FORMER MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY AT UN TRIBUNAL ON RWANDAN GENOCIDE

FORMER MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY AT UN TRIBUNAL ON RWANDAN GENOCIDE
New York, Jul 13 2007 1:00PM
A former mayor pleaded guilty today before the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the Rwandan genocide to a charge of extermination as a crime against humanity over his role in the mass killings that engulfed the small country in 1994.

Juvénal Rugambarara, who was mayor of Bicumbi commune in Kigali-Rural Prefecture in Rwanda from September 1993 to late April 1994, made the plea to the single charge after two years of negotiations with prosecutors, who agreed to withdraw eight other charges that included genocide, torture and rape.

Addressing the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<" http://69.94.11.53/default.htm">ICTR), which sits in Arusha, Tanzania, after pleading guilty, Mr. Rugambarara apologized for his actions in the genocide.

"I pay sincere tribute to all the innocent victims of the shameful cowardice and humbly bow and plead for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart… I solemnly pledge to join the rallying cry of those who say 'never again'," he said.

The ICTR found that Mr. Rugambarara failed as mayor to take the necessary and reasonable measures to establish an investigation into the killings committed in Bicumbi commune or to apprehend and punish the perpetrators.

The trial chamber – Judges Asoka de Silva (presiding), Taghrid Hikmet and Seon Ri Park – has scheduled a sentencing hearing for Mr. Rugambarara for 17 September.

Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered, mostly by machete or club, across Rwanda in less than 100 days starting in early April 1994. Later that year the Security Council established the ICTR to deal with the worst cases.
2007-07-13 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES WARN OF LOOMING DISASTER AS TENSIONS RISE IN EASTERN DR CONGO

UN AGENCIES WARN OF LOOMING DISASTER AS TENSIONS RISE IN EASTERN DR CONGO
New York, Jul 13 2007 9:00AM
United Nations agencies have begun assisting more than 10,000 people who have recently fled fighting, pillaging, rape and other atrocities in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while warning that the situation could worsen amid military manoeuvres that threaten even greater instability.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) are making a joint distribution to the displaced in the Buganga area in the North Kivu province, which is facing the worst displacement situation in three years, with 163,000 people forced to flee since January. A total of 650,000 people have been internally displaced in the province.

"We are increasingly concerned by the spiralling displacement and atrocities in eastern DRC," said UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis. "With heightened tensions and the build-up of military forces, the situation risks turning into humanitarian and human rights disaster," she warned.

"We are concerned that fresh military operations by renegade brigades, militia groups or government forces will result in greater suffering for the civilian population without leading to more stability."

The displaced people receiving aid today -- blankets, kitchen sets, water containers and soap -- fled fighting between mixed brigades and militia groups in May and are now living with host families, according to UNHCR.

But those homes are under strain, and the number of sites for displaced has expanded to nine, leaving people more exposed to disease and violence as the militarization of the area continues, warned the agency, which has deployed camp management teams to North Kivu province to help improve living conditions.

But despite their efforts, humanitarian agencies face difficulties in accessing the sites because of the worsening security situation. "Our field monitoring teams are regularly visiting displacement areas to assess the needs and reco

The agency is coordinating its efforts with UN peacekeeping troops to deploy mobile teams to sites where displaced need physical protection, and plans to visit more sites in the Kisharu area, where Ms. Pagonis said "the situation is rapidly deteriorating."

She urged all armed parties in North Kivu to "immediately halt direct attacks on civilians and atrocities which include burning of villages, widespread pillaging and raping of women."

2007-07-13 00:00:00.000

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UN-SPONSORED MEETINGS ON THWARTING TERRORISM WRAP UP

UN-SPONSORED MEETINGS ON THWARTING TERRORISM WRAP UP
New York, Jul 12 2007 7:00PM
Two days of United Nations-backed discussions to discuss putting into practice a Security Council resolution to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by non-State actors for terrorist purposes have concluded.

Yesterday at UN Headquarters in New York, Ambassador Peter Burian of Slovenia, who chairs the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 of April 2004, convened the first-ever meeting of Member States and international organizations on efforts made to further the implementation of the resolution.

"The international community must accord high priority to this area," Mr. Burian told reporters today.

Over two dozen Member States, the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the European Union attended the meeting.

The participants considered a range of topics, including how to better "shape the assistance programs and how to help countries which are facing some facing objective difficulties or which are lacking capacities to deal with the threats on a national basis to over come those problems through an increase in international assistance," Mr. Burian noted.

Also for the first time, Mr. Burian and the Committee today met with a half dozen non-governmental organizations (NGOs) regarding their approaches and programmes to promote the resolution's implementation.

"We had an opportunity to hear from the NGOs how much has been done in this area by the NGO community in terms of providing concrete legislative advice, by dealing with concrete challenges of implementation of resolution 1540 on the ground," the Chairman said.

"We agreed that the NGO community is an important partner for the 1540 Committee and the process of implementation of 1540," he added.

One of the meeting's participants expressed her gratitude that the Committee has recognized the unique contributions made by NGOs.

"The NGOs have a flexibility, a responsiveness, and in some cases, actual technical assistance capacity that they can bring to the table in facilitating the Committee's efforts and/or filling in gaps in terms of what's resident within the Committee or what's missing from the Committee," said Elizabeth Turpen, Senior Associate with the Henry L. Stimson Center based in Washington.

Underscoring the value of the resolution in countering the convergence of threats posed by non-State actors, she said that today's meeting was an "incredible opportunity" that allowed NGOs to update each other on their respective projects as well as highlight "the set of skills they bring to the table that might facilitate implementation of the resolution in one form or another."
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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SPIRALLING IRAQI REFUGEE PROBLEM FORCES UN AGENCY TO DOUBLE AID TARGET

SPIRALLING IRAQI REFUGEE PROBLEM FORCES UN AGENCY TO DOUBLE AID TARGET
New York, Jul 12 2007 6:00PM
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) announced today that it is doubling to $123 million its budget to help the hundreds of thousands of uprooted Iraqis who are either internally displaced or living in neighbouring states.

The target has been revised to meet the spiralling number of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), UNHCR António Guterres said. UN officials estimate that 2,000 Iraqis are now fleeing their homes every day, and about 2 million have become IDPs and another 2.2 million are refugees, mainly in Jordan and Syria, since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.

"Host governments and communities [are] struggling to cope" with "the needs of the Iraqi refugees and internally displaced [that] are enormous and growing by the day," Mr. Guterres said.

The revised budget includes an earlier UNHCR appeal in January for $60 million, an amount already surpassed by donors. So far, the Office has received $67 million for its Iraq operations and another $10 million is pledged or in the pipeline.

But the appeal notes that much more will need to be done in the future as, according to UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis, "the situation continues to worsen."

The revised appeal focuses on supporting both the refugees themselves and those hosting them through addressing problems that are apparent domestically and outside of Iraq.

In Iraq, the agency plans to boost its provision of aid supplies that includes makeshift shelter for up to 100,000 vulnerable people, and to promote the establishment of inter-agency humanitarian aid depots.

Outside Iraq, <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/469641494.html">UNHCR will focus on five areas of assistance – education, health, food, social and legal counselling and shelter. UNHCR already hopes to increase the number of Iraqi children in schools in the region from 60,000 to 200,000 by the end of the 2007-08 school year and to increase the number of refugee medical referrals from 10,000 a month to 20,000 by the end of this year by working closely with the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP).
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN HUMAN RIGHTS ARM CONDEMNS MURDER OF OFFICIALS IN COLOMBIA

UN HUMAN RIGHTS ARM CONDEMNS MURDER OF OFFICIALS IN COLOMBIA
New York, Jul 12 2007 6:00PM
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today condemned a spate of rebel murders of local politicians in different parts of Colombia.

A statement released by OHCHR cited information it received indicating that Blanca Inés Marín, the Mayor of San José del Palmar, was killed on 6 July and her body was thrown into an abyss. The following day, the politician Antonio Colorado, from Valle, was murdered as he left the headquarters of Radical Change, a political party. Three days later, on 10 July, Argemiro Medina and Ofelia Betancur, both council members in Doncello, were killed in their homes.

The Office also received information indicating that various armed men were directed to the homes of seven of the eight councilmen that live in the municipality of Doncello. Five councilmen were spared because they were not home when illegal armed groups entered.

Members of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) were responsible for the crimes and death threats against the councilmen of Doncello, according to the authorities.

The Office urged the members of the FARC-EP to respect the fundamental rights of all people that occupy public offices or participate in the electoral process. It pointed out that killing civilians constitutes a serious breach of international law, including the Geneva Conventions. OHCHR also expressed its solidarity with the relatives and friends of the victims.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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SIERRA LEONE: UN FUND APPROVES PROJECTS TO ASSIST PEACEBUILDING EFFORTS

SIERRA LEONE: UN FUND APPROVES PROJECTS TO ASSIST PEACEBUILDING EFFORTS
New York, Jul 12 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations fund set up to help address the immediate needs of countries emerging from conflict today approved four new projects to support the ongoing electoral process and improve the judiciary, water, sanitation and health facilities in Sierra Leone.

"The approval of these projects is timely and demand-driven," Christian Holger Strohmann, Spokesperson for the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), said following the action taken today by the UN Peacebuilding Fund's Steering Committee for Sierra Leone.

This brings the total number of projects approved by the Fund to date to seven, amounting to a little over $16 million, according to UNIOSIL. Previously, the Fund approved three projects related to youth employment and empowerment, and support to the country's police and the National Human Rights Commission.

In March, Sierra Leone was allotted $35 million from the Fund, established from voluntary contributions to aid post-conflict countries from slipping back into turmoil.

The projects approved by the Fund seek to address critical gaps in priority areas identified jointly by the Government and the UN, in consultation with other partners including civil society organizations.

Launched in 2006, the Fund supports countries before the UN Peacebuilding Commission, currently Burundi and Sierra Leone, but is also available to countries in similar circumstances as designated by the Secretary-General.

"While the Commission's engagement in the country was more medium-term and went beyond resource mobilization, the Fund concentrated on the short-term, making funds available for things that need and could be done at the present time," stated Frank Majoor, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the UN and chairperson the Commission's country specific meetings on Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, in Freetown, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Executive Representative, Victor Angelo, hosted representatives of political parties contesting the August polls to a second inter-party dialogue.

Together they discussed ways to build confidence and mutual trust, as well as other preparations for the upcoming general elections in the West African country, which after 11 years of civil war has now entered a peace consolidation phase.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT IMPACT OF RECENT ASIAN FLOODS ON CHILDREN

UNICEF SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT IMPACT OF RECENT ASIAN FLOODS ON CHILDREN
New York, Jul 12 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<" http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40312.html">UNICEF) is raising the alarm about the toll faced by millions of children across Southern and Eastern Asia after an especially fierce monsoon season has led to a series of deadly floods in Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Afghanistan.

"The monsoon season hits South Asia with regularity, but we've seen it strike with special fury this year," UNICEF spokesperson Rafael Hermoso said today. "You can look at a map and make an arc over the affected countries."

The worst affected is Pakistan, where an estimated 2 million people – mainly women and children – have been hit by floods that followed four days of heavy rain in the wake of Cyclone Yemyin late last month. UNICEF has issued an appeal for $5 million to deal with immediate needs.

At least 300,000 children under the age of five are suffering, according to UNICEF, with many areas still cut off by flood waters, and many water distribution systems damaged or destroyed, leading to poor hygiene, unsanitary conditions and outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

The hardest-hit regions in Pakistan, Balochistan and Sindh, are among the country's most disadvantaged, leaving the children and women there especially vulnerable, Mr. Hermoso said.

He said UNICEF's experience in responding to Asian floods had revealed the importance of pre-positioning emergency supplies so that stocks are in place before a disaster strikes.

"The tsunami [in December 2004] underscored the critical need for this and we have seen it work in all four countries," he said, referring to Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Afghanistan.

"In Pakistan and Myanmar, we have been able to distribute essential life-saving materials in part because of supplies that were pre-positioned following the earthquake [in Pakistan in October 2005] and tsunami respectively. Of course, those supplies need to be replenished so that we can respond in the future."

In Myanmar, UNICEF has been able to distribute essential drugs, oral rehydration salts, water purification tablets and family kits to affected areas after floods struck the regions near the western, central and southern coasts, destroying homes, covering other buildings in mud and contaminating drinking wells.

Emergency UNICEF supplies have now arrived in the town of Thandwe in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh and has particularly hard hit by recent torrential rains. UNICEF staff who had been in Rakhine for a polio vaccination campaign have now begun a rapid post-flood assessment mission.

Flash floods have also struck the Indian states of West Bengal and Orissa in the east and Rajasthan in the west after recent monsoon rains, and UNICEF has started responding to local government requests for assistance.

Last month in Afghanistan flooding led to the deaths of more than 100 people and the displacement of thousands of others, and UNICEF has started handing out emergency health kits, water bladders and other supplies and pre-positioning further supplies for over 5,000 affected families.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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NO OUTRIGHT WINNER AFTER TIMORESE PARLIAMENTARY POLLS - UN

NO OUTRIGHT WINNER AFTER TIMORESE PARLIAMENTARY POLLS – UN
New York, Jul 12 2007 4:00PM
Timor-Leste's Court of Appeals has formally proclaimed the results of last month's national parliamentary elections in the small Asian country, where no single political party has won an absolute majority, a United Nations spokesperson said today.

Five parties and two coalitions have won parliamentary seats in proportion to their share of the vote on 30 June, in line with expectations following preliminary results, according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11085.doc.htm">statement released today by the spokesperson of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. But no party will have an absolute majority of the 65-seat parliament, where members will serve five-year terms.

The statement said a date for the start of the new parliament has not yet been set and political parties have begun discussions about the formation of a new Government. The parliamentary polls follow elections earlier this year that led to the swearing-in of José Ramos-Horta as President.

Mr. Ban's spokesperson stressed that the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) is committed to working with the new Government and parliament when they are formed, especially in the areas of democratic governance, the rule of law, security sector reform and social and economic development.
UNMIT, deployed following an outbreak of deadly violence last year, has helped with all aspects of the 2007 electoral processes, including technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH INDIAN OFFICIALS

MYANMAR: UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH INDIAN OFFICIALS
New York, Jul 12 2007 4:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, today wrapped up his meetings in New Delhi with Indian officials, part of his current round of consultations in major Asian capitals, a spokesperson for the world body said.

Mr. Gambari had a "candid discussion" with the Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

The two found agreement on the need to "recognize positive steps made by Myanmar, while at the same time encouraging it to make further progress towards democratization and human rights," she added.

Speaking to reporters in the Indian capital, Mr. Gambari reiterated that he intends to visit Myanmar soon, although specific dates have not yet been determined.

New Delhi is the second stop on Mr. Gambari's current trip to discuss Myanmar with some of the key countries in the region. He met with Chinese Government counterparts in Beijing on Monday and will be meeting senior Japanese officials on Friday in Tokyo before returning to New York.

Since being appointed Special Adviser in May, Mr. Gambari has consulted broadly on the situation in Myanmar, including a visit to Washington two weeks ago.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN MEETING ON BOLSTERING COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS IN WEST AFRICA CONCLUDES

UN MEETING ON BOLSTERING COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS IN WEST AFRICA CONCLUDES
New York, Jul 12 2007 4:00PM
More than a dozen West African nations met with donors and international organizations at a meeting sponsored by the United Nations this week to discuss regional technical needs to bolster regional counter-terrorism measures.

Characterizing the one-day meeting yesterday as successful, Sergey Karev, Officer-in-Charge of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee's Executive Directorate (CTED), told reporters today that the meeting's objectives – to hear first-hand of West African countries' technical needs while donors relayed information about their resources and expertise – had been fulfilled.

The implementation of Security Council measures pertaining to counter-terrorism, in particular resolution 1373 (2001), a landmark text adopted in the wake of the September 2001 attacks on the United States.

The resolution calls on countries to implement a number of measures to enhance their ability to counter terrorist activities nationally, regionally and globally. It also established the CTED to monitor compliance with its provisions.

There will be two tracks of action following this meeting, Mr. Karev said. While an action plan will be prepared regarding assistance for West African nations, these countries will also be in direct contact with donors and providers of technical assistance.

"We hope that we will reach good results in the near future," he said.
Sixteen States – Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo participated in yesterday's meeting, which was also attended by nearly two dozen donor nations and international organizations.

While committed to combating terrorism, most nations in the region lack the technical and financial resources to fully carry out their counter-terrorism efforts.

Mr. Karev highlighted the benefits of providing assistance on a regional, and not bilateral, level. Regions often experience common problems – such as porous borders – and thus a collective approach results in saving time and in donors saving money because help would reach several countries simultaneously and avoid duplication.

As part of its work to facilitate technical assistant to States, the CTED seeks to line up countries needing support with the various counter-terrorism programmes that donors and organizations have available in such areas as drafting terrorism-related legislation, financial law and practice, training for law enforcement personnel, customs control and enhancing financial regulations.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL RECEIVES LATEST REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO HARIRI ASSASSINATION

SECURITY COUNCIL RECEIVES LATEST REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO HARIRI ASSASSINATION
New York, Jul 12 2007 4:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today sent to the Security Council the latest report of the independent commission charged with investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri and many other killings in the Middle Eastern country.

UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that the report of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) provides information on its inquiries into the killing of Mr. Hariri – who died in a massive car bombing in Beirut in February 2005 that took the lives of 22 other people – and into 17 other cases.

Those other cases include the killing of the Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido, who was killed with seven others last month in another explosion in Beirut.

IIIC head Serge Brammertz is expected to brief the Security Council on this report next Thursday at UN Headquarters in New York.

In April 2005 the Council set up the IIIC after an earlier UN mission found that Lebanon's own inquiry into the Hariri assassination was seriously flawed and that Syria was primarily responsible for the political tensions that preceded the attack.

Mr. Brammertz told the Council last September that evidence obtained so far suggests that a young, male suicide bomber, probably non-Lebanese, detonated up to 1,800 kilograms of explosives inside a van to assassinate Mr. Hariri.

Last month Mr. Ban also began taking steps and measures to formally establish a special tribunal of an "international character" to try the suspected killers of Mr. Hariri, and possibly those responsible for the subsequent assassinations in Lebanon as well.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN SCHEME TO KEEP TABS ON GLOBAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

UN SCHEME TO KEEP TABS ON GLOBAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
New York, Jul 12 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=514&ArticleID=5630&l=en">UNEP) today launched an over $8 million initiative to monitor conservation efforts to protect the world's biological diversity.

Receiving funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), an independent financial organization, the 2010 Biodiversity Indicator Partnership hopes to create a set of benchmarks to assess whether protection measures are effective.

"This new partnership helps ensure that the bar is raised around the globe for accounting for biodiversity loss," said Monique Barbut, CEO of the GEF, which includes UNEP as a partner.

"The biodiversity challenge is no less urgent a public issue than the climate change crisis; this effort helps move biodiversity to the front burner to help ignite policy makers to take informed action."

The new indicators created by this new programme will augment ones already in existence.

For example, the Red List of Threatened Species – which is compiled by the World Conservation Union – estimates that almost one in four mammals, one in three amphibians and one in eight birds is threatened with extinction, primarily propelled by human factors, such as deforestation and pollution.

Another existing indicator examines protected areas, and shows that only 0.6 per cent of the ocean's surface area and 1.4 per cent of coastal shelf area is protected. The sustainability of marine resources, such as fish and shellfish, as well as the livelihoods of people living in coastal regions, are impacted.

The Partnership will introduce new indicators, such as the level of protection for diversity in forests, farmlands and fisheries and the level to which humans are affected by changing biodiversity.

"It is more important than ever for the biodiversity community to elevate its discourse and to reinforce the relevance of biodiversity conservation to sustainable economic development in the 21st century," Ms. Barbut noted.

The 2010 Biodiversity Target was established in 2002 by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to which 189 States and the European Community belong.

Coming on the heels of last month's summit of Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries in Germany where leaders committed to intensify efforts to slash biodiversity loss by 2010, "the launch of this project could not come at a better time," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL TO MEET WITH US PRESIDENT BUSH NEXT TUESDAY

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO MEET WITH US PRESIDENT BUSH NEXT TUESDAY
New York, Jul 12 2007 2:00PM
Darfur, climate change and United Nations reform will be on the agenda when Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon holds talks next week in Washington with United States President George W. Bush, Mr. Ban's spokesperson announced today.

Marie Okabe told journalists that Mr. Ban and Mr. Bush are scheduled to meet at the White House on Tuesday, a day after he arrives in the US capital.

The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including the continuing crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur, climate change, UN reform, as well as UN-US relations and other pressing geopolitical issues, she said.

The Secretary-General is also scheduled to meet with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee during his visit to Washington. In addition, on Monday night he will attend a private dinner with political leaders and experts on climate change.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AGENCY HONOURS TURKISH PRIME MINISTER

UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AGENCY HONOURS TURKISH PRIME MINISTER
New York, Jul 12 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has conferred its highest award, the Agricola Medal, on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his contribution to agricultural and social development in Turkey.

At a ceremony held yesterday in Ankara at FAO's newly inaugurated Subregional Office for Central Asia, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000626/index.html">presented the Prime Minister with the award which is "for all your admirable efforts on behalf of your country's agriculture and food security."

Under Prime Minister Erdogan, Turkey has launched a major agricultural reform project aiming to provide direct incentives to farmers to significantly increase production and exports and raise rural incomes and food security, FAO said in a news release.

Mr. Diouf noted that Turkey is one of the few emerging countries directly participating in food aid operations, to which it has donated millions of dollars through the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english">WFP) over the past few years.

Previous recipients of the Agricola Medal include King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, French President Jacques Chirac, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Pope John Paul II, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar, and President Johannes Rau of Germany.

While in Turkey, Mr. Diouf also took part in an international conference on making globalization work for the least developed countries (<"http://www.un.org/ohrlls">LDCs). The three-day meeting in Istanbul, attended by more than 20 ministers from LDCs, senior UN figures, academics and experts, discussed the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization to the world's poorest nations.
2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN EXPERTS URGE ACTION TO FACILITATE FOOD AID DELIVERIES TO MALNOURISHED SOMALIS

UN EXPERTS URGE ACTION TO FACILITATE FOOD AID DELIVERIES TO MALNOURISHED SOMALIS
New York, Jul 12 2007 9:00AM
With insecurity, massive displacement and piracy hampering efforts to delivery food aid to Somalis suffering from malnutrition, two independent United Nations experts today urged international action to address the problem.

Difficulties in delivering life-saving assistance "exacerbate the widespread chronic nutrition crisis that in certain regions of Somalia has reached emergency levels of global acute malnutrition," said the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, and the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, Ghanim Alnajjar, in a statement released in Geneva.

They noted that 200,000 Somalis in the Gedo region, many suffering from severe malnutrition, only recently received an aid delivery after awaiting humanitarian assistance for six months.

The experts voiced alarm at the difficulties and delays encountered at crossing points on the Kenya-Somalia border, some of which have been closed or operating at a very low level since January. They noted that trucks are now being allowed to cross, and expressed for a permanent solution for humanitarian shipments across the Kenya-Somalia border.

"The experts are also disturbed to learn that incidents, including theft of food from beneficiaries particularly from minority groups, continue to occur during and immediately after food distribution," the statement said, blaming hundreds of roadblocks for impeding food delivery and allowing for "abusive taxation by rogue officials and assorted militias."

The experts urgently call on the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to facilitate the transport of food aid, end abusive taxation and ensure security and non-discrimination in the distribution of food aid.

They also urged the Government of Kenya to cooperate to facilitate the swift delivery of food assistance, while calling for neighbouring countries as well as the international community to support the TFG in f

2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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LEBANON: UNICEF PLEDGES CONTINUED AID 1 YEAR AFTER CONFLICT

LEBANON: UNICEF PLEDGES CONTINUED AID 1 YEAR AFTER CONFLICT
New York, Jul 12 2007 9:00AM
One year after conflict erupted in southern Lebanon, ongoing political instability and security threats continue to hamper the progress of children there, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today, pledging ongoing efforts to address their plight.

"We can see visible signs of recovery from the 2006 conflict, such as the rebuilding of water reservoirs and children completing their school year," said Roberto Laurenti, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, where Israel and Hizbollah fought a war for 34 days.

He pointed out that the suffering of children is not always evident but must be addressed. "Emotional recovery takes much longer than rebuilding a bridge, and in a country in chronic crisis, this will be a long-term, ongoing process."

UNICEF noted in a news release that the past several months have seen bombing incidents throughout the country and conflict and resulting displacement in Palestinian refugee camps in the north, provoking a renewed sense of insecurity and anxiety for Lebanon's children.

The agency pledged today to continue helping the children of Lebanon, including through continued efforts to improve water quality in villages, enhance the quality of education, strengthen the primary health care system and foster peace and tolerance by providing opportunities for children and youth to interact with peers from different religious, political and social backgrounds.

"Children throughout Lebanon now live their lives under the constant shadow of political instability, and all of us -- from humanitarian organizations to families, from the private sector to government decision-makers -- need to keep children's wellbeing in the forefront of our minds. Together we are responsible for their road to the future," said Mr. Laurenti.

The 2006 war, which began on 12 July, killed more than 1,100 people in Lebanon and forced 900,000 to flee their homes in the south of the country, according to the Gove

UNICEF was among the agencies rushing aid to thousands of children affected, providing safe drinking water, emergency health and hygiene kits, and essential pediatric medicines, measles and polio vaccinations.

The agency also helped to assist families returning to their homes after the hostilities ceased, bolstering water supply systems to benefit more than 300,000 people, vaccinating more than 300,000 children against polio providing learning materials to 400,000 students, and training more than 600 people to help children recover from distress.

2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY WORKS TO AID FLOOD VICTIMS IN CENTRAL SUDAN

UN FOOD AGENCY WORKS TO AID FLOOD VICTIMS IN CENTRAL SUDAN
New York, Jul 12 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today launched an emergency relief effort to deliver food and supplies to displaced people in Central Sudan, where recent floods destroyed an estimated 15,000 homes.

"WFP has joined forces with other UN agencies and the Sudanese Government to get emergency supplies, including food and non-food items, moving quickly to the victims of the flooding," said Kenro Oshidari, WFP Sudan Representative.

Thousands of Sudanese people were driven from their homes by floods that began late last week and have now inundated dozens of communities across central Sudan.

The agency plans to distribute food to 20,000 people in five locations near the city of Kassala, close to the Eritrean border, where the Gash River has burst its banks. WFP has 3,000 metric tons of food stockpiled in Kassala, enough to feed the flood victims for three weeks.

The agency said in a news release that it will work in the coming days with other UN agencies to determine the full extent of the damage and the level of assistance that may be required in affected central Sudanese cities. The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is providing helicopters for the effort.

2007-07-12 00:00:00.000

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UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS REACHES MILESTONE IN SIGNATORIES

UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS REACHES MILESTONE IN SIGNATORIES
New York, Jul 11 2007 7:00PM
United Nations officials say the global treaty to protect the rights of the world's estimated 650 million people with disabilities could take effect by early next year after Qatar this week became the 100th country to sign the landmark pact.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will enter into force 30 days after the 20th country ratifies the treaty, but so far only Jamaica has taken the step of ratification.

The UN Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities estimates that the next 19 ratifications could be reached by as early as the end of this year.

UN disability expert Thomas Schindlmayr said today that the pact is designed to maintain human rights "standards that the international community has agreed upon for all."

He said as many as two-thirds of UN Member States do not have any legal protection for people with disabilities, even though they comprise one in 10 of the global population.

The Convention is supposed to "ensure that people with disabilities enjoy the same human rights that everyone else does in their respective societies… It is not granting any 'new' human rights."

Since opening for signature on 30 March, the Convention has quickly garnered support from Member States. The 100 signatories to the treaty so far include 55 countries that have also signed the Optional Protocol. That protocol allows for individuals and groups to petition the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities once all national recourse and procedures have been exhausted.

"We are pleased by the commitment shown by so many Member States," Mr. Schindlmayr said.

Adopted by the General Assembly last December, the Convention was one of the fastest treaties ever negotiated at the UN. The pact provides that States which ratify it should enact laws and other measures to improve disability rights, and also abolish legislation, customs and practices that discriminate against persons with disabilities.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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CALLS FOR BETTER TREATMENT OF AFRICAN PASTORALISTS AT WORKSHOP CO-HOSTED BY UN

CALLS FOR BETTER TREATMENT OF AFRICAN PASTORALISTS AT WORKSHOP CO-HOSTED BY UN
New York, Jul 11 2007 6:00PM
Africa's pastoralists deserve year-round attention from Governments and policymakers, and not just in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster, a United Nations official told a workshop convened in Kenya to help preserve the nomadic herders' distinctive lifestyle on the continent.

The three-day workshop, which concluded today, was organized by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Pastoralist Communication Initiative (UN OCHA-PCI) and the African Union, and attracted more than 70 participants, including pastoralists, policymakers and AU and UN officials.

Millions of pastoralists in Africa live in remote areas away from political and economic centres, leaving them marginalized from policymaking processes that directly affect their lives. They seek greater influence over decisions on governance, access to land, education of their children, access to markets, reduction of conflict, poverty and general vulnerability, and animal diseases and livestock development.

Many participants told the workshop, held at the Shaba National Reserve, that pastoralists are regularly misunderstood or stereotyped in political processes and that they only emerge on the public agenda when they are affected by disasters and need emergency assistance.

"We must look beyond the immediate emergency response and into medium- and long-term solutions. The ad hoc response of the past is not enough," said Ahunna Eziakonwa, Chief of OCHA's Africa section, stressing the Office's current emphasis on disaster risk reduction and early-warning mechanisms.

African pastoralists are particularly vulnerable to climatic shocks such as drought and floods and their livelihoods can be threatened by animal diseases. Pastoralist communities are also regularly either involved in or victims of violent conflicts that spill over national borders.

The workshop kicked off a process of future consultations between pastoralists and national Governments that will prepare the groundwork for an AU summit next year, when member States are expected to agree to a pastoral policy framework.

Pastoralist leaders from countries such as Mali, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and Cameroon acknowledged at the workshop that pastoralists themselves need to build their capacities. They also called for increased coordination and collaboration between their own organizations, regional African institutions and the wider international community.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO URGES GREATER SUPPORT FOR GUINEA-BISSAU AND OTHER POST-CONFLICT NATIONS

MIGIRO URGES GREATER SUPPORT FOR GUINEA-BISSAU AND OTHER POST-CONFLICT NATIONS
New York, Jul 11 2007 5:00PM
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for greater international support to Guinea-Bissau and other African nations emerging from conflict, following a visit to the small West African nation last week.

"The fact remains that Guinea-Bissau as well as other countries in the region that are coming out of conflict need more and sustained support from the international community if they are to consolidate peace and address the socio-economic and other root causes of conflict," Ms. Migiro said at a press conference in New York.

Briefing reporters on her recent trip, which also took her to Austria, Ghana and Kenya, she said Guinea-Bissau remains in a "fragile, post-conflict period," noting that the country is now facing a growing problem of drug trafficking and organized crime, in addition to its long-standing development challenges.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his latest report on the activities of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS), also described organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, as presenting "a new and growing" problem in the country, while the Security Council raised similar concerns in a press statement yesterday.

Ms. Migiro said that although the UN is supporting the Government in addressing the country's "daunting challenges," long-term international assistance to the country – which has witnessed rising political and social tensions and a deteriorating economic situation – remains crucial.

Ms. Migiro's visit – intended to reaffirm UN support for Guinea-Bissau's ongoing efforts to consolidate peace, national reconciliation and constitutional governance – was the first-ever official visit of a Secretary-General or Deputy Secretary-General since that nation joined the Organization in 1974.

She added that she was particularly struck by a visit to an HIV and AIDS counselling and treatment centre in the country, noting that "like in many other countries in Africa, AIDS is having a devastating impact on the lives and economies of communities in Guinea-Bissau."

Therefore, fighting the spread of HIV cannot be achieved without the sustained involvement of all sections of society, including civil society organizations, the Government, media and the health-care community, she stated.

In Nairobi, where she attended a conference with women leaders, the Deputy Secretary-General also highlighted the UN's role in fighting the alarming spread of HIV, especially among women and girls.

She stressed the need to tackle the "drivers of the spread of the disease," particularly the issue of gender inequality, and emphasized that "we must all work together to promote women's empowerment as a way to fight HIV and AIDS."

Ms. Migiro stopped off in Guinea-Bissau following an official visit to Austria, where she addressed the 7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government hosted by the UN in Vienna, and just prior to attending the annual summit of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, which she addressed on behalf of Mr. Ban.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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DPR KOREA: UN NUCLEAR AGENCY EXPERTS TO EMBARK ON MISSION

DPR KOREA: UN NUCLEAR AGENCY EXPERTS TO EMBARK ON MISSION
New York, Jul 11 2007 5:00PM
An inspection team from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the next few days to implement agreements to monitor the shutdown and eventual abandonment of the Yongbyon nuclear facilities.

The <"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/MediaAdvisory/MA200709.html">IAEA received an invitation from the DPRK yesterday, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York today.

Late last month, IAEA inspectors visited Pyongyang and reached agreement with authorities regarding arrangements for the agency's monitoring and verification of the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility and the reactor under construction in Taechon.

Earlier this week, the IAEA's Board of Governors decided to dispatch inspectors after approving a report detailing the agency's future activities in the Asian country.

"This is the beginning of a long and complex process, but I welcome the return of the DPRK to the verification process," IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters after briefing the Board on 9 July.

Mr. ElBaradei predicted that the shutdown of the facilities should only take "a few days," and cameras and other equipment will also need to be installed to monitor the sites.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES PLANNED CONTINUATION OF WESTERN SAHARA TALKS

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES PLANNED CONTINUATION OF WESTERN SAHARA TALKS
New York, Jul 11 2007 4:00PM
The Security Council today welcomed news that United Nations-sponsored talks on Western Sahara between Morocco and the Frente Polisario, along with neighbours Algeria and Mauritania, are set to resume next month, voicing hope that "substantial negotiations" will take place.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9076.doc.htm">statement to the press read out by Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the 15-member body said it was very pleased that the two parties and the neighbouring States had met for talks outside New York on 18-19 June.

"The members of the Security Council support the agreement by the parties that negotiations will continue in the second week of August under UN auspices and expresses their hope the parties will use the next round of negotiations to engage in good faith in substantial negotiations on the way forward," Mr. Wang said.

In a communiqué issued after last month's talks, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum, said the parties had agreed to continue their negotiations, which were held at the Greentree Estate in Manhasset, in the second week of August.

Mr. van Walsum briefed the Council in a closed session this morning on the latest developments in Western Sahara and on the most recent report of the Secretary-General on the status and progress of negotiations.

Speaking to reporters after today's Council meeting, Mr. van Walsum said the recent talks had been "a positive first step" towards resolving the situation in Western Sahara, where the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been in place since September 1991 to monitor the ceasefire between Morocco and the Frente Polisario, which contest the territory.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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COMPLEX GLOBAL CHALLENGES LEAVE UN READY TO THRIVE - BAN KI-MOON

COMPLEX GLOBAL CHALLENGES LEAVE UN READY TO THRIVE – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 11 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations is entering an era when it can prosper because the world's major challenges have become so complex that individual countries cannot resolve them on their own, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Calling on the world body to "grow and take on new roles" and to "develop and deliver on new fronts," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2665">told the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London that the UN was well placed to tackle issues ranging from climate change to disarmament.

"You will know that our world of complex and global challenges is exactly the environment in which our United Nations should thrive – because these are challenges that no country can resolve on its own," he said.

The Secretary-General stressed that it was unrealistic to expect the UN to provide a solution to every challenge.

"But we can, and should, serve as a forum to set a global agenda and consensus. We can, and should – given the necessary political resolve – implement the clearly defined will of the international community. We can, and should, be visionary and proactive."

To deal with this, the world needs greater dialogue, patience, resources and reform, he said.

During his address to the Royal Institute, Mr. Ban outlined the major priorities facing the UN in the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development and human rights.

He said the crises in Darfur, the Middle East, Lebanon and Iraq are at the top of his peace and security agenda, as well as efforts to fight terrorism and to overcome the current stalemate in disarmament and non-proliferation, particularly regarding the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran.

Turning to development, he urged Governments to take more concerted action towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of eight targets for slashing poverty and other social and economic ills, all by 2015.

Mr. Ban also called on leaders to "accept their historical responsibilities" towards future generations and reach concrete agreements on reducing emissions and other ways of combating climate change.

"I am convinced that this challenge, and what we do about it, will define us, our era, and ultimately, our global legacy. It is time for new thinking."

He added that greater attention must be paid to human rights, so that it is a pillar of the UN's work "not only on the drawing board, but in reality, on the ground."

The Human Rights Council, introduced last year to replace the discredited Commission on Human Rights, must be scrutinized "to ensure that it delivers on its promise and shines a spotlight on the darkest places in the world."

Mr. Ban also detailed some of the internal UN reforms he has introduced to strengthen the world body's capacity, especially in peacekeeping as the number of UN personnel in the field reaches a historic high of nearly 100,000.

While in London today, Mr. Ban held talks with the new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN OFFICIAL APPEALS FOR AID TO ENABLE LESOTHO TO RESPOND TO FOOD CRISIS

TOP UN OFFICIAL APPEALS FOR AID TO ENABLE LESOTHO TO RESPOND TO FOOD CRISIS
New York, Jul 11 2007 3:00PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today called for international assistance to help Lesotho which is facing its worst food crisis, with 400,000 people – or a fifth of the population of the small southern African nation – in need of emergency food aid.

"The situation is critical for those already living on the edge, struggling to cope with the combined impact of successive crop failures, poverty and HIV/AIDS," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes. "The international community must respond rapidly to assist the Government in averting a crisis."

Yesterday, Lesotho appealed for international support and declared a food security emergency, based on reports by the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2526">WFP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) which noted that the country's cereal production plummeted from 126,200 tons last year to 72,000 this year.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/OchaLinkClick.aspx?link=ocha&docId=1054899">OCHA) notes that the current crisis was triggered by the small landlocked country's worst drought in the last three decades, which lead to the maize crop, a staple, being slashed by 40 per cent.

According to authorities, there will be a 30,000 ton deficit in cereals. The harvest, commercial imports and existing food aid combined still fall short of the almost 330,000 tons needed to feed the population.

Price surges have resulted from the drop in cereal production as well as reduced harvests in South Africa, Lesotho's main regional supplier, with many households now unable to afford food. Those who will be hardest hit by price increases are people who rely on markets for food, including the landless and residents of urban areas.

Those living with HIV and AIDS stand to suffer the most from food shortages, as a healthy diet is essential to benefit from life-saving antiretroviral medicines. According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/Regions_Countries/Countries/lesotho.asp">UNAIDS), roughly 270,000 people – or 14 per cent of Lesotho's 1.9 million people – suffer from the pandemic.

Lesotho is not the only country in the region facing food shortages in the coming months. Approximately five million people throughout southern Africa, including 400,000 people in Swaziland and as many as four million people in Zimbabwe – will be in need of the world's help due to droughts and other factors.

The UN and its partners are supporting impacted countries, and an international appeal for assistance for Swaziland will be issued shortly, according to OCHA.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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UN SUMMIT AIMS TO HARNESS TECHNOLOGY FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT

UN SUMMIT AIMS TO HARNESS TECHNOLOGY FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT
New York, Jul 11 2007 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the head of the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have strongly endorsed a summit to be held later this year aiming to boost information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in Africa to advance development on the continent.

The <"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/18.html">Connect Africa Summit, to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 29 to 30 October, will bring together the private sector, governments and international organizations to seek ways to address the "digital divide" across the continent and to promote the use of information technology to achieve development goals.

Stressing that the gathering "will not be just another summit," ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré said it was vital to mobilize the world's human, financial and technical resources to support economic growth, employment and development across Africa.

While investment in ICT infrastructure in Africa has improved dramatically in recent years, representing a total of $8 billion in 2005 -- up from $3.5 billion in 2000 -- and growth in mobile phones has increased by as much as 400 per cent, Africa has fallen back in overall connectivity, according to the ITU.

While mobile telephone use has surpassed fixed line telephone access, fewer than 4 out of every 100 Africans have Internet access; broadband penetration remains below 1 per cent; and 70 per cent of all Internet traffic within Africa is re-routed outside the continent, driving up costs for businesses and consumers.

During a visit to the ITU last week, Mr. Ban <"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/17.html">expressed his full support to the Connect Africa initiative and said that it represented an important step not only in overcoming the digital divide but also to help countries achieve the set of global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs).

"This is an important vision," he said. "We need to make our best efforts, as part of our MDG programme, to bridge this gap."

With less than eight years left to meet the 2015 target date of the MDGs, drastic steps are required. Dr Touré pointed out that meeting ICT connectivity targets would act as a catalyst in achieving the broader development goals. "ICT is a means of creating wealth and sustainable economic growth," he said.

The Connect Africa Summit will be organized by the ITU, the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,pagePK:34382~piPK:34439~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank and the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (<"http://www.un-gaid.org/en/about/whatisgaid">GAID), in partnership with the African Development Bank, the African Telecommunication Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (" http://www.uneca.org">ECA).
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY HAILS RESUMPTION OF FOOD DELIVERY TO WESTERN AFGHANISTAN

UN AGENCY HAILS RESUMPTION OF FOOD DELIVERY TO WESTERN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Jul 11 2007 12:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today <" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2558">announced that, following forced suspension in May due to insecurity, food delivery has resumed along the southern ring road – a major artery linking Kandahar to the western province of Herat and the site of most incidents involving WFP deliveries.

"While there are still major problems, getting trucks moving again along the major ring road is an important breakthrough for our operations, particularly in the western region where WFP has been unable to distribute promised food to tens of thousands," said the agency's Afghanistan Country Director Rick Corsino.

He noted that roughly 100,000 poor Afghans have been waiting for food for weeks.

Between 4 and 9 July, 280 metric tons of WFP food supplies were moved from Kandahar to Herat, which has faced a shortage of stocks since deliveries were halted on 28 May due to attacks on the southern ring road.

As a result of the suspension, vulnerable families – including many deported from Iran – in Herat, Farah, Badghis and Ghor faced food scarcity.

Among these were 65,000 people who work for their communities in exchange for food as well as 55,000 participating in food-for-training programmes.

An additional 4,000 tuberculosis patients who receive rations to spur them to receive treatment were impacted.

"We are planning to gradually increase movements along the southern ring road as long as the security conditions remain acceptable and our transporters feel confident of their safety," said Mr. Corsino.

"We want to get back to normal operations as quickly as possible, where 1,500 to 2,000 tons is shipped along the road each week."

WFP aims to supply over half a million metric tons of food to 6.6 million people in Afghanistan yearly.

Since June 2006, there have been 26 incidents involving vehicles transporting WFP food, threatening projects in the western, southern and eastern parts of the war-wracked country.

On 6 July, four WFP-contracted commercial trucks traveling with armed escort were attacked by unknown assailants on the way to Khashrod District in south-western Afghanistan. Two police officers and 13 attackers are reported to have died, with a driver and his helper being held hostage for two days. Approximately 40 tons of food were lost in the incident.

Insecurity on the southern ring road has also impeded deliveries in the reverse direction from Herat to southern and eastern portions of Afghanistan, preventing WFP from providing 1,200 tons of biscuits for almost one million children.

However, other projects in western Afghanistan remain uninterrupted by the insecurity. Since late April, food has been supplied to 1,500 Afghan families who have been deported from Iran, while schoolchildren
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICIALS URGE MALE INVOLVEMENT IN MATERNAL HEALTH TO SAVE WOMEN'S LIVES

UN OFFICIALS URGE MALE INVOLVEMENT IN MATERNAL HEALTH TO SAVE WOMEN'S LIVES
New York, Jul 11 2007 10:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) marked World Population Day today by calling for greater participation by men in maternal health to reduce the number of women who die each day in childbirth and to ensure safe motherhood.

Mr. Ban and UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid seized the occasion of the <"http://www.unfpa.org/wpd">Day – whose theme this year is "men as partners for maternal health" – to highlight the role of men in supporting women's rights, including their right to sexual and reproductive health.
Today, more than half a million women die each year during pregnancy and childbirth, 99 per cent of them in developing countries, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2664">noted in his message marking the Day. Many more suffer serious complications that can have a severe impact on the quality of life for women and their families.

"As partners for maternal health, men can save lives," he stated. "The support of an informed husband improves pregnancy and childbirth outcomes and can mean the difference between life and death in cases of complications, when women need immediate medical care."

He called on men to become "partners and agents for change," supporting human rights and safe motherhood in every way possible.

In her message for the Day, Ms. Obaid <"http://www.unfpa.org/wpd/2007/docs/wpd_statement_eng.doc">emphasized that "experience shows that male involvement can make a substantial difference when it comes to preserving the health and lives of women and children."

Men, she said, make most of the decisions within the family and in government, where they preside over policy and programmes that directly affect women and girls.

"Today, too many women die from easily preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Every minute, another woman loses her life," said Ms. Obaid. "Let us go forward with the message: No woman should die giving life. Let us do all we can to promote the right of every woman to enjoy a life of health, dignity and equal opportunity."

Observed annually on 11 July, World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development. The Day is marked around the world with rallies, exhibitions and public awareness campaigns highlighting its theme.
2007-07-11 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE ACTION TO AID PLIGHT OF MIGRANTS

BAN KI-MOON URGES IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE ACTION TO AID PLIGHT OF MIGRANTS
New York, Jul 10 2007 7:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged immediate and effective action to aid the plight of the world's 200 million migrants, characterizing the phenomenon of migration as "one of the great global challenges of our century."

"We can ensure that people move in a way that is safe and legal, and which protects their rights," Mr. Ban said in his <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11084.doc.htm">address to the inaugural Global Forum on Migration and Development in Brussels, Belgium.

"We can work to strengthen the positive impact of migration on the development of migrants' home countries. We can encourage destination countries to promote the success of migrants, both in their original and their adopted homes."

Mr. Ban noted that the emergence of migration – a "sensitive" issue – as a top priority was a slow process, culminating in the launch of the Forum.

"As we have grasped migration's powerful potential for good, old stereotypes have crumbled, and new opportunities have captured our imaginations," he said, observing that migrants are propelled by the "age-old pursuit of a better life, as well as by increasingly understood phenomena such as climate change."

Therefore, he said, "we accept that we must take effective action without delay."

Although migrants have been assisting their families and communities for decades, it is only recently that there has been a deepened understanding of how effective policies can augment the positive boon on development posed by migration.

Mr. Ban stressed that migrants have much to offer – in the economic, social and cultural realms – to developed countries.

"Their cultures, values and traditions not only enrich our societies, but enable us to adapt successfully to a world that is growing fast," he said, citing how migrants have founded prominent companies such as eBay, Mittal, Google and Intel, as well as becoming innovators in research.

He pointed out that lesser-skilled migrants also have much to contribute, performing "many of the most essential tasks that undergird our well-being."

Underscoring his commitment to the Forum's efforts, Mr. Ban pledged the UN's support through his Special Representative for Migration and Development, Peter Sutherland, who was reappointed to his post today.

Also speaking at the Forum was Director Carmen Moreno of the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (<"http://www.un-instraw.org/en/">UN-INSTRAW), who emphasized the important role women play with regard to remittances.

Noting that half of all remittance senders and the greater part of remittance recipients are women, she said that "unless the entire migration process is examined from a gender perspective, projects that aim to maximize the pros and reduce the cons of remittances are doomed to fail."

Over 120 Governments, 200 civil society representatives, and numerous international organizations and UN institutions are expected to attend the Forum, which concludes tomorrow.

While in Brussels, Mr. Ban also <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1045">met today with Javier Solana, the European Union High Representative, and highlighted the "very friendly and cooperative relationship" between their respective offices.

Following their discussions, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1046">told reporters that he discussed the issue of Kosovo at length with Mr. Solana.

"Because of the lack of progress in taking action on the recommendation of my Special Envoy for the future status of Kosovo, my position is that any further delay or prolongation of this issue will not be beneficial, not only for the Balkan States but also for the unity of the European Union."

He asked the parties involved to "not take any premature unilateral actions which may further complicate this already complicated issue."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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LEBANESE-ISRAELI PEACE THREATENED BY REPEATED ATTACKS - BAN KI-MOON

LEBANESE-ISRAELI PEACE THREATENED BY REPEATED ATTACKS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 10 2007 7:00PM
Lebanon is mired in a debilitating political crisis, facing continuing attacks aimed at undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity, which makes it harder to fully implement the Security Council resolution ending last year's war between Israel and Hizbollah, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/392">report on the implementation of <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1701(2006)">resolution 1701, Mr. Ban says the ongoing instability within Lebanon is limiting progress and posing "a direct challenge… to the stability of the country as a whole."

He cites the fighting between Fatah al-Islam militants and Lebanese security forces at a Palestinian refugee camp, the worst internal fighting since the civil war ended in 1990; the series of explosions around Beirut, including that which killed a Lebanese parliamentarian and nine others; a bomb attack last month on a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy that killed six peacekeepers; and the firing of Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel.

The Secretary-General stresses that the deadly attack against the UNIFIL convoy or other incidents will not deter the UN from playing its part to implement resolution 1701.

But he emphasizes that greater progress is needed on several key issues – including the enforcement of the arms embargo in Lebanon – if the cessation of hostilities is to become a permanent ceasefire.

"I am disturbed by the persistent reports pointing to breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanese-Syrian border," he writes, noting that the report of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team, which he commissioned, concludes that the border is not sufficiently secure and that Lebanese capabilities are lacking.

Existing border crossing points are not well controlled by Lebanese authorities, and the procedures for these crossings are not uniform, resulting in an unregulated flow of passengers, vehicles and cargo, according to the border assessment report.

That <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/382">report, also released today, recommends a series of measures to "significantly improve" Lebanon's border security regime, and Mr. Ban urges the country's Government to implement the report in full.

The recommendations include: the establishment of a dedicated border guard agency; the creation of a multi-agency mobile force focused on arms smuggling, with the power to make arms seizures; and the redesign and restructure of border crossing points to ensure there is greater control of the border.

In the progress report on resolution 1701, Mr. Ban says he remains hopeful that a long-term solution can be found as the region nears the first-year anniversary of the 34-day conflict, which led to the deaths of an estimated 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis, the destruction of much of Lebanon's infrastructure and severe damage to both nations' economies.

He stresses that, aside from the enforcement of the Lebanese arms embargo, progress is needed on several fronts, including on the release of the abducted Israeli soldiers and the Lebanese prisoners, the halting of Israeli air violations and the issue of sovereignty over Shab'a Farms.

He also urges the international community to provide support to the Lebanese armed forces to make sure that they can extend and exercise full authority over all of the country's territory.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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RISING ORGANIZED CRIME IN GUINEA-BISSAU ALARMS SECURITY COUNCIL

RISING ORGANIZED CRIME IN GUINEA-BISSAU ALARMS SECURITY COUNCIL
New York, Jul 10 2007 6:00PM
Voicing concern about the "alarming increase in organized crime, drug trafficking and the proliferation of illicit small arms in Guinea-Bissau," the Security Council today called on the international community to step up its efforts to bolster the security institutions of the small African country.

In a statement read to reporters by Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, which this month holds the Council's revolving presidency, the 15-member body said it was disturbed by the continuing deterioration of Guinea-Bissau's socio-economic and financial situation.

The <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9075.doc.htm">press statement comes as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his most recent <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/401">report on the activities of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS), described organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, as presenting "a new and growing" problem in the country.

"The use of Guinea-Bissau as a transit point for illegal drugs from Latin America bound for Europe remains an issue of major concern to the authorities and international partners," Mr. Ban wrote.

His report, made public yesterday, cites the interception in April, of 635 kg of cocaine in a vehicle carrying two military personnel and one civilian. The military personnel were handed over to the military authorities, and an investigation was initiated. However, the two officers were later released.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/news_and_publications.html">UNODC) will post a senior law enforcement specialist to the capital, Bissau, to assist in the development of a country strategy to combat drug trafficking. The specialist, whose assignment will be funded by the UN Development Programme (<"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/">UNDP), will operate under the overall supervision of <"http://www.unogbis.org/homepage.html">UNOGBIS.

But today's Council statement – which followed a briefing by the Secretary-General's Special Representative Shola Omoregie – also welcomed the creation of a new Government, which it hoped would spur a "genuinely inclusive reconciliation process, thereby strengthening political, parliamentary and government stability."

Additionally, the Council "encouraged the Government to implement its commitments to ensure discipline and transparency in fiscal management and pursue a permanent and constructive dialogue with all sectors of society, in order to create a politically conducive climate for free, fair and transparent legislative elections next year."

The upcoming elections follow the conclusion of a national political stability pact this March by the three main political parties in Guinea-Bissau – the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde and Guinea, the Social Renewal Party and the United Social Democratic Party. The agreement led to the swearing-in on 17 April of the Government of Prime Minister Martinho Dafa Cabi.

UNOGBIS was established in 1999 to help Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest nations in the world, emerge from the devastation of a civil war and various coups in which thousands of people were killed, wounded or forced from their homes.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO STRESSES CIVIL SOCIETY'S KEY ROLE IN SUPPORTING UN AGENDA

MIGIRO STRESSES CIVIL SOCIETY'S KEY ROLE IN SUPPORTING UN AGENDA
New York, Jul 10 2007 6:00PM
Engaging with civil society has become crucial to the work of the United Nations, helping the world body to promote its agenda on issues ranging from peace and security to human rights and humanitarian assistance, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today.

In an address in New York to the annual meeting of the UN Civil Society Focal Points, Ms. Migiro said a closer relationship between UN agencies, funds and programmes and the world's many civil society groups would produce benefits to key causes.

"Our civil society partners help advance this agenda in myriad ways: they bring expertise and information on current and emerging issues – be it climate change, poverty eradication or rural development," she said. "This expertise often provides important new thinking and research on matters of global importance."

Noting that UN Member States were increasingly aware of the role that civil society groups can play in tackling key global issues, Ms. Migiro said the "outstanding outreach capacity" of those groups had the potential to mobilize millions of people worldwide in support of the UN agenda.

This included the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of eight shared goals for fighting poverty and other social and economic ills that world leaders agreed to work towards by 2015.

"Credible civil society organizations possess legitimacy, embodying as they do the aspirations of the people of the world. The UN must always be guided by these aspirations if we are to truly reflect the first phrase of the Charter, 'We The Peoples,' and if we are to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

Ms. Migiro told the focal points that they played an especially important role "in nurturing and deepening the partnerships between non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the institutions of global governance" and she thanked them for their efforts.

"You provide a channel through which the innovative ideas and dynamism of the NGO community can cross into and positively impact the work of the United Nations. And you are a vital resource for increasing the understanding of NGOs about the unique nature – and the sometimes bewildering intricacies – of the UN system."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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ATTACKS ON AID WORKERS IN DARFUR THREATENING RELIEF EFFORTS, WARNS UN OFFICIAL

ATTACKS ON AID WORKERS IN DARFUR THREATENING RELIEF EFFORTS, WARNS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jul 10 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations humanitarian chief warned today that increasing attacks on aid workers in Darfur are jeopardizing relief efforts, and called for an immediate end to violence in the strife-torn region of Sudan.

"Every day, more people need our help, yet humanitarian colleagues are under increasing threat from all sides," said John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Despite repeated appeals from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Darfur, continuing violence and targeting of civilians have displaced nearly 160,000 people so far this year, pushing the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 2.1 million, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The total number of civilians requiring relief assistance has reached 4.2 million, or nearly two-thirds of the entire Darfur population.

At the same time, OCHA reports that attacks against the relief community have increased by 150 per cent in the past year, threatening the lifeline to this ever-increasing number of displaced and conflict-affected people.

In June, one out of every six convoys that left provincial capitals in Darfur was hijacked or ambushed. Since January, some 64 vehicles used by agencies have been hijacked, with 132 staff temporarily detained, often at gunpoint. Such lawlessness has forced relief organizations to suspend programming, temporarily depriving over one million beneficiaries of life-saving assistance, OCHA said.

There are some 13,000 relief workers in Darfur trying to reach a total of four million people. As a result of insecurity on the ground, aid workers are forced to rely on expensive helicopter transport to keep operations going in many areas.

"Obviously, we will not give up – the needs are too great. We will continue to adapt operations to ensure that the most vulnerable in Darfur receive at least some relief," Mr. Holmes said.

"But what we most need is an effective ceasefire. This is possible – the rebel groups and the Government could and should choose now to stop the violence."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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FLOODS IN MYANMAR PROMPT UNICEF RELIEF EFFORT

FLOODS IN MYANMAR PROMPT UNICEF RELIEF EFFORT
New York, Jul 10 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) has begun distributing emergency supplies such as medicines, clothing, cooking utensils and water purification tablets in Myanmar in the wake of flooding that has struck the centre of the country.

Media reports say thousands of people have been left homeless by the floods, which come two weeks after the start of the annual monsoon season. Schools have had to close, rail services have been suspended in some areas and bridges have also been washed out.

A spokesperson for the UN said UNICEF had been able to distribute the relief supplies so quickly in part because they were pre-positioned after the emergency response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004.

Aside from the medicines and water purification tablets, the supplies provided include basic family kits, which contain clothing, a blanket, soap, cooking utensils, candles, matches, a knife, plastic buckets and tarpaulin.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN ENVOY DEPLORES MURDER OF POLITICIAN IN VOLATILE EAST

DR CONGO: UN ENVOY DEPLORES MURDER OF POLITICIAN IN VOLATILE EAST
New York, Jul 10 2007 5:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has condemned yesterday's murder of a local politician in the far east of the country, saying it seems to be part of an emerging pattern of assassinations of political and business leaders in that region of the vast nation.

The body of Floribert Bwana Chuy Bin Kositi, the provincial secretary of the Congolese Rally for Democracy political party, was found yesterday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda.

William Lacy Swing, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the DRC, called the killing of Mr. Chuy Bin Kositi an "odious crime" that had occurred as efforts were being stepped up to bring lasting peace to North Kivu, one of the most volatile regions of the country.

Mr. Swing – who is also head of the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC) – called on Congolese authorities to do their utmost to ensure that the sponsors and perpetrators of the murder are located and brought to justice.

"MONUC is preoccupied by the murders and kidnappings who have recently taken place in the region" around North Kivu, Mr. Swing said in a press statement issued yesterday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital.

He stressed that the culture of impunity around such killings and abductions, whether they are targeted or apparently random, must stop.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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PLIGHT OF REFUGEES CROSSING GULF OF ADEN DRAWS CALL TO ACTION FROM UN AGENCY

PLIGHT OF REFUGEES CROSSING GULF OF ADEN DRAWS CALL TO ACTION FROM UN AGENCY
New York, Jul 10 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46939aa54.html">UNHCR) has used a halt in the annual flow of Somali boatpeople travelling across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen to draw attention to their plight and call for more action to help those who endure such harsh journeys.

UNHCR Jennifer Pagonis <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46934f9e2.html">told reporters today in Geneva that the flow across the Gulf of Aden "to seek safety or a better life has temporarily halted because seas are too rough to make the crossing in July and August."

Still, each year between September and the following June, "irregular travel to Yemen has also become increasingly difficult as a result of increased crackdowns on smugglers in Somalia's Bosaso region and heightened security patrols along the Yemen coastline," she said.

For those refugees who do secure a trip, the risks of death or sickness have increased. Because of a need to find new routes, trips are more indirect and take around three days rather than the regular two.

The treatment of the refugees by smugglers who have managed to remain active despite the crackdown is increasingly horrendous, Ms. Pagonis noted. After paying $50, many refugees are forced to disembark while still in deep water, where most are then beaten with clubs, drown or are attacked by sharks.

The solution lies not only in cracking down on smugglers, but on tackling the root causes of persecution, poverty and conflict that drive so many people to leave their homes and risk such perilous sea journeys, Ms. Pagonis said.

Countries receiving migrants should have more help in managing the inflows so that people who need protection can get it and those who do not can return home safely.

She stressed that anyone in distress at sea should be rescued, allowed to disembark and given access to proper screening procedures upon arrival.

For the first six months of this year, UNHCR has recorded the arrival of 77 smuggling boats carrying more than 8,600 refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, mainly Somalis and Ethiopians, across the Gulf of Aden.

Although these figures are below those equivalent statistics from the first half of 2006, when over 11,700 people made the journey, the trip has become more deadly: at least 367 people have been killed so far this year, compared to 266 for the same period last year.

Ms. Pagonis added that while smuggling in the Gulf of Aden has come to a temporary seasonal halt, it has started again in the Mediterranean Sea.

"UNHCR has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the situation in the Gulf of Aden, the Mediterranean and other waters, as some of those who risk their lives making such crossing are refugees and asylum seekers," she said.

The number of irregular arrivals into Italy fell by 31 per cent compared to the first six months of last year, but in June alone 200 people were reported dead or missing reported in the Strait of Sicily.

Last year UNHCR presented a Ten-Point Plan of Action on Refugee Protection and Mixed Migration that sets out a number of measures to assist States in dealing with the issue.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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BORDER RESTRICTIONS HURTING GAZA'S ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, UN OFFICIALS WARN

BORDER RESTRICTIONS HURTING GAZA'S ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, UN OFFICIALS WARN
New York, Jul 10 2007 4:00PM
The continued closure or restrictions of border crossings is threatening the Gaza Strip's economic sustainability, forcing most factories to close or operate at reduced capacity and depriving farmers of key export income, United Nations relief officials warned today.

"We need to see all crossings at least as operational as they were before 9 June, or risk facing serious social, economic and humanitarian concerns," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said.

Israel has closed or restricted the handful of border crossings with the Gaza Strip since deadly intra-Palestinian violence – which has since subsided – erupted early last month. Some 1.4 million people live within Gaza's 360-square-kilometre area.

Enough humanitarian imports were allowed into Gaza during the week ending last Thursday to meet about 70 per cent of minimum food and other supply needs, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a press release. This is a sharp rise on the previous week, when about 21 per cent of needs were being met.

But OCHA said three quarters of Gaza's factories are either closed or operating at 20 per cent capacity, placing the direct livelihoods of about 30,000 people in jeopardy and causing at least $500,000 of business losses each day.

The border closures and restrictions are also stopping agricultural products from being exported, depriving farmers of income and leading to an overabundance within Gaza – and thus a drop in price – of such items as tomatoes, melons and apples.

The cancellation of the Gaza customs code by Israeli authorities has also meant that more than 1,300 containers of commercial materials destined for Gaza remain stranded at Israeli ports, and essential items such as milk powder, baby formula and vegetable oil are now in short supply.

Restrictions at some crossing points are being eased, <"http://ochaonline3.un.org/">OCHA reported. The Karni crossing is open for wheat grain imports and the Nahal Oz fuel pipeline has been opened to allow supplies of diesel, petrol and cooking gas to be delivered.

The UN, the Palestinian Authority and Israel are also working to install two conveyor belts at Kerem Shalom, a crossing point between Gaza and Egypt, and to widen the area there for truck-transfer operations. Once the belts are installed and the area widened, the crossing should be able to handle 150 truckloads of goods each day, up from the current limit of 20.

Kerem Shalom is the only viable crossing for Palestinians wanting to re-enter Gaza from Egypt since the Rafah crossing point was closed last month, OCHA said. But Kerem Shalom remains closed to the more than 6,000 Palestinians trying to return from the Egyptian cities of Al Arish and Sheik Zoueid, patients in Gaza are unable to enter Egypt for medical treatment and another 400 to 700 remain stranded in the open near the Rafah border.

Mr. Holmes said UN officials in Egypt were working to provide assistance to those people who are stranded at the border, "but the importance of lifting current border restrictions cannot be over-emphasized."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN MEETING TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS IN WEST AFRICA

UN MEETING TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS IN WEST AFRICA
New York, Jul 10 2007 3:00PM
Sixteen West African countries are set to meet with donors at a United Nations-hosted meeting tomorrow to discuss a more targeted and regional approach to strengthening their ability to fight terrorism both within their borders and across the region.

The day-long meeting will give participants a chance to discuss the challenges faced by countries in putting into practice the various Security Council counter-terrorism resolutions, particularly <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1373(2001)">resolution 1373 (2001) which calls on countries to adopt a series of counter-terrorism measures in their national legislation, and by providers which deliver counter-terrorism related technical assistance.

Organized by the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee's Executive Directorate (CTED), the meeting also aims to encourage the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the General Assembly in September 2006.

Although the current threat of terrorism in most West African countries is not high, there is a danger that terrorists might exploit domestic and regional instabilities for recruitment and training and perpetrate attacks both within and beyond the region, according to a press release issued by the CTED.

Despite their commitment to combating terrorism, most nations in the region lack the technical and financial resources to fully carry out their counter-terrorism efforts.

The experiences of Mali and Nigeria with regard to ratifying international terrorism-related conventions, law enforcement and border control will be presented as case studies and lessons learned at the meeting.

The States participating in tomorrow's meeting are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Also attending will be some 20 donor nations and international organizations.

As part of its work to facilitate technical assistant to States, the CTED seeks to line up countries needing support with the various counter-terrorism programmes donors and organizations have available in such areas as drafting terrorism-related legislation, financial law and practice, training for law enforcement personnel, customs control and enhancing financial regulations.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN RUSHES AID TO THOUSANDS IN FLOOD-STRICKEN NORTHERN SUDAN

UN RUSHES AID TO THOUSANDS IN FLOOD-STRICKEN NORTHERN SUDAN
New York, Jul 10 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations is rushing vital emergency supplies – including plastic sheeting, blankets, cooking sets, jerry cans, sleeping mats and mosquito nets – to thousands of people affected by flooding in northern Sudan.

Government efforts to respond to the floods have been bolstered by the Common Pipeline system, which is an operation managed by the UN Joint Logistics Centre with support from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the non-governmental organization (NGO) CARE.

Approximately 1,000 families in Kosti in White Nile state have received relief aid, while supplies have been delivered to 85 households in Geissan in Blue Nile state with assistance from local authorities and the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmis/">UNMIS).

In Kassala state, <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40258.html">UNICEF has provided plastic sheeting for 1,000 families in immediate need through the NGO GOAL, while the Common Pipeline has supplied 3,000 jerry cans.

"In times of emergency, the ability of different agencies to work together quickly and effectively is critical," said Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF's Chief of Field Operations in northern Sudan, speaking on behalf of the Common Pipeline's partners.

The partnership, established in 2004, "demonstrates that we can get essential supplies to the most vulnerable families with the minimum of delay, lightening the burden on those already experiencing great hardship and loss," he added.

To respond to additional requests for assistance, the Common Pipeline has prepared emergency supplies for up to 500 families in Kosti, 1,000 households in Kassala and 4,000 families in high-risk areas in Khartoum.

"This joint effort in support of the Government of Sudan will ultimately ease the plight of those affected by the floods and ensure that those living in high-risk areas can be provided with timely assistance should they need it," noted Mr. Veitch.

In addition to this joint assistance, UNICEF has delivered much-needed medicines to health centres in flood-impacted areas to meet the needs of 80,000 people for one month. The agency has also provided chlorine powder and tablets to treat water supplies for roughly 50,000 people.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY CONDEMNS SUICIDE BLAST IN AFGHANISTAN

TOP UN ENVOY CONDEMNS SUICIDE BLAST IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Jul 10 2007 1:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Afghanistan has expressed his outrage over today's terrorist attack in Uruzgan province resulting in several deaths and injuries, stating that such utter disregard for innocent lives is "staggering" and makes a "mockery" of recent statements indicating concern for the safety of civilians.

"In no culture, no country, and no religion is there any excuse or justification for mass murder," Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, said in a statement.

Mr. Koenigs, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<" http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA), added that today's incident underscores UNAMA's deep concern about the use of suicide attacks.

He voiced particular concern at reports of a large number of children being among the dead, and noted that the mission has "stressed repeatedly the need for all sides in this conflict to do their utmost to prevent harm coming to civilians."

Mr. Koenigs said today's attack represents a "heavy violation" of international humanitarian and human rights laws, and stressed that those behind it must be held responsible.

Afghanistan has witnessed a string of attacks in recent weeks, constituting some of the worst violence since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, including an attempt on the life of President Hamid Karzai, the bombing of a bus carrying police trainers, shootings outside a girls' school and the murder of prominent female Afghan journalists.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES URGE END TO PIRACY OFF SOMALIA'S COAST

UN AGENCIES URGE END TO PIRACY OFF SOMALIA'S COAST
New York, Jul 10 2007 1:00PM
Piracy off the cost of Somalia is threatening commercial shipping and fishing while impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of Somalis, the heads of the United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2556">WFP) and the International Maritime Organization (<"http://www.imo.org/home.asp">IMO) said jointly today in an appeal for action to halt the practice.

Since the collapse of the last national government in the East African country in 1991, delivering supplies by sea has been a logistical and security challenge, with a rise in the frequency of pirate attacks resulting in higher shipping costs and a significant reduction in the number of cargo vessels in the water.

"Close to 80 per cent of WFP's assistance to Somalia is shipped by sea but, because of piracy, we have seen the availability of ships willing to carry food to the country cut by half," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

There have been 15 attacks on ships – two on WFP-contracted vessels with a security guard being killed in one of them – in or near Somali waters so far this year. In 2006, there were 10 attacks.

"Pirates may have a romantic image on the silver screen these days, but the picture might not be quite so pretty from the point of view of someone stuck in a camp for internally displaced people in Somalia, dependent on food assistance for survival," Ms. Sheeran said. "Much more has to be done to address this problem of piracy and, at WFP, we are much encouraged by the actions that IMO has taken recently for that purpose."

WFP hopes to deliver food assistance for 1 million people in violence-wracked Somalia this year, as already high levels of malnutrition are being exacerbated by predicted crop failures, which could potentially lead to food shortages and rising prices.

The Secretary General of the IMO Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has requested UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to raise the issue of Somali piracy to the Security Council so that the 15-member body can ask the Transitional Federal Government to tackle the problem.

"In conjunction with other multi-faceted initiatives recently taken by IMO to address the issue effectively, this latest high-level approach to the <"http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/index.html">Security Council, through Mr. Ban, will, I believe, help considerably in alleviating the situation, especially if support and assistance to ships is enhanced," Mr. Mitropoulos said.

The Council, in March, 2006, responded to reports of piracy in a presidential statement which encouraged UN Member States with naval vessels and military aircraft operating in international waters and airspace adjacent to the coast of Somalia to be vigilant against piracy and to take action to protect merchant shipping, especially vessels being used to transport humanitarian aid.

The IMO suggested that the Council could now request the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to give consent to ships to enter the country's territorial waters when engaging in operations against pirates or suspected pirates and armed robbers endangering the safety of life at sea.

Due to rising attacks on vessels recently, IMO has lately taken a number of steps, including intensifying its coordination with WFP and the navies operating in the Western Indian Ocean region to bolster assistance to merchant ships.

"We would like to see a more coordinated and robust approach to dealing with the problem of piracy, from the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia, from neighbouring countries that have influence, and from the African Union," said Ms. Sheeran.

"WFP is grateful for the continuing presence in the seas off Somalia of naval forces from several nations," she added. "They have been helpful on occasion in the past and they offer a potential deterrence to pirates. But we need to explore how these resources can be brought more heavily into play to protect shipping and, thereby, the delivery by sea of life-saving humanitarian assistance."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY LAUNCHES $49 MILLION PROGRAMME TO AID STRUGGLING NEPALESE

UN FOOD AGENCY LAUNCHES $49 MILLION PROGRAMME TO AID STRUGGLING NEPALESE
New York, Jul 10 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2555">WFP) in Nepal is launching a $49 million programme to assist over 1.2 million people who continue to struggle daily with the effects of the recently ended 11-year conflict between the Maoists and the Government.

"Our goal is to provide immediate assistance so people can begin rebuilding their lives and be better prepared to participate in the historic process of reshaping Nepal as a peaceful, democratic and inclusive State," said WFP's Country Representative in Nepal, Richard Ragan.

The programme represents one of the largest UN initiatives to support the people of Nepal during the transition to a new democracy, and offers donors an opportunity to contribute to saving lives and improving livelihoods, he added.

Despite the political, social and security progress of the last six months, Mr. Ragan said that over 1 million people in Nepal are still struggling with the effects of the conflict. This is on top of food insecurity exacerbated by three years of drought and conflict-related market disruptions.

Under the year-long programme, WFP will provide food aid to some of the most conflict-affected communities in 28 districts across Nepal. Programme activities will aim to improve market access, create short-term employment, and facilitate basic service delivery.

"This is a critical period in Nepal's peace process – expectations by the people are high. The challenge faced by the interim Government – to address the root causes of the conflict while at the same time laying the foundation for a new democracy – is arduous," Mr. Ragan stated.

"With WFP's deep field presence and experience at running emergency operations in Nepal, we are in the unique position to deliver immediate recovery assistance to remote,
conflict-affected populations who have yet to benefit from the peace process."

The agency's projects in Nepal benefit approximately 1.4 million people, including food assistance to over 108,000 Bhutanese refugees and emergency assistance to those affected by drought, as well as food for work, school feeding, and mother and child health care activities.

As a result of the 11-year conflict, over 13,000 people have been killed, an estimated 200,000 displaced and thousands of cases of critical infrastructure damage have been reported, WFP said.
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST REPORTED STONING IN IRAN

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST REPORTED STONING IN IRAN
New York, Jul 10 2007 12:00PM
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today spoke out against the reported stoning last week of a man in Iran and urged the country not to execute his companion or any other person in the same unlawful manner.

"I am extremely concerned that despite a stated moratorium of the Iranian Government on execution by stoning this execution has gone ahead," Ms. Arbour <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/F089093831E92B68C1257314004A15B5?opendocument">said in a statement released in Geneva. "Stoning is in clear violation of international law, which also limits the death penalty to only the most serious, violent crimes."

Jafar Kiani was reportedly stoned to death on 5 July in Takestan, in Iran's Ghazvin Province, according to the statement.

Mr. Kiani, and his companion, Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, had reportedly been in prison for more than 11 years accused of adultery. The couple was originally scheduled to be killed by stoning on 21 June, but that execution was stayed.

"I urge the Iranian authorities to shed light on the reported execution and to stop the scheduled stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and all other such executions," Ms. Arbour declared.

Iran is a party to the <"http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm">International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states in article 6 that "in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes." Article 7 of the Covenant holds that, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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UN REPORTS IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOOD-HIT PAKISTAN BUT WARNS CHALLENGES REMAIN

UN REPORTS IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOOD-HIT PAKISTAN BUT WARNS CHALLENGES REMAIN
New York, Jul 10 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency, which has shipped thousands of relief supplies to areas in Pakistan devastated by floods in late June, today reported that conditions are improving there but serious challenges remain.

"As the water subsides, life is slowly returning to normal in the camps and families are starting to rebuild their mud houses," said Jennifer Pagonis, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"But access to these areas is still difficult as the roads have been washed away," she told reporters in Geneva.

The agency and its partners are stepping up relief efforts in the flood-affected refugee-hosting areas of Pakistan as the waters start to recede, and expect that by the end of the week it will have transported more than 250 tonnes of emergency supplies from stocks in Peshawar to Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Aid distribution started on 2 July in Balochistan's Chagai district, where heavy rains destroyed houses and compound walls in three refugee camps. "Tents, plastic sheets, sleeping mats, quilts and kitchen sets were provided to the affected Afghans and their Pakistani host community," Ms. Pagonis said. In all, 1,600 tents, over 3,000 plastic sheets, 5,000 sleeping mats and 3,000 jerry cans are being distributed in Balochistan, benefiting Afghans and Pakistanis alike.

As part of shelter and camp management clusters under the joint UN response, UNHCR is requesting over $622,000 through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to replenish and procure shelter items such as plastic sheets, sleeping mats and blankets for 150,000 flood victims especially in Pakistan's refugee-hosting areas.

The efforts by UNHCR build on those of other agencies which have been assisting Pakistan, where the authorities estimate that over 200 people were killed in the disaster.

2007-07-10 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES UN SUPPORT FOR GUINEA-BISSAU'S PARLIAMENTARY POLLS

BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES UN SUPPORT FOR GUINEA-BISSAU'S PARLIAMENTARY POLLS
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has assured Guinea-Bissau of the world body's support in organizing and monitoring the parliamentary elections to be held next year in the small West African country, which has witnessed rising political and social tensions, and a deteriorating economic situation.

"The elections will be a test of the ability of the country to exercise democratic governance," Mr. Ban says in his <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/401">report to the Security Council on the latest activities the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (<"http://www.unogbis.org/homepage.html">UNOGBIS).

They will also be "a key benchmark for the exit strategy of UNOGBIS," which was set up in 1999 to help the country emerge from a devastating civil war, he adds.

The holding of parliamentary polls next year follows the signing of a national political stability pact on 12 March by the three main political parties in Guinea-Bissau – the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde and Guinea, the Social Renewal Party and the United Social Democratic Party. The agreement led to the swearing in on 17 April of the Government of Prime Minister Martinho Dafa Cabi.

Mr. Ban also notes that the repeated political crises besetting the Government continue to prevent it from focusing on improving the economic lot of the population, which lives in one of Africa's poorest countries. Economic growth in 2006 declined to 1.8 per cent, and the outlook for the rest of 2007 is "grim," he states.

He commends the new Government for pledging to place the country's finances on a "sound footing" and for quickly re-establishing working relations with the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,pagePK:34382~piPK:34439~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank and the <"http://www.imf.org/external/news/default.aspx">International Monetary Fund.

In addition, Mr. Ban urges the Government to redouble efforts to advance security sector reforms, noting that very little was achieved in that area in the months under review.

Organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, presents "a new and growing" problem in the country, he adds. "The use of Guinea-Bissau as a transit point for illegal drugs from Latin America bound for Europe remains an issue of major concern to the authorities and international partners."

The report cites the interception in April, of 635 kg of cocaine in a vehicle carrying two military personnel and one civilian. The military personnel were handed over to the military authorities, and an investigation was initiated. However, the two officers were later released.

"The human and material resources of law enforcement agencies are woefully inadequate to address this growing problem," Mr. Ban warns. He notes that the Government has created a commission to probe the disappearance of 670 kg of cocaine, which was seized by the Criminal Investigation Police in September 2006 and transported to the vault of the Ministry of Finance for safekeeping. As a result of that investigation, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Police and another senior official were dismissed.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/news_and_publications.html">UNODC) will post a senior law enforcement specialist to Bissau to assist in the development of a country strategy to combat drug trafficking. The specialist, whose assignment will be funded by the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/dpa/journalists/">UNDP), will operate under the overall supervision of UNOGBIS, according to the report.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN AND COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS SET TO DESTROY ALMOST 14,000 FIREARMS

UN AND COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS SET TO DESTROY ALMOST 14,000 FIREARMS
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/news_and_publications.html">UNODC) and Colombian authorities are set to melt down nearly 14,000 firearms today in a special ceremony highlighting the danger of illegal arms proliferation and marking International Gun Destruction Day.

The molten metal will go towards the manufacture of school chairs and the construction of a monument in memory of the victims of violence and kidnapping in Colombia, the agency stated in a press release.

About 77 per cent of the firearms scheduled for destruction are illegal. Of those, 60 per cent were illicitly manufactured, 31 per cent are privately owned and 9 per cent belong to the armed forces.

Colombia has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. In 2005, 70 per cent of over 17,000 homicides registered were committed with firearms. Cities registering the highest numbers of legal firearms were also those showing the lowest homicide rates.

Organized by UNODC, the Colombian Ministry of Defence, the national armed forces and the "Vida Sagrada" programme, today's ceremony has the support of the National Plant for Metal Work and Manufacture, SIDENAL.

UNODC recently published a report entitled Violence, Crime and Illegal Arms Trafficking in Colombia, which said the country needed to do more to crack down on arms trafficking. The report challenged the perception that Colombia was plagued by indiscriminate violence. Rather, the use of firearms was highly controlled and regulated by criminal gangs, rebels and the Government.

Since December 2005, UNODC has been the custodian of the Firearms Protocol supplementing the 2003 United Nations International Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN NUCLEAR INSPECTORS TO REVISIT DPR KOREA

UN NUCLEAR INSPECTORS TO REVISIT DPR KOREA
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
Inspectors from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2007/bog090707.html">IAEA) will return to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to monitor the shutdown and eventual abandonment of the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, it was announced today.

The decision to dispatch the experts came after the IAEA's Board of Governors, meeting in Geneva, approved a report detailing the agency's future activities in the Asian country.

"This is the beginning of a long and complex process, but I welcome the return of the DPRK to the verification process," IAEA's Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters after briefing the Board.

He said that the inspectors' mission to the DPRK is contingent on receiving an invitation from the country, but he predicted that IAEA inspectors would travel to the country in the next several weeks.

"According to our experts, the shutting down of the facilities should not take much time, probably a few days," Mr. ElBaradei said.

Cameras and other equipment also need to be installed to monitor the sites, he added.

Late last month, IAEA inspectors visited Pyongyang and reached agreement with the DPRK regarding arrangements for the agency's monitoring and verification of the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility and the reactor under construction in Taechon.

Additionally, the Board adopted a 4.2 per cent budget increase for the year 2008-2009.

Although he noted that he is "pleased" with the surge in funding, Mr. ElBaradei said that he "made it clear to the Board that this is far from adequate to meet our increasing responsibilities in the area of verification, safety, security and development."

In his address to the Board, Mr. ElBaradei said that "the Agency remains under-funded in many critical areas, a situation which, if it remains unaddressed, will lead to a steady erosion of our ability to perform key functions."

He welcomed the support offered by United States President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin during their Kennebunkport meeting last weekend in which they "made it clear that they fully understand the need for additional financial resources for the for the Agency to meet its increasing responsibilities including the growing interest in nuclear power."

The Director General also voiced hope that there would be a breakthrough with Iran, to which an IAEA team is heading tomorrow to discuss how to resolve outstanding issues with the country's authorities.

"I very much, sincerely hope that Iran will seize that opportunity to work in earnest with us in a fast-track mode," Mr. ElBaradei told reporters.

"I think that this would be a major breakthrough, but I have to reserve that judgment until the mission comes back."
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY URGES SECURITY COUNCIL TO ACT QUICKLY ON KOSOVO STATUS

UN ENVOY URGES SECURITY COUNCIL TO ACT QUICKLY ON KOSOVO STATUS
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Kosovo today urged the Security Council to quickly draw up a roadmap for determining the status of the province, which the world body has administered since NATO troops drove out Yugoslav forces amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Joachim Rücker, told the 15-member Council in a closed session that the time had come to provide "a roadmap, a timetable, to assure Kosovo's two million inhabitants of where they are headed."

He praised the achievements of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). "Out of a humanitarian crisis, an institutional breakdown, and a complete security vacuum in 1999, UNMIK has put in place very firmly, together with its international and local partners, the foundations for a functioning democracy, a functioning rule of law sector and a functioning market economy," he said.

At the same time, he cautioned that the international community must act. "We have reached a critical point where further progress on the ground depends on ensuring clarity on Kosovo's status."

Mr. Rücker paid tribute to the people of Kosovo. "But today there is an undercurrent of anxiety throughout the population and among Kosovo's political leaders," he added. "They fear that the status process is losing momentum and what had appeared to have been an imminent resolution of Kosovo status will unravel."

The envoy briefed the Council and answered Council members' questions for about an hour, according to UNMIK.

"The people deserve clarity on status. The people need clarity on status," he told the members.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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LEBANON: UN FORCE COMMANDER MEETS WITH LEBANESE, ISRAELI OFFICIALS

LEBANON: UN FORCE COMMANDER MEETS WITH LEBANESE, ISRAELI OFFICIALS
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
The Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL) met today with senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to discuss recent violence in the region.

The talks, held by Major-General Claudio Graziano at the UN Position at the border crossing at Ras Al Naqoura, focused on carrying out Security Council resolution 1701, which ended last year's war between Israel and Hizbollah, and the recent incidents in the Force's area of operations.

In particular, participants discussed "the launch of rockets from Lebanese territory into Israel on 17 July and the terrorist attack on a UNIFIL convoy on 24 July," the mission said in a news release.

The representatives of the IDF and LAF conveyed their condolences on the tragic loss of six UNIFIL peacekeepers who died during the 24 July attack on a patrol near the town of Khiyam in what initial investigations indicate was caused by a remotely-detonated car bomb.

They also expressed their full support and readiness to work together with UNIFIL to prevent a recurrence, the Force said.
Maj.-Gen. Graziano thanked the representatives, and added that UNIFIL's peacekeepers were not deterred by the terrorist attack.

"I assured the parties that UNIFIL peacekeepers remain committed more than ever to implementing the tasks mandated by resolution 1701. This was not only an attack against UNIFIL. It was also an attack against peace and security in the area, and against the interests of the Lebanese people," he said.

Those attending the meeting also discussed the marking of the Blue Line and the temporary security arrangements for the northern part of the village of Ghajar.

"This meeting was constructive and we made progress on these issues," Maj.-Gen. Graziano said. "We hope to reach an understanding soon concerning the temporary security arrangements in northern Ghajar which would facilitate the withdrawal of the IDF from the Lebanese territory."
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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POOREST STATES BENEFIT LEAST FROM GLOBALIZATION'S ADVANTAGES: ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

POOREST STATES BENEFIT LEAST FROM GLOBALIZATION'S ADVANTAGES: ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
New York, Jul 9 2007 6:00PM
The world's poorest countries have benefited the least from globalization and yet suffered the most from the phenomenon's downsides, the General Assembly President said today at the opening of a conference convened to help those States make lasting economic gains.

Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa told the ministerial conference of the world's 50 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), held in Istanbul, that globalization has had an extremely uneven impact on the lives of the world's people.

"The paradox is evident when some in the world are waiting in line to buy new consumer technologies at a cost almost equal to the annual per capita income of hundreds of millions of people," she said.

"Mahatma Gandhi once said that in poor places, people see God in a piece of bread. This still holds true after many decades. LDCs have found themselves in an unfortunate situation. They have benefited least from globalization, and have been affected most by its negative impact."

Sheikha Haya, who opened the conference along with Abdullah Gul, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, stressed that the forces of globalization will continue to shape the world for decades.

Mr. Gul announced that a $20 million fund has been set up to support development projects in the LDCs, the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The General Assembly President, who has already addressed the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Global Compact meeting in Geneva during this trip, heads next to Tunisia for a bilateral visit with leaders of the North African country.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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LIBERIA AND UN MISSION ACHIEVE KEY TARGET IN POLICE RECRUITMENT

LIBERIA AND UN MISSION ACHIEVE KEY TARGET IN POLICE RECRUITMENT
New York, Jul 9 2007 5:00PM
More than 3,500 officers have now graduated from Liberia's Police Academy as part of United Nations-backed efforts to improve the rule of law in the West African country and help the nation rehabilitate after more than a decade of brutal civil war.

Speaking at a weekend graduation ceremony for 367 officers, the UN Deputy Special Representative and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=2332">UNMIL), Jordan Ryan, urged the new officers to be "professional in service delivery and accountable to the communities" they serve.

At the ceremony, which took place at the Police Academy in the capital Monrovia, Justice Minister Frances Johnson Morris hailed UNMIL's role in supporting the police, and also stressed to the graduates the importance of respecting human rights.

"The benchmark for the restructuring, recruitment and training mandate of the Liberia National Police (LNP) is a total number of 3,500 police officers. We have exceeded this goal today with the commissioning of the graduates of the 30th class, and adding up to a total of 3,522 graduates," she said.

"The Government of Liberia discharges its obligation of safeguarding human rights through the exercise of the police power… The role of UNMIL in this enterprise has been a classic example of accountable support. The United Nations through UNMIL played and continues to play a pivotal role in the realization of this crucial national objective."

Mr. Ryan also praised the new officers for sacrifices they have made towards rebuilding their country's new police force "which has at its core the foundations of a democratic and principled law enforcement institution."

"Each of you has displayed individual commitment and courage, and collectively you offer your nation the chance for peace, security and stability," he said.

After the graduation ceremony, Mr. Ryan, acting on behalf of the Netherlands Government, handed over 30 new motorbikes for use by the LNP. The Netherlands has so far contributed over $2 million for the restructuring and equipping of the national police service. UNMIL, through the UN Police, has been facilitating and coordinating donor support towards enhancing the capacity of the police.

As part of UNMIL's mandate UN Police officers have been monitoring, supporting and mentoring members of the new LNP to establish a well-trained, mobile police, committed to the protection of citizens' rights. To date, 3,522 police officers have been trained in modern policing methods and techniques, including a total of 203 women.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES DEADLY ATTACK AT YEMENI TOURIST SITE

SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES DEADLY ATTACK AT YEMENI TOURIST SITE
New York, Jul 9 2007 5:00PM
The Security Council today condemned last week's suicide car bombing near a popular tourist site in Yemen that claimed the lives of nine people, stressing the need to bring the sponsors as well as the perpetrators of all terrorist attacks to justice.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9071.doc.htm">statement read out by Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, which holds the rotating presidency this month, Council members offered its deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims and their families, and to the Governments of Spain and Yemen.

Seven Spanish tourists and two Yemeni nationals were killed in last Monday's bombing, which took place near an archaeological site in the province of Marib. Media reports say the explosion occurred 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.

Today's presidential statement urged all States to play their part to ensure that the perpetrators, the organizers, the financiers and the sponsors of the attack are brought to justice.

"The Security Council reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the statement added.

Last week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also voiced outrage at the deadly bombing and declared that no cause can justify such acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN POLITICAL OFFICIAL MEETS WITH CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON MYANMAR

UN POLITICAL OFFICIAL MEETS WITH CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON MYANMAR
New York, Jul 9 2007 4:00PM
Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, is meeting today with senior Government officials in Beijing as part of wider consultations in the region on the situation in the South-East Asian nation, a spokesperson for the world body announced.

"This is a trip to discuss Myanmar with some of the key countries in the region," UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

"Any effort to promote positive changes in Myanmar is going to require not only direct dialogue with the Government and people of the country, but also dialogue with all interested countries and all who can potentially help support our efforts," she stated.

Since being appointed Special Adviser in May, Mr. Gambari has consulted broadly on the situation in Myanmar, having visited Washington D.C two weeks ago and having travelled this week to the region.

Following talks in Beijing, he will travel to New Delhi and then to Tokyo for further meetings with Government counterparts before returning to New York over the weekend, Ms. Okabe added.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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BOSNIAN MUSLIM ARMY CHIEF FACING TRIAL AT UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

BOSNIAN MUSLIM ARMY CHIEF FACING TRIAL AT UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
New York, Jul 9 2007 4:00PM
The former head of Bosnian Muslim forces during the Balkan wars of the 1990s went on trial today at the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on charges that include murder, rape and torture.

Three judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY), sitting in The Hague, are hearing the trial of Rasim Deli&#263;, who served as Commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina from June 1993 until September 2005.

Mr. Deli&#263;, 58, is charged, on the basis of his command responsibility, for murder, cruel treatment and rape committed by his subordinate forces.

The charges include that he failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to punish those soldiers who executed captured Bosnian Croat civilians and soldiers in two villages in Travnik municipality in central Bosnia.

He also stands accused of failing to prevent the torture, beatings and murders – including a decapitation – committed by subordinates at Kamenica Camp, a detention centre for captured Bosnian Serb soldiers in central Bosnia.

In the most notorious murder, the decapitation of a Bosnian Serb soldier in July 1995, other prisoners were forced to kiss the severed head, which was later placed on a hook on the wall of the room where the prisoners were being held.

Mr. Deli&#263; is also charged over the rape by his subordinates of three women at Kamenica Camp.

The ICTY expects the prosecution case will include 55 witnesses and take about 40 trial days to complete.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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SHORTAGE OF BUILDING SUPPLIES HALTS UN CONSTRUCTION IN GAZA

SHORTAGE OF BUILDING SUPPLIES HALTS UN CONSTRUCTION IN GAZA
New York, Jul 9 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees has announced that it has halted construction on all of its building projects in the Gaza Strip because restrictions at the crossing points with Israel have led to a shortage of basic building supplies.

John Ging, the Gaza Director of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA), said about $93 million worth of projects are on hold because of the lack of cement and other building materials.

Mr. Ging said it was vital that the crossings between Israel and Gaza resume full operation, rather than just for food aid and medicines, warning that Gaza – which is home to more than 1.4 million people within its 360-square-kilometre area – faces the prospect of a humanitarian and public health crisis.

Mr. Ging also said that the restrictions at the border crossings, which began last month when intra-Palestinian violence erupted in Gaza, have led to a total loss of more than a million days of employment for local Palestinians.

He added that the restrictions were therefore placing an even larger burden on the humanitarian aid programme provided by UN agencies in the Gaza Strip.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON HOLDS MEETINGS WITH PORTUGUESE LEADERS

BAN KI-MOON HOLDS MEETINGS WITH PORTUGUESE LEADERS
New York, Jul 9 2007 3:00PM
Continuing an official visit to numerous European capitals, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stopped in Lisbon, Portugal, to meet with the country's leaders.

The Middle East, Darfur, Timor-Leste and the UN Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs), a set of internationally agreed poverty reduction targets, were on the agenda during talks with President Anibal Cavaco Silva, according to UN spokesperson Marie Okabe.

The Secretary-General held a meeting with former President Jorge Sampaio, who currently serves in the newly-created post of UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, established in 2005 to tackle fear and suspicion, bridge divides and overcome prejudices and polarizations between Islam and the West.

Mr. Sampaio was appointed to the post by Mr. Ban this April.

The Secretary-General also met with Foreign Minister Luis Filipe Marques Amado, and in comments to reporters afterwards, Mr. Ban voiced his concern over the situation in Darfur.

"He noted that the meeting of the International Contact Group in Paris on 25 June appears to have generated a new momentum, and consolidated international support," Ms. Okabe said at UN Headquarters in New York.

Mr. Ban also voiced deep concern over the Middle East, highlighting as an immediate priority the permanent and reliable reopening of Gaza crossings to give access to commercial and humanitarian supplies.

During his time in Lisbon, he has also met with other senior officials and is scheduled to hold discussions with Prime Minister José Sócrates, before departing this evening for Brussels.

Prior to his stop in Lisbon, Mr. Ban travelled to Geneva, where he opened the high-level portion of the annual UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session and attended the Global Compact Leaders Summit, as well as Rome, where he was present at the Conference on the Rule of Law in Afghanistan.

In Brussels, he will be present at the first meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, followed by an official visit to the United Kingdom, before returning to New York on 12 July.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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CENTRAL AMERICA BEHIND IN REGIONAL EFFORT AGAINST HUNGER, SAYS UN AGENCY CHIEF

CENTRAL AMERICA BEHIND IN REGIONAL EFFORT AGAINST HUNGER, SAYS UN AGENCY CHIEF
New York, Jul 9 2007 2:00PM
South America and the Caribbean have made substantial progress towards eliminating hunger, but Central American States are lagging behind in the same fight, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) told a meeting in Brazil today.

Director-General Jacques Diouf told a conference on food and nutritional security in Fortaleza that the number of people across the whole region suffering from hunger fell from 59 million in the early 1990s to 52 million in 2001-03.

But that sharp drop was confined to South America and the Caribbean, whereas in Central America the progress was not as positive, either in the number or proportion of victims of hunger and malnutrition, Dr. Diouf said.

He called on those countries to take notice of successful campaigns such as Zero Hunger, a programme launched in Brazil in 2003 that has since spurred similar schemes in Nicaragua and Colombia.

"FAO has learned very important lessons from this experience in Brazil. These lessons can be applied in other countries engaged in combating hunger," he said, stressing that any programmes to improve food security must consider factors such as the rapid urbanization of much of the developing world.

Insufficient access to land and water, a lack of available credit for the rural poor and the impact of climate change on farming land are also affecting the capacity of poorer nations to reduce hunger, Dr. Diouf said.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN COMMISSION ADOPTS DOZENS OF NEW FOOD STANDARDS

UN COMMISSION ADOPTS DOZENS OF NEW FOOD STANDARDS
New York, Jul 9 2007 2:00PM
A United Nations commission that is the world's highest body on food standards has adopted dozens of new and amended food standards and introduced measures to help countries establish their own regulations.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission – which was created in 1963 by the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr34/en/index.html">WHO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) – recently wrapped up its annual meeting which was attended by an unprecedented 133 countries this year.

Commission Secretary Kazuaki Miyagishima said additional regulations must be up to global standards. "It is important that the extra safety measures are taken using the same rigorous and internationally recognized principles, not only to protect consumers, but to ensure they are consistent with multilateral trade rules," he said.

Both WHO and FAO lauded the efforts by Codex to prevent antimicrobial resistance in bacteria in food, and stated their readiness to support the Commission in the use of nanotechnology and the risk-benefit assessment of fish consumption, among other areas.

To raise funds for this new work, the two UN agencies launched the Global Initiative for Food related Scientific Advise, hoping to spur support among donors and civil society.

At the meeting, Codex also developed guidelines to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter, which together cause a large proportion of food-borne diseases worldwide. If dealt with efficiently, hundreds of thousands of cases of such disease could be prevented yearly.

For the first time, two emerging developing countries – Brazil and Malaysia – stated their intention to contribute to the Codex Trust fund, which helps other developing countries to participate in the Commission's meetings.

The two countries' contribution is the first example of developing economies supplying support to others in the realm of food safety.

"Hopefully this example will lead several more major emerging economies to follow suit enabling a more efficient global food safety system," said WHO's Jorgen Schlundt.

Codex codes adopted this year include a measure reducing contamination of Ochratoxin A, which is toxic to the kidneys, in wines; a revised standard for infant formulae, including those for special medical purposes to save babies' lives; and a revised code of hygiene for eggs and egg products to protect people from bacteria such as Salmonella Enteritidis.

The next meeting will begin on 30 June, 2008, in Geneva, Switzerland.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL URGES RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO ACHIEVING ANTI-POVERTY TARGETS

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL URGES RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO ACHIEVING ANTI-POVERTY TARGETS
New York, Jul 9 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations human rights chief has called on States to ensure that strategies to achieve the world's shared anti-poverty goals be grounded in the internationally recognized human rights to which all countries have subscribed.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour made her call in a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/7381B4B4470FFC0AC1257312007306F4?opendocument">statement released on Saturday, the mid-point between the adoption in 2000 of the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) and the 2015 deadline for achieving them.

She cited sobering statistics on child mortality, saying it remains "deeply troubling" in parts of Africa, while the number of people dying of HIV and AIDS worldwide increased to 2.9 million in 2006. In addition, sub-Saharan Africa is presently not on track to achieve any of the global anti-poverty targets, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), she noted.

"The disturbing midpoint snapshot must serve as a call to action on behalf of us all," Ms. Arbour said. "Despite progress in some areas and in some parts of the world, it appears that governments are not honouring the commitments they have made."

Ms. Arbour noted that while high economic growth rates drive overall gains in some regions, "the rising tide doesn't lift all boats – not everyone is benefiting," adding that in many cases entire communities and populations are sidelined.

She warned that gross inequalities often not only fuel violent conflict and frustrate the prospects for sustainable development, but frequently constitute a violation of fundamental human rights.

Poverty is frequently a cause, as well as consequence, of human rights violations, she added. "A focus on global average progress glosses over entrenched patterns of discrimination and inequality that can sentence communities to generations of poverty."

She called for data that is disaggregated to capture disparities and patterns of discrimination, and effective redress for those whose rights are ignored or violated.

Ms. Arbour also stressed that more must be done globally, including increasing international aid and strengthening development partnerships.

"Citizens in developed countries must understand that global injustices are cause for common concern, that development, security and human rights are indeed inextricably linked, and they must pressure their politicians to respond," she said.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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NEW ESTIMATES SHED LIGHT ON 2.5 MILLION IN INDIA LIVING WITH HIV - UNAIDS

NEW ESTIMATES SHED LIGHT ON 2.5 MILLION IN INDIA LIVING WITH HIV – UNAIDS
New York, Jul 8 2007 11:00AM
New more accurate 2006 estimates indicate that HIV affects approximately 2.5 million people in India, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/MediaCentre/PressMaterials/FeatureStory/20070704_India_new_data.asp">UNAIDS) said today, hailing progress in dealing with the epidemic while warning against complacency.

"The HIV burden remains substantial. India's efforts, especially those in prevention, are noteworthy and should be further scaled up along with provision of universal access to treatment for those who need it," said Dr. Salim Habayeb of the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr37/en/index.html">WHO), a UNAIDS partner.

The Indian Government, with the support of UNAIDS and WHO, released the new estimates based on an expanded surveillance system and a revised and enhanced methodology enacted.

In recent years, the Indian Government has increased population groups studied to realize improvements in accuracy creating 400 new sentinel surveillance sites in 2006 and facilitating National Family Health Survey-3, a population based survey.

Despite new results that show a marginal decline in 2006, many speak against an easing of momentum in response to data findings in fear of downward revision.

Sujatha Rao, the Additional Secretary and Director General of the National AIDS
Control Organization (NACO) said that "new lower estimates do not mean a sharp decline in the epidemic."

The Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anhumani Ramadoss said AIDS is still "a serious epidemic with the potential to trigger off."

While there have been reductions of HIV infection rates in certain regions and among certain populations, others are seeing an increase in rates. In particular, estimates show an increase in infection rates among several higher risk groups such as people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. While data does suggest that HIV prevalence levels are declining among sex workers in the southern states, overall prevalence levels among this group continue to be high, UNAIDS said in a news release.

Factors that hurt efforts to counter HIV spread in India include stigma and discrimination and prejudice towards those infected.

Still, many see the small-scale advancements as confidence boosters that should encourage state and partner agencies to increase the strength of HIV programmes in order to retain any current gains and move forward. "Trends evident from latest estimates validate India's national AIDS strategy," said Dr. Denis Brown, the UNAIDS Country Coordinator.
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO CHIEF DEPLORES MURDER OF THREE MORE IRAQI JOURNALISTS

UNESCO CHIEF DEPLORES MURDER OF THREE MORE IRAQI JOURNALISTS
New York, Jul 8 2007 11:00PM
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today condemned the latest killings of journalists in Iraq -- two staff members of a Baghdad television network and an employee of a newspaper in the northern city of Mosul.

The body of Sarmad Hamdi Al-Hassani, 43, was found on 28 June, a day after the employee of Baghdad TV was abducted in the Al-Jami'a quarter of the Iraqi capital. His colleague, Mohammed Hilal Karji, was abducted and killed earlier last month. In April, the Deputy Director of the same television network and one of his assistants were killed after a truck laden with explosives was driven at the network's building and gunmen then opened fire.

"This determination says a lot about the deliberate will of the criminals to eliminate all the voices which upset them and to finish with freedom of expression," UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said in a statement issued at the agency's headquarters in Paris.

In a separate attack, the body of Louaï Souleimane, who worked for the newspaper <i>Nineveh</i>, which is published by a Christian association, was found riddled with bullets in the city of Mosul on 28 June.

Mr. Matsuura reiterated his previous calls for more measures to protect media professionals in Iraq, which has become the most dangerous place in the world for journalists.

According to Reporters without Borders, at least 191 journalists and media assistants have been killed in Iraq since United States-led forces invaded in March 2003 and two others remain missing. Some 35 people have died since the start of this year.

UNESCO is the only UN agency mandated to defend the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON NAMES TOP AIDES TO DEAL WITH POOR COUNTRIES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

BAN KI-MOON NAMES TOP AIDES TO DEAL WITH POOR COUNTRIES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
New York, Jul 8 2007 11:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today named the Ambassador of Mali to the United Nations as his top aide dealing with the world's most vulnerable countries and appointed a veteran information technology professional from the Republic of Korea as the world body's new Chief IT Officer.

Cheikh Sidi Diarra of Mali will serve as the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, succeeding Anwarul Chowdhury, a spokesperson for Mr. Ban announced today.

Spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York that the full mobilization of the UN system in support of these countries is a high priority for the Secretary-General and reflects his commitment to the developmental objectives of the UN. She said the new High Representative would also serve as the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Mr. Diarra has over 25 years of professional experience in international relations, law and development. He has been actively involved in furthering African integration efforts and the African development agenda, and has long engaged in multilateral diplomacy.

Choi Soon-hong of the Republic of Korea was named Chief IT Officer, responsible for all substantive and operational needs on information and communication technologies of the United Nations, Ms. Okabe said. He is the first person to serve in the post, which was created by the General Assembly in July 2006 as part of a reform package.

Mr. Choi has 30 years of technical and management experience in the public and private sectors. He joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1981 and has served as its Head of Information Technology Services since 2004. He also has experience in the private sector.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS ATTACK THAT KILLED 130 PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRAQ

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS ATTACK THAT KILLED 130 PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRAQ
New York, Jul 8 2007 11:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned "in the strongest terms" the bomb attack which killed and wounded hundreds of Iraqis in the north, and urged the country's leaders to work for peace.

A spokesperson for Mr. Ban issued a statement saying he was "appalled" by the bomb attack on a busy marketplace in Amirli, where 130 people were killed and over 240 wounded, many of them seriously.

"He condemns in the strongest terms such heinous acts which target innocent civilians," the spokesperson said.

The Secretary-General repeated his call for all Iraqi leaders "to work together to bring the violence to a halt and engage in a real political dialogue in the hopes of building a peaceful and stable Iraq."

2007-07-08 00:00:00.000

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AS SIERRA LEONE ELECTION CAMPAIGN APPROACHES, UN OFFICIAL URGES DEMOCRATIC CONDUCT

AS SIERRA LEONE ELECTION CAMPAIGN APPROACHES, UN OFFICIAL URGES DEMOCRATIC CONDUCT
New York, Jul 9 2007 10:00AM
On the eve of the start of election campaigning in Sierra Leone, a senior United Nations official in the country today urged democratic conduct by the parties.

"A peaceful campaign is crucial for credible elections," <"http://www.uniosil.org/read.asp?newsID=500&cat=">said the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General, Victor Angelo, encouraging all candidates to abide by the Political Parties Code of Conduct.

He said the UN trusts that they "will keep the national interest above everything else and exhibit during the campaigning period the democratic maturity that they have shown during the nomination phase, as well as during the previous stages of the electoral process."

Mr. Angelo also urged reporters and producers to fully adhere to the Media Code of Conduct.

Sierra Leonean voters will go to the polls on 11 August for nationwide elections.
2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IN CLOTHING DRIVE

UN REFUGEE AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IN CLOTHING DRIVE
New York, Jul 9 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency is joining forces with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in their second "Giving is Winning" campaign aimed at collecting sportswear for distribution to refugees and displaced people around the world.

IOC President Jacques Rogge started the ball rolling by handing over a bag full of sports clothes to Marion Hoffmann, UNHCR representative for Mexico, Cuba and Central America, during the official launch ceremony in Guatemala City on Friday.

The campaign, which is linked to next year's Beijing Olympic Games, has set a target of filling 10 containers -- each 20-foot wide -- with sports clothes to be distributed in 10 different camps.

The first "Giving is Winning" campaign coincided with the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and gathered nearly 30,000 items of sports clothing distributed to refugees across three continents.

"We saw in the course of the first 'Giving is Winning' campaign in Athens in 2004, just what a difference the Olympic Games made to the daily lives of refugees," Ms. Hoffmann said, referring to youngsters who followed the games in camps around the world. "The glory of sports rubbed off on them and made them feel important."

UNHCR and the IOC said three National Olympic Committees are already on board with the drive and have made donations that will help refugees in camps in Chad and Rwanda.

"We will continue, through different activities, to assist those who are ravaged by war and disease, disadvantaged and marginalized," Mr. Rogge pledged.

2007-07-09 00:00:00.000

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