UN FORCE COMMANDER URGES CEASEFIRE IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO

UN FORCE COMMANDER URGES CEASEFIRE IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO
New York, Sep 6 2007 7:00PM
With violence flaring in the volatile eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a senior United Nations military official based in the country today called for a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement to the conflict which has pit government troops against faction leader Laurent Nkunda.

Speaking at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, Major-General Babacar Gaye, Force Commander of the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), said the situation is extremely complex and warned that it requires a "very measured response."

He said the fighting has potential wider implications for the subregion, characterizing General Nkunda as a self-styled leader of the Tutsi community, which is present on both sides of the DRC-Rwanda border. "Laurent Nkunda considers himself a spokesman and protector of the Tutsi community, of whom one part are refugees in Rwanda, and the return of these refugees is the first thing he is demanding of the Government," explained Mr. Gaye.

Their return, he added, must be predicated on a settlement of the situation in northern Kivu. This, in turn, requires attention to the overall security sector reform, he stressed, pointing out that "it is the weakness of the Congolese State which makes it difficult to extend its authority to all parts of northern Kivu, which has led Laurent Nkunda to progressively fill the void the State has left."

He recalled that mixed brigades were a temporary solution to a confrontation that existed between forces loyal to General Nkunda and Government units. About three weeks ago to the northeast of Goma, MONUC had to intervene to avoid a confrontation between a Nkunda battalion and a Government battalion.

"When we saw this trend happening within the other mixed brigades we understood that the conditions were there for a confrontation," said the Force Commander.

Maj.-Gen. Gaye said from what he had learned, Laurent Nkunda "is outstretching his hand to soldiers that were his prisoners as well as to negotiate with the Government." For its part, MONUC would help that process, he said. "There should immediately be a ceasefire and a negotiated solution because clearly the first victims of these confrontations are the civilian populations."

The Force Commander said it is desirable to have a negotiated solution "to avoid having insecurity become endemic in northern Kivu."

On what MONUC has done, he stressed that it had for three months reinforced its North Kivu brigade with an additional battalion while increasing its mobile operations and providing "measured support" to the Congolese Army, known by its French acronym FARDC.

Asked about the role of Rwanda, he said "obviously Rwanda to my opinion will never accept that they are providing support on an official basis to Laurent Nkunda but the reality is that because the Tutsi community is living on both side of the borders you may have people who are coming on their own to support Laurent Nkunda. But there is no indication that there is an intervention."

In a separate development, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes was in South Kivu Province today, where he met recently internally displaced persons (IDPs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Mr. Holmes also went to the General Referral Hospital of Panzi. Dr. Denis Mukwege, head of the hospital, described widespread sexual violence, with victims often publicly raped by multiple perpetrators frequently in front of their families and communities. One-third of the survivors are shot or stabbed in their genitals and therefore require complex surgical procedures. In the first six months of this year in South Kivu alone, 4,500 cases of sexual violence have been reported, but the real number is many times higher.

"I am not the same person now as I was when I walked in here – I have heard stories today that go beyond the imagination," Mr. Holmes said. "I cannot find the words to describe what I have heard today. The only thing I can say is never again. I will remember these stories for the rest of my life."

On Friday, he is scheduled to travel to North Kivu Province, where fighting has displaced more than 10,000 civilians since 27 August, according to OCHA. Since December 2006, North Kivu has been ravaged by violent clashes leading to the displacement of more than 224,000 people.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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INDIGENOUS LEADERS VOICE HOPE THAT UN ASSEMBLY WILL SOON ADOPT RIGHTS DECLARATION

INDIGENOUS LEADERS VOICE HOPE THAT UN ASSEMBLY WILL SOON ADOPT RIGHTS DECLARATION
New York, Sep 6 2007 6:00PM
Indigenous leaders today expressed hope that the United Nations General Assembly next week will adopt a declaration outlining their rights and outlawing discrimination against them.

Although the UN Human Rights Council endorsed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – which has been drafted and debated for more than two decades – last June, the Assembly deferred action after some Member States raised concerns.

A majority of the 16 members of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, an advisory body, have agreed to endorse a recently amended draft declaration for adoption by the General Assembly, Victoria Tauli-Corpus, who serves as Chair of the Forum and as the Co-coordinator of the Asia Indigenous Peoples' Caucus on the declaration, told reporters in New York.

"We think that this is a historical milestone if it is going to be adopted, and hopefully we would like it to be adopted by consensus. It is a historical milestone, too, for the indigenous peoples who have been doing this work for more than 22 years," said Ms. Tauli-Corpus, who belongs to the Kankanaey-Igorot people of the Cordillera region in the Phillippines.

She noted that States have a "historical obligation and a moral obligation" to adopt the declaration, which she characterized as a "key instrument and tool for raising awareness on indigenous peoples' situations and indigenous peoples' rights."

The General Assembly is expected to consider the adoption of the Declaration on 13 September before the conclusion of its current session the following day.

This May at the Forum's annual session, Ms. Tauli-Corpuz said that there was a widespread misunderstanding that the declaration places indigenous peoples in a special category.

"The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – it's really an instrument that interprets international human rights law in so far as it applies to indigenous peoples," she said. "So it's not a document, it's not a declaration that creates new rights."

The declaration emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.

The text prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them, as well as their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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LIBERIA: UN MISSION DRAWDOWN DESIGNED TO FOSTER STABILITY, ENVOY SAYS

LIBERIA: UN MISSION DRAWDOWN DESIGNED TO FOSTER STABILITY, ENVOY SAYS
New York, Sep 6 2007 6:00PM
The planned drawdown of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmil/index.html">UNMIL) is designed to foster stability in the country, which has consolidated democracy in recent years following a devastating civil war, the world body's senior envoy there said today.

Addressing the Security Council in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Alan Doss, said the proposed reduction of the mission's military and police components was "designed to minimize threats to territorial integrity and to deal with any serious disruption" to Liberia's internal stability.

At the same time, he cautioned that security in the country remains a paramount concern. The Secretary-General's latest report recommends that the drawdown of the military component be undertaken in three stages in "a gradual manner to avoid creating instability," Mr. Doss told the closed-door meeting, according to a news release from UNMIL.

This should provide the "time and space needed for Liberia to address these challenges and for the Government to progressively assume full responsibility for national security," he noted.

The Government of Liberia must also reinforce its ongoing efforts to promote reconciliation, develop accountable and effective security forces, carry out economic reforms and tackle corruption, as well as strengthen the rule of law, promote social equity and the rights of women and children, and consolidate national control over natural resources, the envoy stressed.

The Secretary-General has recommended that the drawdown for both the military and police component take place in multiple stages from the current level of 15,200, with 9,750 remaining on the ground by the end of 2010.

Mr. Doss also informed the Council that the Government was working with UNMIL and the UN country team to tackle the prevalence of gender-based violence, especially rape, which was one of the "most frequently committed serious crimes in Liberia."

On the critical aspect of job creation, Mr. Doss said UNMIL had worked with other agencies and the Government on joint road rehabilitation programmes, creating about 31,000 temporary jobs for mainly unskilled workers, including ex-combatants, in rural areas. Plans were also underway to complete the reintegration programme to prepare former fighters for work, he noted.

UNMIL was established in September 2003 to support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the peace process; protect UN staff, facilities and civilians; bolster humanitarian and human rights activities; and assist in national security reform, including national police training and formation of a new, restructured military.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN OFFICIALS IN AFRICA TO BE RESHUFFLED

TOP UN OFFICIALS IN AFRICA TO BE RESHUFFLED
New York, Sep 6 2007 5:00PM
Three top United Nations officials in Africa will switch posts to allow the world body to address issues on the continent, especially in Somalia and the Central African Republic (CAR), it was announced today.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed, in an exchange of letters with the Security Council, that Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, who currently heads the UN Office in West Africa, be appointed as his Special Representative for Somalia. Mr. Ban also suggested upgrading the position to that of Under-Secretary-General.

Meanwhile, the current Special Representative for Somalia François Lonsény Fall would be reassigned to head the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the CAR. General Lamine Cissé, who now heads that Office, would in turn temporarily be officer-in-charge of the UN Office in West Africa, Mr. Ould Abdallah's current post.

"These are changes aimed at ensuring that the United Nations is doing its utmost to rise to a number of challenges and opportunities it faces in several key arenas in Africa – particularly Somalia and the Central African Republic," UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN RESOURCE COMPILES INFORMATION ON TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE

NEW UN RESOURCE COMPILES INFORMATION ON TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Sep 6 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has created an information gathering web resource – displaying data, studies, policy papers, videos and other materials – as part of its effort to combat climate change.

"This service is a contribution to foster the knowledge base and the search for solutions to face the climate challenge," said the agency's Assistant Secretary-General Geoffrey Lipman of the "Climate and Tourism Information Exchange Service. "We have to facilitate information exchange and help build networks which will constitute the true basis for concrete action."

UNWTO has spearheaded the study of linkages between climate and tourism, having convened the first-ever International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Tunisia in 2003. The second Conference will be held in Davos, Switzerland, next month.

"The tourism sector has to mitigate and adapt in the face of global warming and explore and put in place more climate-friendly and climate-proof alternatives," Mr. Lipman noted.

Climate change will also be a key topic of discussion at the UNWTO General Assembly in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in late November, where the agency will formulate suggestions for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's strategy for the upcoming major December summit in Bali, Indonesia.

That conference will seeks to determine future action on mitigation, adaptation, the global carbon market and financing responses to climate change for the period after the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol – the current global framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – in 2012.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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UN CULTURE AGENCY CELEBRATES LIFE OF POET, PHILOSOPHER AND SPIRITUAL LEADER RUMI

UN CULTURE AGENCY CELEBRATES LIFE OF POET, PHILOSOPHER AND SPIRITUAL LEADER RUMI
New York, Sep 6 2007 4:00PM
A demonstration of Sufi dancing, an exhibition of manuscripts, books and paintings, and an international seminar of scholars are among the events being held today by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1657&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the birth of the poet, philosopher and Muslim spiritual leader Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Balkhi-Rumi.

UNESCO said it would issue a commemorative medal in honour of the man known also as Rumi as part of the day-long programme being held at its headquarters in Paris. Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey have helped organize the festivities.

Born in 1207 in Balkh in what is now Afghanistan, Rumi is the author of the renowned Mathnawi or "Rhyming Couplets." After being exiled, he spent most of his life in Konya, which is in present-day Turkey. Since his death in 1273, Rumi has come to be considered one of the greatest Sufi masters.

In a press statement UNESCO said today's seminar brings together eminent scholars and philosophers from Member States to discuss themes relating to the thought, message and universality of Rumi.

A performance of Sufi dancing by troupes from Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey will also take place, while the exhibition of books, manuscripts and paintings relating to Rumi will remain on display until 14 September.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO SPOTLIGHTS CRUCIAL ROLE OF PEACEBUILDING FUND IN CONSOLIDATING STABILITY

MIGIRO SPOTLIGHTS CRUCIAL ROLE OF PEACEBUILDING FUND IN CONSOLIDATING STABILITY
New York, Sep 6 2007 2:00PM
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today stressed the central role played by the multimillion dollar Peacebuilding Fund in helping countries emerging from conflict from sliding back into war.

"The UN's own experiences show that roughly half of all countries that emerge from war lapse back into violence within five years," Ms. Migiro told the Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group, which held its first-ever meeting at UN Headquarters. "The new peacebuilding structures are designed to address this dismal reality, and to more effectively support countries in the transition from war to lasting peace."

The Fund, which was launched last year, is a multi-year standing trust fund that has an initial funding target of $250 million and so far has collected deposits worth $143.8 million from donor countries.

It has approved grants of more than $46 million to 19 projects in Burundi and Sierra Leone, the two countries currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), and also $700,000 in emergency funding to support dialogue between opposing forces in divided Côte d'Ivoire.

Ms. Migiro pointed out that the Fund can support nations not being considered by the Commission and also disburse resources in emergency situations.

However, she noted that the Fund alone cannot solve all problems faced by post-conflict nations and ensure peace and stability. "That is why the Fund is intended as a catalyst – to 'kick-start' critical peacebuilding interventions – such as the reintegration of demobilized soldiers, or critical security sector reform initiatives. Long-term funding must still come from multilateral and bilateral supporters," she stressed.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR PEACE TALKS TO RESUME NEXT MONTH - BAN KI-MOON

DARFUR PEACE TALKS TO RESUME NEXT MONTH – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Sep 6 2007 2:00PM
Fresh peace talks to resolve the deadly conflict that has engulfed Darfur since 2003 will resume next month in Libya, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today in the Sudanese capital as he urged all parties to immediately cease hostilities and commit to the negotiation process.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1062">Speaking to the press in Khartoum, after a meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Mr. Ban said the talks in Tripoli, Libya, on 27 October will be led by the United Nations and African Union (AU) Special Envoys to Darfur, Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim, who will work closely with the countries of the region.

Mr. Ban, who has made resolving the Darfur conflict a priority of his administration, said he expected all parties to do much more than cease their hostilities and participate in and commit to the outcome of the negotiations. He urged them to also achieve a political solution to the crisis and to help create a secure environment that is conducive to negotiations.

"There must be an end to violence and insecurity, a strengthened ceasefire supported by the incoming Hybrid Operation [an AU-UN peacekeeping force to be known as UNAMID], as well as an improvement in the humanitarian situation and greater prospects for development and recovery for the people of Darfur," he said.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and at least 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes because of fighting between rebel groups, Government forces and notorious allied militia known as the Janjaweed. The conflict has sparked a humanitarian crisis that has left millions dependent on aid.

The UN and the Sudanese Government issued a joint communiqué today following Mr. Ban's visit to the country in which Khartoum pledged to cease hostilities in Darfur, participate constructively in the renewed negotiations and to work with the UN and the AU to ensure the timely deployment of UNAMID.

The Government also committed to work with the humanitarian community to ensure that essential relief services reach those in need in Darfur and to intensify its efforts to improve inter-communal relations across the country.

In addition, Khartoum promised to do its utmost to implement the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended the separate, long-running north-south civil war and to holding free and fair elections in Sudan in 2009.

The UN pledged to deploy UNAMID as quickly as possible and to do as much as it can to promote peace and stability in Darfur and to support the comprehensive peace agreement and better north-south relations.

Mr. Ban, who now travels to Chad and Libya on this trip, said his first-ever visit to Sudan – which included meetings with Sudanese Government officials, aid workers, UN staff, civil society groups, tribal leaders and internally displaced persons (IDPs) – had been highly productive.

"We have taken a big step toward our shared goal of bringing peace to Darfur and long-term development of Sudan," he said, referring to the joint communiqué, and adding later that it was time for everyone to "seize this moment" to attain peace in Darfur and stability in southern Sudan.

Earlier today, Mr. Ban also held talks with Foreign Minister Lam Akol; the former Darfurian rebel and now Senior Assistant to the President, Minni Minawi; the Speaker of the National Assembly; other parliamentarians; and senior Government officials.

He concludes his four-day visit to Sudan with a reception tonight in Khartoum hosted by the Foreign Ministry.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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PERU: UN AGENCY PROVIDES EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AFTER QUAKE

PERU: UN AGENCY PROVIDES EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AFTER QUAKE
New York, Sep 6 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations telecommunications agency has deployed 50 satellite terminals in remote areas of southern Peru as part of its efforts to restore vital emergency communication links to the region in the wake of last month's deadly earthquake.

The 50 "plug and play" terminals, which are portable devices the size of a small suitcase, allow users to make calls to telephones, access the Internet and provide other voice, data and video services, such as telemedicine.

The Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/NP09.html">ITU) said in a statement released today that the terminals are being deployed to areas where telecommunications were severed because of the damage caused by the quake. Rescue operations in Peru have been hampered by the often mountainous terrain.

"We take very seriously the role of telecommunications in mitigating disasters," Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau.

"Whenever a country is affected by a disaster, we quickly mobilize and dispatch transportable telecommunications resources that can be used for general communications by government authorities and to provide e-services such as telemedicine that are crucial for saving human lives," he added, voicing hope that the contribution would help Peru cope with the recent massive earthquake.

So far, the ITU has allocated more than $500,000 to cover the costs of deploying the terminals and paying for their use, but officials said this figure may rise.

Cosmas Zavazava, head of the Emergency Telecommunications Division of the ITU, told the UN News Service that the agency is planning to launch in December a framework for cooperation in emergencies that will include a fund to pay for the deployment and use of equipment.

The 15 August quake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale and struck 161 kilometres south of the capital, Lima, has resulted in the death of over 500 people and injured more than 1,000 others, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In addition, preliminary assessments indicate that over 37,000 houses and four hospitals were destroyed, while 16 hospitals were damaged.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN CHECHNYA IMPROVES BUT SERIOUS CHALLENGES REMAIN - UN

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN CHECHNYA IMPROVES BUT SERIOUS CHALLENGES REMAIN – UN
New York, Sep 6 2007 12:00PM
The humanitarian situation has improved significantly in the Russian republic of Chechnya, where hundreds of thousands of people were uprooted in two separatist wars, but serious challenges remain, including security and human rights abuses, the United Nations refugee agency said in a report from the Chechen capital of Grozny.

"Stabilization of the situation [in the region] has become a reality, tangible positive changes have happened, particularly in Chechnya," noted Jo Hegenauer, head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46dec40c4.html">UNHCR) office in the neighbouring republic of North Ossetia.

UNHCR, with its so-called quick impact projects (QIPs), is helping a few returnees in Chechnya, as well as displaced Chechens in the neighbouring republics, to start small businesses.

QIPs are widely viewed as being among the most effective tools used by UN missions around the world to help local communities at ground level and at low cost, from repairing leaking roofs in schools in Georgia to opening a vocational centre in Liberia to refurbishing sanitation facilities in Burundi.

The memories of terror and destruction remain vivid for those who went through the wars that started in 1994 and 1999, the report stressed. "The whole house and even the cellar [in our family home in Grozny] were shaking because of the bombs," it quoted one resident as saying, who has spent more than seven years in a camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in neighbouring Ingushetia.

"I was shot at by a sniper who, fortunately, missed. Then some soldiers used me as a human shield. They forced me to go down into cellars where they suspected Chechen fighters were hiding," the 68-year-old added. The report gave him the fictitious name of Lecha Abazov for what it called "for protection reasons."

He was among hundreds of thousands of people who sought safety elsewhere in Chechnya, in other parts of the Russian Federation or overseas. But while Mr. Abazov remains in Ingushetia, most IDPs have returned home.

Today, there are some 15,000 Chechen IDPs in Ingushetia compared to 240,000 in January 2000 and some 30,000 within Chechnya itself compared to an estimated 170,000 seven years ago. There are also about 6,500 Chechen IDPs in the nearby Russian republic of Dagestan.

Despite the widespread material damage, there are clear signs of economic recovery. Aside from the return of displaced people, the pace of reconstruction is gathering pace with building sites all over Grozny, UNHCR reported. The authorities earlier this year announced plans to build housing for some 3,000 displaced families currently living in temporary accommodation centres.

But significant problems remain in Chechnya and neighbouring republics. In April, UNHCR and other UN agencies withdrew from Ingushetia after a rocket attack on their joint compound in the town of Nazran. The offices remain closed and the incident showed that security remains an issue.

Human rights abuses and problems in implementing the rule of law, especially execution of court orders, are also causes of concern, the report noted.

"Although statistics show that the number of human rights violations has dropped significantly in Chechnya, human rights violations are still widespread in the republic," it quoted a representative of a human rights organization in Chechnya as saying. These include torture, extrajudicial executions, abductions and forced disappearances.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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HUMANITARIAN MAIL IN TIMES OF NATURAL CATASTROPHE, CONFLICT HONOURED ON UN STAMPS

HUMANITARIAN MAIL IN TIMES OF NATURAL CATASTROPHE, CONFLICT HONOURED ON UN STAMPS
New York, Sep 6 2007 12:00PM
United Nations postal authorities today issued four stamps to raise awareness of the importance of humanitarian mail in times of natural catastrophes or conflicts.

The stamps, all sharing a common design of a letter carrier holding a letter in one hand as he floats over a sea of hands reaching out, were issued by the UN Postal Administration (UNPA), and the UN Universal Postal Union (<"http://www.upu.int/news_centre/2007/en/2007-09-06_service_stamp.shtml">UPU) and Swiss Post.

"The design symbolizes the UN's and the UPU's commitment to delivering food, aid, material and mail to the victims of natural disasters or armed conflicts," the head of UNPA's New York office, Robert Gray, said.

In certain cases, humanitarian mail enables people to find lost relatives and serves as a communication link when other communication means have been destroyed or have broken down.

The UNPA issued three stamps, one for each of the UN Offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna, while Swiss Post issued one as a UPU official stamp. It is the first time that the three organizations worked together on a common issue.

The four stamps were unveiled during a ceremony at UPU headquarters in Berne, the Swiss capital, by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Adolf Ogi, UPU Director General Edouard Dayan, Mr. Gray, and Swiss Post Chief Executive Ulrich Gygi.

"Providing humanitarian aid is one of the UN's fundamental missions, to respond collectively to major crises that hit our member countries and often the poorest ones," Mr. Dayan said. "The UPU, whose mission it is to guarantee the right to communication through postal services, fully assumes its role when any of its member countries are devastated by natural catastrophes, pandemics or even armed conflicts."

The UN stamps can only be mailed from the UN in New York, Geneva and Vienna, while the UPU stamp is only valid on mail posted at the UPU International Bureau in Berne.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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RACING AGAINST CLOCK, UN SEEKS $81 MILLION TO FEED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN CHAD

RACING AGAINST CLOCK, UN SEEKS $81 MILLION TO FEED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN CHAD
New York, Sep 6 2007 11:00AM
In a race against time, the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) launched an urgent appeal today for $81 million in new donations for another major operation to feed more than 230,000 Sudanese refugees and 150,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern Chad, who depend entirely on the handouts for their daily survival.

To reach its targets, WFP needs to set in motion, by next month at the latest, a programme to buy and ship 79,000 metric tons of food to eastern Chad, where refugees uprooted by the war in Sudan's Darfur region and Chadians displaced by related conflicts have sought refuge in more than a dozen camps and villages.

The new operation entails mobilizing ocean-going transport as well as a fleet of 8,000 trucks to travel overland, either from Douala Port in Cameroon or along the 1,800-kilometre Libyan corridor across the Sahara desert.

"Given the long lead time for deliveries to Chad, we need to have this operation rolling by October," WFP Country Director Felix Bamezon said. "And as soon as the food arrives here, WFP will be in a real race against the clock to deliver before the rains start in June. That might seem a long way off now, but from June 2008 onwards, roads will become impassable and will be officially closed."

He noted that pre-positioning for this year's rainy season, currently underway, had been completed successfully, with sufficient stocks to feed refugees and IDPs until November. But he added that the increased demands for 2008 required new donations to be confirmed by next month to ensure that food is pre-positioned before the onset of next year's rains.

"Donors need to act now to avoid the risk of any delay in providing food for hundreds of thousands of people who entirely depend on WFP for their daily survival," Mr. Bamezon said.

The total cost of WFP's entire emergency operation in Chad for the two years running from January 2007 to December 2008 is $186.3 million. The agency supplies monthly rations to the refugees and IDPs, and also helps local host populations, under pressure from the influx, to meet their food needs.

Security and the current rainy season combine to confront humanitarian agencies in Chad with a particularly challenging environment at the moment. The UN's Humanitarian Air Service, run by WFP, provides a vital air link for over 60 UN agencies and non-governmental organizations and needs continuous support to increase capacity, flights and access to new IDP sites.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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MOURNING LUCIANO PAVAROTTI'S DEATH, BAN KI-MOON PRAISES HIM AS 'TRUE FRIEND' OF UN

MOURNING LUCIANO PAVAROTTI'S DEATH, BAN KI-MOON PRAISES HIM AS 'TRUE FRIEND' OF UN
New York, Sep 6 2007 11:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to the late Luciano Pavarotti who beyond being one of the world's foremost tenor singers was a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

"Mr. Pavarotti made a profound contribution not only to music and the arts, but also to people in need around the world," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2722">statement issued by his spokesperson. "His work for children – particularly those affected by armed conflict – stretched from Afghanistan to Liberia and beyond.

"By staging concerts and marshalling talented friends to help raise funds, he generated millions of dollars for humanitarian aid. A true friend of the UN, he described himself as 'a small link to help promote the humanitarian aims and inviolable rights which are under the United Nations flag,'" the statement added.

Mr. Ban joins Mr. Pavarotti's countless fans and admirers, as well as all those he worked to help and heal, "in giving thanks for his life," it concluded.
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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UN SENDS MORE FOOD TO HURRICANE VICTIMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA

UN SENDS MORE FOOD TO HURRICANE VICTIMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA
New York, Sep 6 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2628">WFP) has distributed a second consignment of aid to hungry residents in northern Nicaragua, where Hurricane Felix affected as many as 60,000 people with high winds that destroyed or damaged homes and commercial buildings.

But despite the losses and hardship, humanitarian officials are relieved that Felix did not cause more damage during its trajectory through Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador.

"Hurricane Felix had the potential to create enormous devastation and suffering for millions of people," WFP Deputy Director Gordana Jerger said. "We are extremely fortunate. However, there is still a lot of urgent work to be done in helping those who were affected and we will need immediate financial assistance from our donors who have proven repeatedly that they are prepared to help."

An emergency WFP airlift of 4.5 metric tonnes of beans, rice, oil, fortified corn-soya blended food and cooking oil has arrived in the Nicaraguan coastal town of Bilwi (formerly Puerto Cabezas), which bore some of the worst of Hurricane Felix's landfall on Tuesday.

The food is enough to feed almost 900 people for 10 days and follows the distribution on Tuesday of 70 tonnes in Bilwi and Waspam, just hours after Felix struck. Road transport has been halted after a key bridge was washed away by the rain-swollen river.

"We are only able to deliver assistance to the affected areas by air, sea or river," WFP Country Director William Hart said.

In Honduras, WFP staff in the capital city Tegucigalpa have distributed food to thousands of people who had gathered in shelters. Meanwhile, in El Salvador, WFP is still assessing Felix's impact, especially in geographically vulnerable areas.

"Because WFP has food stocks for its long-term projects in the area, we were able to respond with unusual speed," Ms. Jerger said. "However, not only will these stocks have to be replenished, we will need international support for our operation in Nicaragua where people require assistance, not just in the short term, but also to rebuild their lives and homes in the coming months."
2007-09-06 00:00:00.000

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AFRICA TO BE SECURITY COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITY THIS MONTH, SAYS PRESIDENT

AFRICA TO BE SECURITY COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITY THIS MONTH, SAYS PRESIDENT
New York, Sep 5 2007 7:00PM
The President of the Security Council for September today announced that issues affecting Africa will dominate the 15-member body's work programme this month.

"My priority will obviously be Africa," Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, adding that the Council hopes to continue to mobilize the international community to assist Africa in tackling the challenges the continent faces.

To this end, Mr. Ripert said that on 25 September, there will be a high-level Council summit to discuss African peace and security, characterizing the event as major, given the importance and number of individuals expected to participate in the debate.

"What we would like is both to examine crises but not necessarily for the heads of state and government to give their solutions, but to look at how we could improve the response of the UN to this emergency and how to assist African governments and African organizations in dealing with crises," he noted.

These crises are complex and often involve such issues as the environment, immigration and natural resources, Mr. Ripert said, adding that as a result, peacekeeping forces alone cannot resolve today's conflicts.

The President announced that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, currently visiting Sudan, will brief the Council on 12 September regarding his trip, which will also take him to Chad and Libya. In addition, consultations will be held this Friday regarding the authorized hybrid UN-African Union (AU) peacekeeping force (UNAMID) in Darfur.

Also regarding Africa, Mr. Ripert said there would probably be consultations on Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), given the repercussions of the humanitarian situations in the two nations on the Darfur crisis.

"As we've said, the situation is not improving," he noted, citing the nearly 400,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Chad, and the more than 200,000 others in the northeast of the CAR. "It's getting worse."

Mr. Ripert said Council members would work to pass a resolution on the deployment of a possible international presence in the area with both a police and military component.

Outside Africa, other issues to be discussed include Haiti, Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is being set up to prosecute those people responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN RELIEF CHIEF DEPLORES RECENT VIOLENCE IN FAR EAST

DR CONGO: UN RELIEF CHIEF DEPLORES RECENT VIOLENCE IN FAR EAST
New York, Sep 5 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations humanitarian chief and President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today voiced their extreme concern about the humanitarian situation in the far east of the country, where a fresh outbreak of fighting among Government forces, renegade troops and armed groups has displaced more than 10,000 civilians in the past 10 days.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes met with Mr. Kabila in the capital, Kinshasa, where they discussed the situation in North Kivu province and the need for greater protection for civilians, especially from sexual and gender-based violence.

Mr. Holmes, who is also Emergency Relief Coordinator, called on all sides to the fighting in North Kivu to respect fundamental humanitarian principles, such as allowing aid workers unconditional and free access to the local civilian population.

"Moreover, all armed groups should refrain from targeting civilians," he told a press conference in Kinshasa after his meeting with Mr. Kabila. "The Government of the DRC must honour its commitment to protect the entire civilian population on its territory."

Mr. Kabila described the situation in the east as "catastrophic," although he said it was not representative of the vast country as a whole as it seeks to recover from the effects of decades of misrule and a war in the late 1990s that claimed millions of lives.

The spiralling tensions in North Kivu and neighbouring regions have alarmed UN officials in recent days as thousands of civilians have been forced to flee the fighting, the latest outbreak in a series of flare-ups since December 2006. More than 220,000 people have been displaced from the area since that period, and relief efforts are being further hampered by the poor state of roads in the country.

The UN peacekeeping mission to the DRC, known as MONUC, has dispatched reinforcement troops to the Masisi district of North Kivu, where the worst clashes have been taking place. These troops have been transferred from elsewhere in the two Kivu provinces, which have remained unstable since the official end of the civil war and last year's historic national presidential and parliamentary elections.

Mr. Holmes is heading to Bukavu in South Kivu for two days of talks with UN agency staff, other aid organizations and representatives of internally displaced persons (IDPs). He will also visit a local hospital and a centre for child soldiers before meeting provincial authorities.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL BRINGS MESSAGE OF PEACE AND HOPE TO DISPLACED PEOPLE OF DARFUR

SECRETARY-GENERAL BRINGS MESSAGE OF PEACE AND HOPE TO DISPLACED PEOPLE OF DARFUR
New York, Sep 5 2007 7:00PM
Pledging a message of "hope, peace, security… and water," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today met with some of the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur and held talks with the leaders of the imminent hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in the strife-torn Sudanese region.

Mr. Ban spoke with Rodolphe Adada, the Joint UN-AU Special Representative to Darfur and the head of the current AU mission to the region (known as AMIS), after arriving earlier today in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters. Mr. Adada will then head the hybrid force (UNAMID) once it takes over from AMIS at the end of this year.

Mr. Ban held talks as well with the current AMIS Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Martin Agwai, who will also fulfil the same role with UNAMID, and both the Commander and Mr. Adada briefed the Secretary-General on the work of AMIS and the latest security developments in Darfur.

In July the Security Council authorized the creation of UNAMID to try to quell the fighting in Darfur, an impoverished and remote region on Sudan's western flank. More than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003 because of fighting between rebel groups, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed. At least 2.2 million others have had to flee their homes, living either as IDPs within Sudan or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

During his visit to El Fasher, which followed earlier stops on this trip in the national capital, Khartoum, and the southern city of Juba, Mr. Ban also met the Wali (or Governor) of North Darfur.

He then went to a meeting at the El Fasher headquarters of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) with representatives of IDPs who had been self-selected from local camps.

When Mr. Ban arrived, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, security precautions had to be taken when a group of uninvited people tried to force their way into the meeting. But after a brief delay the Secretary-General was able to resume his schedule and meet with the IDP representatives and with civil society groups and traditional leaders.

During a subsequent visit to the nearby Al Salim IDP camp, Mr. Ban – who received a warm welcome from thousands of IDPs at the camp – told the locals he brought with him a message of "hope, peace, security… and water."

Sudan is the first leg of Mr. Ban's current trip to Africa. He will then travel to neighbouring Chad and Libya.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON REPORTS 'STEADY PROGRESS' TOWARDS DEPLOYING HYBRID FORCE IN DARFUR

BAN KI-MOON REPORTS 'STEADY PROGRESS' TOWARDS DEPLOYING HYBRID FORCE IN DARFUR
New York, Sep 5 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations is making "steady progress" towards setting up its landmark hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur with the African Union (AU), but complex logistical challenges lie ahead and Member States need to provide military contributions before further benchmarks for deployment can be met, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's latest report on the mission says.

The <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/517">report on the deployment of the force, known as UNAMID, notes that the UN and AU have established a multidisciplinary transition team in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state and the future headquarters of the mission. The team has already begun implementing deployment plans on the ground.

But given the nature of Darfur, a vast, impoverished and remote region on Sudan's western flank, "enormously complex logistical operations" are still necessary before deployment, Mr. Ban writes.

The construction of safe accommodation and office facilities for UNAMID staff that meet UN safety standards will be critical, he states, adding that so too will be the transfer of equipment and assets from the existing AU mission in Darfur, known as AMIS.

Mr. Ban stresses that UN Member States must now step up and urgently provide the outstanding military contributions that are necessary for UNAMID to fulfil its mandate.

The Security Council authorized the creation of UNAMID on 31 July in a resolution that called for a force of nearly 20,000 military personnel and more than 6,000 police officers. It will be the largest peacekeeping force in the world.

The force is being sent in to try to quell the violence in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million others forced to leave their homes since 2003 because of fighting among rebel groups, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed.

Violence has erupted again in recent weeks, and in his report Mr. Ban voices deep concern about the deadly clashes between tribes in South Darfur state, attacks against local police in South Darfur and Government attacks against villages in North Darfur and South Darfur, all in the past month.

The Secretary-General also calls on the Sudanese Government to facilitate expeditious land acquisitions so that UNAMID can construct staff accommodation and to ensure smooth visa arrangements for visits of delegations from UNAMID troop and police contributors.

Last month, a three-day joint planning session of the UN and AU concluded that it is vital "to create an early and visible improvement in the security situation in Darfur" as authority transfers from AMIS to UNAMID to ensure that public confidence in the new mission is enhanced from the start.

To achieve that, the UN and AU have agreed to deploy an early-effect capability in Darfur ahead of the transfer of authority date of 1 January next year. The capability will include one infantry battalion, four reserve companies, up to 60 liaison officers and military aviation resources, as well as one formed police unit and 40 individual police officers.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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RECENT STEPS BY GOVERNMENT OF MYANMAR ARE 'SETBACK' TO DEMOCRACY - UN ENVOY

RECENT STEPS BY GOVERNMENT OF MYANMAR ARE 'SETBACK' TO DEMOCRACY – UN ENVOY
New York, Sep 5 2007 6:00PM
The recent crackdown by Myanmar's Government after peaceful protests over fuel prices is a setback for the country and has the effect of calling into question the Government's commitment to democratization, the United Nations envoy to the country said today as he detailed plans to visit Myanmar again as early as next month.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Special Adviser on Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari reiterated the call of UN officials for the Government to release all of its political detainees, including those people arrested in the past few weeks as a result of the demonstrations over the surge in fuel prices.

"These incidents of recent times cannot be seen in any other way than a setback for Myanmar," Mr. Gambari said, referring to the Government's response to the protests.

"They are all the more disappointing as they not only have the effect of calling into question the stated commitment to democratization and national reconciliation by the authorities, but also make it more difficult to maintain support, international support, for engagement with Myanmar at a time when we believe strongly that the country needs international assistance in addressing the many pressing challenges, from political and human rights issues to humanitarian and socio-economic problems."

Mr. Gambari also described the National Convention process, the first step under the road map outlined by the Government for political reform, as flawed given that it excluded opponents of the Government.

"We strongly believe that there should be opportunities in the period ahead to improve on the outcome of the document of this Convention [which concluded yesterday] in ways that are more inclusive, more participatory and more transparent," he said, adding that some provisions adopted at the Convention "would seemingly run counter to the objectives of national reconciliation and democratization."

Mr. Gambari, who has held extensive consultations in capitals across Asia, Europe and North America since assuming his post earlier this year, said he expects his next visit to Myanmar – for which he has a standing invitation from the Government – could took place by mid-October.

"The expectations of the UN and of the international community are very clear and they require concrete results from Myanmar. I will continue to carry that message."

The Special Adviser noted that the UN is the only international actor to maintain a face-to-face dialogue with Myanmar's top leaders and with Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who remains under hose arrest. For three years, there was no dialogue between the international community and Myanmar.

He stressed that the UN is "moving very systematically to line up the support of the international community" to ensure that all key countries are working together to spur Myanmar to make progress, and it is making use of the Secretary-General's good offices to pursue peace.

Mr. Gambari also said the UN is focusing its efforts on a much broader range of issues than before – not only the release of political prisoners, but also questions of humanitarian access and progress towards implementing the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in health and education.

"We feel that the broader the agenda, the higher the likelihood of finding common ground in order to make progress where progress can be made and demonstrated."
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADERS DISCUSS COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT - UN

GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADERS DISCUSS COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT – UN
New York, Sep 5 2007 6:00PM
Greek Cypriot leader H.E. Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader H.E. Mehmet Ali Talat discussed issues leading to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem during a United Nations-sponsored meeting today.

According to a press statement issued by the world body's peacekeeping mission in Cyprus (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP), Mr. Papadopoulos and Mr. Talat held their discussion "in a constructive atmosphere" at the official residence of the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Cyprus in the UN Protected Area in Nicosia.

They also agreed on the need for the "earliest start of the process," as well as on continuing their contact through the UN and meeting again when appropriate.

The decision to hold today's meeting was reached by Rasit Pertev and Tasos Tzionis, the principal aides to the two leaders, who held a 45-minute meeting last month at UNFICYP headquarters in the presence of Wlodek Cibor, the Mission's Senior Adviser.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA LEAD TALKS AT UN MEETING

SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA LEAD TALKS AT UN MEETING
New York, Sep 5 2007 5:00PM
An initiative to control the trade of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa and a planned code of conduct for the region's armed and security forces are expected to top the agenda at a United Nations-sponsored security meeting taking place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, this week.

The latest ministerial meeting of the UN Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa will also consider recent security and geopolitical developments among its member states, while a special conference on cross-border security issues will take place as well.

A press release from the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs said the meeting participants will examine the so-called São Tomé Initiative for setting up a legal instrument to control the profusion of small arms and light weapons in a region that has long been beset by deadly conflict.

The Committee, which meets twice a year at the ministerial level, was established by the UN Secretary-General in May 1992. Its membership comprises all 11 countries in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) – Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and São Tomé and Príncipe.

The participants at this week's meeting, which began on Monday and is scheduled to run until Friday, include representatives of the UN peacekeeping or political missions in the DRC, the CAR and Burundi.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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COOPERATION WITH CIVIL SOCIETY CRUCIAL TO TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE, UN OFFICIALS SAY

COOPERATION WITH CIVIL SOCIETY CRUCIAL TO TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE, UN OFFICIALS SAY
New York, Sep 5 2007 4:00PM
Top United Nations officials <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ngo624.doc.htm">underscored the necessity of the partnership between the world body and civil society in addressing climate change at a non-governmental organization (NGO) conference which kicked off in New York today.

While Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has identified climate change as one of his top priorities, "we also understand that this is not a challenge for the UN alone," Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told over 2,000 NGO and civil society representatives gathered at UN Headquarters.

Confronting climate change "requires a truly global effort; an effort that draws together governments, the private sector and civil society in one sustained push for change," she said at the opening of the three-day gathering with the theme "Climate change: how it impacts us all."

The effort to halt climate change presents remarkable opportunities to implement a new sustainable development process; promote cleaner business, industries and jobs; make better and wiser use of limited natural resources; and re-invest in depleted natural capital, Ms. Migiro said.

"In short, combating climate change presents an opportunity to break with the past, to look anew at the way we operate, the way we do business and the way we relate to each other, now and in the future."

General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa also noted that tackling climate change requires "a radical change of behaviour and consciousness," and the effort can only succeed "if it is home-based" and engages communities "in identifying the actions and responses that are most suited to their particular circumstance."

Civil society can contribute greatly and most effectively if it fosters awareness and persisting in developing inventive initiatives at the grassroots level which inspire people to work towards a solution, she added.

"The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization, but it draws its strength and inspiration from the support of civil society worldwide," she said.

Sheikha Haya, in her last address to the NGO community during her tenure as GA President, highlighted the fact that climate change affects all countries, as its effects "know no boundaries," and must be addressed in the context of the international development agenda.

Today's opening session also heard from Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyotaka Akasaka and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, among other officials.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN ENVOY TAKES PART IN TALKS ON IMPLEMENTING POLITICAL ACCORD

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN ENVOY TAKES PART IN TALKS ON IMPLEMENTING POLITICAL ACCORD
New York, Sep 5 2007 4:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy in Côte d'Ivoire has taken part in a fresh round of talks on how to ensure the successful implementation of the political agreement reached earlier this year among the leaders of the divided West African country.

Abou Moussa, the Officer-in-Charge of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), participated yesterday in the second meeting of the evaluation and monitoring committee of the Ouagadougou Political Accord, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

The accord, reached in March in Ouagadougou, the capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso, is an attempt to heal the divide in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been split between the Government-controlled south and the Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

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

Yesterday's meeting, also in Ouagadougou, was attended by the Ivorian signatories to the agreement, President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who is also head of the Forces Nouvelles.

The meeting focused on several issues, including the deployment and security of district commissioners, the military ranks of Forces Nouvelles officers and the security of Mr. Soro. In June, at least four people were killed when unidentified attackers fired a rocket on a plane carrying Mr. Soro as it landed at the airport in Bouaké, situated in the north of Côte d'Ivoire.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' ECONOMIC OUTLOOK POSITIVE FOR FIRST TIME IN THREE DECADES - UN

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' ECONOMIC OUTLOOK POSITIVE FOR FIRST TIME IN THREE DECADES – UN
New York, Sep 5 2007 3:00PM
The economic outlook for developing countries is positive for the first time since the early 1970s, driven in large part by the growth in China and India, according to an annual report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (<"http://www.unctad.org/Templates/WebFlyer.asp?intItemID=4330&lang=1">UNCTAD) released today.

Developing countries – including many of the world's poorest nations – will see ongoing benefits from strong demand for primary commodities, and this positive trend in terms of trade since 2003 has allowed such countries globally to bolster investment in their economies, said the Trade and Development Report 2007.

Per capita gross domestic product has increased nearly 30 per cent between 2003 and 2007, compared to 10 per cent for the Group of Seven (G-7) highly industrialized countries, the Report noted. Overall, the world economy will mark growth for a fifth consecutive year, with a 3.4 per cent expansion this year.

UNCTAD warned that a major recession in the United States could lead to diminished exports for China and India, which are setting the pace for growth of developing countries.

The Report also cautioned that North-South bilateral and regional free trade or preferential trade agreements could prevent poorer nations from developing their industrial sectors and reduce their control over foreign direct investment.

Instead, UNCTAD pointed to the example of today's industrialized and developing countries which have recorded tremendous economic growth in the past several years through protection of nascent industries, thus allowing them to hone their abilities to meet the challenges of international competition.

Additionally, the Report called for intensified regional cooperation in exchange rate arrangements as a means to reduce the vulnerability of developing countries. The absence of appropriate global exchange rate arrangements could lead to exchange rate instability, especially in developing nations by impeding their overall competitiveness.

Regional collaboration could also benefit developing countries in terms of long-term development, UNCTAD said, as it can help countries build up their economic capabilities to allow them to compete globally. Such cooperation should include joint policy action – focusing on macroeconomic, financial, infrastructure and industrial policies – to boost growth and structural change potential.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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FINN NAMED TO HEAD ADVISORY GROUP FOR UN PEACEBUILDING FUND

FINN NAMED TO HEAD ADVISORY GROUP FOR UN PEACEBUILDING FUND
New York, Sep 5 2007 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has designated Finland's Marjatta Rasi to serve as the first chair of the advisory group to the United Nations fund set up to help meet the immediate needs of countries emerging from conflict.

The Peacebuilding Fund, launched last year, is a multi-year standing trust fund that has an initial funding target of $250 million and so far has collected deposits worth $143.8 million from donor countries.

It has approved grants of more than $46 million to 19 projects in Burundi and Sierra Leone, the two countries currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission, and also $700,000 in emergency funding to support dialogue between opposing forces in divided Côte d'Ivoire.

Ms. Rasi – currently Under-Secretary of State for Development in Finland – and the other nine members of the Peacebuilding Fund's Advisory Group are tasked with providing advice and oversight of the Fund's performance and management and the speed and appropriateness of its resource allocations. The members are independent and appointed for two-year periods.

The other members are: Paulo Roberto Campos Tarrisse da Fontoura (Brazil), Wu Gang (China), Nataša Mikuš (Croatia), Mounir Zahran (Egypt), Yukio Takasu (Japan), Vidar Helgesen (Norway), Joseph Mutuboba (Rwanda), Dan Smith (the United Kingdom) and Carlos Pascual (the United States).
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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OLD MIDDLE EAST HAND TO BECOME TOP UN ENVOY IN IRAQ

OLD MIDDLE EAST HAND TO BECOME TOP UN ENVOY IN IRAQ
New York, Sep 5 2007 2:00PM
Staffan de Mistura, a veteran of United Nations operations in the Middle East, is slated to become the next top UN envoy in Iraq.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Mr. de Mistura, who is Swedish and Italian, as his Special Representative for Iraq, in succession to Ashraf Qazi whom Mr. Ban is appointing Special Representative for Sudan, a spokesperson told a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York today.

Mr. de Mistura has already served in Iraq under Mr. Qazi as Deputy Special Representative in 2005 and 2006. Before that he was then Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon for four years.

Last year, he led a high-level UN team to Nepal to discuss UN assistance for the peace process in the Himalayan country. He currently serves as Director of the UN Staff College in Turin, Italy.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO CONDUCT FIRST HEARING IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO CONDUCT FIRST HEARING IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
New York, Sep 5 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations tribunal set up to try those responsible for the worst war crimes committed in the Balkans in the 1990s will this Friday travel to Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina to hold its first-ever hearing away from its seat in The Netherlands.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY), which is based in The Hague, has <"http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2007/pa316e.htm">scheduled an evidentiary hearing after a request from prosecutors – and with the consent of the defence – in the trial of Rasim Deli&#263;, the former head of Bosnian Muslim forces during the Balkan wars.

The hearing, which is expected to last three days and is to be held in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will involve testimony from Ali Ahmed Ali Hamad, a witness in the case. The prosecution requested the hearing be held in Sarajevo "due to the specific circumstances of that witness," the Tribunal said in a press statement released today.

Mr. Deli&#263;, 58, is charged with murder, cruel treatment and rape on the basis of his responsibility as Commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina from June 1993.

The indictment against him states that he failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent his subordinates committing torture, beatings, rapes and murders – including a decapitation – at Kamenica camp, a detention centre for captured Bosnian Serb soldiers and local civilians in central Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the most notorious murder, carried out on 24 July 1995, a Bosnian Serb army prisoner was decapitated at Kamenica and all the 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; also stands accused of failing 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 and Herzegovina.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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WITH EDUCATION STANDARDS IN GAZA PLUMMETING, UN LAUNCHES NEW ACTION PLAN

WITH EDUCATION STANDARDS IN GAZA PLUMMETING, UN LAUNCHES NEW ACTION PLAN
New York, Sep 5 2007 1:00PM
With insecurity having a devastating effect on school education in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations agency entrusted with aiding Palestinian refugees today unveiled a new action plan aimed at reversing failure rates of up to nearly 80 per cent in mathematics and over 40 per cent in Arabic.

"Educating the next generation is key to the future of Gaza, its prosperity and its stability," UN Relief and Works Agency (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/news/index.html">UNRWA) Director in Gaza John Ging said. "What we are seeing is the collapse of education standards due to the cumulative effects of the occupation, closures, poverty, and violence."

At the same time, appealing for funds at an Arab League meeting in Cairo, UNRWA Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd, <"http://www.un.org/unrwa/news/releases/pr-2007/Cairo_5Sep07.pdf">warned that if the present situation continues, poverty among Palestinian refugees in Gaza will soon reach "unconscionable levels."

The education plan has four basic elements: remedial teaching in Arabic and mathematics for which UNRWA has hired over 1,500 teachers for grades one to three, and is hiring 1,500 more; a reduction of class size to no more than 30 in Prep boys' schools, where the results were the worst; two additional classes per week in both subjects; and building a teaching training "college of excellence" to improve the quality of instruction.

"I hope that these measures will go a considerable way to reversing the collapse of Gaza's education system," Mr. Ging said. "As ever in conflict situations it is the most vulnerable who pay the highest price, in this case the children. But we must recognize that children are the future and their education is crucial.

"It offers an exit from poverty through self-sufficiency. It creates opportunity and prosperity. These are some of the basic building blocks from which a more stable and peaceful future can be built."

In her address to the Arab League in Cairo, Ms. AbuZayd appealed to the meeting to honour previous commitments to provide 7.73 per cent of UNRWA's budget.

Palestine refugees are "the poorest and most vulnerable of the Palestinians," she said. "In Gaza, Lebanon and elsewhere they cry out for your support. Might this not be an opportunity to show solidarity, through UNRWA? It would alleviate suffering. It would send a strong signal of support in hard times.

"And it would demonstrate the compassion and generosity of their fellow Arabs towards those who, although they find themselves in dire need, are in the front line of the Arab world's struggle for recognition of its rights and concerns," she added.

UNRWA's emergency programmes, which consist of job creation projects, food and cash support for the most needy are likely to be under-funded by about $120 million this year, and regular programmes are likely to be under funded by $107 million. Because of the chronic funding shortfall, UNRWA was struggling to maintain standards of the services it delivers, Ms. AbuZayd said, citing Gaza's education crisis as an example.

Established in 1949 following the establishment of Israel, UNRWA provides education, healthcare, social services, and emergency aid to 4.3 million Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan in the largest UN operation in the Middle East.

"After 59 years of humanitarian support to Palestine refugees, the need to address Palestinian political aspirations grows more urgent by the day," Ms. AbuZayd said. "The fact that statehood remains elusive is a source of immense frustration. It also fuels a sense of dispossession and injustice that echoes throughout the region and is cited as a pretext for extremist militancy."

UN officials say crossing closure and roadblocks which Israel says it has set up for security purposes are having a grave impact on the lives of residents in the occupied Palestinian Territory.

"Gazan civilians continue to suffer the effects of an armed conflict in which the injunctions of restraint and proportionality stipulated under international law are ignored," Ms. AbuZayd said today. "On the present trajectory of isolation and de facto sanctions, poverty, unemployment and socio-economic impoverishment will soon reach unconscionable levels."

The <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=70&Body=Palestin&Body1=">UN and its diplomatic Quartet partners of the European Union, Russia and the United States are sponsoring the so-called Road Map plan aimed at securing a two-State solution to the Middle East conflict, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, originally slated for completion by the end of 2005.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEKEEPER CONTRIBUTORS VISIT HAITI, STRESS STRENGTHENING NATIONAL POLICE

UN PEACEKEEPER CONTRIBUTORS VISIT HAITI, STRESS STRENGTHENING NATIONAL POLICE
New York, Sep 5 2007 12:00PM
Defence ministers and military officers from Latin American countries contributing troops to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti are at present visiting the Caribbean country to discuss security and other issues linked to the extension of the mission's mandate, including strengthening the national police force.

"This meeting is an opportunity for me to thank the peoples and governments of these countries for their contribution towards putting Haiti back on the rails with regard to security, development and stability," Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis told the visitors.

While acknowledging a net improvement compared to several months ago, Mr. Alexis stressed that "the situation remains fragile."

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/minustah">MINUSTAH) was set up in 2004 to help re-establish peace in the impoverished country after an insurgency forced President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to go into exile.

The visiting delegation, comprising representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, has also met with President René Préval and other Haitian leaders as well as with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Hédi Annabi and Organization of American States Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza.

Issues discussed including reinforcement of the national police, reform of the judicial system, strengthening legal institutions and the battle against corruption and drug trafficking. The need to promote development also figured on the agenda.

"The fight against corruption, smuggling and drug trafficking constitute priorities for the Government," Mr. Alexis said.

Speaking for the delegation, Chilean Defence Minister José Goni Carasco noted that while a military presence is indispensable, it is not sufficient. "Only the formation of a more just, egalitarian society allows democracy to function," he said, pledging Latin American support, within the framework of the UN, towards converting MINUSTAH units into forces capable of building up the country's infrastructure and economic development.

Of the 7,061 troops currently serving with MINUSTAH, Brazil provides 1,198, Uruguay 1,133, Argentina 551 and Chile 495.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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SCRUM DOWN: WORLD RUGBY CUP TACKLES GLOBAL HUNGER FOR UN

SCRUM DOWN: WORLD RUGBY CUP TACKLES GLOBAL HUNGER FOR UN
New York, Sep 5 2007 11:00AM
In the latest partnership between world sports events and United Nations humanitarian operations, the International Rugby Board (IRB) today dedicated the Rugby World Cup 2007 beginning in France this month to "<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=665">Tackle Hunger," a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of 850 million hungry people around the planet.

"The huge numbers of people attending matches and watching rugby on television over the next few weeks make the Rugby World Cup an incredibly powerful platform for informing a broad audience about global hunger," John M. Powell, Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the IRB's humanitarian partner, <" http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=662&key=2625">said of the campaign which will feature public service messages in broadcast and print media.

"By tapping into this global fan base through the Tackle Hunger campaign, WFP has been able to increase understanding about its work helping millions of hungry people in the poorest parts of the world."

The Rugby World Cup is the third biggest sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. More than 2 million tickets have been sold for the event, and a television audience estimated at 4 billion people is expected to tune in during the six week course of the tournament from 7 September to 20 October.

The "Tackle Hunger" partnership was launched at the Rugby World Cup 2003 in Australia, where it was supported by former world cup winning captains, including Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales from Australia, and David Kirk from New Zealand. In his role as a key member of the "Tackle Hunger" team, Mr. Farr-Jones has visited WFP projects in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005, he toured Banda Aceh province in Indonesia after it was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

"The World Food Programme has been the humanitarian partner of the IRB for four years and together we have developed the Tackle Hunger programme that assists WFP to communicate the important work it does for the global community," IRB Chairman Syd Millar said. "Rugby is proud of its traditions and sense of fair play and it is fitting
that we should support such a worthy cause."

French national team coach, Bernard Laporte, will play a key role in promoting "Tackle Hunger" during the Cup. He is featured in a series of television and print advertisements conceived to raise awareness about global hunger. These are appearing for the duration
of the tournament on French and international television channels, and will also be placed in newspapers and magazines.

The IRB itself staged a fundraising match at Twickenham, England, in 2005 between teams of international players from northern and southern hemisphere. It raised more than $3 million that was donated towards WFP's relief and reconstruction work in areas hit by the Asian tsunami.

The dedication of Rugby World Cup 2007 to "Tackle Hunger" completes a "hat-trick" of sporting dedications to WFP this year. In April, the world marathon record holder and WFP Hunger Ambassador Paul Tergat dedicated his race in the Flora London Marathon to WFP. In May, AC Milan footballer Kaka, another WFP Ambassador, dedicated his appearance in the UEFA Champions League Final to the cause of hungry children.

Other sporting events also contribute to the UN's humanitarian mission. Earlier this year the cricket World Cup in the West Indies teamed up with the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<" http://www.unaids.org/en">UNAIDS) and the UN Children's Fund (http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) in a campaign focusing on issues facing children and young people affected by the disease and the resources and actions needed to address them.

These campaigns are but the latest in a whole series of collaboration between UN agencies and world sport, which has seen the likes of football legends Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane shooting against poverty, the European Swimming League in "a race against time" to prevent deaths from unclean water, and similar initiatives with American football stars, marathon runners and Formula One auto racers.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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MAINTAINING GENETIC DIVERSITY OF LIVESTOCK CRUCIAL IN ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE, UN WARNS

MAINTAINING GENETIC DIVERSITY OF LIVESTOCK CRUCIAL IN ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE, UN WARNS
New York, Sep 5 2007 11:00AM
Calling the rate of livestock breed extinction "alarming" in view of the crucial role diverse genetic resources can play in mitigating the effects of global warming, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000650/index.html">FAO) is urging the international community to adopt a global action plan to stem the erosion and protect the world's food supply.

"Wise management of the world's animal genetic resources is of ever greater importance," FAO Assistant Director-General Alexander Müller told the first <"
http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/genetics/angrvent2007.html">International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture being held in Interlaken, Switzerland.

"The options that these resources offer for maintaining and improving animal production will be of enormous significance in the coming decades. Climate change and the emergence of new and virulent livestock diseases highlight the importance of retaining the capacity to adapt our agricultural production systems."

Many breeds at risk of extinction have unique characteristics and traits such as resistance to disease or adaptation to climatic extremes that could prove fundamental to the food security of future generations, FAO stressed.

Moreover, widely used breeds need to be managed more wisely. Among many of these breeds, within-breed genetic diversity is being undermined by the use of a few highly popular sires for breeding.

According to FAO's State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources report, at least one livestock breed a month has become extinct over the past seven years, which means its genetic characteristics have been lost forever.

Around 20 per cent of the world's breeds of cattle, goats, pigs, horses and poultry are currently at risk of extinction, according to the report, the first global assessment of livestock biodiversity and of the capacity of countries to manage their animal genetic resources.

"In this situation, the world cannot simply take a business-as-usual, wait-and-see attitude. Climate change means that we are entering a period of unprecedented uncertainty and crisis, which will affect every country," Mr. Müller said.

"Although animal genetic resources are important for everyone, they are particularly important for many livelihoods in developing countries, often of the very poorest," he added, stressing the need for governments to assist poor livestock keepers, who are the custodians of a large proportion of animal genetic diversity.

He highlighted climate change as a significant factor to be added to many other threats to livestock breeds. These include rapid, poorly regulated economic and social changes; increasing reliance on a small number of high-output breeds; animal diseases; and poverty, socio-economic instability and armed conflict in some of the areas richest in animal genetic resources.

Representatives of over 120 countries, including policy-makers, scientists, breeders and livestock keepers, are taking part in the week-long meeting to negotiate and adopt a Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources. The plan will comprise strategic priority areas as well as provisions for implementation and financing.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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UN LAUNCHES WEB PORTAL TO HELP CUT GLOBAL WARMING GAS EMISSIONS

UN LAUNCHES WEB PORTAL TO HELP CUT GLOBAL WARMING GAS EMISSIONS
New York, Sep 5 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations today launched a web portal to help implement an essential tool in efforts to reduce global warming gases by facilitating a trading mechanism that allows States which cut emissions below treaty targets to sell their surplus allowances to others who overshoot the mark.

The CDM Bazaar (<" http://www.cdmbazaar.net">www.cdmbazaar.net), launched by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC) secretariat and the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=516&ArticleID=5660&l=en">UNEP), is designed to spur the exchange of information among buyers, sellers and service providers engaged in the Kyoto Protocol's clean development mechanism (CDM).

Under the CDM, projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries and contribute to sustainable development can earn certified emission reduction (CER) credits. Industrialized countries with a commitment under the Kyoto Protocol buy CERs to cover a portion of their emission reduction commitments under the Protocol.

"The CDM has seen exponential growth in number of projects, with strong interest in developing countries for projects and in developed countries for CERs. The CDM Bazaar will do just what its name suggests – help buyers and sellers, and all those that serve the market, get down to business," UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said in Bonn, the Convention's headquarters.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol requires 36 industrialized countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions overall by at least 5 per cent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.

The website allows stakeholders in the CDM to post information, such as potential emission reduction projects looking for financing, CERs available for sale, buyers looking for carbon credits to purchase, services available, carbon market related events, and employment opportunities.

"The CDM is playing an important role in meeting the climate change challenge," UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said. "However, if the benefits are to be more widely shared, especially in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, more efforts need to be put into building developing-country capacity.

"The CDM Bazaar is therefore a very welcome new networking initiative with the potential to complement and perhaps broaden the impacts of the physical carbon fairs and Expos now emerging in parts of the world."

By posting on the CDM Bazaar the CERs they have for sale, developing-country CDM project proponents can expect competitive offers from carbon credit buyers. But it is not meant to be a trading platform for CERs, but rather an information exchange platform designed to create opportunities for CER buyers and sellers and CDM service providers.

With 191 Parties, the UNFCCC has near universal membership. It is the parent treaty of the 1997 <"http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/items/1678.php">Kyoto Protocol, which has to date 175 member Parties but has not been ratified by the United States, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse gas emission concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.
2007-09-05 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN REPORT UNDERSCORES TIES BETWEEN POVERTY AND PRODUCTIVITY

NEW UN REPORT UNDERSCORES TIES BETWEEN POVERTY AND PRODUCTIVITY
New York, Sep 4 2007 7:00PM
A new report by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) released today highlights the linkage between poverty and labour productivity, noting that limited investment in training and skills is diminishing opportunities to lift people out of poverty.

"Productivity is the cornerstone for poverty alleviation," Lawrence Jeff Johnson, ILO's Chief of the Employment Trends Team, said at a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York today of the report, entitled "Key Indicators of the Labour Market," also underscored the linkage between poverty and productivity.

Although productivity in East Asia has doubled in the last 10 years, the United States remains the global leader by a considerable amount in terms of labour productivity per person employed in 2006, the report noted.

South Asia, Central and South-Eastern Europe (non-European Union countries) and the Commonwealth of Independent States have all seen their productivity rise in recent years.

In South and East Asia, Mr. Johnson pointed out that the ILO has seen a marked decrease in the "working poor," which he defined as "those individuals that are working but are unable to earn at least $2 a day for themselves and for their families."

However, the situation is different in sub-Saharan Africa, where there has been only "moderate" growth in productivity, he said. "The only asset the poor have is often their labour. And if we are to reduce poverty, we need to improve productivity," Mr. Johnson said, adding that bolstering skills and labour could play a key role.

The report also said that the productivity gap between the industrialized region and most others remains wide, even as productivity levels have been on the rise over the past decade worldwide.

In an ILO <"http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/Press_releases/lang--en/WCMS_083976/index.htm">press release, the agency stated that an increase in productivity is largely due to firms better utilizing capital, labour and technology, and thus limited investment in training and skills, equipment and technology could lead to an underutilization of the world's labour potential.

"The huge gap in productivity and wealth is cause for great concern," said Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General. "Raising the productivity levels of workers on the lowest incomes in the poorest countries is the key to reducing the enormous decent work deficits in the world."

The report found the US has increased its productivity growth over most other developed economies, with $63,885 of value added per person employed in 2006, followed by Ireland ($55,986), Luxembourg ($55,641) and Belgium ($55,235).

But the report stated that Americans work more hours per year than workers in most other nations with developed economies, and thus Norway has the highest labour productivity level when measured as value added per hour worked.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN RUSHES AID AHEAD OF ANTICIPATED DAMAGE WREAKED BY HURRICANE FELIX

UN RUSHES AID AHEAD OF ANTICIPATED DAMAGE WREAKED BY HURRICANE FELIX
New York, Sep 4 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations has begun deploying aid and assistance to the areas in Central America expected to suffer from the destruction that Hurricane Felix – which made landfall in Nicaragua this morning – could leave in its wake.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/nicaragua_40782.html">UNICEF) said that Nicaraguan authorities suspended school in the town of Bilwi and evacuated other local communities, while temporary shelters have been built on higher ground in the area where the hurricane, which has since been downgraded from Category 5, struck. The agency estimates that as many as 50,000 families in the country could be affected by the hurricane.

"What we are really concerned about is the communities further north, because they are very isolated indigenous communities," said UNICEF Representative in Nicaragua Debora Comini. "The living conditions are very basic and there's no infrastructure to withstand this kind of wind and rain."

The agency said that warnings and evacuations have been announced in all countries potentially impacted by Hurricane Felix and that pre-positioned water, shelter, water treatment stations and first aid kits are ready if necessary.

Ms. Comini predicted that water and sanitation could be severely affected, and also noted that food distribution will be crucial in the long-term as "many of the crops are likely to be ruined."

The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english">WFP) announced that it will send emergency teams and that it has enough food stocks in the region to feed 600,000 people for one month.

"Right now Hurricane Felix is a moving target and it's difficult to predict with precision which countries will ultimately bear the impact of its destructive force," said WFP Deputy Regional Director Gordana Jerger. "The result is that we have to be extremely flexible in our planning and to expect the worst. We just can't take chances."

WFP is prepared to transport both staff and supplies via air and by land, basing a key operational centre in El Salvador, where the agency's sub-regional logistics base is located, and in Panama, home to its regional office. It is also considering using a ship to transport supplies along the coast of Honduras and Belize.

The region has already been battered by heavy rains and there are concerns that widespread landslides, such as those resulting from 2005's Hurricane Stan, may occur, which could make roads inoperable and impede aid efforts.

WFP fears that Belize City could sustain as much damage as it did by Hurricane Hattie in 1961, which leveled 40 per cent of all buildings. The agency continues to provide assistance to 5,000 people in Belize in the wake of Hurricane Dean two weeks ago, distributing two-month rations of rise, pulses, high energy biscuits, vegetable oil and salt.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org">OCHA) today sent a six-member UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1414">UNDAC) team to Honduras in support of the world body's Country Team and the local Government to coordinate international assistance and assess urgent needs, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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SIERRA LEONE: UN ENVOY PRAISES AGREEMENT BETWEEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

SIERRA LEONE: UN ENVOY PRAISES AGREEMENT BETWEEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
New York, Sep 4 2007 6:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Sierra Leone has welcomed the agreement of the leaders of the country's two major political parties on measures to try to calm rising tensions ahead of this Saturday's presidential run-off election.

Victor Angelo, the Secretary-General's Executive Representative in Sierra Leone, issued a <"http://www.uniosil.org/read.asp?newsID=571&cat=">statement praising the agreement yesterday, a day after the President, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, brought together the two presidential candidates for talks.

Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC) and incumbent Vice-President Solomon Berewa of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), who are vying to replace Mr. Kabbah in the run-off poll, signed a communiqué on Sunday stipulating the measures reached.

Mr. Angelo congratulated Mr. Koroma and Mr. Berewa for their agreement and Mr. Kabbah for his "timely initiative" amid mounting international concern at the tensions inside the West African nation.

"The historic meeting between the two leaders… marks an important milestone in the collective efforts to foster an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that had characterized the first round of the ongoing national elections," Mr. Angelo said.

The 11 August presidential and parliamentary elections were Sierra Leone's second since the end of the decade-long civil war in 2002, and the first since the withdrawal of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamsil">UNAMSIL) in December 2005. The mission has been replaced by the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL).

Mr. Angelo urged all Sierra Leoneans to show patience and tolerance for the work of the National Electoral Commission and the country's security agencies to ensure that the run-off election reaches a peaceful and successful conclusion.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE MAKING PROGRESS IN OVERCOMING LAST YEAR'S CRISIS, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

TIMOR-LESTE MAKING PROGRESS IN OVERCOMING LAST YEAR'S CRISIS, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Sep 4 2007 5:00PM
Despite the recent flare-up of tensions following the announcement of a new Government, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has commended Timor-Leste on overcoming the crisis of last year that led to the bolstering of the United Nations presence in the country which it helped shepherd to independence in 2002.

An indication of that progress is the successful completion of presidential and parliamentary elections with which the Timorese people "once again demonstrated their faith in democratic processes to move beyond internal divisions," Mr. Ban writes in his latest report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.unmiset.org/unmisetwebsite.nsf/MainFrame-EN.htm?OpenFrameset">UNMIT) from 27 January to 20 August.

However, he added, the process leading to the formation of the new Government and the violent disturbances following it "demonstrate that not all divisions have yet been overcome. Continued efforts to strengthen the culture of truly inclusive and participatory democracy based on rule of law and respect for human rights will be essential for the creation of a stable and prosperous Timor-Leste."

The Security Council created UNMIT in August 2006 to help restore order after fighting, attributed to differences between eastern and western regions, broke out in April and May and led to the deaths of at least 37 people and forced about 155,000 people – or 15 per cent of the population – to flee their homes.

In his <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/513">report, Mr. Ban says the security situation in the country improved overall during the reporting period but continues to be volatile and subject to sporadic violence, such as that witnessed after the formation of a new Government led by former president Xanana Gusmão following the June elections, which failed to produce a single outright winner.

"Elections are a fundamental step in consolidating democracy, but only an initial one," he observed, adding that many of the challenges relating to the 2006 crisis remain unresolved, such as the grievances of members of the armed forces, gang violence and the situation of some 100,000 people who remain internally displaced.

Mr. Ban cautions that the Government will face "a delicate balancing act" in addressing more immediate problems stemming from the crisis while guaranteeing public security and ensuring effective socio-economic programmes to tackle issues such as poverty, which continues to be "one of the major causes of instability" in the country.

Other priorities include advancing on justice and reconciliation issues, strengthening the judicial sector and promoting human rights, as well as moving forward with security sector reform, including training of the national police force.

The serious but temporary escalations of violence in the course of this year "serve as a reminder of the fragility of the security situation," Mr. Ban states. "They also demonstrate that, despite the peaceful conduct of elections and wide acceptance of the results, there is still a need to nurture a culture of non-violence and promote the peaceful resolution of differences."
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES SUDANESE MOVE TO ALLOW ILL DARFURIAN LEADER TO TRAVEL

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES SUDANESE MOVE TO ALLOW ILL DARFURIAN LEADER TO TRAVEL
New York, Sep 4 2007 5:00PM
The Sudanese Government has allowed the United Nations to arrange for the travel of a key Darfurian elder and former rebel group figure to Kenya for medical treatment, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today after meeting with Sudan's President during his visit to the country.

Mr. Ban said the decision by President Omar al-Bashir to allow Suleiman Jamous, a former member of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), one of Darfur's many rebel groups, to leave the country will "create conditions conducive to peace negotiations."

Earlier this month, UN and African Union (AU) envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim vowed to pursue the case of Mr. Jamous, who had been detained by Sudanese authorities, "in view of the role Mr. Jamous can play in the political process."

Full-fledged peace talks between the Sudanese Government and Darfur's rebel groups are expected to be staged later this year in a bid to resolve the underlying issues driving the conflict that since 2003 has led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people.

Another 2.2 million Sudanese have had to flee their homes because of the fighting between the rebels, Government forces and allied militias known as the Janjaweed. The International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC) has issued warrants for the arrest of two suspects over alleged war crimes in Darfur, and the UN and AU have announced they are setting up a hybrid peacekeeping force – to be known as UNAMID – to try to quell the violence.

Last night, Mr. Ban held a working dinner with Mr. Bashir at the presidential guesthouse in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, before he headed today to Juba in southern Sudan.

There he met with Salva Kiir, the President of Southern Sudan and the First Vice President of Sudan, to discuss the implementation of the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended the long-running north-south civil war.

"It is crucially important that we implement this comprehensive peace agreement," he <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1061">said. "For that to be possible, it is again important that leaders of both north and south Sudan, President Bashir and President Kiir, are fully committed and closely coordinate."

Mr. Ban stressed that he was well aware of several remaining issues at dispute, such as demarcation, the redeployment of forces and the status of the area around Abyei, but he hoped "a strong political commitment" from both sides could resolve any impasse.

The Secretary-General also met with key local officials and with some of the staff of the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS) that was set up to help implement the comprehensive peace agreement.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON BACKS EFFORTS FOR MORE INNOVATIVE FORMS OF FINANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT

BAN KI-MOON BACKS EFFORTS FOR MORE INNOVATIVE FORMS OF FINANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT
New York, Sep 4 2007 4:00PM
Finding new flows of development finance is crucial if the world is to meet its ambitious series of anti-poverty goals by the target date of 2015, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told a meeting of an international group of rich and poor nations set up to promote more innovative ways of financing.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2718">video message to the meeting of the Leading Group on Solidarity Levies to Fund Development, held in Seoul, Mr. Ban noted the continuing funding gap in the campaign to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs).

"Closing this gap is essential if we are to alleviate extreme poverty, fight diseases and achieve the other development targets," he said. "It is vital that the momentum be maintained and that new funding initiatives be encouraged."

The world's nations agreed in 2000 to work towards the MDGs, a set of eight targets for ameliorating major social and economic ills.

In his message today, Mr. Ban cited the air ticket solidarity levy, the international finance facility for immunization and the advanced market commitments pilot programme as recent examples of creative alternatives in the area of financing for development.

He told the Leading Group that their gathering "provides a unique opportunity to take stock of the progress made to date in these and other initiatives. It also allows you to exchange experiences and lessons learned as we move forward in achieving the internationally agreed development goals."

Established last year, the Leading Group has at least 40 member countries and observer members, and includes both developed and developing nations.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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THOUSANDS MORE CIVILIANS FLEE NEW CLASHES IN EASTERN DR CONGO, UN REPORTS

THOUSANDS MORE CIVILIANS FLEE NEW CLASHES IN EASTERN DR CONGO, UN REPORTS
New York, Sep 4 2007 3:00PM
Thousands of Congolese civilians are on the move in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) strife-torn North Kivu province, fleeing their homes amid reports of renewed fighting, cases of rape, and rising tensions between Government forces, renegade troops and rebel groups, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

"We fear that the pursuit of a military solution to the problems in North Kivu would further worsen the province's humanitarian crisis through the potential displacement of hundreds of thousands of additional Congolese civilians," UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46dd28b44.html">told a news briefing in Geneva.

"We again call on all parties to the conflict in North Kivu to refrain from direct attacks and atrocities against the civilian population, and displaced people in particular."

Voicing deep concern, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Government and all local stakeholders to persevere in their efforts to bring about a peaceful solution.

A <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2719">statement issued by his spokesperson said Mr. Ban was "very concerned by the impact of the fighting on local populations and calls on all parties to ensure the protection of the vulnerable. He urges all stakeholders in the region to focus on resolving the underlying causes of the crisis through dialogue," it added.

In Kinshasa, the DRC capital, the top UN humanitarian relief official, Under-Secretary-General John Holmes, today discussed the situation with the country's Foreign Minister, UN agencies and the UN Mission in the DRC (<"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=15312">MONUC).

UNHCR reported that over the weekend and yesterday an inter-agency team found large groups of newly displaced people making their way on foot from Rubaya and other Masisi villages towards the town of Sake and the nearby Mugunga site for internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs), 15 kilometres west of Goma, North Kivu's capital.

The newly displaced carried few belongings, mostly packed in bundles on their backs. Many said they left their homes fearing the ongoing military build-up in the area, although they had not witnessed direct fighting. Some have reported cases of rape and killings of civilians by armed men, Mr. Redmond said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org">OCHA) noted that overall more than 1 million people in the DRC have been uprooted due to armed confrontations and the presence of armed groups. The majority are in North Kivu (640,000), South Kivu (266,000) and the north-eastern district of Ituri (152,000). Since the beginning of the year, up to 224,000 people have been displaced in North Kivu.

Eastern DRC remains the most violent region in the vast country, where MONUC has overseen the transition from a six-year civil war that cost 4 million lives in fighting and attendant hunger and disease – widely considered the most lethal conflict in the world since World War II – to gradual stabilization, culminating in the first democratic elections in over four decades last year, the largest and most complex polls the UN has ever helped to organize.

UNHCR is discussing the possibility of a new displacement site near Mugunga, which currently has as many as 18,000 people. On Friday, for example, at a school near Mugunga was reported to hold 600 IDPs seeking shelter in over-crowded conditions. "Our team reports there are now more than 2,500 people there," Mr. Redmond said.

"Unaccompanied children are also among the displaced, as well as parents desperately looking for their children," he added.

"The full scale of displacement is difficult to gauge as we and other humanitarian agencies face increasingly limited access to many areas in Masisi and Rutshuru districts. We fear there may be many more in areas we cannot reach. A growing number of Congolese are seeking shelter at more than 20 spontaneous IDP sites scattered across the province."

In a related development, some 10,000 Congolese crossed into Uganda's Kisoro district yesterday evening, saying they were fleeing fighting between the DRC military and renegade troops. By this morning, the majority had already begun returning home. Due to general insecurity in North Kivu, especially at night, such rapid population movements are relatively frequent.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED REPORT SPOTLIGHTS OBSTACLES FACED BY AFGHAN RETURNEES

UN-BACKED REPORT SPOTLIGHTS OBSTACLES FACED BY AFGHAN RETURNEES
New York, Sep 4 2007 3:00PM
Many Afghans returning to their homeland face a number of major challenges, including a lack of employment, health care, education and housing, according to an assessment carried out with the support of the United Nations refugee agency.

The findings are contained in "Economic and Social Rights in Afghanistan II," the second report of its kind by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46dc00144.html">UNHCR) and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

The vast majority – over 85 per cent – of the more than 11,000 Afghans interviewed listed job opportunities, access to safe drinking water, improvement of health and education facilities, and housing as their top priorities for the future.

"Despite all efforts made by the Government, this report shows that Afghanistan needs more time to reach sustainable reintegration for those who have come home," said Salvatore Lombardo, UNHCR's representative in Afghanistan.

In particular, the study found chronic food shortages among those interviewed, and more than half said they did not have access to safe drinking water, while 60 per cent were living on less than $1 a day.

One third of respondents said their children were not attending school, with distance and security concerns cited for girls and the need to work for boys.

The lack of housing was not only a key obstacle for those choosing to return but also a main cause of dissatisfaction after their homecoming.

In response to the findings, the AIHRC is urging the Afghan Government to focus more on the situation of vulnerable groups, including returnees who have to rebuild their lives after spending years in exile.

"Full integration of returnees and a permanent peace closely and directly depend on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights," stated AIHRC Chair Sima Samar.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT BEGINS VISIT TO CÔTE D'IVOIRE

UN ENVOY ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT BEGINS VISIT TO CÔTE D'IVOIRE
New York, Sep 4 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations human rights envoy tasked with protecting the rights of children caught up in armed conflict today began a visit to Côte d'Ivoire to assess the situation in the divided West African country.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, will <" http://www.un.org/children/conflict/pr/2007-08-31coted`ivoirespec164.html">focus particularly on the follow-up of action plans aimed at releasing children from armed groups and reintegrating them into their communities, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

Ms. Coomaraswamy will also examine the issue of sexual violence against children in the aftermath of the conflict in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been split between the Government-controlled south and the Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

The Special Representative was invited to Côte d'Ivoire by the Government, Ms. Montas added.

The UN peacekeeping mission to the country (known as <" http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unoci">UNOCI) is helping to implement a disarmament process in Côte d'Ivoire as part of a peace deal signed by the country's leaders in Ouagadougou, capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso, in March.
The pact calls, among other steps, for: creating a new transitional government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the "zone of confidence" separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.
Last year, a report from the UN Secretary-General found that Côte d'Ivoire was one of at least 12 countries where children are recruited to serve as either government soldiers, rebel gunmen or militia members.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN COUNTS ON FIELD COMMANDERS IN MEETING PEACEKEEPING CHALLENGES - MIGIRO

UN COUNTS ON FIELD COMMANDERS IN MEETING PEACEKEEPING CHALLENGES – MIGIRO
New York, Sep 4 2007 2:00PM
With more peace operations, and more men and women in the field, than at any other time in the history of the United Nations, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called on field commanders to help the world body meet the "daunting challenges of contemporary peacekeeping."

Today there are over 74,000 military personnel, from 117 troop-contributing countries, serving in 18 field missions on four continents. This unprecedented surge in UN peace missions has presented the Organization with a number of challenges.

"Member States are asking for enhanced accountability from all of us," Ms. Migiro told the annual conference of heads of military components of UN peacekeeping operations. "We are being called upon to improve managerial practices, instil better discipline in the field, and reach time-bound mission accomplishments."

The gathering brings together field commanders with senior managers and staff at UN Headquarters to discuss concerns facing field missions, troop-contributing countries and relevant departments such as the <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/index.asp"> Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the newly established Department of Field Support.

"Together, you should identify the strengths and weaknesses of our current peacekeeping system, and determine areas needing additional impetus," Ms. Migiro told participants.

She pointed out that today's multidimensional, integrated operations support a whole host of post-conflict needs, including institution building, disarmament and demobilization of combatants, human rights protection and reconstruction.

"We should all be proud of these achievements," she stated. At that same time, she noted that it was also important to address "our failings," referring to allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct levied against UN peacekeepers in recent years.

In that connection, she stressed the need to ensure that all peacekeepers exercise the highest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour. "The upstanding behaviour of the vast majority of United Nations staff and uniformed personnel should not be undermined by the small number of individuals who engage in acts of sexual exploitation and abuse."

"We need your help in ensuring that your forces are fully aware of all relevant codes, rules and regulations of the United Nations," she added.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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ASHRAF QAZI NAMED AS NEW UN ENVOY FOR SUDAN

ASHRAF QAZI NAMED AS NEW UN ENVOY FOR SUDAN
New York, Sep 4 2007 2:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today that Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, currently his Special Representative in <" http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=50&Body=Iraq&Body1=">Iraq", will become his new Special Representative for Sudan, where the United Nations is working to relieve the crisis in Darfur and to improve the post-conflict situation in the south of the vast country.

Mr. Qazi, from Pakistan, will succeed Jan Pronk of the Netherlands, who left the post last year.

Born in 1942, Mr. Qazi had a long career with the Pakistani diplomatic service before he joined the UN in July 2004, including stints as his country's ambassador to the United States, India, China, Russia, the then East Germany and Syria.

Announcing the appointment in Juba, southern Sudan, during a joint press conference with the President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, Mr. Ban cited Mr. Qazi's diplomatic skills and his lengthy experience in making the selection.

Mr. Ban is currently on his first visit to Sudan to "lock in progress" made so far to end the crisis in Darfur and to observe first-hand the situation on the ground ahead of the deployment of a massive joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation.

That force, to be known as UNAMID, will have some 26,000 peacekeepers at full deployment to quell the violence in Darfur. At least 200,000 people have died and more than two million others forced to flee their homes since 2003 in the impoverished region on Sudan's western flank because of fighting between rebel groups, Sudanese Government forces and allied Janjaweed militias.

In the south, the UN Mission in <" http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88&Body=Sudan&Body1=">Sudan (UNMIS) is working to implement the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement ending a separate north-south civil war that raged for two decades.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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KOSOVO: TOP UN ENVOY VOICES SOLIDARITY WITH ANTI-CRIME DEMONSTRATORS

KOSOVO: TOP UN ENVOY VOICES SOLIDARITY WITH ANTI-CRIME DEMONSTRATORS
New York, Sep 4 2007 2:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Kosovo today <" http://www.unmikonline.org/dpi/pressrelease.nsf/0/13FDF2F4186C5F2BC125734C00427318/$FILE/pr1693.pdf">voiced solidarity with demonstrators in the capital, Pristina, who marched against crime in response to last week's murder of a police officer in the Serbian province administered by the world body since 1999.

"The murder of Kosovo Police Officer Triumf Riza is a heinous crime and a terrible tragedy," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Joachim Rücker. "Indeed, his death has united Kosovo's people against crime like no other event that I have witnessed here."

He characterized Mr. Riza, 28, as a "fearless officer, whose service was exemplary," and staff from the UN Mission in Kosovo, known as <"http://www.unmikonline.org">UNMIK, participated in today's rally.

The Kosovo police force has already apprehended suspects in his murder, and Mr. Rücker expressed confidence that the guilty will be brought to justice. He appealed for the community's support and for anyone with information regarding the case to come forward.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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'EXTREMELY SERIOUS' LOCUST INFESTATION IN YEMEN WORSENS IN AUGUST, UN REPORTS

'EXTREMELY SERIOUS' LOCUST INFESTATION IN YEMEN WORSENS IN AUGUST, UN REPORTS
New York, Sep 4 2007 1:00PM
The locust infestation in Yemen, already termed "threatening and extremely serious" last month, worsened during August as immature swarms of the crop-devouring insects formed in the interior and moved into the central highlands, with the possibility that they may now invade neighbouring countries, the United Nations warned in its latest <" http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/common/ecg/562/en/DL347e.pdf">update.

Some swarms remained in the interior where another generation of breeding is likely to occur while a few others moved to southern Oman, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/info/index.html">FAO) reported, in what has been called the worst locust infestation in Yemen in nearly 15 years.

The swarms in the highlands are expected to reach the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coast where they will mature and lay eggs. A few swarms could also reach coastal areas in Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Sudan and northern Somalia where good rains fell during August, FAO said.

There is also a slight risk that a few swarms could reach the Indo-Pakistan border during the first half of September. Elsewhere, heavy rains and flooding occurred in the interior of Sudan and Eritrea where locust numbers are expected to increase.

Good rains fell and ecological conditions were favourable in the northern Sahel region of West Africa bordering the Sahara, FAO noted.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL HAILS LEBANESE SEIZURE OF REFUGEE CAMP

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL HAILS LEBANESE SEIZURE OF REFUGEE CAMP
New York, Sep 4 2007 1:00PM
A senior United Nations official welcomed the Lebanese army's full seizure over the weekend of the Nahr el-Bared camp, which has been the scene of months of intense combat with Fateh el-Islam gunmen.

"The Lebanese army has extinguished this serious threat posed by Fateh el-Islam's independence, sovereignty and stability," said UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Geir O. Pedersen said, noting that over 150 Lebanese soldiers died "to uphold these principles."

"The fight against Fateh el-Islam in Nahr el-Bared was a fight of both Lebanese and Palestinians against terrorism and is a victory for all of Lebanon," he noted.

The humanitarian obstacles facing Palestinian families displaced by the violence must be tackled, while the efforts must be intensified to rapidly reconstruct the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp and support Lebanese communities affected by the conflict, the Special Coordinator said.

Mr. Pedersen said he gives his full support to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's call for a donor meeting in the capital Beirut on 10 September.

He also conveyed the UN's condolences to the families of the soldiers and civilians killed, and expressed wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

Before the fighting began in late May, the camp in northern Lebanon was home to nearly 31,000 people, including about 8,000 classified by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<" http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA) as special hardship cases.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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SYRIA ASSURES UN IT WILL NOT FORCIBLY DEPORT IRAQI REFUGEES UNDER NEW VISA SYSTEM

SYRIA ASSURES UN IT WILL NOT FORCIBLY DEPORT IRAQI REFUGEES UNDER NEW VISA SYSTEM
New York, Sep 4 2007 12:00PM
The Syrian Government has assured the United Nations refugee agency that it does not intend to forcibly return Iraqi refugees, estimated at some 1.4 million, when it introduces new visa requirements.

In talks at the Foreign Ministry in Damascus, the Syrian capital, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46dc41d72.html">UNHCR) top protection official Erika Feller was told that the new visa restrictions arose from the fact that Syria's ability to handle the influx is close to the breaking point.

Ms. Feller, on a mission to Syria to see first-hand the situation of Iraqi refugees, acknowledged the enormous pressure on Syrian society – its infrastructure, economy, security and energy resources – and reiterated the agency's appreciation for the generosity shown by the Syrian people, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva today.

"So far, she has received assurances that the Government does not intend to forcibly return Iraqi refugees currently living in Syria, estimated at some 1.4 million," he said, noting that Ms. Feller had expressed hope that the most vulnerable will continue to have access to the safe environment offered by Syria and that there be no forcible return.

She has also highlighted the need for sustained international support to Syria in its efforts to cope with the huge number of Iraqis.

Over the weekend, press reports about the new visa requirements caused great concern among Iraqis in Syria, with a UNHCR hotline for refugees being inundated with calls from people asking how this would affect their situation.

In her discussions, Ms. Feller is seeking to clarify the reports. Although all the officials she has met so far confirmed that there would be a new visa regime, no formal policy has yet been made available to UNHCR. According to Government sources, all Iraqis wishing to enter Syria will have to apply for a visa from the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad.

Syria is the only country not to have imposed strict regulations on the entry of Iraqi refugees. Jordan, which hosts an estimated 500,000 to 750,000 Iraqis, has largely limited access for new arrivals, while other regional countries have tough visa regulations in place.

Ms. Feller, who oversees UNHCR's protection work for nearly 33 million refugees and other people of concern worldwide, is continuing her efforts to obtain more information on how the visa rules may affect Iraqi refugees, Mr. Redmond said.

Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR has issued two appeals aimed at helping countries in the region to cope with the humanitarian crisis of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fleeing the violence in their homeland. The first commits $41 million to Syria for humanitarian assistance. The second, launched jointly with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), seeks over $63 million to support the education sector.

UNHCR has so far registered a total of 118,000 Iraqis in Syria and expects that figure to reach 200,000 by the end of the year. Many of them are seriously ill and victims of extreme violence and torture. Ms. Feller noted at least 2,000 people continue to flee their homes in Iraq daily. Tomorrow she is due to continue her mission in Lebanon.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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FUNDING SHORTFALL THREATENS UN FAMILY REUNIONS FOR WESTERN SAHARA REFUGEES

FUNDING SHORTFALL THREATENS UN FAMILY REUNIONS FOR WESTERN SAHARA REFUGEES
New York, Sep 4 2007 12:00PM
Threatened by an almost 50 per cent shortfall in funding, family reunion visits and other confidence-building measures connecting Sahrawi refugees in camps in Algeria and their relatives in the Western Sahara Territory risk coming to a halt next month, the United Nations refugee agency <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46dd28b611.html">warned today.

In January, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/">UNHCR) appealed for nearly $3.5 million to continue the family visits and telephone services initiated in 2004 for some 90,000 Sahrawi around Tindouf in western Algeria, where they sought shelter from the conflict between Morocco and the Frente Polisario independence movement, which contest the Western Sahara territory, a former Spanish colony.

But only a little over half that amount has so far been funded, UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva.

Sahrawi refugees started arriving in Algeria in 1976 after Spain withdrew from the area and fighting broke out over its control, while others stayed in the Western Sahara and today families remain separated. UNHCR has introduced several measures to build confidence between the two groups and to re-establish contact between families.

UNHCR gives Sahrawis the possibility of five-day visits with relatives and loved ones, reuniting many of them after 32 years of separation and contributing significantly to relieving the trauma and suffering of the Sahrawi people.

Since they started in March 2004, some 154 visits have taken place involving 4,255 people, mainly women. An additional 14,726 people have registered and are waiting to take part in the programme.

In recent weeks, UNHCR also received suggestions from Moroccan authorities that Sahrawi refugees and their relatives be allowed to attend funerals and weddings. A small number of Sahrawis on both sides may also be allowed to undertake pilgrimages to Mecca, pending the availability of funds.

UNHCR has 24 staff in Laayoune in the territory and 23 in the Tindouf camps.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN HEALTH AGENCY URGES MORE INVESTMENTS, SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

UN HEALTH AGENCY URGES MORE INVESTMENTS, SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS
New York, Sep 4 2007 11:00AM
With up to half of all people with severe mental disorders worldwide and a vast majority of mild or moderate cases not receiving any treatment, the United Nations health agency today appealed to countries to increase their investment and support for necessary services.

"This topic should matter to everyone, because people living with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries are systematically locked out of the benefits of development that are open to others," UN World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General for Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health Catherine Le Galès-Camus said.

"When not addressed, mental disorders deprive people of opportunities to escape from poverty and deny them a voice to claim their rights," she added.

Even when treatment is available, it is often delivered in institutional settings which in many countries are associated with stigma and human rights violations, WHO noted.

"The reasons for this bleak situation are clear: mental health services are being starved of both human and financial resources," the agency said in a <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr45/en/index.html>news release, pointing out that a majority of countries in Africa and South-East Asia spend less than 1 per cent of their health budget on mental health.

Low-income countries have an average of 0.05 psychiatrists and 0.16 psychiatric nurses per 100,000 people (about 200 times less than in high-income countries) and those extremely low rates make it impossible for satisfactory services to be delivered.

"The current situation means that people with mental illnesses are at best ignored and at worst actively discriminated against in many countries," WHO Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benedetto Saraceno said. "We can only improve the services available to people with mental disorders if there is a major and rapid increase in investment in this area."

mental health care is approximately $2 per person per year in low-income countries and $3-4 in lower-middle income countries. This package, based on treatment of mental disorders in primary health care and in community-based facilities would increase the treatment coverage to 80 per cent for severe mental disorders and 25-33 per cent for less severe ones.

These targets are currently the best attainable level for most low- and middle-income countries given the current poor infrastructure and scarcity of human resources for mental health care, WHO said.

2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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UN SEEKS TO BUILD ON RECONCILIATION EFFORTS IN IRAQ

UN SEEKS TO BUILD ON RECONCILIATION EFFORTS IN IRAQ
New York, Sep 4 2007 11:00AM
The top UN official in Iraq is to explore with the Government and a full range of political leaders the activities that the United Nations can undertake to promote national dialogue and reconciliation following recent political developments.

In a <"http://www.uniraq.org/get_article.asp?Language=EN&ArticleID=405">statement issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/default.asp">UNAMI), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Ashraf Qazi welcomed the agreement and statements on reconciliation made by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and several political leaders late last month.

He also welcomed the decision by Shiite cleric Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr to suspend the activities of his Jaysh ul Mehdi movement and voiced the hope that these developments would help bring about an environment in which violence could be reduced and progress made in national dialogue and reconciliation.

Mr. Qazi noted that last month's adoption of Security Council resolution 1770 extending and expanding UNAMI's mandate "clearly highlights the importance of national reconciliation among Iraq's different political and ethnic groups."

Meanwhile, UN agencies are supporting another massive effort to deliver critical polio vaccinations to 4.8 million Iraqi children, even in the country's remote areas. Almost 20,000 vaccinators will participate in this week's house-to-house drive, set to last five days.

Their goal is to deliver oral polio vaccine (OPV) to children wherever they live, travelling by boat, car and on foot. Teams will also be working in every vaccination hospital and primary health care centre across the country to immunize children against the highly infectious and incurable paralytic disease that mostly affects the young.

Conflict and insecurity have regrettably made mass campaigns such as this critical to maintain immunity against infectious diseases.

But the challenges facing the campaign from conflict and insecurity are greater than ever. During the last campaign in December only half as many children were immunized in parts of Baghdad and Diyala province as against the national average of 91 per cent.

Reaching the most vulnerable and displaced children this time round is critical, said the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which is supporting the campaign together with the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

"We are committed to ensure that the most vulnerable children do not miss out," UNICEF Representative for Iraq Roger Wright stressed. "Over the next week, reaching displaced children and those areas must be given top priority."

WHO Representative for Iraq Naeema Al-Ghasser praised the efforts of the Ministry of Health and the vaccinators to ensure that a high quality campaign goes ahead. "This is a testament to Iraq's health workers' determination to protect children's health and families in most difficult conditions," she said.

WHO and UNICEF are helping the Government with planning and management, providing transport for vaccinator teams and assisting the engagement of local communities, as well as providing OPV to re-stock Iraq's supplies. The European Union provided $4.25 million to UNICEF and WHO to support the drive.
2007-09-04 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON KICKS OFF FIRST VISIT TO SUDAN

BAN KI-MOON KICKS OFF FIRST VISIT TO SUDAN
New York, Sep 3 2007 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Sudan today to "lock in progress" made so far to end the crisis in the country's strife-torn Darfur region and observe first-hand the situation on the ground ahead of the deployment of a massive joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation.

Mr. Ban's visit comes just weeks after the Security Council authorized a hybrid force, which will have some 26,000 peacekeepers at full deployment, to quell the violence in Darfur, where at least 200,000 people have died and more than two million others forced to flee their homes since 2003 because of fighting between rebel groups, Sudanese Government forces and allied Janjaweed militias.

"I want to see for myself the plight of those we seek to help, and the conditions under which our peacekeepers in Darfur will operate," Mr. Ban told an audience of civil society representatives upon arriving in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp">speech to the UN Association in Sudan on Monday evening, Mr. Ban outlined the reasons for his visit --which will also include stops in neighboring Chad and Libya -- stating that his goal is to "lock in the progress we have made so far. To build on it so that this terrible trauma may one day end."

Mr. Ban said he also wanted to try to strengthen momentum towards a lasting political resolution. "I want to see us begin a new and conclusive round of peace negotiations as soon as possible," he stated.

During his visit, the Secretary-General will meet with President Omar al-Bashir and other senior leaders, in addition to First Vice-President Salva Kiir in southern Sudan, and opposition representatives.

He stressed that any real solution to Darfur's troubles requires sustained economic development and solutions that go to the root causes of the conflict. "But we cannot effectively address development issues until there is a peaceful environment in Darfur and a political solut
to the conflict," he added.

With regard to economic and social development, Mr. Ban emphasized the need for money for new roads and communications, as well as health, education, sanitation and social reconstruction programmes. In addition, he stressed that more needs to be done if Sudan is to be on track to meet the set of global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), stating that "there can be no solutions to Sudan's political problems without sustainable economic development."

"As for human rights, we have only to look around us to see how far Sudan has to go in upholding human rights and protecting people from suffering," the Secretary-General added.

Noting that justice is an important part of building and sustaining peace, he emphasized that "a culture of impunity and a legacy of past crimes that go unaddressed can only erode the peace."

Mr. Ban urged those gathered to do their part to ensure an immediate end to violence and a rapid political solution, stating that "ultimately, it is you who will carry forward the work of building a lasting peace in Sudan."

In addition, "I urge you to think of the United Nations -- and me, personally -- as your friend, always by your side. I urge you to do everything you can to advance our common cause -- building a better Sudan, and a better world, for yourselves and for future generations."

2007-09-03 00:00:00.000

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HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN NORTHEAST UGANDA SHOWS IMPROVEMENT -- UN

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN NORTHEAST UGANDA SHOWS IMPROVEMENT -- UN
New York, Sep 3 2007 3:00PM
The human rights situation in Uganda's Karamoja region has improved significantly over the last four months, with a "marked reduction" in human rights violations, road ambushes and the circulation of illegal arms, the United Nations said today.

In its latest report on the situation in Karamoja -- an area in northeast Uganda inhabited by close to 1 million people -- the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/english/">OHCHR) highlighted the "improvements in the security and human rights situation in the area as well as advances made by the national army, Uganda Peoples' Defense Forces (UPDF), in conducting disarmament operations."

Cattle raids and subsequent retaliation by armed Karimojong, however, rank as the highest recorded violence inflicted on the population during the period covered by the report, 1 April to 12 August.

In its previous report released in April, OHCHR voiced concern over escalating violence against civilians in Karamoja where almost 70 people have been killed since last November.

It was also concerned over a "climate of fear and insecurity" in the area where armed Karimojong have reportedly killed seven UPDF soldiers, eight civilians and almost 300 cattle.

The follow-up report issued today in Geneva calls on the authorities to hold perpetrators accountable and to adopt a national response to combat impunity.

2007-09-03 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ATTACKS IN NEPALESE CAPITAL

UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ATTACKS IN NEPALESE CAPITAL
New York, Sep 2 2007 6:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Nepal today condemned a series of bomb blasts which struck Kathmandu, resulting in a number of casualties.

"The United Nations expresses its condemnation of the bomb attacks which have killed and injured Kathmandu citizens," Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ian Martin said in a statement.

"The Nepalese have shown a great capacity to resolve difficult issues through peaceful dialogue, and I have no doubt that acts of terror will discredit whatever cause they are claimed to promote," said Mr. Martin, who is also head of the UN Mission in Nepal (<"http://www.un.org.np/unmin.php">UNMIN).

According to media reports, at least two people were killed and more than two dozen others injured following three blasts that took place aboard a minibus packed with commuters, at a bus stop in the busy city centre and outside army headquarters.

The attacks came just days after the Special Representative appealed for an end to violence ahead of November's Constituent Assembly elections.

Late last year, the Government and rebel Maoists signed a peace accord ending a decade-long armed conflict that killed some 13,000 people in the Himalayan nation.

2007-09-02 00:00:00.000

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