BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ELECTION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF KOREA

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ELECTION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF KOREA
New York, Dec 20 2007 2:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated Lee Myung-bak on becoming elected as the next President of the Republic of Korea.
Mr. Ban "notes that the Republic of Korea is a highly valued and steadfast partner of the United Nations in the work for international peace and security, development and human rights," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.
He voiced hope that under Mr. Lee's leadership, the East Asian nation will increase its already "active engagement" in promoting the UN's agenda, ranging from tackling climate change, contributing to peacekeeping, achieving development goals and pushing for human rights.
"The Secretary-General also looks to the Republic of Korea to play an instrumental role in further consolidating peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, including through denuclearization, and in Northeast Asia as a whole," the statement said.
2007-12-20 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE'S IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE WRAPS UP

UN-BACKED MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE'S IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE WRAPS UP
New York, Dec 20 2007 12:00PM
With climate change threatening agriculture in Asia, 10 nations met in a three-day United Nations-sponsored meeting in Hanoi, Viet Nam, to discuss sustainable farming practices to feed growing populations.

The UN World Meteorological Organization held its Regional Association Asia Working Group on Agricultural Meteorology meeting from 17-19 December, which was attended by representatives from China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam.

Global warming is responsible for more frequent and serious droughts, floods and storms across Asia, and this is expected to intensify in the future. Seven of the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather events last year were Asian: the Philippines, the Democratic Peopleâ??s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Indonesia, Viet Name, India, China and Afghanistan.

This year, floods in China have forced nearly 800,000 people from their homes, caused almost $400 million worth of damage and affected over 300,000 hectares of crops. Meanwhile in Bangladesh, more than 3,000 people were killed and millions were left homeless when Cyclone Sidr struck on 15 November.

"In view of the growing populations in Asia and the need for secure access to food for these populations, indoor and urban agriculture is also receiving special attention to make most efficient use of space using controlled environments," said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud.

Participants conferred on issues critical to promoting sustainable agriculture in the region, including drought response, impacts of climate change, water resources, pest and diseases.

WMO recommends countries invest more in urban and indoor agriculture that can assist greatly in providing food for the hundreds of millions of people living in Asian cities whose populations are surging.

The agency also measures providing seasonal prediction and early warning systems are crucial, as well as monitoring syste
to guide farmersâ?? decisions on when, where and what crop is best to grow. Forecasts can also help in better managing the spread of pests and diseases.
2007-12-20 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED PROJECT AIMS TO JUMP START ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GUINEA-BISSAU

UN-BACKED PROJECT AIMS TO JUMP START ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GUINEA-BISSAU
New York, Dec 20 2007 12:00PM
A new project backed by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will boost the incomes and living conditions of some 100,000 rural poor in Guinea-Bissau.

With a $4.7 million IFAD grant, the $5.6 million Rural Rehabilitation and Community Development Project will focus on rebuilding communities with the participation of local public administration, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.
It will also bolster the role of the most vulnerable groups, including women and youth, in Guinea-Bissau, which was wracked by three decades of political instability and a civil war after gaining independence in 1973.
"The political scenario has evolved positively since 1999," said Cristiana Sparacino, IFAD's country programme manager in the West African nation. "There are encouraging signs that the new multi-party system can resolve political crises within a framework of democratic institutions."
She urged the international community to provide urgent support to help the country to achieve economic development.
The initiative's activities will be built around innovations proposed by participants themselves, and a local initiative fund will provide financial support to those who form partnerships to create new local rural development projects.
To date, IFAD has supported other projects in Guinea-Bissau totaling more than $20 million.
2007-12-20 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: SECURITY COUNCIL APPEALS FOR DIALOGUE TOWARDS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION

SOMALIA: SECURITY COUNCIL APPEALS FOR DIALOGUE TOWARDS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION
New York, Dec 19 2007 7:00PM
The Security Council today called on all sides in Somalia to use peaceful means to consolidate peace in the East African nation that has not had a functioning national government since 1991.

Foreign Minister Massimo D'alema of Italy, which holds the Council's rotating presidency this month, read out a statement urging "all Somali parties to reject violence and… to enter into substantial dialogue aimed at achieving a full and all-inclusive national reconciliation."

The 15-member body lauded last month's appointment of Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, which "offers a renewed opportunity to make further progress on dialogue and political reconciliation," as well as on tackling the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Mr. Hussein's appointment, the Council said, also bodes well for the implementation of the National Reconciliation Congress' outcomes, "leading to a road map for the remainder of the Transitional Period and democratic elections in Somalia, as set out in the Transitional Federal Charter."

The Council also welcomed a briefing it received earlier this week from Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, who warned the body that "the situation in Somalia is dangerous and becoming more so each day."

He cautioned that "business as usual" would have dire consequences for both the country and the greater region, and called for immediate and effective action on the political and security fronts, with the objective of forming a government that can support itself and administer the country effectively.

In today's statement, the Council also took note of the 6 December briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who recounted his recent visit to Somalia and estimated that some 1.5 million people there are in need of aid.

"The Security Council expresses its deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation, aggravated by the prevailing security conditions in Somalia, and emphasizes again the need for strengthened efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia," Mr. D'alema said.

In addition, the Council appealed for unobstructed access for aid workers to vulnerable populations.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL CONVENES MEETING OF 'GROUP OF FRIENDS' ON MYANMAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONVENES MEETING OF 'GROUP OF FRIENDS' ON MYANMAR
New York, Dec 19 2007 6:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today convened the first meeting of a group of 14 nations to assist him in his efforts to spur change in the troubled South-East Asian nation.

The "Group of Friends of the Secretary-General on Myanmar" will be "a consultative forum for developing a shared approach in support of the implementation of the Secretary-General's good offices mandate," UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

Consisting of Australia, Indonesia, Russia, United States, China, Japan, Singapore, Viet Nam, France, Norway, Thailand, India, Portugal and the United Kingdom, the Group will meet as needed in an informal format, she added.

Also attending today's meeting was the Secretary-General's Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari, who has visited Myanmar twice since the Government used force to crack down on peaceful protesters just a few months ago.

Mr. Gambari told reporters yesterday that he expects to return to Myanmar by next month.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON REFLECTS ON HIS FIRST YEAR AS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

BAN KI-MOON REFLECTS ON HIS FIRST YEAR AS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
New York, Dec 19 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today looked back on his busy first year in office, which took him to nearly 40 countries or territories on six continents to push for progress in four main areas – United Nations reform, climate change, human rights and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and international security.

"I have not sat still this year," said Mr. Ban, who has flown over 125,000 miles since taking office at the start of this year.

He reiterated his call for the need to "change the UN culture and re-engineer the United Nations for life in our fast-modern world." While the UN must reform to better respond to global challenges, it must simultaneously attain the highest standards in ethics, transparency and accountability, he added.

To this end, the Secretary-General is working to reorganize key departments, including the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs.

Mr. Ban also highlighted his efforts in the fight against global warming, which he has called "the defining issue of our era" and which he has made his top priority.

Those efforts – including his trips to places such as Antarctica and the Amazon and his convening of the largest-ever gathering of heads of State to discuss the issue – culminated in the landmark UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, which ended last week.

In Bali delegates "took a vital first step" towards reaching a comprehensive accord to replace the current Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012, the Secretary-General said.

"This is the year's key achievement," he declared.

This year marks the halfway point for the MDGs, eight targets to slash poverty and other ills by 2015, and the Secretary-General pointed out that despite progress made, challenges remain.

"For the poorest of the world's poor, economic and social advancement should be considered an innate human right," he said, adding that he will expend great effort in 2008 to bolstering the UN's role in development.

In the 132 days he has spent on the road this year, Mr. Ban said he has visited a half dozen UN peacekeeping missions, including the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) known as MONUC to the Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

He highlighted the crucial role of the UN in Lebanon, Iraq, Bangladesh and the occupied Palestinian territories.

At the same time, he noted that "no geopolitical issue has absorbed more of my time than Darfur." While no advances towards peace were being made last year, there are peace talks underway now and a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force is on the verge of deployment, he pointed out.

"The challenge for the coming year is to work continuously with the [Sudanese] government, rebel movements, representatives of civil society and regional leaders, as well as the UN Security Council and the international community, to ensure the ultimate success of both the talks and the military mission," he said.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON URGES COOPERATION AMONG DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO ERADICATE POVERTY

BAN KI-MOON URGES COOPERATION AMONG DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO ERADICATE POVERTY
New York, Dec 19 2007 5:00PM
While a partnership between developed and developing countries is important, cooperation among developing countries themselves is central to global efforts to eradicate poverty, stimulate economic growth and promote sustainable development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Such cooperation "is a vital means of attracting trade and investment flows and achieving sustainable debt financing," he said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11341.doc.htm">message marking the UN Day for South-South Cooperation, observed annually on 19 December.

"It can also serve to promote increased international financial and technical cooperation for development. In addition, South-South cooperation helps developing countries learn how best to apply successful policies and practices in a context that reflects their national priorities," he added.

Noting that development successes remained uneven across the South, he said much more must be done to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seek to drastically slash poverty, hunger and maternal and child mortality, and boost access to health care and education, all by 2015.

"Nearly 1 billion people remain in extreme poverty," Mr. Ban stressed. "All regions are off track to reach the target for reducing child mortality, and one third of all children in developing countries lack access to improved sanitation.

"In the face of this stark reality, the international community must reinvigorate efforts to meet its commitments. Countries of the South must use their growing surpluses to reach development goals, including by funding public goods, creating and distributing vaccines, supporting agricultural research and development, establishing social insurance systems, enhancing access to credit for the poor, and improving transportation and communications structures."

At the same time, he said the world must stay focused on the effects of climate change, which threaten to undermine much of the progress that has been achieved so far. In addition, resources mobilized for development must be used effectively.

UN agencies, funds and programmes must better coordinate their activities, particularly in the area of South-South cooperation, to address development challenges that are beyond the capacity of any one country to tackle alone.

"I am committed to strengthening and streamlining United Nations support for South-South cooperation," he concluded. "As we mark this International Day, let us all pledge our best efforts to enable the countries of the South to free their citizens from want."
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN VOICES CONCERN AT ATTACKS AGAINST HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS

DR CONGO: UN VOICES CONCERN AT ATTACKS AGAINST HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS
New York, Dec 19 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) today voiced serious concern over attacks by armed groups involving humanitarian vehicles and staff in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where fighting and spiralling lawlessness has displaced hundreds of thousands of people over the past year.

"We are requesting the Government and all armed groups present in this zone to take all necessary measures urgently to improve security and facilitate access for humanitarian organizations on the ground," OCHA said in a statement.

It cited more than 10 incidents in 2007 involving vehicles and humanitarian staff in the Goma and Rutshuru areas, where fighting has flared recently between Government troops and rebels allied to dissident army general Laurent Nkunda.

Just last Sunday, a vehicle of an international non-governmental organization (NGO) was attacked in the town of Nyongera in the middle of the day while the population watched helplessly.

Despite such systematic violations of humanitarian principles, aid organizations have maintained their field operations to help hundreds of thousands of displaced and vulnerable people. For the last two weeks, these organizations have been helping local health authorities fight a cholera outbreak in Rutshuru.

Three international organizations have already announced that they will suspend their operations from tomorrow for 48 hours "to re-evaluate the security situation and to make the parties to the conflict realize the risks related to a withdrawal of humanitarian presence in the event of a more serious incident," OCHA said.

Although the DRC held its first democratic elections in over four decades last year, solidifying its transition from a six-year civil war that cost 4 million lives in fighting and attendant hunger and disease – widely considered the most lethal conflict in the world since World War II – fighting has continued in the volatile east of the vast country.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES KOSOVO'S FUTURE STATUS

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES KOSOVO'S FUTURE STATUS
New York, Dec 19 2007 5:00PM
The Security Council today held a private debate over the future status of Kosovo, a Serbian province where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by nine to one.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended the debate, as did Vojislav Kostunica, Serbia's Prime Minister, and Fatmir Sejdiu, the President of Kosovo, which has been run by the UN since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.

Earlier this month, a report submitted to the Council by the troika – comprising the European Union, Russia and the United States – noted that despite four months of intense and high-level negotiations, Belgrade and Pristina have been unable to reach agreement on Kosovo's final status. The province's Albanian leadership supports independence but Serbia is opposed.

"Neither party was willing to cede its position on the fundamental question of sovereignty," the report said.

The troika was established after a stalemate emerged over a proposal by Mr. Ban's Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, for a phased process of independence for Kosovo.

Mr. Ahtisaari declared talks on the future status of the province deadlocked in mid-March, a little more than a month after unveiling his proposals, which aimed to address the demands of a multi-ethnic society.

His plan called for a constitution enshrining principles to protect the rights of all communities, including culture, language, education and symbols, as well as granting specific representation for non-Albanians in key public institutions and requiring that certain laws may only be enacted if a majority of the Kosovo non-Albanian legislative members agree.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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UN CAMPAIGN WARNS MIGRANTS ABOUT DANGERS OF CROSSING GULF OF ADEN

UN CAMPAIGN WARNS MIGRANTS ABOUT DANGERS OF CROSSING GULF OF ADEN
New York, Dec 19 2007 5:00PM
With more than 1,400 people having lost their lives this year while illegally crossing the Gulf of Aden, the United Nations refugee agency has started a new campaign in the Horn of Africa to highlight the dangers of making the perilous voyage to Yemen.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/476923284.html">UNHCR) is distributing colourful leaflets containing drawings and text printed in Somali and in three Ethiopian dialects throughout Somalia's Puntland region, while radio spots have been broadcast since October.

The advocacy campaign, which is currently being extended to South/Central Somalia and Ethiopia, also informs asylum-seekers coming from nearby countries that they can seek asylum directly in Somalia. In addition, it asks host communities to treat migrants humanely.

So far this year, more than 1,400 people – or one out of every 20 – died in the Gulf of Aden, killed by smugglers or drowned at sea, while over 28,300 people made it ashore on 300 boats, UNHCR announced yesterday.

This includes over 150 who lost their lives just this past weekend, UNHCR spokesperson Astrid van Genderen Stort told reporters in Geneva, noting that "once again, the Gulf of Aden has taken its toll."

Along with the campaign, the agency has stepped up its work in Yemen over the past year under a $7 million operation. It is also planning to expand its presence along the remote, 300-kilometre Yemeni coastline with the opening of two additional field offices next year.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS LIBERIA SANCTIONS FOR ANOTHER YEAR

SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS LIBERIA SANCTIONS FOR ANOTHER YEAR
New York, Dec 19 2007 4:00PM
Having assessed the progress made so far in meeting the conditions for lifting the sanctions, the Security Council today renewed the arms and travel embargoes imposed against Liberia for another 12 months.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1792, the Council also <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9209.doc.htm">extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts monitoring the sanctions until 20 June 2008 to conduct a follow-up mission to the region to investigate implementation of the measures.

The Panel was appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in July to renew investigations into whether UN sanctions against Liberia are being broken, after learning of allegations that former President Charles Taylor may still have access to considerable wealth.

As they noted in their most recent report, the experts were invited by Nigeria to visit the country to investigate the allegations. While the Nigerian authorities informed them that they were unable to find conclusive evidence of any funds, economic assets or investments made by Mr. Taylor in Nigeria, the Panel was unable to confirm this since it had not yet received copies of the Government's reports.

With regard to the arms embargo, the Panel stated that it had not found any evidence of arms flows across Liberia's borders. However, it expressed concern over the dramatic increase in armed robberies involving firearms and felt the issue should be looked at by the Security Council committee monitoring the arms embargo imposed on Liberia.

The Panel is also tasked with assessing the implementation of forestry legislation signed into law last October by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and with gauging the Government's compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a mechanism established to keep "blood diamonds" from reaching world markets.

In the resolution adopted today, the Council encouraged the Liberian Government to invite the Kimberley Process to conduct a review visit within a year of Liberia's full participation in and implementation of the Scheme. It also encouraged the Process to inform the Council of its assessment of progress made.

Meanwhile, the UN mission in the West African nation, known as UNMIL, is launching an update to the atlas of humanitarian and recovery activities in Liberia that it produced in January. Providing a snapshot of "who is doing what and where," the atlas will make it possible to quickly identify humanitarian needs and gaps and improve coordination among all actors assisting vulnerable populations.

In another development, UNMIL announced that Moses Swaray is the winner of a two-month musical talent search conducted by the Mission and the Liberian Government. Chris Watson and Frances Ewu came in second and third in the contest – "A Star is Born" – which drew about 1,000 applicants nationwide.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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UN FORUM ADOPTS STRATEGY TO AID VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY ORGANIZATION'S STAFF

UN FORUM ADOPTS STRATEGY TO AID VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY ORGANIZATION'S STAFF
New York, Dec 19 2007 4:00PM
In a major step forward in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel, a working group of the General Assembly today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10682.doc.htm">agreed on a strategy to assist victims, ranging from medical treatment and counselling to social support, legal services and material care.

In addition, the strategy commits the UN to helping children born as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse.

"This is an important day for the victims, whose suffering can be reduced with the UN's support," the Chair of the working group, Costa Rica's Permanent Representative Jorge Urbina, said.

The UN, which fields nearly 200,000 people from over 100 countries in its peacekeeping missions, has instituted a policy of zero tolerance against sexual abuse and exploitation ever since the problem surfaced in 2004, when a UN report found that a "shockingly large number" of peacekeepers had engaged in such practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The report cited payments for sex sometimes ranging from two eggs to $5 per encounter. The victims included many abandoned orphans who were often illiterate.

Assistant Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Field Support, called today's agreement an important day for the UN. "This policy represents a long overdue measure to strengthen our policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse," she said.

Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Margareta Wahlström noted that a comprehensive approach to victim assistance throughout the UN "will greatly enhance the efficacy of assistance efforts and therefore make an important difference in the lives of victims."

The strategy was developed in part as follow-up to the 2005 World Summit, during which Member States called for a comprehensive approach to victim assistance. The strategy is one arm of a broader UN effort to address sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel that includes prevention, enforcement and remedial action.

The adoption of the strategy today was undertaken by an ad hoc open-ended working group. The Assembly is expected to formally adopt the strategy before the current session closes.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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PLANS FOR UN PRESENCE IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD ON TRACK - BAN KI-MOON

PLANS FOR UN PRESENCE IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD ON TRACK – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Dec 19 2007 3:00PM
Preparations for the United Nations-mandated, multidimensional presence in eastern Chad and north-eastern Central African Republic (CAR) – which will include European Union (EU) military forces – are on track, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/739">report.

In September, the Security Council established a new UN peacekeeping mission to Chad and CAR, to be known as MINURCAT to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighbouring Sudan.

"The complementary and parallel deployment" of MINURCAT and the EU troops under a single Council mandate "breaks new ground in peacekeeping operations," Mr. Ban notes.

The Secretary-General says he is "pleased" by the collaboration between the UN and EU, and that he has "no doubt this will continue as the two operations are deployed on the ground."

While he expresses hope that the EU will be able to provide the capacities required for its force, he cautions that if its capabilities are limited, MINURCAT will not be able to deploy in eastern Chad.

"I appeal to all relevant Member States to provide the force requirements necessary to enable the European Union force to deploy with the needed robustness and credibility," Mr. Ban writes.

At the same time, the Secretary-General observes that "the deployment of MINURCAT and the European Union-led peacekeeping force alone will not solve the crisis plaguing the sub-region."

The security situation will be bolstered by the simultaneous deployment of the UN-African Union hybrid force planned for the war-wracked Sudanese region of Darfur, known as UNAMID, as well as progress with the Darfur peace talks, he writes.

Mr. Ban voices concern over the "volatile and unpredictable" security situation in eastern Chad, with violence threatening the civilian population and further thwarting aid workers providing urgently-needed assistance.

Regarding CAR, he lauds the Government's efforts towards an inclusive dialogue, and urges the international community to support them.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAKES TANGIBLE PROGRESS TO REVITALIZE ITSELF, ITS PRESIDENT SAYS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAKES TANGIBLE PROGRESS TO REVITALIZE ITSELF, ITS PRESIDENT SAYS
New York, Dec 19 2007 3:00PM
The 192-member General Assembly is well on the road to revitalizing its role within the United Nations, where the 15-member Security Council makes the binding decisions, and is planning major debates in the coming year on issues ranging from climate change to development funding to management reform, its President said today.

"I think that we have made tangible progress and obvious progress in terms of improving the working methods of the General Assembly, thus making it dynamic and vital," Srgjan Kerim said at an end-of-year news conference in New York.

There was no need even for a resolution on revitalising the Assembly, he said, noting that such a resolution had become "totally superfluous" in light of the very intensive activities and the more constructive and cooperative atmosphere among Member States.

"We cannot behave in terms of business as usual because the agenda, the problems, the challenges we are facing do not allow for that," Mr. Kerim stressed. "So in that regard I have talked to Member States very often that we have to change our mindset and through this our attitude towards the General Assembly in making it a central, vital body of the United Nations which deals with the most important issues and challenges of today's world."

He stressed the importance of thematic debates, such as the one already held on terrorism, which paves the way for the review of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy scheduled for next September.

In February the Assembly will debate climate change following a January debate on financing for development. In April there will be an informal thematic debate on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seek to drastically slash poverty, hunger and maternal and child mortality, and boost access to health care and education by 2015.

That debate "will be focused on three crucial goals – poverty, education and health," and include business people, academics and all those prepared to assist the UN in implementing the MDGs, Mr. Kerim said.

There will also be plenary meetings in April on management reform, focusing on procurement, accountability and human resources. "That will be a very important exercise in which the Member States will be involved to give their input and their ideas and their options and solutions on what should be a very comprehensive management reform," said the President.

The coming months will be even busier than the past season. "As I said when I was elected in May this year, I promised hard work, a lot of dynamics and a vital General Assembly and I think I have [the] great support of the Member States," he declared.

Mr. Kerim also voiced confidence that the Assembly would soon adopt a multi-billion dollar budget for the UN, citing the "tremendous effort" by Japan, as well as the efforts of the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Egypt, India "and many, many countries in making sure that we will have a budget.

"And we will have, but with a very clear message to the Secretary-General and the Secretariat that we would like to see more savings, more measures, more transparency in using the money because this is part of this reform and the budget is the best way we can exercise pressure to implement this reform of management," he added.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed a $4.2 billion budget for the next two years.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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BOSNIAN MUSLIM ARMY CHIEF PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST BY UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

BOSNIAN MUSLIM ARMY CHIEF PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST BY UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
New York, Dec 19 2007 3:00PM
A judge at the United Nations war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the worst crimes of the Balkan wars of the 1990s today ordered that the former head of the Bosnian Muslim forces be placed under house arrest after he violated the terms of his temporary release from jail by discussing his case with someone other than his lawyers.

Rasim Deli&#263; must be placed under arrest and permanent surveillance by authorities at his residence and can only be released for the purpose of medical treatment, according to an order <"http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2007/pr1209e.htm">issued by Judge Wolfgang Schomburg of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY), which is based in The Hague.

Judge Schomburg said he was satisfied by prosecution arguments that Mr. Deli&#263; had discussed the case, and therefore breached the terms of his provisional release, when he met with Haris Silajdži&#263;, a member of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency.

He also warned that any further infringement – however slight – of the conditions of Mr. Deli&#263;'s release could lead to the termination of that release.

Last month Mr. Deli&#263;, now 58, was granted provisional release from jail in The Hague, where he is facing trial, to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 11 December to 11 January on the understanding that he would abide by certain conditions and return to the Tribunal's custody.

Mr. Deli&#263;, who served as Commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina from June 1993 until September 2005, is charged on the basis of his command responsibility for murder, cruel treatment and rape committed by his subordinate forces.

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

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

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

Mr. Deli&#263; is also charged over the rape by his subordinates of three women at Kamenica Camp. His trial at the ICTY began in July this year and prosecutors expect to wrap up their case by early next year.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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STAFF AT UN HEADQUARTERS MARCH IN MEMORY OF FALLEN COLLEAGUES IN ALGIERS

STAFF AT UN HEADQUARTERS MARCH IN MEMORY OF FALLEN COLLEAGUES IN ALGIERS
New York, Dec 19 2007 1:00PM
United Nations staff in New York, led by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, today honoured the memory of their colleagues who died in the 11 December terrorist attack in Algiers with a silent march in front of the world body's Headquarters.

Seventeen UN staff members lost their lives when a car bomb destroyed the offices of the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP) and damaged those of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) in the Algerian capital. A second car bomb exploded near a court building.

Having just returned from Algiers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2923">told staff at UN Headquarters that his visit to the attack site and his meetings with the families of the victims and the injured were "profoundly emotional and heartbreaking."

At the same time, he was "humbled" by the courage and dignity of the people he met, including the father of a brave Algerian security guard who was killed when he threw himself at the oncoming suicide truck, and a young UN staffer who, after being thrown to the ground by the blast, spent hours digging through the rubble searching for survivors.

"Above all, the experience strengthened my resolve to do everything in my power to improve the security of our staff," Mr. Ban said, noting that he will soon present a proposal for a review of UN security worldwide. He will also push for implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted by all 192 Member States last year.

Noting the need to "ensure that the UN family takes care of its own," Mr. Ban said he has asked the Resident Coordinator in Algiers to distribute solidarity payments to families of the fallen and to those injured.

The Secretary-General brought back to New York the tattered flag that had flown outside the UN offices in Algiers at the time of the attack.

"Torn and bruised, but still proud and unbowed, this flag symbolizes the sacrifice of our colleagues, and our determination to persevere," he stated. "Let us honour this flag and the memory of our fallen friends by redoubling our efforts for peace and security, development and human rights around the world."

UN staff that lost their lives in the attack include Hind Boukroufa, Djamel Rezzoug, Saadia Boucelham, Samia Hammoutene, Chadli Hamza and Mohamed Khelladi of Algeria, as well as Steven Olejas of Denmark, all of whom worked for UNDP.

Algerians Adnane Souilah, Kamel Sait and Mustapha Benbara (<" http://www.unfpa.org">UN Population Fund); Hanniche Abel-Rahim (<"http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm">International Labour Organization); Nabil Slimani and Karim Bentebal (UNHCR); Hakim Si Larbi (Joint UN Programme on <"http://www.unaids.org/en/">HIV/AIDS); and Mohamed Laseli (<"http://www.unido.org/">UN Industrial Development Organization) were also killed, as were Gene Luna of the Philippines (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">World Food Programme); and Babacar Ndiaye of Senegal (<" https://dss.un.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx ">Department of Safety and Security).

The Algiers bombing is not the first time the UN has been attacked by terrorists. A bomb destroyed the world body's Baghdad headquarters in August 2003, killing 22 people, including top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN OFFICE IN BURUNDI

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN OFFICE IN BURUNDI
New York, Dec 19 2007 1:00PM
Commending Burundi's efforts to consolidate stability and achieve national reconciliation, the Security Council today <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9208.doc.htm">extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in that country, known as BINUB, until the end of next December.

In a unanimously-adopted resolution, the 15-member body approved the renewal of the Office which was opened on 2 January this year to replace the peacekeeping mission known as the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB).

While noting the progress made in the small Great Lakes nation towards rebuilding after decades of conflict, the Council pointed out that it must overcome challenges, particularly the completion of the peace process with the Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL), the last major rebel hold-out group.

In July, the group withdrew from the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM) set up to monitor a ceasefire it signed with the Government last year.

Today's resolution urged the Palipehutu-FNL to return to the JVMM "without delay or preconditions and to immediately release all children associated with it," and urged both sides to last year's Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement to "refrain from any action that might lead to a resumption of hostilities."

In a report late last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that Burundi's deteriorating political condition could roll back progress towards establishing a lasting peace.

"The political crises and institutional paralysis, along with the blockage in the peace process, underscores the fragility of the situation and the continued need for vigilance," he wrote.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF ENDORSES ASSEMBLY CALL FOR MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF ENDORSES ASSEMBLY CALL FOR MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
New York, Dec 19 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) today <" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/8D3FC07AEF1BCAE2C12573B600582AD2?opendocument">welcomed the General Assembly's resolution calling on all States to establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

"The General Assembly has taken a truly landmark step," said Louise Arbour in a statement issued from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva after yesterday's vote.

"Over 100 States, from all parts of the world, have joined together to call for an end to the death penalty. Never before has there been such wide agreement that the time has come to put an end to this practice, which is an unworthy punishment in the twenty-first century."

In yesterday's vote in an Assembly plenary session, 104 Member States voted in favour of the <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10678.doc.htm">resolution, while 54 voted against and 29 abstained. All Assembly resolutions are non-binding.

Ms. Arbour called on the States that voted against the resolution to reconsider their stance.

"After lengthy and considered negotiation and debate, a clear majority of the States of the world have now spoken and expressed a new standard of conduct in this area. I call on those States that did not feel themselves able to join this vote to reassess their stance and to join the view that has been so clearly and broadly expressed by the General Assembly."

Ms. Arbour's remarks echo a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2921">statement yesterday by a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in which the UN chief also said the Assembly vote was further proof of an emerging trend towards the eventual abolition of capital punishment.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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INDONESIAN MAN SUCCUMBS TO BIRD FLU INFECTION, REPORTS UN HEALTH AGENCY

INDONESIAN MAN SUCCUMBS TO BIRD FLU INFECTION, REPORTS UN HEALTH AGENCY
New York, Dec 19 2007 12:00PM
A 47-year-old man from Indonesia's Banten province on the western tip of the island of Java has become the latest human fatality from avian influenza, the United Nations World Health Organization (<" http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/index.html">WHO) has reported.

Indonesian health officials have confirmed that the man from the province's Tangerang District died last week as a result of contracting the H5N1 virus – responsible for outbreaks of bird flu around the world in recent years.

So far, 93 of the 115 confirmed bird flu cases in Indonesia have been fatal, according to a statement from WHO. The South-East Asian archipelago is one of six countries where the virus is still enzootic, which means it is continuously present and being passed between poultry.

News of the fatality has emerged two days after the UN agency reported that two Pakistanis have died in a separate outbreak of the same virus. A 24-year-old Chinese man from Jiangsu province also died earlier this month.

Last month, the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org">FAO) warned that continued vigilance is necessary to avert a global pandemic of bird flu given that outbreaks are still circulating in many parts of the world, while a joint report from the UN and the <"http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank also urged countries to bolster their readiness.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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PORTUGAL AGREES TO ENFORCE SENTENCES IMPOSED BY UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

PORTUGAL AGREES TO ENFORCE SENTENCES IMPOSED BY UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
New York, Dec 19 2007 11:00AM
Portugal today became the thirteenth European country to <" http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2007/pr1208e.htm">agree to enforce a sentence imposed by the United Nations war crimes tribunal that was set up to deal with the worst crimes committed during the Balkan wars in the 1990s.

Anyone convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) and given a jail term can now serve that sentence in a Portuguese prison after an agreement was signed in The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICTY is based.

Italy, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Ukraine have already entered into similar agreements with the Tribunal.

The agreement with Portugal notes that it will only enforce ICTY sentences when the length of the jail term does not exceed the highest maximum sentence for any crime under Portuguese law.

The Tribunal said in a press statement that the agreement will enter into force after it is ratified by the Portuguese Parliament.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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BETTER IRRIGATION METHODS COULD REDUCE ARSENIC THREAT IN RICE, SAYS UN AGENCY

BETTER IRRIGATION METHODS COULD REDUCE ARSENIC THREAT IN RICE, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Dec 19 2007 11:00AM
Improved irrigation practices in Asia could reduce the high levels of arsenic found in rice, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today, warning of the increased food safety risk posed by the toxic substance.

Improved irrigation practices in Asia could reduce the high levels of arsenic found in rice, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000734/index.html">FAO) said today, warning of the increased food safety risk posed by the toxic substance.

The agency noted that arsenic – an odourless and tasteless semi-metal that occurs naturally in rock and soil – enters the food chain mainly through crops absorbing contaminated irrigation water. It can lead to a variety of illnesses including skin disorders, gangrene and cancer of the kidneys and bladder. Currently, 12 Asian countries have reported high arsenic levels in their groundwater resources.

"The problem of high arsenic levels in crops, particularly rice, needs to be urgently addressed by promoting better irrigation and agricultural practices that could reduce arsenic contamination significantly," FAO water quality and environment officer Sasha Koo-Oshima said.

"Arsenic-contaminated rice could aggravate human health when consumed with arsenic-laden drinking water. The widespread addition of arsenic to soils, for example in Bangladesh, is degrading soil quality and causing toxicity to rice. Arsenic contamination is threatening food production, food security and food quality," she noted.

Millions of shallow tube wells have been installed throughout Asia over the last 30 years pumping water from contaminated shallow groundwater aquifers. Bangladesh – where rice is a staple food and consumed in large amounts – has the highest percentage of contaminated shallow tube wells and an estimated 30 million people are dependent on those wells for drinking water and irrigation.

A pilot study conducted in Bangladesh by FAO and Cornell University show that planting rice in raised beds around 15 centimetres above the ground and not in conventional flooded fields significantly reduces the exposure to contaminated irrigation water and produces higher yields. In addition, the raised bed rice acts as a buffer against floods and drought and serves as a measure in climate adaptation.

A related Cornell University project found that between 30 and 40 per cent less irrigation water is needed in raised-bed- system. Fertilizers are also captured better – with the effect that farmers will need less fertilizers.

"The raised-bed system represents a major shift in rice production but tests show that farmers prefer the new approach due to visibly higher yields, water savings, lower tillage and labour costs and production of a safer crop," FAO stated.
2007-12-19 00:00:00.000

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RICH AND POOR NATIONS MUST FORGE AHEAD TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE - UN OFFICIAL

RICH AND POOR NATIONS MUST FORGE AHEAD TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Dec 18 2007 7:00PM
After the successful conclusion of the landmark United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, developed and developing countries alike must continue to build on the momentum generated by the meeting, an official from the world body said today.

"This was not just your average negotiation and it was not just your average UN meeting," Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Strategic Planning, <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/071218_Orr.doc.htm">told reporters in New York. "There was from the very outset high expectations for this meeting. The truth is that those expectations were met."

All three benchmarks set for the Conference by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon – the launch of negotiations for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012; a robust agenda for these upcoming talks; and a specific timetable to complete them by 2009 – were achieved.

There were "clear indications" at the Bali gathering that both developing and developed countries are taking the climate change issue very seriously, Mr. Orr pointed out.

From the final outcome document, the so-called Bali Roadmap, "you see a lot more forward-leaning posture from developing countries, that unlike the Kyoto negotiations, said we know that we need to be a part of this," he said.

The fact that poorer nations will play a key role in the coming debate "is no longer up for debate," Mr. Orr noted.

Meanwhile, developed countries also came to the table with a new stance of many topics, particularly regarding technology and financing issues. Prior to Bali, he observed, there was a "reticence to really engage what it's going to take on the technology side or on the issue of the dissemination of technologies around the world."

One of the biggest new subjects discussed at the Conference was deforestation and land use, which was not part of the Kyoto protocol because there was insufficient agreement among countries, he said.

The enthusiasm for the issue was made evident by some concrete commitments made during the two-week meeting, particularly by Norway, which pledged $550 million annually for five years to tackle the problem.

"Norway will no be the last of the major donors in the North that are going to be putting significant money into this," the Assistant Secretary-General told the press.

Looking ahead, the pace of negotiations must pick up and enter an "implementation track," he said, with four meetings to be convened in the coming year instead of the usual lone annual meeting.

Mr. Orr also stressed the recognition by the delegates of the leadership role of Mr. Ban, who attended the Conference as a facilitator, not as a negotiator.

The meeting's most dramatic moment came last Saturday, when talks were running into overtime, Mr. Orr said. The Secretary-General, who had been in Timor-Leste, flew back to the Bali negotiations, where "there were a lot of nerves" because "a lot of things had been agreed but a lot of it was conditional on other things being agreed."

Upon entering the negotiation chamber, the delegates burst into applause and gave Mr. Ban a standing ovation. After appealing to delegates to "go the extra mile" to finalize a deal, participants again gave the Secretary-General a standing ovation, Mr. Orr said.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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IVORIAN PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING VOTERS HAS BEEN POSITIVE SO FAR, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

IVORIAN PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING VOTERS HAS BEEN POSITIVE SO FAR, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Dec 18 2007 7:00PM
Côte d'Ivoire's mobile court hearings, used as part of the process of identifying voters ahead of planned national elections next year, have been generally positive since they resumed in September, the senior electoral official from the United Nations peacekeeping mission to the country said today.

Ahmedou El Becaye Seck, Chief of the Electoral Assistance Division of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), told reporters at a press conference in Abidjan that nearly 1,300 hearings had been held so far and the number of substitute birth certificates granted had far exceeded the number in previous operations.

Another 30 new teams have been added to help with the process, while the National Committee for the Supervision of Identification, known by its French acronym CNSI, will also be reinforced.

Identification of voters – including millions of undocumented Ivorians and foreign-born residents – has been a key issue in the West African country that became divided in 2002 between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north. Free and fair presidential elections are due next year, as part of a peace accord between the Government and the rebels that was signed earlier this year in Ouagadougou, capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso.

Mr. Seck also said that very few incidents had been recorded during the current mobile court operation, in contrast to the previous operation from July to September last year.

"Our teams on the ground have counted just 11 isolated incidents… they had no negative effect on the ongoing process," he said, adding this was a sign that the mobile court process had matured and Ivorians had a more consensual attitude towards it.

The only downside, Mr. Seck noted, was that the opening hours for the courts were not always being respected.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS MANDATE OF MULTINATIONAL FORCE IN IRAQ FOR ANOTHER YEAR

SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS MANDATE OF MULTINATIONAL FORCE IN IRAQ FOR ANOTHER YEAR
New York, Dec 18 2007 7:00PM
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United States-led multinational force (MNF) in Iraq by another year, until the end of 2008, after a formal request from the Government of the Middle East country.

The 15-member body unanimously approved the renewal in a resolution in which it noted that the MNF's mandate can be terminated earlier if desired by the Iraqi Government.

In his letter to the Council asking for a mandate extension, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki noted that the MNF had "made an important and significant contribution to efforts to establish security and the rule of law" in the violence-wracked nation, and had helped strengthen the capacity of the national army and security forces.

Mr. al-Maliki noted that his country's forces have now taken over the MNF's security functions in eight governorates and that he expected that this would be the last time the Government would be asking the Council for a mandate renewal of the MNF.

"It is our intention that our national forces will continue to take over those security functions until all 18 governorates are under the full security control of our troops in 2008," he wrote.

The Iraqi Government has control of recruiting, training, arming and equipping the national army and security forces, while MNF will provide support and backing to those forces.

Iraq will also be responsible for the tasks of arrests, detention and imprisonment. When these actions are carried out by the MNF, "there will be maximum levels of coordination, cooperation and understanding with the Government of Iraq."

In a separate letter to the Council, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged that the MNF was ready to perform the tasks required of it and also "committed to acting consistently with their obligations and rights under international law, including the law of armed conflict."
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR SHOULD TAKE 'BOLD STEPS' TO ADDRESS NATIONAL CRISIS - UN ENVOY

MYANMAR SHOULD TAKE 'BOLD STEPS' TO ADDRESS NATIONAL CRISIS – UN ENVOY
New York, Dec 18 2007 6:00PM
The Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Myanmar has urged authorities in the South-East Asian country to take bold action to press ahead with an all-inclusive national reconciliation process.

Speaking to reporters in New York after briefing the General Assembly, Ibrahim Gambari emphasized that it is very important for Myanmar not to go backwards or stay still but to move forward and take "very bold steps" to address the concerns of the international community.

Mr. Gambari, who has visited Myanmar twice since the Government used force to crack down on peaceful protesters just a few months ago, stressed that the goal is an all-inclusive reconciliation process, as well as "a stable, prosperous, democratic Myanmar with full respect for the human rights of its people."

As for specific steps the authorities should take, he cited the need for a time-bound and substantive dialogue between the Government and detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Once again calling for Ms. Suu Kyi's release, he added that she should be allowed to meet with members of her party's executive committee.

It is also necessary for the constitutional drafting process to be opened up so that those who are excluded from, or decided not to participate in, the current process can do so before the constitution is finally drafted, Mr. Gambari stated.

In addition, he urged the authorities to address the underlying socio-economic grievances of the people of Myanmar, adding that that was why the UN had proposed the establishment of a broad-based poverty alleviation commission to look into the root causes of discontent and address them.

The Special Adviser once again stressed that all detainees should be released since "it would be counter-productive not to release them or to arrest new people because the process of national reconciliation in an all-inclusive manner will not be served."

He said he had been informed that some detainees had been released, including some monks, as recently as yesterday.

While a date for Mr. Gambari's return to Myanmar is still being decided, he said he expected to be back in the country by next month.

Just last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Myanmar's authorities to step up their efforts towards democratization and the full respect of human rights, noting that the international community's patience with the troubled nation is wearing thin.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA MUST SCALE UP EFFORTS TO REACH MILLENNIUM GOALS, SAYS MIGIRO

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA MUST SCALE UP EFFORTS TO REACH MILLENNIUM GOALS, SAYS MIGIRO
New York, Dec 18 2007 6:00PM
While noting the gains achieved by sub-Saharan African countries in recent years, the Deputy Secretary-General today cited an urgent need to scale up efforts to meet the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Despite recent gains, including economic growth and stability, progress towards achieving the MDGs in sub-Saharan Africa remains "too slow" at the mid-point to 2015, Asha-Rose Migiro told members of the Secretary-General's MDG Africa Initiative, which is designed to help mobilize international support for African States' own efforts.

"We want to ensure that when we reach 2015, we can say that the UN system has done everything possible to motivate the international community to follow through on its commitments to support the <"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs in Africa," Ms. Migiro stated.

Despite commitments made by the world's leading industrialized countries to increase annual aid to Africa to $50 billion, assistance to Africa has not been scaled up, nor has it become more predictable, she noted, adding that "the follow-up on commitments made to support the MDGs in Africa remains fragmented and does not draw on the full expertise of the UN system and its partners."

To remedy this, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon established the MDG Africa Steering Group and associated Working Group this past September. Together, they represent an "intensive effort to mobilize the full resources of the UN system and its partners to achieve the MDGs in Africa."

Ms. Migiro added that the initiative will only be successful if it receives countries' support and cooperation. "Its success also rests on the different governments' willingness to sustain their national leadership and ownership in pursuing the MDGs," she added.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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NO ONE RECEIVES MORE MAIL THAN SANTA CLAUS, SAYS UN POSTAL UNION

NO ONE RECEIVES MORE MAIL THAN SANTA CLAUS, SAYS UN POSTAL UNION
New York, Dec 18 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Universal Postal Union (<"http://www.upu.int/">UPU) has identified the recipient of the most personalized letters in the world: a white-bearded man who prefers to wear red suits and is so reclusive that he only travels on one night of the year.

Santa Claus, sometimes known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas or one of many other names, and other related figures such as the Three Kings or Russia's Ded Moroz receive more than six million letters every year from children worldwide, according to the UPU, which is based in Berne, Switzerland.

Postal operations in at least 20 countries employ special elves to handle – and respond to – the huge volume of mail, often addressed simply "to Santa, North Pole," and peaking every December. Canada Post replies to letters in 26 languages while Germany's Deutsche Post replies in 16 languages. In some countries Santa even answers his own emails.

Many UPU members say that the volume of mail continues to increase, despite the emergence of emails, text messages and other forms of electronic communication in recent years. Canadians and the French are among the busiest correspondents, with more than one million children in each country firing off missives each year.

The UPU reports that it is not entirely clear where Santa lives: last year 90 per cent of the total letters were sent to Finland, but thousands of letters were also sent from other countries to France, Germany and Slovakia. In Canada, meanwhile, Santa enjoys his own postcode: H0H 0H0.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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NEARLY 90 NATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON IRAN SANCTIONS, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD

NEARLY 90 NATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON IRAN SANCTIONS, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD
New York, Dec 18 2007 5:00PM
Nearly 90 Member States have reported to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against Iran, the chairman of that panel said today.

Since 20 September, the committee has received seven documents from Member States – two reports under resolution 1737 and five combined reports under resolutions 1737 and 1747 – Belgian Ambassador Johan C. Verbeke, the committee's chairman, told the Council in an open <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9205.doc.htm">meeting.

"That brings the total number of reports under resolutions 1737 to 87 and the total number of reports under resolution 1747 to 71," he said.

Adopted last December, resolution 1737 banned trade with Iran in all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to the country's enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water-related activities, or to the development of nuclear-weapon delivery systems.

Resolution 1747 from this March further tightened the sanctions by imposing a ban on arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets.

Earlier this month, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that a recent United States intelligence report concluding that there has been no ongoing nuclear weapons programme in Iran since late 2003 tallies with its findings.

However, Mohamed ElBaradei said that Iran "still needs to clarify some important aspects of its past and present nuclear activities," he said.

The intelligence should also "prompt Iran to work actively with the IAEA to clarify specific aspects of its past and present nuclear program as outlined in the work. This would allow the Agency to provide the required assurances regarding the nature of the programme."
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY ANNOUNCES GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR INTERNET TELEVISION SERVICES

UN AGENCY ANNOUNCES GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR INTERNET TELEVISION SERVICES
New York, Dec 18 2007 3:00PM
The lead United Nations agency for information and communication technology (ICT) today announced the first set of global standards for providing television services over the Internet, a move that is expected to fuel innovation and competition in an emerging field.

The standards for Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) were developed by the UN International Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/40.html">ITU) with input from leading service providers and manufacturers from the ICT sector.

They "cement ITU's role as the global leader in IPTV standards development," the agency said in a press statement.

Highlighting the importance of the guidelines issued today, the Director of ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Bureau said they will "encourage innovation, help mask the complexity of services, guarantee quality of service, ensure interoperability and, ultimately, help players remain competitive."

According to the agency, IPTV is a key element of a "triple-play package" of voice, video and data services, noting that "standardization is imperative if service providers are to offer high quality products with value-additions, such as video-on-demand services that will inevitably drive the market.

"A combination of voice, Internet and video services over a single broadband link and from a single provider is foreseen as the ultimate goal of the broadband revolution," it added.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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MADAGASCAR: UN RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND TO BACK SMALL-SCALE ENTERPRISES

MADAGASCAR: UN RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND TO BACK SMALL-SCALE ENTERPRISES
New York, Dec 18 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (<" http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD) announced today that it will spend more than $30 million to help farmers and other rural residents in Madagascar develop microenterprises to boost their incomes.

As many as 50,000 new jobs are expected to be created under the programme, which will offer training, improved technology and greater access to financial products and services – such as insurance and microfinance – to both existing and budding entrepreneurs in five regions across the Indian Ocean country. Young people will also receive professional training and apprenticeships.

The greatest efforts will be devoted to businesses based around craft work, an important activity in Madagascar, where there are an estimated 1.8 million microenterprises relating to this field. This largely informal sector contributes about $150 million to the national economy.

Benoît Therry, IFAD's country programme manager for Madagascar, said the programme – known as PROSPERER – is designed to support economic growth and overcome bottlenecks preventing entrepreneurs from starting new businesses.

IFAD will spend $30.3 million on the new programme, which is being co-financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development and the UN Capital Development <" http://www.uncdf.org/english/index.php ">Fund. Madagascar's Government and programme participants are also supplying some of the funding. The programme is also being backed by a $17.7 million loan from IFAD.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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INDIA'S BOLLYWOOD STARS JOIN UN-BACKED ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFORTS

INDIA'S BOLLYWOOD STARS JOIN UN-BACKED ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFORTS
New York, Dec 18 2007 2:00PM
Some of Bollywood's biggest stars are joining the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html">UNODC) to curb human trafficking in India.

Millions of moviegoers will see a two-minute video called <i>One Life, No Price</i> – aiming to raise awareness of this form of modern-day slavery and spur action to prevent and combat this practice – to be shown before the new film, <i>Welcome</i>.

The video features the movie's stars, including Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal and Mallika Sherawat.

To be released throughout India on Friday, <i>Welcome</i> will be shown in 1,100 theatres.

Mr. Khan, Mr. Kapoor, Mr. Patekar, Mr. Kumar and Ms. Kaif are also recording separate messages in support of the cause.

UNODC's partnership with the Indian film industry is part of a broader programme called UN.GIFT, which was launched this March to bring governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media together to combat the scourge of human trafficking.

Other Bollywood stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and John Abraham have also been enlisted by UNODC to make public service announcements to fight trafficking.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY SENDS URGENT SUPPLIES TO IRAQIS DISPLACED BY TURKISH SHELLING

UN REFUGEE AGENCY SENDS URGENT SUPPLIES TO IRAQIS DISPLACED BY TURKISH SHELLING
New York, Dec 18 2007 2:00PM
Voicing deep concern at the displacement in northern Iraq caused by ongoing shelling by Turkey, the United Nations refugee agency has dispatched urgent supplies, including blankets and stoves, for distribution today to more than 1,800 people who fled their homes over the weekend in two districts up to 100 kilometres inside the country.

"Some families are reported leaving their homes as they fear their villages might be shelled," UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR) spokesperson Astrid van Genderen Stort told a<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4767a6f94.html"> news briefing in Geneva.

"The displaced families, who have left everything behind in their villages, have moved in with relatives or friends. Winter has set in and living conditions are very harsh, particularly for host families which now have to care for additional people," she said, noting that many say they cannot afford to pay monthly rents of $200 to $300 for alternative accommodation. "They are concerned about the ongoing attacks as they fear they cannot stay much longer with their host families."

Last weekend 300 families, or more than 1,800 people, fled their homes in the Sangasar sub-district of Sulaymaniah Governorate and from Doli Shahidan in Erbil Governorate, 100 kilometres inside Iraq, after they said 10 villages had been affected by the shelling.

"One woman was reported killed and several people injured. Over 200 head of livestock have also been killed," Ms. van Genderen Stort said of the shelling which, according to a village head, destroyed six bridges which connect several villages as well as a school. "We were told families have each left one member behind in the affected villages as they could not leave their livestock untended."

Yesterday, UNHCR with its partners on the ground quickly dispatched non-food items such as blankets, mattresses, stoves, lanterns, jerry cans, plastic sheets, kitchen sets and soap to Sulaymaniah and Erbil after being asked by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to provide additional help. The items were being distributed to needy families today. There is also an urgent need for kerosene which will be provided by the KRG.

A total of 2.4 million people are displaced within Iraq as a result of the fighting since the United States-led invasion of 2003, while an additional 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring countries, mainly Syria and Jordan.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ASSEMBLY'S CALL FOR DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ASSEMBLY'S CALL FOR DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM
New York, Dec 18 2007 2:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed today's adoption by the General Assembly of a <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/c.3/62/l.29">resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, saying he is heartened by signs that capital punishment will eventually be abolished worldwide.

In a vote this morning in a plenary session at the Assembly, 104 Member States voted in favour of the resolution, 54 voted against and 29 abstained – a slight rise in the number in favour compared to when the Assembly's third committee voted on it last month. All resolutions are non-binding.

"Today's vote represents a bold step by the international community," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2921">statement released following the Assembly's action. "I am particularly encouraged by the support expressed for this initiative from many diverse regions of the world. This is further evidence of a trend towards ultimately abolishing the death penalty."

The resolution welcomes "the decisions taken by an increasing number of States to apply a moratorium on executions, followed in many cases by the abolition of the death penalty," and expresses deep concern that capital punishment continues to be applied in some countries.

It calls on nations that do impose the death penalty to ensure they meet internationally agreed minimum standards on the safeguards for those facing execution, and to provide the UN Secretary-General with information about their use of capital punishment and observation of safeguards.

Further, it asks countries to progressively restrict the use of the death penalty, such as by reducing the number of offences for which it may be imposed, and calls on those States that have abolished the practice to not reintroduce it.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES ON EVE OF FORCE DEPLOYMENT

DARFUR: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES ON EVE OF FORCE DEPLOYMENT
New York, Dec 18 2007 2:00PM
A senior United Nations envoy has issued an appeal for all sides to the Darfur conflict to cease their hostilities on the eve of the deployment of a hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) to try to quell the violence and suffering in the war-wracked region of western Sudan.

Rodolphe Adada, the AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur and the head of mission of AMIS, the current AU mission to the region, launched the appeal today after holding talks with a senior Sudanese Government official in Khartoum.

Mr. Adada said a cessation of hostilities would help create an environment conducive to the success of the peace process between the Government and the many rebel groups in Darfur, where they have been fighting since 2003.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and another 2.2 million forced to flee their homes, living either as internally displaced persons (IDPs) or as refugees in neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR). UN officials have described Darfur as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

UNAMID is due to take over from AMIS next month but it is still lacking offers from UN Member States for key force capabilities, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week that the gaps mean that the planned deployment – and its potential for success – is reaching a "critical point."

Mr. Adada said an end to hostilities would also bring extra meaning to the people of Darfur during a time when Muslims are about to celebrate Eid al-Adha and Christians are preparing to mark Christmas.

Today he met with Nafie Ali Nafie, the Assistant to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who said the Government was committed to the smooth transfer of authority from AMIS to UNAMID and to cooperating with the incoming mission so that it can carry out its mandate.

In their talks the two men also reviewed the preparations so far for the transition from AMIS to UNAMID and clarified the future functions of some AU mechanisms once the hybrid force takes over.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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UN CONTINGENCY PLAN ACTIVATED TO HELP TACKLE REPUBLIC OF KOREA OIL SPILL

UN CONTINGENCY PLAN ACTIVATED TO HELP TACKLE REPUBLIC OF KOREA OIL SPILL
New York, Dec 18 2007 1:00PM
China and Japan have sent material and experts under a United Nations emergency response plan to help the Republic of Korea (ROK) mitigate the worst oil spill in its history, which has already hit key fishing grounds and is expected to damage the livelihoods of up to 27,000 aquaculture workers.

An oil spill contingency plan was launched by the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), directed by the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=523&ArticleID=5728&l=en">UNEP), at the ROK's request after the oil tanker Hebei Spirit collided with a barge 100 kilometres south of Seoul, the capital, on 7 December, releasing 10,500 metric tons of crude oil into the sea.

NOWPAP member countries China and Japan have sent around 100 tons of dispersant and Japan has dispatched a team of experts to help contain the oil slick, which is affecting 160 kilometres of coastline near an important habitat for birds.

The spill is threatening to enter Cheonsu Bay, home for about 400,000 migratory birds, and the emergency has triggered a major clean-up operation involving 200,000 people, mostly volunteers, as well as 327 vessels, 17 airplanes and 13 helicopters.

NOWPAP comes under UNEP's Regional Seas Programme and its contingency plan was developed in full cooperation between UNEP and the UN International Maritime Organization (<"http://www.imo.org/home.asp">IMO). It was adopted in 2004 by China, Japan, ROK and Russia to deal with large oil spill emergencies.

In accordance with the plan, member countries inform each other of oil spill accidents and provide assistance to the country in need. NOWPAP's Regional Activity Centre in Daejon, Korea, is serving as the "nerve centre" for activation and implementation.

A joint UN-European Union (EU) rapid environmental assessment team, made up of experts from the European Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre, UNEP and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) has also been sent on site. Additional support has come from the United States coastguard, which has sent a team to give advice, and a private company in Singapore which is providing aircraft.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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FINDING DECENT WORK AMONG MAJOR OBSTACLES FACED BY TODAY'S YOUTH - UN REPORT

FINDING DECENT WORK AMONG MAJOR OBSTACLES FACED BY TODAY'S YOUTH – UN REPORT
New York, Dec 18 2007 1:00PM
While today's youth are the best educated generation in history, they face a number of obstacles in an increasingly globalized world – foremost among them finding decent work – which affect their transition to adulthood, according to a new United Nations report released today.

The "World Youth Report 2007 – Young People's Transition to Adulthood: Progress and Challenges" draws attention to the challenges faced by youth in seven geographical or economic groupings of countries – Asia, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, small island developing States, economies in transition and the developed market economies.

The report, which comes more than 10 years after the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth, emphasizes that much progress has been made by governments, and especially by young people themselves, to promote the well-being of youth.

"All regions have made impressive achievements in raising school enrolment and more and more girls are going to school," stated Johan Scholvink, Director of the Division of Social Policy and Development at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Launching the report at UN Headquarters, he said "the report argues that the 1.2 billion young people in the world today are determined to engage in the social, political and economic fabric of society and have much to contribute to the global debate on major development and policy issues."

This is evident in their efforts to constantly improve their education, upgrade their skills and find employment through their use of information and communication technology and their participation in volunteer activities, he added.

However, the report notes that there are also major constraints to youth development that are prevalent in all regions – the primary one being the difficulty in finding decent employment in the formal sector.

"This is often related to the fact that the education they have received is of low quality and does not prepare them specifically for the needs of a global job market," Mr. Scholvink stated. "The educational gains that girls have made, in particular, have not translated into increased employment opportunities."

As a result, the report states that many young people with high levels of education are forced to seek work in the informal economy, often at the expense of benefits or job security.

"It is clear that while globalization has offered many opportunities around the world, young people continue to face obstacles in accessing its benefits," noted Mr. Scholvink.

The focal point for youth in the DESA agreed that what is happening to youth in terms of unemployment relates to globalization, to the contraction of labour markets and to difficulty in the "school-to-work" transition across the world, in both developed and developing countries.

"There seems to be some mismatch between the skills that young people gain in school and the skills that the labour market is demanding," said Patience Stephens. In addition, the skills needed in today's globalized job market are changing constantly.

The report calls on countries to address the obstacles that continue to limit youth participation in the development of their societies, and provide them with an environment in which they can access not only quality education but also decent work opportunities.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATIONS BAND TOGETHER TO SCALE UP DISASTER PREPAREDNESS - UN

SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATIONS BAND TOGETHER TO SCALE UP DISASTER PREPAREDNESS – UN
New York, Dec 18 2007 1:00PM
Eight Southern African and Indian Ocean nations have joined forces to participate in a United Nations-backed plan to combat the devastating effects of natural disasters such as floods and cyclones.

This year in the region, the livelihoods of one million people were destroyed by flood and wind damage caused by heavy rain and cyclones.

At the "Emergency Preparedness and Response Workshop" sponsored by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) earlier this month in Johannesburg, eight nations – the Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa – decided to bolster regional cooperation.

In a draft Declaration of Intent, emergency responders from each country agreed to share information to respond to disasters, establish regional rapid response teams and develop measures allowing for the free movement of emergency personnel and relief materials in the region.

They also called on the leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to support the implementation of these recommendations.

Given the high rates of HIV throughout the region, the group also noted that HIV prevention and care must be integrated into emergency preparedness and response.

"This year, many governments in the region have taken steps in their own countries to be better prepared for the current rainy and cyclone season, in particular undertaking contingency planning for disasters," said Kelly David, head of <"http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=4781">OCHA's Regional Office for Southern Africa.

"And now they are looking beyond that to how they can help each other and draw on international resources and technical expertise to better manage the impacts they all face from natural hazards."
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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OVER 1,400 LOST THEIR LIVES FLEEING ACROSS GULF OF ADEN THIS YEAR, SAYS UN AGENCY

OVER 1,400 LOST THEIR LIVES FLEEING ACROSS GULF OF ADEN THIS YEAR, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Dec 18 2007 12:00PM
More than 1,400 people seeking to make better lives for themselves by making the perilous journey from the eastern coast of Africa to Yemen via the Gulf of Aden have died this year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported today.

This includes over 150 who lost their lives just this past weekend, UNHCR spokesperson Astrid van Genderen Stort <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4767a6fa6.html">said at a press briefing in Geneva today, noting that "once again, the Gulf of Aden has taken its toll."

On Saturday, at least 58 people – 54 Ethiopians and four Somalis – were confirmed dead, while 37 people remain missing after a boat carrying 148 people capsized off the coast of Yemen. Fifty-three passengers made it to shore, Ms. van Genderen Stort said.

She noted that in an incident on Sunday, a boat carrying 270 people reportedly hit a rock near a Yemeni beach, breaking into several pieces. At least 173 people made it to shore, but many of the remaining people are feared to have drowned, including several children who were on board.

"So far only two bodies have been buried, while many others have reportedly started washing ashore," she stated, adding that "at this point, we do not know the total number of the dead."

Passengers from the second boat told UNHCR they were beaten, and that one man who could not stand the abuse any longer jumped overboard and drowned.

The agency reported that the number of people who died in the past four months while making the dangerous journey increased massively – with 264 dying in September, 347 in October, 205 in November and 186 so far in December.

Ms. van Genderen Stort added that while this year has been particularly tragic, over 28,300 people made it to shore in Yemen. More than 18,500 sought UNHCR's help, while some 10,000 were taken care of in the refugee camp in Kharaz, near Aden.

The agency has increased its efforts in Yemen this year under a $7 million initiative that involves additional staff, increased field presence, more assistance, provision of additional shelter for refugees in Kharaz refugee camp, and training programmes.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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UN CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF MIGRANTS' HUMAN RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF LEGAL STATUS

UN CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF MIGRANTS' HUMAN RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF LEGAL STATUS
New York, Dec 18 2007 12:00PM
United Nations officials today called on all countries to protect the human rights of the world's 200 million migrants, regardless of their legal status, stressing that they provide vital services to the States where they live, yet often face abuse, discrimination and even violence in return.

"Millions of migrants provide essential services to the economies and societies of the countries they live in while supporting their families and communities back home, where remittances boost the national economy," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in message marking International Migrants Day, in which he called on all States to ratify the International <" http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/m_mwctoc.htm">Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

"Unfortunately, migrants rarely receive recognition for their contributions. Instead, they often contend with abuses and discrimination ranging from the absence of protection mechanisms to discriminatory national legislation. In extreme cases, they are victims of racist or xenophobic attacks," he added, noting that only 37 countries had so far ratified the treaty.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour underscored the primacy of migrants' human rights over their legal status. "It is particularly important to recall that all migrants, irrespective of their legal status, enjoy the protection of international human rights standards laid down in human rights instruments," she said in a <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx">message, condemning working conditions that amount to modern forms of slavery.

"Irregular migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to all kinds of abuses, as their irregular status exposes them to a wide range of abuses and violations. Their children are often at risk, deprived of access to schools or health care facilities. Violations committed by private individuals often go unpunished when committed against irregular migrants."

Calling on all countries to ratify the International Convention, she highlighted abuses facing migrant workers: long working hours, payment of salaries well below minimum wage established by law, exposure to degrading and dangerous working conditions and confiscation of travel documents.

"They often face restrictions on access to health care and are at times deprived of the right to marry. They suffer from restrictive policies that limit family reunification," she added. Yet today's economies could barely function without their contribution.

Two independent UN experts called for the decriminalization of irregular or undocumented entry into a country. "Any migrant worker detained in a State of transit or in a State of employment for violations of provisions relating to migration should always be separated from convicted persons or persons detained pending criminal trial," <" http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/DFD382ACBAC99711C12573B40056CBC1?OpenDocument">said Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants Jorge Bustamante and the Chairman of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, Prasad Kariyawasam.

The two emphasized the hardships faced by irregular migrant women, often exposed to all sort of abuses by their employers, including sexual harassment and physical violence, yet denied legal protection and access to effective remedies because of their status.

"Women migrant workers in domestic service should have access to mechanisms for bringing complaints against their employers and all abuses, including sexual abuses, should be investigated and punished," they said.

They also called on Member States to ensure access to education for all migrant children irrespective of their migratory status and to intensify their efforts to prevent these children from falling victim to any kind of exploitation, and notably economic or sexual exploitation.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON MEETS WITH UN STAFF IN ALGERIA AFTER VISITING BOMBING SITE

BAN KI-MOON MEETS WITH UN STAFF IN ALGERIA AFTER VISITING BOMBING SITE
New York, Dec 18 2007 11:00AM
One week after a deadly car bombing claimed the lives of 17 United Nations workers in Algiers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today visited the site of the attack and met with the world body's staff, paying tribute to their dedication and professionalism.

"We will complete the work that you and your fallen colleagues have begun," Mr. Ban pledged to the staff. "We will not be deterred. We will go on doing whatever we can to help build a better future for the people of Algeria. Only by carrying on with that mission can we begin to do justice to the memory of the friends we have lost."

He added that while he is in Algiers, he will do "all I can to explain to the public and the media the role of the UN – why we are here, what we do, what we stand for and what we don't.

"We are not here to represent the interests of one group of nations against another. We are here to help build better lives for children and provide shelter for refugees. We are here to address environmental problems. We are here to clear land mines and advance the rule of law and human rights," he said.

On arriving in the Algerian capital, Mr. Ban visited the site of the 11 December terrorist attack that destroyed the offices of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and damaged those of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). A second car bomb exploded near a government court building.

Mr. Ban condemned the attacks, stressing that "those who target innocent civilians in this way commit an unspeakable crime."

The Algiers bombing is not the first time the UN has been attacked by terrorists. A bomb destroyed the world body's Baghdad headquarters in August 2003, killing 22 people, including top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.

The Secretary-General pledged to spare no effort in ensuring that the UN provides adequate security for its staff, wherever they serve. Noting that the UN family in Algiers faced logistical problems following last week's tragedy, Mr. Ban promised "to do all in our power to put into place a communications system that is adequate when an emergency occurs."

Immediately after the attacks, Mr. Ban sent his top aides, including UNDP chief Kemal Dervis, to Algiers to determine how best to aid those injured in the attack and the families of the victims.

Last week, the UN confirmed that staff members from <"http://www.undp.org">UNDP, UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org">UNFPA), International Labour Organization (<"http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm">ILO), <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR, Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/">UNAIDS), UN Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/">UNIDO), World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org">WFP) and the Department of Safety and Security were among those killed in the attacks.
2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

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2006-12-18 00:00:00.000

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KEY COUNTRIES AT UN-LED MEETING VOICE CONCERN AT PROLONGED LEBANESE CRISIS

KEY COUNTRIES AT UN-LED MEETING VOICE CONCERN AT PROLONGED LEBANESE CRISIS
New York, Dec 17 2007 7:00PM
Representatives of key Arab and European countries and the United States, in a meeting in Paris led by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, today expressed dismay at the prolonged stand-off over the presidency in Lebanon and reiterated earlier calls for the poll to be held as soon as possible.

In a statement released after the meeting, the participants called for the Lebanese parliament to "be allowed to convene immediately to fulfil its constitutional duties. We insist that outside powers act in compliance with the decisions of the Security Council, binding under international law upon all Member States, and fully respecting Lebanon's constitution and democratic institutions."

The statement also strongly condemned the series of political assassinations and attempted killings that the Middle Eastern country has endured since October 2004, including the most recent attack, last Wednesday's assassination of Brigadier General François al-Hajj.

"These acts of terror constitute a direct attack against the symbols of Lebanon's sovereignty and institutions and are, as such, unacceptable and morally repugnant. It is imperative that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice."

To that end, the meeting's participants backed Mr. Ban's efforts to set up the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try those accused of the many attacks, particularly the February 2005 car bombing in Beirut that killed the former prime minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others.

"In these difficult times in Lebanon, we support the legitimate, democratically-elected Lebanese Government and the Lebanese armed forces in their efforts to maintain the sovereignty and stability of Lebanon," the statement noted.

Today's meeting, held under the auspices of Mr. Ban on the sidelines of the Palestinian donors' conference in the French capital, was attended by representatives of Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union Presidency, the European Commission and the European Council's High Representative/Secretary-General.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS NEW AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORLD'S FORESTS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS NEW AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORLD'S FORESTS
New York, Dec 17 2007 7:00PM
Fifteen years after discussions began on a global approach to protect the world's forests, which are disappearing at an alarming rate, the General Assembly today adopted a new landmark international agreement to safeguard this critical natural resource.

The agreement, entitled the "Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests," was negotiated in April within the UN Forum on Forests and transmitted to the Assembly following its approval by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Hailing today's action by the Assembly, the Director of the Forum's Secretariat, Pekka Patosaari, said it "significantly advances efforts to monitor the state of the world's forests and secure long-term political commitment to sustainable forest management."

While not legally binding, the agreement sets a standard in forest management that is expected to have a major impact on efforts to reverse the loss of forest cover, reduce deforestation, prevent forest degradation, promote sustainable livelihoods and reduce poverty for people dependent on forests for their survival.

"There is much more to this instrument than just protecting trees," Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said at a special event following the adoption of the Instrument, emphasizing the growing recognition of the role of forests in stabilizing climate change, and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems. "And let us not forget that today, over 1.6 billion people depend on forests for fuel, food, medicine and income. So protecting forests really means fostering sustainable development," he said.

Forests needed to be protected because they were disappearing at an alarming rate, he added, noting that over the past 15 years, more than 3 per cent of the planet's forests had vanished. "The instrument we have just adopted thus expresses our will to respond to this alarming trend," he said.

The Assembly today also strongly condemned all threats and acts of violence against UN and associated humanitarian personnel. In a resolution adopted soon after a system-wide minute of silence for the 17 UN staff that perished in the terrorist attack on the world body's offices in Algiers last week, the Assembly expressed its "deep concern" at the dangers faced by such personnel, who operate in increasingly complex situations.

In other actions, the Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2010 the Year of Rapprochement of Cultures, and recommended that, during the course of that Year, appropriate events be organized on interreligious and intercultural dialogue.

Also adopted today were texts on the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010); strengthening UN humanitarian and emergency assistance; assistance to the Palestinian people; and assistance to survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

In addition, the Assembly adopted a number of resolutions recommended by its Special Political and Decolonization Committee – also known as the Fourth Committee.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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GROWING NUMBER OF POOR COUNTRIES PLUNGED INTO FOOD CRISES BY SOARING PRICES - UN

GROWING NUMBER OF POOR COUNTRIES PLUNGED INTO FOOD CRISES BY SOARING PRICES – UN
New York, Dec 17 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000733/index.html">FAO) is appealing for swift action to help poor nations suffering from food crises resulting from dramatic increases in the price of basic commodities.

The agency's November issue of "Food Outlook" estimated that the total cost of imported food for Low Income Food Deficit Countries for this year is 25 per cent higher than it was in 2006.

"Urgent and new steps are needed to prevent the negative impacts of rising food prices from further escalating and to quickly boost crop production in the most affected countries," the agency's Director-General, Jacques Diouf, told reporters at FAO headquarters in Rome.

Nearly 40 countries are facing food crises triggered by conflict and disasters, and this has been exacerbated by unparalleled hikes in food prices resulting from low food stocks, floods and droughts linked to climate change, high oil prices and rising demand for bio-fuels.

"Without support for poor farmers and their families in the hardest-hit countries, they will not be able to cope," Dr. Diouf noted.

FAO said that high global cereal prices have already incited food riots in several nations.

The agency is appealing for measures to help small farmers in countries relying on food imports by bolstering their access to seeds, fertilizer and other inputs to increase local crop production.

"Assisting poor vulnerable households in rural areas in the short term and enabling them to produce more food would be an efficient tool to protect them against hunger and undernourishment," Dr. Diouf said.

He cited Malawi as an example of how local food production can be stepped up through the provision of vouchers for inputs, noting that the successes of the Southern African nation "could be replicated by other countries facing a very difficult food production environment."

But the Director-General warned that quick fixes – including governments financing expensive food exports – cannot replace longer-term measures to enhance capacity.

"Short-term investments have to be accompanied immediately with measures to ensure water control, increase rural infrastructure and improve soil fertility and guarantee long-term sustainability of food production," he said.

In a separate development, the UN rural development arm recently approved over $260 million in loans and grants to fight poverty in 16 countries.

The move came during the session of the 36-member Board of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD) held last week in Rome.

Western and Central Africa will receive $76 million in loans and $1.2 million in grants for programmes such as one in Ghana to help the rural poor, especially women, bolster their profit by improving links with the domestic and export markets.

IFAD will give $34 million in loans and $8 million in grants to Eastern and Southern Africa; North and East Africa will receive $17 million in loans and $3 million in grants; Asia and the Pacific will obtain $84 million in loans and $4.5 in grants; and Latin America and the Caribbean gets $24 million in loans and nearly $3 million in grants.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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NEW REPORT TRACES UN GLOBAL COMPACT ACTIVITIES IN NEARLY 90 COUNTRIES

NEW REPORT TRACES UN GLOBAL COMPACT ACTIVITIES IN NEARLY 90 COUNTRIES
New York, Dec 17 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations <"http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/news_archives/2007_12_17.html">Global Compact, the world's largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative, today launched its first-ever report on its country-level activities in nearly 90 nations.

The "Local Network Report" provides an overview of the activities of Global Compact Local Networks (GCLNs), which further the progress of companies engaged in the Compact and help them implement its principles.

For example, the study highlighted a series of lunch meetings in Trinidad and Tobago to provide a forum for business leaders to meet regularly to discuss corporate citizenship.

Meanwhile, in Bulgaria, a directory profiling 70 national and international companies which are part of the GCLN has been created to provide the public with information on these organizations' activities.

In the past two years alone, the number of GCLNs has doubled and now there are initiatives emerging or already in existence in nearly 90 countries. Recent launches have occurred in the Republic of Korea, Côte d'Ivoire, Viet Nam, the Dominican Republic, Turkey and the United States, among others.

The Global Compact was launched in 2000 with 47 companies, and as of this month, has grown to more than 5,000 participants – among them trade unions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some 3,600 businesses – in over 100 countries. They have all pledged to observe 10 universal principles pertaining to human rights, labour rights, the environment and combating corruption.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON VOICES CONCERN OVER TURKISH AIR ATTACKS AGAINST IRAQ

BAN KI-MOON VOICES CONCERN OVER TURKISH AIR ATTACKS AGAINST IRAQ
New York, Dec 17 2007 6:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern over yesterday's Turkish air strikes into northern Iraq and reports of possible civilian casualties, as well as continued attacks by the armed group PKK.

In response to a question about the air attacks, United Nations spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that "the Secretary-General is concerned that Turkey has launched air strikes into northern Iraq yesterday, and that there have been reports of possible civilian casualties," while also noting that "thus far, there is no independent confirmation of developments on the ground."

At the same time she said that Mr. Ban was "concerned at the continued intrusion of PKK elements carrying out terrorist attacks in Turkey from northern Iraq." He appeals to the Governments of Iraq and Turkey to work together to prevent these kinds of attacks from continuing, she added.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN ENVOY HOLDS SECURITY TALKS WITH LOCAL LEADER AFTER ARMED ATTACK

DARFUR: UN ENVOY HOLDS SECURITY TALKS WITH LOCAL LEADER AFTER ARMED ATTACK
New York, Dec 17 2007 6:00PM
A senior United Nations envoy has held talks with the provincial leader in North Darfur about security issues concerning the upcoming hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping mission to the war-wracked region after a recent attack by armed gunmen on members of the existing AU force.

Rodolphe Adada, the AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur and the head of mission of AMIS, the current AU mission to the region, met yesterday in El Fasher with Osman Mohamed Yousif Kibir, the Wali (Governor) of North Darfur state.

The meeting follows an attack near El Fasher on Friday by four unidentified men against the vehicle of the AMIS military chief of staff. The chief of staff survived the incident but the driver was injured and the vehicle was seized by the gunmen before it was later recovered by Sudanese police.

Mr. Adada and Mr. Kibir discussed measures to be put in place to avoid a repeat of such incidents when the hybrid force, known as UNAMID, takes over duties from AMIS next month.

Senior officials of both UNAMID and North Darfur are scheduled to meet later today to finalize a security plan to protect UNAMID and AMIS personnel and facilities in El Fasher, the provincial capital.

Mr. Kibir reiterated the readiness of authorities in North Darfur to cooperate with the new mission and to provide all necessary facilities to make the mission a success, while Mr. Adada thanked him for the help so far to AMIS.

Meanwhile, in his first press conference since assuming the post, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to Sudan Ashraf Qazi has welcomed the recent announcement by the two parties to the landmark 2005 peace accord which ended the long-running north-south civil war in Sudan that they have resolved many of their outstanding issues.

Mr. Qazi told reporters in Khartoum that there are still challenges ahead that the parties, the Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) have to overcome. But he noted that the leadership of both sides were demonstrating impressive determination so far.

"This is a very hopeful sign which encourages us in our own mission," he said.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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PREPARATIONS BEING FINALIZED AS UN SET TO BEGIN RENOVATION, SAYS PROJECT CHIEF

PREPARATIONS BEING FINALIZED AS UN SET TO BEGIN RENOVATION, SAYS PROJECT CHIEF
New York, Dec 17 2007 6:00PM
With the accelerated plan for the renovation of the United Nations Headquarters complex approved by the General Assembly last week, the world body is set to embark on an ambitious five-year overhaul that will result in a sustainable, modern, safe and efficient facility, the UN official overseeing the project said today.

Under the nearly $1.9 billion plan, the time need to complete the renovation has been reduced from seven years to five, thereby lowering the risk of construction complications and delays, as well as disruptions to the work of the Organization.

The entire renovation will also take place in one phase, during which staff in the Secretariat building will be relocated to alternative sites known as "swing spaces."

"Our plan is to provide easily accessible swing spaces so that the ongoing work and meeting schedules of the Organization will be least disrupted during the renovation," Michael Adlerstein, Executive Director of the project – known officially as the Capital Master Plan (CMP) – told reporters.

Mr. Adlerstein said that arrangements are being finalized for swing space locations on 46th Street between First and Second Avenues, in Long Island City and midtown Manhattan. At the same time, over 2,000 people will remain on the UN compound, moving into swing spaces inserted into the Temporary North Lawn Conference Building, the Secretariat basements, the South Annex and the Library building.

The "first large-scale visible indication" that the CMP is under way will be the ground breaking for the construction of the North Lawn Conference Building – expected to begin by June 2008 – which will be the temporary home of the Assembly and the Security Council and provide all conference facilities for UN meetings during the renovation. It will also house the staff of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.

Mr. Adlerstein noted that the type of renovation work, and the level of change in the finished spaces, will vary. In the "historically important" areas of the complex, delicate removal of historic materials will be followed by the installation of new heating, cooling, security, fire protection, information technology and broadcast systems. In other areas, "full demolition and reconstruction is the more appropriate and cost-efficient approach."

One of the main goals of the overhaul is to make the UN complex "a model of environmentally sustainable construction," said Mr. Adlerstein, noting that a range of "greening" measures will result in, among other things, cutting overall energy consumption by at least 40 per cent.

The UN complex receives some 400,000 visitors every year, making it one of the biggest tourist attractions in New York City. This concern is also being addressed, Mr. Adlerstein noted, stating that "we're assuming that we will always have the ability to receive visitors." However, access to some points will be restricted during the renovation.

He also assured the UN press corps that "we will have a home for you," although the exact location has yet to be determined.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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WITH MINUTE OF SILENCE, UN STAFF WORLDWIDE HONOUR VICTIMS OF ALGIERS ATTACKS

WITH MINUTE OF SILENCE, UN STAFF WORLDWIDE HONOUR VICTIMS OF ALGIERS ATTACKS
New York, Dec 17 2007 5:00PM
United Nations staff around the world joined together today to observe a minute of silence to honour the victims of the 11 December terrorist attacks in Algiers which claimed the lives of 17 of their colleagues.

Last Friday, the UN confirmed that staff members from the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP), UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/">UNFPA), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR), Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/">UNAIDS), UN Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/">UNIDO), World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) and the Department of Safety and Security were among those killed when a car bomb exploded near UN offices in the Algerian capital. A second car bomb detonated near a Government building.

The bombings sparked widespread outrage, including from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who condemned the attacks in the strongest terms and dispatched his top aides to Algiers to visit the injured and the families of those who died.

"The Algiers attack will never deter us in our vital work around the world, regardless of threats to our staff," Mr. Ban said today in Paris, where he attended a donors meeting for the Palestinian Authority that began with a minute of silence for all those who died in Algiers. "Our communal efforts to help those who suffer [and] to help peace must be redoubled."

The Secretary-General added that terrorism in never justifiable and those who target innocent civilians in this way commit a terrible crime. "It hurts all nations – large and small, rich and poor – and takes it toll on all human beings of every age and income, culture and religion."

In addition to staff throughout the UN system, the Security Council also observed a minute of silence in honour of those who died in Algiers.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT LAUDS BALI CLIMATE CHANGE BREAKTHROUGH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT LAUDS BALI CLIMATE CHANGE BREAKTHROUGH
New York, Dec 17 2007 5:00PM
The President of the General Assembly today welcomed this weekend's outcome at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, where nearly 200 countries agreed to launch a two-year process of formal negotiations to tackle the problem of global warming.

Srgjan Kerim "commends the spirit of compromise and cooperation shown by all parties during the discussions in Bali," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

After the two-week Bali negotiations were extended for an extra day, delegates reached agreement on Saturday on both the agenda for the negotiations and a 2009 deadline for completing them so that a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions can enter into effect in 2013.

Under the so-called Bali Roadmap, key issues to be negotiated will be: taking action to adapt to the negative consequences of climate change, such as droughts and floods; devising ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; finding ways to deploy climate-friendly technology; and financing adaptation and mitigation measures.

Thanking the Indonesian Government for its leadership during the process and for hosting the landmark event, Mr. Kerim said that he "believes that advancing further on this agreement in the forthcoming negotiations is of crucial importance."

He intends to convene a high-level Assembly meeting – bringing together Member States, the private sector and civil society – on 11-12 February next year to bolster support for addressing climate change in partnership with the UN.

Four major UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings to implement the Bali Roadmap are planned for next year, with the first to be held in either March or April. The negotiations process is scheduled to conclude in 2009 at a major summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING FUND TO SPEND $15 MILLION ON LIBERIAN PROJECTS

UN PEACEBUILDING FUND TO SPEND $15 MILLION ON LIBERIAN PROJECTS
New York, Dec 17 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, set up to help countries emerging from conflict avoid slipping back into war or chaos, has agreed to provide Liberia with $15 million over the next two years to fund projects in the West African nation.

Reducing poverty, promoting national reconciliation and providing employment and other opportunities for ex-combatants and young people are expected to be the focus of many of the approved projects.

Senior UN peacebuilding officials have provisionally approved Liberia's initial submission on priority issues for funding, according to a joint announcement today by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs. This follows Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's decision two months ago to declare Liberia eligible for financing from the Fund.

A steering committee, to be co-chaired by Jordan Ryan, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative in Liberia for Recovery and Governance, will be established, bringing together representatives of the UN, the national Government, the World Bank, donors and civil society.

The committee will be tasked with overseeing the selection of projects and the allocation of funding, and next month the first meetings will be held with prospective partners – including Government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups – to share application criteria and guidelines.

Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, said the Liberian Government intends to focus on three areas outlined in its poverty reduction strategy: "promoting national reconciliation and managing conflict; addressing the needs of affected youth and former combatants; and bolstering the State's capacity for peace consolidation."

Set up last year by the UN Secretary-General, the Peacebuilding Fund is designed to serve as a bridge between the phases of conflict and recovery, a period when other forms of financing are often not available to struggling nations. So far more than $222 million has been committed.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN REFUGEE CHIEF URGES END TO FIGHTING DISPLACING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

DR CONGO: UN REFUGEE CHIEF URGES END TO FIGHTING DISPLACING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
New York, Dec 17 2007 4:00PM
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres has called for an end to fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and pledged to help improve conditions in camps there for tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (<" http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs).

"We know how much you have suffered. Members of your families have been killed, your homes have been burned and you have lost your harvest," he <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/476691334.html">told IDPs gathered in a makeshift social hall in Buhimba, one of five sites hosting more than 40,000 IDPs near the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma.

Since August, some 170,000 people have been forced out of their homes in North Kivu by fighting between Government troops and rebels allied to the dissident army general, Laurent Nkunda. Over the last year, a mix of conflict, military build-up and spiralling lawlessness has displaced 400,000 people in the province – the worst displacement since the end of the civil war in 2003.

In total, there are an estimated 800,000 displaced people in the province, including those uprooted by previous conflicts. Many people have found shelter in camps west of Goma as well as some 70 kilometres to the north around the town of Rutshuru, and Mr. Guterres visited both areas in a tour that ended yesterday.

"UNHCR and other partners will do our best to improve conditions in these camps," he told hundreds of IDPs in an improvised community centre in Kisasa, near Rutshuru. "But we do not want camps to be a permanent residence for you. It is never good to live in camps."

In Kisasa, a camp of some 5,000 IDPs, a one-eyed woman stepped forward and picked up the microphone. "I was not born with one eye. But the rebels attacked us one night, tied us up and beat us up. They gouged out my eye and raped me," she told a shocked Mr. Guterres.

A middle-aged woman in Buhimba camp begged him to help her people return home. "Plead with our leaders to see our suffering. We are tired, we are tired – we plead with you to help us to return home," she cried. A young man in the packed social hall told how they had fled into the forest to escape forced recruitment by rebels. "But life in the camp is nothing but suffering," he added.

Scores of others related their suffering at the hands of armed men in their villages and the harsh life in camps, where they said there was insufficient food, water or plastic sheeting to protect their flimsy shacks. There were no maternity clinics, no schools, no means of livelihood, they said, adding that armed men roamed freely in the camps and harassed people.

"We fled from different directions and have found ourselves here [in Buhimba]. But we fear that the same person we fled from is going to follow us here," an elderly man lamented, referring to Gen. Nkunda. "Where must we go to be safe? Where is the end for us?"

At a press conference in Goma on Sunday morning, Mr. Guterres said it was unacceptable that armed men were entering IDP camps and called on all sides to respect the civilian character of these sites.

He returned to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, on Sunday afternoon and is expected to meet with DRC President Joseph Kabila and senior Government ministers today before returning to Geneva.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS ON MYANMAR WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON

UN ENVOY HOLDS TALKS ON MYANMAR WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON
New York, Dec 17 2007 4:00PM
The Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Myanmar is in Washington, D.C., today for talks with senior United States officials, including the country's First Lady Laura Bush, on United Nations efforts to promote democratic change in the South-East Asian nation.

Ibrahim Gambari met this morning with Mrs. Bush and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley to discuss the world body's efforts in the context of the Secretary-General's good offices mandate for Myanmar, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.

Mr. Gambari, who has visited Myanmar twice since the Government began its crackdown against peaceful protesters a few months ago, is also scheduled to meet with the US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns.

In addition, he is scheduled to meet with Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt in connection with the International Compact for Iraq – the five-year peace and development plan launched in May to help rebuild the strife-torn nation.

Mr. Gambari will be at UN Headquarters in New York tomorrow, when he is scheduled to provide an informal briefing to the General Assembly on his efforts.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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DEMOCRACY VITAL IN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

DEMOCRACY VITAL IN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL
New York, Dec 17 2007 4:00PM
Democracy is one of the most effective tools against terrorism, but the increasing gap between rich and poor around the world threatens to undermine its potential, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Along with social justice and greater respect for human rights, democracy gives "people hope of achieving a decent life by peaceful methods, thus alleviating the despair and alienation that can drive some towards extremism," he said in an <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2917">address to the International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

"A democratic system also contributes to improved forms of conflict management, and it promotes equitable social and economic development," Mr. Ban said in the message, delivered by Angela Kane, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

Today's conference comes just six days after Algiers, Algeria, was rocked by terrorist attacks which took the lives of 17 UN personnel.

"The international community must be resolute in opposing those who prey on the innocent and vulnerable," Mr. Ban declared.

He also underscored the threat to democracy posed by the gap between rich and poor, calling for the benefits of globalization to extend equally within and among States.

"To fully unleash the democratizing potential of globalization, we must ensure that it serves to improve the lives of all people," the Secretary-General said.

The Conference offers a special opportunity to focus attention on the promotion and consolidation of democracy at all levels, and last month, the General Assembly recognized that 2008 marked its twentieth anniversary.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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CHILDREN SEND HOLIDAY WISHES TO OVER 1,000 KENYAN BLUE HELMETS

CHILDREN SEND HOLIDAY WISHES TO OVER 1,000 KENYAN BLUE HELMETS
New York, Dec 17 2007 3:00PM
Kenyan children have sent more than 2,000 homemade Christmas and New Years messages to their country's nearly 1,100 blue helmets serving in eight United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world.

"Kenyan peacekeeping troops are heroes to these children because they have refused to pay the price of indifference," said Olivia Yambi, Representative of the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), on behalf of the UN Country Team in Kenya. "In fact, this nation's armed forces have been refusing to pay the price of indifference for many years and, 33 times, it has paid the ultimate price for peace in some far-away lands."

Unlike this year, where schoolchildren from the capital Nairobi participated in the initiative, she said that next year, it will spread across the East African country, allowing more students to send messages to show their appreciation to Kenyan peacekeepers.

At a ceremony in Nairobi, General Jeremiah Mutinda Kianga, Chief of the Kenyan General Staff, said that this marks "the first time anyone in Kenya had thanked soldiers for their sacrifices on behalf of peace," adding that the cards and letters are a "great morale booster."

In a message, the acting head of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) Azouz Ennifar paid tribute to Kenyan peacekeepers.

The 128 Kenyans serving with UNMEE "will be thrilled to be remembered by the children of their nation," he said. "It is especially difficult for them to be away from their families and loved ones at this time of year."

As of 30 November, there are 1,086 Kenyan blue helmets serving in eight missions, with the largest number – 853 – serving with the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmis/">UNMIS).
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: TOP UN ENVOY CALLS FOR ROAD MAP TO ADDRESS WORSENING CRISIS

SOMALIA: TOP UN ENVOY CALLS FOR ROAD MAP TO ADDRESS WORSENING CRISIS
New York, Dec 17 2007 3:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Somalia has urged the international community to draw up a road map towards lasting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa nation that has not had a functioning national government since 1991, warning that continuing with "business as usual" would have dire consequences for the country and the region.

"The situation in Somalia is dangerous and becoming more so each day," Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah told the Security Council today. His <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9203.doc.htm">briefing follows recent meetings with President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, the recently-appointed Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Nur Hassan Hussein, and members of Somalia's opposition.

Despite 14 peace agreements over the last 17 years, the complexity of the conflict continues to increase and innocent civilians continue to die, Mr. Ould-Abdallah said. A recent upsurge in violence has forced the internal displacement of about one million Somalis and caused some three million to flee the country as refugees.

The Special Representative noted there is little reason to believe the situation will change if the international community continues with its current course of action, stating that there are "serious consequences for Somalia, the region and probably the world if the conflict is not addressed and a definitive, lasting solution agreed on."

He put forward three possible approaches for the Council's consideration, the first of which is continuing with the status quo, or "business as usual." In that context, he pointed out that efforts exerted over the past 17 years have failed to restore stability and that national reconciliation remains elusive.

"The international community's 'wait and see' attitude would only postpone the day of reckoning and would not provide meaningful progress towards lasting peace," Mr. Ould-Abdallah cautioned.

The second option would be an organized withdrawal of the international community from Somalia, "in effect accepting its inability to protect the population or to bring about a lasting peace," he said, noting that a withdrawal would provide "an alternative to the costly, continued engagement in Somalia" that has yet to bear fruit.

"However, the country would be crippled still further by the withdrawal as more groups or clans would appear and the resulting fighting could create a humanitarian catastrophe," Mr. Ould-Abdallah warned, adding that the withdrawal could create "an even more serious power vacuum."

The Special Representative said a third possible solution would be immediate and effective action on the political and security fronts, with the objective of forming a government that can support itself and administer the country effectively. "This is not a magic recipe for peace but could help Somalia to move in the right direction."

On the political front, he suggested the TFG take steps to strengthen its ranks and to reach out to the opposition. He also cited the need for meetings between the TFG and the opposition to prepare the ground for further and higher level meetings, emphasizing that "the opposition should be part of the political process and assume its responsibilities."

Along with the political action, Mr. Ould-Abdallah called for strengthening the African Union Mission (AMISOM) deployed in the country, including the deployment of "an extra capacity" to stabilize the East African nation.

He stressed that the time has come for the international community to commit itself to a clear course of action, noting that if the current situation continues, the consequences will be "catastrophic" for peace in the region, for the credibility of the UN and, most of all, for the Somalis themselves.

Expressing his support for the third – and what he believed to be the only – option, Somalia's representative urged the Council quickly devise a plan to move ahead in the political and security spheres, noting that many Somalis have wondered why it is so easy for the 15-member body to move speedily in other parts of the world where there is conflict.

"It will not be in the interest of the UN system to find ways and means to delay real action in Somalia," Ahmed Dhakkar stated, also appealing for boosting the existing AU force.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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DONORS MUST REVIVE PALESTINIAN ECONOMY TO FORGE PEACE WITH ISRAEL - BAN KI-MOON

DONORS MUST REVIVE PALESTINIAN ECONOMY TO FORGE PEACE WITH ISRAEL – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Dec 17 2007 3:00PM
Declaring that there are better grounds for optimism than at any time in the recent past for settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on international donors to reduce the gap between the hopes raised by last month's re-launching of peace efforts and the dire situation in the Palestinian territory.

"I repeat my call on donors to invest now, to invest generously, and to remain steadfast in their financial commitment over the next 36 months," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2916">told a Donors' Meeting in Paris to Support the Palestinian Authority, pledging that the UN would do its share following last month's Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, United States.

"As with Annapolis, so here in Paris, success depends not on what we say today, but on what we do tomorrow. Our support on the ground, no less than our political engagement, is vital to create an independent, viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel," he said.

Mr. Ban called on both Israel and the Palestinians to take the necessary measures to enable Palestinian economic growth, urging Israel to ease closures that cripple the economy in the territory and the Palestinian Authority to continue to enhance security. "Increased freedom of movement in a context of improved security is vital to build a platform for peace," he stressed.

He noted that over the past seven years, the social and economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory had declined dramatically, with poverty and unemployment increasing at an alarming rate.

"I have made no secret of my concern for the 1.4 million people of Gaza who today are living under the most abhorrent conditions. With few exceptions, all manner of legitimate trade with Gaza has come to a standstill, with devastating effects on the economy and on family livelihoods. Access to essential services and utilities, like health, water and energy, is becoming more uncertain each day," he said.

"Palestinian society has become more deeply divided, while the security of many Israelis has been directly threatened. We have the opportunity today to take the initial steps that can reverse these troubling trends. And indeed, today I am convinced we have better grounds for optimism than at any time in the recent past."

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have re-started bilateral discussions, showing "courage and resolve in maintaining this dialogue in the face of extraordinary difficulties on the ground," and they have now set out to try to negotiate a peace treaty in 2008, he noted.

Meanwhile Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad has prepared a programme for the next three years with investment and reform priorities, ambitious but achievable targets, and the steps that Palestinians, Israelis and the international community should take together to create the basis for a functioning state and economy.

"Indeed, we must move quickly now, because the process can succeed only if we overcome the gap between our diplomatic efforts and the situation on the ground," Mr. Ban said, addressing both morning and afternoon sessions of the conference.

"The international community must do its utmost to support the Palestinian Authority as it strives to tackle the immense challenges ahead. In these tasks, the entire United Nations system is ready to cooperate closely with the Palestinian Authority, and will continue to support the Palestinian people in their efforts to move forward."

While in Paris, Mr. Ban also attended a meeting of principals of the so-called diplomatic Quartet – the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States – in which the group expressed concern over the announcement of new housing tenders by Israel for Har Homa/Jabal abu Ghneim in the area of Jerusalem occupied by Israel since 1967.

The meeting, also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, top European officials and former British Prime Minister and current Quartet representative Tony Blair, condemned the continued rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and called for an immediate cessation of such attacks.

In a statement the Quartet, which is advocating the so-called Roadmap two-state solution endorsed at Annapolis with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, called on all sides to refrain from steps that undermine confidence, and underscored the importance of avoiding any actions that could prejudice the outcome of permanent status negotiations.

"The Quartet called on both parties to make progress on their Phase One Roadmap obligations, including an Israeli freeze on settlements, removal of unauthorized outposts, and opening of East Jerusalem institutions, and Palestinian steps to end violence, terrorism, and incitement," the statement added.

The group reaffirmed the importance of Palestinian economic growth, expressed strong support for Mr. Fayyad's programme, welcomed the generous support of the international community at the donors' conference, and urged donors to maximize their contributions.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY RESUMES REPATRIATION OF SUDANESE REFUGEES FROM ETHIOPIAN CAMP

UN AGENCY RESUMES REPATRIATION OF SUDANESE REFUGEES FROM ETHIOPIAN CAMP
New York, Dec 17 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency has resumed its repatriation of Sudanese from a camp in western Ethiopia after the operation had been suspended for six months because of poor weather and road conditions.

A convoy of buses and trucks carrying 610 refugees left Ethiopia's Bonga camp for Sudan's Blue Nile state, about 820 kilometres away, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/476696814.html">UNHCR) reported. As many as two-thirds of the group were aged under 18 and probably born and raised in Ethiopia.

The journey is expected to take three days, and the refugees will stay at UNHCR transit centres each night. During the rainy season, which began in May, the roads from Bonga – which is currently home to about 7,000 people – into Sudan had been impassable.

Ilunga Ngandu, UNHCR regional liaison representative for Africa, said the agency expects to repatriate about 30,000 Sudanese refugees between now and the end of next year, which could allow officials to close at least two of the four Ethiopian camps sheltering Sudanese refugees.

To help with their reintegration into their former communities, returnees receive a package of blankets, jerry cans, sleeping mats, a water filter and a sanitary kit for women, as well as plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, plastic buckets, kitchen utensils and soap. When they reach their destinations in Sudan, they also receive three months of food, seeds and tools from the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO).

In a related development, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) is calling for an urgent injection of $3 million to prevent cutbacks in food distribution by March to refugees living in Ethiopia.

WFP provides monthly food rations to some 80,000 refugees in Ethiopia, about half of them originally from Sudan. But UN agencies say that a poor rainy season and the impact of desert locusts in much of the country is threatening food security.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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FRESH OUTBREAK OF BIRD FLU CLAIMS TWO LIVES IN PAKISTAN, SAYS UN AGENCY

FRESH OUTBREAK OF BIRD FLU CLAIMS TWO LIVES IN PAKISTAN, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Dec 17 2007 1:00PM
At least two Pakistanis have died in a fresh outbreak of avian influenza close to the country's "poultry belt," the United Nations World Health Organization (<" http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/">WHO) has reported.

Pakistani health officials informed WHO of eight suspected human cases of infection with the H5N1 virus – the virus responsible for outbreaks of bird flu around the world in recent years – in the area around the city of Peshawar.

In an update issued at the weekend, WHO said two people have died in the outbreak and one person has now recovered.

The outbreak in humans was detected after a series of culling operations in the area in response to an outbreak of the virus in local poultry. Samples taken by health officials have tested positive in the national laboratory and are now being referred to a WHO laboratory for further analysis.

The agency is helping Pakistani health officials conduct epidemiological investigations and assess the current surveillance, prevention and control measures in place to see whether they need tightening or adjusting.

Pakistan has been hit by multiple outbreaks of bird flu in its domestic poultry population since last year, while this year there has also been outbreaks in wild birds.

WHO officials are also assisting local health authorities in Myanmar and Indonesia in response to outbreaks in those countries.

In Myanmar, a seven-year-old girl from Shan State (East) has recovered after developing symptoms of fevers and headaches last month. Samples from the case have tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

Indonesian officials have confirmed that a 47-year-old man from the country's Banten Province has bird flu and has been hospitalized since 9 December. So far, 115 human cases have been confirmed in Indonesia, and 92 have been fatal.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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ONGOING INSECURITY HAMPERING HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN - UN

ONGOING INSECURITY HAMPERING HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN – UN
New York, Dec 17 2007 1:00PM
Having to operate under tighter security restrictions has curtailed the efforts of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in delivering vital humanitarian aid to thousands of Afghans in preparation for winter, the world body's mission in the country said today.

At the end of 2007, humanitarian actors in Afghanistan are operating under much tighter security restrictions – the inevitable consequence of insecurity on the ground – Charlie Higgins of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA) said at a press briefing in Kabul today.

"These restrictions curtail our access to communities for humanitarian purposes, whether this is the delivery of relief, or efforts to protect civilians from direct harm during conflict," stated Mr. Higgins, who heads UNAMA's humanitarian unit.

Mr. Higgins stressed "an unacceptably high risk" to agencies that carry humanitarian deliveries along the main routes in southern and western Afghanistan, as evidenced by a recent attack on a UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=3">WFP) truck carrying 15 tons of biscuits. The vehicle was looted and then burned, and the driver killed.

Despite the difficulties, efforts to move supplies have been "largely successful," he added, noting that 90 per cent – about 21,000 of the planned 23,000 tons – of the food needed for 326,000 potential beneficiaries this winter has now been delivered by WFP to its partner NGOs across 17 provinces.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF), the UN refugee agency (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) have also pre-positioned non-food items, including tarpaulins, blankets, jerry cans, kitchen sets, soap, heaters and emergency health kits in the same areas.

Mr. Higgins emphasized that Afghanistan has lost much of the "humanitarian space" it had even two or three years ago, which has severely affected the freedom that aid workers need to evaluate essential needs, to monitor the distribution and use of relief, and have a dialogue with the affected people and relevant authorities.

"We need to regain the space that humanitarian action needs in order for agencies to deliver the fundamental life-saving services to the population," he stated.

A recent example of this was the three polio vaccination campaigns held in conflict areas such as Helmand province, where the groups fighting the Government agreed to observe "days of tranquillity" and refrain from hindering or attacking the health workers providing the vaccinations, he noted.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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UN PARTNERS WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO BOOST ICT INVESTMENT

UN PARTNERS WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO BOOST ICT INVESTMENT
New York, Dec 17 2007 11:00AM
A new agreement between the United Nations telecommunications agency and the European Commission aims to attract greater investments in information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia and the Pacific.

The collaboration between the UN International Telecommunication Union ITU) and the Commission is a follow-up to commitments made at the Connect Africa Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, in October when the EC expressed support for the agency's regulatory reform initiatives in Africa.

In a press statement from its Geneva headquarters, the <"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/39.html">ITU notes that over the past decade, most countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and the Caribbean have begun reforms in the telecommunication sector, including through setting up national regulatory bodies and introducing competition. At the same time, large sections of the population remain without basic access to ICT services.

Many countries still need to undertake crucial reforms that would provide regulators with the tools and authority to effectively regulate the sector and thereby attract greater investment, promote innovation and build confidence in ICT markets.

The new agreement aims to harmonize regulatory frameworks within the different regions. It also seeks to build human and institutional capacity in the field of ICT through a range of training, education and knowledge-sharing measures. An effective and harmonized regulatory framework will encourage private sector investment, while more competition will lead to lower prices and better service for customers.

The ITU says a fundamental shift in policy and regulatory frameworks is considered essential to achieve by 2015 the connectivity targets contained in the set of global anti-poverty objectives known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs).

It will also contribute to achieving the objectives of the World Summit on the Information Society (<" http://www.itu.int/wsis/index.html">WSIS), which recognized that "to maximize the social, economic and environmental benefits of the Information Society, governments need to create a trustworthy, transparent and non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy environment."

As part of the agreement, the European Union has allocated 8 million Euros from the European Development Fund, to which ITU will add $500,000 of its own resources. The work will be managed and implemented by ITU.
2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

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