies are also calling for better-staffed health facilities in the camps to help children constantly threatened by malaria and other diseases.

Over the past year, cholera, measles, meningitis and Kenya's first cases of polio in 20 years have been recorded in the camps, further aggravating the fragile nutritional status of young children, the agencies said.

"The malnutrition crisis that we
Kenya is the cumulative effect of years of recurrent budgetary shortfalls," said UNHCR acting representative Eddie Gedalof. "Year after year we are unable to fully meet refugees' needs for firewood, soap and other essential commodities. We must get to the core of the issue if we are to eradicate malnutrition in the camps."

UNICEF Country Representative in Kenya Olivia Yambi appealed for urgent support for the initiative, warning that this time of year was associated with the highest risk of malnutrition.

"In the camps, malnutrition is associated with at least half the deaths of children under five," she said.

"Even for those who recover, malnutrition curtails the entire development potential of these children. We are appealing for immediate help from donors so that as many children as possible can swiftly recover and grow up to lead healthy, productive lives."

2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES UN SUPPORT TO BOOST DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN CARIBBEAN

BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES UN SUPPORT TO BOOST DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN CARIBBEAN
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today commended efforts to foster a single Caribbean market while pledging the commitment of the United Nations to mitigating the effects of climate change in the region.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11069.doc.htm">message at 28th Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Ban emphasized that its members play a crucial part in furthering the UN's agenda of peace, development and human rights in the region.

The initiative to create a single Caribbean market "promises to boost economic growth across the region and to provide a sound foundation for sustainable development," said Mr. Ban.

The statement, delivered by Rosina Wiltshire, UN Resident Coordinator in Barbados in Bridgetown on 1 July, emphasized the importance of addressing climate change as a key UN priority.

In addition to pledging continued UN dedication to strengthening regional disaster response preparedness and aiding in disaster relief, he said the high-level meeting on climate change set for 24 September in New York should "set the stage for a breakthrough agreement to be made during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference" which takes place in Bali in December.

Mr. Ban also paid tribute to the "tremendous commitment" of Caribbean States in helping Haiti, which recently became a full member of CARICOM.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED MEETING ON JUSTICE, RULE OF LAW IN AFGHANISTAN OPENS IN ROME

UN-BACKED MEETING ON JUSTICE, RULE OF LAW IN AFGHANISTAN OPENS IN ROME
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
A two-day meeting co-chaired by the United Nations and the Afghan and Italian Governments opened today in Rome focusing on strengthening the rule of law and justice in the country.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will arrive in Rome tomorrow, paid a surprise visit on Friday to Afghanistan, where he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the head of the International Security Assistance Force, and members of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

"The purpose of my visit to Afghanistan was to have first-hand information, as well as discussions with Afghanistan's leaders in Kabul, before I attend this international conference on justice and rule of law in Afghanistan in Rome," Mr. Ban said at a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1039">press conference today in Geneva, where he opened the 2007 substantive session of the UN Economic and Social Council.

One of the key goals of the conference is to ensure international and Afghan support at the highest levels for the consolidation of the rule of law and for improving the justice and law enforcement institutions in a post-conflict Afghanistan, according to UNAMA.

Key documents being presented deal with government priorities in the justice sector, a plan for donors and an outline of the National Justice Programme for Afghanistan, according to a UN spokesperson in New York.

Mr. Ban is expected to meet again with President Karzai during the course of the conference and to continue the discussion they began on Friday, which dealt with continuing violence in the country and especially civilian casualties. The Secretary-General said today that he had made a "strong request" to the country's leaders, as well as military commanders, to avoid civilian casualties in the course of their military operations.

Another prominent issue between the two leaders was poppy cultivation, which Mr. Ban referred to as "a serious problem that the Afghanistan Government lacks the ability to control." The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported last week that opium production remains an enormous problem in Afghanistan, where more than 90 per cent of the world's supply is cultivated and the number of local addicts is on the rise.

The UN has been in close coordination with Western countries to provide necessary alternative sources of income for poppy farmers, Mr. Ban stated. "Even though the progress has not been very satisfactory, this is an ongoing effort by the United Nations, led by [UNODC] and also in cooperation with NATO and western countries."
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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NEW UNICEF-BACKED INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE WATER FOR DJIBOUTI'S POOR

NEW UNICEF-BACKED INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE WATER FOR DJIBOUTI'S POOR
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
A partnership between the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the European Union and the Government of Djibouti is paving the way for at least 25,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable rural residents of the country to gain, for the first time, access clean drinking water close to their homes.

"The water supply programme will help to improve the living conditions of many children and women and to the achievement of priority indicators in line with the Millennium Development Goal related to water and sanitation," said Aloys Kamuragiye, UNICEF Representative in Djibouti.

Through the venture, the EU will provide UNICEF with 2 million Euros for its water and sanitation programme with the Ministry of Agriculture. The agency will provide technical expertise and contribute an additional 60,000 Euros.

The EU and UNICEF partnership programme aims to install water facilities and strengthen community participation in maintaining the water infrastructure in Djibouti, where, access to safe drinking water is a "daily challenge for the majority of the population living in rural areas," the agency said said in a news release.

2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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BRAZILIAN DIPLOMAT TO HEAD UN DISARMAMENT OFFICE, US ARCHITECT TO OVERSEE RENOVATION

BRAZILIAN DIPLOMAT TO HEAD UN DISARMAMENT OFFICE, US ARCHITECT TO OVERSEE RENOVATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has named a career Brazilian diplomat to advance the United Nations disarmament agenda and a respected United States architect to oversee the $1.9 billion renovation project of the world body's New York Headquarters.

Sergio de Queiroz Duarte – a 48-year veteran of the Brazilian Foreign Service with extensive experience in the field of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation – has been <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sga1075.doc.htm">appointed as the High Representative for Disarmament, according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

As High Representative, Mr. Duarte, who has also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will head the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, the successor to the Department for Disarmament Affairs.

The Secretary-General first proposed the post earlier this year, recognizing the need for a more focused effort to revitalize the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda following setbacks such as the deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament, as well as the need for new impetus for the entry into force of the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test-¬Ban Treaty.

The <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sga1074.doc.htm">appointment of Michael Adlerstein of the United States as Executive Director of the Capital Master Plan, the spokesperson stated, will enable the UN to move forward with the refurbishment of the Organization's New York Headquarters complex.

Mr. Adlerstein was most recently the Vice President and Architect of The New York Botanical Garden. During a long and distinguished career with the United States Department of Interior, he oversaw the restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. He also worked as a State Department consultant on numerous projects including the preservation of the Taj Mahal.

The renovations under the Capital Master Plan, which will take place over the next seven years, are expected to make the main UN Headquarters buildings more energy efficient and eliminate safety and health risks.

The buildings have not been significantly improved or maintained since they were constructed in 1949 and 1950, making them extremely energy inefficient and costing the UN more than $30 million a year in energy costs alone.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONDEMNS KILLINGS OF LAWMAKERS IN COLOMBIA

UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONDEMNS KILLINGS OF LAWMAKERS IN COLOMBIA
New York, Jul 1 2007 9:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has strongly condemned the reported killing in Colombia of 11 lawmakers who had been held hostage by a guerrilla group.

In a statement released on Friday, Louise Arbour urged a full and impartial investigation into the killings by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), saying those responsible must brought to justice in accordance with international standards.

Recalling that all parties to the conflict are bound by international human rights and humanitarian law on the treatment of civilians, the High Commissioner also called for the immediate release of all hostages being held in Colombia.

The FARC has since last year been fighting with another guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), causing more people to flee in a country where the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says there are 2 million registered displaced persons and an estimated additional million who are unregistered. Some 200,000 Colombians may be in need of international protection in Venezuela, according to UNHCR, which has field offices on both sides of the border.

2007-07-01 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES TERRORIST ATTACK AT GLASGOW AIRPORT

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES TERRORIST ATTACK AT GLASGOW AIRPORT
New York, Jul 1 2007 5:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke out against recent terrorist activity in the United Kingdom and said he would discuss the matter with the prime minister during a planned visit to London next week.

"The Secretary-General deplores the terrorist attack which took place yesterday at Glasgow airport in Great Britain as well as the attempt to explode car bombs in London on Friday," a spokesman for Mr. Ban said in a statement, reiterating the Secretary-General's longstanding view that no cause or belief can justify acts of terrorism.

Mr. Ban "looks forward to his visit to London next week when he will have the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown to discuss, among other issues, how the international community can best implement the global strategy against terrorism adopted last year by the General Assembly," the spokesman said.

The statement expressed Mr. Ban's strong support for the Government and the people of Great Britain "at this time of heightened security threats in the country."

2007-07-01 00:00:00.000

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