ANTARCTICA SHOWS NEED FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS

ANTARCTICA SHOWS NEED FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS
New York, Nov 11 2007 1:00AM
Ban Ki-moon, during his historic visit to Antarctica, the first by a United Nations Secretary-General, has said warming temperatures on the continent show the growing dangers of climate change and the need for action to address it.

"It is here where our work, together, comes into focus," Mr. Ban said in a statement issued on Friday. "We see Antarctica's beauty -- and the danger global warming represents, and the urgency that we do something about it."

The Secretary-General, who has made climate change a priority issue and is working to galvanize support for an international conference to be held in Bali in December on global commitments to stop it, said he is personally determined to push forward.

He said the landscapes on Antarctica are "rare and wonderful" but also deeply disturbing as the ice continues melting at a fast pace.

"All this may be gone, and not in the distant future, unless we act, together, now," he warned.

"Antarctica is on the verge of a catastrophe -- for the world."

The Secretary-General offered stark figures to illustrate his point, noting that the glaciers on King George Island have shrunk by 10 per cent, while some in Admirality Bay have retreated by 25 kilometers. He also recalled how the 87-kilometer "Larsen B ice sheet" collapsed several years ago and disappeared within weeks and warned that the entire Western Antarctic Ice Shelf is at risk.

"It is all floating ice, one fifth of the entire continent. If it broke up, sea levels could rise by 6 meters or 18 feet," he noted, pointing out that 138 tons of ice are now being lost every year.

Other "deeply worrying signs" he mentioned were the shrinking penguin population of Chabrier Rock, which has dipped by 57 per cent in the last 25 years. "What will happen to the annual march of the penguins in the future? Will there even be one?"

At the same time, grass is growing for the first time ever on King George Island, where it rains r
summer.

"These things should alarm us all. Antarctica is a natural lab that helps us understand what is happening to our world. We must save this precious earth, including all that is here. It is a natural wonder, but above all, it is our common home," said Mr. Ban.

2007-11-11 00:00:00.000

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UN TRIES TO RESETTLE PALESTINIANS TRAPPED IN REFUGEE CAMPS ON IRAQI-SYRIAN BORDER

UN TRIES TO RESETTLE PALESTINIANS TRAPPED IN REFUGEE CAMPS ON IRAQI-SYRIAN BORDER
New York, Nov 9 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency said today that it is continuing to search for feasible resettlement options for almost 2,000 Palestinians stuck in camps on or near the Iraqi-Syrian border as recent sandstorms worsen the already-difficult living conditions inside the camps.

The situation inside the Al-Tanf camp, located in the no-man's land between Iraq and Syria, and the Al-Waleed camp, located in the Iraqi desert near the Syrian border, "remains very precarious," especially as winter approaches, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/473439962.html">told journalists in Geneva.

The population inside Al-Tanf has swollen to 437 in recent weeks after Syrian authorities transferred 97 Palestinians who had entered the country from Iraq with forged documents.

The numbers are Al-Waleed, which is already home to 1,560 refugees, are also expected to increase as new families keep arriving from Baghdad to escape ongoing threats and attacks. UNHCR staff report that already 30 to 40 people arrive at Al-Waleed each week.

"We continue to seek better solutions, including resettlement options, for the refugees – both within and outside the region," Mr. Redmond said, stressing that vulnerable and sick children who do not have access to medical care in Iraq are getting priority attention.

So far, one family of eight that has several sick children has been resettled in Norway, while 11 other medical cases for resettlement are pending approval.

Mr. Redmond said Chile and Sudan are the only other countries to have given positive indications to resettling other Palestinian medical cases, such as cancer patients and children with birth defects.

In the interim, UNHCR is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Palestinian and Syrian Red Crescent Societies to improve living conditions inside Al-Tanf and Al-Waleed.

In a related development, the last batch of Palestinian families who had been living in Ruweished camp in Jordan after fleeing in Iraq have been resettled in Brazil. The camp was once home to 1,000 refugees, who have now resettled in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States.

Another 13,000 Palestinians are estimated to still live in Baghdad, where they face ongoing threats and attacks, in part because of perceptions that Palestinians received preferential treatment under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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BILLION GRAINS OF RICE DONATED TO UN ANTI-HUNGER AGENCY THANKS TO INTERNET GAME

BILLION GRAINS OF RICE DONATED TO UN ANTI-HUNGER AGENCY THANKS TO INTERNET GAME
New York, Nov 9 2007 4:00PM
An Internet game in which a website donates 10 grains of race to the United Nations World Food Programme for every vocabulary question answered correctly by participants has <" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2686">passed the 1 billion grain threshold after just one month of operations.

The amount donated by <" http://www.freerice.com">FreeRice.com, founded by the United States fundraising pioneer John Breen, reached 1,008,771,910 grains yesterday, 32 days after the site was launched. That is enough to feed more than 50,000 people for one day.

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran hailed the FreeRice game as an example of how the Internet can mobilize millions of people worldwide to end want.

"Every grain of rice is essential in the fight against hunger," she said, noting that hunger claims more lives than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

"FreeRice really hits how the Web can be harnessed to raise awareness and funds for the world's number one emergency," said the WFP chief, praising the site's marketing success.

FreeRice relies on payments from companies that place advertisements on the site to underwrite its donations to WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency.

On 7 October, the first day of the site's operations, only 830 grains were donated. But with the help of bloggers and social networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook, the numbers have grown exponentially, and yesterday more than 77 million grains – or the equivalent of seven million clicks – was donated.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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SOMALI PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN KENYA FOR TALKS WITH UN ENVOY

SOMALI PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN KENYA FOR TALKS WITH UN ENVOY
New York, Nov 9 2007 5:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Somalia is holding talks in Nairobi with the country's President and other political leaders as UN staff report that worsening humanitarian conditions inside the capital, Mogadishu.

Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf arrived in the Kenyan capital yesterday for the talks with the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, and other UN officials, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters today.

Mr. Ould-Abdallah and Mr. Yusuf will focus on the ongoing selection process for Somalia's next prime minister during their discussions, according to the UN Political Office for Somalia (<"http://un-somalia.org">UNPOS).

Earlier today the Special Representative also met with Ali Mahdi Mohammed, the Chairman of Somalia's National Reconciliation Congress.

The Nairobi meetings are taking place as the killings, violence and displacement continue across Mogadishu amid fighting between the insurgents and Ethiopian troops, which are in Somalia to support the country's Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

Mr. Haq said some 50 civilians were killed and another 30 wounded during the past 24 hours in the capital, and as many as 114,000 residents of Mogadishu have been forced to flee their homes in recent weeks. In total, an estimated 850,000 Somali civilians have been displaced this year by the intermittent but deadly violence across the Horn of Africa country.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO ANTARCTICA

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO ANTARCTICA
New York, Nov 9 2007 6:00PM
Ban Ki-moon today became the first United Nations Secretary-General to make an official visit to Antarctica as he travelled to the frozen continent to see first-hand the effects of climate change on its melting glaciers.

Mr. Ban, who has made a climate change a priority issue during his term as Secretary-General, received a briefing from scientists at a Chilean Air Force base in Antarctica before visiting the Collins Glaciers and then the Sejong Research Centre, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to return to Punta Arenas in southern Chile tonight to continue the South American stage of his tour. On Sunday he heads to Brazil to meet the country's President, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.

Last night, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11269.doc.htm">addressed the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, the Chilean capital, where he told the audience that the UN's work is "intimately linked" with the need to promote social cohesion worldwide.

"Our very mission for peace, development and human rights depends on fostering inclusive societies that are stable, safe, just and tolerant – societies that respect diversity, equality of opportunity and participation of all," Mr. Ban said.

He stressed the importance of building and strengthening social cohesion to tackling several key challenges and issues faced by the UN, from climate change to migration to upholding indigenous rights and those of peoples with disabilities.

Earlier on Thursday, he met with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, where they discussed Chile's contributions to UN peacekeeping operations, especially in Haiti, as well as the country's efforts to achieving the series of anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">MDGs).
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: BAN KI-MOON WARNS AGAINST DELAYS IN DEPLOYMENT OF HYBRID FORCE

DARFUR: BAN KI-MOON WARNS AGAINST DELAYS IN DEPLOYMENT OF HYBRID FORCE
New York, Nov 9 2007 6:00PM
The hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission to the war-torn Darfur region (UNAMID) still lacks critical transport and aviation units and the Sudanese Government has not responded yet to the UN-AU submission on the force's composition, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, warning that delays to deployment will only exacerbate the humanitarian situation.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/653">report on UNAMID, Mr. Ban says the combination of the delays and the recent spike in security incidents across the western Sudanese region has left Darfur "at a crossroads."

He urges Member States which can do so to contribute the missing transport and aviation capabilities for the mission, which is expected to have more than 25,000 troops and police officers at full capacity.

"Without these critical units, the mission will not be able to implement its mandate," he writes.

The Secretary-General also calls on the Sudanese Government to cooperate concerning the acquisition of land, the approval of flight operations rights for UN aircraft and the composition of UNAMID so that the force can be quickly introduced.

"This force composition is predominantly African," he notes, in line with the Security Council resolution earlier this year establishing UNAMID, "and provides for a force that would meet United Nations standards and would be capable of deploying in a timely manner."

UNAMID is slated to assume authority by 31 December this year from the existing AU mission in the impoverished and largely arid region. Late last month the initial management, command and control capabilities for the hybrid force were launched in El Fasher, North Darfur.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others left homeless since rebels began fighting Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed in 2003. The humanitarian crisis that has resulted is so widespread that some 4 million Darfurians now depend on aid to survive.

Mr. Ban says the start of peace talks last month in neighbouring Libya between some of the numerous Darfur rebel groups and the Sudanese Government "represents a unique opportunity to achieve a definitive end to the suffering of the people of Darfur," adding that the talks were the first phase of a multi-part process to obtain a political solution.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY SETS UP THINK TANK ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY SETS UP THINK TANK ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
New York, Nov 9 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations Environment Programme (<" http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5700&l=en">UNEP) today announced the formation of a new global think tank on resource efficiency which is expected to tackle pressing issues including the environmental risks of biofuel production and metal recycling.

The new International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management will provide scientific assessments and expert advice on the use, security and environmental impact of selected products and services worldwide, the agency said in a news release.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said the new Panel will address the need to break the "links between economic growth and environmental degradation."

It is expected to provide hard scientific and empirical assessments about complex issues and reports which can be read by those in a position to take action, UNEP said.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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SIERRA LEONE: UN HELPS AMPUTEES PARTICIPATE IN GLOBAL SPORTS EVENT

SIERRA LEONE: UN HELPS AMPUTEES PARTICIPATE IN GLOBAL SPORTS EVENT
New York, Nov 9 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP) is joining with other partners to help a group of amputees from Sierra Leone to participate in a global football competition for those who have lost a limb.

The agency is contributing $21,000 to help Sierra Leone's Single Leg Amputee Sports Club to compete in the World Amputee Football Championship being held next week in Turkey, as well as related activities.

In Freetown today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Executive Representative for Sierra Leone, Victor Angelo, hosted a reception for the team to show solidarity with the players.

The event showcased "the determination of the athletes to succeed despite their disabilities, and to enhance the image of Sierra Leone and its people in the international community," the UN Integrated Office in the country (<" http://www.uniosil.org/read.asp?newsID=641&cat=">UNIOSIL) said in a news release.

The ceremony included performances by members of a group called Artists for Peace which worked to promote violence-free presidential and parliamentary elections in August and September.

"The Single Leg Amputees Sports Club members and the Artists for Peace have demonstrated that Sierra Leone is endowed with lots of talents; if they are given a chance, they will contribute significantly to a better Sierra Leone," Mr. Angelo said.

Also helping to sponsor the team's participation in the Turkey competition was FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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UN'S TOP REFUGEE OFFICIAL HEADS TO CENTRAL ASIA

UN'S TOP REFUGEE OFFICIAL HEADS TO CENTRAL ASIA
New York, Nov 9 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees heads this weekend to Central Asia, where his agency is working to bring asylum procedures in line with international standards.

António Guterres will be in the Kyrgyz Republic for three days starting on 11 November to open the first refugee reception centre in Central Asia.

Kyrgyzstan hosts several hundred refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The High Commissioner is expected to meet President Kurmanbek Bakiev to thank the Government for naturalizing some 9,000 refugees from Tajikistan, according to an agency spokesperson.

From 13 to 15 November, Mr. Guterres will be in Kazakhstan, where he is expected to meet President Nursultan Nazarbayev and to discuss the drafting of national refugee legislation.

There are some 3,700 Chechens from the Russian Federation and several hundred people from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and China who are of concern to UNHCR in the country.

"The High Commissioner plans to visit UNHCR's operations in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in spring 2008," a spokesman for UNHCR said today.

The agency's office in Uzbekistan was closed by the government in April 2006, "but UNHCR continues to seek solutions for some 1,200 refugees, mostly from Afghanistan, through the UN Development Programme (UNDP)," the spokesman added.

2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN AGENCY STEPS UP EFFORTS TO CURB SPREAD OF CHOLERA IN NORTH KIVU

DR CONGO: UN AGENCY STEPS UP EFFORTS TO CURB SPREAD OF CHOLERA IN NORTH KIVU
New York, Nov 9 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency is intensifying its efforts to combat the spread of cholera in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a spokesman for the agency said today.

This week, UNHCR and it partner ASODE, a non-governmental organization (NGO), distributed soap to nearly 20,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in two camps in Mugunga west of Goma in North Kivu.

"We hope that these efforts, improved water supply and sanitation, coupled with an intensive public awareness campaign on hygiene will contain the worrying spread of cholera in the camps," said Ron Redmond.

But he warned that poor conditions a nearby makeshift site at Lac Vert hosting more than 10,000 IDPs could contribute to the further spread of cholera.

On Wednesday, UNHCR began the transfer of IDPs from Lac Vert to a new camp called Buhimba which the agency built with the necessary basic health, water and sanitation facilities for more than 10,000 people.

Cholera broke out in early October in five camps hosting some 45,000 IDPs in the Mugunga area. According to health workers, by the end of October, there were a total of 439 suspected cases of cholera. Mr. Redmond said the latest reports from the camps "indicate that the cholera situation appears to be stabilizing as the number of new suspected cases is slightly dropping."

North Kivu province is facing the worst internal displacement since the end of the DRC's civil war in 2004, according to UNHCR. Fighting between government forces, renegade troops and rebels forced some 375,000 Congolese to leave their homes in North Kivu since last December, with more than 160,000 newly displaced just over the past two months.

"With sharpening inter-ethnic divides and a continuous build-up of military forces, UNHCR remains deeply concerned about the risks of severe human rights abuses and violence against civilians," Mr. Redmond said.

"We welcome al
confrontations and prevent further the suffering of the North Kivu population brought on by prolonged instability and fighting."

2007-11-09 00:00:00.000

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EARLY WARNING MECHANISMS VITAL TO PREVENTING GENOCIDE, SAYS UN ADVISER

EARLY WARNING MECHANISMS VITAL TO PREVENTING GENOCIDE, SAYS UN ADVISER
New York, Nov 8 2007 7:00PM
The best way to prevent genocide from occurring is to ensure that early warning measures are in place and used before the key phase of incitement to violence can begin, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities said today.

Francis Deng told a round-table discussion at United Nations Headquarters in New York on combating hatred that incitement to violence "is a hallmark and perhaps a prerequisite of genocide," citing the examples of the Holocaust against Jews in Nazi Germany, the killings of Bosnian Muslims in the former Yugoslavia and the massacre of Tutsis in Rwanda.

"People do not spontaneously rise up en masse to kill – incitement by their leaders is a key step in the process," Dr. Deng said, noting that incitement only works when prejudices already exist in a community or society.

He stressed that incitement to violence serves as an early warning signal for genocide or mass killings that can easily be detected.

"In universities, research institutions, human rights and humanitarian organizations, increased attention is being given to incitement to violence, its potential impact on the public, and the need for preventive action. The most effective prevention should come long before incitement has put potential killers on the verge of genocidal violence."

Dr. Deng, who was named to the post by Ban Ki-moon in May, said the UN, governments and other institutions and entities should also work towards implementing a political, economic and social framework in countries around the world that provides full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

This, coupled with improving governance, boosting economic development and promoting inter-ethnic and communal tolerance, would help to foster an environment in which tensions are reduced and groups are less likely to seek violent responses to their grievances.

Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka noted that today's discussion was taking place one day before the sixtieth anniversary of Kristallnacht, a violent pogrom in Germany and Austria against Jews and their homes, businesses and synagogues.

The round-table discussion, which was <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/note6117.doc.htm">organized by the Holocaust and UN Outreach Programme, also heard from five other speakers on fighting hatred, promoting grassroots dialogue and the responsibility of governments to protect people – whether in their own country or not – from mass atrocities.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL COHESION FOCUS OF CHILEAN STOP DURING BAN KI-MOON TOUR

DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL COHESION FOCUS OF CHILEAN STOP DURING BAN KI-MOON TOUR
New York, Nov 8 2007 7:00PM
The struggle for economic development, the need to do more to tackle climate change and the value of greater social cohesion were all spotlighted today by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he travelled to Chile, the second stop on his tour to South America.

After arriving in the capital, Santiago, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2846">told a high-level panel on the Global Partnership for Development that the world has a mixed scorecard at the midpoint of the race to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs), the series of anti-poverty targets which global leaders agreed to work towards by 2015.

While some progress has been made, he noted that almost one billion people still live on less than $1 a day, and that malaria, AIDS, other infectious diseases and malnutrition continue to exact an enormous death toll, especially among children.

More than half the population of many cities in poor and developing countries also live in slums, with little or no access to basic services such as sanitation and running water.

"Clearly, we are facing an emergency – and we need emergency action, while working with the strategic vision provided by the MDGs," Mr. Ban told the panel, which included Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Spanish President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

"The 2015 target date is a goalpost that cannot be moved. The clock is ticking louder every day. To reach the Goals on time, we have to take concerted action now."

Mr. Ban also stressed the need for accelerated international action to deal with climate changes, which he described as "a serious threat to development everywhere."

He urged leaders to play their part to ensure that concrete results can be obtained at next month's negotiations in Bali, Indonesia, under the <" http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/items/2627.php">UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

After the panel, the Secretary-General held a meeting with Ms. Bachelet, and then tonight he is scheduled to address the Ibero-American Summit, which is also being held in Santiago.

Mr. Ban is expected to discuss how building and strengthening social cohesion, the theme of this year's summit, is crucial to all the key challenges and issues faced by the UN, from climate change to migration to upholding indigenous rights and those of peoples with disabilities.

After leaving Santiago, Mr. Ban is slated to head to Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, and Antarctica to learn more about climate change. Later on the trip, he will travel to Brazil before heading on to Tunisia and Spain.

Yesterday, while in Argentina on the first leg of his official trip, Mr. Ban met President Nestor Kirchner and President-elect Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. He also held talks with Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and several senior Argentine parliamentarians.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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EXPULSION OF UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL FROM SOUTH DARFUR SPARKS CONCERN

EXPULSION OF UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL FROM SOUTH DARFUR SPARKS CONCERN
New York, Nov 8 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan is in contact with the country's authorities to find out why a senior UN humanitarian official has been expelled from South Darfur.

Preliminary reports indicate that Wael al-Haj-Ibrahim, the head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline2.un.org/sudan">OCHA) in Sudan, has not been rendered persona non grata by the national Government, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters yesterday.

Rather, he has been forced to leave South Darfur under a directive from the State Governor, and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ameerah Haq has taken up the issue with the authorities in Khartoum, the national capital.

Ms. Okabe said the UN was extremely concerned about the potential ramification of the expulsion decision, especially given that it violated the letter and spirit of the Joint Communiqué on the Facilitation of Humanitarian Assistance in Darfur that was signed earlier this year by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

OCHA is extremely active in South Darfur – one of three states that comprise the war-torn Darfur region – and works with the Sudanese Government, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donors to assist up to one million internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs).

In total, more than 2.2 million Darfurians are now displaced because of the conflict there between rebels, Government forces and allied militias. Another 200,000 people have been killed since fighting began in 2003, and the <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88&Body=Sudan&Body1=">UN and the African Union are in the process of deploying a landmark hybrid peacekeeping force (UNAMID) to try to quell the violence and suffering.

Meanwhile, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees L. Craig Johnstone has arrived in West Darfur state for a four-day mission to review the agency's operations. Mr. Johnstone plans to visit IDP settlements to obtain a first-hand understanding of the situation across the vast region.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: DISARMAMENT IN ITURI PROGRESSES, BUT OTHER STEPS NEEDED - UN OFFICIAL

DR CONGO: DISARMAMENT IN ITURI PROGRESSES, BUT OTHER STEPS NEEDED – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Nov 8 2007 6:00PM
Disarmament in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) Ituri province is proceeding apace but more steps are needed to foster lasting stability in the area, which has a history of ethnic tensions and cross-border rebel activity, a United Nations official said today.

In an interview published on MONUC's <"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">website, Gustavo Gonzalez, operation coordinator for the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP), said that in Ituri,
the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process unfolded in three phases: during the first, 15,941 fighters were demobilized, there were 6,728 fighters in the second, and in the latest, 1,795 of those who were "more recalcitrant."

The Ituri total represents about one quarter of the total demobilized soldiers in the DRC, he said.

He said the process could be fully evaluated only after the reinsertion phase, when the former fighters will have been reintegrated in their communities and "the whole population of the Ituri will be able to sleep in peace knowing that it will not be pillaged or robbed at any moment."

But he said that "with the surrender of the last commanders-in-chief, the problem of the fighters is resolved today in Ituri."

At the same time, he cautioned that "without concrete measures to fight poverty, without offering alternate means to the weapon usage, and without restoring the authority of the State," there is a risk that the cycle of conflict will be repeated.

Mr. Gonzalez said poverty is a key cause of conflict in Ituri, where there are more than 170,000 internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) and about 700,000 returnees seeking jobs. The area also has a history of inter-ethnic tension and has been subject to cross-border rebel activity.

The DDR programme alone cannot resolve the militia problem in Ituri, he stressed, calling for measures to deal with the illegal trade in light weapons and the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

"DDR is only one chapter in a global process of conflict resolution, in which the fight against poverty, justice and security sector reforms are also equally important," he said.

The rehabilitation phase, he cautioned, is more complex and more sensitive. UNDP, along with the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) and a network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), is supporting a new approach to the process. Instead of paying subsidies to demobilized soldiers – a practice that could cause security problems – the initiative involves mobilizing them in the service of reconstructing communities affected by the war.

"This proved to be a tremendous tool of reinsertion and of reconciliation," Mr. Gonzalez said of the three-month service during which demobilized soldiers work with other members of the community. At the end of the process, they receive support in a chosen trade, the tools needed for work and financing to start up a community project.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN DECLARES 15 SEPTEMBER AS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY

UN DECLARES 15 SEPTEMBER AS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY
New York, Nov 8 2007 6:00PM
Stressing the continuing need to promote democratization, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the General Assembly today agreed to observe 15 September each year as the International Day of Democracy.

In <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10655.doc.htm">adopting by consensus a resolution on the issue, the 192-member body reaffirmed that "while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region."

In addition, the Assembly reaffirmed that democracy is "a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life."

The Assembly also invited all Member States, organizations of the UN system, regional and intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals to commemorate the Day "in an appropriate manner that contributes to raising public awareness."

In taking today's action, the Assembly recognized that 2008 marked the twentieth anniversary of the first International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, which offers a special opportunity to focus attention on the promotion and consolidation of democracy at all levels.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY FILLS SEATS ON UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

GENERAL ASSEMBLY FILLS SEATS ON UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
New York, Nov 8 2007 6:00PM
The General Assembly today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10655.doc.htm">elected 18 countries to serve on the United Nations Economic and Social Council (<" http://www.un.org/ecosoc/index.shtml">ECOSOC) for three-year terms beginning 1 January 2008.

The 11 new members are Cameroon, Congo, Malaysia, Mozambique, Moldova, Niger, Poland, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Sweden and Uruguay.

They will fill the seats vacated at the end of this year by Albania, Chad, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Denmark, Guinea, India, Lithuania, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand.

Brazil, China, Iceland, Pakistan, Russia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which are already Council members, were also re-elected.

Members were elected by secret ballot according to the following pattern: four from African States, four from Asian States, three from Eastern European States, three from Latin American and Caribbean States and four from Western European and Other States.

In addition, Liechtenstein was elected to the Council for a one-year term of office beginning 1 January 2008, after Germany announced that it was relinquishing its seat for the remainder of its term, which expires at the end of next year, in favour of Liechtenstein.

The 54-member Economic and Social Council is the principal organ coordinating the economic, social and related work of the various UN specialized agencies, regional commissions and functional commissions.

As of 1 January 2008, the Council's membership will also include Algeria, Angola, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cuba, the Czech Republic, El Salvador, France, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and the United States.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER READY TO COOPERATE WITH MYANMAR AUTHORITIES - UN ENVOY

PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER READY TO COOPERATE WITH MYANMAR AUTHORITIES – UN ENVOY
New York, Nov 8 2007 5:00PM
Detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today stated her readiness to cooperate with the Myanmar Government as United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari wrapped up a visit to the troubled Asian nation by voicing confidence that substantive dialogue between authorities and the opposition can begin soon.

"In the interest of the nation, I stand ready to cooperate with the Government in order to make this process of dialogue a success and welcome the necessary good offices role of the United Nations to help facilitate our efforts in this regard," Ms. Suu Kyi said in a statement delivered to Mr. Gambari during their meeting earlier in the day in Yangon, and which he read out to reporters upon his later arrival in Singapore.

A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ms. Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for four years, and has spent 11 years in detention since her party – the National League for Democracy – and its allies won the 1990 election with over 80 per cent of the parliamentary seats.

"I wish to thank all those who have stood by my side all this time, both inside and outside my country," she said, also expressing her gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his "unwavering support for the cause of national reconciliation, democracy and human rights in my country."

Ms. Suu Kyi recently held discussions with U Aung Kyi, Minister for Labour and Minister for Relations, who was appointed by the Myanmar authorities as a liaison officer to start dialogue between the Government and the opposition.

Describing their first meeting as "constructive," she said she expects that "this phase of preliminary consultations will conclude soon so that a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] leadership can start as early as possible."

Also today, the Government announced its decision to allow Ms. Suu Kyi to meet with the leaders of her party tomorrow.

"We now have a process going which would lead to substantive dialogue between the Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as a key instrument in promoting national reconciliation in an all-inclusive manner," Mr. Gambari said in his own statement, issued at the conclusion of his second visit to the country since Government forces began using force to respond to peaceful protesters in August.

"The sooner such a dialogue can start, the better for Myanmar," he added.

While in Myanmar, Mr. Gambari held talks with senior Government officials on accelerating the process of inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights, stressing that returning to the status quo before the recent crisis broke out would not be sustainable.

He also met with the UN Country Team and the diplomatic corps in Yangon during his visit, which began on 3 November.

Mr. Gambari will now return to New York, where he will brief the Secretary-General on his mission.

He has been invited by the Government to return to Myanmar and expects to do so in the next few weeks, a spokesperson for the world body said.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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STUDENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS FACE DELIBERATE ATTACKS IN CONFLICT AREAS - UNESCO

STUDENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS FACE DELIBERATE ATTACKS IN CONFLICT AREAS – UNESCO
New York, Nov 8 2007 5:00PM
A major United Nations study on the impact of conflict on education finds students, teachers and schools under concerted and deliberate attack and calls for urgent measures to protect the academic future of children living in war zones.

The study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) catalogues a range of assaults on education: pupils taken hostage, targeted by bombs or abducted to work as child soldiers; teachers assassinated in school; the blasting of schools with shells and rockets or their use as military bases; and teacher trade unionists unaccountably disappearing.

Principal author Brendan O'Malley, briefing reporters in New York, offered stark statistics on the problem, saying that 280 academics have been killed in Iraq between the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and April this year "in a campaign of liquidation." Iraq finds its education system "virtually on the point of collapse" with only 30 per cent of pupils attending school last year compared with 75 per cent the previous academic year.

He said there have been 190 bombing and missile attacks on educational facilities in Afghanistan in 2005-2006. In 2006, attacks prevented 100,000 Afghan children who had been in school the year before from attending.

In Colombia, 310 teachers have been murdered since 2000, while in Nepal, between 2002 and 2006, over 10,000 teachers and 22,000 students were abducted, and 734 teachers and 1,730 students arrested or tortured.

Myanmar, which Mr. O'Malley called the "child soldier capital of the world," had 70,000 minors enlisted in 2002.

The study, which is based on available statistics, finds that 40 per cent of the 77 million students not in school live in conflict-affected areas. Mr. O'Malley noted that the problem, which is difficult to document, could well be more widespread, and called for the establishment of a global system to monitor the situation.

Pointing out that "attacks on educational institutions are a war crime," the study charts the extent and nature of the violence and suggests actions to address it. Among other measures, it calls for campaigns to end impunity and steps to designate schools as sanctuaries in conflict zones. "One suggestion is that we create a symbol rather like the Red Cross to denote recognition of this status" protecting educational facilities, said Mr. O'Malley.

He called for international pressure to combat impunity for attacks. "We need urgent, collective action, including human rights campaigns, to set up a global database on education attacks, to end impunity for attacks, and to work towards acceptance of schools as zones of peace and safe sanctuaries."

The report also says that the UN Security Council should "recognize the role that education can play in both contributing to tension and in promoting peace, and should offer support for strategies to remove education as a factor in conflicts."

In an <"http://www.unesco.org/education/interviews/educationunderattack_en.pdf">interview published on UNESCO's website, the author suggests that the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC) should be given more resources to bring education-related cases to trial. "This would widen its deterrent effect," he said.

Mr. O'Malley also discusses the reason the report does not deal with random acts of violence such as the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University in the United States in April. "This study doesn't include attacks like the one in Virginia, because it was not politically motivated," he said.

But he adds that "there is one link," namely the easy availability of guns. "The likelihood of attacks in conflict-affected countries most likely increases partly because more people with grievances have the weapons and therefore the means to carry out a violent attack."

The report is dedicated to the memory of Safia Ama Jan, who worked throughout her life to get Afghan girls into school before she was shot and killed outside her home in Kandahar in September 2006.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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CHILD PROTECTION LAWS MUST BE RESPECTED, BAN KI-MOON SAYS AFTER ABDUCTION CASE

CHILD PROTECTION LAWS MUST BE RESPECTED, BAN KI-MOON SAYS AFTER ABDUCTION CASE
New York, Nov 8 2007 5:00PM
The recent attempt by a French non-governmental organization (NGO) to remove more than 100 children from Chad underlines the need to ensure that international laws relating to the protection of children are fully respected, said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In voicing his concern over the incident, Mr. Ban joins senior UN officials in the region who have already expressed their strong reaction to the actions of the NGO Arche de Zoé. Last month, the organization tried to transfer 103 children – who range in age from one to 10 years old – out of eastern Chad and into France for adoption, a move deemed "illegal and totally irresponsible" by the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41723.html">UNICEF).

Chadian authorities prevented the children from leaving the town of Abeche and arrested members of Arche de Zoé.

"The Secretary-General believes that this incident underscores the urgent need for all concerned individuals, organizations and institutions to fully respect international legal instruments on the protection of children," according to a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2845">statement issued today by his spokesperson.

Mr. Ban expressed his support for the ongoing efforts by the Chadian Government to find a solution to the incident by addressing the immediate needs of the children, attempting to quickly identify and reunite them with their families, and ensuring that proper legal processes are followed.

The UN and its partner agencies have been helping Chad to protect the welfare of the children, who may originate from villages near the country's border with the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan.

Mr. Ban also offered his assurances that UN humanitarian assistance will continue to be provided to vulnerable civilians in Chad, including for the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs), refugees and host communities.

"He is confident that the Government of Chad will continue to work closely with the UN and its partners to address humanitarian and development needs in the country promptly," the statement added.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS ROCKET ATTACK FROM GAZA SCHOOL RUN BY UN AGENCY

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS ROCKET ATTACK FROM GAZA SCHOOL RUN BY UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 8 2007 4:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has deplored a rocket attack against Israel that was launched from a school in the Gaza Strip run by the United Nations agency tasked with assisting Palestinian refugees.

UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that Mr. Ban had asked the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA) to conduct a full investigation of last week's incident.

Inquiries made so far indicate that the school had been evacuated at the time of the rocket attack to ensure the safety of both the staff and the pupils during an Israeli military incursion. Palestinian militants entered the school while it was empty and then fired rockets from the compound.

"The Secretary-General condemns this abuse of UN facilities, which is a serious violation of the UN's privileges and immunities," Ms. Okabe said. "He calls on all involved in this conflict to avoid actions that endanger the lives of civilians, especially children, and that put at risk UNRWA's ability to carry out its humanitarian mission."

Yesterday UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2007/071107_UNRWA.doc.htm">said the agency's installations had also been violated in the past and it had complained many times to both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict about this.

"I think the powers in Gaza right now will try to do something," Ms. AbuZayd said. "They are willing to try to protect the UNRWA installations. They know they need to protect our presence in Gaza."
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY SEEKS $10 MILLION TO HELP WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISIS

UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY SEEKS $10 MILLION TO HELP WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISIS
New York, Nov 8 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today <" http://www.undp.org/cpr/we_do/8_pa_press_release.shtml">appealed for $10 million for a two-year initiative to help women and girls affected by conflicts or natural disasters.

"Neglecting women and girls in crises makes no sense from a development perspective," said UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Crisis Bureau Kathleen Cravero. "Not only do we fail to address the needs of half the population, we also fail to gain from their insights and resourcefulness during the critical stages of the recovery process."

In seeking the funds, the agency pointed to the disproportionate impact of crises on women and girls while underscoring their potential to contribute to solutions.

"One of the most common and disturbing images of war is of women uprooted from their homes and communities, reeling from the effects of sexual violence and struggling to provide for their children in the harshest of environments," said Ms. Cravero.

"But if we continue to see women only as victims – and not as problem solvers and decision makers – we do so at their peril, and at the peril of peace. We need to seize opportunities to 'build back better' during the recovery period," she added.

The appeal is based on an Eight Point Agenda for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in Crisis Prevention which deals with: protecting women from violence in crisis; ensuring women have access to justice; strengthening women's voices and representation; building peace with and for women; promoting gender equality; putting women's needs first in the recovery effort; urging governments to work for women; and strengthening women's networks in crisis.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES SIGN PACTS TO BENEFIT PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

UN AGENCIES SIGN PACTS TO BENEFIT PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
New York, Nov 8 2007 2:00PM
Two United Nations agencies signed agreements today to help Portuguese-speaking countries in their efforts to reduce rural poverty and to streamline and improve their postal operations.

The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) reached agreement that "will consolidate their partnership and enable them to more effectively tap available resources to fight rural poverty," IFAD <"http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2007/48.htm">said in a news release after the pact was signed in Lisbon.

The agreement aims to optimize development funds in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste. To date, the Fund has invested some $336 million in support of 27 programmes and projects worth a total of $758 million in these countries.

Meanwhile, in Berne, Switzerland, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the Association of Post Office and Telecommunications Operators from the Portuguese Speaking Countries and Territories (AICEP) <"http://www.upu.int/news_centre/2007/en/2007-11-07_upu-aicep.html">signed a cooperation agreement that means $120,000 will be distributed among the five Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa over the next two years.

The funding in the deal will be used to introduce a series of measures to modernize the postal operations of those countries, as well as to broaden some reforms that began last year. New software will be introduced to better track postal items, a database of mail collection and delivery points will be created, an electronic money transfer network will be set up, and continuous testing and training will be provided to help staff.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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TERRORISM CANNOT DIVERT AFGHANISTAN FROM PATH TOWARD PEACE - SECURITY COUNCIL

TERRORISM CANNOT DIVERT AFGHANISTAN FROM PATH TOWARD PEACE – SECURITY COUNCIL
New York, Nov 8 2007 1:00PM
The <" http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/index.html">Security Council today strongly condemned the suicide attack which claimed the lives of numerous civilians in the northern Afghan town of Baghlan just days ago, reiterating that no act of terrorism can reverse the country's path toward peace.

In a statement read out to the press by Ambassador R. M. Marty M. Natalegawa of Indonesia, which holds the rotating Council Presidency for this month, the 15-member body noted that "this terrorist attack was one of the deadliest in Afghanistan in recent years and heinously targeted innocent people, including children and representatives of the Afghan democratic institutions."

Adding its voice to those of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN human rights chief Louise Arbour in condemning the 6 November attack, which killed over 40 people and injured many more, the Council urged the Afghan authorities to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators and organizers of the bombing to justice.

While expressing concern about the increasing level of violence in the country, the Council reiterated that "no terrorist act can reverse the path toward peace, democracy and reconstruction in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan and the international community."
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY, ANGELINA JOLIE RECEIVE FREEDOM AWARD

UN REFUGEE AGENCY, ANGELINA JOLIE RECEIVE FREEDOM AWARD
New York, Nov 8 2007 1:00PM
The International Rescue Committee has given its annual Freedom Award to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/473311bf2.html">UNHCR) and its Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie in recognition of their contributions to the cause.

"The Freedom Award is a symbol that we will only be able to fully enjoy our freedom when everyone else is able to enjoy theirs," said High Commissioner António Guterres at a ceremony in New York on Wednesday.

Although unable to attend the event, Ms. Jolie in a video message hailed the close partnership between UNHCR and the International Rescue Committee.

People of concern to UNHCR include not only refugees, but related groups such as asylum-seekers, refugee returnees, stateless people and some of the estimated 25 million people who are displaced within their own countries, normally known as internally displaced persons (IDP).

Since 2006, the number of refugees worldwide has been increasing and now stands at some 10 million, UNHCR said, attributing the rise largely to the crisis in Iraq.

This year marked the second time the UN agency has been honoured by the International Rescue Committee for its work protecting refugees; in 1995, the then High Commissioner Sadako Ogata received the Freedom Award.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS TO BOOST CLEAN ENERGY

UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS TO BOOST CLEAN ENERGY
New York, Nov 8 2007 12:00PM
The United Nations Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5697&l=en">UNEP) today announced the launch of a pair of projects worth some $100 million in the tea and sugar industries designed to boost the use of clean energy and stimulate development in Africa.

Both projects aim to develop new forms of local energy generation to help rural areas overcome poverty, cut dependency on imported and expensive fossil fuels, and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, UNEP said in a news release.

The tea initiative, which will deliver small-scale hydro-electric power to plantations across East Africa, is expected to reach over 8 million people in the tea industry. Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia are among the countries which have already endorsed the initiative.

"Tea is known to be good for you; now it is also getting better for the environment," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

He also hailed the decision by some countries in East Africa to establish power purchase agreements, which are contracts that allow unconventional generators of electricity to sell surplus power back to the grid, saying it "has opened up a raft of new opportunities for cleaner and renewable energy generation."

In a separate but related initiative, a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will help farmers use waste from the sugar industry to generate electricity – a move UNEP said will fuel sustainable economic growth.

The project aims to reach approximately 10 million sugar farmers and their dependants in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda and Tanzania.

The sugar initiative builds on the successes achieved in Mauritius, where up to 40 per cent of the country's electricity needs are met by waste by-products from the sugar industry, UNEP said.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS CHIEF VOICES CONCERN OVER GEORGIA'S STATE OF EMERGENCY

UN RIGHTS CHIEF VOICES CONCERN OVER GEORGIA'S STATE OF EMERGENCY
New York, Nov 8 2007 11:00AM
Reacting with concern to the imposition of a state of emergency in Georgia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today said the independence of the country's Public Defender must be respected.

In a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/79DAC51BD6D73124C125738D00462BD4?opendocument">statement released in Geneva, Louise Arbour said she was "particularly worried over reports of disproportionate use of force, including against Georgia's Public Defender, the detention of opposition leaders and the beating of demonstrators."

She also expressed concern that independent television stations have reportedly been raided by special forces and made to stop broadcasting.

"The High Commissioner expressed her support for the Public Defender and stressed that his independence and inviolability must be respected at all times."

Georgia is a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which stipulates that fundamental rights, such as the right to life, the prohibition of arbitrary detention, torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, cannot be suspended, even in times of emergency, the statement pointed out.

"Any restriction of rights must be proportionate and may only be applied to the extent and for the time strictly required by the situation," the High Commissioner said.
2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE: UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT LAUDS PROGRESS BUT WARNS GAINS STILL FRAGILE

TIMOR-LESTE: UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT LAUDS PROGRESS BUT WARNS GAINS STILL FRAGILE
New York, Nov 8 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) today released a report showing progress in promoting human rights in the nascent country while calling for further measures to help displaced persons and prevent impunity.

The citizens of Timor-Leste enjoy a range of human rights including freedom of speech, freedom to criticize the government, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion, according to the report, which reviews developments from August 2006-August 2007.

The security situation has largely been brought under control, and this year's presidential and parliamentary elections were largely held in an environment free from violence and intimidation where all sides were able to voice their opinions, the report notes.

It also hails progress in expanding the activities of the Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice and in swearing in national judges, prosecutors and public defenders.

But the 32-page report voices concern about the high number of internally displaced persons who still live in makeshift camps and the lack of progress towards durable solutions to their plight. It points out that gender-based violence is common and a draft domestic violence law has been pending for several years.

Effective access to justice is constrained as the judicial system remains weak, particularly in the districts, according to the report. A considerable backlog of pending cases hampers the work of the courts, impeding the right of victims to legal remedy. Legal mechanisms to address property disputes, which are a serious obstacle to resolving internal displacement, do not yet exist.

The report also points to "serious cases of political bias compromising the impartiality of the police force" and warns that initiatives for the adoption of amnesty legislation risked fostering impunity.

"The ultimate aim of the country's leaders and the Timorese people of a peaceful and prosperous de
particular in combating poverty, in reforming the security sector and in strengthening respect for the rule of law," the report states.

"Timor-Leste still faces considerable challenges. However, the Timorese leadership's stated commitment to human rights will help create an environment from which all Timorese can benefit," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Atul Khare.

Among its recommendations, the report calls for the President to promulgate a new penal code; for the parliament to pass laws on land and property rights; and on the government to adopt a comprehensive strategy to achieve a lasting solution to the problem of IDPs.

The Judiciary is called on to ensure criminal responsibility for crimes committed in April-May 2006. During that period, at least 37 people were killed and 155,000 others, or 15 per cent of the population, were driven from their homes in a spate of violence in Timor-Leste, which the UN helped shepherd to independence from Indonesia in 2002.

"UNMIT stands ready to support the Government and the people of Timor-Leste in this process," Mr. Khare stressed.

2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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MEXICO: UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME RUSHES AID TO FLOOD-HIT TABASCO

MEXICO: UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME RUSHES AID TO FLOOD-HIT TABASCO
New York, Nov 8 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is rushing aid to 70,000 people affected by massive floods in Tabasco, Mexico.

A WFP truck convoy carrying enough ready-to-eat meals for those affected for over five days is on its way from WFP's emergency hub in El Salvador to the Mexican state.

"We are moving as swiftly as possible to bring critical help to the people of Tabasco, who are suffering the worst crisis in their recent history," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran from Lisbon, where she is attending the European Development Days -- a European Union-hosted forum on climate change.

She added that in addition to the emergency food supplies, WFP has deployed a team specializing in logistics and emergency assessment. The agency will be working closely with other UN agencies to support the Government following the flooding, which has affected up to 1 million people.

"Just as Mexico has consistently shown its generosity over the years to other countries in their hours of need, so too must we in the international community show our solidarity with the people of Tabasco," Ms. Sheeran said.

Meanwhile, in the Dominican Republic, urgent distribution of WFP high energy biscuits continued by helicopter to some of the over 130 isolated communities affected by the heavy rains and floods left in the wake of Tropical Storm Noel, which cut a swathe across the Caribbean early last week. The helicopters were provided by the US Coast Guard and the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance.

WFP said it used emergency funds to start airlifting food assistance and more is making its way by sea from an agency emergency regional logistics hub in Barbados and is due to arrive later this week.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched a joint appeal for $14 million to help those affected by the floods in the Dominican Republic over the next six months, including $4 million is for food assista

In Haiti, where Tropical Storm Noel also caused extensive damage, WFP is providing food to shelters and continuing its assessment of needs and food distributions where access is possible. So far, WFP emergency teams have been able to assist 19,000 of the worst affected.

2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH ARAB FOUNDATION TO BOOST KNOWLEDGE

UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH ARAB FOUNDATION TO BOOST KNOWLEDGE
New York, Nov 8 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the largest private foundation in the Arab world, have signed an agreement paving the way for activities aimed at promoting knowledge in the region.

The $20 million agreement signed last month will span five years and includes support for "quality assessment of higher education in the Arab World," UNDP said in a news release. It will also fund publication of the Arab Knowledge Report, which the agency called "a policy and advocacy tool examining the state of knowledge in the Arab Region."

"The Arab world is in dire need to revisit the 'knowledge' concept, and to embrace the knowledge economy as the only path to success through the challenges of the third millennium," said Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Regional Director of UNDP's Regional Bureau for Arab States.

The Arab Knowledge Report will follow the publication of UNDP's Arab Human Development Report 2003: Building a Knowledge Society, which stressed the need for Arab governments to "close a growing knowledge gap by enabling innovation and investing heavily in education," the agency said.

The agreement is the first partnership between UNDP and a private foundation in the region.

2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY CHEF TO VISIT WEST AFRICA TO SPOTLIGHT 'SILENT EMERGENCIES'

UN FOOD AGENCY CHEF TO VISIT WEST AFRICA TO SPOTLIGHT 'SILENT EMERGENCIES'
New York, Nov 8 2007 8:00AM
The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will visit West Africa next week to spotlight the "silent emergencies" gripping the region, the agency announced today.

"WFP is working in partnership throughout West Africa to address chronic malnutrition and climatic shock, and to ensure food security," said Josette Sheeran, who will travel from 12 to 16 November to Mali and Senegal.

"I look forward to meeting national and village-level leaders, as well as our beneficiaries, to discuss how we can beat hunger at its root."

Ms Sheeran will visit WFP projects in Mali, one of the world's poorest countries where the rural poor are among the first to suffer new threats such as climate change and rising global commodity prices.

Ms Sheeran will conclude her trip by attending a regional meeting in Dakar.

West Africa, WFP said faces a "gathering storm" of desertification, land degradation, spiralling food prices in the face of the rise of biofuels, child malnutrition and low school enrolment rates.

2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL URGES PAKISTAN TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON THE MEDIA

UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL URGES PAKISTAN TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON THE MEDIA
New York, Nov 8 2007 8:00AM
Reacting with concern to the suspension of the Constitution in Pakistan, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today voiced hope that President Pervez Musharraf would lift restrictions on the media.

"I am concerned about the consequences of the emergency measures announced in Pakistan on the fundamental human right of freedom of expression," said Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.

"It is important that the citizens of Pakistan continue to have access to free information and sustain free and open debate. Freedom of expression and press freedom are integral to sustainable and peaceful democratic societies," he concluded.

On 3 November, President Musharraf suspended the Constitution and strict curbs were imposed on independent media in Pakistan.

2007-11-08 00:00:00.000

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NEW CLIMATE CHANGE ALLIANCE WILL BENEFIT MILLIONS OF WORLD'S POOR - UN AGENCY

NEW CLIMATE CHANGE ALLIANCE WILL BENEFIT MILLIONS OF WORLD'S POOR – UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 7 2007 7:00PM
A planned partnership between the European Union and developing countries will help millions of the world's poorest to tackle the effects of climate change, the head of the leading United Nations agency on weather and climate issues said today.

"Climate change is a global issue, but the world's least developed and other poor countries are the most vulnerable to the possible effects of climate change," said Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (<"http://www.wmo.ch/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_800_en.html">WMO).
"Therefore, a partnership with the European Union, like the Global Climate Change Alliance, can indeed be a way forward, since its benefits will also be global," he told participants at the European Development Days event in Lisbon, Portugal.

Mr. Jarraud welcomed the Initiative to establish a Global Climate Change Alliance between the European Union and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change, which was proposed by European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Assistance Louis Michel.

Projections show that least developed and vulnerable countries, along with small island developing States, will be the hardest hit by climate change.

"These countries have much fewer resources to prepare accordingly," Mr Jarraud said. "If their populations must leave their livelihoods behind due to sea level rises or a lack of drinking water for example, millions will be forced to migrate to other regions of the world, including Europe."

The new initiative can help millions in the developing world respond to the impacts of climate change, such as water shortages and migration.

As part of its mandate, WMO is tasked with helping countries, particularly in the developing world, mitigate and adapt to climate change and prevent related extreme weather events from turning into natural disasters.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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RESTRICTIONS ON GAZA BENEFITING EXTREMIST ELEMENTS, SAYS UN AGENCY

RESTRICTIONS ON GAZA BENEFITING EXTREMIST ELEMENTS, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 7 2007 7:00PM
The restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip are serving to boost the extremist elements of the Palestinian community in the crowded territory, the head of the United Nations agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees said today.

Karen Koning AbuZayd, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), <" http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/071107_UNRWA.doc.htm">told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York that Gaza's population of about 1.4 million is facing critical humanitarian shortages.

She said that since May, when economic restrictions were introduced and many border crossings closed, the number of trucks bringing goods into Gaza has dropped from 253 to 74 each day.

The availability of medicines has been particularly hard hit. The latest information obtained by UNRWA indicates that Gaza has zero stocks of 91 key drugs, while health-care clinics have told the agency that their stocks of paediatric antibiotics have also been depleted.

Ms. AbuZayd said a senior UNRWA official met this morning with officials from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to discuss what can be done to alleviate the humanitarian situation.

"We are losing the fight to those who are on the extreme ends of the groups in Gaza, and they are the ones who are benefiting by this isolation and this continual squeeze on Gaza and its economy and the people of Gaza," she said.

Ms. AbuZayd, who is in New York to address the General Assembly on the work of UNRWA, said the agency incurred a deficit of more than $90 million this year and is forecasting a deficit of $112 million next year.

While UNRWA's major donors continue to pay for the basic social services, such as health care and education, that the agency provides, she said programmes to improve the infrastructure of the Palestinian refugee camps, especially the housing, remained underfunded.

<" http://www.un.org/unrwa/news/index.html">UNRWA helps an estimated 4.5 million beneficiaries across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has 113 international staff and over 28,000 local staff to carry out its work. The agency has asked the Assembly's Fifth Committee, which handles budgetary and administrative matters, to approve a plan to add 10 new posts in the coming biennium.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ISRAELI-LEBANESE PEACE

BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ISRAELI-LEBANESE PEACE
New York, Nov 7 2007 7:00PM
The months ahead will be critical to fully implementing the Security Council resolution that ended last year's war between Israel and Hizbollah, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/641">
report in which he calls for greater progress on a series of fronts so that a permanent ceasefire can be reached.

Mr. Ban writes that he hopes that last month's humanitarian gestures, in which the remains of an Israeli civilian were swapped for a Lebanese prisoner and the bodies of two Hizbollah members, will spur action to meet the humanitarian demands contained in resolution <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1701(2006)"> 1701.

"Compliance with the humanitarian demands… especially the release of the two abducted Israeli soldiers [Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser] is expected and demanded by the international community," he says.

The Secretary-General stresses that progress is also necessary on releasing Lebanese prisoners, enforcing the arms embargo on the Syrian-Lebanese border, ending Israeli air violations of Lebanese sovereignty, delineating the border between Lebanon and Syria and resuming the national dialogue in Lebanon relating to the weapons of Hizbollah and other armed groups.

But he notes that progress depends in part on a quick resolution of Lebanon's ongoing political stalemate, which has entered its eleventh month.

"The election of a President before the end of President Emile Lahoud's mandate on 24 November is an important milestone that will pave the way for further normalization of political life in Lebanon, for effective dialogue on issues of national concern and for the unimpeded functioning of Lebanon's institutions."

The terrorist attack on 19 September that killed a Lebanese lawmaker and seven others also highlighted the grave security situation inside the Middle Eastern country, he writes.

Mr. Ban urges all Lebanese leaders to play their part in trying to achieve national unity and reconciliation, warning that he fears a scenario may emerge in which the State has two competing administrations or a constitutional vacuum.

Turning to the overall progress so far on the implementation of resolution 1701, Mr. Ban says he is pleased that both the Lebanese and Israeli Governments have "an enduring commitment" to achieving that end, and that the Lebanese armed forces are working with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL) to ensure that the area south of the Litani River is free of unauthorized armed personnel or weapons and not used for any hostile activities.

Last year the Secretary-General appointed a senior cartographer to try to achieve an accurate definition of the contested Shab'a Farms area, and this report details the provisional conclusions of the cartographer.

Mr. Ban states that he intends to consult all the relevant parties and the members of the Security Council regarding any further developments.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR TREATY BANNING CLUSTER MUNITIONS

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR TREATY BANNING CLUSTER MUNITIONS
New York, Nov 7 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged States to tackle the terrible humanitarian, human rights and developmental effects of cluster munitions by concluding a legally binding instrument banning this particular type of weapon.

"The atrocious, inhumane impact of cluster munitions requires urgent action," Mr. Ban told those gathered in Geneva for this year's meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the <" http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/4F0DEF093B4860B4C1257180004B1B30?OpenDocument">Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

In a <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2844">message delivered by High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio Duarte, Mr. Ban drew attention to the fact that "the characteristics of these munitions, with their inherent inaccuracy and their frequent malfunctioning, make them particularly indiscriminate both at the time of use and long after conflicts have ended."

He urged States to address the horrendous effects of these weapons by concluding a legally binding instrument prohibiting the "use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians."

Mr. Ban emphasized that such a legal instrument should require the destruction of current stockpiles of these munitions, and provide for clearance and risk mitigation activities, victim assistance, cooperation, and compliance and transparency measures.

Until such a treaty becomes a reality, he urged States to take domestic measures to immediately freeze the use and transfer of all cluster munitions.

Noting that the Conventional Weapons Convention is still short of universal membership, Mr. Ban expressed appreciation for the practical steps being taken to achieve wider adherence, especially among developing countries and States affected by mines and explosive remnants of war.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL ARRIVES IN BUENOS AIRES FOR FIRST LEG OF SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR

SECRETARY-GENERAL ARRIVES IN BUENOS AIRES FOR FIRST LEG OF SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR
New York, Nov 7 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon began his official visit to Argentina today, the first stop on a trip that will also take him also to Chile and Brazil in the coming days.

Mr. Ban is scheduled to meet Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana in Buenos Aires today, as well as the presidents of the country's Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

This evening, the Secretary-General and Madame Ban Soon-taek will meet with the country's President and President-elect, Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Yesterday at UN Headquarters, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1089">spoke to reporters about his visit to Argentina, Chile and Brazil, which he said were politically and economically important members of the UN that also play a key role in efforts to address climate change issues.

While in Chile, the Secretary-General is expected to attend the Ibero-American Summit, and meet with the country's leaders. He will also head to Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, and Antarctica to learn more about climate change – an issue Mr. Ban has said of his priority issues.

Mr. Ban will learn more about Brazil's efforts to confront climate change when he visits an ethanol plant near Sao Paulo, and Tapajós National Forest in the country's Amazon region. The Secretary-General is also scheduled to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

After his visit to Latin America, Mr. Ban will travel to Tunisia, where he will attend an international counter-terrorism conference, organized by the UN, the Tunisian Government and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

From there, he heads to Valencia, Spain, to participate in launching the latest report of the <"http://www.ipcc.ch">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"This is going to be a very hectic, 12-day-long trip, but it will be, I am sure, very rewarding," Mr. Ban told reporters prior to his departure from New York.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN-CENTRED APPROACH TO SECURITY

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN-CENTRED APPROACH TO SECURITY
New York, Nov 7 2007 6:00PM
A human-centred approach to security – one that extends beyond the State and focuses more on the protection and empowerment of people – lies at the core of an evolving new culture of international relations, <" http://www.un.org/ga/president/62">General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said today.

Addressing a meeting of the Friends of Human Security, held this afternoon at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Kerim said this new culture is one "based on the values of human rights, the rule of law, human security, the responsibility to protect and sustainable development."

Mr. Kerim argued that a human-centred approach to security goes hand in hand with individuals accepting greater responsibility for their own well-being, but added that it also has implications for the role of the State.

"States should place greater emphasis on their individual and collective responsibilities to care for the well-being of their citizens, as well as for the well-being of individuals that may be threatened wherever they may be," he stated.

Some States have already responded and given greater importance to human security in their national security agendas, he said. They did so by promoting the importance of the link between international development and stability, and between global inequality and national security.

"In our interdependent world more and more of the threats to peace and stability are challenges that States cannot deal with on their own," he said, adding that they must be addressed collectively through the multilateral system.

"The United Nations, in particular, has an important role to play to put positive peace, and not just the mere absence of conflict, at the heart of multilateral discourses on security," stated the President.

"We should try to make human security a principle that is better reflected in a wider range of UN activities – from peacebuilding, human rights, development, and migration, to the environment, gender equality and fighting organized crime and human trafficking," he added.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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UN EXPERT WARNS THAT RACISM IS INCREASINGLY MANIFEST AS VIOLENCE

UN EXPERT WARNS THAT RACISM IS INCREASINGLY MANIFEST AS VIOLENCE
New York, Nov 7 2007 5:00PM
Racism is increasingly being expressed through violence, and is also being institutionalized by xenophobic political parties in what amounts to a grave threat to human rights, an independent United Nations expert told a General Assembly committee meeting in New York today.

Doudou Diene, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, said a "resurgence of racist and xenophobic violence, in particular its most serious expression a shift from words to action" – can be seen in the growing number of acts of physical violence and murders targeting members of ethnic, cultural or religious communities.

He also spoke of the "political normalization and democratic legitimization of racism and xenophobia," resulting from the ability of political parties advocating racist and xenophobic platforms to apply these platforms through government alliances.

This tendency, he said, "represents the gravest threat to democracy and human rights."

Mr. Diene was presenting to the Assembly's Social, Humanitarian and Cultural (<"http://www.un.org/ga/third/index.shtml">Third) Committee his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/62/306">report, which warns of a decline in the political and ethical determination to combat racism and discrimination, calling this "an alarming feature of a new ideological landscape characterized by discrimination that is more complex in nature owing to the conflation of race, culture and religion."

He says a new discourse of legitimization of racism, xenophobia and intolerance is developing. "It is seen not merely in individual actions, but is becoming a social and collective practice by virtue of its use as a political, intellectual and media tool."

The new trend is rooted in the "old ideology of the hierarchy of cultures, races and civilizations, on which all subjugation of peoples and legitimization of racist culture and mentalities have historically been founded, creating fertile ground for all old and new forms of racism and xenophobia, from anti-Semitism to Islamophobia, and serving to justify incitement to racial or religious hatred."

The report recommends that the Assembly draw attention to the "alarming signs of a retreat in the struggle against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia as a result of two serious developments: the growing acceptance of racism and xenophobia through the impact of racist and xenophobic platforms on the political programmes of democratic parties and the rise in racist political violence."

It also calls for attention to the "serious nature of the defamation of religions" and for the strengthening the role of the UN in interreligious, intercultural and intrareligious dialogues."

The Special Rapporteur also recommends that the Assembly underscore "the urgency and necessity of approaching immigration and asylum issues, which are major sources of the current resurgence of racism and xenophobia, with a view to respecting and protecting immigrants' and asylum-seekers' human rights, as guaranteed by the relevant international instruments, and not solely on the basis of such considerations as security and defence of national identity."
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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NEW HAITIAN POLICE RECRUITS RECEIVE TRAINING FROM UN OFFICERS

NEW HAITIAN POLICE RECRUITS RECEIVE TRAINING FROM UN OFFICERS
New York, Nov 7 2007 5:00PM
More than 600 newly inducted Haitian national police recruits will form a unit devoted to tackling the capital's most troubled neighbourhoods after receiving training from United Nations Police (UNPOL) officers stationed in the Caribbean country.

The 627 recruits, who include 86 women, received nine months of training from both UNPOL officers and other Haitian national police staff before receiving their diplomas at a graduation ceremony yesterday, the UN peacekeeping mission to Haiti (<" http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/minustah">MINUSTAH) reported.

Almost all of the recruits will form a new motorized brigade tasked with responding rapidly – using motorcycles and other vehicles – to any situations in Port-au-Prince's most difficult districts, such as Cité Soleil and Martissant, which have been plagued by armed gangs.

Already the Haitian Government has received 200 motorcycles and 40 vehicles from the United States for the new unit to use, and it expects to receive more soon.

The recruits' training focused on such issues as how to maintain order in troubled areas, work effectively as community police officers and use heavy weapons such as M4 rifles. Instruction was also provided on dealing with the media and protecting human rights, as well as upholding civil and penal rights.

In his most recent <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/503">report on the activities of MINUSTAH, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that the mission is trying to support the national police academy to train and build up the capacity of the police force (HNP). Some 30 UNPOL instructors work at the academy and, after this intake, there are now nearly 9,000 police agents in the force.

The proportion of women in the HNP is also increasing. Women currently comprise about 6 per cent of the total force, but in this intake they represent nearly 14 per cent.

One of the aims of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/police/division.shtml">DPKO) Police Division, which now comes under the new Office of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions following Mr. Ban's wider reform of peacekeeping operations, is to help struggling countries undertake security sector reform.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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TENSION, MILITARY BUILD-UP CONTINUES ON ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BORDER - BAN KI-MOON

TENSION, MILITARY BUILD-UP CONTINUES ON ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BORDER – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 7 2007 5:00PM
The continuing tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the failure to resolve their longstanding boundary dispute and the military build-up along their common border are causes for serious concern, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon states in a new report.

"There is no other option but for the two parties to find common ground that would allow the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission to proceed with the demarcation of the border," Mr. Ban writes in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/645">report to the Security Council.

The Secretary-General notes that a meeting of the two parties with the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, held in The Hague in September, had failed to resolve the impasse between the two Horn of Africa neighbours on the demarcation of the boundary. The Boundary Commission handed down a final and binding decision in 2002.

He reports that even as Ethiopia says that it has accepted the 2002 border delimitation decision without preconditions, the country continues to assert that the security conditions for demarcation of the border do not exist.

"I urge the parties to extend full cooperation to the Commission, without further delay, with a view to proceeding to the boundary demarcation on the basis of the Commission's 2002 delimitation decision," Mr. Ban writes.

The situation in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and the border region between the two countries remains "tense," the Secretary-General adds, noting that Eritrea has moved in more than 2,500 troops and heavy military equipment into the Zone, while both countries have conducted military exercises along the border.

In addition, Eritrean restrictions on UN peacekeepers and helicopter flights continue, and the UN mission deployed in the Zone – known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE – has been unable to convey a meeting of the Military Coordination Commission since July 2006.

Citing the need to preserve the integrity of the TSZ, Mr. Ban calls on Eritrea to withdraw its forces and military equipment from the Zone and to lift its restrictions on UNMEE.

He also urges the parties to reactivate the Military Coordination Commission, which provides "a unique framework for dialogue between military representatives of the two parties to peacefully address issues of border security."

Expressing serious concern about the continued military build-up in the border area, which has already resulted in shooting incidents that underscore the risk of further miscalculation, Mr. Ban calls on both parties to exercise the utmost restraint, and to pull back their forces and reduce military activities in the border area.

He also urges them to fully comply with the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities and the Peace Agreement – signed by the parties in Algiers in 2000 and which ended the war between them – noting that the accords remain "the only basis for the peaceful resolution of the border conflict and the establishment of a lasting peace between the two countries."
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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TRIAL OF SERB ULTRANATIONALIST LEADER BEGINS AT UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

TRIAL OF SERB ULTRANATIONALIST LEADER BEGINS AT UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
New York, Nov 7 2007 4:00PM
The Serbian ultranationalist politician Vojislav Šešelj used "poisonous ideas" to incite war crimes against non-Serbs during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, prosecutors at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<" http://www.un.org/icty/cases-e/index-e.htm">ICTY) said today as they outlined their case at his trial.
The prosecution said Mr. Šešelj – the president of the Serbian Radical Party – made speeches that led to the murder, torture and persecution of Croat, Muslim and other non-Serb civilians and their expulsion from parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Vojvodina region of Serbia between August 1991 and at least September 1993.
Mr. Šešelj, 53, is facing three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes relating to his alleged role in an ethnic cleansing campaign by Serbian forces. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges, which include murder, torture, imprisonment and deportation.

Prosecutors made their opening statement today at the Tribunal, which is based in The Hague, and will start introducing evidence next month. Mr. Šešelj, who is representing himself, will have the opportunity to make an opening statement tomorrow.

The trial began in November last year in the absence of Mr. Šešelj, who was then on a hunger strike and refusing to appear in court. But the judges later adjourned the trial until he became fit enough to participate fully in the proceedings as a self-represented accused, and Mr. Šešelj – who had surrendered to the Tribunal in February 2003 – ended his hunger strike.
The indictment against him accuses Mr. Šešelj of taking part in a joint criminal enterprise with former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, among others, that led to the extermination and expulsion of non-Serb people with the aim of forming a greater Serbian state.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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GLOBAL CEREAL PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH, UN AGRICULTURAL AGENCY FORECASTS

GLOBAL CEREAL PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH, UN AGRICULTURAL AGENCY FORECASTS
New York, Nov 7 2007 3:00PM
World cereal prices are <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000697/index.html">expected to stay high during the next year because of low global stocks, production problems and continued strong demand, according to the latest forecast of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released today.

The <" http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ah876e/ah876e00.htm">Food Outlook report warned that these high cereal prices are driving domestic food inflation across much of the world, sparking price increases for such retail staples as bread, pasta, milk and meat.

The analysis found there was "such a widespread and commonly shared concern about food price inflation, a fear which is fuelling debates about the future direction of agricultural commodity prices in importing as well as exporting countries, be they rich or poor."

It also noted that record freight rates – driven up in part by soaring petrol prices – and high export prices mean many countries will pay more for importing cereals than they did in previous years, even though they are importing less.

For most cereals, "supplies are much tighter than in recent years, while demand is rising for food as well as feed and industrial use. Stocks, which were already low at the start of the season, are likely to remain equally low because global cereal production may only be sufficient to meet expected world utilization," the agency said.

But the report added that at least one cereal crop, wheat, may experience a price fall next year thanks to indications that some countries are considering planting more wheat for harvesting next year, thus increasing the supply on the international market.

The price of maize, which reached a 10-year high in February, is also starting to come down in response to this year's record crop reaching the market.

By contrast, the price of barley is soaring, due to a combination of supply problems in Australia and Ukraine and the tighter availability of other feed grains.

The greatest jump, however, is in the price of dairy products, which are rising by between 80 per cent to more than 200 per cent.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN OFFICIAL MEETS AUTHORITIES IN NORTH KIVU

DR CONGO: UN OFFICIAL MEETS AUTHORITIES IN NORTH KIVU
New York, Nov 7 2007 3:00PM
Aiming to facilitate efforts to achieve a lasting solution to the crisis in the strife-torn North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a senior United Nations official has held meeting with local authorities there.

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios, who was sent by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the special mission last week, began his meetings in Kinshasa on Saturday, according to the UN Mission in the DRC (<"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">MONUC).

Mr. Menkerios also traveled to Goma where he held talks with North Kivu's Governor, Julian Paluku and the Commander of the 8th Military Region, General Vainqueur Mayala, as well as representatives of the civil society groups, communities and other concerned players.

Speaking to reporters on his arrival, Mr. Menkerios said he had been sent by the Secretary-General to explore how the UN can reinforce support for the Congolese and neighbouring countries in the search for a common strategy.

He also reiterated the UN's full commitment to supporting the Government in its efforts to bring stability to the eastern part of the country.

The aim is to foster a lasting solution to the crisis in the region, where some 800,000 people have been displaced by fighting, a MONUC spokesperson said today.

Mr. Menkerios travelled on Monday to Kigali, the next leg on his tour of the region.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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ASIA'S SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO UN SHOULD INCREASE - BAN KI-MOON

ASIA'S SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO UN SHOULD INCREASE – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 7 2007 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised Asia for its contribution to the United Nations while emphasizing the potentially greater international role that could be played by the world's largest and most populous continent.

In an <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2843">address to the Asia Society in New York, Mr. Ban, the first UN Secretary-General from Asia since the 1960s, pointed out that the continent has the fastest growing economy of any in the world. "We have a rich history and an ancient culture. Yet in international affairs, our role is far less than it could be," he told the gathering.

"Asia's contribution to the United Nations, though significant, could be much greater," Mr. Ban said. "Asia does not do itself justice. As an Asian Secretary-General, I hope to see this change. I hope to see an Asia that is both better integrated and more internationally engaged."

The Secretary-General also paid tribute to United States Ambassador Christopher Hill, praising the diplomat's "persistence and skilful negotiation" in the six-party talks on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Mr. Ban said it is "encouraging that North Korea has now begun to dismantle its nuclear facilities," adding that if the process concludes successfully, it could be possible to transform the six-party mechanism – which brings together the two Koreas, China, Japan, the Russian Federation and the US – into a more permanent security framework for North-East Asia.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY ADVISES AGAINST MYANMAR'S RETURN TO PRE-CRISIS STATUS QUO

UN ENVOY ADVISES AGAINST MYANMAR'S RETURN TO PRE-CRISIS STATUS QUO
New York, Nov 7 2007 2:00PM
In a meeting with Myanmar's Prime Minister today, the Secretary-General's Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari urged the South-east Asian nation's leadership to begin a dialogue with the opposition without delay, stressing that returning to the status quo before the recent crisis broke out will not be sustainable.

Mr. Gambari and the new Prime Minister General Thein Sein had "open and detailed" discussions on ways to further improve Myanmar's cooperation with the UN to address the country's political, human rights, humanitarian and socio-economic challenges in the wake of the recent crisis, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

The Special Adviser "stressed that a return to the status quo before the crisis would not be sustainable, and suggested specific steps for Myanmar to meet international expectations in this regard," she added.

These include the need for dialogue with the opposition without delay as part of an inclusive national reconciliation process, as well as necessary confidence-building measures in the humanitarian and socio-economic areas, including the establishment of a broad-based poverty alleviation commission.

The Prime Minister reiterated his Government's full support for Mr. Gambari's efforts on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and invited him to return to Myanmar in continuation of the good offices process.

Mr. Gambari also briefed the diplomatic corps in Myanmar on his visit so far.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet with pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as with members of the Central Executive Committee of her National League for Democracy party, officials of the National Unity Party, and other relevant interlocutors. He will also hold talks with the UN Country Team in Yangon.

Mr. Gambari, who arrived in Myanmar last Saturday is scheduled to return to UN Headquarters by 12 November.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY RELEASES COMPUTER GAME IN ENGLISH

UN REFUGEE AGENCY RELEASES COMPUTER GAME IN ENGLISH
New York, Nov 7 2007 12:00PM
An English version of an award-winning United Nations online game aimed at raising awareness and knowledge about refugee situations by putting players in the position of a person forced to flee their home made its debut today.

"Against All Odds" is a reworked version of a Swedish-language game, Motallaodds, which was designed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Stockholm and launched nearly two years ago.

In September 2006, the German version of the game – known as LastExitFlucht (LastExitFlight) – was awarded the Austrian Multimedia and E-Business State Prize in the category for "Knowledge and Learning," after beating off stiff competition from a CD-Rom about the life of Mozart.

While there have been many educational tools created for raising awareness about refugees over the years, Against All Odds offers a chance to experience what it is like to be a refugee, according to UNHCR.

Players are challenged by a variety of obstacles and scenarios simulating real-life struggles faced by refugees on a daily basis, including intolerance, interrogation, flight and language barriers.

"In the United States and other developed countries it can be difficult for people to understand the challenges refugees face. By getting Against All Odds into classrooms across the US, we hope to open the door, at least a little, towards a better understanding," said Tim Irwin, UNHCR's senior public information officer in Washington.

The game also offers a web facts section, where players can read stories and watch films about individual refugees, as well as get important articles and resources.

Against All Odds also has a "teacher information" page, providing lesson plans, learning activities, and other educational resources.

In the US, a link to the game will be available on the website (www.unrefugees.org) as part of the UNHCR's "Teachers' Corner" education programme, which reaches thousands of elementary, middle and high school teachers across the country.

The English version is the latest addition to a list of languages that now includes Swedish, German, Greek and Norwegian.
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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PERPETRATORS OF AFGHAN SUICIDE ATTACK MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE - UN RIGHTS CHIEF

PERPETRATORS OF AFGHAN SUICIDE ATTACK MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE – UN RIGHTS CHIEF
New York, Nov 7 2007 11:00AM
The top United Nations human rights official has <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/BFD2E339172E6A67C125738C004EE70A?opendocument">condemned yesterday's bombing in northern Afghanistan, calling on authorities in the strife-torn nation to bring those responsible for the attack which left at least 41 people dead, including numerous children and six members of Parliament, to justice.

"There are no terms strong enough to express the revulsion felt at such an attack," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said, adding her voice to that of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who yesterday strongly condemned the "heinous" attack in the town of Baghlan – one of the deadliest the country has seen in recent years.

"Attacks of this kind on civilians flout the most fundamental principles of humanity and human rights," Ms. Arbour stated.

She called on Afghan authorities to do "everything in their power to bring those responsible to justice in line with accepted standards of due process."
2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS COMPLEMENT WORK OF UN WORLDWIDE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS

REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS COMPLEMENT WORK OF UN WORLDWIDE, BAN KI-MOON SAYS
New York, Nov 6 2007 7:00PM
Highlighting the role of regional organizations in preventing conflict, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2841">said that the United Nations is committed to building up their capacity to meet global challenges.

Addressing a Security Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9163.doc.htm">debate on the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in maintaining international peace and security, Mr. Ban said the UN's partnerships with such groups are "stronger and more active than ever."

In the past year, the UN has demonstrated its commitment to cooperating with regional organizations, he pointed out.

The world body has established a joint peacekeeping force and held political mediations for the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan with the African Union (AU), while it has worked closely with the European Union (EU) to protect civilians in neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Also this year, the UN has also worked with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regarding Myanmar; collaborated with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support elections in that region; partnered with the Organization of American States (OAS) to provide assistance to Haiti during its elections; and regularly consulted with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and League of Arab States.

This kind of cooperation, Mr. Ban said at the debate, which also heard from dozens of speakers including representatives of regional organizations, is "delivering results on the ground as well as lessons for the future," and also provides "a better understanding of our respective strengths and advantages."

Additionally, working with regional and sub-regional organizations allows for a more prompt response at the start of a crisis and for more effective post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, he said.

"We need to build on these strengths together, find better and more efficient ways of tackling global challenges," the Secretary-General said, pledging the UN's support to bolster the organizations' capacities to achieve sustainable peace in their respective regions.

The need for further collaboration between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations was reiterated in a presidential statement read out by Hassan Wirajuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, which holds the Council's rotating presidency this month.

Recognizing the "growing contribution" made by these organizations, the statement said that they are "well positioned to understand the root causes of many conflicts and other security challenges close to home and to influence their prevention or resolution, owing to their knowledge of the region."

The Council also encouraged regional and sub-regional organizations to bolster cooperation among them, and emphasized the role they could play in curbing illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, as well as counter-terrorism efforts.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON REPEATS CALL FOR RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC RULE IN PAKISTAN

BAN KI-MOON REPEATS CALL FOR RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC RULE IN PAKISTAN
New York, Nov 6 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today repeated his call for a return to democratic rule in Pakistan and the release of all detained political leaders and lawyers as well as a United Nations human rights expert.

"I had a meeting with [Pakistani] Ambassador Munir Akram, at his request, and I again expressed my deep concern and regret at what had happened in Pakistan," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1089">told reporters in New York.

"I also urged, strongly, that the Pakistani Government should return to democratic rules and procedures as soon as possible, and also urged the Pakistani leadership to release immediately all the detained political leaders, lawyers, and also the Special Rapporteur" on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir.

Asked whether he had spoken to General Pervez Musharraf, the Secretary-General said he had not but added, "I have been talking with leaders in the region to exchange views, and to monitor the situation."

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General expressed his "strong dismay at the detention of hundreds of human rights and opposition activists," including Ms. Jahangir. Mr. Ban today said he stands by that statement.

The Secretary-General made his comments just ahead of his planned trip to South America and Europe, which includes stops in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Tunisia and Valencia, Spain.

The Latin American countries, he said, "are political and economically very important members of the United Nations, and at the same time they play also a key role in our common efforts to address climate change issues."

In Tunisia, he will attend the international conference on counter-terrorism. "This is going to be organized by the Tunisian Government, as well as by the Organization of the Islamic Conference," Mr. Ban said.

The Secretary-General will then travel to Valencia to participate in launching the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<"http://www.ipcc.ch">IPCC). "This is going to be a very hectic, 12-day long trip, but it will be, I am sure very rewarding in terms of seeing for myself the climate change phenomenon and how the international community will generate again this political will through my visit," he said.

The trip, he said, is on "the road to Bali," where delegates from around the world will meet in December to try and hammer out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, an internationally binding treaty on greenhouse gas emissions which expires in 2012.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN AND AU ENVOYS CONTINUE DARFUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS

UN AND AU ENVOYS CONTINUE DARFUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS
New York, Nov 6 2007 7:00PM
United Nations and African Union envoys today held workshops on wealth-sharing issues with the Sudanese Government and some of Darfur's rebel groups as they continue their efforts to try to find a way to end the deadly conflict in the war-torn region of western Sudan.

The officials conducted the negotiations in Sirte, Libya, site of the first phase of the three-part UN-AU peace process aimed at quelling the violence and suffering that has engulfed Darfur since 2003.

UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that consultations are also taking place in Juba, southern Sudan, with some of the splintering rebel movements that did not attend last week's talks in Sirte.
Throughout this month UN and AU officials are holding a series of planned consultations and workshops with and among the rebel groups, with the hope that they will work out a unified position on the major issues in dispute.
The third phase, in which full talks are supposed to take place in Sirte, is slated to begin in early December.
The conflict – in which 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others made homeless – has been complicated by the splintering of the rebel groups from about three major movements into as many as 16 or more separate factions.
Ahmad Fawzi, a spokesperson for the UN-AU mediation team, <"http://www.unmis.org/english/2007Docs/PIO-UNMISbulletin-nov06.pdf">said yesterday that "the door remains open for those who wish to join the process," but warned that now was the time for the rebels to "get their act together" and unify behind a common delegation and position.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at UN Headquarters, Salva Kiir, Sudan's First Vice-President and the President of Southern Sudan, said he was working to try to unify the rebels based in Juba.

Mr. Kiir stressed that the rebels should agree on the need for unity and a common agenda before determining issues and questions of leadership.

Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1089">told reporters that it was also vital to "ensure a smooth and speedy implementation" of the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended the separate north-south civil war in Sudan.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN'S POLITICAL DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND ITS PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY EFFORTS

UN'S POLITICAL DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND ITS PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY EFFORTS
New York, Nov 6 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations <" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/#">Department of Political Affairs will gain more than 100 new staff as part of a programme by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to make the department more proactive in averting crises and conflicts before they can emerge and threaten peace and security.

The planned reorganization of DPA will cost about $21 million over the next two years, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told reporters at a <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/071106_Pascoe.doc.htm">briefing today to outline the changes.

Mr. Pascoe said numerous independent reports, including one most recently from the Office of Internal Oversight Services (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/oios">OIOS), have found that DPA is chronically starved of resources and unable to meet the ever-growing demand to try to resolve conflicts and other problems around the world.

The department currently has about 220 staff based at UN Headquarters in New York and an annual budget of some $32 million.

Mr. Pascoe said the extra funds required to pay for the expansion of the department's preventive diplomacy role are small in comparison to the benefits it can potentially bring.

"It is so obviously cost-effective if we can be successful in stopping the issues, debates, fights, both internal and external," he said. "It's so much better if we can do it early on rather than later."

Last month Mr. Ban told the General Assembly's Fifth Committee, which deals with administrative and budgetary matters, that boosting the world body's capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts was "among the smartest investments we can make."

Under the changes, DPA will gain 70 professional posts and 31 general service staff, while the regional divisions will be re-organized from four units into six: two each for Africa and Asia, and one for Europe and for Latin America.

The department will also establish more regional offices, modelled on the lines of the current UN Office for West Africa (<" http://www.un.org/unowa">UNOWA), that are designed to help individual Member States and regional organizations with their preventive diplomacy efforts.

Regional offices are planned for Central Asia, the Great Lakes-Central Africa , Central America, South-East Asia and South-Eastern Europe, Mr. Pascoe said.

DPA's mediation unit and its electoral assistance division, which are both already overwhelmed by high workloads, will also be strengthened.

The Under-Secretary-General said it was vital that the UN be able to both detect crises before they occur and respond more quickly to them when they do.

Mr. Pascoe observed that DPA is already active in dealing with many diplomatic efforts of the UN, including the Darfur conflict in Sudan and the situations in Somalia, Myanmar, Iraq and Nepal.

He added that the changes have received strong support from most nations, especially in Africa, where governments have called for greater UN assistance on the preventive diplomacy front.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN AGRICULTURE FUND ANNOUNCES $8.7 MILLION PROGRAMME FOR SUPPORT LESOTHO

UN AGRICULTURE FUND ANNOUNCES $8.7 MILLION PROGRAMME FOR SUPPORT LESOTHO
New York, Nov 7 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today announced the launch of an $8.7 million programme aimed at helping some 37,000 poor rural people in Lesotho have better access to financial services.

The effort aims to enable beneficiaries to invest in on-farm or off-farm microenterprises and build their financial and household assets, IFAD said in a news release.

The $10.7 million Rural Financial Intermediation Programme is supported by a $4.35 million loan and $4.35 million grant from IFAD.

"This new programme will help poor rural people access financial services that respond to their specific needs," said Fumiko Nakai, IFAD's country programme manager for Lesotho.

"Poor people who are capable of engaging in income-generating activities will have better access to capital for investment," she said. "And very poor people with meagre incomes will also benefit because they, too, will be able to gradually accumulate savings and have places in which to safely deposit those savings."

"The programme will help formal and informal financial institutions develop a range of financial services, including money transfer and insurance services."

The Fund has supported agricultural and rural development in Lesotho since 1980 by investing in seven programmes and projects to reduce poverty in the country's rural areas. With the new initiative, IFAD's support to Lesotho now totals over $50 million.

2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER RANGE OF PLAYERS TO EXPLORE

UN PEACEBUILDING MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER RANGE OF PLAYERS TO EXPLORE
New York, Nov 7 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations Peacebuiding Commission has made important progress in its first year of operations but needs more support, concluded a meeting in Geneva of more than 150 representatives of governments, UN entities, regional organizations and civil society groups attending a conference in Geneva.

"Our Common Peacebuilding Challenge: the contribution of International Geneva," held on 6 November and hosted jointly by the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, served to forge greater engagement between the UN Peacebuilding Commission and other key players.

In a news release, UNOG said participants agreed that the Commission's achievements during its first year were significant but that its continued impact would be determined by sustained political commitment from all Member States and allocation of adequate resources.

Opening the event, the Director-General of UNOG, Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze noted that peacebuilding required the international community to pool this know-how and work towards a shared vision, drawing on respective strengths.

The two countries currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission, Burundi and Sierra Leone, both have identified "priority areas, such as employment creation, good governance, the rule of law, democracy consolidation and security sector reform -- all areas where the international community in Geneva has strong, often field-based, expertise," Mr. Ordzhonikidze observed.

During the morning session, Ambassador Yukio Takasu of Japan, and Assistant Secretary-General Carolyn McAskie, Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office, provided their perspectives on the progress achieved by the Commission in the first year, and on the political, institutional and operational challenges they were facing.

The Geneva Centre for Security Policy also presented the findings and conclusions of its comprehensive survey of Geneva-based institutio
involved in peacebuilding. Participants on another panel focused on the issue of transition from humanitarian assistance to longer-term development.

2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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REGIONAL COLLABORATION KEY TO WEST AFRICA'S SECURITY, UN ENVOY SAYS

REGIONAL COLLABORATION KEY TO WEST AFRICA'S SECURITY, UN ENVOY SAYS
New York, Nov 7 2007 8:00AM
As West African officials gathered today in Liberia for a meeting on issues of common concern, the senior United Nations envoy to the country stressed the importance of effective regional collaboration in ensuring security in the area.

"Nowhere is our collaboration more important than in Liberia. By contributing troops to our force your respective countries have provided this Mission with robust capabilities, contributing immensely to Liberia's and the region's peace and security," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Alan Doss, said at a reception for the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He urged ECOWAS members to "continue to support Liberia and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) so that the national programme of recovery and development can go forward in peaceful conditions."

Acknowledging the importance of the work of the military delegates over the coming days, UNMIL's Force Commander, Lt.-Gen. Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, said "Your work here this week will have a major impact on the consolidation of peace and stability in the region."

He noted that participants are working to develop an ECOWAS Standby Force, aiming to have it ready by 2010.

The UNMIL Force Commander, as well as the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) will brief the gathering, which aims to to promote cooperation and integration in order to create an economic and monetary union for encouraging economic growth and development in West Africa.

2007-11-07 00:00:00.000

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NEARLY $14 MILLION NEEDED TO AID FLOOD VICTIMS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - UN

NEARLY $14 MILLION NEEDED TO AID FLOOD VICTIMS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – UN
New York, Nov 6 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations and the Government of the Dominican Republic today <" http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YSAR-78PRG4?OpenDocument">appealed for almost $14 million to aid those affected by Tropical Storm Noel and the ensuing floods which affected 80 per cent of the Central American nation's territory.

A state of emergency was declared on 31 October, two days after Noel hit the Dominican Republic, causing major flooding, landslides and the destruction of infrastructure.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/News/OCHANewsCentre/tabid/1086/Default.aspx">OCHA) reports that 85 people are confirmed dead and at least 48 are still missing. As many as 28 out of the 32 provinces, including the capital region, have been affected.

Of the more than 66,600 people who were displaced, over 23,000 are in official temporary shelters, while the remainder are staying with relatives or friends. Almost 16,700 homes have been partially destroyed and 46 bridges and highways have been affected.

"I hope donors will respond with generous humanitarian aid to help the survivors of this devastating storm, which has affected such a broad swathe of the country and its population," said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes.

"As the longer-term economic impact is also bound to be grave, their assistance will prove crucial in the recovery effort that follows," he added.

Priority needs include water and basic sanitation, especially hygiene, as well as food aid and assistance in restoring livelihoods. In addition, assistance in other areas, including housing and shelter, health, agriculture, protection, and education, is also needed.

A portion of the requested amount will be met by a grant from the UN's own Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/FundingFinance/CERF/tabid/1109/Default.aspx">CERF), which was set up to close the resource gap that can hamper emergency relief efforts in their early stages.

Meanwhile, OCHA is sending a Disaster Assessment and Coordination team to the Mexican state of Tabasco, roughly 80 per cent of which was under water in recent days.

Authorities there said that 350,000 people are trapped in their homes and estimate that flooding has affected half the state's 2.1 million residents and inundated about 700,000 homes. Electricity is out for 90 per cent of the residents of the capital, Villahermosa.

In addition, crops have been destroyed, livestock have been killed and most of the state's businesses have been affected. Rains have also caused landslides that damaged the road network.

The flooding in Mexico is the worst in more than 50 years, according to the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/index.php">UNICEF), which estimates that some one third of those affected are children.

The agency has <"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/files/Immediate_Needs_Central_America_and_Caribbean_nov07.pdf">appealed for $3.26 million to respond to the immediate needs of children, adolescents and women affected by flooding in Mexico, as well as in Central America and the Caribbean.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS INVOLVED IN NEW FORMS OF MERCENARY ACTIVITY - UN EXPERTS

PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS INVOLVED IN NEW FORMS OF MERCENARY ACTIVITY – UN EXPERTS
New York, Nov 6 2007 6:00PM
A team of independent United Nations experts <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/AC7F341BE422A006C125738B0055C48C?opendocument">said today that a number of private security companies operating in conflict zones are engaging in new forms of mercenary activity, warning that States employing them could be liable for human rights violations committed by their personnel.

The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries noted a significant increase in the number of private security companies operating in conflict-ridden areas, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to a press release issued in Geneva.

The Group stated that, though heavily armed, the personnel employed by the companies are neither civilians nor combatants. "They represent a new form of mercenarism, similar to 'irregular combatants,' which itself is an unclear concept."

States employing these services may be responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights committed by the personnel of such companies, the Group warned. This is especially true if the companies are empowered to exercise elements of governmental authority or are acting under governmental direction or control.

Considering how difficult it is for war-torn States to regulate private security companies, the Group said it believed that a significant part of that responsibility falls on States from where these companies export services. In that regard, it urged exporting States to avoid granting immunity to these companies and their personnel.

The Group voiced concern that the recruitment of former military personnel and ex-policemen as "security guards" in zones of armed conflict such as Iraq seems to be continuing.

It is also concerned that only 30 States have ratified the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, as well as by the lack of regulation at the regional and national levels regarding private military and security companies which operate without oversight and accountability.

Established in 2005, the <" http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/mercenaries/index.htm">Working Group is composed of five independent experts serving in their personal capacities, headed by its Chairperson-Rapporteur, José Luis Gómez del Prado (Spain). The other members of the Group are Najat al-Hajjaji (Libya), Amada Benavides de Pérez (Colombia), Alexander Nikitin (Russia) and Shaista Shameem (Fiji).

The Group will present its latest report to the General Assembly tomorrow.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL TO SEND MISSION TO TIMOR-LESTE THIS MONTH

SECURITY COUNCIL TO SEND MISSION TO TIMOR-LESTE THIS MONTH
New York, Nov 6 2007 6:00PM
The <"http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/index.html">Security Council will send a mission to Timor-Leste to build on the success of the tiny nation's recent elections and to support efforts to bolster peace and democracy, it was announced today.

The mission, to be lead by South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, will take place from 24 to 30 November.

While in the South-East Asian country, the team hopes to encourage all groups to "continue to work together and engage in political dialogue," according to a <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2007/647">letter made public today from the Council's president to the Secretary-General.

It also hopes that the country – which the UN helped shepherd to independence in 2002 – can "consolidate peace, democracy, the rule of law, security sector reform, sustainable social and economic development and national reconciliation."

While in Timor-Leste, the mission will meet with authorities to discuss how the UN can provide assistance to build on successes made in areas such as security.

Aside from Mr. Kumalo, Council members scheduled to visit Timor-Leste are Ambassador Liu Zhenmin of China; Luc Joseph Okio of Congo, Muhammad Anshor of Indonesia, Diana Eloeva of Russia; Ambassador Peter Burian of Slovakia; and Ambassador Jackie Wolcott Sanders of the United States.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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NEPAL: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR FRANK ASSESSMENT OF ELECTORAL OUTLOOK

NEPAL: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR FRANK ASSESSMENT OF ELECTORAL OUTLOOK
New York, Nov 6 2007 4:00PM
Nepal's politicians and civil society must conduct a clear assessment of why elections for its Constituent Assembly have had to be postponed twice this year, the senior United Nations envoy to the country said today, calling on all sides to outline a realistic road map for the future.

Ian Martin, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Nepal, <"http://www.unmin.org.np/?d=activities&p=activity_detail&aid=20">told a press conference in Kathmandu that the UN Mission to the South Asian country (UNMIN) is willing to expand its mandate to help implement the peace process, but will only do so if requested by the people of Nepal.

He stressed that credible Constituent Assembly elections cannot take place until the peace process is on a more solid footing.

"This requires not just the setting of a date, but agreement on a road map which will ensure that there is not yet another failure to hold the election on whatever new date is agreed," Mr. Martin said, in his first press conference after returning from New York, where he briefed the Security Council on the latest developments.

"Despite the best efforts of the Election Commission, with which UNMIN has worked closely, two dates set for the election have come and gone. It is now time for a frank analysis by Nepali politicians and civil society of why this has been the case, and what are the requirements for a successful electoral process to go forward."
The elections were initially to be held mid-year but then delayed until 22 November. But the interim Government announced last month that the polls were being postponed again to an as yet undetermined date because of ongoing disputes between the Seven-Party Alliance that comprises the Government and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M).
Once elected, the Constituent Assembly is supposed to draft a new constitution for Nepal, where an estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil conflict that formally ended when the Government and Maoists signed a peace accord last year.
Mr. Martin told reporters that there are several areas in which UNMIN can help the peace process if the Government and the other political parties are willing to show their support.

These include improving public security at a time of rising concerns among Nepalese about this issue, setting up a commission to investigate disappearances, and better managing the process of reforming the country's security sector, especially the role of Maoist combatants.

UNMIN's current mandate expires on 22 January, although Mr. Martin has previously said the Security Council is likely to extend the mandate.

The envoy voiced dismay at the recent increase in unresolved killings and abductions across Nepal, "whether attributed to armed Madhesi groups, Maoist cadres, or local disputes. Nepal has lived far too long with violence and intimidation, and I appeal again at this season for a commitment to tolerance and non-violence, but also for an end to impunity."

But he added that there had been some recent positive signs, including the efforts within the Seven-Party Alliance to reach a compromise and the respectful spirit of recent parliamentary proceedings.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE NOW ACCESSIBLE TO OVER 100 DEVELOPING NATIONS

UN-BACKED ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE NOW ACCESSIBLE TO OVER 100 DEVELOPING NATIONS
New York, Nov 6 2007 4:00PM
More than 100 developing nations now have access to a United Nations-backed online environmental database which allows users to view material worth $1.5 million from prominent environmental science journals.

The "Online Access to Research in the Environment" project – involving the UN Environment Programme (<" http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5694&l=en">UNEP), Yale University, the International Association of Scientific Technical and Medical Publishers and over 300 publishers, key scientific societies and associations – was launched last year and offered free or low-cost service to 70 of the world's poorest nations with per capital incomes below $1,000.

In its second phase, the initiative has added 37 more countries, areas and territories – including Algeria, the Maldives, Suriname and Vanuatu – with per capita incomes ranging between $1,000 and $3,000.

"Providing practitioners, researchers and scientists with online access to scientific research on the environment has been a long-held dream and desire by institutions around the world," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

The project is making great strides towards bridging the North-South scientific gap and digital divide, as well as bolstering environmental institutions in many developing nations, he added.

After a three-month free trial period, participating countries' institutions will be asked for yearly contributions of $1,000, which is less than 0.1 per cent of the annual retail subscription value of the available resources. These fees will be reinvesting in training programmes in these countries.

Microsoft and Ex Libris Software are assisting in the project, allowing for full-text articles to be opened directly, allowing users to save time.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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CANADIAN UNIVERSITY AND UN AGENCY SET UP ONLINE URBAN ARCHIVE

CANADIAN UNIVERSITY AND UN AGENCY SET UP ONLINE URBAN ARCHIVE
New York, Nov 6 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations agency tasked with promoting socially and environmentally sustainable housing has announced a partnership with a Canadian university to establish the world's most complete online information archive on urban issues.

The UN Human Settlements Programme (<" http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=5404&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0">UN-HABITAT) issued a statement yesterday saying that the University of British Columbia, which is based in Vancouver, had taken the initiative to host more than 30 years of print and electronic material.

The UBC/UN-HABITAT Archive, which will be web-based, will contain material stretching from the UN agency's first conference in 1976 up to and including the 2006 World Urban Forum III.

Eventually it is expected to include more than 2,000 videos on urban issues accumulated by UN-HABITAT during the past three decades, as well as numerous books, magazines, pamphlets, websites and other materials.

The online portal is aimed at giving governments, urban planners, developers, academics and others access to information – especially sustainable solutions – to various aspects of urban life, including housing, transport, infrastructure, resources management, land tenure, governance and climate change.

UN-HABITAT Executive Director Anna Tibaijuka said the archive would serve as an invaluable resource for learning, teaching and practice on towns and cities.

Professor Emeritus Peter Oberlander, the inaugural director of the university's Centre for Human Settlements, said "these materials can show us how to improve the liveability and economic viability of the world's communities… For example, a municipal clerk in Kumasi, Ghana, instructed to introduce water metering can now access the UN's best practices on this subject to help ensure accessible and equitable water distribution."
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL DECRIES DEVASTATION CAUSED BY LANDMINES

SECRETARY-GENERAL DECRIES DEVASTATION CAUSED BY LANDMINES
New York, Nov 6 2007 3:00PM
Landmines and other explosive weapons exacerbate the suffering wrought by war, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, appealing for the elimination of these "distressing and pernicious" devices to remain a global priority.

The weapons, which devastate both civilians and combatants, "prolong the horrendous consequences of armed conflicts," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2840">message delivered by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, to the ninth annual conference on the Amended Protocol II to the <" http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/4F0DEF093B4860B4C1257180004B1B30?OpenDocument">Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

"Their developmental and humanitarian impact on post-conflict societies threatens future generations," he added.

Mr. Ban stressed that Amended Protocol II – which entered into force in December 1998 and currently has 88 States parties – is key in outlawing the devices.

"Universal adherence to this instrument is of primary importance," the Secretary-General stated, urging intensified efforts to increase the number of countries adhering to the pact.

He appealed to nations which have yet to do so to ratify other international agreements serving as the legal framework of mine action, including the <"http://disarmament2.un.org/rdb/apm-mbc-text.html">Mine Ban Convention and the <" http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=61">Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES DEADLY SUICIDE ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES DEADLY SUICIDE ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Nov 6 2007 3:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today denounced the suicide attack that killed more than 40 civilians and injured scores of others in the northern Afghan town of Baghlan – one of the deadliest the war-torn nation has witnessed in recent years.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns this heinous attack and sends his profound condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, as well as to the Government and people of Afghanistan," according to a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2842">statement issued by his spokesperson.

Mr. Ban "once again expresses his continuing anxiety regarding the unstable security situation throughout Afghanistan."

Just yesterday, both Mr. Ban and the UN General Assembly voiced their deep concern about the security situation in Afghanistan.

Mr. Ban, in a statement, called on States assisting the fledgling democracy to maintain their commitments so that Afghanistan does not again become "a host for terrorist and extremist groups."

Likewise, the Assembly strongly condemned the upsurge of violence in Afghanistan, including the rising trend of suicide attacks, owing to the increased violent and terrorist activity by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

In resolution adopted by the 192-member body, the Assembly called on the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the international community, "to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups as well as by criminal violence."
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR: UN ENVOY STRESSES NEED TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL DETAINEES

MYANMAR: UN ENVOY STRESSES NEED TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL DETAINEES
New York, Nov 6 2007 3:00PM
Continuing his consultations with the authorities in Myanmar, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser today again stressed the need for dialogue between the country's leadership and the opposition, and urged that all restrictions on political detainees, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, be lifted as a critical first step.

Ibrahim Gambari, who arrived in the country on Saturday, held meetings today in the capital, Nay Pi Taw, with the State Peace and Development Council Authoritative Team, composed of various ministers including those for foreign affairs, information, culture, and labour.

"Mr. Gambari and his counterparts had very frank and extensive exchanges on all of the issues being addressed in the context of the Secretary-General's good offices," UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

They includes the need for a dialogue to start without delay between the SPDC leadership and Ms. Suu Kyi – a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been under house arrest for more than 11 of the past 17 years – as an indispensable part of any national reconciliation process, and the lifting of restrictions on all political detainees as the necessary steps to that end.

Mr. Gambari also met with the Minister for Planning and Economic Development, U Soe Tha, to discuss future cooperation between the Government and the UN Country Team in Myanmar.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a letter to the UN that it does not want UN Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie to continue working in Myanmar, citing a statement released by the UN Country Team – headed by Mr. Petrie – which referred to socio-economic issues in Myanmar.

In addition, the Special Adviser met with the Minister for Religious Affairs, Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung, to discuss the Government's response to the participation of monks in the recent demonstrations.

During the remainder of his visit, Mr. Gambari is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, among others, and will also brief the diplomatic corps on his mission so far.

In Yangon, he is expected to meet Ms. Suu Kyi, the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy, officials of the National Unity Party, and other relevant interlocutors, as well as the UN Country Team and the International Committee for the Red Cross.

In a related development, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has been invited by the authorities to visit the country from 11 to 15 November.

Welcoming the invitation, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro notes that this sends a positive indication of Myanmar's willingness to cooperate with his mandate and the UN Human Rights Council.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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WITH UN SUPPORT, HAITI LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

WITH UN SUPPORT, HAITI LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN
New York, Nov 6 2007 3:00PM
With the backing of the United Nations, the Haitian Government today launched a nationwide vaccination campaign to try to protect more than half of the population from contracting key preventable diseases.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF), the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) and the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/minustah">MINUSTAH) are all partners in the effort to reach 5.7 million people, or 58 per cent of the total population.

The $9.5 million campaign is being carried out in the framework of a broader drive to tackle measles, German measles, tetanus and polio. Measles and German measles vaccines will be given to people age 1 to 19, while children up to the age of 4 will receive immunization against polio. Women of childbearing age are targeted by the tetanus vaccine.

UN blue helmets serving with MINUSTAH furnished logistical support for the campaign, facilitating the transport of equipment, vaccines and other materials while helping to ensure the cold-chain necessary to maintain the vaccines.

"This country is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when Haitian authorities, different agencies of the UN system, MINUSTAH and the international community work in close collaboration," said the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Haiti, Hédi Annabi.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN SEEKS $64 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN AID TO LIBERIA

UN SEEKS $64 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN AID TO LIBERIA
New York, Nov 6 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations and its partners in Liberia today appealed for $64 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs in the country for the remainder of this year and the first half of 2008.

"Despite some improvements in political, security and the socio-economic conditions of Liberians, humanitarian needs do still remain," <"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=2498">said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia Jordan Ryan. The appeal covers water and sanitation, health and agriculture.

Donors have already provided some $46 million to the 2007 Common Humanitarian Action Plan, which was launched in February of this year. The humanitarian community determined that a total of $110 million will be required to help meet the basic social services of the Liberian people, who have suffered from years of civil strife.

In another development, nearly 300 young boys and girls in Charlesville – some 100 kilometres northwest of Monrovia – are benefiting from improvements to their school made by Pakistani troops serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=2499">UNMIL). The blue helmets provided fresh paint and a new roof, and fully furnished the classrooms.

At a ceremony marking the hand-over of the school to the local authorities, Mr. Ryan expressed appreciation to the contingent for their contribution to the children's and Liberia's development, stressing that "education is vital for the future of Liberia."

He emphasized the crucial importance of giving equal educational opportunities to both girls and boys, and urged parents to make good use of the newly renovated facility so that their children grow up in a safe, clean and healthy environment.

By "adopting" the school, the Pakistani contingent has committed itself not only to the rehabilitation and maintenance of the school's premises, but also to additional support, including providing regular medical services for the children and distributing stationary and uniforms, UNMIL said.

Meanwhile, the top United Nations envoy in Liberia today paid tribute to three crew members who died when a UN helicopter crashed last week. A probe on the cause is continuing but the mission has said there is no evidence to indicate that any foul play was involved.

Pilot in Command Vitali Drozdov, Co-Pilot Sergey Kolosov and Flight Engineer Nikolai Zhorikov, all Russian nationals, lost their lives when the MI-8 cargo helicopter crashed on last Friday near Ganta in north-eastern Liberia.

"We all feel touched by this tragedy because we fly with you day in day out," UNMIL chief Alan Doss, <"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=2501">told senior staff of UTAir at a meeting at the Mission's headquarters in Monrovia, conveying condolences and offering the UN's assistance in the arrangements being made for the repatriation of the three bodies to the Russian Federation.

Extensive investigations into the crash are continuing under the leadership of the Liberian Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) with the full support and cooperation of UNMIL's Aviation Safety Unit.

In addition, international aviation experts from the UN and the Russian Federation, including the Senior Management team of UTAir plus representatives of the Russian Civil Aviation Authority, are expected in Liberia tomorrow to assist with the investigations.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN POLICE ADVISER STRESSES NEED FOR MORE OFFICERS AT INTERPOL MEETING

UN POLICE ADVISER STRESSES NEED FOR MORE OFFICERS AT INTERPOL MEETING
New York, Nov 6 2007 2:00PM
More Member States need to increase the number of qualified police officers they supply to United Nations peacekeeping missions to deal with the unprecedented expansion in global policing, the world body's top police officer told the INTERPOL General Assembly today.

Addressing around 800 delegates and observers including 72 heads of national police agencies, UN Police Adviser Andrew Hughes told the gathering in Marrakech, Morocco, that the number of UN Police (UNPOL) officers needed in missions worldwide will increase to more than 16,000 by next year from just under 10,000 at the moment.

"We've seen an extraordinary increase in the demand for UN Police officers in the past year or two and this growth is likely to continue so we need more countries to contribute quality officers. Currently 92 Member States contribute police personnel but there are 192 members of the UN so we need greater involvement," said Mr. Hughes.

In particular, the UN mission authorized for Sudan's Darfur region will require the largest single UN Police contingent ever with more than 6,400 police officers out of a total of over 30,000 personnel.

"It's also important to increase the number of female police officers in UN service and also to increase geographical diversity. We welcome the support that we've received from Member States so far but more is needed if the UN is to address the multitude of peacekeeping challenges that it faces," added Mr. Hughes.

INTERPOL is the world's largest international police organization, with 186 member countries, and today is the first time that a UN Police Adviser has addressed the annual meeting of its supreme governing body. Several international and regional organizations are also attending the four-day event, including the European Police Office, Europol.

Mr. Hughes's attendance at the 76th INTERPOL General Assembly grew out of discussions held at the International Policing Advisory Council (IPAC) meeting in Canberra, Australia in August, during which it was decided that UNPOL would work more closely with other international and regional policing organizations.

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/police/division.shtml">DPKO) Police Division now comes under the new Office of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions. This new structure is part of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's wider reform of peacekeeping, developed in response to the growing global need for peacekeeping operations. The Office also comprises the Criminal Law and Judicial Advisory Section, the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section, the Security Sector Reform Section and the Mine Action Service.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN IRAQ ENVOY SPOTLIGHTS CRUCIAL ROLE OF MEDIA IN ENDING CONFLICT

NEW UN IRAQ ENVOY SPOTLIGHTS CRUCIAL ROLE OF MEDIA IN ENDING CONFLICT
New York, Nov 6 2007 1:00PM
Speaking in Amman, Jordan, today on his way to assuming his position as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura stressed the key role of the media in resolving differences both within and outside the war-ravaged nation.

"We count on the media to provide a platform for open debate, and that the public remains well-informed," Mr. de Mistura, who will succeed Ashraf Qazi in his new position, told dozens of media experts, broadcasters, representatives of the judiciary and parliamentarians at a UN-backed media law workshop.

Through its media networks, Iraq "must foster dialogue the free flow of information at all levels," he added. "A solid legal framework within which the media operates is essential for this."

At the workshop organized – organized by the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) and the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission – he also underscored the necessity of transparency in communications within Iraq, the region and "most importantly from my perspective, between the United Nations in Iraq."

Mr. de Mistura – a national of Sweden and Italy – has experience in Iraq, having served as Deputy Special Representative in 2005-2006.
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN OFFICIAL DECRIES SEXUAL VIOLENCE, URGES STRONGER RESPONSE

DR CONGO: UN OFFICIAL DECRIES SEXUAL VIOLENCE, URGES STRONGER RESPONSE
New York, Nov 6 2007 12:00PM
A senior United Nations official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today decried the problem of sexual violence in the war-torn country, saying perpetrators are mostly police, military and militia members but civilians are increasingly involved, and calling for stronger response measures.

"This is an extraordinary large problem. It is not just an anecdotal problem but a massive one that demands we all combined try and make sure that essentially not only women who are victims of rape and abuse are treated but that sexual violence must stop," <"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=15975">said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Deputy Special Representative Ross Mountain.

He voiced particular concern about the conflict in North Kivu where since September, about 150,000 people have fled their homes, bringing the total in the province as a whole to about 800,000 displaced persons.

With the continuous tense situation in DRC's troubled eastern region triggering more sexual violence against women, he said that while statistics are hard to come by, "we are dealing literally with hundred of thousands of victims over the last couple of years."

Mr. Mountain cited a 2006 survey by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) of roughly half of the health centers which found 50,000 cases reported. "If that many cases were reported, how many cases are really there," he said.

He said men in uniform remain the main perpetrators. "They include clearly militias and the armed forces of this country as well as, and I am sorry to say, the police. That remains the prime group of perpetrators."

But he also noted that this trend is changing. "The proportion that has been committed now by civilians, who are not military and uniform personnel, is increasing. That is a very troubling sign."

The Government and the UN are working with civil society groups to help treat victims and help reintegrate them in their communities "because of the stigmatization problem that unfortunately lingers on," Mr Mountain said.

Attempts to punish those responsible are not strong enough. "I am sorry to say that this is the weakest part of this exercise," he said. "In terms of bringing the perpetrators to justice, progress has been very disappointing."

He noted that in Equateur province, some 78 members of the military battalion were accused of having raped nearly 120 women. With the support of the international community and the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) human rights branch, "we managed to get some 12 of them brought before military justice where about six were convicted," Mr. Mountain said.

But the victory was short-lived. "Unfortunately, with the current state of the prisons in this country, after a month or two nobody was in custody."

MONUC "is very involved with the humanitarian community in the protection of civilians," noted Mr. Mountain. The mission is also working to ensure that those who are identified can be brought to justice.

"It is a long road, but it is a road that certainly has been started and we are determined that progress will be made."
2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS EXPERT TO VISIT MYANMAR NEXT WEEK

UN RIGHTS EXPERT TO VISIT MYANMAR NEXT WEEK
New York, Nov 6 2007 10:00AM
An independent United Nations human rights expert on Myanmar today welcomed an invitation by the country's authorities to visit from 11 to 15 November.

In a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/BEC2766A275C96E9C125738B003220D5?opendocument">statement released in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro said the invitation "sends a positive indication of the desire of the authorities to cooperate with his mandate and the Human Rights Council."

On 24 October, Mr. Pinheiro, anticipating the visit, said he would use it visit verify allegations of abuses during the recent Government crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, determine the numbers and whereabouts of those detained or killed, and collect testimony about what happened.

Meanwhile Secretary-General's Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari is continuing diplomatic efforts in Myanmar, where he met yesterday with Foreign Minister U Nyan Win, their second meeting in as many days.

2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN EXPERT URGES FAIR TRIAL OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTEMPT TO ABDUCT CHILDREN IN CHAD

UN EXPERT URGES FAIR TRIAL OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTEMPT TO ABDUCT CHILDREN IN CHAD
New York, Nov 6 2007 9:00AM
An independent United Nations human rights expert today urged a full investigation of the recent alleged attempt to abduct children from Chad and fly them to France, and called for a fair trial for those responsible.

The Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit, issued a statement in Geneva voicing concern about the recent incidents in Abeché, eastern Chad leading to the arrest of some members of a non-governmental organization (NGO) called "Arche de Zoé/Child Rescue" following its alleged attempt to abduct and transfer 103 children to France for alleged adoption.

"I call upon both Chadian and French authorities to fully investigate and shed light about the circumstances surrounding the capture of the children. Those found responsible for violations of the rights of the child must be brought to justice and tried in accordance with international fair trial standards," he said.

"I also call upon all parties to take steps to prevent further abuses, always bearing in mind the best interests of children and to respect the relevant international instruments," he added, citing various treaties including the Hague Agreement on the Protection and Cooperation in respect of Inter-country Adoption.

Mr. Petit also commended the efforts of international humanitarian and national agencies on the ground "which are deploying remarkable efforts to ensure the protection of the children involved, including the immediate provision of basic humanitarian assistance."

2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE TO HONOUR UN REFUGEE OFFICIAL, ANGELINA JOLIE

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE TO HONOUR UN REFUGEE OFFICIAL, ANGELINA JOLIE
New York, Nov 6 2007 9:00AM
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and internationally renown actress Angelina Jolie, one of his agency's most active supporters, will receive the International Rescue Committee's annual Freedom Award for 2007 in New York tomorrow.

The award being given to UNHCR and its Goodwill Ambassador recognizes extraordinary contributions to the cause of refugees and human freedom has previously been given to another UN High Commissioner for Refugees -- Sadako Ogata, in 1995.

Other Freedom Award winners include Winston Churchill (1958); George Soros (1993); Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (1995); Vaclav Havel (2003); and former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton (2006).

The IRC has for many years been UNHCR's largest NGO partner.

2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY PLANS LARGE-SCALE RESETTLEMENT OF BHUTANESE REFUGEES LIVING IN NEPAL

UN AGENCY PLANS LARGE-SCALE RESETTLEMENT OF BHUTANESE REFUGEES LIVING IN NEPAL
New York, Nov 6 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency and its partners are laying the groundwork for the large-scale resettlement of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in Nepal following the Government's announcement that they can go to other countries.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is starting a "mass information campaign to help them make an informed decision," William Spindler told journalists in Geneva.

On Friday, the Government of Nepal announced that refugees who wish to opt for third country resettlement can do so based on an informed choice and acceptance by the resettlement country.

The United States has announced that it will resettle 60,000 refugees and even more if required, according to UNHCR. Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway have also expressed their desire to take their share in the resettlement of refugees, while Canada has announced its plan to resettle 5,000 refugees from Bhutan currently living in Nepal's camps.

Some 107,000 refugees from Bhutan are currently living in seven camps in eastern Nepal, some of them for as long as 17 years, the agency said.

"UNHCR and the international community will continue efforts to ensure that as many doors as possible are opened to achieve lasting solutions to their plight, including voluntary repatriation to Bhutan as and when return conditions permit," Mr. Spindler said.

2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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DISPLACED SOMALIS SUFFERING UNDER 'EXTREMELY HARSH CONDITIONS' -- UN

DISPLACED SOMALIS SUFFERING UNDER 'EXTREMELY HARSH CONDITIONS' -- UN
New York, Nov 6 2007 9:00AM
Displaced Somalis who have fled fighting in Mogadishu are living in "extremely harsh conditions" with reports of malnutrition and rape, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which recently joined other agencies in assessing their plight.

The evaluation mission on Saturday found that facilities in Afgooye, a small town west of the Somali capital, is struggling to absorb swelling populations with scant resources. "Entire families are now crammed into tiny huts," said UNHCR spokesman William Spindler in Geneva.

Hygiene remains poor in the crowded settlements raising fears of an outbreak of cholera, he said, voicing concerns about the nutritional status of young children. The UN team visited a therapeutic feeding centre, where they found "some 50 malnourished children, some of them too weak to cry."

Leaders in some of the settlements also reported several cases of rape and called for improved security and protection of the IDPs, Mr. Spindler said.

The team "found thousands of newly displaced Somalis living in extremely harsh conditions," he said, noting that during the last week, 15 new makeshift settlements have mushroomed along the road between Mogadishu and Afgooye, bringing to 50 the total number of spontaneous camps lining the route.

The flare-up in fighting between insurgents and Ethiopian forces in Mogadishu nearly a week ago has displaced an estimated 90,000 people -- more than half of them to Afgooye, according to UNHCR, which said another 17,000 people moved to safer neighbourhoods within the capital.

"The UN inter-agency team found that in one settlement near Afgooye, the 13,000 people living there for the last few months had been joined last week by another 7,000 displaced Somalis," said Mr. Spindler. More people continued arrive in the already fragile site.

Another site with 10,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) received 2,000 more over the past week, he added
taxing the resources of neighbouring villages, which are also experiencing difficulties."

The agency is warning that some of the basic infrastructure set up in settlements in and around Afgooye can no longer meet the needs of the large numbers of new IDPs.

Mr. Spindler said that water distribution systems need to be expanded and health centres need to be strengthened to cope with the spike in the population in and around Afgooye.

Despite a lull in fighting since last week, sporadic gun battles have been reported. There are also reports of Ethiopian troop reinforcements being deployed in Mogadishu, according to the agency, which has already distributed aid to 78,000 people in Afgooye this year, and is currently preparing other distributions along with other agencies.

2007-11-06 00:00:00.000

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OFFICIAL IN SUDAN JOINS CHORUS OF UN CONCERN ABOUT ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER CHILDREN

OFFICIAL IN SUDAN JOINS CHORUS OF UN CONCERN ABOUT ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER CHILDREN
New York, Nov 5 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan today added her voice to that of other UN officials condemning the recent attempt of a French non-governmental organization (NGO) to remove more than 100 young children from neighbouring Chad.

"Such actions contravene all international laws and standards on the movement of children and infringe on the humanitarian principles we stand for as the United Nations," the Coordinator, Ameerah Haq, said in a statement issued in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

"It is unacceptable to see children taken out of their home countries without compliance with national and international laws. The UN is currently assisting in the identification of these children and their places of origin, so that reunification with their relatives can take place."

Ms. Haq's remarks follow earlier <" http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41630.html ">statements from the UN system in Chad and from Ann Veneman, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), criticizing the actions of Arche de Zoe in trying to transfer 103 children – who range in age from one to 10 years old – out of eastern Chad and into France for adoption last month.

On 25 October Chadian authorities prevented the children from leaving the town of Abeche and arrested members of Arche de Zoe as well.

Ms. Haq noted that the UN and its partner agencies have since been helping Chad to protect the welfare of the children, who may originate from villages near the country's border with the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan.

"Assistance has included provision of nutritional supplements, medical assistance and supplies, as well as other items such as impregnated bed nets, blankets, mats, clothes and recreational materials and activities.

"In Chad and in Sudan, the UN and national and international organizations have been effectively responding to humanitarian needs. We must continue to work together with partners in government to ensure that advances in child protection, health, and education are not derailed by the actions of an individual organization."
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON STATES TO UPHOLD PLEDGES TO FIGHT TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN

BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON STATES TO UPHOLD PLEDGES TO FIGHT TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Nov 5 2007 7:00PM
Concerned about recent fighting in Afghanistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to all States assisting the violence-wracked nation to maintain their existing commitments to root out terrorism and rebuild a peaceful society.

Mr. Ban has "followed with concern the recent fighting in Afghanistan, in particular around Kandahar and in Farah provinces, where formed groups of Taliban have attempted to take and hold certain districts," according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2839">statement issued by his spokesperson.

He underlined the crucial role that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan security forces are playing to ensure that Afghanistan does not again become "a host for terrorist and extremist groups."

"The Secretary-General notes that it is an unfortunate reality that such operations continue to be necessary in Afghanistan, but reaffirms that the hope for lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region, and for a world without terrorism, depends on their success," the statement added.

While thanking those countries which have provided assistance, he appealed to all Governments involved in Afghanistan to maintain their existing commitments in order to ensure the success of the joint effort to rebuild Afghanistan, "so that it can offer hope and opportunity to its people, friendship to its neighbours, and an example to the rest of the world."

The situation in Afghanistan has also raised concern among UN Member States, which today strongly condemned the upsurge of violence in the country, including the rising trend of suicide attacks, owing to the increased violent and terrorist activity by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

A resolution adopted by the 192-member General Assembly noted that such violence has led to increased casualties among Afghan civilians, Afghan National Security Forces, ISAF and the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition, as well as members of aid agencies and humanitarian workers.

The General Assembly called on the Government of Afghanistan, with the assistance of the international community, "to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups as well as by criminal violence."

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/472b27e94.html">UNHCR) has announced that more than 350,000 Afghan refugees, most of them from Pakistan and some 6,000 from Iran, have returned home this year with the agency's help.
Despite the difficulties they face upon their return, "many of the people coming back are hopeful about the future," UNHCR representative Salvatore Lombardo said today at a press briefing in Kabul.

"Access to employment remains the greatest preoccupation of those returning to Afghanistan," he stated, adding that land, shelter and lack of water are also prominent issues for returnees.

Because of Afghanistan's precarious security situation, difficult socio-economic situation and limited capacity to absorb the returnees, UNHCR has insisted on the importance of respecting the voluntary character of return and to make sure that returns are made in a gradual manner.

Since 2002, the agency has assisted more than four million Afghans return home – over 3.2 million from Pakistan and 860,000 from Iran. Some three million registered Afghans remain in exile in the region today, including about two million in Pakistan and 910,000 in Iran.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF CALLS FOR APPEALS FOR PROHIBITION ON DEADLY CLUSTER MUNITIONS

UNICEF CALLS FOR APPEALS FOR PROHIBITION ON DEADLY CLUSTER MUNITIONS
New York, Nov 5 2007 7:00PM
Marking the first-ever Global Day of Action Cluster Munitions, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today <" http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41688.html">urged governments to create a legally binding international pact banning the deadly arms which pose a great threat to civilians, especially children.

Children are disproportionately impacted by these weapons, according to UNICEF. One third of cluster munitions casualties in Afghanistan were children, while during the Kosovo war, more children were hurt by cluster munitions than by anti-personnel landmines, which are just as indiscriminate and have been prohibited by many nations.

"Too many tragic stories show that cluster munitions cannot be used in populated areas without jeopardizing a child's right to life, to health, to play and to a safe environment," the agency said in a press release.

Children possess a natural curiosity and desire to play, but cluster munitions make everyday activities such as exploring after school, fetching water or playing soccer deadly, UNICEF said.

Cluster munitions often look like balls or canisters, objects children are used to seeing, while others are brightly coloured, making them more attractive to children.

There have been too many instances – both during and after conflicts – of children suffering from the devastating impact of cluster munitions, UNICEF pointed out.

The potential of the weapons to kill and maim was underscored during last year's war between Israel and Hizbollah, but children continue to fall victim to them years or even decades after the end of a conflict in countries such as Bosnia, Cambodia, Iraq, Laos, Serbia and Vietnam.

"Even when the fighting is over, cluster munitions can pose a real threat to the fulfillment of the rights of children," the agency warned.

Children who survive cluster munitions blasts could be permanently disabled or lose their sight or hearing, potentially depriving them and their siblings of an education because families are often unable to afford both medical and school bills.

UNICEF pointed out that the vulnerability resulting from cluster munitions injuries often last well into adulthood, with discrimination impacting a child's psychological well-being.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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'DOOR REMAINS OPEN' FOR DARFUR REBELS TO JOIN PEACE PROCESS, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

'DOOR REMAINS OPEN' FOR DARFUR REBELS TO JOIN PEACE PROCESS, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Nov 5 2007 6:00PM
Darfur's splintering rebel movements still have time to participate in the peace process aimed at ending the four-year conflict in western Sudan, but they owe it to the people of their region to quickly unify behind a common position, a spokesperson for the United Nations-African Union mediation team said today.

Ahmad Fawzi said last week's historic talks in Sirte, Libya, between the Sudanese Government, representatives of eight rebel groups, civil society, regional countries and the international community were just the first phase of a three-part process to try to quell the violence and suffering engulfing Darfur.

He said that while it was disappointing that so many of Darfur's fragmented rebel groups did not participate in the Sirte talks, they now had the second phase of the peace process – a series of planned consultations and workshops with and among the rebels – to work out a unified position on the major issues in dispute.

The third phase, in which full talks are supposed to take place in Sirte, is slated to begin in early December.

"The door remains open for those who wish to join the process," Mr. Fawzi told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York after returning from Sirte, where UN and AU envoys are still conducting meetings with many of the participating groups. He added that some rebel groups were indicating they were now prepared to attend.

UN and AU envoys are also travelling now to Juba in southern Sudan, where some of the rebel groups are based, for further consultations, before heading on to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, for more diplomatic efforts.

Mr. Fawzi acknowledged that many of the key issues are complex, including questions of wealth-sharing, governance and security arrangements for Darfur, where a joint UN-AU peacekeeping force (UNAMID) is slated to begin full operations in January. That force is expected to have as many as 25,000 troops and police officers.

"Time is on nobody's side. People are suffering in the camps," he said, referring to some of the estimated 2.2 million Darfurians who have had to flee their homes since rebels began fighting Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed in 2003. At least another 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The conflict has been complicated by the splintering of the rebel groups from about three major movements into as many as 16 or more separate factions.

But Mr. Fawzi stressed that it was now time for the rebels to "get their act together" and determine who will represent them in the third phase as well as their common positions.

"There are cycles of interest in the international community. The international community is seized with Darfur at the moment. The international community is poised to pour millions of dollars in reconstruction and development aid in Darfur. The time is now for these parties to get engaged and to join the peace process."
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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SPECIAL ENVOY TACKLES RELATIONS BETWEEN MYANMAR AND UN COUNTRY TEAM

SPECIAL ENVOY TACKLES RELATIONS BETWEEN MYANMAR AND UN COUNTRY TEAM
New York, Nov 5 2007 5:00PM
The Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari, continued his visit to Myanmar today with discussions on future cooperation between the Government and the United Nations Country Team, after authorities last week declared they did not want the world body's top official in the South-East Asian nation to continue his service.

Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a letter to the world body last week that it does not want UN Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie to continue working in Myanmar. It cited a statement released by the UN Country Team – headed by Mr. Petrie – on 24 October which referred to socio-economic issues in Myanmar.

Mr. Gambari took up the issue today when he met with Foreign Minister U Nyan Win, their second meeting in as many days. During their meeting yesterday, they discussed the Government's response so far to the expectations of the international community following the recent crisis.

Upon his arrival in Myanmar on Saturday, Mr. Gambari met with Mr. Petrie and conveyed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's support for the Country Team and the Resident Coordinator, and the important work they continue to do to improve the socio-economic and humanitarian situation.

On Sunday, he met with U Aung Kyi, Minister for Labour and Minister for Relations, who was recently appointed by Myanmar authorities as a liaison officer to start dialogue between the Government and the opposition.

They had an extensive and detailed exchange about the Minister's discussions with detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on an agreed framework for meaningful dialogue.

Mr. Gambari is scheduled to meet Ms. Suu Kyi and other relevant interlocutors, as well as the Prime Minister and other senior government officials, during his current visit, which is a follow-up to his last mission in October aimed at promoting democratization, the protection of human rights and national reconciliation.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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UN TO LAUNCH OIL CONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

UN TO LAUNCH OIL CONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA
New York, Nov 5 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations environment and development agencies are joining forces to <" http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5692&l=en">launch a comprehensive assessment of oil contamination in the Ogoni region of the Niger Delta as part of a broader Nigerian Government-led peace and reconciliation programme.

Exploration and production of oil in the area, which began in the 1950s, were suspended in the 1990s due to public unrest. Spills from this period are still problematic, and the lack of maintenance and damage to infrastructure has led to further contamination in the past 15 years.

UN officials are in Abuja today to finalize details of the project, expected to be completed at the end of next year, which seeks to ascertain the nature and extent of oil contamination in <" http://postconflict.unep.ch/ogoniland/mission.html">Ogoniland.

They are meeting with other UN agencies in the country as well as the Nigerian Minister of Environment, representatives from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.

"The assessment will seek to identify, evaluate and minimize the immediate and long-term human, social, health and economic impacts of oil contamination in Ogoniland, as well as those related to environmentally and economically important ecosystems," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

Teams of international and local experts will carry out assessments in more than 300 sites to determine oil's impacts on land, water, agriculture, fisheries and in the air, as well as its effects on biodiversity and human health.

The project, based in Port Harcourt with smaller offices in Eleme, Tai, Khana and Gokana, seeks to benefit the community through employment and capacity-building activities.

After the teams report their findings, environmentally acceptable recommendations will be made to remedy the situation.

The new initiative comes following a request from the Nigerian Government, and will be conducted by the Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch of the UN Environment Programme (<"http://postconflict.unep.ch">UNEP). It will operate within the Programme Framework for Improving Human Development in the Niger Delta, led by the United Nations Development Programme (<" http://www.undp.org">UNDP).
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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TRANSFER OF EX-COMBATANTS MAJOR STEP FOR PEACE IN NORTHEAST DR CONGO - UN

TRANSFER OF EX-COMBATANTS MAJOR STEP FOR PEACE IN NORTHEAST DR CONGO – UN
New York, Nov 5 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has transferred 16 former commanders of Ituri armed groups to Kinshasa, calling it a major step in consolidating peace in the northeastern part of the country.

The transfer, which took place on Saturday by a special UN flight, was the result of 18 months of intense negotiations with the de facto leaders of the three remaining Ituri Armed Groups, according to the mission, known as <"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=15959">MONUC.

The former militia leaders include Cobra Matata of Front de Resistance Patriotique en Ituri (FRPI); Peter Karim of Front des Nationalistes Integrationnistes (FNI); and Mathieu Ngudjolo of Mouvement Revolutionnaire Congolais (MRC).

They were escorted from Bunia by Colonel Abdalah Nyembo, second in command in Ituri for the national armed forces – known as FARDC – and Ntumba Luaba, head of the national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme.

"The departure of these leaders from Bunia marks a dramatic step forward in the consolidation of the peace process in Ituri and signals a possibility of ending more than eight years of conflict," the Mission stated.

The 16 will receive training in Kinshasa while the majority of their disarmed fighters – about 300 men – will join the "brassage" retraining programme for ex-combatants in the town of Kitona to become part of integrated FARDC brigades.

Another 44 Ituri ex-combatants were flown by the Congolese government to the Kitona brassage site on Saturday.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STRESS NEED FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN LEBANON

SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STRESS NEED FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN LEBANON
New York, Nov 5 2007 4:00PM
The Security Council today reaffirmed the need to hold free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon, in conformity with the country's Constitution and without any foreign interference and influence, the 15-member body's president said.

"Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon," said Ambassador R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa of Indonesia, which holds the Council's rotating presidency.

"They recalled the need to hold free and fair presidential elections in conformity with the Lebanese Constitution and without any foreign interference and influence," he said in a press statement following a closed-door briefing by Terje Roed-Larsen, the Special Envoy for the Implementation of Security Council <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/res/1559(2004)">Resolution 1559, which was adopted in 2004.

Council members "reaffirmed the need for all parties to resolve all political issues on the basis of reconciliation and national dialogue," said the Council president, voicing support for the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in their efforts to facilitate and assist the implementation of the resolution.

The Council's deliberations were based on a recent report of the Secretary-General, who said security conditions and political stalemate are combining to create a "climate of ongoing crisis" in Lebanon and called for the holding of free and fair presidential elections next month without any foreign interference.

"There must not be a constitutional void at the level of the presidency, nor two rival governments," Mr. Ban warned in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2007/629">report on resolution 1559, adding that political dialogue must enable the election of a new president before the constitutional deadline of 24 November.

His Envoy, Mr. Roed-Larsen, told reporters after today's closed-door meeting that "it is the duty of everybody here to call for presidential elections within the defined time frame which expires on 24 November" consistent with Security Council resolutions, including 1559.

He emphasized the need for Member States to raise the issue with all relevant parties. "If there are no elections or if we indeed – worst case – end up with having in principle two presidents or maybe two governments, that would be not good news for Lebanon and not good news for the region," he warned.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO BOOST AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT

MIGIRO CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO BOOST AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT
New York, Nov 5 2007 3:00PM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today urged all countries to come together in support of development initiatives for Africa.

"What is needed most now is to translate the current consensus on meeting the special needs of Africa into concrete and actionable sets of measures which would help transform people's lives in the short and long term," she <" http://www.un.org/apps/dsg/dsgstats.asp?nid=61">said in an address to the 8th Regional Consultation Meeting of UN Agencies and Organizations working in Africa in support of the African Union and NEPAD, the New Partnership for Africa's Development, a strategic framework for the continent's renewal adopted in 2001.

Appealing for a "positive spirit of inter-agency collaboration and partnership in support of the African Union and NEPAD," she said all possible resources must be galvanized to support Africa's development.

"When our many assets are brought into an integrated and more effective whole, the United Nations can better support post-conflict reconstruction efforts as well as the efforts of African States to achieve durable peace, sustainable development and human rights for all their people," Ms. Migiro said.

She hailed the meeting's theme – "Post-conflict reconstruction: UN coordination efforts in Southern Sudan, Burundi and Sierra Leone" – pointing out that rebuilding is key to stability.

"To prevent a relapse into conflict, it is crucial that the affected populations experience a real 'peace dividend,' that people's living conditions be improved, that national capacities be strengthened at all levels," she said.

Many African States have made good progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (<" http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs), she said, while cautioning that the continent is not on track to reach the anti-poverty targets, which were adopted at a 2000 summit with a completion date of 2015.

"Achieving the Goals requires a strengthened global partnership. It demands shared responsibility, including on the part of the United Nations system," she said, calling for developed and developing countries alike to make good on their commitments.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES STATES TO ELIMINATE CHEMICAL AND UNEXPLODED WEAPONRY

BAN KI-MOON URGES STATES TO ELIMINATE CHEMICAL AND UNEXPLODED WEAPONRY
New York, Nov 5 2007 2:00PM
Underscoring the horrific impacts of both chemical and unexploded weaponry on civilians and future generations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged States to ratify and adhere to global treaties banning these arms.

Mr. Ban made his remarks in messages to two separate meetings: in The Hague on the Chemical Weapons Convention, and in Geneva on the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons' Protocol V, covering Explosive Remnants of War.

A decade has passed since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force, and "today, it stands as a monument to the world's determination to eliminate one of the most inhumane weapons ever conceived," he said in a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2836">message delivered by Sergio Duarte, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

The Convention has 182 parties – almost universal membership and representing 98 per cent of the global population – but several key countries are not a part of the <"http://untreaty.un.org/ENGLISH/bible/englishinternetbible/partI/chapterXXVI/treaty8.asp">pact, he pointed out.

"Their adherence to the Convention is critical to the success of this multilateral disarmament treaty," Mr. Ban noted.

He lauded Albania for its "landmark achievement" in its destruction of its entire stockpile of chemical weapons in July this year, and called on all States in possession of them to destroy them within already-established deadlines.

Regarding the agreement on explosive remnants of war – munitions that have not functioned as intended or have been abandoned – the Secretary-General stressed that these weapons "continue to endanger lives long after hostilities have ended, and hinder the socio-economic reconstruction of societies struggling to emerge from the ravages of war."

To date, 35 States have acceded to Protocol V, which went into force in November 2006.

The existence of these munitions is "of no military benefit," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2837">message delivered by Timothy Caughley, Deputy Secretary-General for the Conference on Disarmament. "It is in the interests of all to ensure that their pernicious hazards to people and the environment are minimized and, where possible, eliminated."

The Secretary-General appealed to those countries which have not ratified and implemented the Protocol to do so immediately and, pending their adherence to the agreement, to apply its provisions voluntarily.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CRUCIAL ALLY IN ADVANCING UN'S GOALS - BAN KI-MOON

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CRUCIAL ALLY IN ADVANCING UN'S GOALS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 5 2007 12:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has hailed members of Rotary International as allies in advancing the work of the United Nations through their global efforts in support of initiatives for health, literacy and poverty eradication.

"You have helped people understand what the UN is, what it does, and what it can do," Mr. Ban told those gathered for the Rotary International Day programme held at UN Headquarters in New York on 3 November. "Ever since the United Nations was founded, you have been a wonderful partner to our organization."

In a message delivered by Deputy Chef de Cabinet Kim Won-soo, the Secretary-General noted that Rotarians have been the UN's "chief ally" in the mission to eradicate polio worldwide, helping to immunize almost two billion children around the world against the highly infectious, often paralyzing and sometimes fatal disease.

Rotary International has also worked with the UN to spread literacy and eradicate poverty, as well as sought to spread peace through its exchange programmes.

In those and other ways, Mr. Ban said Rotarians have advanced the work to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the set of ambitious targets the world has set itself for slashing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and other social ills by 2015.

He added that in his own native Republic of Korea, the Secretary-General has seen the remarkable work Rotary International has done in supporting the country for the past 80 years.
2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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MISSING CREW MEMBER FROM UN LIBERIA COPTER CRASH CONFIRMED DEAD

MISSING CREW MEMBER FROM UN LIBERIA COPTER CRASH CONFIRMED DEAD
New York, Nov 5 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) today confirmed that Friday's crash of a UN helicopter which took the lives of two crew members also killed the third person on board, who had been listed as missing.

The cargo helicopter which went down near Ganta, Nimba County, in northeastern Liberia killed the Pilot in Command, Vitali Drozdov (42); Co-Pilot Sergey Kolosov (53); and Flight Engineer Nikolai Zhorikov (58). All three were nationals of the Russian Federation.

"The United Nations recognizes and appreciates the valuable contribution made to the work of UNMIL by these three men, who have made the ultimate sacrifice," the mission said in a statement.

Meanwhile, an extensive investigation has been launched in an effort to determine the causes of the crash.

2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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UN PUBLISHES MANUAL TO HELP STATES COMPILE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STATISTICS

UN PUBLISHES MANUAL TO HELP STATES COMPILE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STATISTICS
New York, Nov 5 2007 8:00AM
A Geneva-based United Nations agency today announced the publication of a new manual offering technical assistance for compiling statistics on information and communications technology (ICT).

The Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy should serve as a reference for national statistical offices and other producers of official statistics on business use of ICT, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a news release.

Providing a guide to data collection and analysis, international standards and definitions, the publication also offers model questions for surveys on ICT use, and reviews issues related to compiling ICT statistics.

Paul Cheung, Director of the UN Statistical Division, notes in the Manual's preface that information on access to, use, and impact of ICT "is particularly important for the developing countries, many of which are just starting their statistical work on the information society."

He said that internationally, comparable ICT indicators are critical to "for monitoring the global digital divide."

2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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PAKISTAN: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL VOICES ALARM AT IMPOSITION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY

PAKISTAN: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL VOICES ALARM AT IMPOSITION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY
New York, Nov 5 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today voiced alarm at the suspension of fundamental rights and imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan and called on the country's authorities to clarify the status of the detained and ensure that no one is held for their political beliefs.

In a statement, Louise Arbour expressed concern about reports that leading judges, lawyers and political and human rights activists have been detained or placed under house arrest, including UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, Asma Jahangir.

She called on the Pakistani authorities to clarify the status of those detained and ensure that no one is detained for the peaceful exercise of their political beliefs.

"A state of emergency should only be used to deal with a dire security threat to the nation, not to undermine the integrity and independence of the judiciary," the High Commissioner said.

The prohibition on arbitrary detention, torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, cannot be suspended even in times of emergency, she said. Such far-reaching restrictions of rights must be proportional and may only be applied to the extent and for the time strictly required by the situation, she noted.

2007-11-05 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY BEGINS DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR MYANMAR OFFICIALS

UN ENVOY BEGINS DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR MYANMAR OFFICIALS
New York, Nov 4 2007 2:00PM
United Nations Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari has returned to Myanmar where he has begun talks with senior officials on speeding up the process of democratization and national reconciliation in the troubled South-East Asian nation.

Mr. Gambari met today with Foreign Minister U Nyan Win to discuss the Government of Myanmar's response, so far, to the expectations of the international community following the recent crisis, according to a press release issued by the UN in Yangon.

He also met with U Aung Kyi, Minister for Labour and Minister for Relations, who was recently appointed by Myanmar authorities as a liaison officer to start dialogue between the Government and the opposition.

The two has "extensive and detailed exchanges" on the Minister's discussions with pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on an agreed framework for meaningful dialogue, the press release stated.

Mr. Gambari "expects that these initial steps will lead to early initiation of dialogue aimed at accelerating inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy and the full respect for human rights."

Upon his arrival yesterday, Mr. Gambari met UN Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie, who briefed him on the UN Country Team's assessment of the situation in the country. They also discussed the letter from the Government stating that it does not want Mr. Petrie to continue his work in the country.

Mr. Gambari conveyed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's support for the Country Team and the Resident Coordinator -- the highest ranking UN official in the Myanmar -- and the important work they continue to do to improve the socio-economic and humanitarian situation.

The Special Advisor plans to address this and other issues pertaining to further cooperation and dialogue between the UN system and Myanmar in his discussions with the authorities.

During his visit, Mr. Gambari is scheduled to meet the Prime Minist
and other senior government officials, as well as Ms. Suu Kyi and other relevant interlocutors, according to UN officials. He will stay in Myanmar as long as necessary to accomplish his mission.

2007-11-04 00:00:00.000

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