SECRETARY-GENERAL REPORTS 'GRAVE VIOLATIONS' OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN MYANMAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL REPORTS 'GRAVE VIOLATIONS' OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN MYANMAR
New York, Nov 23 2007 5:00PM
Grave child rights violations, including recruitment into armed groups, continue in Myanmar, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report, calling on the Government to take measures to address the problem which is common to both State and non-State actors.

"Although there has been progress in terms of dialogue with the Government of Myanmar and two non-State actors, the report notes that State and non-State actors continue to be implicated in grave child rights violations," Mr. Ban writes in a summary of his report to the Security Council.

He notes progress in a number of areas, including the commitment by the Government that no child under the age of 18 will be recruited and the signing by two non-State actors – the Karen National Union and the Karenni National Progressive Party – of Deeds of Commitment to cease the recruitment and use of children.

The report documents "patterns of underage recruitment" by the Government, including those involving "poor and unaccompanied street children who are vulnerable to promises of food and shelter." Other children picked up by the police for not having a national identification card are offered the "choice" of either being arrested or going into the army.

"Also of grave concern are the reliable reports of a number of incarcerated children/minors who have been convicted of desertion and sentenced to prison terms of up to five years," Mr. Ban writes, noting that international practice and principles stipulate that children who have been unlawfully recruited or used by armed forces should not be treated as deserters.

Other actors cited in the report in connection with the recruitment of children include the United Wa State Army; the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation National Progressive Party/Karenni Army; Kachin Independence Organization/Kachin Independence Army; Karenni National People's Liberation Front; Democratic Karen Buddhist Army; Shan State Army-South and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army; and the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council.

The UN has received "credible but unverified reports of rape perpetrated by Government forces and armed groups, which the country task force on monitoring and reporting is not in a position to confirm owing to limited access to conflict-affected areas."

The Secretary-General recommends that the Government of Myanmar to take into account its responsibilities to ensure that all armed groups with which it shares a ceasefire accord are made accessible to monitoring.

He urges the Government to continue taking disciplinary action against those responsible for aiding and abetting the recruitment of children, and to systematize and institutionalize this disciplinary process.

The Government of Myanmar is encouraged to accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and to adjust national legislation accordingly.

Mr. Ban also recommends that the Myanmar Government allow international and humanitarian organizations access for delivery of humanitarian services, and to accept the proposal of the UN refugee agency's Assistant High Commissioner for Operations for an inter-agency humanitarian needs assessment in the country.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES CALM AFTER LEBANON POSTPONES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AGAIN

BAN KI-MOON URGES CALM AFTER LEBANON POSTPONES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AGAIN
New York, Nov 23 2007 5:00PM
Reacting to the fifth postponement of the Lebanese presidential election beyond the term of the current incumbent, Emile Lahoud, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all parties to maintain calm and further intensify efforts to reach a compromise as soon as possible.

"The Secretary-General urges all parties to live up to their responsibilities and to act within the constitutional framework as well as in a peaceful and democratic manner," a spokesperson for Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11298.doc.htm">statement released in New York voicing regret at the postponement of the election, which was to have been held tomorrow.

"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the fragility of the situation in Lebanon and is following events very carefully."

Mr. Ban and his Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Geir O. Pedersen, are in close touch with key players in the country, the region and beyond, according to the statement.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN RELEASES ANOTHER $6 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR CYCLONE-HIT BANGLADESH

UN RELEASES ANOTHER $6 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR CYCLONE-HIT BANGLADESH
New York, Nov 23 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations today announced that it would disburse an additional $6 million to support relief efforts for hundreds of thousands of cyclone survivors in Bangladesh, as UN agencies continued rushing aid to the affected population.

The new disbursement comes atop $9 million already granted by the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=7480">CERF) after the disaster hit on 15 November, said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA).

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41907.html">UNICEF), meanwhile, today reported that a recent mission to the hardest-hit areas in Bangladesh showed that damage was worse than expected.

"The cyclone has predisposed thousands of children and women to the increased risk of illness and death due to malnutrition," said Dr. Iyorlumun Uhaa, Chief of Health and Nutrition for UNICEF Bangladesh. "Of the estimated 5 million people affected, half are children and one eighth or 600,000 are under the age of five. The cold weather and vulnerability to cold, hunger, trauma, diarrhoea and other communicable diseases will increase many times over unless urgent life-saving assistance is provided to children and women immediately."

The agency is procuring 100,000 blankets, 60,000 articles of children's clothes, 60,000 family kits, and 60,000 plastic sheets for use in cyclone-stricken areas, and has moved two mobile water treatment plants to hard-hit districts.

UNICEF is also working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to identify separated, unaccompanied and distressed children who are being registered with the local government authorities.

"Separated and unaccompanied children are living without care, security and support facilities," said Aissa Sow, UNICEF Child Protection Officer. These children are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In other cases, it is hard for the affected families that lost everything to adequately care for children."

The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2699">WFP) is continuing to distribute food, including high-energy biscuits, by helicopters, boats and trucks. A second distribution to 465,000 survivors has taken place, and WFP will now start distributing 750 tons of rice to more than 2 million people.

"WFP is working very closely with the Bangladesh Air Force to ensure ready-to-eat foods get to those people who need our help the most," said Douglas Broderick, WFP Country Representative.

"In addition to high energy biscuits which continue to be air-delivered by Air Force helicopters, today we have begun the road and boat transport of 750 tons of rice for the five worst-affected districts."

Following the present and continuing distribution of dry, ready-to-eat foods to hundreds of thousands of Cyclone victims, WFP will provide longer term monthly food rations including rice, lentils and oil to more than 2.3 million persons in the nine worst affected districts in Southern and coastal Bangladesh.

"From the biscuits to the rice to more balanced food rations for entire families, we are working urgently to provide the critical food assistance needed by the most vulnerable people living in the Cyclone-hit areas," said Mr. Broderick.

The World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) is helping to prepare a needs assessment of emergency drugs that would be required for the next six months, while the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org">FAO) has established an emergency coordination and rehabilitation unit in Bangladesh, where agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors in the southern part of the country have suffered enormous losses.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN, AFRICAN MEDIATORS CONTINUE PRESSING FOR PROGRESS IN DARFUR PEACE PROCESS

UN, AFRICAN MEDIATORS CONTINUE PRESSING FOR PROGRESS IN DARFUR PEACE PROCESS
New York, Nov 23 2007 3:00PM
Mediators from the African Union and the United Nations aiming to advance the Darfur peace process have wrapped up a two-day visit to North Darfur after holding a meeting with the Sudan Liberation Army-Unity leadership there.

The AU's Sam Ibok and the UN's Tayé-Brook Zerihoun briefed the leadership about the Sirte peace process, which began last month in the Libyan city.

Commending the SLA-Unity for their unification efforts, the mediators encouraged the Movement to engage in the peace process, according to a UN spokesperson.

Mr. Zerihoun said the objective of the Sirte Talks is to stop the killings in Darfur, and to help allow the people organize their lives and live in peace. "To obtain peace, you have to negotiate," he told them.

The Chief Mediators also said that they were encouraged by the efforts that the Movements are making to unite, because any form of unification will make the mediators' tasks easier, according to the spokesperson.

The UN Special Envoy for Darfur, Jan Eliasson, is scheduled to be in New York next week to brief the Security Council and for internal consultations.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY WARNS THAT VIRAL DISEASE COULD SPREAD IN SUDAN

UN AGENCY WARNS THAT VIRAL DISEASE COULD SPREAD IN SUDAN
New York, Nov 23 2007 3:00PM
Rift Valley Fever, a viral disease affecting people and animals, could spread in Sudan amid preparations for the Eid Al Idha Muslim holiday, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warned today.

The disease, transmitted by mosquito bites, could escalate as millions of animals are moved around the country as part of traditions to mark the holiday.

More than 160 people have died so far of the disease, mainly in White Nile, Sennar and Gazeera states, according to the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO).

The complex situation of the disease in livestock needs urgent monitoring, <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000714/index.html">FAO said. The agency has offered to send a team of animal health experts to the Sudan for in-depth field investigations.

"We are ready to assist the veterinary authorities in developing a comprehensive monitoring and control programme," said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech. "FAO could also assist in improving border quarantine and laboratory facilities for monitoring livestock exports."

In response to recent Rift Valley Fever outbreaks, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have banned livestock imports from Sudan.

People become infected through mosquito bites or direct contact with infected meat and blood during the time of slaughter, or other biological material and body fluids. Uncooked milk of infected animals may also pose a risk, according to FAO.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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APPOINTMENT OF SOMALI PRIME MINISTER SHOULD SPUR RECONCILIATION - BAN KI-MOON

APPOINTMENT OF SOMALI PRIME MINISTER SHOULD SPUR RECONCILIATION – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
The appointment of a Colonel Nur Hassan Hussein as Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia should spur efforts to promote reconciliation in the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

In a <"http://secint12/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2878">statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban applauded the concerted efforts of members of the Transitional Federal Institutions that led to appointment and voiced hope that it would "increase the momentum among Somalis to unite their efforts and complete the implementation of the key tasks of the Transitional Federal Charter."

"This will be an important step towards making reconciliation and reconstruction a reality," the spokesperson said. Somalia, which has lacked a functioning government since 1991, has been wracked by violence in recent months which has displaced a total of 1 million people.

Mr. Ban welcomed Mr. Nur Hussein's background and experience in humanitarian operations in Somalia and "thus his unique understanding of the challenges confronting his country."

He pledged the UN's continued assistance in promoting "an inclusive political process and reconciliation in Somalia."

Approved by a 2004 National Reconciliation Conference, the Transitional Federal Charter envisages an all-inclusive political process in Somalia producing broad-based and representative institutions and calls for the drafting of a new constitution to be adopted by popular referendum.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN AND PARTNERS URGE STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO FOSTER RECONCILIATION IN SIERRA LEONE

UN AND PARTNERS URGE STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO FOSTER RECONCILIATION IN SIERRA LEONE
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations and Sierra Leone's Human Rights Commission have teamed up with civil society groups to urge the country's Government and the international community to intensify efforts to carry out recommendations made by a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In a communiqué issued following a two-day consultation held in Freetown earlier this week, participants also called for the formulation of a comprehensive strategy with clear allocation of responsibilities to achieve this – and pointed out that the full support of donor countries is required for it to succeed.

The UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (<"http://www.uniosil.org/">UNIOSIL) said participants in the consultations encouraged civil society groups to raise public awareness about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's recommendations which "are critical for peace consolidation in Sierra Leone."

In 2004, the seven-member Commission made a number of recommendations to deal with past abuses and violations and foster reconciliation in Sierra Leone, which is consolidating peace following a brutal, 11-year conflict.

They included the payment of reparations by the Government to amputees and other wounded victims, those who were sexually violated, and the widows and children who suffered deprivation, displacement, or worse between 1991 and 2002.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN'S TOP ENVOY TO CÔTE D'IVOIRE DISCUSSES PEACE PROCESS WITH PRESIDENT

UN'S TOP ENVOY TO CÔTE D'IVOIRE DISCUSSES PEACE PROCESS WITH PRESIDENT
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
The new United Nations envoy to Côte d'Ivoire and the country's president have held their first talks on the peace process healing the divide between rebel-held north and government-controlled south.

"We discussed the peace process and the elections," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Y.J. Choi, following his meeting with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo at the Presidential Palace on Thursday.

Elections are planned for 2008 in Côte d'Ivoire under a peace accord signed by leaders of the Government and rebel Forces Nouvelles in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Mr. Choi, who arrived in Côte d'Ivoire earlier this week, later discussed the same issues with the President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire, Henri Konan Bédié, at the latter's residence, according to the UN Mission in the country (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI).

In another development, UNOCI's Abidjan-based Jordanian battalion recently organized a medical day in Marcory town hall, where five doctors, a dentist and six nurses provided health care to more than 500 patients, about 300 of whom received free medication to the value of several million CFA francs.

Speaking at the 20 November event, Jordanian Contingent Commander Colonel Mohammad Mahasneh explained that the humanitarian operation was within the framework of the "directives of the Jordanian command and the support of UNOCI, which encourages actions aimed at alleviating the suffering of the neediest populations."
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY CAUTIOUS ABOUT RETURNS TO IRAQ

UN REFUGEE AGENCY CAUTIOUS ABOUT RETURNS TO IRAQ
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
Responding to recent public reports about refugees returning to Iraq in limited numbers, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today cautioned against an organized effort to send civilians back to the war-ravaged country.

"We welcome improvements to the security conditions and stand ready to assist people who have decided or will decide to return voluntarily. However, UNHCR does not believe that the time has come to promote, organize or encourage returns," agency spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis <" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4746da102.html">told a press briefing in Geneva.

"That would be possible only when proper return conditions are in place – including material and legal support and physical safety," she said, pointing out that there is currently "no sign of any large-scale return to Iraq as the security situation in many parts of the country remains volatile and unpredictable."

UNHCR staff in Syria who surveyed over 100 Iraqi families said most of the refugees report that they are returning because they are running out of money and/or resources, face difficult living conditions, or because their visas have expired.

Recent visa restrictions are preventing a number of Iraqis from shuttling back and forth between Iraq and Syria to get additional resources, make money or collect food distributions or pensions.

The incentives offered by the Iraqi government of some $700-$800 to return home, as well as free bus and plane rides, have also played a role in returns, according to the UNHCR survey, which noted that Iraqi refugees are discussing return for the first time in years.

Returnees in Baghdad, interviewed by the agency's staff, cited economic difficulties caused by their long displacement as a major reason for going home. "Many had run out of or nearly depleted their savings. Some returned as it was the last chance to get their children back into Iraqi schools before the end of the first term," said Ms. Pagonis.

"Some were indeed encouraged by the reports regarding improvement of security, but many expressed concern about longer-term security, citing the fact that militias are still around and many areas remain insecure," she added. "People have mainly been returning to areas where they feel that local security forces are working properly and are maintaining control."

Although the agency cannot monitor borders full-time, it has noted more returns to Iraq than arrivals in Syria, with a fluctuating average of 1,500 departures to Iraq and 500 arrivals in Syria per day.

Inside Iraq, the number of internally displaced people (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) increased slightly over the last few months, Ms. Pagonis said, citing figures received by UNHCR from its partners estimating that over 2.4 million Iraqis are displaced inside Iraq.

"Reasons for the increase include better registration of the displaced, but also recent visa restrictions in Syria, which meant more people moved inside Iraq rather than seeking refuge outside," Ms. Pagonis said.

Some displaced people are returning home, in part because of financial incentives.
Displaced Iraqis say access to shelter, food, work, water/sanitation and legal aid remain the most common needs.

According to government estimates, some 2.2 million Iraqis live outside Iraq - with some 500,000 to 700.000 in Jordan and up to 1.5 million in Syria.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY URGES KENYA TO GRANT ACCESS TO DETAINED SOMALIS

UN REFUGEE AGENCY URGES KENYA TO GRANT ACCESS TO DETAINED SOMALIS
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4746dba82.html">UNHCR) is urging the Kenyan authorities to grant the agency access to over two dozen Somalis being detained in Nairobi after a group nearly that size were forcibly returned to war-torn Mogadishu.

Spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis today in Geneva voiced concern about the fate of at least 26 Somalis being held at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport from among at least 49 Somalis, mainly women and children, who reportedly flew from Mogadishu to Nairobi and then on to Kampala, Uganda, but were returned to Kenya.

The remaining 23 were "forcibly returned to Mogadishu on Tuesday without being given the opportunity to request asylum as provided for under international and Kenyan laws," she said.

Ms. Pagonis pointed out that Kenya's own laws require the Government to refrain from forcibly returning people to a place where their lives are in danger – and grant the right to present their claim for asylum.

UNHCR had repeatedly requested access to the initial group of 49 but still has not received it.

All of the Somalis of the group expressed fear of persecution were they to be returned to Somalia, according to reliable sources, the agency said.

"We are now extremely concerned that the remaining group of 26 Somali nationals at the airport will be returned to the Mogadishu area, where continuing unrest and fighting would put them at extreme risk," Ms. Pagonis said.

"We are urging the Government of Kenya to grant UNHCR teams access to the Somalis at the airport in order to determine their international protection needs and to halt their possible forced return to Mogadishu."
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY INCIDENTS DRIVE MORE SRI LANKANS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES - UN AGENCY

SECURITY INCIDENTS DRIVE MORE SRI LANKANS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES – UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 23 2007 1:00PM
Security incidents in eastern Sri Lanka are driving recently returned displaced people to flee their homes once again, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) <" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4746daed2.html">said today, calling on the Government to take measures in response.

"We are seriously concerned about the deteriorating security situation and various incidents reported from return areas in eastern Sri Lanka," Jennifer Pagonis told a press briefing in Geneva.

"We urge the Government to strengthen the return process and build confidence among the returnees. We warn against any further moves towards premature return until these issues are resolved."

The agency estimates that some 250 displaced people, who returned to their villages of origin in the Trincomalee district a few weeks ago after fleeing escalating violence in 2006, fled their homes again this week back to welfare centres in Batticaloa district after "serious security incidents" in their villages.

Ms. Pagonis cited reports of "a number of killings, abductions, incidents of harassment and general insecurity in these areas" which have prompted those who have fled to decide against any return to their villages of origin. "They said their homes have been looted and damaged, and they now have nothing to return to."

The agency also drew attention to incidents of involuntary returns to Chenkalady in Batticaloa West, where the authorities reportedly told internally displaced people (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) who were unwilling to return that their assistance would be withdrawn if they opted to stay behind.

"We reiterate our call to the Government to ensure that the returns are voluntary, safe and in line with international standards," said Ms. Pagonis.

Emphasizing that UNHCR should be fully engaged in the process, she urged the Government to work with experts in this field to ensure the rights of IDPs, as stated in international humanitarian law, are safeguarded at all times.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN TRAINS CONGOLESE TRAFFIC POLICE IN ITURI

UN TRAINS CONGOLESE TRAFFIC POLICE IN ITURI
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00PM
Aiming to reduce traffic accidents and foster respect for the rules of the road, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (<"http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsID=16120">MONUC) has completed training of nearly 50 police officers in Ituri province.

The group of 49, including four women, earned certificates after completing a training programme in road traffic policing which covered human rights, ethics, gender, child welfare and key legislation.

The training, held from 30 October to 22 November, was organized by the MONUC Ituri senior police officers and their colleagues in Kinshasa, with support from the mission's Human Rights Division and the local Red Cross.

"More work needs to be accomplished with our local partners," said Ndzie Ngoumou, head of MONUC police. "It is important that they understand the need for good co-operation with police officers by the installation of traffic lights and traffic control measures on the principal crossroads."

Over 100 Congolese police have also recently received training in law and order and professional intervention techniques, according to MONUC.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY REGISTERS REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS IN MALAWI

UN REFUGEE AGENCY REGISTERS REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS IN MALAWI
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency is working with the Government of Malawi on a registration exercise aimed at improving the protection, management and assistance to refugees and asylum seekers in the country.

"This registration is a vital part of helping refugees," said Matewos Beraki, acting head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4745bbc74.html">UNHCR) office in Malawi. "It will provide us not just with numbers but with the details about the people in the camp that would help us to find permanent solutions to their situation."

The joint exercise covers the Dzaleka camp, where almost all of the country's thousands of refugees and asylum seekers live, said UNHCR, which is planning a subsequent registration of refugees who are allowed by the authorities to live in the nearby capital, Lilongwe, and elsewhere in Malawi.

"We are realizing during this registration that the existing data were poor – often incomplete and inaccurate," said Andrew Hopkins, UNHCR registration officer for southern Africa, who directed the exercise. "The questions we are asking now should lead to profiling that allows us to understand each individual better and lead to solutions."

Individuals needing special protection, such as unaccompanied children who had been staying with other families, have been identified. There have also been divorces, marriages and births that had gone unrecorded since the last time the data was checked in 2004.

The household profiling information being entered into the UNHCR database this time includes job skills, education, languages spoken and many details of local connections like work permits, marriage and bank accounts.

The agency said this could strengthen a case for local integration – an option currently unavailable for refugees in Malawi.

UNHCR is conducting similar registrations across southern Africa.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES DECISION BY TOURISM MEETING TO FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES DECISION BY TOURISM MEETING TO FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00PM
As preparations build for next month's landmark conference on climate change in Bali, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the decision by the World Tourism Organization's General Assembly to focus on the issue.

In a video <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2877">message to the Assembly's meeting in Cartagena, Mr. Ban pointed out that tourism is becoming increasingly important to the world economy and global community. "It is more and more connected with issues at the top of the United Nations agenda, from terrorism and conflict to natural disasters, epidemics, poverty and climate change."

He commended the Assembly for the themes it has chosen to discuss during its session, including adapting to the impact of climate change, and limiting tourism's own contribution to greenhouse-gas emissions. "I particularly welcome this focus as we prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali next month."

Delegates at the Bali <"http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_13/items/4049.php">conference are expected to negotiate a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding pact limiting greenhouse gas emissions which is set to expire in 2012.

Mr. Ban also welcomed the Assembly's decision to discuss risk prevention and crisis management, including preparing for the possibility of a flu pandemic, and sustainable tourism as a tool for reaching the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) – a set of eight antipoverty targets adopted by a 2000 UN summit.
2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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INDONESIA: UN EXPERT HAILS PROGRESS IN COMBATING TORTURE, URGES FURTHER MEASURES

INDONESIA: UN EXPERT HAILS PROGRESS IN COMBATING TORTURE, URGES FURTHER MEASURES
New York, Nov 23 2007 9:00AM
Indonesia has made progress in addressing torture but the practice persists and must be criminalized, an independent United Nations expert just back from the country said today.

The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, was able to hold meetings in Jakarta and visit correctional institutions, pre-trial detention houses, police and military detention facilities as well as social rehabilitation centres during his visit from 10 to 25 November.

In a statement issued in Geneva, he voiced appreciation to the Government for having invited him but said in a number of instances, his unimpeded access to places of detention was compromised, including his ability to carry out private interviews with detainees.

Despite this, he was able to reach the broad conclusion "that given the lack of legal and institutional safeguards and the prevailing structural impunity, persons deprived of their liberty are extremely vulnerable to torture and ill-treatment."

The Government said that the process of including the crime of torture in Indonesia's Penal Code is under way, but Mr. Nowak voiced regret that this has not yet been done "in spite of many recommendations to this effect by both national and international observers."

He stressed that torture must be criminalized with several years of imprisonment without further delay, "as a concrete demonstration of Indonesia's commitment to combat this problem."

Pointing out that "bringing perpetrators to justice is the strongest signal that torture and ill-treatment is absolutely unacceptable," the Special Rapporteur said Government officials "could not cite one instance in which a public official was sentenced by a criminal court for committing torture or ill-treatment."

Legal safeguards for detainees, in particular at the pre-trial stage, "are virtually non-existent, in violation of applicable internation
norms and standards to which Indonesia has subscribed," he said, voicing particular concern about the prolonged period of police custody allowed under the law -- at times up to several months and during which many detainees have no or very restricted access to courts.

Only very few detainees appear to have access to a defense lawyer, he said, noting that in this context, "given the lack of legal safeguards and doubts as to how confessions might have been obtained in a number of these instances," use of the death penalty is inappropriate.

He also noted that the secrecy with which executions are handled violates international human rights standards.

Mr. Nowak, who serves in an unpaid, personal capacity, said he was not informed of any effective mechanism for determining the legality of detention or for evaluating a complaint about ill-treatment or torture. "On the contrary, several interlocutors from the penitentiary system, the Attorney General's office and also medical doctors indicated to the Special Rapporteur that if persons with marks of torture or ill-treatment are transferred to their authority, they normally hand them back to the police, apparently in order to avoid any additional administrative troubles."

The Special Rapporteur commended the National Human Rights Action Plan, which foresees the ratification in 2008 of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture, which requires the establishment of an independent body to regularly monitor places of detention, with the authority to conduct unannounced visits.

The expert said detainees are more vulnerable to abuse while in police custody than in prison. "The problem of police abuse appears to be sufficiently widespread as to warrant immediate attention by the Government," he added, citing reports, corroborated by expert medical analysis, of beatings by fists, rattan or wooden sticks, cable, iron bars and hammers.

In some cases, police officers had shot detainees in their legs from close range, or electrocuted them, according to the st
detainees alleged to have had heavy implements placed on their feet. "In most instances, it appears that the purpose of this violence was to extract confessions," Mr. Nowak observes.

The statement does note that he received only a limited number of allegations of ill-treatment and corporal punishment in both pre-trial detention houses and prisons, but cautions that there were allegations and evidence of several cases of beatings by guards.

Many of the prisons were very spacious, clean and well-maintained, and below maximum capacity. The Special Rapporteur welcomed the relative openness of detention places, most of which allow several visits per week by relatives and friends. He also commended the system for treating youth (persons between 18 and 21) as a separate category and holding them apart from adults when possible.

"Another best practice is the fact that pregnant women are often temporarily released from custody to be able to deliver their baby, and that women in police custody as well as in prisons can live together with their babies and are allowed to maintain very close contact with their older children," he said.

At the same time, the Special Rapporteur said he is "extremely concerned that criminal responsibility in Indonesia starts at the age of eight and that therefore small children are put in detention facilities and prisons, very often mixed with much older children and adults." Minors and children are at greater risk of corporal punishment and ill-treatment in detention.

While recognizing that positive steps taken by Indonesia to address problems, the expert recommended a series of steps, including official public condemnation of torture and ill-treatment and its criminalization. He also called for measures against impunity and the introduction of confidential complaints mechanisms. The Government, he said, should raise the age of criminal responsibility in accordance with international standards and abolish the death penalty.

The Special Rapporteur will submit a comprehensive report
to the UN Human Rights Council.

2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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UN URGES COMMUNIST PARTY OF NEPAL-MAOIST TO COOPERATE ON MINORS

UN URGES COMMUNIST PARTY OF NEPAL-MAOIST TO COOPERATE ON MINORS
New York, Nov 23 2007 9:00AM
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal has voiced concern at growing reports that the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) and associated organizations have coerced or forced persons who were under 18 years old at the time of their recruitment to return to cantonment sites of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) after they had voluntarily left.

"Forcing or pressuring young people under 18 to return to cantonment sites violates the rights of children, as well as the commitment made by the CPN-M, and the Government of Nepal, in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to immediately release minors who had been associated with a fighting force, and to provide 'necessary and proper cooperation' for their rehabilitation and reintegration," the Office said in a statement.

In one of the cases documented by OHCHR-Nepal, two minors who left a cantonment site in Chitwan in May and returned to their homes in Makwanpur District were pursued by CPN-M cadres in order to force them to return, according to the statement.

The UN and local non-governmental organizations intervened, and "the girls were not returned to the cantonment" but on 19 November, CPN-M cadres returned to the girls' home and abducted one of them, while the other escaped.

Police officers were unable or unwilling to prevent her abduction when informed by CPN-M cadres that she would be taken to the cantonment site in Chitwan for the verification process, which is due to start within one week.

In other cases reported to OHCHR-Nepal, pressure on minors to return to cantonments has also coincided with verification exercises.

The Office also voiced concern that CPN-M cadres have threatened human rights defenders and others working to reintegrate into society minors formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups.

The Nepal Police have displayed "an unwillingness to compel the CPN-M to respect the law, despite OHCHR's interventio
district and regional levels."

The CPN-M must abide by its peace agreement commitments, respect the rights of minors who have voluntarily started the reintegration process and not force them to return to cantonments, said the Office's Nepal Representative, Richard Bennett.

"The CPN-M must also speed up the process of formally releasing all minors still inside the cantonments so they can return to their families and civilian life," he added. "It is also essential that the Nepal Police fulfil its obligation to protect minors who have voluntarily started the process of reintegrating into society, and to ensure security for organizations and persons working to assist the reintegration of these minors."

2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN REFUGEE AGENCY OPENS NEW OFFICE IN NORTH KIVU AMID FIGHTING

DR CONGO: UN REFUGEE AGENCY OPENS NEW OFFICE IN NORTH KIVU AMID FIGHTING
New York, Nov 23 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency has opened a new field office to help displaced Congolese in the volatile province of North Kivu amid a fresh outbreak of fighting in the area.

The clashes close to the centre of Rutshuru town forced thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety and hampered plans by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to launch new camp management and coordination operations in the area.

The new office will oversee assistance and protection operations for the estimated 45,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Rutshuru area, the agency said. About half of them live in five camps while the rest stay in community buildings or with family and friends.

"It has been difficult to operate from Goma and provide regular assistance and protection to the IDPs in Rutshuru," Masako Yonekawa, head of the UNHCR office in the provincial capital Goma, which is located some 70 kilometres to the south of Rutshuru.

The agency warned that fighting Wednesday would delay the launch of a UNHCR operation to move some 2,000 displaced people from several schools and a local stadium to the a new site.

This group fled their villages in October to escape fighting between government forces and renegade troops. Many sleep in classrooms, which they must vacate in the morning when pupils arrive for their lessons. The planned transfer aims to "relieve IDPs from the stress of having to move out of their temporary shelters on a daily basis and normalize community life," the UNHCR official said.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province in recent weeks. Many of the IDPs are living in precarious conditions without regular humanitarian assistance, including food, health care, clothing, potable water and shelter materials such as plastic sheeting and blankets.

Recent UNHCR assessment missions to Rutshuru have
the proximity of IDP sites to military bases, which they say could expose females to the risk of sexual abuse.

Germaine Bationo, head of UNHCR's emergency team in North Kivu, said there were other obstacles to aid and protection operations, noting that some of the IDP sites are in rebel-controlled areas. "This will seriously restrict our movements and will require the use of military escorts from the UN peacekeeping mission," which is known as MONUC.

The build-up of military forces and repeated clashes in North Kivu since December 2006 have led to the worst internal displacement in the area since the end of the civil war in 2003, according to UNHCR. Some 375,000 Congolese have been forced to leave their homes in the province since last December, including more than 160,000 in the last two months alone. There are some 800,000 IDPs in the province.

The agency is urging all parties to refrain from attacks on internally displaced people and civilians, and to find a negotiated solution for the prolonged violence that continues to plague North Kivu and its population.

2007-11-23 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: UN BACKS CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL SOCIETY

IRAQ: UN BACKS CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL SOCIETY
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00AM
Human rights and civil society in Iraq took centre stage at a conference attended by representatives from the country's Government, Iraqi civil society, dignitaries from Jordan, the European Commission and the United Nations, held in Amman.

Hosted by the EC and the UN Office for Project Services, the event capped an initiative aimed at promoting a culture of human rights in Iraq by strengthening Iraqi civil society organizations.

"Achievements of the project were presented and highlighted the successful and courageous work of Iraqi human rights defenders," the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) said in a news release.

"The crucial role played by Iraqi civil society in establishing an effective human rights system in Iraq, and the relationship of civil society organizations with the Iraqi Government were debated, and the conference recognized the need for the international community to continue its support, both financially and technically to build on these achievements."

The project focused on the rehabilitation of torture victims, the protection of detainees' rights and boosting the ability of civil society organizations to promote human rights education in Iraq, according to UNAMI.

2007-11-22 00:00:00.000

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UN AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND SUPPORTS MICROFINANCE IN PAKISTAN

UN AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND SUPPORTS MICROFINANCE IN PAKISTAN
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00AM
The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has announced that it will provide a $35 million loan to a new $46 million programme making microfinance services available to about 160,000 new clients -- at least half of them women.

"It is a pivotal time for microfinance in Pakistan," says Nigel Brett, IFAD's country programme manager for Pakistan. "Future growth in this sector will depend partly on microfinance institutions and commercial banks forging successful financing partnerships. This programme will work to build such partnerships."

The IFAD-supported programme will work with small farmers, livestock owners, traders and microentrepreneurs; women and households headed solely by women; and vulnerable rural households living below the poverty line.

In another development, IFAD announced an over $14 million project to boost the market value of Bolivia's millions of llamas, alpacas and undomesticated vicuñas in products like meat, hides and wool-based handicrafts, as well as eco-tourism. The agency will contribute a loan of $7.2 million for the initiative.

"The project will give poor rural people better access to financial services and provide them with technical assistance, knowledge and information, so that they can start small businesses," said Roberto Haudry de Soucy, IFAD's country programme manager for Bolivia.

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America. Although GDP per capita grew during the 1990s, it was insufficient to reduce poverty, inequality and social exclusion, IFAD said. Poverty in rural areas is almost double the rate it is in capital cities, and extreme poverty is nearly triple.

2007-11-22 00:00:00.000

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SEOUL GIVES OVER $4 MILLION TO FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT BETWEEN TWO KOREAS

SEOUL GIVES OVER $4 MILLION TO FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT BETWEEN TWO KOREAS
New York, Nov 23 2007 12:00AM
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Republic of Korea today agreed to set up a Trust Fund that addresses key environmental issues in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Seoul will contribute $4.4 million for the project, which UNEP said was the first venture of its kind on the environment between the two Koreas aiming to tackle forest depletion, declining water quality, air pollution, land degradation and biodiversity in the DPRK.

It will also support eco-housing initiatives as well as conservation and management of the Taedong watershed, environmental education, integrated environmental monitoring system, clean development mechanism and renewable energy technology, UNEP said.

"This multilateral cooperation with UNEP is of great significance for both South and North Korea and a huge step forward in addressing pressing environmental issues in DPR Korea," said Lee Kyoo-Yong, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea.

"This agreement will build on the momentum that the DPRK has begun," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "It will also go a long way in strengthening the spirit of cooperation between the two countries."

2007-11-22 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: UN ENVOY HAILS NOMINATION OF NEW PRIME MINISTER

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY HAILS NOMINATION OF NEW PRIME MINISTER
New York, Nov 22 2007 11:00AM
Welcoming the nomination of Nur Hassan Hussein as the new Prime Minister of Somalia, the senior United Nations envoy to the country today voiced hope that this move would pave the way for unity.

In a statement, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah praised the concerted efforts of members of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) that led to the decision and said he was pleased that the process was carried out in a peaceful manner.

"I want to thank all those who contributed to this exercise being done peacefully," Mr. Ould-Abdallah said. "I hope that this appointment will prepare the ground for a united approach."

The new Prime Minister was nominated by President Abdullahi Yusuf.
2007-11-22 00:00:00.000

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STATES MUST ARREST INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT SUSPECTS, OFFICIAL SAYS AT UN

STATES MUST ARREST INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT SUSPECTS, OFFICIAL SAYS AT UN
New York, Nov 21 2007 6:00PM
The International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC) has created a working body of law since its inception and the onus is now on States Parties to enforce the court's decisions, especially its arrest warrants, and bring in war crimes suspects so they can face trial, Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said today.

Ms. Bensouda <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/071121_ICC.doc.htm">told journalists at United Nations Headquarters in New York that six arrest warrants – relating to four senior members of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda and two figures accused of war crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan – remain outstanding.

She said that even though continuing conflicts present obstacles to the arrest of suspects, the interests of peace and justice demand that States take assertive action.

"Arresting criminals in the context of ongoing conflicts is a difficult endeavour," she said. "Individuals sought by the court are often enjoying the protection of armies or militias. Some of them are members of governments who are eager to shield them from justice, and this is why we precisely need a very strong commitment from the international community."

Ms. Bensouda warned: "If States Parties do not actively support the Court, in this area as well as in others, then they are actively undermining the Court."

The Deputy Prosecutor noted that the ICC's first trial – that of the Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo – will begin at the end of March next year.

"The Rome system today is in motion," she said, referring to the treaty signed in the Italian capital in 1998 which led to the establishment of the tribunal. "The Court has made this body of law… operational, and it has transformed ideas and concepts into a working system. The States Parties which committed to the new law are now facing a difficult challenge: this is the challenge of enforcing the Court's decisions."

Ms. Bensouda also said the ICC's existence was having an important deterrent effect against recurring violence, citing several examples. In Colombia, laws and proceedings against paramilitary groups were influenced by the Rome Statute, she said, while in Côte d'Ivoire "the prospect of prosecution of those using hate speech is deemed to have kept the main actors under some level of control."
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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LIBERIA: UN ENVOY URGES MORE PATROLS BY POLICE

LIBERIA: UN ENVOY URGES MORE PATROLS BY POLICE
New York, Nov 21 2007 6:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Liberia today called for stepped up anti-crime patrols to keep communities safe in the West African country.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Alan Doss, stressed that officers with Liberia's National Police (LNP) should fully engage in night-time patrols with their counterparts in the UN Police and Military.

The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is providing armed support and transport for these anti-crime patrols "and the consistent presence of the Liberian police in this effort is essential," he added at a ceremony honouring Nepalese peacekeepers serving with the operation.

"The people of Liberia expect no less," said Mr. Doss, calling for continued support for the LNP to curb crime in the country, which is consolidating peace following a 14-year civil war.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND MIDDLE EAST PEACE CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND MIDDLE EAST PEACE CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK
New York, Nov 21 2007 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced plans to attend next week's Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, United States, voicing hope that the talks will provide the impetus for final status negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

But in a briefing to an informal meeting of the General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Ban said he remained concerned by the prevailing humanitarian situation inside the Gaza Strip, where the economy has deteriorated since many border crossings into Israel were closed earlier this year in response to intra-Palestinian fighting.

The Secretary-General also plans to participate in a meeting in Washington on Monday of the Middle East Quartet, the diplomatic grouping that comprises the UN as well as the European Union, Russia and the US, his spokesperson Michele Montas said.

Mr. Ban used his address to the General Assembly meeting today to brief Member States on a wide range of issues, from climate change to the UN budget and from the situation in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur to the recent cyclone in Bangladesh.

"Last week could be called a moment of epiphany on climate change – for me personally, as I visited South America and Antarctica, and for the international community, with the launch of the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)," he said.

Warning of the perils of global warming, he said: "In the ice shelves of Antarctica, the glaciers of Torres del Paine and the rainforests of the Amazon, I saw up close how some of the most delicate and precious treasures of our planet are being threatened by the actions of our own species."

Turning to the Capital Master Plan (CMP), the blueprint for renovating UN Headquarters, he reassured Member States that the entire process will be conducted to ensure maximum transparency, visibility and adherence to the existing UN rules on procurement.

Mr. Ban voiced hope that the General Assembly's fifth committee, which deals with budgetary matters, would find agreement on a resolution supporting the revised strategy for the CMP.

He also stressed that his approach to strengthening the UN Secretariat would focus equally on the three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights, and not on one pillar at the expense of the other two.

"I am making it a priority to scale up efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) around the world, in Africa in particular," Mr. Ban added, referring to the set of ambitious anti-poverty targets which world leaders agreed to strive to reach by 2015.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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WORLD BANK OFFERS $250 MILLION TO CYCLONE-HIT BANGLADESH

WORLD BANK OFFERS $250 MILLION TO CYCLONE-HIT BANGLADESH
New York, Nov 21 2007 5:00PM
As United Nations agencies continue their efforts to assist the over 3 million Bangladeshis affected by Cyclone Sidr, the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21558238~menuPK:34463~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank announced today that it will make available up to $250 million to aid recovery and strengthen mitigation efforts in the wake of the deadly storm.

The funds will be used to provide food, medical supplies and cash grants, as well as for infrastructure rehabilitation and flood mitigation, the Bank said in a press release.

Cyclone Sidr, the second strongest of three major storms in recorded history to have struck Bangladesh, made landfall on 16 November, wreaking death and destruction in its path.

The Government estimates that over 2,400 people are dead and nearly 1,500 missing. In addition, the storm is responsible for the destruction of some 273,000 homes and over 760,000 acres of crops.

UN agencies on the ground, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), are currently providing essential supplies such as high-energy biscuits, water purification packets and shelter materials to tens of thousands of families. A UN team is also assessing the damage and the needs in some of the worst affected districts.

World Bank Country Director Xian Zhu commended Bangladesh for the progress that the disaster-prone country has made in dealing with the impact of periodic floods and cyclones.

"In 1970, over 500,000 people died following the impact of a cyclone," said Mr. Zhu. "As responses to disasters have improved and as some shelter infrastructure has been put in place, death tolls have become smaller but Bangladesh remains extremely vulnerable, the more so as climate change adds to its burden."

The Bank said the funds announced today will complement existing commitments made in response to massive floods in Bangladesh in August and September.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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INDIA AND UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG TO START TALKS ON SAFEGUARDS AGREEMENT

INDIA AND UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG TO START TALKS ON SAFEGUARDS AGREEMENT
New York, Nov 21 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations atomic watchdog and the Indian Government have agreed to start consultations on framing a safeguards agreement that would place the South Asian country's civilian nuclear programme under UN observation.

The agreement was reached after Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), met with Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, in Vienna today.

Members of the IAEA Secretariat will hold technical meetings later this week in Vienna, where the agency is based, with an Indian Government team to start the consultations.

In March this year, Dr. ElBaradei welcomed the announcement that India – which is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) – and the United States had reached a deal on nuclear cooperation.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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BROMIDE SUSPECTED AS CAUSE OF MYSTERY ILLNESS IN ANGOLA, SAYS UN AGENCY

BROMIDE SUSPECTED AS CAUSE OF MYSTERY ILLNESS IN ANGOLA, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 21 2007 4:00PM
Toxicological tests carried out on blood samples from victims of an outbreak of a mystery illness in Angola have detected very high levels of bromide, the United Nations World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_11_21/en/index.html">WHO) reported today.

The tests, conducted in Germany, found the high bromide levels in five of the six samples taken from patients, and additional samples are now being sent to the United Kingdom for further analysis to determine whether the hypothesis can be confirmed.

WHO said in a statement that bromide intoxication was already one of the working hypotheses explored by authorities as they try to find the cause of the outbreak, which began last month. The symptoms include extreme drowsiness and loss of muscle control and, although most patients recover slowly over a number of days, many are still unable to walk without assistance. Children suffer the most extreme symptoms.

As of Monday, the number of patients treated in hospital in Cacuaco municipality – which is located in the suburbs of the capital, Luanda – has passed 390, with children comprising almost two-thirds of all cases.

WHO is stepping up its support to Angolan health authorities, providing staff and equipment as they carry out more epidemiological studies, environmental investigations and public awareness campaigns about risk management. The extra staff include a field coordinator, a clinician, two epidemiologists, a food safety expert, a laboratory specialist and a logistician.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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UN LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL YEAR TO DRAW ATTENTION TO GLOBAL SANITATION CRISIS

UN LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL YEAR TO DRAW ATTENTION TO GLOBAL SANITATION CRISIS
New York, Nov 21 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations today kicked off the International Year of Sanitation in a bid to accelerate progress for the 2.6 billion people around the world who do not enjoy the basic right to proper sanitation facilities.

Speaking at the official launch at UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said access to sanitation is one of the most "overlooked, and underserved human needs."

International efforts to deliver on this basic right have proved "lacklustre," with an estimated 42,000 people dying every week from diseases related to low water quality and an absence of adequate sanitation, he stated. "This situation is unacceptable."

The Secretary-General stressed that investments in sanitation are among of the most important allocations any nation can make. "For every dollar spent on improving sanitation it is estimated that at least nine dollars are saved in costs related to health, education, and social and economic development."

He called on the international community, national governments and civil society to take up the cause of sanitation with "unprecedented vigour" to accelerate progress towards the global target to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015 -- one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set at a 200 UN summit.

According to the UN, although more than 1.2 billion people worldwide have gained access to improved sanitation between 1990 and 2004, an estimated 2.6 billion people -- including 980 million children -- still lag behind.

If current trends continue, there will be 2.4 billion people without basic sanitation in 2015, with children continuing to pay the price in lost lives, missed schooling, in disease, malnutrition and poverty.

The International Year will include major regional conferences on sanitation, including one focusing on school sanitation. It will also encourage public and private partnerships to bring real
billions who bear the brunt of the crisis.

"Today, we go from a stage of planning to one of implementation," said His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Chairperson of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation. "It is vital that progress is accelerated if we are to reach the Millennium Development Goal target on sanitation, and indeed the other development goals."

2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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UN'S ROLE IN RESOLVING MYANMAR CRISIS SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED, SAYS ENVOY

UN'S ROLE IN RESOLVING MYANMAR CRISIS SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED, SAYS ENVOY
New York, Nov 21 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations Special Envoy for Myanmar said today that the good offices role of the Secretary-General would need to be "beefed up in terms of its effectiveness," in case dialogue between the Government and the opposition in the troubled South-East Asian nation intensifies.

"The Myanmar authorities have said that they preferred to work with the UN. Now we have to test that to its limits in the high interest of the Myanmar people," Ibrahim Gambari told reporters in Singapore.

Mr. Gambari added that those who support the Secretary-General's good offices role should encourage the Government of Myanmar to cooperate "fully, regularly and substantively" with the UN.

While in Singapore, the Special Envoy has been meeting with regional leaders who have gathered for the annual summit of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN). He said that his visit had been "extremely worthwhile" and had provided a tremendous opportunity to meet so many delegations and leaders.

Today he met with the Prime Ministers of Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand, the Foreign Ministers of Japan and Australia and the European Union Commissioner for External Relations.

Mr. Gambari, who has visited Myanmar twice since the Government began its crackdown against demonstrators a few months ago, will now travel to Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam for further consultations before returning to New York.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY HOLDING VIDEO CONTEST TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL HUNGER

UN AGENCY HOLDING VIDEO CONTEST TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL HUNGER
New York, Nov 21 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2698">WFP) is inviting filmmakers, students and other Internet users to take part in a new international competition called "Hunger Bytes" in which contestants are asked to make the best short "viral video" that raises awareness about the subject of global hunger.

The five most compelling video clips of between 30 and 60 seconds in length that are submitted to WFP will be highlighted on YouTube, and the video that enjoys the most views by World Food Day on 16 October next year will be deemed the winner and then given the chance to visit and film one of the agency's relief operations.

Participants will be encouraged to boost their chances of winning by sharing the web links on blogs and on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace.

To give filmmakers an idea of what they can do, WFP has also produced its own 30-second video in which participants at a competitive eating contest are shown in slow motion wolfing down hot dog after hot dog before a message reminds viewers that "850 million go to bed hungry every night… Share."

Launching the contest today at WFP headquarters in Rome, the agency's Director of Communications and Public Policy Strategy Nancy Roman said the concept was borne out of concern about how global hunger is often an ignored crisis.

"For those of us doing the day-in, day-out, backbreaking work of getting food to hungry people, it's sometimes discouraging how few people understand that hunger stalks and kills a child every five seconds," Ms. Roman said.

The agency is also calling on the world's Internet users to help it in another way during the Thanksgiving holiday period in the United States, by clicking on an increasingly popular game in which a website donates the cash equivalent of 10 grains of rice to WFP for every vocabulary question answered correctly by participants.

Since FreeRice.com began on 7 October, more than 3 billion grains of rice have been donated, enough to feed more than 150,000 people for one day. Yesterday it set a one-day record when over 218 million grains were donated. An Internet monitor also found that FreeRice was the most popular humanitarian website for the week ending Saturday, capturing one of every eight visitors to websites in that category.

The website's creator, the US fundraising pioneer John Breen, has already been able to give WFP a cheque for $100,000 that will be used to provide food rations for an estimated 26,000 refugees from Myanmar who are currently living in Bangladesh.

FreeRice relies on payments from companies that place advertisements on the site to underwrite its donations to WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency. Last year the agency provided food to 88 million people, mainly women and children, in 78 countries.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS EU FORCE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA FOR ANOTHER YEAR

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS EU FORCE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA FOR ANOTHER YEAR
New York, Nov 21 2007 2:00PM
The Security Council today extended for another year the mandate of the European Union Stabilization Force (EUFOR) tasked with ensuring continued compliance with the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement ending the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The European Union has assumed responsibility for the peacekeeping operation since 2004 when it took over from the NATO-led stabilization force (SFOR).

As it unanimously adopted resolution 1785, the Council also authorized the continued presence of a NATO headquarters through which the bloc assists in the implementation of the Dayton Agreement in conjunction with EUFOR.

In addition, the 15-member body authorized Member States to take all measures to defend the EUFOR and NATO presence and to assist both organizations in carrying out their missions. It also recognized the right of both EUFOR and the NATO presence to defend themselves from attack or threat of attack.

Also by the text, the Council reiterated that "the primary responsibility for the further successful implementation of the Peace Agreement lies with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves," and underlined the need for their full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), including the surrender for trial or apprehension of all persons indicted by the court.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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PROMOTING TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOCUS OF UN FORUM IN BANGKOK

PROMOTING TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOCUS OF UN FORUM IN BANGKOK
New York, Nov 21 2007 1:00PM
Removing barriers and making tourism accessible to the 650 million persons with disabilities around the world who represent a huge untapped market for the travel industry will be the focus of a three-day United Nations gathering set to begin tomorrow in Bangkok.

The meeting, organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/nov/n66.asp">ESCAP) in cooperation with Thai authorities and Disabled People International Asia-Pacific, brings together representatives of the travel industry, policymakers and people with disabilities to examine the growing market for accessible tourism in the region.

The recently adopted UN <" http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/convtexte.htm">Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities promotes accessibility of persons with disabilities and their participation in leisure and sport as a matter of right.

According to ESCAP, a significant portion of the world's 650 million people with disabilities are travellers with special needs. There are also 600 million older persons around the world – a number that is expected to double by 2025.

For those with special needs, tasks such as getting on and off airplanes, finding an accessible bus, taxi, hotel room, bathroom, or restaurant could all be a challenge.

The Commission notes that a growing number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region are paying attention to accessible tourism. "In the ESCAP region, there are at least 400 million people with disabilities and a growing number of older persons. It is reported that 400,000 people used wheelchair rental services at the Hong Kong International Airport in 2006," said Aiko Akiyama, Social Affairs Officer at ESCAP.

But more attention needs to be paid to removing the different kinds of barriers that inhibit people with disabilities and reduce their mobility, and as a result prevent them from enjoying travel.

"American adults with disabilities or reduced mobility currently spend an average of $13.6 billion a year on tourism," noted Scott Rains, an expert on disability issues who will be one of the main speakers at the meeting. "Creating accessible cruise ships, accessible ship terminals, accessible ground transportation, and accessible tourist destinations is not charity. It is good business."
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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FIRST OFFICERS FROM UN SPECIALIZED POLICE UNIT DEPLOY FOR CHAD TO START KEY TRAINING ROLE

FIRST OFFICERS FROM UN SPECIALIZED POLICE UNIT DEPLOY FOR CHAD TO START KEY TRAINING ROLE
New York, Nov 21 2007 1:00PM
The first officers from the United Nations Standing Police Capacity will depart for Chad today to start training recruits for a specialized Chadian police unit responsible for providing security to the 300,000 or so internally displaced persons and Sudanese refugees affected by the conflict in neighbouring Darfur.

"This is the first operation for the Standing Police Capacity (SPC) and five officers will leave for Chad today, while the 11 others will join them in December. Initially they will be based in the capital N'Djamena but as soon as the security conditions permit they will set up headquarters in the eastern city of Abeché," said SPC Chief Walter Wolf.

"There are already three UN Police (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/police/index.shtml">UNPOL) officers in the Chadian capital and on 30 November another 32 will arrive, and all these together with the SPC will help prepare the way for an eventual deployment of up to 300 UNPOL officers as mandated by the Security Council."

The main UNPOL objective in Chad will be to enhance the capabilities of the Chadian police and gendarmes to protect the population in the east by helping to recruit and train a force of around 850 national officers responsible for providing security to local civilians, including internally displaced persons (<"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs), Sudanese refugees and humanitarian workers, all affected by the crisis in Darfur.

"This deployment is very significant not only for Chad but for helping to stabilize the whole region. There are more than 230,000 Sudanese refugees in UN-managed camps and more than 170,000 IDPs in the east and south-east of Chad and these poor people continue to be the victims of armed groups, even inside these camps," said UN Police Adviser Andrew Hughes.

"With proper UN policing and European Union military deployment along with the recruitment and training of the Chadian police service this extremely unstable situation for these poor people can and must be improved."

The Security Council <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1778(2007)">established a new UN peacekeeping mission to Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), to be known as MINURCAT, in September with the mission also involving European Union military forces as well as UNPOL and SPC officers. This mission will complement the UN-African Union hybrid force planned for <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88&Body=Sudan&Body1=">Darfur itself.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES DR CONGO-RWANDA AGREEMENT ON THREATS TO PEACE

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES DR CONGO-RWANDA AGREEMENT ON THREATS TO PEACE
New York, Nov 21 2007 1:00PM
The Security Council today commended the recent agreement of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region, it "an important milestone towards the definitive settlement of the problem of illegal armed groups" operating in the turbulent far east of the DRC.

Ambassador Marty Natalegawa of Indonesia, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, read out a statement calling on authorities in the DRC and Rwanda to now implement fully the commitments they made in their joint communiqué, which was signed in Nairobi on 9 November.

Council members also voiced thanks for the role played by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios, who facilitated the process and signed the communiqué as a witness for the UN, and said it looked forward to his continuing consultations with governments in the Great Lakes region and with the wider international community.

"The Security Council recalls that the continued presence of illegal armed groups, in particular the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the dissident militia of Laurent Nkunda, is one of the root causes of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and constitutes a threat to regional stability," the presidential statement said.

"The Council reiterates its demand that these groups lay down their arms and engage voluntarily and without preconditions in their demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration, as appropriate."

Some 800,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the eastern DRC this year, which has flared at a time when other regions of the vast African nation are rebuilding after years of war or misrule. The fighting has been greatest in North Kivu, but other provinces have also been affected.

Today's statement, which follows a similar statement from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week, stresses that Council members remain fully committed to the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by its French acronym MONUC.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO CALLS FOR BOOSTING TIES BETWEEN UN AND RED CROSS, RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES

MIGIRO CALLS FOR BOOSTING TIES BETWEEN UN AND RED CROSS, RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES
New York, Nov 21 2007 12:00PM
Hailing the more than 60-year partnership between the United Nations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the <" http://www.un.org/sg/deputysg.shtml">Deputy Secretary-General has called for strengthening the ties between the two bodies to address development, climate change and other pressing issues.

"Climate change reminds us that we are a single, interdependent human family sharing one planet," Asha-Rose Migiro said today in Geneva in her address to the Federation's General Assembly.

"There are many other such reminders – health threats, volatility in the global economy, regional conflicts and instability," she added. "In our increasingly globalized world, we must work together to tackle these complex, inter-linked challenges."

Ms. Migiro called for strengthening the partnership between the two organizations "so that we can better serve humanity," taking advantage not only of the commonalities between them but also the differences. "We need to complement and amplify each others efforts, taking into account our relative strengths and constraints," she stated.

In particular, she highlighted the crucial role the Federation plays in the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (<" http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) – the ambitious set of global targets to slash poverty, disease, illiteracy and other social ills by 2015.

She noted that the millions of people mobilized through the Red Cross and Red Crescent show how volunteers can achieve tremendous development results. "Volunteering is about empowering individuals and communities at the grass-roots level. It is about giving them a voice and letting them take the lead. And it is the foundation upon which rests the achievement of the MDGs."

The Federation is well-placed to help mobilize more volunteers for peace and development, she said, adding that "as the clock to the 2015 target ticks louder every day, now is the time to do everything possible to harness voluntary action by people around the world."

The Deputy Secretary-General also pointed out that through its global reach and community health-care expertise, the Federation can help provide the impetus needed to reach the health MDGs – reducing maternal mortality, improving child health, and combating AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.

In addition, Ms Migiro drew attention to the key role played by the Federation in helping States reduce their vulnerabilities to disasters which are one of the key factors holding back progress towards the MDGs in many nations.
2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN ENVOY ARRIVES IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE

NEW UN ENVOY ARRIVES IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE
New York, Nov 21 2007 8:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's new Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, has arrived in Abidjan with a pledge to help the people of the country solidify progress and meet the challenges posed by elections planned for 2008.

The envoy, who heads the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), made remarks at the airport to the Ivorian people. "I would like to say to them that UNOCI is here to serve them and we shall stand side by side with them until peace finally returns."

He pledged to work impartially with all political actors and to engage civil society "which has an essential contribution to make to efforts to accelerate the resolution of the crisis."

Mr. Choi also hailed progress achieved by the peace process. Côte d'Ivoire had been divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002, but the leaders of the two sides signed a peace accord in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, earlier this year aimed at ending the deadlock and leading to elections by 2008.

Pointing out that "a huge task awaits us all," the envoy urged all players involved in the search for solutions to exert all possible efforts "to make Côte d'Ivoire what it was before: the cornerstone of stability and economic prosperity in West Africa."

Appointed in mid- October, Mr. Choi succeeded outgoing envoy Pierre Schori.

2007-11-21 00:00:00.000

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MORE THAN $400 MILLION NEEDED TO CLEAR LANDMINES NEXT YEAR - UN ANALYSIS

MORE THAN $400 MILLION NEEDED TO CLEAR LANDMINES NEXT YEAR – UN ANALYSIS
New York, Nov 20 2007 7:00PM
Proposed initiatives to remove landmines and explosive remnants of war in some 30 countries and three territories around the world are expected to cost $404 million next year, according to a report jointly published by three United Nations agencies and released today.

The Portfolio of Mine Action Projects, an annual analysis by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations' Mine Action Service, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), notes that countries planning those initiatives have already secured $40 million from international donors.

Maxwell Gaylard, the Director of the UN Mine Action Service, said that level of donor support augurs well for mine action next year.

"However, the remaining funding gap for next year still totals $365 million, and it is hoped that the donor community will again rally to the formidable challenges of mine action," he said.

The Portfolio focuses only on mine action programmes that are supported or managed by the UN.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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UN SHOULD EXTEND PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN DR CONGO FOR A YEAR - BAN KI-MOON

UN SHOULD EXTEND PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN DR CONGO FOR A YEAR – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 20 2007 7:00PM
Citing ongoing security challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended extending the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the vast country for one more year, suggesting that a drawdown could commence following the holding of local elections.

In a new report to the Security Council, Mr. Ban paints a mixed picture of progress in the DRC, which has shown signs of good governance and stability but still faces long-standing security challenges in its volatile eastern region.

In the east's North Kivu province, clashes have increased between elements loyal to renegade commander Laurent Nkunda and Government troops, known as FARDC, Mayi-Mayi groups and other armed militias, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). North and South Kivu host the majority of DRC's 1.2 million displaced persons, according to the report.

"In addition to precipitating a humanitarian crisis, the fighting in North Kivu has raised serious human rights concerns," the Secretary-General writes. These include confirmed reports of mass graves and continuing evidence of the recruitment of children into armed groups.

Mr. Ban notes that the rule of law and respect for human rights, "in particular by security services," must be strengthened.

He emphasizes the need to fight impunity within the security services and calls on the Government to take advantage of the assistance offered by MONUC and other international partners to ensure justice for crimes and rights abuses.

The many challenges facing the country require the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) "to maintain a robust capacity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and a continued police, rule of law, human rights, political and civil affairs presence throughout the country."

The Secretary-General recommends renewing MONUC's mandate for one year with the current level of uniformed personnel – now nearly 18,400 troops and police, in addition to a full complement of civilian staff – at least until the end of local elections expected to be held in the second half of 2008.

A gradual drawdown of the mission's strength would be subject to progress towards broad benchmarks, including the successful completion of the local elections "and, most importantly, towards ensuring the security of the population."

At the same time, the report points out that the problems in the eastern DRC must be addressed through a regional approach. Mr. Ban has designated Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios to address the issue, in close coordination with the top UN envoy to the DRC, William Lacy Swing.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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UN'S MYANMAR ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH REGIONAL LEADERS IN SINGAPORE

UN'S MYANMAR ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH REGIONAL LEADERS IN SINGAPORE
New York, Nov 20 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Myanmar is in Singapore, where he is meeting with various regional leaders taking part in this week's summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Ibrahim Gambari met today with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines and held informal consultations with six ASEAN foreign ministers, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.

The envoy also met with Prime Minister Thein Sein and Foreign Minister Nyan Win of Myanmar.

Ms. Montas noted that Mr. Gambari is using his time in Singapore to meet with officials who are interested in dealing with Myanmar.

"The ASEAN leaders recognized that the recent visit to Myanmar had resulted in several steps in the right direction and that the UN has been playing a vital role in the process of national reconciliation in Myanmar," she stated. "They also encouraged the leaders of Myanmar to continue to work with the UN in several concrete ways."

Mr. Gambari, who travelled to Singapore at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his capacity as the Chair of ASEAN, is scheduled to hold bilateral consultations tomorrow with various leaders.

Following his stop in Singapore, the Special Adviser will travel to Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam. While he does plan to return to Myanmar before the end of the year, Ms. Montas noted that a date has not been fixed yet.

In a related development, Mr. Ban has congratulated the Heads of State meeting in Singapore on the signing today of the ASEAN Charter.

"In declaring their commitment to the principles of human rights and democracy, the ASEAN leaders have collectively taken a historic step towards closer integration and cooperation to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations in the region," the Secretary-General said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11292.doc.htm">statement issued today.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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EMISSIONS IN RICH COUNTRIES HIT ALL-TIME HIGH, FINDS UN CLIMATE CHANGE GROUP

EMISSIONS IN RICH COUNTRIES HIT ALL-TIME HIGH, FINDS UN CLIMATE CHANGE GROUP
New York, Nov 20 2007 7:00PM
The total greenhouse gas emissions of 40 industrialized countries reached an all-time high in 2005, driven by rising economic growth in those nations, according to the latest data submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC).

The data, released today in Bonn by the UNFCCC, indicates that continuing growth in the richest nations and revived growth in Eastern European States are largely responsible for the increase, with emissions from the transport sector growing at the fastest rate.

But the figures also show that the countries which have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol are projected to achieve reductions of about 11 per cent on 1990-level emissions for the protocol's first commitment period, which runs from next year until 2012. This is above the protocol target, which commits industrialized nations to a 5 per cent cut.

Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, said reductions of 15 per cent are even possible among some of those nations – especially in the European Union – if they plan and implement further policies in this area.

Yet other affluent nations to the Kyoto Protocol are still projected to see an upward trend in emissions, he noted.

The world's countries are due to gather under the auspices of the UN in Bali, Indonesia, early next month to try to devise a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR SECURITY COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS

BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR SECURITY COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS
New York, Nov 20 2007 6:00PM
Deploring the "dreadful toll" that civilians continue to pay in armed conflicts around the world, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11290.doc.htm">called on the Security Council to establish a working group dedicated to improving protection for civilians in such situations.

Mr. Ban told a Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9174.doc.htm">debate on the protection of civilians that it was time for United Nations Member States to translate their promises from the 2005 World Summit on the "responsibility to protect" from word into deed.

Although the Council passed a resolution last year on the protection of civilians, he said it was vital to introduce more measures to implement that resolution and "ensure timely action when populations face, genocide, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity."

Mr. Ban said the creation of a working group was "an important next step, perhaps even an inevitable next step, in the evolution of the Council's consideration of the protection of civilians.

"It would not only underline the Council's commitment to this cause. It would give practical meaning to your commitment. It would ensure more timely and systematic consideration of the protection of civilians in the Council's deliberations."

In his speech the Secretary-General said it was fitting that the Council was holding such a debate today given that it was the anniversary of the opening in 1945 of the Nuremberg trials for the major war criminals of Nazi Germany.

"They had a profound influence on the development of international law. They had an important bearing on the notion of individual criminal responsibility for atrocities committed against civilians in armed conflict. They underlined that, even in war, certain acts are unacceptable."

However, Mr. Ban noted that 62 years later civilians continue to suffer in conflicts, especially in Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq, adding that the plight of children was "particularly disturbing."

In addition, Mr. Ban called for extra measures to ensure the safe, timely and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in need as a result of conflicts, and for UN peacekeeping operations to be given the necessary resources and political support to ensure they can implement their mandates and protect civilians.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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REVISED UN ESTIMATES SHOW OVER 33 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE LIVING WITH HIV

REVISED UN ESTIMATES SHOW OVER 33 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE LIVING WITH HIV
New York, Nov 20 2007 6:00PM
A new report released today by two United Nations agencies puts the number of people living with HIV at about 33.2 million, down from last year's estimate of 39.5 million, attributing the decrease to more accurate data collection and analysis.

The new data show global HIV prevalence, or the percentage of people living with HIV, has levelled off and that the number of new infections has also fallen, thanks in part to global HIV programmes. In addition to the 33.2 million people estimated to be living with HIV in 2007, 2.5 million people have become newly infected and 2.1 million people have died of AIDS.

The findings were presented by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/">UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr61/en/index.html">WHO) in their report, <i><"http://data.unaids.org/pub/EPISlides/2007/2007_epiupdate_en.pdf">2007 AIDS Epidemic Update</i>.

"These improved data present us with a clearer picture of the AIDS epidemic, one that reveals both challenges and opportunities," said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot.

"Unquestionably, we are beginning to see a return on investment – new HIV infections and mortality are declining and the prevalence of HIV levelling. But with more than 6,800 new infections and over 5,700 deaths each day due to AIDS we must expand our efforts in order to significantly reduce the impact of AIDS worldwide."

The findings also show that AIDS is among the leading causes of death globally and remains the primary cause of death in Africa.

According to the data, there were an estimated 1.7 million new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa in 2007. While that represents a significant decrease from 2001, the region remains the most severely affected.

The report shows that an estimated 22.5 million people living with HIV – or 68 per cent of the global total – are in sub-Saharan Africa. Eight countries in this region now account for almost one-third of all new HIV infections and AIDS deaths globally.

The two agencies cite an "intensive reassessment" of the epidemic in India as the primary reason for the reduction in global HIV prevalence figures in the past year. The revised estimates for India, combined with important revisions of estimates in five sub-Saharan African countries (Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe) account for 70 per cent of the reduction in HIV prevalence as compared to last year.

Paul De Lay, Director of Evidence Monitoring and Policy at UNAIDS, told reporters that the report shows that overall global declines are partly attributed to strong treatment and prevention programmes.

"Data from countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand are showing that there are behavioural data that supports this epidemiologic data," he told a press briefing in New York via video-link from Geneva. "It is encouraging that we're seeing returns on the investments made in many parts of the world."

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) agreed, stating in a press release that the new numbers show that investments in prevention programmes are clearly working.

"This new report of UNAIDS communicates what we have know for many years – namely, prevention works," said Steve Kraus, Chief UNFPA's HIV/AIDS Branch. "Young people, when provided with accurate and comprehensive information, education and services postpone sexual debut, reduce the number of sex partners, and ensure the use of condoms."

The Fund adds that so far, the new data also suggests that HIV transmission among young people is declining in nine countries – Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Haiti, Malawi, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These trends, combined with evidence of significant declines in HIV prevalence among young pregnant women in urban and or rural areas from five countries (Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe) indicate that HIV prevention efforts are having a significant impact in some of the worst affected countries.

"We are seeing a return on investments made in the past several years," stated Mr. Kraus. "We need to continue these investments, knowing that universal access to sexual and reproductive health allows countries and communities to scale up HIV prevention services and help make the money work."
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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ADVANCING THE RULE OF LAW IS VITAL WORK, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

ADVANCING THE RULE OF LAW IS VITAL WORK, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 20 2007 5:00PM
Upholding and strengthening the four pillars of the modern international legal system – human rights, humanitarian, criminal and refugee law – is "crucial to the cause of peace," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today told a meeting in New York of parliamentarians from around the world.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11291.doc.htm">speech to the Annual Parliamentary Hearing, jointly organized by the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Ban said that advancing the rule of law brought widespread benefits to the international community.

"It can help prevent or resolve conflicts and check weapons proliferation," he said. "It can protect people from genocide and other crimes against humanity. And it can aid the fight against terrorists and support efforts to limit the spread of communicable diseases."

This year's theme of the Annual Parliamentary Hearing is "Reinforcing the rule of law in international relations: the key role of Parliaments," and Mr. Ban detailed the recent work of the UN to uphold the rule of law on issues ranging from international treaties to reforming the justice sector of post-conflict countries to helping poor nations move from a relief phase to sustained economic development.

He also highlighted climate change, the theme of his recent international trip, as well as the situation in Lebanon, where he "saw a Parliament in crisis, and parliamentarians living in a constant state of fear" of further assassinations.

"The international community must speak out on their behalf. That crucially includes you, their fellow parliamentarians," the Secretary-General stressed.

General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim told the same gathering, which brings together parliamentarians to interact with UN system entities and to receive a series of briefings on UN activities, that it was important for the UN and lawmakers to work more closely together.

"You are powerful opinion-formers; and, are increasingly shaping international decisions," Mr. Kerim said. "Your support is essential to promote more effective international relations based on the rule of law."

He added that greater cooperation is also critical to ensuring better compliance and implementation of international commitments such as treaties and conventions.

Mr. Kerim said he plans to invite parliamentarians to participate in important General Assembly debates, such as those debates on climate change and on the eight ambitious anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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AUTHOR AND FORMER CHILD SOLDIER ISHMAEL BEAH SIGNS ON AS UNICEF ADVOCATE

AUTHOR AND FORMER CHILD SOLDIER ISHMAEL BEAH SIGNS ON AS UNICEF ADVOCATE
New York, Nov 20 2007 5:00PM
Author and former child soldier Ishmael Beah was appointed today as a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Advocate for Children Affected by War, the agency announced as it marked the 18th anniversary of the landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"Ishmael Beah speaks on behalf of young people around the world whose childhoods have been scarred by violence, deprivation, and other violations of their rights," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman, calling the new Advocate "an eloquent symbol of hope for young victims of violence, as well as those working to demobilize and rehabilitate children caught up in armed conflict."

"As a child soldier, your rights are constantly violated," said Mr. Beah, who was forcibly recruited in his native Sierra Leone when he was only 13. More than two years later UNICEF negotiated with warlords for the release of Mr. Beah and other child combatants and placed him in a rehabilitation programme.

After finding his way to New York and finishing his education, Mr. Beah published his memoir, <i>A Long Way Gone<i>, which UNICEF said has helped to foster better understanding of the life of a child soldier.

"For many observers, a child who has known nothing but war, a child for whom the Kalashnikov is the only way to make a living and for whom the bush is the most welcoming community, is a child lost forever for peace and development. I contest this view," he said. "For the sake of these children it is essential to prove that another life is possible."

The announcement of Mr. Beah's appointment coincided with the 18th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty created to help prevent the kind of suffering that he endured.

Approved by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, the treaty sets the ground rules for a better life for all children, and is the most widely ratified human rights agreement in the world.

Marking the anniversary in Kabul, <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41827.html">UNICEF called on the Afghan Government and civil society to renew their joint commitment to its principles.

In a news release, the agency noted that progress has been made since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, with the enrolment of 6 million children in schools, an increase in access to clean water and sanitation for half a million children, the empowerment of 62,500 women with literacy courses, and a reduction in infant mortality from 165 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 135 per 1,000 live births in 2006.

But the agency noted that in Afghanistan, two generations "have grown up knowing mostly conflict, insecurity, displacement and isolation resulting in the breakdown of support mechanisms within families, schools and communities, causing the loss of their rights and ability to reach their full potential."

UNICEF is supporting a government initiative to create Child Protection Action Networks, now active in 29 provinces, which helps to secure the rights of children in Afghanistan.

"We have a duty to ensure that children in Afghanistan enjoy their right to live a life free from violence," said Catherine Mbengue, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile in Baghdad, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/aboutus/aboutus.asp">UNAMI) voiced hope that the country's children will have the future free from violence or dislocation that they deserve.

Commemorating the treaty's anniversary, the UN issued a news release voicing alarm that only one in three Iraqi children under the age of five has access to safe drinking water. In addition, over one fifth of children under five suffer from stunting and 4.8 per cent from wasting, while 7.6 per cent are underweight. Meanwhile, the infant mortality rate is estimated at 35 per 1,000.

"The UN is equally troubled that more than 220,000 school children have been displaced from their homes since early 2006, disrupting their access to proper schooling."

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, noted that the UN played an active role in child vaccination campaigns, helped fight a recent epidemic of cholera and assisted Iraqi schoolchildren with books and materials. "However, we all need to do much more to relieve the stress of Iraq's children, and help ensure their proper growth into adulthood as they are the future of the country."
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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CAMBODIA: UN TRIBUNAL CHARGES FORMER KHMER ROUGE LEADER WITH WAR CRIMES

CAMBODIA: UN TRIBUNAL CHARGES FORMER KHMER ROUGE LEADER WITH WAR CRIMES
New York, Nov 20 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations-backed tribunal in Cambodia trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes three decades ago has charged a former head of State of the country with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Co-investigating judges at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), which is based in the capital, Phnom Penh, issued the charges yesterday against Khieu Samphan, who served as president of Democratic Kampuchea, as Cambodia was then known, between 1976 and 1979.

After a hearing the judges also agreed to place Mr. Samphan in provisional detention while he awaits trial.

The ECCC held a separate bail hearing today for Kaing Guek Eav (aka Duch), the former head of the Tuol Sleng prison under the Khmer Rouge. Prosecutor Robert Petit said he hoped the proceedings showed the tribunal's intentions to proceed in an open and transparent manner.

Under an agreement signed by the UN and Cambodia, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international law between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979, when up to three million people perished at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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ARMED BANDITS CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST VEHICLES IN DARFUR, SAYS UN MISSION

ARMED BANDITS CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST VEHICLES IN DARFUR, SAYS UN MISSION
New York, Nov 20 2007 4:00PM
Armed bandits continue to carry out attacks on vehicles across Darfur, especially in the south of the war-torn and impoverished Sudanese region, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reported today.

An estimated 30 bandits stopped commercial trucks on the weekend on a South Darfur road about 70 kilometres southeast of Nyala, the provincial capital, and exchanged fire with five soldiers from the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) who were escorting the convoy.

UNMIS said two people were killed and two others injured during the exchange, although the identity of the dead remain unknown. The PDF soldiers are reported to have gone missing after the incident, while the attackers stole two of the trucks.

A second convoy on its way to Nyala was later stopped at the same location, but the convoy was allowed to proceed after an hour without being looted.

In a separate incident last Thursday, UNMIS reported that three armed men stopped a UN vehicle with two UN staff members aboard near the UN Office in Nyala. The staff suffered slight injuries after they were assaulted by the attackers and had their personal belongings looted.

After a drive of about 10 minutes, the attackers let the staff members out and took off with the vehicle, which remains missing.

The attacks by armed bandits are taking place amid concerted international efforts, led by the UN and the African Union, to bring peace to Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied militias since 2003.

In the past four years more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others displaced from their homes because of the violence, while an estimated 4 million now depend on humanitarian aid for survival.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN RIGHTS OFFICIAL URGES SAFEGUARDS TO AVOID CIVILIAN DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN

TOP UN RIGHTS OFFICIAL URGES SAFEGUARDS TO AVOID CIVILIAN DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Nov 20 2007 4:00PM
Noting that civilian casualties resulting from international military operations in Afghanistan have reached "alarming" levels this year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today urged that measures be taken to avoid the loss of innocent life.

<"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/8FA97A1314FB08B5C1257399005990A3?opendocument">Speaking to reporters in Kabul, Louise Arbour said that even prior to her current visit to Afghanistan she was concerned by the high rates of civilian casualties caused by both insurgent activities and international military operations.

On the latter in particular, she stated that civilian deaths resulting from operations carried out by international military forces, including the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), have reached alarming levels.

"These not only breach international law, but are eroding support among the Afghan community for the Government and international military presence, as well as public support in contributing States for continued engagement in Afghanistan," the High Commissioner stressed.

In that regard, Ms. Arbour said she reassured that there has been a "sober realization" by ISAF commanders of this concern and a willingness to address the issue in a constructive way.

"This will mean ensuring that preventive measures and safeguards to protect civilians are at the forefront of operational decisions. It also means that when civilian casualties occur, ISAF needs to be more responsive and accessible to families in ensuring redress," she stated, adding that this could include compensation to victims' families.

She urged that particular attention be paid to the problem, stating that "some seem to think that human rights are a luxury that can be enjoyed only after security is ensured. But the major sources of insecurity in the country stem from human rights violations or the failure to effectively address the violations of the past."

Ms. Arbour, who last visited the country in 2005, also expressed disappointment in the lack of progress in implementing commitments made under the Action Plan for Peace, Reconciliation and Justice in Afghanistan.

"Unfortunately, the transitional justice agenda has been reduced in many people's minds to the prosecution of individuals alleged to be responsible for past crimes, some of whom continue to hold high positions, the High Commissioner said. "But transitional justice is a multi-faceted process which focuses on the needs of the victims – for truth, for compensation, for rehabilitation – as well as on the punishment of the perpetrators."

She called on the Government and its international partners to recommit to advancing the transitional justice agenda, stressing that "efforts to build the rule of law and reform the justice sector will not succeed as long as impunity at the highest levels remains unaddressed."

Ms. Arbour added that the deepening sense of insecurity and preoccupation with criminality has led to some regressive steps in Afghanistan, particularly the recent resumption of executions. She pointed out that as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Afghanistan is bound not to apply the death penalty unless the highest standards of due process have been respected in each case.

In addition, the High Commissioner said she was struck by the degree to which progress on women's rights has stalled, noting that while 28 per cent of parliamentary seats are reserved for women, they are "strikingly absent" from other branches of the Government, most notably the judiciary.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICIALS DISCUSS ACCOUNTABILITY AT PUBLIC FORUM

UN OFFICIALS DISCUSS ACCOUNTABILITY AT PUBLIC FORUM
New York, Nov 20 2007 4:00PM
Accountability for enhancing the effectiveness of the United Nations was discussed by key officials from across the system today at a forum in New York organized by the UN University (UNU).

The Director of the UN Ethics Office, Robert Benson, said accountability must not be only considered "after-the-fact" but rather should be taken into account from the outset of any incident, according to the text of his speech, entitled "Managerial Accountability in the UN System – Reverse 20/20."

"For accountability to truly work, the individuals who make the decisions need to exercise that authority as if they now had to explain, to the public, why they have exercised their authority in that way," he said.

He called on managers to consider the impact of their actions in advance, asking themselves: "If I were asked to publicly justify this, how would I explain it?"

Mr. Benson called for foresight rather than hindsight. "For a public sector organization, any initiatives that address these issues at the front end rather than the back end can only improve the overall accountability of the organization as a whole."

In the text of his message to the event, Konrad Osterwalder, the UNU Rector, emphasized the need for both political and managerial accountability. "Accountability ultimately must also mean ensuring that the United Nations is able to carry out its work for the benefit of the peoples" it serves.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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UN GRANTS $8.8 MILLION TO AID CYCLONE VICTIMS IN BANGLADESH

UN GRANTS $8.8 MILLION TO AID CYCLONE VICTIMS IN BANGLADESH
New York, Nov 20 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations has allocated $8.8 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf">CERF) to support relief efforts in the wake of the deadly cyclone which struck Bangladesh last week, affecting more than 3 million people in the South Asian nation.

The grant from the landmark Fund, designed to make funds available quickly for relief operations, will enable several UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP), the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO), to immediately carry out emergency relief in the areas of food, shelter, water and sanitation, and agriculture.

"I hope this first allocation of CERF funds will enable some important and immediate life saving needs to be met. But I am well aware that much more is likely to be required both from the UN and other donors, and over a significant period – such is the scale of the disaster affecting so many people," said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes.

Citing government statistics, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that over 2,400 people are dead and nearly 1,500 missing after Cyclone Sidr, the second strongest of three major storms in recorded history to have struck Bangladesh, made landfall on 16 November. In addition, the storm is also responsible for the destruction of some 273,000 homes and over 760,000 acres of crops.

UN agencies are currently distributing 208 tonnes of high-energy biscuits to an estimated 850,000 people, while providing shelter materials to 18,000 households and water purification packets to about 48,000 families. A UN team is continuing to assess the damage and the needs in some of the worst affected districts.

Yesterday, WFP announced it is teaming up with Bangladesh's Air Force to airdrop emergency food supplies to hundreds of thousands of people stranded in inaccessible areas of the country. The agency said today that all the affected areas are now accessible and some people are returning to their homes.

Meanwhile, UNICEF reports extensive damage to roads and schools, noting that almost 800 Government schools have been destroyed, and more than 4,000 have been partially destroyed. The agency, which is working with the Ministry of Education on addressing a number of issues, is currently asking for $2.3 million for its programmes focused on nutrition, water and sanitation, non-food items and child protection.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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PREPAREDNESS KEY TO TACKLING GLOBAL FLU PANDEMIC, SAYS TOP UN HEALTH OFFICIAL

PREPAREDNESS KEY TO TACKLING GLOBAL FLU PANDEMIC, SAYS TOP UN HEALTH OFFICIAL
New York, Nov 20 2007 2:00PM
The head of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has underlined the need to make full use of the resources available to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic, warning that no country will be left unaffected should an outbreak occur.

"Vulnerability is universal," WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan <" http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/20071120_pip/en/index.html">said today at the opening in Geneva of the Intergovernmental Meeting on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness. "A pandemic will, by its very nature, reach every corner of the earth, and it will do so within a matter of months."

Dr. Chan emphasized that this shared vulnerability calls for shared responsibility, and collective action to fulfil that responsibility. "In terms of the risk of disease, we really are all in the same boat," she said.

That is why the international community has an obligation to use the advance warning it has been given to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic, which raises major issues for global public health, said the Director-General.

"Preparedness has moved forward on multiple fronts," she stated. "Countries need to brace themselves for a situation where up to 25 per cent of the workforce may be ill at a given time. They have to brace themselves for a possible meltdown of basic municipal services and a slowdown of economic activity.

"And this situation will be occurring globally," she added. "There will be no fortunate unaffected parts of the world."

Among the issues the Geneva meeting will be looking at is access to benefits, in particular access to pandemic vaccines. "In terms of preparedness, access to vaccines is almost certainly the greatest concern in countries that lack their own manufacturing capacity," Dr. Chan noted.

She expressed support for any effort that leads to greater and more equitable access to pandemic vaccines, calling them the "best protection against the risk that the next pandemic will negate or set back our hard-won achievements in health development."

The <" http://www.who.int/gb/pip/">meeting will also address the sharing of viruses for medical research, which Dr. Chan pointed out serves public health in ways that go beyond the development of pandemic vaccines, including by providing "the first clues, the first early warning, that the virus may be evolving in a dangerous way."
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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HEROIC SEAMEN HONOURED WITH UN MARITIME AGENCY'S INAUGURAL BRAVERY AWARD

HEROIC SEAMEN HONOURED WITH UN MARITIME AGENCY'S INAUGURAL BRAVERY AWARD
New York, Nov 20 2007 1:00PM
Two seafarers who risked their lives to save others in a dramatic rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea last year have been presented with the inaugural Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea by the United Nations International Maritime Organization (<" http://www.imo.org/home.asp">IMO).

Second Officer Mustafa Topiwala of the Bahamas-registered oil/bulk ore carrier Searose G and Captain Zvonimir Ostric, who was on the vessel as onboard trainer at the time of the incident, were selected in recognition of their role in the rescue of survivors from the sunken vessel Teklivka, in the eastern Mediterranean in March 2006, the IMO said in a press release.

The Searose G was passing through the Mediterranean, bound for the Suez Canal, when it responded to a distress call from the Maltese-flagged Teklivka, which was sinking 50 miles south in gale force winds.

By the time the Searose G reached the scene, the Teklivka had sunk, but a dramatic rescue operation was launched and the Searose G managed to rescue nine crew members with a further three survivors picked up by another vessel. Tragically, three crew members of the Teklivka were lost.

Mr. Topiwala and Captain Ostric were each presented with a silver medal produced with the support of the Royal Mint of Spain, and a certificate citing the act of exceptional bravery performed, during a special ceremony in London held during the agency's 25th Assembly.

Speaking at the ceremony, IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos said the award was "a tribute to extraordinary courage; to adversity faced and adversity overcome; to determination in the face of grave danger; and to lives risked and lives saved."

The two men, who were nominated for the Award by the Bahamas and by the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations, were chosen from among 21 acts of bravery submitted for the honour.

The IMO is the UN specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON STRESSES ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT

BAN KI-MOON STRESSES ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT
New York, Nov 20 2007 1:00PM
Marking Africa Industrialization Day today, United Nations officials stressed the importance of science, technology and human resources in supporting the continent's efforts to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development.

"One of the most effective channels for eradicating poverty, creating wealth and enhancing competitiveness is through the acquisition, adaptation and application of relevant technologies," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the Day.

He noted that although Africa is endowed with abundant natural resources and many African countries have recently experienced sustained economic growth, the continent is "still lagging behind other regions" in attempting to reach the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs) – the set of ambitious global targets to slash poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy, all by 2015.

"And due to lack of capacity to transform much of its raw materials into finished products, Africa continues to export its resources with little or no value added, leading to loss of job opportunities. Where value is added, these African products are subject to many tariff and non-tariff barriers in the major Western markets," he added.

He urged support for the various efforts aimed at harnessing science and technology in support of the attainment of the MDGs in Africa.

In his message on the Day, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim drew attention to the recent announcement by the <"http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank that African economies are now growing at the steady rates needed to reduce poverty and attract more foreign direct investment. But he pointed out that Sub-Saharan Africa's share of world industrial output remains stagnant at less than 1 per cent.

"The underlying reasons for this should be addressed, including the continent's infrastructure gap and cost of doing business, which can be two to three times higher than Asia," he said.

The General Assembly President also emphasized that industrial development everywhere should be environmentally sustainable. "There is clearly a need for greater innovation to develop affordable low-carbon technologies" to address climate change, he said.

He called for a renewed commitment "to sustainable economic growth and development in Africa through industrial and technological development, technology-transfer, trade and investment, so that the continent might be able to attain the MDGs by 2015."
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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PASTORALISTS FROM ACROSS HORN OF AFRICA TO GATHER AT UN-SPONSORED DEBATE

PASTORALISTS FROM ACROSS HORN OF AFRICA TO GATHER AT UN-SPONSORED DEBATE
New York, Nov 20 2007 1:00PM
More than 550 Ethiopian pastoralists and representatives from communities in neighbouring Kenya, Djibouti and Somalia will gather next week at a five-day meeting organized by the United Nations to discuss how to devise more sustainable futures for the inhabitants of the impoverished region.

The event, the largest ever gathering of pastoralists in the Horn of Africa, will be held from 28 November to 2 December in Hudet in Liben zone of Ethiopia's Somali region and is scheduled to coincide with a visit to the region by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes.

The gathering's team leader Allistair Scott-Villiers said "it represents a remarkable and unique opportunity for pastoralists' leaders to discuss critical issues that affect the lives of millions."

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/News/OCHANewsCentre/PressReleases2007/tabid/1120/Default.aspx">OCHA) is organizing the gathering in response to a high-level discussion in Addis Ababa on 1 November on the region's humanitarian and development situations.
2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY STARTS FINAL PHASE OF REPATRIATION FROM DJIBOUTI TO SOMALILAND

UN REFUGEE AGENCY STARTS FINAL PHASE OF REPATRIATION FROM DJIBOUTI TO SOMALILAND
New York, Nov 20 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations refugee agency today began the final phase of its voluntary repatriation programme to help some 1,800 Somali refugees return from Djibouti to Somaliland by the end of this year.

A convoy of 13 trucks, hired by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is transporting 210 Somaliland refugees to the Djibouti-Somaliland border, a spokesperson for the agency announced in Geneva. Returnees will spend Tuesday night at a transit centre where they will receive a return package before continuing their journey Wednesday to their homes, according to the agency.

As part of the return package, each returnee will be given the first of three installments of a nine-month food package provided by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to help during the initial months of their reintegration.

UNHCR will also provide families with household goods including kitchen sets, blankets, sleeping mats, jerry cans for water storage and plastic sheeting for protection of their shelters. In addition, returnees will receive some cash to help them pay for transportation from the various drop-off points, mainly in towns, to their home villages.

"The 1,800 refugees are one of the last groups of Somaliland refugees living in Djibouti," said Jennifer Pagonis, recalling that many of the returnees fled to Djibouti after the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 and ensuing civil war in Somalia.

The majority of the refugees in Djibouti will return to the Awdal Region, where UNHCR and other partners have set up a wide variety of reintegration projects ranging from water, education, income generation, road infrastructure, health and security. These projects have already supported the integration of thousands of returnees from Djibouti and Ethiopia, the agency said.

Since July 2002, when the first group of refugees was assisted home from Djibouti to Somaliland, UNHCR has been promoting repatriation to the self-declar
2006, an estimated 300,000 Somaliland refugees have returned home from Ethiopia and Djibouti using their own means as well as through the agency's assisted voluntary repatriation.

2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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LIBERIA: UN MISSION DEPLOYS EXTRA SECURITY TO RUBBER PLANTATION AFTER VIOLENCE

LIBERIA: UN MISSION DEPLOYS EXTRA SECURITY TO RUBBER PLANTATION AFTER VIOLENCE
New York, Nov 20 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations mission in the Liberia (UNMIL) has deployed extra security to the Liberia Agriculture Company rubber plantation following a recent outbreak of deadly violence there.

Extra security personnel, including military and police officers, were sent to support the Liberia National Police (LNP) at the plantation near Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, following Saturday's violent disturbances that claimed the life of Plantation Manager, Bruno Michiels, a Belgian national, UNMIL said in a news release.

A joint UN-LNP investigation team also deployed from Monrovia to conduct an investigation into the incident at the plantation.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Alan Doss, called for restraint and caution as the investigation gathers pace.

In another development, the Liberian Government and UNMIL launched a fresh nationwide campaign against crime under the theme "Say no to crime: Prevent it. Report it."

At a ceremony marking the start of the drive, the Deputy UN Envoy responsible for the Rule of Law, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu said it would "enhance and encourage a partnership approach to crime prevention and reduction." The concept of the campaign, she added, "aims at enlightening citizens within the various communities on how to take care of their own personal security, both as individuals, and as members of the community."

2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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JORDAN: UN AGENCY PLEDGES $11 MILLION TO BOOST HEALTH SERVICES FOR IRAQI REFUGEES

JORDAN: UN AGENCY PLEDGES $11 MILLION TO BOOST HEALTH SERVICES FOR IRAQI REFUGEES
New York, Nov 20 2007 8:00AM
Aiming to improve medical services and facilities for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees living in Jordan, the United Nations refugee agency today pledged $11 million to help the country care for them.

Under a funding agreement signed in Amman today, the money will help the Ministry of Health enhance public medical services and primary health centres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a news release.

"For a long time there was not enough attention given to the burden on Jordan and we continue to try to help in alleviating this burden," UNHCR Representative in Jordan Imran Riza said after signing the agreement.

"In the health sector this will mean increased capacity and improved services to help Jordan and our Iraqi brethren," said Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali, who signed the accord on behalf of the Jordanian Government.

The grant comes as part of UNHCR's commitment to help neighbouring countries, especially Jordan and Syria, cope with an influx of more than 2.2 million Iraqis, who have fled the conflict in their country. The agency's assistance in these countries is focusing on education, health, food, social and legal counselling, and shelter.

The health grant follows an earlier agreement under which UNHCR agreed to provide some $10 million to strengthen the capacity of Jordan's public schools. Tens of thousands of Iraqis were allowed to enroll in public schools at the start of the academic year last September.

2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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NUMBER OF DISPLACED IN SOMALIA HITS 1 MILLION MARK -- UN AGENCY

NUMBER OF DISPLACED IN SOMALIA HITS 1 MILLION MARK -- UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 20 2007 8:00AM
The number of people displaced within Somalia by recent violence has hit the 1 million mark, a spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency said today, warning that conditions are worsening as numbers swell.

Of this figure, 600,000 have fled the "lawless Somali capital, Mogadishu," Jennifer Pagonis of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told journalists in Geneva. One third of those left "entire neighbourhoods in the volatile capital empty" over the past two weeks alone.

Mogadishu is also now home to an estimated 43,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), a 10,000 increase from a week ago, UNHCR said.

"At the same time, estimates on the number of IDPs living in increasingly desperate conditions in more than 60 makeshift settlements along the 30-km stretch of road linking Mogadishu and the nearby town of Afgooye have shot up to nearly 200,000 -- a 50-per cent increase in the past two weeks alone," said Ms. Pagonis.

A recent assessment mission reported that families in the area lack proper shelter and are using plastic bags and rags to patch up their makeshift shelters. Children are reportedly malnourished while health care is lacking.

"Although IDPs express confidence in security in the Afgooye area, we are increasingly worried about security incidents there in the last several days," Ms. Pagonis said, citing an explosion there on Sunday which killed six people and the killing on Friday of an aid worker hit by a stray bullet as she helped distribute relief supplies to IDPs in the area.

2007-11-20 00:00:00.000

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TERRORISM CAN NEVER BE JUSTIFIED, PARTICIPANTS AT JOINT UN CONFERENCE CONCLUDE

TERRORISM CAN NEVER BE JUSTIFIED, PARTICIPANTS AT JOINT UN CONFERENCE CONCLUDE
New York, Nov 19 2007 7:00PM
An international counter-terrorism conference in Tunis co-sponsored by the United Nations has wrapped up with participants stressing that no motive can ever justify acts of terrorism and that Islam should not be blamed for the phenomenon.

Nearly 200 people – representing all continents, as well as international organizations, research institutes and civil society – spent three days in the Tunisian capital, from 15 to 17 November, in discussions on a series of terrorism-related issues, including an examination of conditions conducive to terrorism, promoting education to prevent the phenomenon, encouraging greater inter-faith dialogue and the role of international and specialized organizations.

The conference, called <i>Terrorism: Dimensions, Threats and Countermeasures</i>, was jointly organized by the UN's Department of Political Affairs in collaboration with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and its Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). It was hosted by the Tunisian Government and held under the high patronage of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of Tunisia.

In the official concluding observations Saturday, a co-chair, Tunisian Culture and Preservation of Heritage Minister Mohamed El Aziz Ben Achour, said the prevailing view of participants "was that terrorism and extremism constitute a threat to the peace, security and stability of all countries and peoples."

He added: "Terrorism has no justification, no matter what pretext terrorists may use for their deeds."

Participants agreed that terrorism flourishes in environments where there is discontent, exclusion, humiliation, poverty, political oppression and human rights abuses, as well as in countries engaged in regional conflicts.

"It profits from weak State capacity to maintain law and order," Mr. Ben Achour said. "These vulnerable areas are exploited by terrorists to mobilize recruits and justify violence. None of the religions are a cause of political radicalism and extremism. Religious doctrine may be 'tools of mobilization,' rather than a direct cause."

The participants said it was important for the international community to counter the spread of Islamophobia, which it noted has been growing in recent years in part because of misinformation and misperceptions about the religion.

"The emergence of misguided groups that have deviated from the straight path to fanaticism, violence and extremism, attributing their acts to Islam, in no way justifies associating this phenomenon with the Islamic faith. True Islam is the religion of moderation and avoidance of excess, founded on the values of equality, justice, peace and brotherhood."

The conference also backed the need for measures aimed at tackling conditions conducive to terrorism, such as poverty and unemployment.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the conference at its opening last Thursday, saying that the UN's 192 Member States made history just over one year ago when they adopted the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a guide for international activities to counter terrorism.

"Yet our work together is just beginning," he said. "Now we must implement the Strategy in all its dimensions. By next September, when the General Assembly meets to review implementation of the strategy, we must all have concrete progress to show – Member States, the UN system, and our key partners in regional and other organizations."
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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AQUACULTURE ONLY WAY TO MEET FUTURE DEMAND FOR FISH - UN AGENCY

AQUACULTURE ONLY WAY TO MEET FUTURE DEMAND FOR FISH – UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 19 2007 7:00PM
The farming of fish under controlled conditions is the only way to meet future global demand, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000701/index.html">FAO) said today, estimating that rising population numbers mean that by 2030 an additional 37 million tons of fish will be needed to maintain current levels of consumption.

According to FAO, some 45 per cent of all fish consumed today – 48 millions tons in all – is raised on farms. The addition of two billion people to the global population by 2030 will mean farming will have to produce nearly double that, or 85 million tons of fish per year, just to keep up with demand.

Addressing a meeting in Rome focused on fisheries and sustainable development, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf stressed that while the development of fish farming, also known as aquaculture, should be a priority, it must be promoted in a responsible fashion.

He cautioned that good policy decisions regarding the use of natural resources like water, land, seed and feed as well as sound environmental management will be necessary to sustain and enhance aquaculture's growth.

"A rapid development of aquaculture therefore requires better planning and better management of the sector in order to mitigate the adverse consequences on the environment," he stated.

A paper presented by FAO at the meeting also noted that not only does aquaculture help reduce hunger and malnutrition by providing food rich in protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, it also significantly improves food security by creating jobs and raising incomes. For example, fish farming in Asia directly employs some 12 million people.

"Aquaculture has clear potential for economic and social development in many countries," noted Mr. Diouf.

In another development, FAO announced that Andorra and Montenegro have joined the agency as members, and the Faroe Islands as an associate member, bringing the total number of members in the agency to 192.

They were admitted on Saturday during the opening of the 34th session of the FAO biennial governing conference at the agency's headquarters in Rome.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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CHERNOBYL: UN SWITCHES ASSISTANCE EFFORTS TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE

CHERNOBYL: UN SWITCHES ASSISTANCE EFFORTS TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE
New York, Nov 19 2007 7:00PM
More than two decades after the world's worst nuclear accident occurred in Chernobyl, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says it is working to end the "culture of dependency" that had emerged among people living near the site and to promote greater economic self-reliance and prosperity.

Cihan Sultanoglu, UNDP's Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, told reporters today that "we are already seeing grounds for optimism" about the ability of people living in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus to take control of their economic destiny.

"UNDP is trying to change the legacy of Chernobyl from one of despair and hopelessness to one of hope and prosperity and health," she said.

Ms. Sultanoglu said that for too long, relief efforts in the three countries worst affected by the April 1986 disaster had led to a culture of dependency that also fostered apathy and fatalism.

Some five million people live in areas deemed by contaminated by radioactive waste from the reactor, and unemployment remains high, investors still largely shun the affected region and many young people move elsewhere in search of jobs and opportunities.

Yet since 2004 UNDP has taken the lead in promoting efforts to encourage the communities to devise and then implement their own ideas for projects to help in recovery.

Ms. Sultanoglu said the agency's focus on socio-economic development meant a shift in emphasis from emergency and disaster relief to rehabilitation and sustainable development in which local communities set their own priorities and UNDP helps fund and support them.

"We see our role at the United Nations as assisting national governments to create new jobs, to promote investments, support small and medium businesses and to rebuild a sense of self-reliance among the communities affected by the accident."

Already UNDP is involved in projects that have provided microcredit to small businesses in Russia, helped over 170 Ukrainian villages with job-creation schemes and formed part of a consortium in Belarus to promote sustainable development.

Tomorrow the General Assembly is expected to consider a resolution that would proclaim the period until 2016 as a "decade of recovery and sustainable development" for territories in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine affected by the accident, and to help those communities make "a return to normal life."

The Chernobyl accident, in which explosions destroyed the core of one of the site's reactors, forced more than 330,000 people to leave their homes, infected over 5,000 children with cancer and left millions of people across the former Soviet Union and the rest of Europe deeply worried about their health and livelihoods.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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FORMATION OF NEW BURUNDIAN GOVERNMENT WELCOMED BY UN MISSION

FORMATION OF NEW BURUNDIAN GOVERNMENT WELCOMED BY UN MISSION
New York, Nov 19 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations has welcomed the establishment of a new Government in Burundi and called on the country's leadership to persevere in consolidating peace and strengthening democracy in the small Central African country.

According to a statement issued today by the UN Integrated Office in Burundi, known by its French acronym BINUB, the members of the international community in Bujumbura have expressed satisfaction that negotiations among local political actors have resulted in a consensus leading to the new Government.

They appealed to the country's leadership, including President Pierre Nkurunziza, to persevere in strengthening democracy in Burundi, which emerged from over a decade of civil war between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority, following the signing in September 2006 of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL).

In addition, they urged all concerned, including the Palipehutu-FNL party, to pursue the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement.

BINUB, established last year as the successor to the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB), supports the Government in such areas as peace consolidation and democratic governance, disarmament and reform of the security sector, as well as various human rights and development activities.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON 'CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT DEADLOCK ON LEBANESE PRESIDENCY

BAN KI-MOON 'CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT DEADLOCK ON LEBANESE PRESIDENCY
New York, Nov 19 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has just completed an international visit that included a stop in Lebanon, said today he was "cautiously optimistic" that the country's political leaders could resolve their tense stand-off over the election of a new president.

Speaking to reporters at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Mr. Ban said he was concerned that Lebanon's leaders have not been able to agree so far on a consensus candidate for president. A new president is supposed to be elected before a deadline of 24 November.

But Mr. Ban said he "was more cautiously optimistic than I was a week ago, with all the international community's strong support and encouragement, with strong commitment by Speaker [of the Parliament, Nabih] Berri and [the] MP Saad Hariri."

During his brief visit to Lebanon, the Secretary-General held talks with a range of leaders, including Mr. Berri and Mr. Hariri.

"If these two leaders work together, I think that they can find common solutions which will be acceptable to all Lebanese people. This is my sincere hope. But I know that there are some other obstacles. My meetings with opposition leaders were not that encouraging but, at the same time, with all this negotiation and political compromise efforts going on, even though time is running out, I hope that we are able to see the Lebanese people agree on a presidential candidate."

Mr. Ban also met Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir of the Maronite Church, as well as with other representatives of the country's Christian community and of Hizbollah.

"I have urged them that, for the future of their nation, they should elect a president in accordance with their constitutional procedures within the framework by the deadline without outside interference and also on the basis of international legitimacy."

He stressed that the UN would support any president elected on a "broad basis with strong commitment to international legitimacy."

Mr. Ban described his overall international trip, which also took him to Antarctica, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Tunisia and Spain and was dominated by the issue of climate change, as "hectic but rewarding."
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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TOGO: UN AGENCIES CONTINUE RELIEF EFFORTS FOLLOWING DEADLY FLOODS

TOGO: UN AGENCIES CONTINUE RELIEF EFFORTS FOLLOWING DEADLY FLOODS
New York, Nov 19 2007 5:00PM
Three months after Togo endured its worst floods in three decades, United Nations humanitarian agencies are continuing their relief efforts in the West African country as receding flood waters allow aid workers to reach areas previously cut off.

UN agencies have been able to access some 60,000 people in recent weeks and provide them with enough food for the next two months, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today.

A grant of $1.5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf">CERF) has allowed UN agencies – including the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP), the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/">UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) – to implement emergency projects to help the hardest hit Togolese.

The floods in August, which followed heavy rainfall across West Africa, killed at least 23 people in Togo and left tens of thousands in need of aid, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Certain areas of the country are still inaccessible because the floods destroyed roads and trails, and WFP officials are considering travelling by boat down the Oti River in northern Togo to reach those areas.

Other relief efforts are concentrated on preparations against potential disease epidemics, gathering further stocks of food and developing a national strategy for disaster prevention and management.

The floods have affected some 800,000 people in 14 West African countries – Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Guinea.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY TO KOSOVO SAYS MINORITY INTERESTS WILL BE PROTECTED AFTER POLLS

TOP UN ENVOY TO KOSOVO SAYS MINORITY INTERESTS WILL BE PROTECTED AFTER POLLS
New York, Nov 19 2007 5:00PM
Voicing regret that many Kosovo Serbs did not participate in general elections at the weekend, the top United Nations envoy to the province today called for talks to ensure that the Serbs and other minority communities are adequately represented in any public institutions.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative Joachim Rücker said in a media statement issued in Pristina that although "it is unfortunate that Kosovo Serbs did not vote in large numbers," the focus now must be on finding a way forward for the UN-administered province.

Municipal, assembly and mayoral elections in Kosovo took place on Saturday and Mr. Rücker stressed that the present municipal assemblies will remain in place until the results of the ballot are certified.

"During the interim, there is time for discussions to find a solution so that the Kosovo Serbian community's interests will be properly protected," he said.

Today Mr. Rücker met with representatives of Štrpce/Shtërpcë, an undivided, multi-ethnic municipality in the south of the province, and both the ethnic Albanian and Serbian members of the municipal assembly there promised to work together and continue their dialogue.

Earlier this year Belgrade and Pristina held direct negotiations on the future status of Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by about nine to one. This followed a report from the UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari in which he proposed a phased process of independence for Kosovo.

The UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), which Mr. Rücker heads, has administered Kosovo since 1999, when Western forces drove Yugoslav troops out of the province amid inter-ethnic fighting.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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UN AND AU ENVOYS HOLD MORE MEETINGS WITH DARFUR REBELS TO SPUR PEACE PROCESS

UN AND AU ENVOYS HOLD MORE MEETINGS WITH DARFUR REBELS TO SPUR PEACE PROCESS
New York, Nov 19 2007 4:00PM
United Nations and African Union mediators involved in the Darfur peace process are holding meetings today in southern Sudan in a bid to spur some of the war-torn region's splintering rebel movements to unify their positions ahead of direct negotiations with the Sudanese Government scheduled for next month.

The UN's Tayé-Brook Zerihoun and the AU's Sam Ibok, the Chief Mediators for the Darfur peace process, are meeting rebel groups that have been engaged in the peace process under the aegis of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

After today's meeting in the southern Sudanese town of Juba, the two envoys will then travel to Darfur for a two-day visit starting on Wednesday in which they will hold meetings with other rebel movements that did not attend last month's first round of peace talks in Sirte, Libya.

Many of Darfur's rebel groups, which have fragmented recently from three major groups into 16 or more separate factions, did not attend the Sirte talks that were designed to be the first step of a three-phase process to end the conflict.

Since then the envoys, as well as other UN and AU officials, have been conducting meetings and consultations with the rebel groups in an attempt to find common ground ahead of the scheduled direct negotiations with Khartoum.

More than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003 and another 2.2 million have been made homeless because of the fighting in Darfur between rebels, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed. A hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping mission known as UNAMID is slated to deploy at the start of next year to quell the widespread violence and humanitarian suffering.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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EMPOWERING WOMEN KEY TO ACHIEVING UN MILLENNIUM GOALS - MIGIRO

EMPOWERING WOMEN KEY TO ACHIEVING UN MILLENNIUM GOALS – MIGIRO
New York, Nov 19 2007 4:00PM
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro warned today that the pledges to slash poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy by 2015, made by world leaders at the United Nations seven years ago, are at risk unless countries pay greater attention to empowering women and achieving gender equality.

Addressing an international conference in Jerusalem on women's leadership for sustainable development, Ms. Migiro highlighted the "deep and unbreakable" connection between women and development, particularly in reaching the set of global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"We know that achieving gender equality and empowering women is not only a goal in itself," she told the participants, which included female leaders such as Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. "It is also a condition for building healthier, better educated, more peaceful and more prosperous societies."

Noting that one of the MDGs is specifically on gender equality and the empowerment of women, Ms. Migiro stressed that a gender perspective is "imperative" in the other Goals as well.

The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out the disproportionately high incidence of poverty among women, as well as the fact that the majority of the more than 800 million adults around the world who cannot read are women. In addition, women are increasingly bearing the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"Unless careful attention is paid to the discrimination of women across all MDGs, the achievement of the Goals will be jeopardized," she stated, adding that greater efforts are required to combat extreme poverty, disease, illiteracy and gender discrimination around the world.

She urged participants to use the unique opportunity presented by the conference to advance the common goals of empowering women and promoting sustainable development, both crucial elements in the "march towards the MDGs."

Jerusalem is the first stop on the Deputy Secretary-General's current trip, which will also take her to the occupied Palestinian territory and then to Geneva.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY AIRDROPS FOOD TO STRANDED BANGLADESHI CYCLONE VICTIMS

UN AGENCY AIRDROPS FOOD TO STRANDED BANGLADESHI CYCLONE VICTIMS
New York, Nov 19 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2692">WFP) said today it is teaming up with Bangladesh's Air Force to airdrop emergency food supplies to hundreds of thousands of people stranded after a deadly cyclone struck the country last week.

At least 2,400 people are known to have lost their lives as a result of Cyclone Sidr which hit Bangladesh on Thursday. In addition, thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, large tracts of cropland have been wiped and hundreds of thousands of people have had to evacuate their homes and now depend on aid for basic necessities.

WFP said in a press release today that it has, along with the country's Air Force, begun using helicopters to airdrop high-energy biscuits, which are considered crucial when people lack the means to prepare cooked food. So far WFP has delivered biscuits to more than 650,000 people in the worst hit areas by land, air and boat.

"WFP was able to deliver food within hours of the cyclone hitting Bangladesh, because we pre-positioned stocks ahead of the first storm warnings," WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said.

In the next few days, WFP plans to distribute 2,000 tonnes of biscuits – or enough to feed hundreds of thousands of the country's poorest for 15 days. It also intends to start distributing rice to people returning to their homes and villages.

Meanwhile, a 12-person UN assessment team from WFP, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP), the UN Children's Fund (<" http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (<" http://www.who.int/en">WHO) is visiting some of the worst affected districts to assess the damage and the needs of the most vulnerable.

The deadly disaster has prompted concern from a number of senior UN officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who yesterday <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2871">voiced his concern at the death and devastation left in the wake of Cyclone Sidr.

Echoing Mr. Ban's concern was the President of the General Assembly who today expressed the 192-member body's deepest sympathy to the people and Government of Bangladesh on the recent tragedy. Srgjan Kerim said he hoped the international community will show its solidarity and respond promptly and generously to assist those affected.

The UN has announced it will make available several million dollars from its Central Emergency Response Fund (<" http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=7480">CERF), which was established to expedite aid operations following disasters.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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CONCERNED AT CONDITIONS IN SOMALIA, SECURITY COUNCIL URGES END TO VIOLENCE

CONCERNED AT CONDITIONS IN SOMALIA, SECURITY COUNCIL URGES END TO VIOLENCE
New York, Nov 19 2007 3:00PM
Security Council members today voiced concern about worsening conditions in Somalia, urging all concerned to work for peace while stressing the need to lay contingency plans for a possible United Nations peacekeeping presence in the country, which has lacked a functioning government since 1991.

Speaking to reporters following a closed-door briefing, Ambassador Marty M. Natalegawa of Indonesia, which holds the rotating Council presidency, said the members "expressed strong concern about the deteriorating political, security and humanitarian situation in Somalia."

He said the members also "underlined the need to continue to actively develop contingency plans for the possible deployment of a UN peacekeeping force as part of enhanced UN integrated strategy in Somalia."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his latest report on Somalia, issued last week, cautioned that deploying a UN peacekeeping operation is not realistic or viable given the country's security situation, the intensifying insurgency and the lack of progress towards any political reconciliation.

He also noted that conditions are so dire that it has not even been possible to send a technical assessment mission to the country.

"Given the complex security situation in Somalia, it may be advisable to look at additional security options, including the deployment of a robust multinational force or coalition of the willing," the report suggested.

The Council members today called for all Somali stakeholders "to renounce violence and to engage in an all-inclusive peace process," the President said, expressing support for the efforts of the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah to promote dialogue, consultation and reconciliation, and for the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) and the African Union Mission (AMISOM) deployed in the country.

Council members "recognized the need for greater financial, logistical and technical support" for AMISOM, he added.

They also "underlined the need for enhanced international assistance to address the humanitarian situation in Somalia."

Responding to questions from the press, the President said contingency planning involves not only a possible UN peacekeeping force but a UN response to the humanitarian and the political situation in Somalia.

He added that Council members were considering an expert-level consultation with UN political, peacekeeping and humanitarian officials.

"There is a clear recognition that this an issue that requires continued attention," he said. "We'll take this one step at a time, mindful of the urgency of the situation."

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2693">WFP) today welcomed the safe arrival of the two ships carrying WFP cargo, the first two ships to be escorted by a French naval vessel assigned to protect them from pirate attacks.

The French ship and the two WFP-contracted vessels left the Kenyan port of Mombasa on Friday, carrying more than 3600 tons of food, and arrived in Somalia today.

Thanking the French Government and Navy for their assistance, WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said the operation comes at a critical time for the Somali people, who have been afflicted by drought as well as ongoing conflict.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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VISITING UN POLICE CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR LIBERIA'S CRIME PREVENTION CAMPAIGN

VISITING UN POLICE CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR LIBERIA'S CRIME PREVENTION CAMPAIGN
New York, Nov 19 2007 2:00PM
Meeting with Liberia's President and other senior officials, the United Nations top police official has stressed the world body's continued support for the Government's anti-crime efforts, while acknowledging that much work still needs to be done in the West African nation.

UN Police Adviser Andrew Hughes, who wrapped up a four-day visit to Liberia at the weekend, also accompanied Liberia National Police (LNP) and UN Police (UNPOL) officers on a night-time anti-crime patrol around the capital Monrovia.

"I know there is a great deal of work ahead. And I pledge our support for the work of UNPOL here in Liberia," said Mr. Hughes during the night patrol. Earlier, he visited the capital's Central Prison, where he met with Corrections Officers and spoke with inmates.

His discussions with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and senior Government officials, as well as with top officers of the LNP, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Alan Doss, and other senior UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://www.unmil.org">UNMIL) representatives, focused on how to strengthen the Government's crime prevention campaign.

During his trip, Mr. Hughes also reviewed progress being made by the police and rule of law components of UNMIL and discussed the challenges ahead, as well as assessing the assistance that may be required from UN Headquarters in New York for the full implementation of UNMIL's mandate in these areas.

This visit was part of a four-nation tour for the Police Adviser, which included trips to the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (<" http://www.uniosil.org">UNIOSIL), and the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minurso/index.html">MINURSO).

The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (<" http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/police/division.shtml">DPKO) Police Division now falls 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.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SIERRA LEONE RIGHTS REPORT AIM OF UN-BACKED REVIEW

GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SIERRA LEONE RIGHTS REPORT AIM OF UN-BACKED REVIEW
New York, Nov 19 2007 2:00PM
Ongoing efforts to implement the findings of Sierra Leone's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), meant to help heal rifts left by 11 years of bloody civil war, are the focus of a two-day meeting that began today in Freetown under the auspices of the United Nations and the country's main human rights body.

In 2004, the seven-member Commission made a number of recommendations to deal with past abuses and violations and foster reconciliation as the West African nation seeks to consolidate its hard-won peace.

They included the payment of reparations by the Government to amputees and other wounded victims, those who were sexually violated, and the widows and children who suffered deprivation, displacement, or worse between 1991 and 2002.

In determining payment, the panel recommended meeting victims' needs in "health, housing, pensions, education, skills training and micro-credit, community reparations and symbolic reparations."

The meeting that began today in the capital aims to review the status of the recommendations, increase greater public awareness about them and facilitate their implementation, according to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (<"http://www.uniosil.org">UNIOSIL), which organized the event together with the national Human Rights Commission and a number of civil society groups.

"It will present the opportunity for all stakeholders to be informed on the recommendations that have been implemented thus far, those still pending and strategize on the way forward," UNIOSIL stated.

Also in Freetown today, UNIOSIL's Police Section began the first phase of a two-week training programme on traffic management, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police.

The programme aims to enhance and facilitate the free flow of traffic, particularly in the capital, as well as to re-organise the entire Traffic Department of the Police Force towards better service delivery.

Speaking at the inauguration of the training today, the Secretary-General's Executive Representative in Sierra Leone noted that in a country like Sierra Leone, where 25 per cent of the population is concentrated in the capital and there are no rail services, people are completely dependent on road networks.

Stressing the vital need to ensure the free flow of traffic on the roads, Victor Angelo pointed out that "traffic congestion not only creates delays and inconvenience, but more importantly it has a direct effect on the national economy due to the loss of productive hours." Therefore, addressing traffic problems is critical to a country's development, as well as to its ability to compete in the global market.

A total of 125 officers across the country will benefit from the training.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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FORMER KHMER ROUGE LEADER ARRESTED BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN CAMBODIA

FORMER KHMER ROUGE LEADER ARRESTED BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN CAMBODIA
New York, Nov 19 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations-backed tribunal in Cambodia trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes three decades ago announced today that a former head of State of the country has been arrested and brought before the court.

Khieu Samphan, who served as president of Democratic Kampuchea, as Cambodia was then known, between 1976 and 1979, was arrested after co-investigating judges at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (<" http://www.eccc.gov.kh/english/default.aspx">ECCC) issued an arrest warrant.

The ECCC has not released any details of any charges against Mr. Samphan, who becomes the fifth person to be brought before the tribunal.

In a press release the court announced that its defence support section has assigned two lawyers to Mr. Samphan's case while it assesses whether he can pay for his legal team for the next two years. They are Say Bory of the Cambodian Bar and Jacques Vergès, a French lawyer.
Under an agreement signed by the UN and Cambodia, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international law between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979, when up to three million people perished at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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UN STUDY SPOTLIGHTS SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT GAPS AMONG ASEAN MEMBERS

UN STUDY SPOTLIGHTS SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT GAPS AMONG ASEAN MEMBERS
New York, Nov 19 2007 1:00PM
As the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) get set to discuss a plan for greater regional integration at their annual summit in Singapore this week, the United Nations has emphasized the need for the group to address serious development gaps among its 10 members if it is to move in that direction.

Ten as One: Challenges and Opportunities for ASEAN Integration, a new study by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/nov/n65.asp">ESCAP), was released to coincide with this week's regional summit, at which leaders will sign the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint.

The study notes that some of the greatest disparities among members relate to environmental and health issues. For example, while the group as a whole contributes a relatively small share of global carbon emissions – about 3.3 per cent of the world total – Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Malaysia exceed the global average of per capita emissions by a large margin. Brunei Darussalam's per capita emissions rate is over 60,000 times higher than that of Cambodia.

According to ESCAP, the disparities in health are stark, with child and maternal mortality rates of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar between 11 and 47 times higher than those of Singapore.

Huge gaps also remain among ASEAN members in the areas of trade and investment. Foreign direct investment, for example, has been "heavily skewed," with four countries – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam taking in 95 per cent of all FDI inflows. Meanwhile, the study states that such flows between ASEAN members have been "low and stagnant."

ESCAP emphasizes that efforts towards regional integration will require all ASEAN members to obtain minimum levels of economic and social development if they are to benefit from the envisaged free movement in different areas. The report makes eight recommendations in three key areas where action is required: governance, cohesion policy and trans-ASEAN networks.

Stressing the urgency of addressing development gaps, ESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer stated that, in the long run, "uneven development is unsustainable, as instabilities resulting from disparities will spill across borders into neighbouring countries, involving the movement of displaced people and the transformation of border areas into possible conflict zones."

Nor is it sustainable to build "firewalls" to contain instabilities rather than address root causes, she added.
2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: UN OFFICIAL MOURNS PASSING OF PROMINENT RELIEF WORKER

SOMALIA: UN OFFICIAL MOURNS PASSING OF PROMINENT RELIEF WORKER
New York, Nov 19 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia today paid tribute to the memory of Madina Mohamud Elmi, a prominent relief worker who was killed in crossfire on Friday.

"Somalia has lost one of its heroines," Eric Laroche said.

Ms. Madina "was present at the epicenter of the unfolding emergency, assisting an aid distribution to her displaced compatriots, when she was hit by a stray bullet in a tragic accident."

In a statement, he recalled that her leadership of women's groups and strong sense of purpose "earned her the moniker of Madina General, as she was known by those who worked with her and admired her."

Mr. Laroche pointed out that the relief worker and activist cut down by violence had devoted her life to peace. "Defending vulnerable groups such as the displaced and seeking sustainable peace in Somalia was her vocation. She was a strong advocate for the disbandment of militia check-points and the reform of armed militia."

On the broader challenge of being an aid worker in Somalia, he said: "It is one of the most dangerous places to work, and one of the places where aid workers are the least protected. Our colleagues deserve our respect and recognition, and even more, the utmost protection."

2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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ASIA-PACIFIC REGION NEEDS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, UN CLIMATE CHANGE ENVOY SAYS

ASIA-PACIFIC REGION NEEDS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, UN CLIMATE CHANGE ENVOY SAYS
New York, Nov 19 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy on Climate Change, Han Seung-soo, today in Bangkok called on countries in the region to pursue sustainable growth.

"We can turn the crisis of climate change into a new economic opportunity," Mr. Han told a committee of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Mr. Han applauded ESCAP for its Green Growth initiative, which the Commission said calls for a paradigm change in thinking of growth and argues for ecological costs to be fully reflected in market prices.

The envoy's remarks came as Asia prepares to host a conference in Bali next month aimed at hammering out a legally binding agreement capping greenhouse gas emissions to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Mr. Han said that the new mechanism would work only if all countries participate, especially the world's 15 major emitters.

2007-11-19 00:00:00.000

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BANGLADESH: BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT OF UN IN WAKE OF DEADLY CYCLONE

BANGLADESH: BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT OF UN IN WAKE OF DEADLY CYCLONE
New York, Nov 19 2007 12:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his mounting concern today at the trail of devastation and increasing death toll left by Cyclone Sidr after it tore into Bangladesh and he stressed that the United Nations stands ready to do all it can to help in the relief effort.

Media reports say that more than 2,000 people have been reported killed as a result of Cyclone Sidr, which struck the southwest coast of Bangladesh late on Thursday local time, bringing winds of more than 240 kilometres per hour and a water surge that created waves up to five metres high. The death toll is expected to climb further.

Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, large tracts of cropland have been wiped and hundreds of thousands of people have had to evacuate their home villages and towns and now depend on aid for basic necessities.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban expressed "his profound condolences to the people and Government of Bangladesh for the many deaths and the destruction involved, and the full solidarity of the UN system at this time of crisis."

The statement noted that UN humanitarian agencies on the ground in Bangladesh are already responding to the basic needs of some of the hundreds of thousands of people estimated to have been affected, while UN assessment teams are also ready to be deployed.

On Friday, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said the UN would make available several millions of dollars from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which was established to expedite aid operations following disasters.

2007-11-18 00:00:00.000

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CEREMONIES HELD WORLDWIDE TO MARK UN DAY REMEMBERING ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS

CEREMONIES HELD WORLDWIDE TO MARK UN DAY REMEMBERING ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS
New York, Nov 18 2007 11:00PM
From candlelight parades in Israel and a multi-faith gathering in Australia to theatre performances in Mexico and a seminar in Japan, people around the world are today marking the United Nations World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

Road crashes, the leading cause of death among people aged between 10 and 24, kill 1.2 million people worldwide every year and injure or disable up to 50 million others, and yet most accidents are preventable.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said many countries are holding "Remember and Reflect" activities in which candles are lit in homes and public spaces in honour of those killed, while others are conducting public awareness campaigns to promote the use of seatbelts and helmets, a reduction in speed and the avoidance of drink-driving.

In Mexico, more than 7,000 university students are expected to participate in theatre performances, photography and art exhibitions and related activities to promote the testing of blood alcohol content in drivers and vehicle inspections.

Israel's National Authority for Road Safety and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are holding a series of candlelight parades and gatherings while a multi-faith service for those suffering injury or bereavement because of road crashes will be held at Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia.

A seminar in Tokyo, Japan, is scheduled to examine how to help victims of road crashes navigate the country's criminal justice system while events are also taking place in Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States among other countries.

In 2005 the UN General Assembly designated the third Sunday in November each year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

2007-11-18 00:00:00.000

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MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES MUST COMMIT TO ANTI-LANDMINE TREATY, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES MUST COMMIT TO ANTI-LANDMINE TREATY, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 18 2007 11:00PM
The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty has been an incontestable success since it entered into force 10 years ago but acceptance of the pact in the Middle East remains disturbingly low, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

In a message to the eighth meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, held at the Dead Sea, Jordan, Mr. Ban called for the entire regime to embrace the treaty.

Commending Jordan for its support for mine action, he voiced "hope [that] you will continue to promote awareness on this issue, lobby for adequate funding for all five pillars of mine action, and push for universal acceptance of the Convention in the Middle East."

The Secretary-General detailed some of the successes produced by the Convention, which now has 155 States Parties.

"The production, sale and transfer of anti-personnel mines have increased drastically," Mr. Ban said in the message, delivered on his behalf by Sergio Duarte, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

"Vast areas have been cleared, and untold thousands of lives have been saved as a direct result. At the same time, mine victims are being provided with better assistance, rehabilitation and reintegration."

But he warned that it was vital to not forget that anti-personnel mines still kill and maim in great numbers every year.

"They terrorize populations long after conflicts have ended. Their presence denies communities avenues to rebuild long after conflicts have ended and combatants have gone home."

He urged the countries that have not yet acceded to the Convention to do so as soon as possible.

2007-11-18 00:00:00.000

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Back On Blogger

I have been working with other options for the On Holiday Travel Blog. After a bit of work I have decided that the free hosting with Blogger meets all our needs. Hope you continue to enjoy the site.

Carl