GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT LAUDS AL GORE, IPCC ON NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT LAUDS AL GORE, IPCC ON NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
New York, Oct 13 2007 6:00PM
The President of the United Nations General Assembly today congratulated Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on their receipt of the 2007 Nobel Peace Price and voiced hope that it would spur action on the issue.

"The President believes that the awarding of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize is a clear recognition of the fact that climate change is not just an environmental problem but a global, multifaceted challenge that deserves immediate and crucial attention from the international community," a spokesman for Srgjan Kerim said in a statement released in New York.

"The award is not only a recognition of the outstanding and important work that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been pursuing over many years, but also reflects positively on the work of the United Nations as a whole," he said, pointing out that climate change is the "flagship issue" of the current Assembly session.

The awarding of the Nobel Prize should "give additional impetus to the efforts of Member States to work through the United Nations to address the challenge of climate change," he said.

2007-10-13 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT URGES ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT URGES ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Oct 12 2007 8:00PM
The world's island States and most vulnerable developing countries are waiting for concrete measures to deal with climate change, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said today.

Addressing the Rotary Club of Mulheim, Germany, Mr. Kerim said it was vital that participants at the major summit on climate change taking place in Bali in December develop a new regime for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other contributors to global warming.

A reduction in emissions is particularly important for island and poor nations, who have for "around 20 years heard enough solemn speeches" on the subject but witnessed few results, he said.

Mr. Kerim stressed the need for the entire United Nations system, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to work more closely together in the fight against climate change.

He also said the General Assembly continues to have a valuable role as a forum for the 192 Member States to debate ideas and the best ways to respond, adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Mr. Kerim said the inter-connected nature of the world made the UN more essential than ever, but he added that it must ensure, by way of continuous reform, that it is as effective as possible in dealing with the biggest global questions.

As General Assembly President, he said he hoped it would become more of an interactive forum between States, rather than one in which countries use "pre-fabricated statements" to engage in "ritual monologues."

Yesterday, Mr. Kerim was in the Belgian capital, Brussels, for meetings with European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poetering and the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. The meetings focused on the priority themes of the Assembly this session: climate change, countering terrorism, finance for development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG
reform.

2007-10-12 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON HAILS NOBEL LAUREATES AL GORE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

BAN KI-MOON HAILS NOBEL LAUREATES AL GORE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Oct 12 2007 9:00AM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed the awarding of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and urged governments to build on the momentum they have generated by adopting a new set of binding commitments to contain greenhouse gas emissions.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban paid tribute to Mr. Gore's "exceptional commitment and conviction, as an example of the crucial role that individuals and civil society can play in encouraging multilateral responses to global issues."

His spokesperson said Mr. Ban "rejoices with the IPCC, and its co-sponsors, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization."

Mr. Ban, who has made addressing climate change a key priority of his administration, pointed out that the IPCC's "lucid and well-documented findings" helped to establish "beyond doubt that climate change is happening, and that much of it is caused by human activity."

This led to "unprecedented momentum for action on climate change around the world, and recognition of the UN as the forum for reaching agreement on it," he said.

The Secretary-General, who last month convened summit-level talks on the issue in New York to jump-start diplomatic action on climate change, called for industrialized and developing countries alike to commit themselves to a real breakthrough at the critical Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali in December.

That meeting will serve to hammer out a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol, which contains legally binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions but will expire in 2012.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner also praised the decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, saying it "has today made it clear that combating climate change is a central peace and security policy for the 21st century."

H
public attention on the issue of global warming while outlining the enormous risks but also the enormous opportunities confronting the world."

Mr. Steiner emphasized the importance of building on the momentum they have helped to build through "negotiations on a decisive, post 2012 emissions reduction agreement" at the Bali meeting.

Established in the late 1980s by UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization of the UN, the IPCC and its more than 2,000 scientists and experts have grappled with the science; the likely impacts of climate change and the economics.

The IPCC has "outlined the impacts, from the melting off glaciers in the Himalayas to more frequent and devastating floods in New York to Bangladesh?impacts, not in some far away future but in the life-time of people reading and hearing the announcement off the Peace Prize Committee," Mr. Steiner said.

He noted that the IPCC has also calculated the price of peace and stability on this planet at perhaps 0.1 per cent of global GDP a year for 30 years for combating climate change and avoiding instability, rising tensions and conflict.

"The IPCC, in validating the climate science, represents one of the most important contributions the UN has made in its history to humanity and its current and future choices," declared Mr. Steiner.

He recalled that UNEP earlier this year named Mr. Gore a UNEP Champion of the Earth for "making environmental protection a pillar of his public service and for educating the world on the dangers posed by rising greenhouse gas emissions."

With this prize, the IPCC joins the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN peacekeeping, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UN mediator Ralph Bunche, secretaries-general Dag Hammarskjöld and Kofi Annan as well as the United Nations itself as Nobel laureates in the UN family.

2007-10-12 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR 'GENUINE' DIALOGUE IN MYANMAR TO ACHIEVE RECONCILIATION

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR 'GENUINE' DIALOGUE IN MYANMAR TO ACHIEVE RECONCILIATION
New York, Oct 11 2007 7:00PM
Strongly deploring Myanmar's recent use of violence against peaceful protesters, the Security Council today underscored the need for dialogue between the Government and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to accelerate its national reconciliation process.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9139.doc.htm">presidential statement read by Ambassador Leslie K. Christian of Ghana, which hold the rotating Council presidency this month, the Council called on authorities and other parties to "work together towards a de-escalation of the situation and a peaceful solution."

Last week, the Council was briefed by Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser, after returning from a visit to Myanmar, the scene of what the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro characterized as a "brutal crackdown" against peaceful demonstrations led by monks.

The Government must take steps for a "genuine dialogue" with Ms. Suu Kyi – a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been under house arrest for four years and has spent 11 of the past 17 years in detention – and "all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations," the Council said today.

It also stressed the importance of releasing all political prisoners and remaining detainees.

Emphasizing that "the future of Myanmar lies with its people," the 15-member body called on authorities to take necessary steps to address the people's concerns.

Earlier this month, both Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mr. Gambari welcomed news that Senior General Than Shwe has is prepared to meet Ms. Suu Kyi, albeit with certain conditions.

"The Security Council welcomes the Government of Myanmar's public commitment to work with the United Nations and the appointment of a liaison officer with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Mr. Christian said today.

However, the Council also highlighted the importance that "such commitments are followed by action."

Mr. Gambari has been invited back to Myanmar by authorities, and the Council voiced its support for a return visit as quickly as possible to "facilitate concrete actions and tangible results." The body also urged the Government and other parties to cooperate fully with the Special Adviser and to consider his proposals and recommendations seriously.

In a related development, the Secretary-General today dispatched Mr. Gambari to the region, where he will hold consultations in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan, with a view to returning to Myanmar shortly thereafter.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON UNVEILS JUDICIAL SELECTION PANEL FOR HARIRI TRIBUNAL IN LEBANON

BAN KI-MOON UNVEILS JUDICIAL SELECTION PANEL FOR HARIRI TRIBUNAL IN LEBANON
New York, Oct 11 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the composition of a selection panel to recommend to him the names of judges and chief prosecutor to work on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is being set up to prosecute the suspected killers of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005.

Mr. Ban sent a letter to the Security Council President informing him of his intention to appoint Judge Mohamed Amin El Mahdi, Judge Erik Møse and Nicolas Michel to the selection panel, according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11216.doc.htm">statement released by the Secretary-General's spokesperson.

Judge El Mahdi formerly served on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Judge Møse currently serves as a presiding judge with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Mr. Michel is the UN Legal Counsel and Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs.

Today's statement stressed that Mr. Ban remained committed to setting up the Tribunal in a timely manner and that he continues to believe the court "will contribute to ending impunity in Lebanon for the crimes under its jurisdiction."

The Tribunal is being set up to deal with the assassination of Mr. Hariri, who was killed along with 22 others in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut in February 2005.

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

The selection panel is tasked with recommending to Mr. Ban the names of the four Lebanese judges and seven international judges who should serve on the court, as well as its chief prosecutor.

According to the Tribunal's statute, the chambers will consist of one international pre-trial judge; three judges to serve in the trial chamber (one Lebanese and two international); five judges to serve in the appeals chamber (two Lebanese and three international); and two alternate judges (one Lebanese and one international).

The judges of the trial chamber and those of the appeals chamber will then each elect a presiding judge to conduct the proceedings in their chamber, with the presiding judge of the appeals chamber serving as president of the Tribunal.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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PRIVATE SECTOR SHOULD LEAD FIGHT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS

PRIVATE SECTOR SHOULD LEAD FIGHT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS
New York, Oct 11 2007 5:00PM
The private sector should take the lead on tackling the challenges posed by climate change, from investing in clean new technologies to encouraging countries and industries to make the necessary adaptations to change, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told business leaders in Washington today.

Speaking to the United States Chamber of Commerce this afternoon, Mr. Ban said the role played by US businesses would prove particularly vital given their financial resources and historic leadership in technological innovation.

"We can promote economic growth, spur development and respond to climate change – this is not an either/or proposition," he said. "Your ability to determine investment flows gives you great influence over the pace of innovation, technological change and adaptation."

The Secretary-General called on business leaders to develop "innovative market mechanisms" as a means of combating climate change, particularly the perils raised by greenhouse gas emissions.

"I hope you will approach the carbon market as a major economic opening, one that has tripled in size $30 billion in just the past year alone. An expanded and improved carbon market is an essential part of the solution." The carbon market is a mechanism allowing companies to trade emissions credits in order to ensure that mandated caps are met.

Climate change is also the focus of two other speeches that Mr. Ban is giving during his two-day visit to Washington that ends tomorrow.

Tonight he is expected to tell the National Association of Evangelicals that tackling climate change and global warming is a "moral imperative and a defining issue of our era."

Mr. Ban will warn that the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide are in jeopardy from climate change.

"Without a strong global effort against global warming, we will fail in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the implicit human right to economic justice and development," he said, referring to a set of antipoverty targets which leaders at a 2000 UN summit said should be reached by 2015.

The Secretary-General is also due to address the staff of the US Peace Corps tomorrow before returning to UN Headquarters in New York.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED MEETING CHARTS COURSE FOR HELPING OLDER PERSONS IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

UN-BACKED MEETING CHARTS COURSE FOR HELPING OLDER PERSONS IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
New York, Oct 11 2007 5:00PM
Over 100 representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations and academia from 26 Asian and Pacific countries along with United Nations officials have forged a document on helping the region's large population of older persons.

Delegates attending a meeting organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/oct/g41.asp">ESCAP) in Macao, China, today adopted an "Outcome Document" outlining specific measures aimed at ensuring income security in old age, raising public awareness of the benefits of active ageing, and generating inter-generational solidarity.

"One of the critical issues to be addressed is finding ways to match the desire of many older persons to remain productive with the actual employment opportunities available for them. Many countries also recognize the impact of modernization, migration and changing family structures on families' ability to care for older persons," said Keiko Osaki, Chief of ESCAP's Population and Social Integration Section.

"Universal social security coverage is virtually non-existent in the region and wherever it exists, its sustainability is being questioned," she said.

The Macao Outcome Document urges governments in the region to ensure sustainable and adequate retirement income and to raise awareness among younger generations about life-long preparation for old age and retirement, including in the areas of health and financial security. It underscores the need for data collection, research and studies focused on elderly issues.

Acknowledging the specific context of the Asian and Pacific region and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the Macao Outcome Document encourages the establishment of training programmes to further strengthen the capacities of informal caregivers and promotes the concept of "ageing in place" through the development of age-friendly physical environments.

The Document also urges governments to promote social and economic equalities for all ages so that older persons, especially women living in poverty, have universal access to health care.

Home to over 60 per cent of the world population, the Asian and Pacific region now accounts for 410 million older persons. This number is expected to increase to 733 million in 2025 and to a staggering 1.3 billion by 2050.

"It is essential for governments in the region to start planning ahead for the socio-economic implications of ageing societies, with the understanding of the changing demands and needs of the future elderly population," said Thelma Kay, Director of ESCAP's Emerging Social Issues Division.

Over the next 45 years, Asians aged 60 and older will triple in number, to 1.3 billion, and grow from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of the population, due to falling fertility and rising life expectancy, according to the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=1043">UNFPA), which estimates that Japan's over-60 population will grow from 28 per cent today to 44 per cent by 2050.

This demographic shift is occurring most rapidly in East Asia, where older persons will outnumber children under 15 by 2008, the agency said.

Garimela Giridhar, Director of UNFPA's Technical Services Team for East and South-East Asia, said the agency is working in a number of Asian countries to advocate anti-discriminatory legislation, promote data collection and analysis, and encourage families and communities to support older people.

The three-day meeting in Macao reviewed the progress made in Asia and the Pacific in carrying out the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, a landmark document adopted five years ago at the Second World Assembly on Ageing.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN ENVOY WARNS SURGE IN VIOLENCE MUST END AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS

DARFUR: UN ENVOY WARNS SURGE IN VIOLENCE MUST END AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS
New York, Oct 11 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations Special Envoy to Darfur today called for an end to the "vicious cycle of violence" engulfing the war-torn Sudanese region ahead of major peace talks later this month, warning that any delay to the negotiations between the Government and the rebels would only lead to further bloodshed.

After a week of meetings with key regional figures, Jan Eliasson told a press conference in Khartoum that the talks – which he is co-convening with his African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim – will start as scheduled on 27 October in neighbouring Libya.

But he stressed the need for all sides to refrain from violence to ensure there is an environment conducive to talks set up to try to end the conflict that has raged across Darfur, an arid and impoverished region in western Sudan, since 2003.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes because of fighting between the rebels, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed.

In recent weeks there has been a spike in violence in Darfur, particularly in South Darfur state, and Mr. Eliasson voiced deep concern at the security situation and the recent escalation of Sudanese military activity.

He said the mediation process was staying on course ahead of the Libya talks, adding that any delay to those talks would be tragic and cause more bloodshed.

The envoy also expressed hope that the talks' first outcome would be to produce a formal declaration of a cessation of hostilities once the political negotiations are under way.

Invitations to rebel groups and civil society representatives to participate in the talks are expected to be issued in the next few days, Mr. Eliasson said.

This week, Mr. Eliasson has met with senior Sudanese Government officials and representatives of Chad, Egypt, Eritrea and Libya, and today he characterized the meetings as positive and successful.

Also speaking at the press conference, the AU's Sam Ibok, who is a senior adviser to Mr. Salim, said the Libya talks will be as inclusive as possible to ensure that there is broad-based public support of the peace process.

He added that no party will be allowed to "shoot its way to the talks," stressing that violence must end before the negotiations begin.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL DISPATCHES MYANMAR ENVOY TO MEET WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISPATCHES MYANMAR ENVOY TO MEET WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS
New York, Oct 11 2007 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced that he is sending his Special Adviser on Myanmar back to the region this weekend to meet with regional partners about the situation in the troubled South-East Asian nation.

Ibrahim Gambari recently returned from a visit to Myanmar, where the Government used force – what the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro characterized as a "brutal crackdown" – against peaceful demonstrations led by monks.

According to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11214.doc.htm">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson, the Special Adviser will start his consultations in Thailand next Monday morning before visiting Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan, with a view to returning to Myanmar shortly thereafter.

In a related development, the Security Council issued a presidential statement today strongly deploring the Government's use of force against the demonstrators. The 15-member body urged authorities to take major steps towards inclusive national reconciliation and underscored the importance of dialogue between the Government and the opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY WORKS TO REGISTER DISPLACED CONGOLESE FLEEING NORTH KIVU

UN REFUGEE AGENCY WORKS TO REGISTER DISPLACED CONGOLESE FLEEING NORTH KIVU
New York, Oct 11 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency is working to register displaced people fleeing confrontations between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and troops of ex-General Laurent Nkunda in the volatile North Kivu province, where human rights abuses such as rape are reportedly on the rise.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today that it has started registration of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the five camp sites in the Mugunga area some 15 kilometres west of Goma. Over 27,500 internally displaced have been identified.

This represents just a small fraction of the hundreds of thousands of Congolese who have fled North Kivu; many are staying with host families while others are in districts not yet reached by relief workers. Once access for humanitarian personnel to displacement zones improves, registrations at other IDP sites may be possible, the agency said in a news release.

"This registration has long been awaited. Once the operation is completed, the displaced registration lists will be available to partner UN agencies and NGOs [non-governmental organizations] to distribute food and other assistance goods in the Mugunga IDP sites," said <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR Representative Eusèbe Hounsokou, who is overseeing the operations from Kinshasa.

Armed confrontations in the area intensified on 7 October and since then a trickle of newly displaced people have been arriving in the IDP sites close to Goma.

"Displaced report severe violations by armed groups, such as pillaging and destruction of houses, killings of civilians, recruitment of children into armed groups and cases of rape," the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC) said.

The mission cited statistics showing 351 cases of rape have been reported in North Kivu during September 2007, which represents a 60 per cent increase from the prior month. Survivors of rape among the new IDP arrivals are referred to specialist organizations for medical treatment and psycho-social support.

"UNHCR remains highly concerned that a further intensification of fighting may lead to the new displacement of tens of thousands of civilians," Mr. Hounsokou added.

In New York, a UN spokesperson reported that humanitarian convoys have tried to deliver food and supplies to areas where the fighting is taking place, but many have been forced to delay operations because of insecurity.

Meanwhile, the Force Commander of MONUC, General Babacar Gaye, estimated that there are 700,000 displaced people in the province and emphasized the mission's focus is on resolving the crisis.

"MONUC is very conscious in this situation of the consequences for the population," he said in an interview published by the mission. "We are coordinating with the humanitarians, and we give our support in terms of security in the displaced persons zones."

The mission is also conscious of what the DRC's Armed Forces, known as FARDC, are doing on the ground, he added.

"We give the FARDC a certain support, in particular in the medical evacuation of their wounded, to transport their reinforcements and their ammunition. But our number one concern really remains that a fast solution is found to a situation which risks becoming a drama of a bigger scale."

He said MONUC would be ready to absorb the forces of Mr. Nkunda in "brassage," its retraining programme for ex-combatants to form a part of integrated FARDC brigades. "The decision to send 500 men for brassage was made by Nkunda, but unfortunately it has not been carried out on the ground," he said. "We are ready to fully engage in this process."
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES RESTRAINT BY ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA AS TENSIONS RISE

BAN KI-MOON URGES RESTRAINT BY ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA AS TENSIONS RISE
New York, Oct 11 2007 3:00PM
Voicing his concern at escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the two East African neighbours to show maximum restraint and abide by the accords that ended their border war seven years ago.

Of particular concern are "recent shooting incidents, as well as the building up of military forces in the border area," according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11215.doc.htm">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

The Secretary-General called on the two countries to exercise "utmost restraint," maintain their commitment to the Algiers Agreements – the pacts which ended the border war in 2000 – and preserve the integrity of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), where the UN has deployed a peacekeeping mission known as UNMEE.

He also urged them to facilitate the implementation of the decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) regarding the demarcation of their border. In 2002 the Commission handed down a final and binding decision awarding Badme, the town that triggered fighting between the two countries from 1998 to 2000, to Eritrea.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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SUDANESE DEPORTATION OF ETHIOPIAN REFUGEES DRAWS CRITICISM FROM UN AGENCY

SUDANESE DEPORTATION OF ETHIOPIAN REFUGEES DRAWS CRITICISM FROM UN AGENCY
New York, Oct 11 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency today condemned the recent deportation of at least 15 Ethiopian refugees by the authorities in Sudan, calling it a breach of the country's international legal obligations.

Sudanese officials handed over the refugees to Ethiopian authorities at the Metema border crossing, about 500 kilometres southeast of Khartoum, on 27 September, but the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/470e4b092.html">UNHCR) said in a statement issued in Geneva that it had only learned of the deportations this week.

UNHCR said information it had received so far indicated that the deportees are part of a group of more than 30 Ethiopian refugees arrested by Sudanese authorities in early July in Khartoum and in Damazine, the capital of Blue Nile state.

The Sudanese Government has not responded yet to UNHCR's repeated appeals on the refugees, and UNHCR said it fears the remaining Ethiopians in the group are in jail and could also face deportation.

Under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, refoulement – or forcibly returning individuals to their country of origin where they could face persecution – is prohibited.

"UNHCR urges the Government to abide by this important principle of international law, which is also an integral part of Sudan's National Interim Constitution," the agency said. "UNHCR also urges authorities to abstain from any further deportations."

After a separate case of refoulement to Ethiopia in early August, the Sudanese Government had assured UNHCR that it would not do this again.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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GLOBAL EDUCATION SPENDING CONCENTRATED IN FEW COUNTRIES - UNESCO REPORT

GLOBAL EDUCATION SPENDING CONCENTRATED IN FEW COUNTRIES – UNESCO REPORT
New York, Oct 11 2007 1:00PM
A new publication by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) <" http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=40049&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">shows that global spending on education is concentrated in just a few countries, with the education budget of a single country like France or Italy outweighing education spending across all of sub-Saharan Africa.

Produced by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the <" http://www.uis.unesco.org/template/pdf/ged/2007/EN_web2.pdf">report finds that sub-Saharan African countries – home to 15 per cent of the school-age population – spend only 2.4 per cent of global education resources.

By contrast, the United States spends 28 per cent of the global education budget although only 4 per cent of the world's children and young people live there. The report attributes this to the large numbers of university students and the relatively high costs of tertiary education.

With a public education budget nearly equal to that of all of the Arab, Central and Eastern European, Central Asian, Latin American and the Caribbean, South and West Asian and sub-Saharan African regions combined, the US is in fact the single largest investor in education, according to the report.

Although public spending is a major source of education funding, many countries, particularly less developed ones, rely on households and communities to cover education expenses such as tuition, textbooks, uniforms and teachers' salaries.

"The challenge lies in ensuring access for disadvantaged students through mechanisms like scholarships or interest-free loans," said Institute Director Hendrik van der Pol.

"But the dynamics are very different for primary and secondary education, where serious questions about equity arise," he adds. "Should governments rely on households to provide for the human right to basic education of decent quality?"

Data shows that household expenditure is highest in Nicaragua, where families assume almost half the costs of primary and secondary education.

Mr. van der Pol highlighted the need for more data on the subject. "At present, only about 60 countries can provide reliable information on private spending for education. Without more data, we will continue to underestimate the tremendous burden placed on families to send their children to school," he stated.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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UN FUND TO HELP OVER 100,000 BANGLADESHI WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

UN FUND TO HELP OVER 100,000 BANGLADESHI WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
New York, Oct 11 2007 1:00PM
A new United Nations-backed development project will <" http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2007/42.htm">help nearly 120,000 Bangladeshi microentrepreneurs – 90 per cent of whom are women – expand their small enterprises and develop new ones.

The UN International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) will provide a $35 million for the nearly $60 million Finance for Enterprise Development and Employment Creation Project.

The main participants in the initiative will be current successful microcredit borrowers whose businesses are crucial for the growth of the rural economy, and the project also hopes that some 200,000 jobs for extremely poor people will be created the newly-bolstered small businesses.

"The microenterprises create vital jobs for much poorer people who live well below the poverty line and often don't have adequate housing or enough to eat," said Nigel Brett, IFAD's country programme manager for Bangladesh. "They often lack the confidence and ability to risk taking a microcredit loan to start an enterprise and would rather find employment in small local businesses."

Although the project will be national in scope, it will target rural areas. It will train microentrepreneurs to manage their businesses more effectively and teach them how to boost the value of their products throughout the market chain, from the purchase of raw materials to the sale of finished products.

IFAD has supported 24 programmes and projects benefiting 8 million households in Bangladesh to date with loans totaling $424 million. The operations have worked to improve rural small entrepreneurs' access to markets and credit and to increase women's economic opportunities.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: UN REPORTS WIDESPREAD RIGHTS ABUSES, URGES RESPONSE MEASURES

IRAQ: UN REPORTS WIDESPREAD RIGHTS ABUSES, URGES RESPONSE MEASURES
New York, Oct 11 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org">UNAMI) today issued a report documenting widespread human rights abuses and recommending specific measures in response, including due process for detainees, punishment for perpetrators of "honour killings," and investigations into deaths caused by private military firms operating in the country.

The eleventh Quarterly Human Rights <"http://www.uniraq.org/FileLib/misc/HR%20Report%20Apr%20Jun%202007%20EN.pdf">report does not contain casualty statistics because the mission was "unable to persuade the Government to release data" on the issue.

UNAMI states that civilians continue to be targeted by armed groups through suicide bombings, abductions and extrajudicial executions by perpetrators who make no distinctions between civilians and combatants.

Concentrated around Baghdad, the violence is also prevalent in other cities, such as Mosul and Basra, and has victimized all ethnic groups while targeting professionals, such as journalists and lawyers, according to the report, which warns that such systematic or widespread attacks against a civilian population are tantamount to crimes against humanity and violate the laws of war, and their perpetrators are subject to prosecution.

UNAMI calls on insurgent groups and armed militia to cease attacks against civilians, cease hostage taking and release those being held. It urges the Government to carry out policies aimed at vetting law enforcement personnel, and emphasizes the importance of accountability.

The report also urges the Government and State institutions to do more in ensuring better judicial oversight mechanisms for suspects arrested in the context of the ongoing Baghdad Security Plan and immediately address reports of torture in Iraqi Government facilities as well as those of Kurdistan Regional Government.

UNAMI cites recent media coverage of the Blackwater security firm and other private c
of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that relying on private military firms risks eroding the distinction between civilians and combatants.

The mission urges the United States authorities to investigate reports of deaths caused by privately hired contractors, and establish effective mechanisms for holding them accountable whenever circumstances surrounding the killings show no justifiable cause.

"All credible allegations of unlawful killings by MNF forces be thoroughly, promptly and impartially investigated, and appropriate action be taken against military personnel found to have used excessive or indiscriminate force, and that the initiation of investigations into such incidents, as well as their findings, should be made public."

The report raises concern about prolonged detention and the absence of timely processing of detainees' cases through the judicial system. The overwhelming majority of detainees interviewed by UNAMI spoke of extended delays in their initial referral to a judicial official of up to two months in many cases and lack of information on what would happen next, or where and when they would be transferred and how long they would be held. As a matter of urgency, the Government of Iraq and the judicial authorities need to take all necessary measures to address these concerns, the report says.

UNAMI also urges the MNF to observe the basic due process guarantees enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
2007-10-11 00:00:00.000

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ARMS CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO DARFUR, SECURITY COUNCIL EXPERT PANEL FINDS

ARMS CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO DARFUR, SECURITY COUNCIL EXPERT PANEL FINDS
New York, Oct 10 2007 7:00PM
The Sudanese Government and rebel groups in Darfur continue to violate the Security Council arms embargo, sending heavy weapons, small arms, ammunition and other military equipment into the war-torn region over the past year, a panel of experts set up to monitor the ban says in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/584">report.

The panel finds that the Government has shipped arms and equipment – including military airplanes and helicopters – by air into the airports of Darfur's three provincial capitals, El Fasher, Nyala and El Geneina.

This occurred even though the Government did not submit any requests for approval or exemption to the Security Council committee set up in 2005 as part of the arms embargo, the report states, covering the period from the end of September last year to the end of August this year.

Government warplanes also made numerous offensive overflights in Darfur, and engaged in aerial bombardments, although the panel notes that the frequency of aerial attacks has declined since April.

Several non-State armed groups have also received weapons, including assault rifles, rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns, that were bought in an unnamed country and then transported through Eritrea and later Chad to reach the rebels in Darfur, which lies on Sudan's western flank.

The panel says it is still awaiting responses from several Member States concerning that shipment, as well as other shipments to non-State armed groups.

It reiterates its earlier recommendation to expand the arms embargo to cover Sudan's entire territory and issues a fresh recommendation calling for a ban on the sale and supply of arms and related materiel to non-State armed groups located in or operating from neighbouring Chad.

Turning to the targeted financial and travel-related sanctions, the panel states that the Sudanese and Chadian Governments have failed to fully implement the resolutions relating to the ban, such as by monitoring the financial accounts of individuals named by the Council.

The panel also finds that both the Sudanese Government and Darfur's major rebel groups have impeded the peace process, whether by conducting ongoing hostilities, placing lengthy pre-conditions on participating in peace talks or by failing to disarm other groups under their control.

Several rebel groups, including the National Redemption Front (NRF) and the Minni Minawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) have also actively targeted the African Union peacekeeping mission currently operating in Darfur.

For its part, the Government had used white aircraft in many of its offensive overflights in Darfur, including in at least one instance a plane with "UN" markings.

All sides, including local Arab tribal militia, are not enforcing any accountability for breaches of the laws and rules of war, while the panel states that rape is being widely used as an instrument of warfare.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON HOLDS FIRST TALKS WITH HEAD OF GUATEMALAN PROBE INTO ARMED GROUPS

BAN KI-MOON HOLDS FIRST TALKS WITH HEAD OF GUATEMALAN PROBE INTO ARMED GROUPS
New York, Oct 10 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held his first talks with the head of an independent body recently set up with the help of the United Nations to investigate the presence and activities of illegal armed groups in Guatemala.

Mr. Ban met with Carlos Castresana Fernández at UN Headquarters in New York yesterday, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

Mr. Castresana told the Secretary-General that the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (known by its Spanish initials as CICIG) is still in its preparatory phase and is likely to start operating by the beginning of January next year.

Ms. Montas said Mr. Ban voiced his full support for the work of the Commission and thanked Mr. Castresana for accepting the post.
CICIG was established under an agreement between the UN and the Guatemalan Government that came into effect on 4 September. An independent, non-UN body, the Commission will be able to conduct its own investigations and also help local institutions, particularly the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
One of the Commission's tasks is to recommend public policies and any legal or institutional measures for eradicating illegal armed groups and preventing their re-emergence. The costs are expected to be borne by voluntary contributions from the international community.
Over three decades of conflict in Guatemala ended with the signing of peace accords in December of 1996, but concern has been mounting in recent years that illegal security groups and clandestine security organizations have continued to operate with impunity, conducting criminal activities and violating human rights.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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DISASTER RISK REDUCTION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE PRESSING, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE PRESSING, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Oct 10 2007 6:00PM
With recent calamities such as floods, storms, and droughts serving as a reminder of the devastating effects of natural hazards, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the need to engage fully in disaster risk reduction has never been more pressing.

"We have a moral, social and economic obligation to act now in building resilient communities and nations," Mr. Ban states in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11192.doc.htm">message marking the International Day for Disaster Reduction, observed annually on 10 October.

Declaring that "disaster reduction is everybody's business," he urges governments, civil society and the private sector, international financial institutions and other international organizations to invest in disaster reduction.

Mr. Ban also cites the importance of stepping up implementation of the Hyogo Framework – a plan of action adopted by States nearly three years ago to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards.

Disaster reduction is about stronger building codes, sound land-use planning, better early warning systems, environmental management and evacuation plans and, above all, education, he states.

"It is about making communities and individuals aware of their risk to natural hazards and how they can reduce their vulnerability," the Secretary-General adds.

Last year the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (<"http://www.unisdr.org/">ISDR) launched a global awareness campaign entitled "Disaster risk reduction begins at schools," which emphasizes the key role that education can play in teaching children about the hazards that they face around their communities.

Sálvano Briceño, Director of the ISDR Secretariat, noted that children are among the most vulnerable groups in society to disasters. However, success stories from the campaign show that children can play an active part in disaster risk reduction.

On the occasion of the International Day, the ISDR has issued a new publication – entitled "Towards a Culture of Prevention: Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at School" – which provides 35 practical examples of how to improve school safety.

"Too many children are dying because they are not educated to live with disasters or because they are attending classes in unsafe buildings. Making schools safer must be the priority of every government in a disaster-prone country," Mr. Briceño said.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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PREVENTING MASS ATROCITIES 'SACRED CALLING' FOR UN AND THE WORLD - BAN KI-MOON

PREVENTING MASS ATROCITIES 'SACRED CALLING' FOR UN AND THE WORLD – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Oct 10 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for the entire United Nations system to be empowered to shoulder the responsibility of preventing mass atrocities, which he deemed one of the "most sacred callings" of the world body and the international community.

"We must bring all our resources to bear: early warning, technical assistance, peacemaking, diplomacy, and, if ultimately necessary, military strength," he said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11212.doc.htm">message to a conference on the prevention of atrocities, organized by the UN University and the International Crisis Group, in New York.

The Secretary-General noted that the UN has not always lived up to this task. "The killing fields of Rwanda, Cambodia and the Balkans stand silent witness to the brutality that passed unchecked by an international system lacking both the will and the vision to act," Mr. Ban said.

Stating that "we can, and we must, do better," he emphasized the need to work with Member States to give real meaning to the promise that is the Responsibility to Protect, a concept enshrined in the 2005 Outcome Document adopted by leaders from across the world attending the UN summit. Sometimes referred to as "R2P," the doctrine holds States responsible for protecting their own populations – and the international community for doing so if States fail to live up to the obligations.

The Secretary-General added that by examining how the UN acts to prevent mass atrocities, the conference can help the world body improve its functioning and streamline its response.

"Indeed, I hope that your guidance can help ensure that the United Nations is never again found wanting in the face of the gravest crimes against humanity," he said.

In May, Mr. Ban appointed Sudanese diplomat Francis Deng as his Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities with the mandate of collecting information on serious violations of human rights that could lead to genocide and to bring potential genocidal situations to the attention of the Security Council.

More recently, the Secretary-General has informed the Council of his intention to appoint Professor Edward Luck to the newly created position of Special Adviser for the Responsibility to Protect.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN SURVEY REVEALS SURGE IN MYANMAR'S OPIUM PRODUCTION

NEW UN SURVEY REVEALS SURGE IN MYANMAR'S OPIUM PRODUCTION
New York, Oct 10 2007 5:00PM
A report released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/press_release_2007_10_10_7.html">UNODC) shows that while a decades-long eradication drive had slashed opium production in South-East Asia, cultivation in Myanmar has risen by nearly 30 per cent this year.

Presenting the 2007 <"http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/icmp/south_east_asia_report_2007_web.pdf">report on opium cultivation in South-East Asia, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said that while the so-called Golden Triangle – comprising Laos, Myanmar and Thailand – is no longer a major supplier of opium, the situation in Myanmar is "extremely alarming."

Thailand has been opium-free for almost 20 years and Laos has cut opium production by 94 per cent in less than a decade, according to the report.

At the same time, opium cultivation rose by 29 per cent – and production by 46 per cent – in 2007 in Myanmar, thereby solidifying the country's position as the world's second largest opium producer after Afghanistan.

The report revealed that opium cultivation is highly concentrated in one area of the Myanmar, namely South and East Shan states, which accounts for 90 per cent of all opium grown in the country, Mr. Costa said.

In addition, there has been a "dangerous switch" in drug production away from opium to a significant increase in methamphetamines which lead to greater profits than that generated by opium.

He called for strengthening controls to prevent precursors from getting into Myanmar and for more forceful anti-corruption measures.

It is also important for the international community to assist farmers so they can find alternative sources of income and thus abandon opium production, he added.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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CLIMATE CHANGE THE FOCUS OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

CLIMATE CHANGE THE FOCUS OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON
New York, Oct 10 2007 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will head tomorrow to Washington for meetings that will focus on the perils of climate change and the importance of achieving the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs).

United Nations spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters that the Secretary-General will meet with chief executive officers at the United States Chamber of Commerce to discuss climate change issues.

The same subject will be on the agenda when Mr. Ban gives the keynote address later tomorrow to an event organized by the National Association of Evangelicals.

He is also expected to discuss the need to meet the MDGs, which world leaders agreed at a UN summit in 2000 to strive to achieve by 2015.

Ms. Montas said that on Friday the Secretary-General will meet with members of the US Peace Corps before returning to UN Headquarters in New York.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL IN HAITI URGES ACTION TO PREVENT SEXUAL ABUSE

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL IN HAITI URGES ACTION TO PREVENT SEXUAL ABUSE
New York, Oct 10 2007 4:00PM
A senior official serving with the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH) has called for action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel.

Speaking to participants at a UN-run workshop on the issue yesterday, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative, Luiz Carlos da Costa, stressed that sexual exploitation and abuse constitutes a serious breach that can result in instant dismissal.

Addressing the problem is an essential issue for the UN, he said, emphasizing the need for all UN personnel to display exemplary conduct.

"All those who, under the banner of the United Nations, work in Haiti have a mission to help the country to advance on the road to peace and progress," he said. "We therefore have an essential role based on trust, and are expected to live up to a high standard of behaviour."

Mr. da Costa said it is "completely unacceptable that certain individuals betray this trust" by committing acts of sexual exploitation or abuse, or by overlooking them.

Mary Anne Martin, who specializes in discipline issues, led Tuesday's workshop, which included the participation of senior UN officials, other staff, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and UN agencies.

The aim was to lay the groundwork for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, including the use of prostitutes, and came as part of the UN's overall "zero-tolerance" policy on the issue.

Ms. Martin emphasized the need to look at the problem comprehensively and define strategies which are best suited to address it. She called for participants to focus their attention on understanding the circumstances which give rise to misconduct to formulate appropriate responses.

MINUSTAH, in line with the overall UN policy, has taken steps to combat the problem, including by having a conduct and discipline unit related to the Office of the Secretary-General's Special Representative.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN WORKS TO HELP DISPLACED AS VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTH KIVU

DR CONGO: UN WORKS TO HELP DISPLACED AS VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTH KIVU
New York, Oct 10 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is rushing aid to displaced people fleeing their homes in the country's troubled North Kivu region, while putting in place contingency plans to help those affected by the fighting.

Kemal Saiki, a spokesman for the UN mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC, told reporters in Kinshasa today that the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) dispatched a team from Goma to deliver 100 tons of supplies to its non-governmental organization partners and to conduct a quick assessment of the situation of displaced people.

Displaced Congolese have reportedly been pouring out of the area since the start of September.

Escorted by MONUC, the WFP convoy travelled to Karuba where families were found escaping the fighting on foot in the direction of Goma.
In Goma, the WFP proceeded to unload supplies to feed 18,800 displaced people in Kitembo and Minova. But clashes in Shasa forced the agency to suspend the departure of the trucks headed for Kitembo and Minova.

WFP has voiced concern about the fate of approximately 150,000 displaced people in Masisi, Rutshuru and Kalehe. Most have been displaced for more than six months, and have not received food aid since August.

In North Kivu, MONUC and the humanitarian community are currently working on the coordination of a contingency plan to be able to best protect and help people affected by fighting in the province, Mr. Saiki said.

Meanwhile in Ituri, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process continues, with a total of 1,700 disarmed fighters laying down their arms, including 570 from the Revolutionary Congolese Movement (MRC), 270 from the Nationalistic and Integrationist Forces (FNI) and 870 from the Forces of Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI).

The DDR programme is expected to end this week, according to MONUC, which is working with the Congolese Army to prompt the groups to disarm.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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LAND PROBLEMS DELAYING ROLL-OUT OF UN PEACE MISSION IN DARFUR - BAN KI-MOON

LAND PROBLEMS DELAYING ROLL-OUT OF UN PEACE MISSION IN DARFUR – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Oct 10 2007 4:00PM
The timeline for implementing the hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur is being delayed because of difficulties in obtaining land to house the mission offices and staff accommodations and problems relating to the list of troop-contributing countries, says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In his latest progress <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/596">report on the mission, which is known as UNAMID, Mr. Ban writes that the UN is waiting for feedback from the Sudanese Government on the list of troop-contributing countries.

"It is of critical importance that the Government extend the support and cooperation necessary to resolve the issues pertaining to land, landing rights for United Nations aircraft and the finalization of the list of troop-contributing countries for UNAMID," he says.

The Security Council authorized the creation of UNAMID earlier this year to try to quell the violence in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes since 2003 because of fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia.

Later this month, the UN and AU are co-convening peace negotiations in neighbouring Libya between the Sudanese Government and the rebels to try to reach a political solution to the conflict.

In his report Mr. Ban expresses concern about the continuing violence across Darfur, particularly the recent spike in attacks, which he warns "is not contributing to an atmosphere conducive to the peace talks" in Libya.

He also voices concern about the fragmentation of the rebel groups and their lack of unity ahead of the Libya talks, adding that is paramount that all parties enter the negotiation process well prepared and seriously committed to trying to reach a final settlement to the conflict as soon as possible.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS IN KHARTOUM TO PREPARE FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

DARFUR: UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS IN KHARTOUM TO PREPARE FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
New York, Oct 10 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations Special Envoy for Darfur held talks today with senior officials from the Sudanese Government and neighbouring countries to finalize preparations for major peace negotiations later this month that will try to end the conflict that has ravaged the region in western Sudan since 2003.

Jan Eliasson met with Sudanese presidential adviser and chief negotiator Nafie Ali Nafie in the capital, Khartoum, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

The negotiations, which are scheduled to take place in Libya on 27 October, are designed to find a solution to the conflict between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia groups. Mr. Eliasson and his African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim will convene those talks.

Ms. Montas said Mr. Eliasson also chaired a high-level meeting today with representatives of the regional partners to the talks, including Ali Triki, Libya's Minister for African Affairs.

During his current visit to the region Mr. Eliasson has also met the leaders of some Darfurian Arab tribes to brief them on the preparations. Earlier this week in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Mr. Salim and Mr. Eliasson co-chaired a two-day meeting with the Joint AU-UN Mediation Support Team.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and another 2.2 million forced to flee their homes across Darfur, an arid and impoverished region, because of fighting that has raged since 2003. Some 4 million Darfurians now depend on humanitarian aid.

Earlier this year the Security Council authorized the creation of a hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force (known as UNAMID) to try to quell the violence. The operation is scheduled to take over from the existing AU mission by the start of next year.

Mr. Eliasson's meetings this week are taking place amid mounting concern from senior UN officials about the recent spike in violence in Darfur, particularly in South Darfur state.

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reported that on Monday about 6,000 villagers and internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in and around the South Darfur town of Muhajariya fled to the north of the settlement to seek refuge at an AU mission site after an attack between a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and tribal militia.

Other residents fled to neighbouring villages and countryside, leaving Muhajariya – which had an estimated population of 20,000 – deserted. A large number of homes and several shops in the local market were burned to the ground.

The mission said reports indicate that tens of civilians were killed or wounded or have gone missing. The UN has relocated 29 staff members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the state capital of Nyala.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CONCERNED BY 'SLACKENING OF MOMENTUM' IN IVORIAN PEACE PROCESS

BAN KI-MOON CONCERNED BY 'SLACKENING OF MOMENTUM' IN IVORIAN PEACE PROCESS
New York, Oct 10 2007 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that the failure to achieve key benchmarks set out in a March peace agreement has led to a "slackening of momentum" which threatens the overall peace process and security conditions in Côte d'Ivoire.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/593">report to the Security Council on the work of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), Mr. Ban says the overall peace process and the improved security situation "will remain fragile and vulnerable to reversals" unless it is underpinned by concrete progress in carrying out the accord reached between the country's rival political leaders.

The Ouagadougou agreement, struck in the capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso, sets out a series of measures to deal with the crisis which first divided Côte d'Ivoire between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north in 2002.

They include 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 and disarming ex-combatants; and replacing the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.

In his report, Mr. Ban notes that difficulties in unifying the army have delayed the disarmament programme and the redeployment of State administration throughout the country. This, in turn, has placed serious strains on preparations for general elections, including a nationwide identification scheme. In addition, he views the continuing human rights abuses as "extremely disturbing."

He stresses the need to adhere to the timelines in the agreement relating to these tasks and calls on President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro to "give added impetus" to making concrete progress.

Specifically, he calls for reverting to specific timelines, providing requisite resources to the integrated command centre and mixed units, resolving the military ranks issue, unifying the two forces, dismantling the militias and achieving disarmament, and rendering the new National Human Rights Commission operational.

Since the country's international partners have provided funding for carrying out the agreement, he emphasizes that "the onus is now on the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to do its part and accelerate the implementation process."

Despite a June attack on an aircraft carrying Prime Minister Soro, the Secretary-General describes the general security situation as calm. At the request of President Gbagbo for an independent international inquiry into the attack, Mr. Ban dispatched an exploratory mission to the country earlier this month.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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PEACEBUILDING BODY SHOWS PROGRESS BUT NEEDS MORE SUPPORT - ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

PEACEBUILDING BODY SHOWS PROGRESS BUT NEEDS MORE SUPPORT – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
New York, Oct 10 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, set up to prevent countries that have emerged from conflict from sliding back into war, has achieved solid results since it began operations just over a year ago but needs more international support to boost its impact on the ground, the President of the General Assembly said today.

"We all have a duty to ensure that the <"http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/">Peacebuilding Commission works well – that the decision to create it is translated into practical action for the well-being of millions of people trapped in post-conflict situations," Srgjan Kerim said at the opening of the Assembly's first debate on the body it created in December 2005.

The Peacebuilding Commission brings together key actors, including international donors, international financial institutions, national governments from focus countries, troop contributor countries, UN bodies and civil society representatives, to promote a common approach to helping a country emerge from conflict.

The Commission has "made a good start," the President said, while cautioning that "this is just the beginning of a longer process."

Looking ahead, he said the Commission should continue to refine its strategies, develop its advocacy role, and become more effective at marshalling resources.

"The main challenge now facing the Commission is to maximize its impact on the ground," he stressed, calling for the $250 million target for the Peacebuilding Fund, a multi-year standing trust fund that has so far collected deposits worth almost $144 million from donor countries, to be reached.

"The evidence shows that half of countries that emerge from conflict will lapse back into violence within five years," Mr. Kerim said. "To break this vicious cycle it is critical that the international community provide sustained practical support and resources to assist national efforts."

In its first year, the Commission focused on Burundi and Sierra Leone. Currently, Dutch Ambassador Frank Majoor, who chairs the Peacebuilding Commission's Sierra Leone meetings on that country, is in Freetown for talks with officials and a first-hand look at conditions there.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY CALLS ON NEPALESE TO TURN ELECTION DELAY TO THEIR ADVANTAGE

UN ENVOY CALLS ON NEPALESE TO TURN ELECTION DELAY TO THEIR ADVANTAGE
New York, Oct 10 2007 1:00PM
Nepal's political parties should use the delay to the holding of Constituent Assembly elections to bolster the peace process by tackling its weaknesses and agreeing on a road map for ensuring that credible polls can take place, the senior United Nations official in the Himalayan country said today.

Ian Martin, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, told a press conference in Kathmandu, the capital, that the postponement should not be viewed as a disaster, but as an opportunity for the political parties, civil society and other Nepalese to try to bridge their differences and work more closely together.

"This requires dialogue not only among the seven parties [in the interim Government], but with marginalized groups, civil society and all democratic forces," he said.

The elections were to be held on 22 November, but last week the interim Government announced that they were being delayed because of ongoing disputes between the Seven-Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M).

Once elected, the Constituent Assembly will draft a new constitution for Nepal, where an estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil conflict that came to a formal end when the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord late last year.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have both voiced disappointment at the delay and its impact on the political aspirations of the Nepalese.

Mr. Martin added today that there needs to be greater cooperation at the local level to ensure more effective governance and public security and reduce communal tensions, a renewed commitment by all to non-violent and democratic political activity, an independent monitoring of peace process commitments, and a concerted effort to address the future of Maoist combatants and the security sector.

"The United Nations is playing and will play the roles that are asked of it," he said, stressing the importance of the Seven-Party Alliance sticking together.

Asked by a reporter about who deserved blame for the election postponement, the Special Representative said: "It's not for the UN to blame anyone and indeed I hope that others, the political parties, will concentrate not so much on deciding who is to blame as on deciding what is to be done now, and, as I said, sustaining their Alliance in order to go forward."

Mr. Martin said he believed "the current crisis has come about… as a reflection of deeper differences in perception and approach, and as a result of weaknesses in the overall management of the peace process."

He cited the lack of progress within the Government in discussing the future of Maoist combatants, ensuring adequate commitments in the cantonments and starting serious talks on security sector reform as all contributing to Maoist concern that the Government is not fulfilling its commitments.

The reluctance of the Maoists to ensure that its Young Communist League stops using intimidation and violence is eroding public confidence in the CPN-M's willingness to enter a democratic process.

"Meanwhile, many of Nepal's traditionally marginalized groups remain concerned that commitments made to them are not being fulfilled. There is frustration by all communities in the Terai, and indeed across Nepal, about the poor state of public security… and without greater cooperation among the parties and civil society at the local level, the risk of communal tension and violence remains considerable."
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR SCALING UP RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR SCALING UP RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
New York, Oct 10 2007 12:00PM
More than 60 per cent of people globally who suffer from mental disorders are not receiving treatment, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, urging an increase in resources devoted to mental health care.

"We have a pressing obligation to scale up care and services for mental disorders, especially among the disadvantaged, while stepping up efforts to protect the human rights of those affected," Mr. Ban said in his <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11193.doc.htm">message for <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2007/world_mental_health_day/en/index.html">World Mental Health Day, observed each year on 10 October.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most middle and low-income countries devote less than 1 per cent of their health expenditure to mental health.

The agency defines mental health as a state of well-being in which individuals can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and is able to contribute to the community.

Mental disorders comprise a wide range of problems with different symptoms but are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others, says WHO.

Touching on this year's theme for the Day which focuses on the impact of culture and diversity on mental health, Mr. Ban noted that in today's culturally interconnected world, people are competing for the same resources as they struggle to maintain their own cultures or fit into new ones.

"Dislocation from native communities, rejection by the host community and difficulties in adapting to the cultural norms of the host society are intensely stressful, and can contribute to mental illness in those who are vulnerable," he stated. This makes it all the more important to develop "culturally competent mental health care services."

The challenges in this regard include the fact that resources for mental health are "scarce," Mr. Ban said, adding that the treatment gap – the proportion of those who need but do not receive care – is more than 60 per cent.

In addition, the rate of mental disorders and the need for care is highest among disadvantaged people, who are also the groups with the lowest access to appropriate services. The fear of stigma leads many to avoid seeking care, he added.

As to how culture and diversity influence many aspects of mental health, he observed that culture not only determines what is seen as "normal" and "abnormal" within a given society, but it also affects how individuals manifest and communicate symptoms, styles of coping, family and community support and willingness to seek treatment.

To overcome these barriers, he advocated approaches that incorporate cultural backgrounds and beliefs, address language barriers and create culturally sensitive forms of dialogue, as well as incorporating cultural sensitivity in training, social policy and service provision.
2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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UN OPENS 'CARBON-NEUTRAL' ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE IN BELGRADE

UN OPENS 'CARBON-NEUTRAL' ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE IN BELGRADE
New York, Oct 10 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), which services the Environment for Europe Conference that <"http://www.unece.org/env/efe/wgso/Belgrade/welcome.html">opened today in Belgrade, is working to cancel the event's effects on global warming by funding projects that offset emissions of greenhouses gases.

UNECE has asked the CarbonNeutral Company to identify possible renewable energy projects, being funded by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, that would result an equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

"Ministers and other high-level representatives will discuss environmental policy, including measures to tackle global warming. But they will not have contributed to climate change by meeting in Belgrade," the Commission said in a news release.

Preliminary estimates show that the Conference will emit about 3,000 tons of greenhouse gases, not only through air travel but also local transport, energy consumed and waste generated.

"Making the Conference carbon neutral is also intended to raise public awareness of how individuals and others can take responsibility for the greenhouse gases emitted as a result of their daily activities," UNECE said.

Addressing the Conference's opening session, UNECE Executive Secretary Marek Belka, said challenges in the region include "environment-related health concerns caused by poor air quality; inadequate water supply and drinking water quality; soil degradation; risks posed by hazardous chemicals; adverse impacts of climate change; continuing biodiversity loss; overuse of marine resources; and the current unsustainable patterns of production and consumption."

He emphasized the need for an economic development model which would save environmental resources on a sustainable basis and which would be accompanied by various forms of cooperation for sharing the transition costs.

"The costs of reversing environmental degradation later on are always lar
all environmental degradation is reversible," he said.

2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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RECOVERY EFFORT IN QUAKE-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN CAN SERVE AS MODEL -- UN-HABITAT

RECOVERY EFFORT IN QUAKE-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN CAN SERVE AS MODEL -- UN-HABITAT
New York, Oct 10 2007 8:00AM
Two years a devastating earthquake in Pakistan Administered Kashmir, UN-HABITAT said the reconstruction effort, which has included the rebuilding of more than 150,000 houses in a manner that makes them more resilient to future shocks, can serve as a model for other response efforts.

In order to "re-build smarter and safer" following the disaster, UN-HABITAT helped to establish a dozen housing reconstruction centers in the quake zone in Pakistan Administered Kashmir and North Western Frontier Province.

The agency also helped train over 12,000 people to run the centres and ensure that new homes and buildings are more resistant to seismic activity and better adapted to cold weather conditions.

At a recent ceremony in Islamabad, officials from the agency described this as "one of the world's most successful reconstruction operations ? and a model for the response to future disasters," UN-HABITAT said in a news release.

The agency's Executive Director, Anna Tibaijuka, emphasized the importance of adopting early warning systems to prepare and reduce the impact of disasters. "This could contribute towards safeguarding livelihoods, human settlements and associated basic services, which are easily destroyed when such disasters strike," she said.

During post reconstruction "special attention should be paid to women's secure tenure, rights to land and adequate housing," she added.

The earthquake in Pakistan claimed more than 75,000 lives, including them some 17,000 children killed in collapsing schools, and left more than 3 million homeless, according to the Nairobi-based agency.

2007-10-10 00:00:00.000

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CHILDREN MUST BETTER EDUCATED TO MINIMIZE DISASTER RISKS - UN

CHILDREN MUST BETTER EDUCATED TO MINIMIZE DISASTER RISKS – UN
New York, Oct 9 2007 6:00PM
On the eve of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, a top United Nations official today stressed the necessity of improving children's disaster preparedness and bolstering their safety in the classroom.

"Too many children are dying because they are not educated to live with disasters or because they are attending classes in unsafe buildings. Making schools safer must be the priority of every government in a disaster-prone country," said Sálvano Briceño, Director of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (<"http://www.unisdr.org/">ISDR).

"Disaster risk reduction has no cost compared to the loss of a school full of children buried alive in a mudslide or crushed by a falling building."

Speaking to reporters in New York, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said that the Day is especially timely since "more people are threatened by these natural hazards and disasters and extreme weather events than at any time in history."

In the past three decades, the number of disasters triggered by natural hazards – increasingly a result of climate change – has tripled, he said.

"The number of people affected has roughly been doubling every ten years, and that's a trend which is now accelerating, and this means in effect that five times more people are likely to be affected in any one year than a generation ago."

The ISDR today issued a new publication – entitled "Towards a Culture of Prevention: Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at School" – which gives 35 practical examples of how to improve school safety.

Good examples of projects to prepare children for natural hazards can be found in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mozambique, Costa Rica, France Madagascar, the Philippines, Iran, Tanzania and Peru, while India, Japan and Nepal's safety initiatives can be replicated globally.

"Teaching our children today is empowering the next generation to address disaster risk more effectively tomorrow," Mr. Briceño said.

To introduce children to basic concepts in disaster risk reduction, the French, Spanish, Chinese and Russian language versions of "Stop Disaster," an online game, were launched today.

In the game, which was released in English last year, players are presented with disaster scenarios and must reduce its risk with a given budget.

ISDR's efforts to educate children are part of its larger "Disaster Risk Education Begins at School" campaign focusing on improving the safety of school buildings and integrating disaster risk reduction into school curricula.

The campaign kicked off last year with the support of UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the non-governmental organization (NGO) ActionAid International and other partners.

To commemorate the Day, ISDR is convening a roundtable discussion in Geneva to identify how to build on the campaign's results.

Other events celebrating the Day will take place in Brussels, Belgium; Kobe, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; and Panama.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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TWO FORMER MILITIA LEADERS JAILED BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN SIERRA LEONE

TWO FORMER MILITIA LEADERS JAILED BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN SIERRA LEONE
New York, Oct 9 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (<"http://www.sc-sl.org/">SCSL) today <"http://www.sc-sl.org/Press/pressrelease-100907.pdf">sentenced two former leaders of a pro-Government militia to jail over war crimes they committed during the country's prolonged civil war in the 1990s.

Moinina Fofana, who was convicted on 2 August on charges of murder, cruel treatment, pillage and collective punishments, was given a six-year prison term by the SCSL, which sits in the capital, Freetown.

Allieu Kondewa, who was convicted on the same charges and also on a count of recruiting child combatants, received an eight-year sentence.

At the trials, prosecutors said Mr. Fofana served as National Director of War for the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) while Mr. Kondewa acted as the militia's "High Priest." The case against a third accused CDF leader, Sam Hinga Norman, ended after he died in February.

During Sierra Leone's civil war the CDF, comprised of various tribally-based traditional hunters, supported the Government against rebel groups, including the Revolutionary United Front and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

Prosecutors had asked for longer terms of imprisonment for Mr. Fofana and Mr. Kondewa but Justice Benjamin Itoe, the presiding judge, said today that several mitigating factors meant shorter terms were warranted.

These included the efforts of the CDF to restore the democratically elected government of Sierra Leone, which the court said had contributing to re-establishing the rule of law in the West African nation.

The SCSL is mandated to try those bearing the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian and Sierra Leonean law within the country's borders since 30 November 1996. It is the second international war crimes tribunal established in Africa.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN ENVOY MEETS SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS

DARFUR: UN ENVOY MEETS SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS
New York, Oct 9 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Special Envoy for Darfur is in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, for talks with Government officials, civil society groups and other players ahead of major peace negotiations later this month that will try to end the conflict that has torn apart the impoverished region.

Jan Eliasson, who will convene those negotiations with his African Union counterpart, Salim Ahmed Salim, returned to Khartoum for the meetings this week, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York today.

The negotiations, which are scheduled to take place in neighbouring Libya on 27 October, are designed to find a solution to the conflict between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia groups.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and another 2.2 million forced to flee their homes because of fighting that has raged since 2003. Some 4 million Darfurians now depend on humanitarian aid.

Earlier this year the Security Council authorized the creation of a hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force (known as UNAMID) to try to quell the violence. The operation is scheduled to take over from the existing AU mission by the start of next year.

This week's talks in Khartoum are taking place amid mounting concern from senior UN officials about the recent spike in violence in Darfur, particularly in South Darfur state.

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said it has received reports that the Minni Minawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) clashed yesterday around the South Darfur town of Muhajariya with forces suspected to be tribal militia. There is no word so far on the number of casualties.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE TO LOOK INTO IMPACTS OF POPULATION AGEING

UN-BACKED ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE TO LOOK INTO IMPACTS OF POPULATION AGEING
New York, Oct 9 2007 5:00PM
Government officials and representatives from more than two dozen Asian-Pacific nations have gathered in Macao, China, to discuss regional progress in addressing the challenges posed by population ageing at a United Nations-sponsored conference.

"This meeting provides an opportunity for governments and civil society to review and appraise the results of their work on ageing issues, exchange information and experience, and identify priorities for the future," said Thelma Kay, Director of the Emerging Social Issues Division of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/oct/g39.asp">UNESCAP).

Participants will review developments made in addressing the graying of populations since 2002, when the landmark Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, which called for new attitudes, policies and practices across all levels to tap into the potential of older persons, was adopted.

"Recognizing the many social and economic implications of the ageing process, governments in the region today have accorded higher attention to ageing issues and many embarked on developing their own national plans and policies for older persons" in the past five years, Ms. Kay noted.

In Asia and the Pacific, the number of older persons is surging, estimate to grow from 410 million this year to 733 million in 2025 and 1.3 billion in 2050. As a percentage of the total population, they will comprise 15 per cent in 2025 and up to 25 per cent in 2050, a massive increase from 10 per cent currently.

In his message marking the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that "population ageing brings significant economic and social challenges, for developed and developing countries alike."

As a result, "finding ways to provide economic support for a growing number of older persons, through sustainable pension programmes and new social protection measures, is a daunting task, particularly in developing countries," he added.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL 'DISAPPOINTED' AT NEPAL ELECTIONS DELAY - PRESIDENT

SECURITY COUNCIL 'DISAPPOINTED' AT NEPAL ELECTIONS DELAY – PRESIDENT
New York, Oct 9 2007 4:00PM
Members of the Security Council today, recognizing the strong desire of the Nepalese people for peace following a decade-long conflict, expressed "disappointment" at the delay to Constituent Assembly elections that were scheduled to be held next month, the 15-member body's president said.

In a statement to the press, Ambassador Leslie K. Christian of Ghana said the Council agreed that the international community "needed to help Nepal to create the conditions necessary to hold credible elections."

Once elected, the Constituent Assembly will draft a new constitution for Nepal, where an estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil conflict that came to a formal end when the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord late last year.

The polls were to have taken place in June but were then postponed to 22 November because of technical problems and the onset of the monsoon season. Earlier this month, Nepal's Interim Government announced another delay, prompting Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to voice his disappointment at the postponement.

In a statement on 5 October, Mr. Ban strongly urged the Seven-Party Alliance which comprises the interim coalition Government "to redouble efforts so that outstanding issues can be expeditiously resolved and the election held very soon."

In its statement today, the Council also reiterated their full support for the work of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), established in January to support the peace process in the Himalayan nation.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY CALLS FOR KOSOVO SERBS TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING POLLS

TOP UN ENVOY CALLS FOR KOSOVO SERBS TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING POLLS
New York, Oct 9 2007 4:00PM
The Secretary-General's Special Representative in Kosovo today appealed for Serbs in the United Nations-administered province to take part in next month's elections, adding that he has asked the Serbian prime minister to refrain from calling for a boycott of the upcoming polls.

Speaking to reporters after briefing the Security Council in a closed session, Joachim Rücker said that it was "very reassuring for us on the ground that many members of the Council stressed how important… it is that the Kosovo Serbs participate in the elections."

The 15-member body also underscored that "there should not be any direct or indirect calls for [the] boycott of these elections" scheduled to take place on 17 November, he noted.

In the past, the envoy said that "it was our impression that Belgrade has actually called for such boycotts directly or indirectly," and in response has asked Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica to ensure that there will be no calls to stay away from polls.

Mr. Rücker said he also asked Mr. Kostunica to make sure that internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo currently living in Serbia can vote in the November elections.

In a report made public earlier this month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that "the status determination process continues to polarize the Kosovo Serb political community into those who see a future in working with the international community and the Provisional Institutions and those who do not."

He also underscored that any delay in determining the future status of the province – where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by about nine to one – could threaten the gains made by the UN in Kosovo.

Mr. Ban pledged the world body's support for discussions between the two sides led by the Troika, comprising the European Union, Russia and the United States.

"No effort should be spared to reach an acceptable solution to the question of the status of Kosovo in accordance with the guiding principles" of the Contact Group of the US, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia, he said.

During the 120-day period of Troika-led engagement, "the parties need to engage in construction and genuine discussions," Mr. Ban noted. "The sides should be encouraged to make concrete and realistic proposals and be given ample opportunities to do so."

The UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), which Mr. Rücker heads, has been deployed since 1999, when Western forces drove Yugoslav troops out of the province amid inter-ethnic fighting.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS ON AFGHANISTAN TO REINSTATE MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS

UN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS ON AFGHANISTAN TO REINSTATE MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
New York, Oct 9 2007 3:00PM
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has urged Afghanistan to reinstate a moratorium on the death penalty following the execution of 15 convicted prisoners in Kabul on Sunday.

"I am deeply troubled by this sudden resort to execution after three years of refraining from carrying out the death penalty," she said in a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/422AD3EB132EF9E1C125736F00521472?opendocument">statement issued today.

Saying the circumstances of the executions may constitute a breach of Afghanistan's obligations under international law, the High Commissioner called on the Government "to reinstate a moratorium on the carrying out of any further executions."

In a statement issued yesterday, the top UN envoy to Afghanistan also expressed his concern at the use of the death penalty in the war-torn nation. Tom Koenigs called for Afghanistan to "continue working towards attaining highest human rights standards and ensuring that due process of law and the rights of all citizens are respected."

Meanwhile, Ms. Arbour will begin a four-day visit to Sri Lanka tomorrow, at the invitation of the Government.

The visit to the South Asian nation, which has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict between Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is part of the High Commissioner's efforts to engage with Member States in the promotion and protection of human rights.

While in Colombo, Ms. Arbour will be meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, senior Government officials, and representatives of political parties, UN agencies, the diplomatic community and civil society, Yvon Edoumou of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) told reporters in Geneva.

The High Commissioner will also meet with members of the Tamil movement, including Members of Parliament representing the Tamil National Alliance, with whom she will raise issues concerning human rights, Mr. Edoumou added.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN FORCE COMMANDER HOLDS TALKS WITH LEBANESE AND ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIALS

UN FORCE COMMANDER HOLDS TALKS WITH LEBANESE AND ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIALS
New York, Oct 9 2007 2:00PM
The military chief of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) today met with senior officials from both the Lebanese and the Israeli armies to discuss recent violations of the Blue Line between the two countries, the marking of the line and the temporary security arrangements for a key border village.

Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano, Force Commander of <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL, held the meeting at the UN Position at the border crossing at Ras Al Naqoura, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

She said the Force Commander was encouraged with the general approach of the two sides and their determination to adhere to the relevant provisions of the Security Council resolution that ended last year's war between Israel and Hizbollah.

Today's discussion focused on how to carry out the provisions of that resolution, especially concerning violations of the Blue Line, with a view to preventing further incidents. They also looked at the security arrangements for the northern part of the village of Ghajar.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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NEW GUIDE PUBLISHED BY UN AGENCY AIMS TO TEACH CHILDREN GOOD EATING HABITS

NEW GUIDE PUBLISHED BY UN AGENCY AIMS TO TEACH CHILDREN GOOD EATING HABITS
New York, Oct 9 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000673/index.html">issued a wide-ranging new guide on teaching good eating habits to primary school children in an effort to reduce malnutrition and diet-related diseases.

The agency notes that one of the most effective strategies for overcoming malnutrition and chronic diet-related diseases, such as excess weight and obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, is educating school children in healthy nutrition.

Good nutrition education helps children become aware of how to eat a well-balanced diet, how to prepare and handle food safely, and how to avoid food-related risks.

"What many people don't realize is that it is not only the amount of food, but the quality of a diet that has a critical effect on children's growth, health and learning capacity," said Ezzeddine Boutrif, Director of FAO's Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division.

"Eating is not just a biological process, it depends on learned habits and perceptions, on the cultural and social environment. This is why nutrition education is so important," he noted.

Mr. Boutrif added that governments should make nutrition education a priority since teaching nutrition in schools can help reduce the costly impact of nutrition-related diseases in the future.

Chronic diet-related diseases are on the rise around the world due to new lifestyles and eating habits. Globally, 1.6 billion adults are overweight, and at least 400 million are obese, according to the UN World Health Organization (<" http://www.who.int/en">WHO).

Peter Glasauer, FAO nutrition education expert, pointed out that globalization and economic development have introduced new foods and altered dietary habits and lifestyle patterns in many countries, particularly in developing States.

"Migration from rural communities to urban areas, for example, is on the rise with less and less people producing their own food and the majority depending entirely on commercial food supply. Nutrition education in primary schools is an effective way of promoting good nutrition," he stated.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN GRANTS $3.7 MILLION TO HELP FLOOD SURVIVORS IN MALI, GHANA AND TOGO

UN GRANTS $3.7 MILLION TO HELP FLOOD SURVIVORS IN MALI, GHANA AND TOGO
New York, Oct 9 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations has allocated $3.7 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf">CERF) to help ongoing relief efforts in Mali, Ghana and Togo which were struck recently by some of the worst floods West Africa has seen in decades.

The landmark Fund, launched in 2006 to make funds available quickly for relief operations, will provide $1 million to Mali, $2.5 million to Ghana and $225,770 to Togo.

The funds will support projects developed by UN agencies and their partners to help improve the living conditions of 125,000 people in the three countries.

"These floods have displaced thousands of homeless families, damaged farms and crops, destroyed houses and roads, and washed away cattle," said Hervé Ludovic de Lys, Head of the West Africa Regional Office of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA). "With the funds allocated to Ghana, Togo and Mali, the most vulnerable will receive vital aid for three months."

Just last week, the UN and its partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) launched a $10 million appeal to assist 75,000 flood victims in Ghana, one of the hardest hit countries with nearly 340,000 people affected.

The floods have affected some 800,000 people in 14 West African countries – Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Guinea.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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BANGLADESH: UN AGENCY DEPLOYS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AFTER FLOODS

BANGLADESH: UN AGENCY DEPLOYS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AFTER FLOODS
New York, Oct 9 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations telecommunications agency has <" http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/27.html">deployed 30 satellite terminals in remote areas of Bangladesh as part of its efforts to restore vital communications links across the South Asian nation after devastating recent floods.

The "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 (ITU) said in a statement released today that the terminals are being deployed to areas of Bangladesh underserved by communication links.

Almost two thirds of the delta nation has been inundated with flood water since the start of this year's monsoon season, and the response and rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of telecommunications facilities and damaged roads and airstrips.

ITU said it would pay for all costs related to the transport, training and use of the terminals, which are equipped with solar panels to provide an independent energy source. The terminals, which are from Thuraya Satellite, are dedicated mostly to voice communication.

Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau, said States were turning increasingly to the agency for help with technology in the wake of disasters.

"With so many disasters affecting countries, ITU is taking all measures to be well equipped and respond quickly to help governments and other first responders with telecommunications resources so that they can focus on rescue and rehabilitation operations," he said.

ITU also deployed 50 satellite terminals to remote areas in southern Peru following the deadly earthquake in the Andean country on 15 August.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNALS LAUNCH STUDY OF HOW TO MANAGE ARCHIVES

UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNALS LAUNCH STUDY OF HOW TO MANAGE ARCHIVES
New York, Oct 9 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia today began a study into how best to manage their enormous archives and ensure they are accessible to all who need to use them.

An expert committee led by Justice Richard Goldstone, a former prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://69.94.11.53/default.htm">ICTR), will investigate a series of questions, including whether to set up a joint archive for the tribunals, two separate archives or multiple archives.

The committee will also look at appropriate locations for the archives, their security and preservation, and how best to ensure that they are accessible to all, from the peoples of Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia to the UN to the wider international community.

Justice Goldstone said "the work of the independent committee is crucial for the preservation of the legacy of the two tribunals and for the victims, as well as for the future for international criminal justice."

The archives are expected to be extremely large, with the Office of the Prosecutor of each tribunal already having several million pages of evidence, while the registries of the courts also hold tens of thousands of hours of videotaped courtroom proceedings.

Under the completion strategy that the tribunals reached with the Security Council, they are aiming to complete all trials at first instance by the end of next year and all appeals by the end of 2010.

To be based in The Hague, the headquarters of the ICTY, the expert committee is expected to consult with governments, civil society and relevant non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during the course of its work, while a dedicated team will focus on the archives of each of the two tribunals. The first interim report is due to be submitted to the tribunals' registrars, who commissioned the study, early next year.
2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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LAST OF CONGOLESE REFUGEES FROM CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC RETURN HOME -- UN

LAST OF CONGOLESE REFUGEES FROM CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC RETURN HOME -- UN
New York, Oct 9 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency today announced the end of an organized repatriation programme which over the past three years has brought nearly 5,000 Congolese refugees home from the Central African Republic (CAR).

The last convoy traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) this weekend carrying just over 130 returnees leaving the CAR capital Bangui. In total, 4,994 Congolese refugees have returned home from CAR.

"Returns to DRC started from CAR in October 2004, but the operation was repeatedly interrupted for security concerns, weather, conditions in areas of return," said Jennifer Pagonis, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Since the start of the Congolese repatriation in 2004, some 135,000 Congolese refugees have returned home from surrounding countries -- 43,000 of them since the beginning of this year, according to UNHCR. As many as 312,000 Congolese refugees remain in neighbouring countries -- mainly in Tanzania, Zambia and Rwanda.

The DRC suffered decades of instability and four years of civil war between 1998 and 2002, during which an estimated 4 million people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands fled the violence.

2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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FOOD STOCKS FOR UGANDA'S FLOOD VICTIMS DANGEROUSLY LOW, UN AGENCY WARNS

FOOD STOCKS FOR UGANDA'S FLOOD VICTIMS DANGEROUSLY LOW, UN AGENCY WARNS
New York, Oct 9 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today a shortage of funds for its relief operations in flood-hit parts of Uganda could spell disaster for hundreds of thousands of people there.

"The situation is dire for hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their homes, their belongings and most of their crops," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

She pointed out that the consequences could be dire for the young. "It can take just days for the effects of acute malnutrition to claim the life of a child."

Massive flooding this year in Uganda has badly affected some 300,000 people, with crop losses in some areas as high as 90 per cent. And WFP warned that continued flooding means normal planting in September and October will be delayed, with no harvest until February at earliest.

The agency needs $17 million to buy food for flood victims and $3.2 million to provide trucks, boats, aircraft and emergency road and bridge repairs on behalf of the humanitarian community.

So far, WFP has helped thousands of hungry people and airlifted food and other assistance by helicopter on behalf of other agencies to marooned communities.

But it has received only one fifth of the amount in its flood appeal three weeks ago.

"We are quickly running out of food, and before long, thousands of flood-hit families will have nothing else to eat," said Ms. Sheeran, adding that WFP has been forced to bridge the food gap by drawing heavily from food stocks destined for thousands of internally displaced people and refugees.

Without new contributions, WFP's food assistance supply line for a total of 1.7 million people in Uganda will break in December.

2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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UN RUSHES TO AID PALESTINIANS ON IRAQ-SYRIA BORDER AFTER FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH CAMP

UN RUSHES TO AID PALESTINIANS ON IRAQ-SYRIA BORDER AFTER FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH CAMP
New York, Oct 9 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency has responded with emergency supplies and assistance for Palestinian refugees caught on the Iraq-Syria border after a fire swept through their camp.

Some 25 people were injured and 53 tents were destroyed by the blaze, the third at the Al Tanf camp in less than a year, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told a press briefing in Geneva.

She said the disaster "yet again highlights the need for a humanitarian solution to be found for Palestinians trapped at the border after fleeing Baghdad."

An unattended fuel stove caused the fire which spread rapidly through the site, destroying tents, personal documents and all possessions of the Palestinians who have been stranded for the past 18 months at the camp which the agency describes as being located in a "no-man's land."

"This fire has just added to an increasing atmosphere of despair and desperation at the camp," Ms. Pagonis said.

A UNHCR team rushed tents, mattresses and kitchen supplies to the camp, organized refilling of fire extinguishers, and explored extra fire-prevention measures.

Al Tanf hosts 310 Palestinian refugees who fled sectarian violence in Iraq and have been stranded in the border area since May 2006 after they were denied entry into neighbouring countries. The majority are women and children.

Another nearby border camp in the desert area, Al Waleed, hosts an estimated 1,400 Palestinian refugees, with new arrivals every week, according to UNHCR.

In a separate development in the region, UNHCR in Syria on Monday started a mobile registration exercise in an effort to register Iraqi refugees in the country's north-east. The ten-member registration team is expected to register tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees throughout Syria in the coming year, Ms. Pagonis reported.

"The mobile registration will help give a clearer picture of the number of Iraqis in Syria, alre
out their whereabouts which is important for the delivery of assistance and protection," she explained.

2007-10-09 00:00:00.000

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JOINT UN-AU PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN DARFUR STILL MISSING KEY CAPACITIES

JOINT UN-AU PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN DARFUR STILL MISSING KEY CAPACITIES
New York, Oct 8 2007 7:00PM
The hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation that will be deployed in the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan has shortfalls in several key aviation and ground transport capacities, senior UN officials today, warning that the mission's ability to carry out its basic work will be in jeopardy unless those gaps are quickly filled.

The mission is on track to reach its benchmarks for the deployment of initial essential personnel before January, when it is scheduled to take over from the existing AU mission, Assistant Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute told reporters in New York.

Ms. Holl Lute, who is the acting head of the Department of Field Support, said most key posts in the leadership of the mission (to be known as UNAMID) have been identified and filled, with only a few such appointments remaining.

Two battalions are also being readied to be deployed to strengthen the AU mission ahead of UNAMID taking over, she said, while progress has also been made on major contracts in the areas of civilian aviation, fuel and rations.

But Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Affairs Jean-Marie Guéhenno said that UNAMID is still lacking ground transport, light tactical helicopters and transport helicopters.

"These capacities are vital… If we don't have the force enablers, I am concerned" that the mission will be unable to deliver on the key aspects of its work, Mr. Guéhenno said.

He pointed to recent attacks on AU peacekeepers in Haskanita, where over a dozen people were killed and many more wounded before the South Darfur town was burned down, in underscoring the need for "troops that are very mobile with a capacity to dominate any situation."

Noting that several European countries were stepping forward to provide resources for a separate peace mission (to be known as MINURCAT) in neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), he called for similar commitments to UNAMID.

"Otherwise it would be very dangerous if what is the most challenging situation – the situation in Darfur – did not have the right resources. That would put in jeopardy all our efforts to stabilize this region where there has been much too much suffering."

Since fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia broke out in 2003, an estimated 200,000 people have been killed and at least another 2.2 million forced to flee their homes. Some 4 million Darfurians now depend on humanitarian aid.

Mr. Guéhenno said he was concerned that the situation on the ground in Darfur has deteriorated in recent weeks, particularly in the south, where a base with the AU mission was overrun a week ago and many troops were killed.

He stressed it was also vital for there to be progress in implementing the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) ending the separate north-south civil war in Sudan.

The Under-Secretary-General added that a technical team has been sent to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to finalize the deployment plan for UNAMID, which at full capacity should have more than 19,000 troops, over 6,000 police and 5,500 civilian staff.

So far the UN and the AU have agreed that Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal are providing either an infantry battalion or a logistics, reconnaissance, transport, military police or sector reserve company to UNAMID, which is to have a predominantly African composition.

Bangladesh, Jordan, Nepal, the Netherlands, Thailand and the Nordic countries in Europe are also providing similar resources, as well as a field hospital.

Ms. Holl Lute noted that the Sudanese Government has given assurance that Darfur's airstrips will be made available for the use of UNAMID so that it can be deployed.

But the mission does not yet have agreement for the land needed to facilitate the deployment of the heavy support package, a transition phase between the current AU mission and UNAMID.

"We have an engineering unit that is due by the end of this month that will depend on land being secured," Ms. Holl Lute said. "So we have a team on the ground in Nyala [the state capital of South Darfur] right now negotiating with the local government to ensure that we have a place for them to go."
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO CALLS FOR 'COALITION OF CONSCIENCE' TO ACHIEVE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT TARGETS

MIGIRO CALLS FOR 'COALITION OF CONSCIENCE' TO ACHIEVE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT TARGETS
New York, Oct 8 2007 7:00PM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for a "coalition of conscience," backed by firm action, to achieve global development targets focused on freeing humanity from poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy.

"The good news is that we have all the resources in our command today to achieve this ambition in our own generation," she <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/dsgsm342.doc.htm">told the General Assembly committee dealing with economic and financial issues. "We just cannot afford to fail."

Global poverty is one of the "most pressing issues of our time," trapping millions of children, women and men, she stated, adding that nowhere is its grip tighter than in Africa, where millions of lives quite literally hang in the balance.

She said sharp social and economic disparities in the global economy make it even harder to achieve the set of internationally agreed anti-poverty objectives known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target date of 2015.

Particularly worrying is the risk global economic imbalances pose to a large number of developing countries, including African and least developed countries, as well as countries moving from conflict to reconstruction and development, she said, stressing that donors must do more to keep their promises on increasing development assistance flows and debt relief.

Foreign aid, while important, "is clearly not enough," she said, calling for open, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory trading and financial systems.

Also addressing the committee, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs said that despite repeated calls, no serious action has been taken to address global imbalances.

Sha Zukang warned that "changes in market sentiments and investor confidence could trigger a hard landing of the dollar and a disorderly adjustment of the global imbalances, threatening prospects for the global economy and future growth."

He said the slowing of global growth puts all economies at risk, especially the developing countries, including the many which depend on the demand for their products in industrialized countries and on commodity price levels.

"Any marked decrease in developing countries' earnings would severely affect resources available for making the necessary investments to achieve the MDGs," he added.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY HOPES NEXT VISIT TO MYANMAR WILL SPUR DIALOGUE

UN ENVOY HOPES NEXT VISIT TO MYANMAR WILL SPUR DIALOGUE
New York, Oct 8 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy to Myanmar voiced hope today that his visit next month to the South-East Asian nation, where authorities have used force against peaceful demonstrators in recent weeks, will spur dialogue between the Government and the opposition, led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ibrahim Gambari's role has been that of a "go-between," he said during an interview with the UN News Centre and UN Radio.

"The authorities would not talk to Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition. She wouldn't talk to them," he noted. "But both talk to me."

In his most recent visit earlier this month, Mr. Gambari said he impressed upon both sides that they must inaugurate a dialogue because "the earlier you start talking directly, the better."

However, he expressed concern over reports that Senior General Than Shwe has "put some conditions on the commencement of that dialogue," even though the Secretary-General has clarified that discussions must begin as soon as possible and must not hinge on any stipulations.

Regarding concerns that trade and business matters could overshadow unity among Myanmar's neighbours in addressing the situation in the country, Mr. Gambari said that he has taken a proactive approach.

"I have actually taken the bull by the horns and went to the capitals of these countries," he said of his stops to countries such as Japan, China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"I feel it is very important to gain their support, get their perspectives and also obtain their advice… because they are neighbouring countries," he noted, adding that he will also visit these States prior to his next trip to Myanmar.

The Special Envoy, who has visited Myanmar three times since being appointed to his current position, welcomed the Government's decision to allow more access to UN officials.

Mr. Gambari's predecessor, Razali Ismail, was not allowed in the country for over two years, but earlier this year UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Margareta Wahlström and the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy were each able to visit Myanmar.

"The next step will be for them to admit Professor [and UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Paulo Sérgio] Pinheiro, and if possible, even the High Commissioner for Human Rights [Louise Arbour] herself," he said.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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AS IRAQI CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL, UNICEF URGES MORE AID

AS IRAQI CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL, UNICEF URGES MORE AID
New York, Oct 8 2007 6:00PM
Nearly six million Iraqi children are going back to the classroom this week in what the United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41138.html">UNICEF) calls a "remarkable achievement" while cautioning that more needs to be done to support the effort.

The damaging toll of displacement and the pervasive insecurity in Iraq have cost many of the country's schoolchildren their education: according to figures released by Iraq's Ministry of Education, only 40 per cent of final year students in Iraq (excluding the Kurdistan Region) passed their high school exams during the first examination session of 2007, compared to last year's pass rate of 60 per cent, UNICEF said.

The same figures showed that just 28 per cent of Iraq's graduation-age population took their exams at all – 152,000 out of approximately 642,000 children aged 17 – although a supplementary exam session currently under way should increase the rate.

UNICEF Representative for Iraq Roger Wright stressed that, despite the low numbers, each and every completed test must be viewed as a success for Iraqi children – many of whom braved severe risks to reach exam centres.

"Iraq's schools are in urgent need of support, both in terms of access to schooling and the quality of learning children receive," Mr. Wright said. "Well-educated children represent a chance to lift Iraq into a future of security and hope."

A 2006 survey by the Iraqi Government, supported by UNICEF, showed that in the previous year, even before the intensification of violence and displacement, one in six Iraqi children did not attend primary school. Reports from communities suggest attendance has since declined further in many areas, due to increased insecurity, clampdowns on security, and the threat of direct attacks on schools and teachers.

Displacement has placed an additional burden on Iraq's school system, UNICEF said, pointing out that more than 220,000 school-aged children have had to flee their homes since early 2006. Many were initially unable to attend schools in their new areas for lack of clear policies on mid-year re-enrolment and may have missed months of schooling.

Throughout the summer, UNICEF has been supporting Iraq's Ministry of Education to enhance children's education prospects for this coming year. The agency and its partners are helping to restore damaged school infrastructure and add extra classrooms and water/sanitation facilities. Teachers are also being trained to provide psycho-social care for the many children affected by anxiety and loss.

For the first time in Iraq, UNICEF is promoting, together with local communities, a home learning curriculum for children forced to stay at home because of displacement or insecurity, while 20,000 out-of-school children are now enrolled in a special Accelerated Learning Programme to help them finish their education.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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RECENT CLASH ILLUSTRATES ONGOING GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ TENSIONS - BAN KI-MOON

RECENT CLASH ILLUSTRATES ONGOING GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ TENSIONS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Oct 8 2007 6:00PM
A deadly clash last month between the Government and Abkhaz sides in Georgia underscores the need for both sides to abide by their agreements and to bring additional areas under international monitoring, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report.

Despite relative calm in recent months, the incident that occurred on 20 September is "the most serious incident involving the Georgian and Abkhaz sides in many years," Mr. Ban writes in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/588">report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia.

He notes that the incident took place outside the area of responsibility of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) peacekeeping force. With the permission of both sides, UNOMIG is trying to clarify the circumstances.

In light of this recent clash, Mr. Ban recommends that areas between the zone of conflict and the Kodori Valley be put under international monitoring, with the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery radar.

At the same time, he stresses the need to "prevent the weakening of the ceasefire and separation of forces regime."

"We will continue to insist on the obligation of both sides to keep their armed personnel clear from one another, observe the restrictions of the restricted-weapons zone and respect the agreed notification and verification procedures," the Secretary-General writes.

He adds that the continued suspension and absence of security dialogue between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, UNOMIG and the CIS peacekeeping force can only compound recent negative developments, such as the "dangerous stand-offs" that have occurred during the reporting period between the Georgian side and the CIS force.

In addition, Mr. Ban notes that while some progress was made between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides on technical and humanitarian issues, the gap between them on political dialogue remained.

"The overall approach to the settlement of the conflict remains that a successful dialogue on security, the return of internally displaced persons and refugees, economic rehabilitation and humanitarian issues would help bring about a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict," he writes.

With the mandate of UNOMIG set to expire shortly, the Secretary-General recommends that it be extended for six months, as its presence continues to contribute to security in the conflict zone and international efforts to promote a peaceful settlement.

UNOMIG – currently comprising 133 military observers and 19 police officers – was established in August 1993 to verify compliance with the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Abkhaz authorities in Georgia. Its mandate was expanded following the signing by the parties of the 1994 Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN'S EX-YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL SAYS FOUR REMAINING FUGITIVES MUST BE ARRESTED

UN'S EX-YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL SAYS FOUR REMAINING FUGITIVES MUST BE ARRESTED
New York, Oct 8 2007 5:00PM
Four fugitives remain at large from the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and the failure to arrest them "continues to represent an affront to justice," the court says today.

In its fourteenth annual <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/469">report to the General Assembly and the Security Council, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) states that by 31 July this year it had finished proceedings against 106 accused out of the 161 people who have been charged with crimes related to the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

The proceedings of another 51 people are either at the pre-trial, trial, pre-appeal or appeal phase.

ICTY said its three trial chambers are operating at full capacity, running seven trials simultaneously since January, while the appeals chamber has also expedited its workload.

Two arrests have also been made since August 2006: those of Zdravko Tolimir, a former Bosnian Serb army officer and top aide to General Ratko Mladi&#263;, and Vlastimir Ðorðevi&#263;, a senior Serbian police officer accused of participating in the campaign against Kosovo Albanians in 1999.

But the report noted that four fugitives remain: Mr. Mladi&#263;, Radovan Karadži&#263;, Goran Hadži&#263; and Stojan Župljanin.

Mr. Karadži&#263;, 62, the former Bosnian Serb president, and Mr. Mladi&#263;, 65, the former military chief, each face numerous charges, including genocide, extermination, murder, persecutions, deportation, taking of hostages and inflicting terror on civilians.

Mr. Hadži&#263;, 49, is charged with murder, persecutions, torture, cruel treatment and other war crimes and crimes against humanity related to his role as president of a self-proclaimed breakaway state of rebel Serbs in southern Croatia during the early 1990s.

Mr. Župljanin, 56, has been indicted on many counts, including murder, torture, forcible transfers and the wanton destruction of towns and villages. He served in the senior leadership in the Autonomous Region of Krajina, part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an area that became notorious for its treatment of non-Serbs.

The report says the Prosecutor's Office has concentrated its efforts on securing the arrest of the four men, and the failure to achieve those arrests "remains of grave concern with respect to the proper administration of justice."

But it also notes that the Prosecutor's Office has been able to step up its cooperation with the governments of the countries in the region, and has observed an improvement in support from the Republika Srpska, which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Under the Tribunal's completion strategy, ICTY is supposed to complete all trials at first instance by the end of 2008, and all of its work, including appeals, by 2010.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DEATH PENALTY FOLLOWING AFGHAN EXECUTIONS

TOP UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DEATH PENALTY FOLLOWING AFGHAN EXECUTIONS
New York, Oct 8 2007 5:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan today expressed concern at the recent execution of 15 prisoners in the capital, Kabul – the first time the death penalty has been used in three years.

"The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has been a staunch supporter of the moratorium on executions observed in Afghanistan in recent years," said UNAMA chief Tom Koenigs, recalling that the UN had previously stated its concern over the use of the death penalty.

In a statement, he acknowledged the sovereign right of the Afghan people and their Government to decide how to carry out their own laws, but called for Afghanistan to "continue working towards attaining highest human rights standards and ensuring that due process of law and the rights of all citizens are respected."

"It is my personal view that the death penalty should be abolished worldwide," he added.

Also today, UNAMA reported that more than 353,000 Afghans have returned to their homes so far this year – nearly 348,000 of them from Pakistan and more than 5,000 from Iran – with the assistance of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Over 16,000 Afghans returned to their home country from Pakistan and Iran last month, UNAMA's Nazifullah Salarzai told reporters in Kabul, adding that the pace of returns is slowing down as winter approaches.

"We're now seeing return numbers averaging 200 per day – down from a peak of over 12,000 assisted returns per day in April," Mr. Salarzai stated.

While UNHCR's voluntary repatriation operation from Iran will continue throughout the winter, its operation from Pakistan will take a "winter break" at the end of October and then resume next March.

Since 2002, some 5 million Afghan refugees have returned to their battle-scarred homeland, mostly from Pakistan and Iran, a majority aided by UNHCR. Most of the 3 million registered Afghans remaining in neighbouring countries have been abroad for more than two decades.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON APPOINTS EXPERIENCED PAKISTANI GENERAL AS NEW UN MILITARY ADVISER

BAN KI-MOON APPOINTS EXPERIENCED PAKISTANI GENERAL AS NEW UN MILITARY ADVISER
New York, Oct 8 2007 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed a 30-year veteran of the Pakistan Army as the new Military Adviser of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha will succeed acting Military Adviser General Per Arne Five of Norway.

For the past two years, General Pasha served as the Director-General of Military Operations at the Pakistani Army's Central Headquarters, where he was in overall command of all Army operations inside the country's borders and all peacekeeping deployments.

From 2001 to 2002, he was the Contingent and Sector Commander with the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and was responsible for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former rebel groups.

In the Pakistani Army, General Pasha has commanded an infantry division, a mechanized infantry brigade and an infantry battalion, and has also served as the Chief Instructor of the Command and Staff College of the Pakistani Army.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN COURT AWARDS HONDURAS SOVEREIGNTY OF FOUR CAYS IN DISPUTE WITH NICARAGUA

UN COURT AWARDS HONDURAS SOVEREIGNTY OF FOUR CAYS IN DISPUTE WITH NICARAGUA
New York, Oct 8 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) today awarded Honduras sovereignty over four cays in the Caribbean Sea and delineated its maritime boundary with Nicaragua as part of a ruling on the long-running border dispute between the two Central American countries.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon immediately welcomed the <"http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/120/14075.pdf?PHPSESSID=9e033250816e6fe472e4f98312f09a37">judgement, issued by the <"http://www.icj-cij.org/homepage/index.php?lang=en">ICJ in The Hague, and voiced trust that the two nations would now implement the decision in full.

"This important judgement illustrates the essential role of the International Court of Justice in peacefully resolving international disputes," his spokesperson said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2786">statement.

The 17-member court ruled unanimously that Honduras has sovereignty over Bobel Cay, Savanna Cay, Port Royal Cay and South Cay. Also known as a key, a cay is a small, low-lying island or reef.

A majority of the court's judges then ruled on the starting point and outline of the single maritime boundary separating the territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of the two countries.

Announcing their decision, the judges said the starting point had been fixed three nautical miles out to sea from the point where a 1962 commission had identified as the end of the land boundary in the mouth of the River Coco.

The shifting deposits left by the River Coco means the exact site of the river mouth remains uncertain, the ICJ said, instructing Nicaragua and Honduras to take part in negotiations to agree on the course of a line between the endpoint of the land boundary and the start of the maritime boundary three miles out to sea.

Today's ruling was issued after Nicaragua brought proceedings at the ICJ against Honduras in 1999, saying that diplomatic negotiations over the disputed boundary had failed.

Sometimes known as the World Court, the ICJ adjudicates disputes between States and its judgements are binding and cannot be appealed.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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EXPERTS AT UN-BACKED MEETING LAY FOUNDATION FOR GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY ROADMAP

EXPERTS AT UN-BACKED MEETING LAY FOUNDATION FOR GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY ROADMAP
New York, Oct 8 2007 3:00PM
Experts at a United Nations-backed conference have agreed to jointly take action to combat the constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated challenges posed by cybercrime.

"The legal, technical and institutional challenges posed by cyber-threats and cybercrime are global and far-reaching, and can only be addressed through a coherent strategy taking into account the role of different stakeholders and existing initiatives, within a framework of international cooperation," Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General of the UN International Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/26.html">ITU), said at the meeting on 5 October in Geneva.

This was the first-ever gathering of the High-Level Experts Group for the ITU's Global Cybersecurity Agenda, and it drew 60 experts from governments, the private sector, academia, research institutions and regional and international organizations.

"New and emerging threats to cybersecurity cannot be solved by any one nation alone," President of Costa Rica and Nobel peace prize laureate Óscar Arias Sánchez said in a special address.

"There is an urgent need for an international framework, giving us international principles and allowing rapid coordination between countries at the regional and global levels," added Mr. Arias, who also serves as the Patron of the Global Cybersecurity Agenda.

Participants at the one-day meeting decided that the next steps to be taken to lay the foundation for the anti-cybercrime agenda are to study five key areas – legal measures, technical and procedural measures, organizational structures, capacity building and international cooperation – in depth to create a global roadmap to bolster cybersecurity.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN ASSEMBLY MEETING SHOWED IMPORTANCE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE - PRESIDENT

UN ASSEMBLY MEETING SHOWED IMPORTANCE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE – PRESIDENT
New York, Oct 8 2007 3:00PM
Participation of over 80 countries and groups in the General Assembly's high-level <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10632.doc.htm">dialogue on interreligious and intercultural understanding showed the importance Member States place on the issue, the 192-member body's president said today at the close of the first event of its kind at the United Nations.

Srgjan Kerim urged participants to "go forth and strive to build a new culture of international relations based on human rights and security, mutual cooperation and respect for international law."

The high-level dialogue is "an important avenue to achieve this goal," he said in his closing remarks to the event, which drew the participation of over 80 Member States and representatives of civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith groups and the private sector.

While the UN is an excellent forum for dialogue, he emphasized that it must not stop there.

"If we want to promote this dialogue we should go back and spread the message in our communities and neighbourhoods throughout the world," he stated, noting that the success of a global dialogue rests not only on Governments but on the active involvement of the private sector, civil society, faith groups, NGOs and the media.

Representatives of these groups, in their discussions with Member States, highlighted practical measures to advance interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation including adapting school curricula and teacher training to emphasize multicultural knowledge and awareness, increasing global student exchange programmes, and promoting respectful and inclusive dialogue, especially for minority communities.

A spokesman for Mr. Kerim issued a statement today affirming that the event "clearly demonstrated that the General Assembly had an important role to carry this dialogue forward" and pledging the President's efforts to achieve that end.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING OFFICIAL HEADS TO SIERRA LEONE TO TRACK PROGRESS SINCE ELECTIONS

UN PEACEBUILDING OFFICIAL HEADS TO SIERRA LEONE TO TRACK PROGRESS SINCE ELECTIONS
New York, Oct 8 2007 2:00PM
Aiming to track progress in Sierra Leone as it works to consolidate stability, a senior United Nations peacebuilding official heads there today for meetings with top officials and a first-hand look at the situation since elections were held last month.

"The recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Sierra Leone mark a new beginning for the Peacebuilding Commission's engagement with the country," said
Dutch Ambassador Frank Majoor, who chairs the Peacebuilding Commission's Sierra Leone "configuration," which focuses on that country.

In Freetown, he will meet with newly elected President Ernest Bai Koroma, Vice President Chief Sahr Samuel Sam-Sumana, as well as parliamentarians, representatives of civil society and members of the UN Country Team.

Ambassador Majoor is seeking to obtain first-hand information about the post-election situation and the remaining peacebuilding challenges in Sierra Leone, while advancing discussion towards the conclusion of a "Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework" – an agreed plan of commitments and priorities on such issues as good governance, justice, security sector reform and youth employment.

"The peaceful, orderly, and genuinely contested elections were in part the result of an effective partnership between the national and international partners in Sierra Leone," he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged the country's many challenges, especially the need to forge a government of national unity. "The Peacebuilding Commission can play a critical role in support of the new government by agreeing on a Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework," he said.

Ambassador Majoor will brief members of the Peacebuilding Commission next week on his return.

The <"http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/index.html">Peacebuilding Commission is an intergovernmental advisory body that brings together key actors, including international donors, international financial institutions, national governments from focus countries, troop contributor countries, UN bodies and civil society representatives, to promote a common approach to helping a country emerge from conflict.

The PBC's Organizational Committee brings together 31 Member States to establish the body's work agenda. It also has country specific "configurations" that look at issues particular to individual States it is focused on.

Sierra Leone's run-off elections were held on 8 September, after polls held on 11 August failed to produce an outright winner. The presidential elections were the first since UN peacekeepers left in 2005 after helping to bring peace and stability to the country which was torn apart by a brutal 10-year civil war.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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SINGAPORE REJOINS UNESCO AFTER 22-YEAR ABSENCE

SINGAPORE REJOINS UNESCO AFTER 22-YEAR ABSENCE
New York, Oct 8 2007 2:00PM
Singapore rejoined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=39834&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) today after a 22-year absence.

The Organization's Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura welcomed the return of Singapore, which deposited its instrument of adhesion in London today, as the 193rd UNESCO member.

"Universality is UNESCO's main source of strength," he said. "It opens the way for global responses to increasingly complex situations."

He underscored that Organization's "Member States and all of our partners are as proud as I am to welcome Singapore back, and we share the conviction that this Member State will make a rich and diverse contribution to debates in all of UNESCO's areas of competence."

Singapore's return means that UNESCO now has one more Member State than the UN itself, which has 192. Gan Kim Yong, Minister of Education and Manpower, will lead the South-East Asian nation's delegation at the 34th session of the UNESCO General Conference from 16 October to 3 November.

In recent years, UNESCO has seen the return of the United States in 2003, as well as the adhesion to the Organization of Serbia in 2000, Timor-Lester in 2003, Brunei Darussalam in 2005 and Montenegro in 2006. Tokelau became an Associate Member in 2001.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN'S STANDING POLICE CAPACITY STARTS TRAINING IN UK AHEAD OF FIRST DEPLOYMENT

UN'S STANDING POLICE CAPACITY STARTS TRAINING IN UK AHEAD OF FIRST DEPLOYMENT
New York, Oct 8 2007 1:00PM
Two weeks of intensive training in project-management, team-building, transitional justice and other aspects of peacekeeping started today for officers of the United Nations Standing Police Capacity, who are attending the United Kingdom's top police leadership centre ahead of their first operational deployment.

"These two weeks will be very valuable in finalizing our training as a unit before we depart for our first mission, which is expected to be to Chad. It's essential to go into any peacekeeping mission as well prepared as possible and this course will ensure the team is operational as soon as we touch the ground," Standing Police Capacity (SPC) Chief Walter Wolf told the UN News Service.

Along with instructors from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/police/index.shtml">DPKO) and other sections of the world body, the 16 SPC officers attending the 8-19 October course will also be mentored by experienced trainers from several Member States.

"It's important for all the officers gathered here to have a solid understanding of DPKO's policies, doctrines and philosophies regarding modern peace operations, including lessons learned, but this course won't be theoretical. It will be based on real mission scenarios that the team will have to work through," said Mr. Wolf.

Once operational the SPC will have two main roles. Firstly, to provide immediate start-up capability on the ground for the police components of new UN peacekeeping missions, and secondly to provide rapid support and technical assistance to existing UN operations.

The idea of the SPC was first called for in 2004 by a blue-ribbon group of experts brought together by the UN to examine security threats in the 21st century. Member States endorsed the concept during their World Summit in September 2005 as a way to deal with the unprecedented demand for peacekeepers in general and police officers in particular.
2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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UN AND PARTNERS ISSUE HANDBOOK ON RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

UN AND PARTNERS ISSUE HANDBOOK ON RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
New York, Oct 8 2007 9:00AM
Aiming to help lawmakers better understand the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, the main United Nations human rights office and its partners today launched a handbook on the treaty's provisions.

"I hope that the Handbook, in addition to raising awareness, will foster the speedy ratification of the Convention so to end the protection vacuum that has, in practice, affected persons with disabilities," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.

With 650 million persons with disabilities worldwide, the new guide aims to help address the marginalization that so many have suffered worldwide, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a news release.

Produced by OHCHR along with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, the handbook allows legislators to become more familiar with the Convention and provides them with the tools to facilitate its ratification.

"This Handbook is our contribution to help bring down barriers, remove prejudices, and outlaw discrimination in the area of disability," said IPU Secretary General Anders B. Johnsson.

The English version of the Handbook was launched today before some 600 legislators attending the a meetig of the IPU Assembly in Geneva.

The Convention and its Protocol were adopted by the General Assembly in December 2006.

2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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PARTS OF ASIA-PACIFIC REGION LAG BEHIND AFRICA IN REACHING ANTIPOVERTY GOALS -- UN

PARTS OF ASIA-PACIFIC REGION LAG BEHIND AFRICA IN REACHING ANTIPOVERTY GOALS -- UN
New York, Oct 8 2007 9:00AM
A new United Nations report assessing progress in the Asia-Pacific region on reaching the antipoverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) paints a mixed picture of progress in some parts of the region even as others lag behind Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

Released today in Bangkok and Manila, the report states that the region is well on track and ahead of its peers in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa to reduce extreme poverty by half, attain universal education, and achieve gender parity in education by the target year 2015.

But Asia and the Pacific accounts for about two thirds of the world's underweight children. More than one in four children under the age of five are underweight. The rates in many Asian countries exceed those of Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the report.

The region is also moving too slowly in reducing child mortality -- every year six out of every 100 children do not live to see their fifth birthday, a rate almost double that of Latin American and the Caribbean. The most serious problems are in South Asia where most countries are off track on reducing child mortality.

Maternal deaths in Asia and the Pacific account for almost half of the global total, according to the report, The Millennium Development Goals: Progress in Asia and the Pacific 2007. The region's overall maternal mortality ratio, at over 300 per 100,000 live births, is more than 30 percent higher than in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The region's greatest challenges lie in addressing the issues of child mortality, malnutrition, improving maternal health and providing safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, said the report -- a joint publication by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

"The 2007 MDG progress report gives us an indication of what the region stands to gain if
focus on those countries that are moving slowly or not making progress, and within those areas concentrate on improving the lives of the most vulnerable," said Haishan Fu, Chief, Statistics Development Section, UNESCAP.

The report points out if the countries in the region that are off track were able to speed up and meet the MDG targets by 2015, then about 196 million more people would be lifted out of extreme poverty, 23 million more children would no longer suffer from hunger and nearly 1 million more children would survive beyond their fifth birthday.

The other key areas where Asia-Pacific region is making slow progress are provision of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities. Across the region, over 560 million people in rural areas lack access to improved water sources; over 1.5 billion are living without basic sanitation facilities, nearly three-quarters of the global total.

The report also warns that environmental pressures -- arising from land degradation, poor water management, rising pollution in urban areas, CO2 emission contributing to climate change and other factors -- could push more people into poverty.

The eight MDGs range from halving extreme poverty to reducing child mortality, halting spread of HIV and AIDS, providing universal primary education and providing access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities -- all by the target year of 2015.

2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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LINE BETWEEN MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IS BLURRING, UN OFFICIAL SAYS

LINE BETWEEN MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IS BLURRING, UN OFFICIAL SAYS
New York, Oct 8 2007 9:00AM
The line between those who leave their homes out of fear and those who chose to seek a better life across borders is blurring, raising new issues for refugee protection, the senior United Nations official dealing with the problem has said.

"When we deal with refugees, we deal with people who are fleeing persecution or war," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) António Guterres said at a press conference following the conclusion of the agency's Executive Committee session on Friday.

"But we have also more and more people who have to flee for other reasons. We are witnessing situations of extreme deprivation, climate change environmental degradation -- together with war, conflict and persecution. It is more and more difficult to distinguish between these different categories of forced displacement."

He noted that wars are often fueled by scarcity of resources, which in turn can be driven by climate change. "All of these things are more and more mixed together and there is a big challenge for the international community to find ways to deal with the forms of forced displacement that are taking shape in the 21st Century, and finding new and innovative solutions to cope with it."

In order to respond, the international community must create the conditions for protection to be more easily delivered, along with "more meaningful possibilities for legal migration and more meaningful development cooperation policies addressing the pressing needs of some areas of the world that have become particularly vulnerable," he said.

While UNHCR is not a migration agency, distinguishing between those who are forced to flee and those who do so by choice is becoming increasingly difficult and is posing an enormous challenge for the international community. Dealing with the complexities of this "asylum-migration" nexus was a key question in the 72-nation Executive Committee's discussions, the High Commissioner said.

"In these mix
need of protection, and that those people in need of protection are granted physical access to asylum procedures and fair treatment of their asylum claims?"

While governments have a right to manage their borders, the agency said that should not create obstacles for refugees deserving of protection under international law. It warned that around the Mediterranean, in the Gulf of Aden and in other parts of the world, a lack of legal routes meant increasing numbers of people were falling prey to smugglers and human traffickers, with dramatic and often deadly results.

2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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VIRUSES FROM TROPICAL COUNTRIES ARE MOVING TO TEMPERATE ZONES, UN AGENCY WARNS

VIRUSES FROM TROPICAL COUNTRIES ARE MOVING TO TEMPERATE ZONES, UN AGENCY WARNS
New York, Oct 8 2007 9:00AM
Animal diseases are advancing globally and countries will have to invest more in surveillance and control measures, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today, citing West Nile Virus, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever and other plagues that have crossed from tropical to temperate zones.

"No country can claim to be a safe haven with respect to animal diseases," warned FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech in a news release.

"Transboundary animal diseases that were originally confined to tropical countries are on the rise around the globe. They do not spare temperate zones including Europe, the United States and Australia," he added.

Globalization, the movement of people and goods, tourism, urbanization and probably also climate change are favouring the spread of animal viruses around the planet, FAO noted.

"The increased mobility of viruses and their carriers is a new threat that countries and the international community should take seriously. Early detection of viruses together with surveillance and control measures are needed as effective defence measures," Mr. Domenech said, calling for strong political support and funding for animal health and more adequate veterinary services.

The agency raised concern about the spread of the non-contagious bluetongue virus, which affects cattle, goats, deer and sheep. First discovered in South Africa, it has spread to many countries for reasons that remain unclear, FAO said.

"We never expected that the bluetongue virus could affect European countries at such high latitudes," said FAO Animal Health Officer Stephane de la Rocque. "The virus is already endemic in Corsica and Sardinia but could also persist in northern European countries."

Other examples of human and animal disease agents that were previously mainly found in tropical regions and that have spread internationally include: West Nile Virus, transmitted by mosquitos, c
sometimes affecting also humans; Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that spreads through the bite of infected sand flies; and tick-borne Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, FAO said.

African swine fever has recently reached Georgia and Armenia and poses a threat to neighbouring countries, it noted.

Mosquitos that can transmit major human diseases such as yellow fever, dengue and chickunguya have already reached European countries and may constitute a major public health concern.

2007-10-08 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR TOWN WHERE AU PEACEKEEPERS WERE ATTACKED BURNED DOWN -- UN

DARFUR TOWN WHERE AU PEACEKEEPERS WERE ATTACKED BURNED DOWN -- UN
New York, Oct 7 2007 2:00PM
The South Darfur town of Haskanita that witnessed a deadly attack against African Union (AU) peacekeepers last weekend has been burned down, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reported today.

Haskanita, "which is currently under the control of the Government, was completely burned down, except for a few buildings," <"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS said today, after conducting a joint assessment mission to the area yesterday with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"The market area had been looted. Few civilians had returned in search of food and water," the Mission added.

The civilian population had reportedly fled to neighbouring areas of Haskanita when the first attack took place on 29 September.

The town was the site of a deadly attack on AU peacekeepers just a week ago that killed nearly a dozen people and wounded many more, with several people also reported missing.

The attack took place in the lead-up to peace talks set to begin in Libya on 27 October between the Sudanese Government and Darfur's many rebel groups in an effort to resolve a conflict that has led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people since 2003.

As part of the ongoing preparations for the talks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy for Darfur just concluded a series of meetings in Khartoum, UNMIS reported.

Jan Eliasson briefed Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol on the preparations for the negotiations, and also met with the President's Senior Assistant Minni Minawi.

The Special Envoy also met with the Joint Mediation Support Team, AU-UN Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada, Acting UN Special Representative Taye-Brook Zerihoun and Deputy Representative Ameerah Haq. While in Khartoum, he also met with United States Special Envoy Andrew Natsios.

Mr. Eliasson is now in Addis Ababa, where he will chair, together with his AU counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, a two-day
Mediation Support Team on the preparations for the upcoming talks. From there he will return to Khartoum for further discussions.
2007-10-07 00:00:00.000

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