CRIMINAL NETWORK RESPONSIBLE FOR HARIRI ASSASSINATION, SAYS UN PROBE

CRIMINAL NETWORK RESPONSIBLE FOR HARIRI ASSASSINATION, SAYS UN PROBE New York, Mar 28 2008 7:00PM Evidence shows that a criminal network was responsible for the massive car bombing that killed the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others in Beirut in February 2005, the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) says in a new report to the Security Council.

UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has submitted the latest report of the IIIC, which is headed by Daniel Bellemare, to the 15 Council members.

In that report the IIIC – which was set up by the Council – said it has evidence that a network of individuals acted in concert to carry out the assassination of Mr. Hariri and that this same network, or parts of it, is linked to some of the other cases that fall within the mandate of the commission.

Mr. Ban and the UN are taking steps to set up the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try those responsible for the death of Mr. Hariri and earlier this week Council members welcomed a report that showed the Secretary-General is making significant progress.

A headquarters agreement has been signed with the Netherlands, a prosecutor and a registrar has been appointed, and a management committee has been established. Financial contributions and pledges have also come from several UN Member States.

Once it is formally established, it will be up to the Special Tribunal to determine whether other political killings in Lebanon since October 2004 were connected to the assassination of Mr. Hariri and could therefore be dealt with by the tribunal.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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LATEST ROUND OF UN CLIMATE TALKS TO START NEXT WEEK

LATEST ROUND OF UN CLIMATE TALKS TO START NEXT WEEK New York, Mar 28 2008 6:00PM A fresh round of United Nations-sponsored climate change talks, expected to draw 1,000 participants, will kick off next week in Bangkok, Thailand.

This five-day meeting seeks to push the so-called "Bali Roadmap" – agreed upon by 187 countries at the landmark UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, last December – forward. Under this guide, key issues during the upcoming negotiations will be adaptation, mitigation, the deployment of climate-friendly technology and financing.

In Bangkok, attendees are expected to lay out a work plan for the negotiations for a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012, as well as discuss how developed nations can curb their emissions.

"The challenge is to design a future agreement that will significantly step up action on adaptation, successfully halt the increase in global emissions within the next 10 to 15 years, dramatically cut back emissions by 2050, and do so in a way that is economically viable and politically equitable worldwide," said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/meetings/intersessional/awg-lca_1_and_awg-kp_5/items/4288.php">UNFCCC).

The negotiations process is scheduled to conclude next year at a major summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In a related development, the Kyoto Protocol's Adaptation Fund Board wrapped up its inaugural meeting today in Bonn, Germany.

The Fund seeks to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries.

Characterizing it as "unique," Mr. de Boer pointed out that it is "not reliant on donor funding or overseas development assistance. This is the climate regime beginning to become self-financing."

At present, the Fund is backed by a 2 per cent levy on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows industrialized countries to generate credits through investment in emission reduction projects in developing countries. It is worth some €37 million currently, and its value is expected to surge to $80 million to $300 million in the 2008-2012 period.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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MAOIST ARMY PERSONNEL, WEAPONS MUST STAY IN CANTONMENTS - UN ENVOY TO NEPAL

MAOIST ARMY PERSONNEL, WEAPONS MUST STAY IN CANTONMENTS – UN ENVOY TO NEPAL New York, Mar 28 2008 6:00PM The top United Nations official in Nepal today vowed that the world body would play its part to try to ensure that Maoist army personnel and weapons are contained to the agreed cantonments during the current election campaign for the Constituent Assembly.

Ian Martin, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and the head of the UN Mission in Nepal (<"http://www.unmin.org.np/">UNMIN), met with the country's independent Election Commission in Kathmandu, the capital, to discuss the effective monitoring of the cantonments through the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Committee.

Mr. Martin told election commissioners that the mission had made it clear to the leadership of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) that it was a breach of the Agreement on the Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies for personnel and/or weapons from Maoist army cantonments to be present at meetings outside the cantonments – including for the purpose of providing leadership security.

While UNMIN recognizes the importance of adequate security arrangements for leaders and candidates of all parties, special security arrangements for the Maoist leadership were agreed upon in a signed understanding between the Government and the Maoists.

Nepalese voters go to the polls on 10 April to elect members of the Constituent Assembly, which will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for the country. The polls, which have been delayed several times because of political violence, are part of a democratization process following the end of the decade-long civil war, which killed an estimated 13,000 people until the Government and Maoists signed a peace accord in 2006.

Meanwhile, 21 Tibetans aged between 15 and 18 climbed into the UN compound in Kathmandu this morning, and then peacefully presented a banner to UN staff with slogans along the lines of "Free Tibet."

After apologizing for entering the compound, the teenagers were given lunch and then taken home, with the UN asking local authorities to not take any action against the children.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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KICKING OFF NEW REVIEW REGIMES, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL NEARS END OF SESSION

KICKING OFF NEW REVIEW REGIMES, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL NEARS END OF SESSION New York, Mar 28 2008 6:00PM Having initiated the first periodic review of the human rights performance of all States and established rapporteurs on groundbreaking new rights topics, the seventh session of the United Nations Human Rights Council finished the bulk of its work today in Geneva.

The session, which was opened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 3 March, did not conclude formally today as expected, but instead decided to continue for one more half-day session to be held next week, to finish hearing statements from delegations and to adopt its report to the General Assembly.

Among the major accomplishments of the session was the inauguration of the first Universal Periodic Review, under which all UN Member States will be examined to assess whether they have fulfilled their human rights obligation, at the rate of 48 a year.

In addition, 11 special rapporteurs were nominated, including an independent expert with a new mandate to cover rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Among other achievements, the 47-member Council elected the 18 members of its Advisory Committee, which will hold its first session from 4 to 15 August.

The Committee's experts will function as a think-tank for the Council, which was created in 2006 to replace the Human Rights Commission as part of ongoing UN reform.

At the Council's eighth session, which will take place from 2 to 13 June, the Council will examine the first report of its working group on the Universal Periodic Review, which will start its work on individual countries on 7 April.

Speaking to reporters today, Council President Doru Costea said he was "rather optimistic" about the start of the Universal Review. However, he cautioned: "The proof of the pudding is in eating eat it."
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: UN PREPARED TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF IN VIOLENCE-TORN IN BASRA

IRAQ: UN PREPARED TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF IN VIOLENCE-TORN IN BASRA New York, Mar 28 2008 5:00PM United Nations humanitarian agencies in Iraq announced today that they are ready to provide assistance in Basra, where a large-scale military operation is under way.

Veronique Taveau of the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) voiced concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in both Basra, in the country's south-east, and Sadr City, a neighbourhood in the capital Baghdad. Half of the 3.2 million-strong population of these areas are children, she said.

Basra's inhabitants are drinking tap water, said Ms. Taveau, because of the high salt content and poor quality of the drinking water. UNICEF is equipped to help 70,000 families by providing water and sanitation support, including 39 million water purification tablets and 40,000 sachets of oral rehydration salts to treat young children for diarrhoea.

However, she warned that movement and access to Basra's population is currently impossible.

The UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) has prepositioned 1,600 blood bags and trauma kits to treat injuries, while the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) has 200 tons of food ready to distribute outside Basra.

For its part, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR) is prepared to hand out non-food items, such as blankets, cooking stoves and water containers, for up to 8,000 families.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS WITH LEADERS IN FINLAND

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS WITH LEADERS IN FINLAND New York, Mar 28 2008 5:00PM Climate change, economic development and United Nations reform topped the agenda during talks between General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim and Finnish Government leaders over the past two days in Helsinki.

In a meeting with Finland's President Tarja Halonen today, Mr. Kerim focused on the priority topics of the current Assembly session, including climate change and the efforts to achieve the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Ms. Halonen and Mr. Kerim also discussed the gender aspects of these issues and of sustainable development, the Assembly President's spokesperson told reporters.

The Assembly's priority topics were also the focus of discussions today with Sauli Niinistö, the Speaker of Parliament, and with a group of parliamentarians from different political parties.

Last night Mr. Kerim held talks with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and with Foreign Trade and Development Minister Paavo Väyrynen, and the three men agreed that reform of the UN needed to reflect changes in the international system. Mr. Vanhanen also accepted an invitation to address next week's high-level debate at the Assembly on the MDGs.

While in Finland, Mr. Kerim spoke at a seminar in Espoo on the subject of the UN in the era of globalization, stressing that the world had outgrown what he called the rigid parameters of existing institutional frameworks.

The President said in his keynote address that two major interdependent shifts currently occurring in world affairs offered the opportunity of "achieving a new culture of international relations."

The first was a move away from State-centred policies towards human-centred approaches that emphasized the individual as the main subject and agency of policy. The second was a gradual move away from a preoccupation with rights to the acceptance of responsibilities that go with those rights, both for the State and for the individual.

He said any reform of the UN had to aim to ensure that its forums were more flexible, dynamic and capable of acting on the basis of an "equilibrium of interests" rather than on the principle of maintaining a balance of power.

Earlier this week, Mr. Kerim also visited Rome and met Pope Benedict XVI, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and other leaders.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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UN ENVOY MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ON NEW FORCE

UN ENVOY MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ON NEW FORCE New York, Mar 28 2008 4:01PM The United Nations' top envoy for Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) has consulted with CAR President François Bozizé on deployment of an innovative peacekeeping mission in the two countries, a UN spokesperson said today.

The UN mission, known as MINURCAT, was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.

It is a multidimensional operation supported by European Union military forces and comprising 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law.

Visiting CAR's capital, Bangui, yesterday, Victor Da Silva Angelo, Special Representative of Secretary-General in Chad and the CAR, told President Bozizé that MINURCAT and the EU force are "twin sisters that are intimately linked by the nature of their work and are, in fact, complementary."

While the EU Force provides a security umbrella, he said, the UN Mission trains those tasked with protecting refugees and the internally displaced inside UN-run camps.

Earlier this week, Mr. Angelo signed a status of mission agreement, setting up the legal basis for MINURCAT's operations, with authorities in Chad.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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CALL FOR JUDGES AT UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE MORE KHMER ROUGE CRIMES

CALL FOR JUDGES AT UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE MORE KHMER ROUGE CRIMES New York, Mar 28 2008 4:00PM Co-prosecutors at the United Nations-backed tribunal trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes in Cambodia in the late 1970s have called for new investigations of possible crimes committed at a security and detention centre in the South-East Asian country during the notorious era.

In a formal submission to co-investigating judges on Wednesday, the co-prosecutors at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh, the capital, have requested a probe into allegations raised by civil society groups and victims.

The allegations relate to a security centre where numerous Cambodians were unlawfully detained, subjected to inhumane conditions and forced labour, tortured and executed between 1975 and 1979.

Co-prosecutor Robert Petit said that "these factual allegations, if founded, could constitute crimes against humanity, and violations of the 1956 Penal Code punishable under ECCC law and we have so alleged in our supplementary submission."

The co-prosecutors have also requested that Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Thirith and Kaing Guek Eav – who are all currently in the custody of the ECCC – be investigated for their involvement in these crimes.

The supplementary submission was accompanied by about 1,500 pages of analytical reports, witness statements and other documents from the era.

Under an agreement signed by the UN and Cambodia, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international law between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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NUMBER OF SOMALIS SEEKING ASYLUM ON THE RISE, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS

NUMBER OF SOMALIS SEEKING ASYLUM ON THE RISE, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS New York, Mar 28 2008 4:00PM As many as 15,000 Somalis have sought asylum since the start of this year in neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan to escape the violence engulfing many parts of their homeland, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today.

"Growing numbers of asylum-seekers and migrants are now making their way to Djibouti, raising fears that the tiny Horn of Africa nation could become the alternative migration route for Somalis looking for better opportunities in the Middle East," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond <" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47ecd8bd2.html">said today.

Over 2,000 Somali asylum-seekers and migrants have crossed the border into Djibouti since January, compared with 700 people who went there in all of 2007.

Once in Djibouti, many Somalis attempt to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. Some 200 of them are intercepted daily and are detained in an old jail in the port city of Obock, which was built to hold 20 detainees but now houses 200 at a time.

According to UNHCR, there are limited resources to care for the intercepted Somalis who are served meals in flimsy plastic bags because there are no utensils.

In the capital Djibouti City, Government offices are packed with large numbers of refugees. Once registered, these asylum-seekers are transferred to UNHCR-backed Ali Adeh camp sheltering 7,000 Somalis.

Kenya has received almost 8,000 Somali asylum-seekers, who have made their way directly to the Dabaab camps which house 184,000 people, mainly Somalis.

Almost 4,000 Somalis have arrived in the eastern town of Jirga in Ethiopia, joining the 8,500 Somalis who arrived in the area last year. The Tereri Ber camp with a 10,000-person capacity is almost full, and a new site is being sought.

Meanwhile, 1,300 Somalis asylum-seekers – the majority of whom are single young men and women fleeing Mogadishu – have entered eastern Sudan so far this year, six times more people than all of 2007.

In a related development, the UN and <" http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank – in tandem with Somalia's Transitional Federal Government – are meeting in Nairobi to discuss the country's economy.

The two-day talks will cover the advancement of peace, economic prospects, investment in African nations, youth employment and job creation, among other issues.

Yesterday, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) appealed to Somalia's international partners to step up their humanitarian efforts.

"The international community must put Somalia at the top of its agenda and press for change before it is too late," <" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2805">said Peter Goossens, WFP's Country Director for Somalia. "We call on all authorities in Somalia to help us reach those in need and urge donors not to give up on this country."

In another development, the UN Special Representative for Somalia has welcomed the announcement by the country's transitional government that it is ready to hold talks with the opposition.

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said the opposition had also informed him of their willingness to meet Government representatives and resume long-stalled reconciliation talks.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF WELCOMES RELEASE OF HIJACKED DRIVERS IN DARFUR

UNICEF WELCOMES RELEASE OF HIJACKED DRIVERS IN DARFUR New York, Mar 28 2008 3:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_43404.html">UNICEF) expressed relief today at the release of four drivers from the State Water Corporation in Sudan's violence-wracked North Darfur state, who were abducted more than a week ago.

The four have now been reunited with their families, but valuable drilling equipment – which was part of a project to provide clean water for tens of thousands of people in North Darfur – has not been recovered, a United Nations spokesperson said.

Unidentified gunmen hijacked an engineering team of the water corporation, UNICEF's main counterpart in providing water and sanitation services across northern Sudan, last Thursday night in Um Tajok.

Banditry has become increasingly frequent in Darfur, where in the past five years more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others displaced from their homes because of fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied militiamen.

A hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID is being deployed to the region to try to quell the violence and the humanitarian suffering, but the mission is still lacking key capacities and remains far short of the 26,000 uniformed personnel expected when it reaches full capacity.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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DEMOCRATIZATION IS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN

DEMOCRATIZATION IS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN New York, Mar 28 2008 3:00PM Democratization requires careful nurturing through participation and institutions, despite being on the rise around the globe, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in New York today.

This morning, he <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11482.doc.htm">addressed the Advisory Board of the United Nations Democracy Fund, which was established in 2005 and awards grants to projects that aim to promote and consolidate new and restored democracies.

"As you know better than anyone, democratization is a process, not an event," Mr. Ban said.

"It seeks rule of law over rule of man, it requires respect for civil and political rights, and it demands constant interaction between those who govern and those that are governed."

He also characterized democratization as more of a "marathon than a sprint," as it is a "long struggle that must be waged by individual citizens, myriad communities and entire nations."

Pledging the UN's support to those undertaking the "challenge of democratization," the Secretary-General highlighted that efforts to promote democratic governance are intertwined with the world body's work in human rights, development and peace and security.

The Fund received almost 2,000 project applications for its second round. As of 12 March, it has received nearly $73 million in contributions.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE CHIEF TO VISIT TAJIKISTAN NEXT WEEK

UN REFUGEE CHIEF TO VISIT TAJIKISTAN NEXT WEEK New York, Mar 28 2008 2:00PM The United Nations refugee chief heads to Tajikistan next week for a three-day visit to the Central Asian country, which is home to more than 1,700 refugees and asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan.

António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47ecd8bd11.html">UNHCR), is expected to meet the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and key Government ministers for discussions on the national asylum system, the integration of about 1,000 Afghans who have lived in Tajikistan for up to 20 years, and closer cooperation between the UN agency and the Government.

UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters today that Mr. Guterres will also participate in the opening of vocational training projects set up at a refugee training centre in Dushanbe, the capital.

In 1993 Tajikistan became the first country in Central Asia to accede to both the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, and it was also the first country in the region to adopt national legislation on refugees.

The High Commissioner visited Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan late last year and Mr. Redmond said he also plans to travel to Turkmenistan soon.

Before arriving in Dushanbe on Monday, Mr. Guterres is scheduled to attend an Arab League summit in Damascus, Syria, over the weekend.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO DEPLORES SEPARATE KILLINGS OF TWO RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS

UNESCO DEPLORES SEPARATE KILLINGS OF TWO RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS New York, Mar 28 2008 2:00PM The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend freedom of the press and freedom of expression today condemned the separate murders of two Russian journalists over the past week, calling them "heinous crimes."

Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=26326&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO), said in a statement that he hoped that the killers of both Ilyas Shurpayev and Gadzhi Abashilov are found and brought to justice.

"Attacking journalists means attacking society as a whole, since journalists exercise a profession that is vital for informed democratic debate and responsible decision-making," Mr. Matsuura said.

Mr. Shurpayev, a 32-year-old reporter for Russian state television's Channel One who often worked in the Russian republics of Dagestan and South Ossetia and Georgia's secessionist region of Abhazia, was found in his Moscow apartment last Friday. He had been strangled and stabbed.

Mr. Abashilov, 58, the head of the state broadcasting company, was reported to have been shot dead in his car in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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UN-ASSISTED REFUGEE REPATRIATION IN SOUTH SUDAN TOPS 100,000

UN-ASSISTED REFUGEE REPATRIATION IN SOUTH SUDAN TOPS 100,000 New York, Mar 28 2008 1:00PM More than 100,000 people who fled the decades-long civil war in southern Sudan have returned home to restart their lives in a repatriation programme that began after the signing of a 2005 peace agreement, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

"The 100,000 milestone was passed this week as the pace of return convoys picked up from countries neighbouring South Sudan to get refugees home ahead of the rainy season in May, and for those who want to return for the national census on 5 to 30 April," Ron Redmond, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47ecd8bb2.html">announced in Geneva.

Mr. Redmond said that the agency is now helping some 4,500 refugees return each week to southern Sudan – an increase from 3,000 a fortnight ago. By mid-April that figure is expected to jump to 6,000 returnees a week as transport for returnees from Uganda and Ethiopia are increased.

The largest number of refugees is returning from Uganda, with some 2,700 returnees a week and more than 5,000 refugees have returned from Kakuma camp in Kenya this year, with another 2,000 expected to go home in April, according to UNHCR.

Returns from Ethiopia, now running at the rate of 1,200 returnees a week, are expected to result in the closure of two camps there.

A total of 251,000 refugees have returned to Sudan – 100,000 in organized programmes and the rest on their own – since the signing in January 2005 of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the north-south civil war that killed as many as two million people and displaced 4.5 million others.

The return movements are being organized in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the German agency GTZ, refugee host governments and the Government of Southern Sudan.

In February, UNHCR launched an appeal for $63 million to fund its 2008 southern Sudan operations.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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ESTONIA THE FIRST TO SIGN UN-BACKED SEA WRECK TREATY

ESTONIA THE FIRST TO SIGN UN-BACKED SEA WRECK TREATY New York, Mar 28 2008 1:00PM Estonia today became the first country to sign up to an international convention on the removal of lurking shipwrecks that pose dangers to navigation and the sea environment, while the head of the United Nations marine agency urged other States to follow suit.

"The Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention, once in force, can fill a gap in the existing international legal framework by providing the first set of uniform international rules aimed at ensuring the prompt and effective removal of wrecks beyond the territorial sea," Efthimios Mitropoulos, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (<"http://www.imo.org/home.asp">IMO), said at the London signing ceremony.

Although the incidence of marine casualties has decreased dramatically in recent years, the number of abandoned wrecks, estimated at almost 1300 worldwide, has increased along with the threat they pose to coastal States and shipping in general, according to the IMO.

The wreck convention, adopted in May 2007, will provide the legal basis for States to remove these hulks, or have them removed, in part by making the registered owner liable for costs of locating, marking and removing them and requiring insurance to cover this liability.

The <" http://www.imo.org/About/mainframe.asp?topic_id=1472&doc_id=8070">Convention is open for signature until 18 November 2008 and, thereafter, will be open for ratification, accession or acceptance. It will enter into force 12 months following the date on which 10 States have taken such approval actions.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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CONDEMNING 'OFFENSIVELY ANTI-ISLAMIC' VIDEO, BAN KI-MOON APPEALS FOR CALM

CONDEMNING 'OFFENSIVELY ANTI-ISLAMIC' VIDEO, BAN KI-MOON APPEALS FOR CALM New York, Mar 28 2008 1:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the Internet broadcast of a video made by the Dutch politician Geert Wilders, describing it as "offensively anti-Islamic," while he also called on those upset by the film to remain calm.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson after last night's airing of the film, entitled Fitna, Mr. Ban said "there is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free expression is not at stake here.

"I acknowledge the efforts of the Dutch Government to stop the broadcast of this film and appeal for calm to those understandably offended by it. Freedom must always be accompanied by social responsibility."

The Secretary-General stressed that the United Nations stands at the locus of global efforts to advance mutual respect, understanding and dialogue between different cultures, religions and groups.

"We must also recognize that the real fault line is not between Muslim and Western societies, as some would have us believe, but between small minorities of extremists, on different sides, with a vested interest in stirring hostility and conflict."

In 2005 Spain and Turkey established the <"http://www.unaoc.org/">Alliance of Civilizations under the auspices of the UN to promote better cross-cultural relations around the world, and last year Mr. Ban appointed the former Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio as the High Representative for the Alliance
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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VOWING SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT, NEW UN ENVOY ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

VOWING SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT, NEW UN ENVOY ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN New York, Mar 28 2008 10:00AM Pledging to boost assistance to the Government of Afghanistan, the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<http://www.unama-afg.org/>UNAMA) for the war-ravaged nation touched down in Kabul today.

"I come to Afghanistan with the utmost respect for its people, religion and history and I am grateful for the support and confidence of President [Hamid] Karzai and the international community," said Kai Eide, calling on the international community to rally behind efforts to rebuild the country.

"Afghanistan has been calling for stronger coordination of international assistance – we need to better respond to this demand," he noted, adding that the Security Council has recently sharpened UNAMA's mandate.

"In the past there has been much focus on the security situation," Mr. Eide observed. "This needs to be balanced with the political dimension of our work to deliver much needed peace, stability and visible progress for all the peoples of Afghanistan."

The Special Representative will meet with President Karzai and other key Government and UN officials over the coming days before departing for an international meeting on Afghanistan in Bucharest, Romania, next week.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: IN DANGER OF CLOSURE, UN HUMANITARIAN AIR OPERATION GETS REPRIEVE

DARFUR: IN DANGER OF CLOSURE, UN HUMANITARIAN AIR OPERATION GETS REPRIEVE New York, Mar 28 2008 10:00AM Thanks to the infusion of much-needed funds, the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2806">WFP) announced today that its critical air transports for aid workers in war-ravaged Darfur will be operational for an additional month.

Some 8,000 relief workers in Darfur use the Humanitarian Air Service (WFP-HAS) monthly to provide much-needed food, water and health care services, but WFP announced last month that it would be grounded by 31 May due to a lack of funds.

With contributions totalling over $6 million, WFP-HAS will not be able to keep 24 helicopters and airplanes in the air until the end of April.

"Thanks to the European Commission, Ireland and other donors, humanitarian work in Darfur and other parts of Sudan will not be interrupted – for the time being," said Kenro Oshidari, WFP Representative in Sudan.

He voiced hope that more donors will step up, noting that $77 million is needed to keep WFP-HAS, which is vital amid deteriorating security conditions on the roads, running this year.

The service also received $500,000 each from the UN Common Humanitarian Fund and Not On Our Watch, the humanitarian organization founded by actors George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, producer Jerry Weintraub and civil rights lawyer David Pressman.

Insecurity and banditry plague the roads, with WFP announced this week that three drivers of agency-contracted trucks had recently been murdered in Sudan, making the air operation more important than ever.
2008-03-28 00:00:00.000

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EXCESSIVE FORCE USED AGAINST PROTESTS IN TERAI, UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT CONCLUDES

EXCESSIVE FORCE USED AGAINST PROTESTS IN TERAI, UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT CONCLUDES New York, Mar 27 2008 7:00PM Nepal's public security institutions such as the police need to show greater respect for human rights if they are to prevent a repeat of the deadly violence that roiled the Terai region of southern Nepal in February, United Nations human rights officials in the South Asian country said today.

Releasing a report on the Terai protests that took place from 13-29 February, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) <"http://nepal.ohchr.org/en/resources/Documents/English/pressreleases/MAR2008/2008_03_27_tarai_protest_E.pdf">said excessive force was sometimes used in policing the demonstrations and the bandhs, or general strikes, which often paralyzed daily life in the region.

An investigation of the deaths of six people, five of whom died as a result of police fire, concluded that in all cases the use of lethal force was unjustified, the report noted.

International standards state that "when law enforcement officials disperse assemblies that are illegal but not violent, they must avoid using force or, where this is not practicable, must restrict force to the minimum extent necessary."

Firearms should only be used in self-defence or in defence of others against imminent threat of death or serious injury, to prevent crimes posing a grave threat to life or to arrest people who are presenting this kind of threat and resisting efforts to stop the threat. Firearms should also be used only when less extreme means are insufficient.

The report calls for standard operating procedures to be set up regarding the use of force by police, for training to be provided in this area for police and for journalists to be allowed to report on protests free of intimidation and violence.

Allegations of ill-treatment of civilians in detention or during protests – or of any deaths or serious injuries – should also be promptly investigated.

More broadly, <"http://nepal.ohchr.org/en/index.html">OHCHR-Nepal recommended that the Government implement wide-ranging reforms aimed at improving institutional accountability in these areas, making sure that all public security institutions such as the police operate under democratic oversight and within international human rights standards.

The authors of the report also call on the organizers of bandhs and protests to fulfil their responsibility to ensure that violence is avoided, the human rights of others are always respected and children are not exposed to potentially violent situations.

Richard Bennett, OHCHR's representative in Nepal, said he recognized that Nepalese authorities, including the police, were making efforts to improve public security and he pledged the support of his office to the Government on the human rights aspects of public security.

"This report notes that the performance of police during the Terai protests fell short of international human rights standards. However, it also acknowledges that police were working under difficult conditions, including during incidents when protesters attacked them," Mr. Bennett said.

Meanwhile, the Security Council today welcomed the overall progress being made in Nepal towards the holding of Constituent Assembly elections on 10 April. This followed a briefing on the latest developments from Angela Kane, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9288.doc.htm">statement to the press read out by Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the members said they looked forward to the polls being conducted in a free and fair manner.

They also "urged all Nepalese parties to uphold public security and create an atmosphere that is conducive for a successful forthcoming election."

Once elected, Constituent Assembly members will draft a new constitution for Nepal, where an estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil war that ended when the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord in 2006. The polls were supposed to be held last year but had to be postponed several times because of political violence.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS BODY SAYS STATES MUST REFRAIN FROM PROFILING WHILE COMBATING TERRORISM

UN RIGHTS BODY SAYS STATES MUST REFRAIN FROM PROFILING WHILE COMBATING TERRORISM New York, Mar 27 2008 6:00PM The United Nations <"http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/">Human Rights Council in Geneva today passed a resolution calling on States to not resort to racial, ethnic or religious profiling while countering terrorism.

Adopted without a vote, the text urges States to fully comply with their obligations regarding torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

It also "opposes any form of deprivation of liberty that amounts to placing a detained person outside of the protection of the law."

Additionally, the 47-member body adopted five other resolutions.

It extended the mandates by three years of its Independent Experts on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights; on human rights and solidarity; and on minority issues.

The Council also adopted texts pertaining to the staff composition of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR), as well as on the enhancement of global cooperation in the field of human rights.

The body will wrap up its seventh session, which began on 3 March, tomorrow.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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AZERBAIJANI MUSICIAN BECOMES UNESCO ARTIST FOR PEACE

AZERBAIJANI MUSICIAN BECOMES UNESCO ARTIST FOR PEACE New York, Mar 27 2008 6:00PM The Azerbaijani composer and pianist Franghiz Ali-Zadeh has become the latest performer to be nominated to represent the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Koïchiro Matsuura, Director General of <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO, announced yesterday that Ms. Ali-Zadeh will be formally designated to the post of Artist for Peace for the next two years at a ceremony in Paris, headquarters of the UN agency, on 3 April.

The designation will focus on Ms. Ali-Zadeh's efforts "to raise public awareness on musical education for orphans and children in need, her contribution to spreading UNESCO's message of peace and tolerance and her dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization."

A trained pianist, Ms. Ali-Zadeh composes works that combine the traditional music of her country – especially a genre known as the mugham – with modern music, and her compositions have been played at concerts and festivals worldwide.

Earlier this month the Portuguese actress and film director Maria de Medeiros was nominated as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in recognition of her commitment to arts education and to furthering the ideals of the UN agency.

The Indonesian actress and producer Christine Hakim was named a Goodwill Ambassador by UNESCO at a separate ceremony in Bali earlier this month, with the nomination citing her efforts to raise awareness about the plight of teachers in Indonesia.

Other UNESCO Artists for Peace include the Korean soprano Sumi Jo, the Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil, the Venezuelan actress Patricia Velasquez and the Russian conductor Valery Guerguiev. The agency's ranks of Goodwill Ambassadors include the former South African president Nelson Mandela, the actress Claudia Cardinale and Princess Firyal of Jordan.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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BURUNDI'S GOVERNMENT, REBELS BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEACE - UN COMMISSION

BURUNDI'S GOVERNMENT, REBELS BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEACE – UN COMMISSION New York, Mar 27 2008 6:00PM The Burundian Government and a major rebel group are primarily responsible for implementing the ceasefire pact they signed in late 2006, the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission – which seeks to prevent post-conflict nations from sliding back into war – has concluded in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=pbc/2/bdi/7">report made public today.

The small Great Lakes nation is rebuilding after a brutal civil war between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. In September 2006, the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement was signed between the Government and the last major rebel hold-out group, Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL).

The UN, along with such groups as the Regional Peace Initiative and the African Union (AU), are working in tandem to assist in putting the Agreement into effect, the Commission noted.

"There is consensus among the international community that the political, security and socio-economic reintegration dimensions of the peace process must be addressed simultaneously to ensure the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement."

The Commission reported that a new Political Directorate – comprising representatives from the Government, Palipehutu-FNL, AU, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and the European Union (EU), among others – has been established in the capital, Bujumbura, aiming to promote dialogue on any obstacles to implementing the Agreement.

The report voiced concern over the Palipehutu-FNL's withdrawal last July from the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, which was established to monitor the ceasefire, and called on the group to restart its participation. It also called on the FNL to take part in the work of the Political Directorate.

Additionally, the Commission recommended that the Government "continue to explore all ways to resolve its differences with leaders of Palipehutu-FNL with the aim of addressing them politically… and take the measures necessary to build confidence and create the conditions for the return of Palipehutu-FNL and their reintegration into national institutions."

Earlier this month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern at the simultaneous grenade attacks in Bujumbura on the homes of four parliamentarians.

In a statement, Mr. Ban urged "the Government of Burundi and all political leaders to work together through the national democratic institutions to ease the current tensions."
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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HEAD OF FRENCH-SPEAKING BLOC TO HOLD TALKS WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN

HEAD OF FRENCH-SPEAKING BLOC TO HOLD TALKS WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN New York, Mar 27 2008 5:00PM Climate change, cultural diversity, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and several ongoing crises in African countries are expected to top the agenda tomorrow when the head of the organization of the world's French-speaking countries holds talks with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Abdou Diouf, the Secretary-General of La Francophonie and a former Senegalese president, will be on an official visit to UN Headquarters in New York at the invitation of Mr. Ban, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today.

More than half of all UN Member States hold either full-fledged or observer-status membership of La Francophonie, which signed a cooperation agreement with the UN in October 2006.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Diouf are expected to discuss crisis situations in various French-speaking countries, including Côte d'Ivoire, Comoros, Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), as well as joint UN-Francophonie peace projects and the grouping's support of UN conflict resolution initiatives.

Ms. Montas said the two men are also likely to discuss the MDGs, climate change, the Alliance of Civilizations initiative and public advocacy in favour of the Convention on Cultural Diversity.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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UN UNVEILS LATEST LIST OF '10 STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT'

UN UNVEILS LATEST LIST OF '10 STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT' New York, Mar 27 2008 5:00PM From the hidden world of stateless people to the often overlooked advances in malaria protection to the steps taken to bring peace after separate conflicts in southern Sudan and Uganda, the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) has compiled its fourth annual list of stories it believes deserve greater public and media attention.

"<"http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/07/index.shtml">Ten Stories the World Should Know More About," launched today, aims to draw attention to UN-related issues or developments that are sometimes overlooked by the global media.

Kiyo Akasaka, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, said that while the media were the UN's partners in spreading the word about what needs to be reported around the world, the constraints and priorities of media outlets meant that some stories can be forgotten.

"So when we talk about the fight against malaria, for example, we are not discounting the importance of AIDS or tuberculosis," he said. "But since we hear more about those diseases, we could also try and raise the profile of the strides made to eradicate malaria, an entirely preventable and curable disease."

The list, drawn in consultation with various UN departments and agencies, reflects only a portion of the overall work of the Organization and the 10 stories are not ranked in any order.

This year's list includes three stories of efforts to either bring or consolidate peace after protracted conflicts and internal problems in northern Uganda, southern Sudan and Afghanistan. It also details the suffering of girl soldiers – who are often recruited as combatants and/or as "sex slaves" – during conflicts and of the growing law-and-order role played by UN policemen and women in peacekeeping missions.

The other five stories include two connected to health: bird flu and malaria. After first appearing in 2003, the avian influenza virus has not spread as rapidly as feared, but the threat of a human pandemic remains and urgent preparations for potential outbreaks are still critical. And while malaria continues to kill more than one million people a year, new medicines and treated mosquito nets are making vital inroads on the spread of the scourge.

In addition, the list highlights the plight of the world's stateless; as many as 15 million people may be in this position, lacking critical rights and protections, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR).

Meanwhile, so-called extreme weather events are becoming increasingly normal, due in part to the consequences of climate change, and much of the world is still unprepared to respond to catastrophic natural hazards and disasters.

The work of the UN's special rapporteurs and other independent human rights experts who monitor violations in certain countries or connected to certain themes, otherwise known as the Special Procedures function of the UN Human Rights Council, is also often overlooked.

Additional information on all the stories on the list can be found on a special page on the UN website, <"http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/07/index.shtml">www.un.org/events/tenstories.

2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES REPORT OF PROGRESS ON LEBANON TRIBUNAL

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES REPORT OF PROGRESS ON LEBANON TRIBUNAL New York, Mar 27 2008 4:00PM Members of the Security Council today welcomed a report from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that showed he was making "substantial progress" in setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

After the 15-member body was briefed by Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel, the Council President for March, Vitaly Churkin of the Russian Federation, read out a press <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9287.doc.htm">statement saying that Mr. Ban's efforts in establishing the court were "based on the highest international standards of criminal justice."

Among the progress noted by the Council was the signing of a headquarters agreement with the Netherlands, the appointment of the Prosecutor as well as the Registrar of the Special Tribunal, and the establishment of a management committee.

The Council also welcomed the contributions and pledges received by the tribunal. In the report, the Secretary-General said that adequate start-up funds had been deposited into a trust fund made up of contributions of UN Member States.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Michel said that $60.3 million dollars had been received as of today, in both contributions and pledges.

In addition, Mr. Michel said he could not predict when the tribunal would actually begin trying cases, but he said that decision would be made by the Secretary-General based on funding, consultation with the Lebanese Government and progress in the related international investigation.

The International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) is charged with probing the murder of Mr. Hariri, who was killed along with 22 others in a massive car bombing in Beirut on 14 February 2005.

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

"In implementing the mandate entrusted to the Secretariat by the Security Council, the Secretariat has acted in keeping with the spirit that animated the early foundations of the Tribunal," Mr. Michel stressed, recalling that the court had been requested by the President of Lebanon and endorsed by all parties in the so-called Lebanese Dialogue.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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HEAD OF UN UNIT ON INTER-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

HEAD OF UN UNIT ON INTER-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING LOOKS TO THE FUTURE New York, Mar 27 2008 4:00PM The head of the United Nations campaign for understanding between cultures, known as the Alliance of Civilizations, has visited the Organization's New York Headquarters to discuss the initiative's future plans with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other world leaders.

Jorge Sampãio, High Representative and former President of Portugal, presented the campaign's annual report yesterday to Mr. Ban and discussed its role within the UN system.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Sampãio met with the 85 member governments and multilateral organizations that constitute the Alliance Group of Friends.

He briefed them on the follow-up to the Alliance of Civilizations Forum, held in Madrid in January, which launched projects aimed at promoting understanding among cultures in the areas of media and youth.

He also met with members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to discuss the growing problem of Islamophobia, stressing the important role that the Alliance could play in generating joint action to address this issue.

The Alliance of Civilizations campaign was launched by the UN in 2005 to help overcome prejudices between nations, cultures and religions.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE POLLS IN GUINEA-BISSAU

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE POLLS IN GUINEA-BISSAU New York, Mar 27 2008 4:00PM The Security Council today welcomed this week's announcement that Guinea-Bissau will hold legislative elections in November and called on the Government of the impoverished West African country to both speed up its preparations for those polls and to continue its efforts to consolidate peace.

The 15-member panel "further appealed to the international community to provide the financial and material resources necessary to ensure the effective and timely organization of the polls," Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9286.doc.htm">statement to the press.

Shola Omoregie, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and the head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) briefed the Council yesterday on the latest developments, including the announcement by President João Bernardo Vieira on Tuesday that legislative elections will be held on 16 November.

In the statement, Mr. Churkin said Council members welcomed news that the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which tries to prevent countries emerging from war or misrule from sliding back into chaos, has established a strategic framework to determine how best to assist Guinea-Bissau, which has suffered from civil war, coups and widespread unrest in recent years.

UN officials have recently voiced deep concern about the impact of organized crime, illegal drug trafficking and the emerging threat of terrorism on Guinea-Bissau, one of the world's poorest countries, and today's statement from Council members praised the initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to convene a regional conference on drug trafficking.

Council members also "appealed to the international community to assist the government and provide enhanced support and training for Guinea-Bissau's law enforcement and criminal justice system within the wider framework of security sector reform and the fight against organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism."
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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SIERRA LEONE: UN RAISES AWARENESS OF LAWS TO CURB VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

SIERRA LEONE: UN RAISES AWARENESS OF LAWS TO CURB VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN New York, Mar 27 2008 3:00PM Two United Nations agencies have joined forces with a local non-governmental organization (NGO) in Sierra Leone to heighten awareness of three new gender laws, passed by the West African nation's Parliament, in a bid to reduce the level of violence and abuse against women.

The UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), together with the Grassroots Empowerment for Self Reliance (GEMS), are running a three-day workshop targeting over 150 men and women in three communities in the capital Freetown.

"I will not change you but will tell you how to change your attitude in your community," said Orla Fagan of <"http://www.unifem.org/">UNIFEM. "My message is not only to the women, but also to all men so that you may respect the rights of women, especially your partners."

She also noted that women perform the bulk of the housework, yet do not have the equal right as men to inherit property.

"Sierra Leoneans are silent about gender violence and human rights abuse against women, and the workshop aims at encouraging particularly women to speak out against ill-treatment meted on them by men," GEMS Programme Coordinator Catherine Greywood told participants.

In a related development, the 12th high-level gathering of the heads of UN peace missions in West Africa will be held tomorrow at <"http://www.uniosil.org/">UNIOSIL Headquarters in Freetown.

Chaired by the Secretary-General's Special Representative for West Africa (<"http://www.un.org/unowa/">UNOWA) Lamine Cissé, the meeting will be attended by the Special Representatives of the region: Ellen Margrethe Løj of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://unmil.org/">UNMIL); Y.R. Choi of the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI) and Gebremedhin Hagoss, UNIOSIL Officer-In-Charge.

The heads of the missions will address the meeting regarding the security situation and the latest political developments.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN POLITICAL OFFICIAL TO TRAVEL TO CYPRUS NEXT WEEK

TOP UN POLITICAL OFFICIAL TO TRAVEL TO CYPRUS NEXT WEEK New York, Mar 27 2008 3:00PM Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will travel to Cyprus on Sunday to assess how the United Nations can best assist the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach a settlement to the long-running dispute on the Mediterranean island.

Mr. Pascoe will remain in Cyprus through Wednesday before returning to New York, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told journalists, adding that he intends to travel soon thereafter to Athens and Ankara to continue his consultations.

At a meeting held last week, the Greek Cypriot leader, Demetris Christofias, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed to start full-fledged negotiations within three months on resolving the dispute.

The agreement was welcomed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who pledged the world body's "full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement."

The meeting, hosted by the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Michael Møller, also resulted in the leaders' decisions to set up a number of working groups and technical committees in advance of talks, as well as to open a crossing at Ledra Street in Nicosia as soon as technically possible.

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP), established in March 1964 following the outbreak of inter-community violence on the island, has been working to prevent a recurrence of fighting, contribute to a return to normal conditions and maintain law and order.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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REAL CHANGE FOR WORLD'S POOR REQUIRES GREATER EFFORTS BY ALL, MIGIRO SAYS

REAL CHANGE FOR WORLD'S POOR REQUIRES GREATER EFFORTS BY ALL, MIGIRO SAYS New York, Mar 27 2008 2:00PM With the global scorecard for reaching the bold pledges world leaders made to halve poverty and other social ills by 2015 showing mixed progress among countries, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for accelerated action to achieve real change for the world's poor.

"Today, the world must refocus its attention, and its resources, on the places and people that are being left behind," she said in a keynote address to Columbia University's State of the Planet Conference.

In doing so, she stressed the need to view people living in poverty as agents of change. This requires encouraging national ownership of development strategies, citizens actively participating in policy-making, and governments becoming more accountable in their efforts to achieve development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"Above all, it requires a true partnership for development where rich countries do their part in delivering resources and productive employment opportunities through market access," Ms. Migiro said. "Tremendous gains are possible if the international community translates its commitments into results."

She noted that the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day has fallen, and experts predict that the MDG target of halving extreme poverty may be met. "But this welcome progress is uneven with Africa lagging far behind in many of our grand promises," she added.

At the same time, the systems, knowledge and tools needed to reach the MDGs, and thereby save millions of lives and empower African countries to achieve sustained growth, are in place.

"To finance these programmes, African countries need to mobilize domestic resources, and developed countries must provide the support they promised on an adequate, sustained and predictable basis.

"The facts on the ground in many poor countries are clear: with carefully designed programmes and sound policies, backed up by strong government leadership and support from the international community, real change can happen," she stated.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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WORLD CITIES AT UN FORUM UNITE TO REDUCE POVERTY AND BOOST DEMOCRACY

WORLD CITIES AT UN FORUM UNITE TO REDUCE POVERTY AND BOOST DEMOCRACY New York, Mar 27 2008 2:00PM Representatives of cities from 100 countries around the world are meeting in Athens, Greece, to create local plans to achieve international development goals through the promotion of democracy, the United Nations Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) said today.

More than 1,000 delegates are taking part in the sixth global forum of the World Alliance of Cities against Poverty, meeting from 26 to 28 March, in an effort to work together on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs), targets to slash extreme poverty and other global ills by 2015.

At the forum, municipalities are sharing their experiences in the areas of hunger, access to primary education, water and sanitation, child mortality, maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and gender gaps. Richer cities will commit to cooperation with cities in the developing world, UNDP said.

One of the innovative outcomes expected from the meeting is the adoption of time-bound and quantified local "road maps" that will determine targets to be reached on various facets of poverty in each city.

The meeting, according to UNDP, is a response to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call to intensify efforts to meet the 2015 deadline for achieving the MDGs, now that the midpoint between that year and 2000 has been passed.

Greece, which is marking the 2500th anniversary of the birth of democracy in Athens, was chosen for this event because of the meeting's focus on the role of local participatory processes as a lever for better progress towards poverty eradication.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE TO SPRINT TO FIGHT HUNGER - UN

OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE TO SPRINT TO FIGHT HUNGER – UN New York, Mar 27 2008 1:00PM More than one million people will take part in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-backed <"http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/about">World Harmony Run, the world's longest global relay, which took a running start today in a bid to tackle hunger and poverty.

Relay teams will carry a torch over the seven month-long Run, which will span 24,000 kilometres in dozens of countries in Europe and North Africa, as well as the United States and Australia.

"For FAO, the twinning together of sports and development is a long tradition," <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000819/index.html">said the agency's Deputy Director-General James Butler.

He noted that last year, 10,000 people took part in the FAO Run For Food Race to mark World Food Day. "Sports events such as this are an excellent way to help raise awareness."

The two decade-old World Harmony Run kicked off at FAO Headquarters in Rome at a ceremony attended by Africa's first New York City Marathon winner and UN Children's Fund (<" http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) Ambassador Tegla Loroupe and FAO Goodwill Ambassador Gina Lollobrigida.

After the lighting of the torch, runners took off for the Colosseum and the Campidoglio. From there, the runners will cover from 100 to 150 kilometres daily in teams of 10 to 12, aiming to arrive in Prague, Czech Republic, by early October. Some 500 children are expected to assist every day with the run to help provide food and lodging for the participants.

Similar events will take place in other regions of the world in parallel to raise awareness of the crucial problem of hunger.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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NEW MANUAL WILL BOOST EFFORTS TO DEVELOP TIMORESE POLICE FORCE - UN ENVOY

NEW MANUAL WILL BOOST EFFORTS TO DEVELOP TIMORESE POLICE FORCE – UN ENVOY New York, Mar 27 2008 11:00AM The top United Nations official in Timor-Leste has hailed a new textbook and handbook to be given to every national police officer, stating that they will assist in creating a professional police force in the young nation.

Speaking at the eighth anniversary of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) in Dili today, Atul Khare said the resources will be invaluable in developing the force's professional knowledge.

The materials, launched today, provide definitions on all laws relevant to the PNTL. A total of 3,120 textbooks and 6,000 handbooks have been printed in Tetum and both books provide practical information for officers working on the frontline.

"Developing a police service that is accountable to, and respected by, the people is a long-term commitment," said Mr. Khare, who is also head of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.unmit.org/unmisetwebsite.nsf/MainFrame-EN.htm?OpenFrameset">UNMIT).

"The road ahead is long, but I am confident that we are on the right path to assist the PNTL in becoming an effective, efficient, accountable, responsive, and non-partisan police service, based on the rule of law and respect for and protection of human rights of all persons," he added.

The books were produced by the Government, UNMIT Police, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP) and the Timor-Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP), with funding from the Government of Japan.

Last week a team of experts from UN Headquarters in New York visited Timor-Leste, which the world body helped shepherd to independence in 2002, to assess the progress made by the PNTL, as well as to consider how best to support the overall reform of the National Police and the wider security sector.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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WORLD MUST NOT FORGET SOMALIA, URGES UN AGENCY AS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS

WORLD MUST NOT FORGET SOMALIA, URGES UN AGENCY AS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS New York, Mar 27 2008 11:00AM The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today <" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2805">called on Somalia's international partners to bolster their efforts to alleviate the suffering in the strife-torn East African nation, where close to one million people have been uprooted by fighting and insecurity is hampering humanitarian efforts in some areas.

"The international community must put Somalia at the top of its agenda and press for change before it is too late," said Peter Goossens, WFP's Country Director for Somalia. "We call on all authorities in Somalia to help us reach those in need and urge donors not to give up on this country."

Mr. Goossens stressed the need to urgently scale up efforts on the security and political front, adding that an inclusive political process that leads to true national reconciliation was vital to put a lasting end to conflict since 1991.

"Unless real action to end insecurity is taken very soon, the world is in danger of seeing a whole generation of Somali children growing up having only known war," he said.

So far this year, fighting between government and anti-government forces has caused some 20,000 people to flee their homes in Mogadishu every month. A total of 700,000 people – mostly women and children – escaped from the capital in 2007.

The lack of access to those in Mogadishu was becoming untenable, according to WFP. The city is currently gripped by rising fuel and food prices, which are hitting the poorest families hardest when they were already struggling to survive with few job opportunities, the agency added.

WFP's call comes a day after dozens of aid agencies issued a joint statement warning of an impending catastrophe in the country. They also called for the international community and Somali parties to focus their attention on Somalia –which has not had a functioning government in nearly two decades – and deplored the routine attacks, robberies and killings of aid workers and theft and looting of relief supplies.

Despite the insecurity, WFP continues to provide food daily to some 52,000 people in Mogadishu, and to distribute assistance to those in need outside of the capital. It has recently raised the number of people it expects to feed in Somalia this year to 2.1 million.

To help ensure food for the most vulnerable, WFP is urgently appealing for $10 million, particularly in cash, which it needs between now and July. Unless it receives new contributions, the agency will start running out of pulses in April, cereals and vegetable oil in May and corn-soya blend in June.
2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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NEGLECT OF AGRICULTURE IN ASIA LEAVES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN POVERTY -- UN REPORT

NEGLECT OF AGRICULTURE IN ASIA LEAVES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN POVERTY -- UN REPORT New York, Mar 27 2008 9:00AM Chronic neglect of agriculture in Asia and the Pacific has left over 200 million people in extreme poverty amid rising prices for foodstuffs and despite robust growth in other sectors, according to a United Nations report released today.

The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008, produced by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), says that 218 million people -- a third of the region's poor, largely living in rural areas -- could be lifted out of poverty by raising agricultural productivity.

"The report asks the question why poverty still remains so high despite the much applauded high growth rates in the region," Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, said as he helped launch the study at UN Headquarters in New York.

"The neglect of agricultural development and rural development has been among the main causes," he said.

Launching the report in New Delhi with Indian Government officials, Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, said: "It is simply unacceptable that at a time when the economic growth of Asia and the Pacific has surpassed all expectations, we are not doing all that we can to improve the lives of more than 200 million people living in such poverty."

This year's issue also marks the 60th anniversary of the Survey, founded in 1948 to examine the Asia-Pacific region's key short- and medium-term prospects and challenges in macroeconomic and selected social areas, especially from the point of view of minimizing human suffering.

The 2008 survey, entitled "Sustaining Growth and Sharing Prosperity," calls for revitalization of agriculture through a focus on improving agricultural productivity and market orientation.

Reforms in land policy are needed to connect the rural poor to cities and markets and to make it easier for farmers to access loans and crop insurance, says the survey, which also proposes skills diversification training, to help the poor, particularly women, tap more job opportunities.

The survey also calls for a comprehensive liberalization of global trade in agriculture, as this would take a further 48 million people out of poverty in the region.

"Without these measures, the gap between rich and poor in the region will only get wider and millions will be condemned to lives of persistent poverty," Ms. Heyzer said.

Looking at overall prospects of Asia and the Pacific in the near term, the survey says that the region's robust economic growth will continue in 2008, despite economic uncertainties in the United States and the continued appreciation of regional currencies.

The developing economies in the region are expected to grow at a slightly lower but still robust rate of 7.7 per cent in during the year, after having enjoyed the fastest growth in a decade in 2007.

However, the survey sees rising food prices as a key challenge in coming months. Food price rises are a greater inflation challenge than oil prices as food accounts for a far higher proportion of consumer spending across the region.

The survey projects that the shadow cast by the United States' economic situation is a long one, greatly contributing to the uncertainties that lie ahead.

2008-03-27 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: POLITICAL SOLUTION KEY TO AVERTING HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

SOMALIA: POLITICAL SOLUTION KEY TO AVERTING HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE, SAYS UN OFFICIAL New York, Mar 26 2008 7:00PM Supporting a joint statement issued by dozens of humanitarian agencies warning of an impending catastrophe in Somalia, the United Nations relief chief today said that political reconciliation is essential to solve the problem.

"We have to make clear that the people of Somalia deserve an urgent solution," John Holmes, who serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and as Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in an interview with UN Radio.

However, the answer cannot be a solely humanitarian one, he stressed. "We can provide the means to keep people alive while that solution is being sought, but the solution is going to have to be based on political progress and a different security environment from the sort of 'Wild West' environment that prevails at the moment."

The statement issued by the some 40 agencies today warned that close to 1 million displaced Somalis rely on aid to meet their most basic needs. It also noted that violence continues to drive 20,000 residents of the capital Mogadishu from their homes monthly.

Issuing an urgent call for the international community and Somali parties to focus their attention on Somalia –which has not had a functioning government in nearly two decades – the agencies deplored the routine attacks, robberies and killings of aid workers as well as the theft and looting of relief supplies.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), backing the statement, today said that the prevailing violence and impunity in the country are unacceptable and must stop.

UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters that OCHA agrees with the agencies that Somalia's situation is "precarious, deteriorating and in urgent need of international attention."

She added that despite the UN having the necessary personnel and resources to help Somalis in need, its access is hindered by the parties and the violence.

OCHA urged the sides to do away with roadblocks, reduce restrictions on aid agencies and ensure the safety of all civilians.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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UPCOMING WORLD EXPO OCCASION TO SHOWCASE 'ONE UN,' SAYS HEAD OF UN PAVILION

UPCOMING WORLD EXPO OCCASION TO SHOWCASE 'ONE UN,' SAYS HEAD OF UN PAVILION New York, Mar 26 2008 6:00PM The head of the United Nations Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 said that the event offers an opportunity to show how the various agencies in the UN system can work together as one and also provides an occasion to promote the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs).

Over 10 UN agencies will take part in the upcoming Expo, which will take place from 1 May to 31 October 2010 and expects to have 70 million visitors.

The Expo's theme – "Better City, Better Life" – is "at the heart of what the UN is doing," said Awni Behnam, the UN Commissioner General for the Shanghai Pavilion, referring to the quest to achieve the MDGs, eight anti-poverty objectives with a target date of 2015.

In an interview with the UN News Centre, he voiced hope that the Pavilion will "show what the UN system is capable of in assisting countries to achieve these targets."

The Expo is also a chance to display how all UN agencies can join forces for a "single mission," Dr. Behnam noted, with the Pavilion showing how "each organization has its own uniqueness, but all feeding into one aspiration and one hope."

The new Commissioner General, originally from Iraq, served with the UN for nearly three decades and was appointed to this post by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Citing Dr. Behnam's "proven leadership in organizing large international events," Mr. Ban said, "I am confident that your contribution to this endeavour will result in yet another successful participation of the United Nations in an international exposition."

Dr. Benham, who will be responsible for the UN Pavilion, said he looks forward to working closely with Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (<"http://www.unhabitat.org/">UN-HABITAT), the lead agency for coordination of the world body's participation in the Shanghai Expo.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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NEW HYDROLOGICAL STATION WILL HELP MANAGE AFGHAN WATER RESOURCES - UN AGENCY

NEW HYDROLOGICAL STATION WILL HELP MANAGE AFGHAN WATER RESOURCES – UN AGENCY New York, Mar 26 2008 5:00PM The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) has helped open a new hydrological station at a dam near the Afghan capital, Kabul, as part of its joint efforts with the country's authorities to better manage water resources in Afghanistan.

The station, at Qargha Dam, is one of a network of 174 hydrological stations and 60 snow gauges and meteorological stations being erected around Afghanistan to measure water levels, precipitation, temperature and water quality.

The network of stations, a joint effort of FAO, the World Bank and the national Ministry of Energy and Water, is designed to assist in the planning of water supply, irrigation and hydropower projects, as well as in the mitigation of possible droughts and the operation of reservoirs.

FAO engineers attending yesterday's formal opening stressed that Afghanistan – which is slowly trying to recover after decades of war and misrule – can have no food security without water security. A lack of reliable water supplies hampers Afghanistan's rural economy and can lead to increased rural poverty.

FAO said that aside from the building of the new station, Qargha Dam itself went through partial reconstruction work. The dam serves as a popular recreation site for Kabul residents and also provides water for the western part of the city and for 2,000 hectares of land.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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GUINEA-BISSAU: INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT KEY FOR PEACE, SAYS TOP UN ENVOY

GUINEA-BISSAU: INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT KEY FOR PEACE, SAYS TOP UN ENVOY New York, Mar 26 2008 5:00PM Welcoming last night's announcement by Guinea-Bissau's President of the date of upcoming legislative elections, the top United Nations to the West African nation today said that the international community must remain engaged for peace to be consolidated.

"Change management is a long and delicate process in which expectations must be managed," Shola Omoregie, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, told an open <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9285.doc.htm">meeting of the Security Council today.

"A failure to manage these expectations would result in disillusionment that might ultimately jeopardize the long-term commitment necessary for implementing these reforms."

He warned that despite the rise in donor activity, the Government's poverty reduction and security sector reform strategies remain "massively under-funded."

The Special Representative – who also heads the UN Peacebuilding Support in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) – noted that last night, President Joao Vieira, "who had been ambivalent" on the date of the next legislative elections, set the date for 16 November.

"This announcement on the eve of this meeting of the Security Council will no doubt significantly reduce the tensions which have been building up in the country in the past few days," he added.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in his most recent report to the Council on the country that the upcoming elections "will be a major benchmark for the state of democratic governance" and called on authorities to fix a poll date to boost confidence in the electoral process' credibility.

In his address to the Council today, Mr. Omoregie underscored the importance of Guinea-Bissau's partners providing resources for the November polls and to "prevent the national stakeholders from using the lack of funds as a pretext not to move forward."

He called also for improved coordination for all sectors receiving overseas development assistance, particularly in the realm of security sector reform.

Additionally, the Special Representative stressed that Guinea-Bissau – which is rebuilding after a brutal civil war in which thousands were killed, wounded or forced from their homes – is concerned with the rising threat of terrorism. Following the arrest of two Mauritanian nationals in January in connection of the murder of four French tourists and ensuing threats of reprisals against Guinea-Bissau, authorities have asked for global assistance to enhance the country's border controls.

"Sub-regional cooperation should be encouraged and supported in addressing the threats of terrorism, especially in a region with porous borders," Mr. Omoregie noted.

After the Security Council backed a request from the Government, last December Guinea-Bissau joined Sierra Leona and Burundi to become the third country on the country-specific workload of the Peacebuilding Commission, which seeks to prevent countries emerging from war from sliding backwards.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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UN COMPLETES SAFETY CHECK OF PROPOSED CROSSING POINT IN CYPRUS

UN COMPLETES SAFETY CHECK OF PROPOSED CROSSING POINT IN CYPRUS New York, Mar 26 2008 5:00PM The United Nations Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) today completed a sweep for unexploded ordnance in the area of the Ledra Street crossing point in Nicosia, which the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities last week agreed to open as soon as technically possible.

A six-person mine action team carried out the search – which is necessary to secure buildings before the opening of the crossing point – with support from the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP) and funding from the European Union. No dangerous items were found.

The agreement on opening the crossing point was welcomed earlier this week by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a "positive step forward," following a meeting between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat last Friday.

At that same meeting, which was hosted by the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Michael Møller, the two leaders agreed to start full-fledged negotiations within three months on resolving the long-running dispute on the Mediterranean island.

According to UNFICYP, the advisers to the leaders have agreed, in accordance with the agreement reached last week, to establish, as soon as possible, several specific working groups and technical committees.

Both advisers agreed to establish further working groups and technical committees, as required, to ensure that their respective leaders may be able to negotiate as effectively as possible on the full spectrum of issues to be discussed in Cyprus. The advisers have agreed to meet again on Friday under UN auspices.

The UN's political chief, B. Lynn Pascoe, is scheduled to go to Cyprus later this month to help the UN determine how it can be as helpful as possible to the success of the process.

Established in March 1964 following the outbreak of inter-community violence in Cyprus, UNFICYP is tasked with preventing a recurrence of fighting, contributing to a return to normal conditions and the maintenance of law and order.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES PREPARE IN CASE OF PROBLEMS AFTER ATTACK ON COMORIAN ISLAND

UN AGENCIES PREPARE IN CASE OF PROBLEMS AFTER ATTACK ON COMORIAN ISLAND New York, Mar 26 2008 4:00PM United Nations relief agencies are strengthening their presence in the Comoros in case of humanitarian problems that might emerge after the Government of the Indian Ocean archipelago, backed by African Union troops, launched an attack yesterday on the island of Anjouan to remove its renegade president.

Staff from the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP), the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) and the Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) are standing by to respond in case of need, the UN Country Team in Comoros said in its latest update.

While there have been no reports so far on any civilian casualties or of major population movements, the UN Country Team noted that many inhabitants on Anjouan fled their homes last month due to widespread rumours of an imminent attack and only some had subsequently returned to their homes.

A mission by the WHO to Anjouan earlier this month voiced concern about the health situation on the island and the capacity of existing health-care services to cope with any influx of patients. UNICEF has also voiced concern about the potential for malnourishment among residents, given that local production of rice has been limited.

Yesterday's morning attack has successfully deposed Colonel Mohamed Bacar, the self-declared president, from leadership on Anjouan, one of the biggest islands of the Comoros.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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PANEL IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE ACCEPTS UN ELECTION CERTIFICATION STANDARDS

PANEL IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE ACCEPTS UN ELECTION CERTIFICATION STANDARDS New York, Mar 26 2008 4:00PM The committee that monitors last year's political agreement in Côte d'Ivoire has accepted conditions for certifying the validity of upcoming elections which had been proposed by the United Nations' top envoy to the divided West African country.

The so-called five-criteria framework, proposed by Y. J. Choi, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for the country, was approved yesterday by the follow-up committee in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, and the site where the agreement was signed.

The conditions for certification include: restoration of peace across the country, an inclusive political process, equal access to the state media, the establishment of objective electoral lists, and fair and unbiased poll results.

The criteria were developed by the UN in consultation with the Facilitator of the inter-Ivorian dialogue, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, and the Ivorian parties, who have also welcomed them.

The Ouagadougou Political Agreement, reached in March 2007 was designed to end the political stalemate in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been split between the Government-controlled south and the Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

It calls for the formation of a new transitional government, the holding of free and fair elections, and merging the national defence and security forces with the rebel Forces Nouvelles into an integrated body.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN-BACKED REPORT CALLS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO STEM AIDS IN ASIA

NEW UN-BACKED REPORT CALLS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO STEM AIDS IN ASIA New York, Mar 26 2008 4:00PM Unless Asia mounts a more effective response to stem the tide of HIV and AIDS, 8 million more people in the region could find themselves newly infected by 2020, according to a new report presented today to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"Redefining AIDS in Asia – Crafting an Effective Response," produced by the independent Commission on AIDS in Asia, states that nearly 5 million people are living with HIV in Asia, with 440,000 people dying each year. However, without concerted efforts, the annual death toll will increase to almost 500,000 by 2020.

The report emphasizes that the number of people newly infected by 2020 can be kept to 3 million if Asian leaders implement priority interventions right away. An annual investment of only 30 cents per capita on focused prevention programmes can reverse the epidemic, it adds.

Noting that countries in Asia have the resources, technology and organizational capacity for a scaled-up response, the report notes that what are needed is the political will of governments and the involvement of community-based organizations in the response.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3063">Speaking at the handover of the report, Mr. Ban said that Asia has proved before that it can act decisively and effectively in the face of grave threats, as seen in the "swift and resolute" response to SARS five years ago.

"Asian countries have the capacity to tackle AIDS with the same resolve and creativity," he noted. "But it will require a collective effort on all fronts – from gender inequality to stigma, discrimination, and marginalization of populations such as migrants and ethnic minorities."

The Secretary-General added that AIDS will challenge Asia for years to come. "But if we invest early enough and judiciously enough, we can achieve an effective response," he stated.

Chakravarthi Rangarajan, the Commission's Chairman and Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, agreed, stating that "the problem of HIV/AIDS in Asia is assuming proportions which demand and which require greater focus and attention."

Presenting the report to journalists, he said the Commission looked at three aspects of the epidemic – the seriousness of the problem, the nature of the problem and the kinds of policies required.

"It is estimated that HIV/AIDS may emerge as the single largest cause of death for adults in the age group 15-42," Dr. Rangarajan said, adding that the three major drivers of the disease are commercial sex workers and their clients, injection drug users, and men having sex with men. "Therefore, any attempt at controlling HIV/AIDS must focus attention on these groups."

He stressed that crucial to addressing the problem is an enhanced level of political commitment. The Commission also recommends that watchdog bodies be set up to monitor national programmes, and that activities such as commercial sex and injection drug use be decriminalized. Additional resources are also critical to scaling up efforts to tackle the problem.

"What is really unique about this report is that it is the first time ever that there is such a comprehensive study on the AIDS epidemic in Asia," Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (<"http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2008/20080326_asia_commission.asp">UNAIDS), told reporters. Also, the epidemic is looked at through the "lens" of economists and sociologists in addition to members of the medical community and those living with HIV and community groups.

The report is important for four reasons, he said. First, it shows clearly that the response to the epidemic has to be tailored to Asian realities. Secondly, it calls for making the most of the funding currently available. Thirdly, the report tackles some "really tough issues" and calls for stronger leadership to address problems such as discrimination and to support HIV prevention among commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men and injection drug users.

In addition, the report emphasizes the need to increase the involvement of communities and people living with HIV "from token involvement to full partnership," Dr. Piot stated. "It is simply an illusion to think that one can stop an epidemic without involving the people who are affected by the epidemic."
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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ATTACKS ON DARFUR AID WORKERS JEOPARDIZING BASIC RELIEF EFFORTS, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

ATTACKS ON DARFUR AID WORKERS JEOPARDIZING BASIC RELIEF EFFORTS, SAYS UN OFFICIAL New York, Mar 26 2008 4:00PM Attacks against aid workers in western Sudan have reached unprecedented levels, jeopardizing vital relief operations in the war-wracked Darfur region, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator said today.

In a statement released in Khartoum by her office, Ameerah Haq said the humanitarian community operating in Sudan condemned all acts of violence taking place in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied militia since 2003.

On Monday Mohamed Ali, a driver contracted by the UN World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2803">WFP), was shot dead and his assistant was seriously injured by unidentified assailants while travelling on the main route into Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state.

That attack followed the deadly stabbing of two other WFP-contracted drivers on the weekend in Unity state in southern Sudan, and is only the latest in a string of hijackings, abductions and killings in the country and particularly in Darfur.

Ms. Haq's office said in the statement that the humanitarian community called for an end to all attacks, the immediate release of those who have been abducted and no impunity for those people who target aid workers anywhere in Sudan.

Yesterday WFP's representative in Sudan, Kenro Oshidari, deplored the latest attacks and warned that the agency's contracted trucking companies and drivers were facing daily acts of violence.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in the past five years in Darfur and at least 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes because of the fighting, the inter-tribal clashes and the attacks by bandits.

Earlier this year a hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping mission known as <" http://unamid.unmissions.org/Default.aspx#">UNAMID was deployed to try to quell the suffering and violence but so far only about 9,000 uniformed personnel are in place, well below the 26,000 expected when the operation reaches full capacity.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MEETS ITALIAN LEADERS AND POPE BENEDICT XVI

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MEETS ITALIAN LEADERS AND POPE BENEDICT XVI New York, Mar 26 2008 2:00PM General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim has held talks today in Rome with Pope Benedict XVI and Italian Government leaders, discussing issues including climate change, United Nations reform, inter-religious dialogue and the fight against poverty during the first leg of his official European trip.

Mr. Kerim briefed the Pope in a private meeting on the priority issues of the General Assembly's current session and how they relate to the religious leader's visit to New York next month, where he is expected to address the 192-member Assembly on 18 April, a spokesperson for Mr. Kerim told reporters.

In a meeting with the Holy See's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Mr. Kerim discussed the Alliance of Civilizations initiative and the role of the Holy See in the UN inter-religious dialogue, with the Cardinal noted that the Holy See closely supported the world body's work in these areas.

Mr. Kerim's talks with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema focused on climate change, the upcoming thematic debate in the Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Security Council reform and UN management reform.

The President and Mr. Prodi also discussed last December's Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, with the Italian leader noting that it was important to both safeguard the achievement and build on it.

While in Rome, Mr. Kerim also met with the leaders of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which has had observer status with the General Assembly since 1994, and he paid tribute to their global humanitarian activities in helping the sick and the poor.

Tomorrow the President travels to Helsinki to meet with Finland's President Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Foreign Trade and Development Minister Paavo Väyrynen and its Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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MANHATTAN LEASE SIGNED AS PART OF RENOVATION OF UN HEADQUARTERS

MANHATTAN LEASE SIGNED AS PART OF RENOVATION OF UN HEADQUARTERS New York, Mar 26 2008 1:00PM The United Nations has signed a six-year lease to occupy 460,000 square feet of office space at a building in Midtown Manhattan as part of its renovation of the landmark UN Headquarters in New York.

The lease agreement regarding the building at 380 Madison Avenue is one of several leases which the UN has concluded in recent months as it seeks temporary office space for some of its staff during the renovation process, known as the Capital Master Plan (<"http://www.un.org/cmp/uncmp/english/index.asp">CMP), according to a note issued today by a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The agreement is between the world body and TAG 380, which is a subsidiary of Solow Management Corporation.

The CMP – a five-year, $1.9 billion overhaul – aims to bring the five-decade old Secretariat and adjacent buildings, which are plagued by leaks, safety violations and outdated systems, up to code and to high standards of efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The first construction phase of the project, a temporary conference building on the North Lawn of the UN compound, is set to begin in early May.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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UN ANTI-CRIME AGENCY BEGINS WORK ON PRISON REFORM IN SOUTH SUDAN

UN ANTI-CRIME AGENCY BEGINS WORK ON PRISON REFORM IN SOUTH SUDAN New York, Mar 26 2008 12:00PM The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has begun <" http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/unodc-starts-working-in-southern-sudan.html">assisting the Government of South Sudan in its prison reform process in the agency's first project in the region as it emerges from a decades-long civil war.

The project, funded by Canada and undertaken in cooperation with the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and the UN Mission in Sudan (<" http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS), will boost the prison system's capabilities in the areas of information management, staffing, policy development and regulations, according to information released today by UNODC.

"This includes enhancing the capacity of the Southern Sudan Prison Service to respond more effectively to the needs and circumstances of children, women and other groups with special needs in prison," said Mark Shaw, UNODC Inter-Regional Adviser, who leads UNODC's work in Sudan.

At the moment, the prison service functions with almost no reliable information on the prison population and its own staff, Mr. Shaw said. The UNODC website carries a photograph of a wooden board on a prison facility, on which numbers of prisoners had been chalked in by hand.

"As a first step, a survey of the current prison population will be carried out to understand its characteristics and the needs of the detainees," Mr. Shaw stated. A system to manage such information will then be developed.

In addition, senior staff will be trained in issues crucial for prison reform, including administrative procedures, planning, international standards, and responding to the needs of prisoners with special needs, including women, children and the mentally ill.

In order to improve the management of the Prison Service as well as to develop longer-term penal policies focusing on vulnerable groups, UNODC is providing expertise to support the drafting of relevant legal, policy and regulatory frameworks, the agency said.

As many as two million people were killed and 4.5 million others displaced during Sudan's north-south civil war, which is separate from the conflict in the country's western region of Darfur.

In 2005, the region of Southern Sudan was granted autonomy by the Government of Sudan through the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), leading to the creation of the Government of Southern Sudan whose responsibilities included management of the prison service.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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DUCKS AND RICE MAJOR FACTORS IN BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS, SAY UN AGENCY

DUCKS AND RICE MAJOR FACTORS IN BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS, SAY UN AGENCY New York, Mar 26 2008 11:00AM Ducks, rice and people – and not chickens – have emerged as the most significant factors in the spread of avian influenza in Thailand and Viet Nam, <" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000817/index.html">according to a new study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"Mapping H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza risk in Southeast Asia: ducks, rice and people" also finds that these factors are probably behind persistent outbreaks in other countries such as Cambodia and Laos.

The study, which examined a series of waves of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Thailand and Viet Nam between early 2004 and late 2005, was initiated and coordinated by FAO senior veterinary officer Jan Slingenbergh and just published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.

Through the use of satellite mapping, researchers looked at a number of different factors, including the numbers of ducks, geese and chickens, human population size, rice cultivation and geography, and found a strong link between duck grazing patterns and rice cropping intensity.

In Thailand, for example, the proportion of young ducks in flocks was found to peak in September-October; these rapidly growing young ducks can therefore benefit from the peak of the rice harvest in November-December.

"These peaks in congregation of ducks indicate periods in which there is an increase in the chances for virus release and exposure, and rice paddies often become a temporary habitat for wild bird species," the agency said in a news release.

"We now know much better where and when to expect H5N1 flare-ups, and this helps to target prevention and control," said Mr. Slingenbergh. "In addition, with virus persistence becoming increasingly confined to areas with intensive rice-duck agriculture in eastern and south-eastern Asia, evolution of the H5N1 virus may become easier to predict."

He said the findings can help better target control efforts and replace indiscriminate mass vaccination.

FAO estimates that approximately 90 per cent of the world's more than 1 billion domestic ducks are in Asia, with about 75 per cent of that in China and Viet Nam. Thailand has about 11 million ducks.
2008-03-26 00:00:00.000

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MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT STRAIN OF TUBERCULOSIS CREATING PARTICULAR RISKS, SAYS UN ENVOY

MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT STRAIN OF TUBERCULOSIS CREATING PARTICULAR RISKS, SAYS UN ENVOY New York, Mar 25 2008 7:00PM The multi-drug resistant form of tuberculosis is reaching its highest levels ever recorded and overwhelming the ability of health-care systems around the world to treat sufferers, the United Nations envoy for efforts to fight the disease said today, calling for more resources and attention worldwide to be focused to combating the emerging strain.

Jorge Sampaio, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop Tuberculosis, told reporters in New York that the strain – known as MDR-TB – is becoming prevalent, with about 400,000 cases reported in 2006, the most recent year for which global figures are available.

Detailing the latest reports on efforts to fight TB, Mr. Sampaio said that only about 10 per cent of all MDR-TB sufferers are likely to be treated this year because of a lack of treatment and laboratory capacity worldwide.

Overall, TB is still killing around 4,500 people every day, with the epidemic fuelled by the fact that a sufferer is increasingly likely to be co-infected with HIV as well.

"The lethal combination of HIV and TB" is emerging especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and in 2006 there were 700,000 cases of TB among people living with HIV worldwide.

The envoy, who spoke to journalists a day after the UN marked World TB Day, called on international leaders to redouble their efforts against TB and to ensure that the fight against HIV/AIDS is increasingly interlinked with the fight against TB so that there is a coordinated approach, from the use of prescription drugs to forms of treatment.

He stressed the importance of the Global Leaders Forum on HIV/TB that is being organized by the UN and other international organizations on 9 June in New York.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN HATCHES NEW SCHEME TO BOOST NUTRITION FOR DISPLACED

DR CONGO: UN HATCHES NEW SCHEME TO BOOST NUTRITION FOR DISPLACED New York, Mar 25 2008 7:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47e92c2e4.html">UNHCR) has set up a new chicken-rearing and egg producing project to improve the nutrition of some of the neediest internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the volatile North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The project, in partnership with Veterinaires sans Frontieres (VSR), seeks to raise the self-sufficiency of the displaced though the consumption and sale of poultry products.

It kicked off last November in the UNHCR-run Bulengo IDP site – situated in an area where there are 800,000 displaced people, half of whom were forced to flee their homes last year – focusing on abused women, the disabled, the elderly, the young and female-headed households.

UNHCR and VSR selected 150 families to kick off the scheme, and each was given 20 egg-laying hens, feed, medicines and help to build hutches and chicken runs.

But because many of the region's inhabitants are used to raising chickens at home as opposed to commercially, both organizations noted that they had to change the mindset of the participants to see chickens as commodities to be consumed, traded or used to produce eggs.

"I sell the eggs and make extra cash," said Hangi Kyanakera, 70. "The profits buy us a variety of foodstuffs."

Participants now have disposable income to spend on such items as school uniforms for their children, extra food or small luxuries for their homes.

Some days, those taking part in the project say they harvest as many as 40 eggs, and UNHCR and VSR have both said they are delighted with the results after a two-month trial and will extend the initiative to 250 people living in the Buhimba camp.

The organizations hope that the IDPs can apply the skills garnered during the scheme in the future after the security situation improves. UNHCR also plans to train the poultry farmers in making feed from kitchen leftovers in a bid to ensure their sustainability and self-sufficiency in the longer term.

Despite its successes, the programme has faced some problems, primarily the delayed delivery of feed and drugs, which must be flown to North Kivu's capital Goma and then delivered by truck in a remote, strife-torn area.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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NO PROGRESS IN ROW OVER NAME OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA - UN ENVOY

NO PROGRESS IN ROW OVER NAME OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA – UN ENVOY New York, Mar 25 2008 6:00PM The positions of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the official name of the latter country remain wide apart, despite intense efforts to broker a solution in recent months and the acknowledgement of both sides that a settlement would be in their best interests, the United Nations envoy on the issue told reporters today.

Matthew Nimetz, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, held another round of talks in New York today on the "name issue" with representatives of the two countries.

Although the representatives from Athens and Skopje had reviewed all the alternatives, including the compromise proposals put forward by the envoy, Mr. Nimetz said their positions were still different on what would be a satisfactory name for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Interim Accord of 13 September 1995, which was brokered by the UN, details the difference between the two countries on the issue. It also obliges the two sides to continue negotiations under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to try to reach agreement.

But Mr. Nimetz said that despite an intense series of talks in recent months in various cities, the question of the name remained a "very difficult issue" that was also of great importance to the wider region.

He said it was up to the representatives of Athens and Skopje to now return to their respective capitals to consider the latest proposals, adding he was prepared to resume negotiations whenever the two sides were willing.

But he stressed that "a solution that works has to be a compromise" and that the proposals he had made had been fair, honourable and geographically sensitive.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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NO PROGRESS IN ROW OVER NAME OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA - UN ENVOY

NO PROGRESS IN ROW OVER NAME OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA – UN ENVOY New York, Mar 25 2008 7:00PM The positions of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the official name of the latter country remain wide apart, despite intense efforts to broker a solution in recent months and the acknowledgement of both sides that a settlement would be in their best interests, the United Nations envoy on the issue told reporters today.

Matthew Nimetz, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, held another round of talks in New York today on the "name issue" with representatives of the two countries.

Although the representatives from Athens and Skopje had reviewed all the alternatives, including the compromise proposals put forward by the envoy, Mr. Nimetz said their positions were still different on what would be a satisfactory name for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Interim Accord of 13 September 1995, which was brokered by the UN, details the difference between the two countries on the issue. It also obliges the two sides to continue negotiations under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to try to reach agreement.

But Mr. Nimetz said that despite an intense series of talks in recent months in various cities, the question of the name remained a "very difficult issue" that was also of great importance to the wider region.

He said it was up to the representatives of Athens and Skopje to now return to their respective capitals to consider the latest proposals, adding he was prepared to resume negotiations whenever the two sides were willing.

But he stressed that "a solution that works has to be a compromise" and that the proposals he had made had been fair, honourable and geographically sensitive.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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GUATEMALA: UN RIGHTS EXPERT WARNS AGAINST REINSTATING DEATH PENALTY

GUATEMALA: UN RIGHTS EXPERT WARNS AGAINST REINSTATING DEATH PENALTY New York, Mar 25 2008 5:00PM An independent United Nations expert has called on Guatemalan lawmakers not to override the presidential veto of a decree that would reinstate the death penalty in a way that violates international human rights law.

"Guatemala is not prohibited by international law from imposing the death penalty. It may not, however, reinstate the death penalty by stealth," Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said in a statement issued today in Geneva.

Mr. Alston, who reported in detail on the problem of extrajudicial killings after his visit to Guatemala in August 2006, was referring to Decree 06-2008 on regulating the commuting of sentence for those condemned to death.

"This law can only be intended as an end-run around the requirements of international human rights law," said Mr. Alston. "If the Congress is so keen to uphold the rule of law by reinstating the death penalty it should do so in accordance with the international rule of law and not ignore the rulings of both the UN Human Rights Committee and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights directed at Guatemala."

Mr. Alston called on the Guatemalan Congress to work out the details of a law governing the right to clemency which meets the criteria clearly spelled out by international law.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES CONTINUED TALKS DESPITE RECENT BLOODSHED IN MIDDLE EAST

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES CONTINUED TALKS DESPITE RECENT BLOODSHED IN MIDDLE EAST New York, Mar 25 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today praised Palestinian and Israeli leaders for their commitment to the Middle East political process despite the recent spike of violence, and urged that the targets for a settlement that were set in last year's talks be kept.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sgsm11478.doc.htm">Opening a Security Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9283.doc.htm">briefing and debate this morning that included over 20 other speakers, the Secretary-General recalled that the parties projected reaching an agreement by the end of 2008 when they met in Annapolis, United States in November 2007.

"It is my hope that we can achieve this ambitious goal," he added. "I believe all of us must ask ourselves, and the parties, two simple questions: If not this, what? If not now, when?"

He commended Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for their commitment to the process, despite the death toll in Gaza and Israel that peaked earlier this month and the ongoing high tensions.

"I am personally and profoundly committed to supporting this process in every way I can, and I admire both leaders for their tenacity in the face of much scepticism," he said.

Mr. Ban urged the international community, particularly members of the Security Council, to ramp up their support for a negotiated settlement, saying it was too important to be allowed to lose momentum through inaction or indifference, or to be overwhelmed by violence.

At the same time, he expressed deep concern over the prospect of renewed violence in Gaza and southern Israel, and what this would mean both for the civilian populations in the conflict zone and for the peace process itself.

Briefing the Council on events of this past month, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe regretted that continuing efforts to advance the peace process were once again overshadowed by high numbers of civilian casualties and a lack of concrete improvements on the ground.

During the reporting period, he said, 124 Palestinians, including 36 children, were killed in operations of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and 359 were injured, while 13 Israelis, including four children, were killed by Palestinian militants, with 55 injured. Over 390 rockets and mortar rounds were fired into Israel, including longer-range rockets.

Mr. Pascoe stressed, however, that the very fact that the talks between Israelis and Palestinians were continuing was extremely important. He said he could not report on progress because confidentiality between the leaders was being maintained, which he also saw as a positive sign.

Meetings between the heads of the two negotiating teams resumed recently and the work of a number of technical groups formed between the parties is being pursued, he reported.

In addition, he said that Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and a senior official in the Israeli Ministry of Defence attended the first trilateral meeting on monitoring of implementation of the first phase of commitments under the so-called Road Map peace framework.

Mr. Pascoe called on the international community and all regional parties to give strong support to efforts to bring about a cessation of violence in and around Gaza to reopen Gaza crossings, in an atmosphere where the security concerns of the Palestinians, Israel and Egypt are addressed.

On Lebanon, he said the country continues to be in the grip of a deep political crisis. "The longer the stalemate continues, the greater the chance for the situation to deteriorate further, both politically and in terms of the security situation," he said.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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NEPALESE ARRESTS OF PROTESTERS ON TIBET ISSUE ALARM UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE

NEPALESE ARRESTS OF PROTESTERS ON TIBET ISSUE ALARM UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE New York, Mar 25 2008 5:00PM United Nations human rights officials in Nepal have expressed deep concern at the arbitrary arrest and detention of several hundred people in the capital, Kathmandu, apparently on the grounds that they were involved in protests related to recent developments in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR) in Nepal issued a statement yesterday saying that it had been informed that a number of prominent human rights defenders were among the people arrested in Kathmandu. As many as 475 people were reportedly arrested yesterday.

"These actions by police violate individuals' basic rights to freedom from arbitrary detention and freedom of movement, in addition to impairing the individuals' rights to peaceful assembly and expression," OHCHR-Nepal stated.

The Office – which promised to monitor events closely and continue to communicate its concerns to Nepalese authorities – said it had received reports that some people were arrested on the basis of their appearance and their assumed political opinions.

Richard Bennett, the representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, said such arrests were a form of unlawful discrimination.

"The practice of widespread arrests without charges is against the spirit of a democratic society governed by human rights and the rule of law," he said.

The Office stressed that Nepal is obligated under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to uphold the right of all persons to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

"While it is permissible to limit these rights where necessary to protect such interests as public order, a Government cannot suppress demonstrations merely on the basis of disagreement with the political opinions expressed."

Both Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour have voiced concern about the situation in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, where there have been reports earlier this month of demonstrations, violence and loss of life.

Mr. Ban told reporters that all sides must avoid further confrontation and he urged restraint by the authorities, while Ms. Arbour called on Chinese authorities to allow protesters to express their right to freedom of expression and assembly.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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FURTHER PROGRESS NEEDED FOR LIBERIA TO CONSOLIDATE HARD-WON PEACE - UN REPORT

FURTHER PROGRESS NEEDED FOR LIBERIA TO CONSOLIDATE HARD-WON PEACE – UN REPORT New York, Mar 25 2008 4:00PM The Liberian Government continues to make progress as it rebuilds after a devastating civil war, including the start of economic recovery and the restoration of basic services, but significant challenges such as poverty and high unemployment remain to be addressed, according to a United Nations <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/183">report released today.

Despite some encouraging developments, "a number of tasks that are critical to the sustainability of peace and stability still have to be fully implemented," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in his latest report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmil/index.html">UNMIL).

Mr. Ban cites the need for the reform of the legal and judicial system, the reintegration of war-affected populations and the extension of the rule of law throughout the country. In addition, Liberia still faces significant reconstruction and development challenges, including pervasive poverty, corruption, food insecurity, high unemployment, massive illiteracy and poor infrastructure.

Last August Mr. Ban outlined a drawdown plan for both the military and police component of UNMIL to be carried out in several stages, resulting in 9,750 peacekeeping troops and UN police on the ground in Liberia at the end of 2010. One of the benchmarks for the drawdown is the creation of a 500-person quick reaction force in the country's National Police, set to be established by July 2009.

In the present report, the Secretary-General notes that some progress was made in meeting the indicators of progress identified under the four key benchmarks of security, the rule of law and governance, economic revitalization, and basic services and infrastructure. At the same time, progress was slow in some areas, particularly in the strengthening of the justice sector and the establishment of an independent national human rights commission.

While significant progress has been made in the restructuring and training of the police, the deployment and operations of the force are still hampered by a lack of vehicles, communications equipment and accommodation. Mr. Ban appeals to donors to generously support the equipment and deployment needs of the Liberian National Police.

He also notes that the training of the new Armed Forces of Liberia is advancing and the training of the new police Emergency Response Unit has begun. He recommends that the Government speed up the development of its security strategy, "which will enable it to set out a coherent road map for assuming security responsibility for the country."

Although the Government has taken encouraging steps to reform the judicial sector and to strengthen the rule of law, much more needs to be done to ensure a fair and effective judicial system, the Secretary-General notes, urging international partners to support Liberia's efforts for a major overhaul of the judicial and corrections system.

In addition, Mr. Ban calls for the creation of sustainable job opportunities, particularly for the large number of unemployed youth in the country, including former combatants, who continue to pose a potential threat to stability.

Regarding the country's natural resources, Mr. Ban commends the Government for regaining control of diamond mining. At the same time, further measures are needed to ensure that the diamond industry is effectively regulated, to establish a computerized data bank for mining licences and to ensure that banking channels are used for all diamond transactions.

Noting that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has begun its public hearings after almost six months of suspension of its work, Mr. Ban calls on Liberians to attend the hearings and provide the Commission with their testimonies. "It is my hope that this process will form part of a broader national reconciliation process that will also address past human rights abuses," he writes, as he urges the international community to provide funding for the Commission to complete its work.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY URGES GHANA TO HALT DEPORTATION OF LIBERIANS

UN REFUGEE AGENCY URGES GHANA TO HALT DEPORTATION OF LIBERIANS New York, Mar 25 2008 4:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47e8f5722.html">UNHCR) today urged Ghana to cease with any further forcible removals after the West African nation deported 16 Liberians – 13 of whom had registered as refugees with the agency – last weekend.

"We regret the deportation of this group of refugees and hope that our ongoing negotiations with the Ghanaian authorities will help resolve the situation of the refugees still in detention," said UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis.

The Liberians were deported following a sit-in demonstration which started on 19 February at the Buduburam refugee settlement 35 kilometres west of the Ghanaian capital, Accra. They were demanding resettlement in third countries or, if they were to be returned to Liberia, a tenfold increase in their return grant to $1,000.

"Despite our extensive efforts to promote and convince the demonstrators to express themselves within the confines of Ghanaian law, the group engaged in increasingly threatening and disruptive action," Ms. Pagonis noted.

Over 600 demonstrators were arrested on 17 March, and on the evening of 21 March, UNHCR negotiated the release of 90 of the most vulnerable people, including separated children and pregnant women.

However, the following day, UNHCR learned that an additional 70 Liberians from the Buduburam settlement had been arrested. The agency's request for access to that group was still pending when it found out that 16 of them – including the 10 male and three female refugees – had been deported to Liberia early in the morning on 23 March. The five-week demonstration ended yesterday.

"We are continuing to try and persuade the refugee community to use existing channels to address their issues as well as reminding them of their obligation to obey the laws and regulations of their country of asylum," the UNHCR spokesperson said.

Most of the nearly 27,000 Liberians officially registered as refugees in Ghana live in Buduburam camp.

Last June, UNHCR ended a two-and-a-half year programme that helped 105,000 Liberians who had fled violence during the country's brutal 15-year civil war to repatriate from several West African countries.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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PAST INJUSTICES SHOULD SPUR BATTLE AGAINST MODERN FORMS OF SLAVERY - BAN KI-MOON

PAST INJUSTICES SHOULD SPUR BATTLE AGAINST MODERN FORMS OF SLAVERY – BAN KI-MOON New York, Mar 25 2008 5:00PM As the United Nations honoured the memory of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed the hope today that the struggle against "one of the greatest atrocities in history" will inspire the world in the battle against modern forms of slavery such as forced labour and human trafficking.

"Even as we mourn the atrocities committed against the countless victims, we take heart from the courage of slaves who rose up to overcome the system which oppressed them," Mr. Ban said at a special ceremony at UN Headquarters marking the first International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

"These brave individuals, and the abolitionist movements they inspired, should serve as an example to us all as we continue to battle the contemporary forms of slavery that stain our world today," the Secretary-General <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3061">told those gathered at the event, which included performances by African drummers, dancers and poets and a steel pan troupe from the Caribbean.

Mr. Ban noted that even today, millions around the world, including children, are suffering under the yoke of racism, forced labour, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Not only is the world shamed by these horrible crimes but it is also challenged to respond, he said. "Let us honour the victims of the slave trade by remembering their struggle. Let us carry it forward until no person is deprived of liberty, dignity and human rights."

In his <"http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/IntlDayVictimsSlavery250308.shtml">message marking the Day of Remembrance, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim noted that it provides an opportunity to acknowledge a "profoundly shameful" period in history and to remember the millions who suffered. "It also gives us the opportunity to pay tribute to the courage and moral conviction of all those who campaigned for abolition," he added.

It was the Assembly that, in December 2007, adopted a resolution designating 25 March as an annual day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It also decided to erect a permanent memorial at the UN to acknowledge the tragedy and consider the legacy of slavery.

Echoing the Secretary-General, Mr. Kerim emphasized that, while coming to terms with past injustices, it is also important to recognise the "unspeakable cruelty" that persists today in the various modern forms of slavery such as bonded labour and slavery by descent, forced recruitment of child labour and child soldiers, human trafficking and the illegal sex trade.

"If we sincerely want to honour the suffering that slaves experienced and died under in the past, we must do much more to protect and promote the human rights, freedom and dignity of all people, in particularly, those who continue to suffer under modern forms of slavery," the President stated.

To address the serious threat posed by human trafficking, Mr. Kerim said he intends to convene a special meeting of the Assembly on the issue on 3 June.

Among those participating at the commemoration was the artist and human rights activist Harry Belafonte, who stated that "slavery is still with us and it has been codified and it has been driven underground because the symbols that once identified slavery have long since gone.

"But although slavery still exists, it now comes under new codifications," Mr. Belafonte said at a press briefing on the issue, citing practices such as child prostitution and recruitment of children for armed conflict, as well as the economic exploitation of millions of the world's poor.

"There are all sorts of names for it. And people in their indifference, or in their participation in the process, has continued to cause great harm to the human family," he added.

In addition to today's ceremony, the UN is hosting a series of events to mark the Day of Remembrance, including an exhibit entitled "The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo" and a student videoconference on 28 March with students in Sierra Leone, Norway, St. Lucia, Canada, Cape Verde, United Kingdom and UN Headquarters in New York.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY DEPLORES KILLING OF THREE DRIVERS OF FOOD SUPPLIES IN SUDAN

UN AGENCY DEPLORES KILLING OF THREE DRIVERS OF FOOD SUPPLIES IN SUDAN New York, Mar 25 2008 2:00PM The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2803">WFP) has voiced its shock and sadness at learning of the murder of three drivers of trucks contracted by the United Nations agency in Sudan in two separate incidents over the past three days.

Mohamed Ali was shot dead and his assistant was seriously injured by unidentified assailants yesterday while travelling on the main route into Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, the agency said in a press release issued today in Khartoum.

On Saturday, in Unity state in southern Sudan, Hamed Abdulla Sharif and Hamed Ibrahim Digel – who were transporting food supplies to Abyei – were stabbed to death by six men on a riverbank in the town of Abiemnom.

Calling the situation "completely unacceptable," WFP's representative in Sudan, Kenro Oshidari, said the agency's contracted trucking companies and drivers were facing daily acts of violence.

"Attacks like this must stop," he said. "All parties must recognize that the drivers of humanitarian vehicles and their cargo are serving a neutral humanitarian purpose. By attacking humanitarian staff, these assailants are also hurting innocent people who need food assistance."

Already this year, 56 trucks have been involved in hijackings, with 36 trucks still missing and 24 drivers unaccounted for. Another six passenger vehicles belonging to WFP have also been stolen in the Darfur region.

Last October, three WFP-contracted drivers were also killed while transporting food to Darfur, and last week the members of a four-man team with the State Water Corporation were abducted in North Darfur state.

Mr. Oshidari said the recent surge in banditry meant WFP had to curtail its food deliveries to Darfur by half, with the turnaround time for deliveries slowed because of the dangers posed to truckers while driving on roads in the region. Currently the agency provides a monthly food ration to more than two million Darfurians.

WFP also has extensive operations in southern Sudan and the three areas of Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile following the signing in January 2005 of a comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) ending the long-running north-south civil war. Although attacks on truckers in the south are less frequent than in Darfur, the region remains volatile.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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OVER 100 BHUTANESE REFUGEES IN NEPAL BEING RESETTLED IN UNITED STATES - UN

OVER 100 BHUTANESE REFUGEES IN NEPAL BEING RESETTLED IN UNITED STATES – UN New York, Mar 25 2008 2:00PM One of the largest refugee resettlement operations in the world has been launched this week, with more than 100 Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal heading to the United States to begin new lives, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47e90e514.html">UNHCR) reported.

"This is the largest movement of refugees from Nepal's camps so far, and the pace will pick up in the coming months," agency spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva.

By the close of 2008, over 10,000 refugees are expected to leave Nepal for resettlement in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

Currently, there are more than 107,000 refugees – who left Bhutan in the early 1990s – residing in seven camps in eastern Nepal.

Some 25,000 refugees have registered for resettlement, UNHCR said. The agency has submitted more than 12,000 names to third countries, mostly to the US.

"More refugees are expected to come forward for resettlement after they hear of how the first groups integrate in their new homes," Ms. Pagonis noted, adding that others are holding out for a chance to return to Bhutan.

Earlier this month, UNHCR appealed for funds after a devastating fire destroyed 95 per cent of the Goldhap refugee camp and left most of its 9,770 residents homeless.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED POTATO CONFERENCE WILL HELP SHAPE TOMORROW'S TUBER

UN-BACKED POTATO CONFERENCE WILL HELP SHAPE TOMORROW'S TUBER New York, Mar 25 2008 12:00PM With cereal prices soaring worldwide, an international conference opening today aims to tap the future food potential of the potato – which already produces more food on less land than maize, wheat or rice – as part of the United Nations International Year of the nutritious root.

The conference, held in Cusco in the potato's native land of Peru, is bringing together scientists and policy makers to help devise strategies to strengthen the role of what they are calling "the food of the future" in agriculture, the economy and food security, especially in the world's poorest countries, <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000816/index.html">according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Grown in more than 100 countries, the potato is already an integral part of the global food system, said FAO, which sponsored the conference along with the <"http://www.cipotato.org/Cuzco_conference/index.asp">International Potato Centre (CIP). With a record 320 million tons produced in 2007, it is the world's number one non-grain food commodity.

Consumption is expanding strongly in developing countries, which now account for more than half of the global harvest and where the potato's ease of cultivation and high energy content have made it a valuable cash crop for millions of farmers, according to the agency.

In Peru itself, food price inflation has spurred government efforts to reduce costly wheat imports by encouraging people to eat bread that includes potato flour. In China, the world's biggest potato producer (72 million tons in 2007), agriculture experts have proposed that potato become the major food crop on much of the country's arable land.

FAO said, however, that extending the benefits of potato production depends on improvements in the quality of planting material, farming systems that make more sustainable use of natural resources, and potato varieties that have reduced water needs, greater resistance to pests and diseases, and resilience in the face of climate change.

During the four-day conference, more than 90 of the world's leading authorities on the potato and development research will share insights and recent study results to develop strategies for increasing the productivity, profitability and sustainability of potato-based systems for specific kinds of economies, FAO said.

On the third day of the conference, participants are scheduled to visit a 12,000 hectare "Potato Park" near Cusco, where farmer-researchers have restored to production over 600 traditional Andean potato varieties, providing plant breeders with the genetic building blocks of future varieties.

One of the expected outputs of the conference has been dubbed the "Cusco Challenge," a year-long dialogue within the global potato science community that will address issues and opportunities in the future development of the crop.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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TERRORISM IMPERILS UN STAFF, BAN KI-MOON SAYS ON DAY OF SOLIDARITY

TERRORISM IMPERILS UN STAFF, BAN KI-MOON SAYS ON DAY OF SOLIDARITY New York, Mar 25 2008 12:00PM With 40 United Nations staff members under arrest, detained or missing worldwide, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today highlighted the heightened risk to the world body posed by global terrorism.

The threats of violence, hostility and crime UN staff have long faced are now compounded by international terrorism, Mr. Ban said in a message in observance of the 23rd International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members.

"At a time when the UN is needed to do more in a rising number of high-risk locations, the dangers are ever greater," he observed. "We must meet this challenge and do much more to protect our staff."

Last December, 17 staff members perished in a terror attack on UN offices in Algiers, Algeria.

The Secretary-General appointed the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises, led by veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, to assess the safety and security of UN staff worldwide.

"Our work will not end with the conclusion of the panel's report; it will intensify," he vowed.

Mr. Ban paid tribute to Alec Collet, who was forcibly abducted from his car by terrorists 23 years ago today. He was working for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA), and his case remains unresolved today.

The Secretary-General said he would continue urging Member States to "honour their responsibility" to ensure the safety of UN staff working in their countries and that host countries of the Organization's peacekeeping operations meet their obligations.

"Increasingly, some host countries obstruct implementation of UN mandates, including by resisting security imperatives and other measures – all under the cover of 'host country consent' but in direct contravention of the Status of Forces Agreement," he said. "Some raise the security risk for our staff through anti-UN polemics, or even abuse of UN personnel."

Additionally, Mr. Ban said that he looks to Member States to bring those who have committed crimes against the UN to justice. Currently, 82 countries are Party to the <"http://www.un.org/law/cod/safety.htm">Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel and a further 43 have signed the pact, but he appealed to the remaining nations to sign on to it.

The UN Staff Union also underscored the need for Member States to protect the world body's staff through adhering to international agreements.

"This disregard for the rights of United Nations personnel carrying out their duties goes hand in hand with many Member States' lack of interest in treaties seeking to protect staff rights," said the Union's Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service.

"Member States and the United Nations must do more to safeguard staff carrying out their mission," it added.

There were 273 cases of arrests and detentions of humanitarian and UN staff by State and non-State actors between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2007, according to the latest report of the Secretary-General on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel.

At least six staff members were missing during that period in Côte d'Ivoire, Indonesia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Sri Lanka.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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ON WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY, UN ISSUES CALL FOR IMPROVED CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS

ON WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY, UN ISSUES CALL FOR IMPROVED CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS New York, Mar 25 2008 11:00AM The United Nations weather agency is marking World Meteorological Day by <" http://www.wmo.ch/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_811_en.html">calling for improvements to climate observation technologies to help people and economies adapt to climate change, climate variability and extreme weather.

The Day – observed today in Geneva – commemorates the entry into force on 23 March 1950 of the <" http://www.wmo.ch/pages/governance/policy/documents/wmo_convention.pdf">World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Convention, and the following year WMO was designated a UN specialized agency.

The theme of this year's Day is "Observing our Planet for a Better Future," highlighting the necessity of monitoring meteorological and hydrological phenomena to aid countries in their quest to achieve sustainable economic development.

In his <" http://www.wmo.ch/pages/wmd/message_en.html">message marking the occasion, WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said that natural disasters are increasingly impacting developing countries, with nine out of 10 of them being linked to hydrometeorological hazards – a phenomenon that has collectively caused 1.2 million deaths and $900 million in damage between 1980 and 2000.

Natural hazards cannot be prevented, but suitable early warnings based on better observations can help to significantly minimize their harmful effects, he said.

Also, Mr. Jarraud pointed out that the number of vulnerable communities is climbing in recent decades due to increased urbanization; population shifts into fragile areas such as coasts, lowlands and floodplains; and expansion into arid areas.

"The increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme events that is expected in association with climate change will further exacerbate their vulnerability," he noted. "Decision-makers and emergency response managers will therefore require more information to formulate the most appropriate contingency plans."

Increasingly, information related to weather, climate and water is key to supporting agriculture, transport, energy production and water resource management, which can promote development, WMO's Secretary-General added.

The Day will be commemorated in Geneva at WMO headquarters through addresses, films, a photo exhibition and an anthology of poems.
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA ONCE AGAIN POLIO-FREE, DECLARES UN HEALTH AGENCY

SOMALIA ONCE AGAIN POLIO-FREE, DECLARES UN HEALTH AGENCY New York, Mar 25 2008 11:00AM In what is being described as a major victory in the global fight against polio, the United Nations health agency announced today that the disease has been eradicated in strife-torn Somalia thanks to the efforts of some 10,000 volunteers and health workers across the Horn of Africa nation.

"Against a backdrop of widespread conflict, large population movements and a dearth of functioning government infrastructure, transmission of poliovirus in the country has been successfully stopped," the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said in a <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr09/en/">news release.

Somalia has not reported a case of polio since March 2007, a major landmark in the intensified eradication effort launched last year to eradicate the disease in a few remaining countries, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF).

Innovative approaches tailored to conflict areas are being credited for stopping polio – which can cause lifelong paralysis – in the country, including increased community involvement and the effective use of monovalent vaccines to immunize children in insecure areas with several doses, within a short period of time.

More than 10,000 Somali volunteers and health workers repeatedly vaccinated more than 1.8 million children under the age of five by visiting every household in every settlement multiple times.

"Somalia shows that when communities are engaged, children everywhere can be reached," stated Dr. Maritel Costales, Senior Health Advisor, UNICEF New York.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning national government in almost two decades, had already eradicated the disease in 2002 but became re-infected in 2005 by poliovirus originating in Nigeria. "This truly historic achievement shows that polio can be eradicated everywhere, even in the most challenging and difficult settings," said Dr. Hussein A Gezairy, Regional Director for WHO's Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Following a 20-year global effort, the disease has been stopped nearly everywhere in the world with the exception of the remaining four polio-endemic countries – Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Stable funding is critical to continuing global eradication efforts. Some $525 million is urgently needed for 2008-2009 to fight the disease in the remaining endemic areas and protect children in high-risk polio-free a
2008-03-25 00:00:00.000

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FORMER NICARAGUAN FOREIGN MINISTER SET TO BE NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

FORMER NICARAGUAN FOREIGN MINISTER SET TO BE NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT New York, Mar 24 2008 7:00PM The former Nicaraguan foreign minister Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann is likely to become the next President of the General Assembly after the Latin American and Caribbean countries at the United Nations agreed to endorse his candidature, an Assembly spokesperson said today.

Ambassador Francisco Javier Arias Cárdenas, the chairman of the Latin American and Caribbean Group of countries (GRULAC) at the UN, sent a letter last week to the current President, Srgjan Kerim, informing him of the group's decision, the spokesperson told reporters in New York.

Under the Assembly principle of regional rotation, the next GA President – who is scheduled to start serving on 16 September this year – should come from one of the countries in GRULAC.

In recent years the election of a General Assembly President has been by acclamation, with the last case of a formal vote occurring at the 46th session (1991-92), when there were three declared candidates. Assembly rules and procedures state that a president must be elected at least three months before the new session, which in the case means before 16 June.

Mr. D'Escoto Brockmann, 75, served as foreign minister of Nicaragua from July 1979 to April 1990 and in February last year he was appointed special senior adviser, with the rank of minister, for foreign policies and boundary issues to Nicaragua's current President Daniel Ortega Saavedra.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED BIOMASS GAS PROJECT PROVIDES CLEAN POWER FOR RURAL AREAS IN INDIA

UN-BACKED BIOMASS GAS PROJECT PROVIDES CLEAN POWER FOR RURAL AREAS IN INDIA New York, Mar 24 2008 6:00PM The latest biomass gasifier, which converts wood or agricultural residues into a combustible gas mixture, was fired up today in a remote village of southern India, as part of a project to provide clean power for rural dwellers, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

"This project looks at how remote communities can have better access to electricity in an environment friendly, carbon neutral way," Kemal Dervis, <"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2008/march/green-power-for-rural-areas-in-india.en">UNDP Administrator, said at the commissioning ceremony for the small plant in Boregunte, a village in Karnataka state.

"The project not only improves their lives but also helps reduce the greenhouse gas emissions," Mr. Dervis said, adding: "The fact that they manage the project on their own gives them the opportunity to have additional sources of income."

The plant was funded by the UN's Global Environment Facility, and supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India, the Government of Karnataka, and UNDP, the agency said.

It is the second plant commissioned under the project and has the capacity of delivering 250 kilowatts of electricity, with excess power to be sold to the Bangalore Electric Supply Company, according to UNDP.

In the gasifiers, wood or coconut shells are reduced to small pieces and burned in a reactor that converts them to combustible gases, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This so-called 'producer gas' runs the engines, which produce power.

The first plant under the project was inaugurated in the village of Kabbigere on 24 January and has provided around 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity to four villages since then.

A third plant, producing 250 kilowatt-hours, will be commissioned soon in Seebirayanapalya and another in Chinnenahalli has been proposed to be commissioned by the end of 2008.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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AS BHUTAN HOLDS FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS, UN AGENCY PLEDGES ONGOING SUPPORT

AS BHUTAN HOLDS FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS, UN AGENCY PLEDGES ONGOING SUPPORT New York, Mar 24 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org.bt/">UNDP) has pledged to continue its support of Bhutan's transition to democracy as voters went to the polls today in historic elections in the small Himalayan country.

UNDP said in a press statement issued in Thimphu, the capital, late last week that it was committed to helping the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) fulfil its mandate beyond the current elections for a National Assembly – the first ever multi-party elections in the country.

The agency has been assisting the ECB since last year, including by training election officials, providing them with better equipment, building temporary polling stations, printing print and audio-visual voter educational material and staging mock elections to help ensure that the country was ready for today's vote.

UNDP has also trained 40 Bhutanese journalists on how to effectively cover an election process and backed the Anti-Corruption Commission with its efforts to make both the electoral process and the Government more accountable.

Bhutan had been an absolute monarchy until these elections; now the king will remain head of State while the National Assembly will comprise an upper house and a lower house that will form the Government.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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NEARLY A MILLION SOUTHERN AFRICANS HIT BY FLOODS, CYCLONES THIS SEASON - UN

NEARLY A MILLION SOUTHERN AFRICANS HIT BY FLOODS, CYCLONES THIS SEASON – UN New York, Mar 24 2008 5:00PM Almost a million people across Southern Africa have suffered as a result of floods, cyclones and heavy rains so far during the annual wet season, and although the worst of the weather is over for another year, problems could persist until the end of April, United Nations relief officials report.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/News/tabid/1080/Default.aspx">OCHA) said in its latest update on the situation in Southern Africa that further heavy rains are still expected, including in central Mozambique, where the rivers are already swollen after two days of intense rainfall last week.

In recent weeks heavy rains have also hit southern Angola, Namibia and the eastern part of South Africa, OCHA reported. But Cyclone Jokwe, which struck the Mozambican province of Nampula earlier this month, has since dissipated without causing further damage to either Mozambique or Madagascar.

In total, local authorities estimate that 987,516 Southern Africans have been affected adversely by rains, floods and cyclones since October last year. The hardest hit is Madagascar, where several cyclones as well as rains and floods have affected more than 332,000 people. Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe have also been affected.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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ADVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE PRE-EMINENT LEGACY OF ANNAN - BAN KI-MOON

ADVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE PRE-EMINENT LEGACY OF ANNAN – BAN KI-MOON New York, Mar 24 2008 4:00PM Honouring Kofi Annan at the conferral of a new MacArthur Award, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11474.doc.htm">says that the establishment of the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC) and the acceptance of the principle of the responsibility to protect stood out as the culmination of his predecessor's tenure.

"In his decade at the helm, he stood particularly tall for his contributions to international justice – fighting to end impunity, to advance the rule of law, to protect the weak and vulnerable," Mr. Ban said as Mr. Annan was accorded the inaugural International Justice Award by the MacArthur Foundation at a dinner last Thursday night.

One hundred and six countries have ratified the Rome Statute that sets up the ICC, the independent, permanent court that tries people accused of the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Late last year Judge Philippe Kirsch, the ICC President, called for those countries that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute to do so, saying the court, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, was already deterring crimes and improving the chances for sustainable peace in some countries.

The responsibility to protect is a doctrine that holds States responsible for shielding their own populations from genocide and other major human rights abuses and requires the international community to step in if this obligation is not met.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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HAITI: UN MISSION ASKS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT IN FIGHT AGAINST RISING CRIME

HAITI: UN MISSION ASKS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT IN FIGHT AGAINST RISING CRIME New York, Mar 24 2008 4:00PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti is calling on locals to cooperate with its troops and with members of the national police at roadblocks and other checkpoints being set up to try to combat widespread crime and insecurity.

The mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH, has increased its logistical and material support to the national police (HNP) in the wake of a recent surge in crime, particularly kidnappings. It has also asked for the population's support so that its blue helmets can help ensure public safety and security.

In a statement issued late last week in the capital, Port-au-Prince, MINUSTAH said the roadblocks and patrols were being established across the country, which is the most impoverished in the Western Hemisphere.

UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today in New York that the total number of motorized patrols had been boosted to 2,740 this month alone and the number of foot patrols to 2,152.

Meanwhile, the mission is financing a series of projects in Cité Soleil and Martissant, two of the most notorious neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince, which aim to create jobs, boost the local economy, reduce violence and improve the environment.

The projects, which cost just over $500,000 in total, include the cleaning of local canals, the rehabilitation of public spaces and street paving in the troubled districts.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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UN'S BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES CYPRUS LEADERS ON PROGRESS TOWARD TALKS

UN'S BAN KI-MOON CONGRATULATES CYPRUS LEADERS ON PROGRESS TOWARD TALKS New York, Mar 24 2008 2:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders on their agreement to start full-fledged negotiations within three months on resolving the long-running dispute on the Mediterranean island.

"The United Nations stands ready to lend its full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement," Mr. Ban's spokesperson, Michele Montas, said today in New York.

A meeting between the Greek Cypriot leader, Demetris Christofias, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, was hosted by the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Michael Møller, last Friday.

Mr. Ban "warmly" welcomed the leaders' decisions to set up a number of working groups and technical committees in advance of talks, and said that their agreement on the opening of a crossing at Ledra Street in Nicosia as soon as technically possible "was a positive step forward," Ms. Montas said.

Later this month, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will go to Cyprus to help the UN determine how it can be as helpful as possible to the success of the process, she added.

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in March 1964 following the outbreak of inter-community violence on the Mediterranean island. The mission is tasked with preventing a recurrence of fighting, contributing to a return to normal conditions and the maintenance of law and order.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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GREECE, FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA TO HOLD UN-BACKED TALKS

GREECE, FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA TO HOLD UN-BACKED TALKS New York, Mar 24 2008 2:00PM The United Nations envoy tasked with helping Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia resolve their dispute over the official name of the latter country, will hold talks tomorrow with both sides at the world body's headquarters in New York.

A substantial gap remains between the two parties' positions despite their willingness to continue the process of UN-led negotiations, Matthew Nimetz, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on the issue, said after a round of talks earlier this month.

Since those talks, Mr. Nimetz has met with President Branko Crvenkoski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and Skopje's primary negotiator on the issue, Ambassador Nikola Dimitrov in Skopje.

The Envoy has also travelled to Thessaloniki for a meeting with Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, a representative of Greece.

The Interim Accord of 13 September 1995, which was brokered by the UN, details the difference between the two countries regarding the official name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It also obliges the two sides to continue negotiations under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to try to reach agreement.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AID AGENCY APPEALS FOR $500 MILLION TO OFFSET SOARING PRICES

UN FOOD AID AGENCY APPEALS FOR $500 MILLION TO OFFSET SOARING PRICES New York, Mar 24 2008 1:00PM The United Nations agency that is feeding 73 million people caught up in crises around the world this year is appealing for funding to close a $500 million gap caused by a global spike in food and fuel prices.

"We urge your Government to act quickly on this request so that we may avoid cutting the rations for those who rely on the world to stand by them during times of abject need," Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2797">WFP), said in a letter to donors send out on 20 March.

The price of food and fuel has risen to record levels in recent years, shooting up at an aggressive pace of 55 per cent since June 2007, Ms. Sheeran noted, saying that WFP had taken many steps to mitigate the increases, including buying 80 per cent of its food supplies in local and regional markets.

Due to the sharp price rises, however, the new estimated figure to cover this year's projects across 78 countries is $3.4 billion, which does not include unforeseen emergency operations, the agency said.

Rising prices also mean that the world's poorest people will have to spend a larger proportion of their income on food, the agency said, and they will buy less food, food that is less nutritious, or rely on aid.

"Our efforts will include working with governments, UN agencies and other partners to address long-term solutions while we tackle these urgent needs," Ms. Sheeran said.

Countries where price rises are expected to have a direct impact include Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Haiti, Djibouti, the Gambia, Tajikistan, Togo, Chad, Benin, Myanmar, Cameroon, Niger, Senegal, Yemen and Cuba, according to WFP.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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TO FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS, ROOT CAUSES MUST BE ADDRESSED, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

TO FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS, ROOT CAUSES MUST BE ADDRESSED, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL New York, Mar 24 2008 1:00PM Tackling tuberculosis – a disease which still kills 4,000 people every day – requires dealing with its root causes, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today on the occasion of <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_tb_day/en/index.html">World TB Day.

The theme of this year's Day is "I am stopping TB," and it is a pledge "we must uphold as we battle the epidemic throughout the year and into the future," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3055">message.

Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB), which is man-made, and the even more lethal extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) are both spreading.

"If we are to prevent a virtually untreatable tuberculosis epidemic, we must tackle the roots of the problem: poor services, poor supplies, poor prescribing and poor use of drugs," the Secretary-General observed.

The fight against tuberculosis "can be won only with the collective commitment of millions of individuals – donors and researchers, doctors and health-care workers, patients and family members."

As a result of collaboration among a range of partners, the proportion of people falling ill with TB is declining. But the advances are not being made at the same rate as population growth, Mr. Ban said, adding that the disease becomes ever more deadly when it overlaps with the HIV epidemic.

He also urged a stepped up global response to save lives from tuberculosis, noting that the UN will convene a Global Leaders' HIV/TB Forum this June.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON PRAISES DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH CENTRES FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA

BAN KI-MOON PRAISES DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH CENTRES FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA New York, Mar 24 2008 12:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed a proposal for outreach centres throughout South-East Asia to promote international targets to slash a raft of global ills by the year 2015, known as the Millennium Development Goals (<" http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs).

"The new centre, and its local and regional affiliates, will provide continuity for your initiatives," he said in a <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3053">video address to a meeting on achieving the MDGs held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (<" http://www.aseansec.org/">ASEAN) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Praising the proposed centres, based at the Regional Center of Excellence at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, he added: "I hope that they will help step up the pace, and ensure that all South East Asia reaches the Goals in full, and on time."

In reaching the MDGs, he said South-East Asia has made progress in reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty and the number of children who die of preventable causes. It had also raised primary school enrolment.

However, he continued, progress is uneven, both between countries and across indicators. Income disparities have grown, too many young children are underweight and the environment is threatened.

Such initiatives as the current meeting and the Center for Excellence could help close the gaps, he said, by bringing together policymakers, experts and representatives of civil society to formulate fresh approaches to existing challenges and to broaden MDG awareness and outreach.

"The Millennium Development Goals are no mere aspirations," he said. "They are commitments – sacred vows to the poorest, most vulnerable sections of humanity. Let us keep our promises. Let us build a world we can all be proud of," he concluded.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN: TOP UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST "ABHORRENT" ATTACK ON DEMINERS

AFGHANISTAN: TOP UN ENVOY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST "ABHORRENT" ATTACK ON DEMINERS New York, Mar 24 2008 10:00AM The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan today said that he is both appalled and saddened by an "abhorrent" attack on a group of deminers which claimed five lives and injured seven others.

Two unknown assailants on a motorcycle opened fire yesterday on a 12-person team working for the Afghan Technical Consultants, a partner of the UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (<"http://www.mineaction.org/overview.asp?o=1393&status_flag=L&rand=0.4775202">UNMACA).

"Deminers put their lives at risk every day to ensure the safety of Afghanistan's communities," Bo Asplund, the Secretary-General's Acting Special Representative, said in a statement issued in Kabul. "It is abhorrent that anyone would target individuals working to free the people of Afghanistan from the scourge of landmines."

The attack took place in Chimtal district in Balkh province, situated in the north of the war-ravaged country.

Mr. Asplund paid tribute to the deminers, extending his condolences to the families of those affected by yesterday's attack.
2008-03-24 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF DENOUNCES ABDUCTION OF ENGINEERS IN NORTH DARFUR

UNICEF DENOUNCES ABDUCTION OF ENGINEERS IN NORTH DARFUR New York, Mar 23 2008 4:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today condemned the hijacking and abduction in Sudan's North Darfur state of a team of engineers with the country's State Water Corporation and called for the immediate release of the four men and their equipment.

In a statement issued in Khartoum, UNICEF Representative Ted Chaiban said it was unacceptable that the employees of the State Water Corporation should be targeted in this way. The corporation is UNICEF's main counterpart in providing water and sanitation services across northern Sudan, including Darfur, and Mr. Chaiban called it "a valued partner" of the agency.

"This incident underlines that it is not only UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are vulnerable to such banditry," he said. "Many humanitarian services are provided by technical staff from government departments and they too are at risk of such attacks. This cannot be condoned, and we demand that all such workers are allowed to operate with safety and security in the Darfur region."

Unidentified gunmen hijacked the corporation team on Thursday night in Um Tajok in North Darfur, and the team's four drivers, its vehicles and its drilling rig remain missing today.

Banditry has become increasingly frequent in Darfur, where in the past five years more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others displaced from their homes because of fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied militiamen.

A hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID is being deployed to the region to try to quell the violence and the humanitarian suffering, but the mission is still lacking key capacities and remains far short of the 26,000 uniformed personnel expected when it reaches full capacity.

2008-03-23 00:00:00.000

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NAMIBIAN FLOOD VICTIMS NEED MORE THAN $1 MILLION OF ASSISTANCE -- UNICEF

NAMIBIAN FLOOD VICTIMS NEED MORE THAN $1 MILLION OF ASSISTANCE -- UNICEF New York, Mar 23 2008 4:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is calling for $1.2 million to help with relief efforts in northern Namibia, where floods falling recent above-average rainfall have displaced tens of thousands of people and sparked fears of a surge in infectious diseases.

More than 65,000 people could eventually be displaced by the floods, the agency said in an update issued this week, which began after heavy rains in January and February in both Namibia and the area surrounding the Cuvelai River system in neighbouring Angola.

UNICEF said it was particularly concerned about the risks faced by orphans and other vulnerable children given that northern Namibia is one of the country's most densely populated area's and its HIV rates range from 20 per cent to 40 per cent.

Namibian Government information indicates that the administrative regions of Omusati, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena and Caprivi have been hit hardest by the latest floods, which have occurred at the same time as inundations in other Southern African countries, such as Zambia.

Nearly 100 schools have had to be closed temporarily, while at least 26 health-care clinics have been rendered inaccessible, large amounts of livestock have been lost and sources of safe drinking water have been contaminated.

One of the biggest concerns now is the potential outbreak of infectious diseases as mosquitoes breed in the numerous pool of stagnant water. The situation is complicated by the substantial damage to many roads and other vital infrastructure, preventing aid from reaching affected areas.

Namibian officials have reported 30 confirmed cases of cholera (including two deaths) and more than 150 other suspected cases across the north. In the Caprivi administrative region, locals have reported a jump in the number of reported skin disorders and in other diseases, such as chicken pox, conjunctivitis, ringworm and respiratory tract infections.

UNICEF said it was working with other UN agencies and with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assist the Namibian authorities to provide locals with emergency food assistance, temporary shelter, sanitation and other basic services. It is also re-directing some of its funding to bring immediate relief to the affected area.

2008-03-23 00:00:00.000

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UN DISASTER TEAM CONDUCTS ASSESSMENT IN WAKE OF DEADLY ALBANIAN EXPLOSIONS

UN DISASTER TEAM CONDUCTS ASSESSMENT IN WAKE OF DEADLY ALBANIAN EXPLOSIONS New York, Mar 23 2008 4:00PM A United Nations disaster and assessment coordination team (UNDAC) is carrying out a rapid evaluation this weekend of the situation in Albania, where a series of explosions at a military ammunition depot a week ago have killed at least 21 people, injured 250 others and destroyed or damaged more than 4,000 homes.

The seven-member team, which arrived in Tirana, the capital, earlier this week, is conducting the assessment of the affected area in collaboration with the Albanian Government, according to an update released on Friday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Albanian authorities asked for the UNDAC team to help them identify priority needs and coordinate their response to the deadly explosions, which occurred on 15 March during an ongoing programme to destroy old military ordnance at a depot in the village of Gerdec.

Government figures indicate that 4,000 people have had to be evacuated from a wide area around Gerdec, which is located about 15 kilometres west of Tirana. As of last Thursday, 408 homes were reported to have been destroyed and over 3,700 others were heavily or partially damaged.
The situation is complicated by the thousands of artillery shells, mortar shells, grenades and small arms ammunition that now litter the area for up to five kilometres around the depot. As much as 90,000 tons of ageing ammunition in need of destruction also exists at 26 sites throughout Albania.

2008-03-23 00:00:00.000

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LACK OF POLITICAL WILL BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO IMPROVING SANITATION -- SECRETARY-GENERAL

LACK OF POLITICAL WILL BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO IMPROVING SANITATION -- SECRETARY-GENERAL New York, Mar 22 2008 4:00PM A lack of political will remains the greatest obstacle to efforts to drastically reduce the number of people without access to basic sanitation and clean, running water, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the international community to take firmer and faster steps to tackle the problem.

"If we take up the challenge, the positive impact will reverberate far beyond better access to clean water," Mr. Ban said in a message to mark World Water Day, which is celebrated today. This year's Day also coincides with the International Year of Sanitation.

"Every dollar invested in water and sanitation yields an estimate seven dollars worth of productive activity. And that comes on top of the immeasurable gains in cutting poverty, improving health and raising living standards."

The Secretary-General described it as unconscionable that a child dies on average every 20 seconds because of sub-standard sanitation conditions -- a situation endured by an estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide, or more than a third of the global population -- that are preventable.

"Poor sanitation combines with a lack of safe drinking water and inadequate hygiene to contribute to the terrible global death toll. Those who survive face diminished chances of living a healthy and productive existence. Children, especially girls, are forced to stay out of school, while hygiene-related diseases keep adults from engaging in productive work."

Halving the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) devised at a global leaders' summit in 2000, but the world is far behind the pace to achieve that by the target date of 2015, Mr. Ban said.

"Experts predict that by 2015, 2.1 billion people will still lack basic sanitation. At the present rate, sub-Saharan Africa will not reach the target until 2076."

This year's World Water Day also coincides with the International Year of Sanitation.

Population growth, widespread poverty and insufficient investment are among the key obstacles, but the Secretary-General noted that "the biggest culprit" is the lack of political will.

Events are being held around the world this weekend to highlight World Water Day, including the staging of a public toilet queue demonstration to raise awareness about the sanitation crisis around the globe. A similar event was held in New York's Central Park on Thursday.

2008-03-22 00:00:00.000

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UN MISSION TO CHAD AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SIGNS STATUS AGREEMENT

UN MISSION TO CHAD AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SIGNS STATUS AGREEMENT New York, Mar 22 2008 4:00PM The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) has signed a status of mission agreement with Chadian authorities that will establish the legal principles under which the operation will run in the strife-torn African country.

Victor Da Silva Angelo, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for MINURCAT, signed the agreement yesterday in N'Djamena, the Chadian capital, on behalf of the UN.

The agreement covers the activities of the mission and deals with MINURCAT funds and property, as well as the safety and security of mission personnel and their privileges and immunities.

The mission was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.

It is a multidimensional operation including European Union military forces and comprising 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law.

Mr. Angelo said yesterday that he was happy that the status of mission agreement had finally been signed.

"We will work with you to tackle the issue of insecurity in Chad," he told the Chadian representatives. "However, we will work strictly in the framework of the Security Council Resolution 1778 [which created the mission], which limits our efforts to the refugee camps and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern Chad."

The envoy added that he hoped that Chadians will be able to build on and sustain any achievements made by the mission.

2008-03-22 00:00:00.000

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VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION THREATEN TO UNDERMINE NEPALESE POLLS -- UN REPORT

VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION THREATEN TO UNDERMINE NEPALESE POLLS -- UN REPORT New York, Mar 22 2008 4:00PM Nepal's political parties should stop intimidating voters during the campaign for next month's elections for a Constituent Assembly, the United Nations said today in a new report which warns that an upsurge of killings and acts of violence in the Terai region and daily clashes between party supporters are threatening to undermine the historic polls.

The joint report of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) -- the first in a series ahead of the 10 April vote -- urges armed groups to pursue dialogue with their political opponents and to refrain from violence, intimidation and other activities against the election process.

"All political parties should publicly and unequivocally recommit themselves to abide by the outcome of the election," the report said in one of its seven recommendations.

Once elected, Assembly members will draft a new constitution for Nepal, where an estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil war that ended when the Government and the Maoists signed a peace accord in 2006. The polls were supposed to be held last year, but had to be delayed several times because of political disputes.

Today's report also called on the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (CPN-M) to end its practice of preventing other parties from campaigning in areas where it is strong or which it considers to be its natural political territory.

In one of the worst incidents, 19 members of a rival political party were reported injured in an attack by cadres of the CPN-M on 12 March in Ramechhap district after they had carried out an electoral campaign programme.

"OHCHR visited the area of the incident and corroborated reports that the attack was pre-planned," the report noted, adding that the pattern of incidents across many districts "raised serious questions" about whether the CPN-M or significant parts of it were willing to participate in genuinely free and fair polls.

More broadly, the report voiced concern at what it said were daily clashes between party supporters, including two that led to deaths, and threats made against locals about how they should vote.

All parties should follow the election code of conduct and respect the human rights of Nepal's people, UNMIN and OHCHR said, warning that "any 'victory' in a seriously flawed election would not command legitimacy."

Turning to the Terai region, which has been beset by tensions in recent months, the report said that in the past two weeks "there has been an upsurge of killings, violence, intimidation against candidates and voters and threats to disrupt the electoral process," including by the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF).

The detonation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has become particularly prevalent in the eastern Terai, and "the situation risks becoming increasingly volatile."

2008-03-22 00:00:00.000

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CYPRIOT LEADERS AGREE TO START FULL NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN THREE MONTHS -- UN

CYPRIOT LEADERS AGREE TO START FULL NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN THREE MONTHS -- UN New York, Mar 21 2008 4:00PM The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have agreed to start full-fledged negotiations within three months on resolving the long-running dispute on the Mediterranean island, the United Nations' top envoy to Cyprus said today.

The formal negotiations will be held under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, Michael Møller, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said in a statement issued on behalf of the two leaders, Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, after he took part in talks with them today in Nicosia.

The two leaders had achieved "a great degree of convergence" after exchanging their views, the statement said, adding that they would now ask their respective advisers to quickly set up working groups and technical committees ahead of the negotiations.

"In taking full responsibility for the conduct of future negotiations, the leaders have also agreed to meet three months from now to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, and using their results, to start full-fledged negotiations."

In addition, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat have agreed to meet as and when needed ahead of the start of their formal negotiations.

The Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia will also be opened "as soon as technically possible" and will function in line with the established practices at other crossings, while the opening of the Limnitis crossing and other crossings will be on the agenda for the upcoming meetings of their advisers.

Ahead of today's talks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced at the start of this week that he is dispatching an assessment team -- headed by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe -- to the region to engage in dialogue with all key stakeholders in hopes of a breakthrough to the long-running dispute.

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in March 1964 following the outbreak of communal violence on the Mediterranean island and the mission is tasked with preventing a recurrence of fighting, contributing to the maintenance of law and order and to a return to normal conditions.

2008-03-21 00:00:00.000

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WORLD HAS COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ELIMINATE RACISM, BAN KI-MOON SAYS

WORLD HAS COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ELIMINATE RACISM, BAN KI-MOON SAYS New York, Mar 21 2008 4:00PM Racism still hurts too many individuals and communities around the world, Secretary-Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on all countries and civil society groups to play their part in the fight to stamp out both racism and racial discrimination.

In a message to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated today, Mr. Ban said next year's formal review of actions taken since the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance adopted its Declaration and Programme of Action offered an opportunity to make important progress.

"Racial discrimination is a concern to all peoples and countries," he said. "This review process is an opportunity to engage in an inclusive and transparent manner on an issue that demands our urgent and close attention.

"I call on all countries and civil society to make constructive use of the time between now and the formal review process to work out their differences so that we can seize this opening to boost our collective efforts to stamp out racism. This issue is too important; we cannot fail."

The Secretary-General noted that the General Assembly proclaimed 21 March as the International Day to honour the memory of the scores of peaceful protesters who were massacred on this day in 1960 in the South African township of Sharpeville as they demonstrated against the racist apartheid-era 'pass laws.'

"There has been significant progress since then, not least through the dismantling of the apartheid system. But racism continues to plague too many individuals, communities and societies the world over."

2008-03-21 00:00:00.000

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ALONGSIDE POLITICAL PROGRESS, SOMALIA NEEDS ACTION ON SECURITY - UN ENVOY

ALONGSIDE POLITICAL PROGRESS, SOMALIA NEEDS ACTION ON SECURITY – UN ENVOY New York, Mar 20 2008 4:00PM The top United Nations envoy in Somalia, where the new reconciliation strategy of the transitional Government has garnered wide support, today called on the <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9282.doc.htm">Security Council to promote complementary action on security in the country, long beset by chaos.

"Today we have some progress on the political front with the Government Reconciliation Plan," Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the country, told the 15-member body.

"As the two tracks should advance together and reinforce each other, there is a need for similar action on the security front," he said, adding: "Acting only on one of them is like limping on one leg."

The reconciliation plan, which involves local peacemaking inside the country and talks with the external opposition, has evinced a positive reaction from several Somali groups, including the influential Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia, Mr. Ould-Abdallah said.

In addition, he said that the transitional authority of Somalia, which has not had a functional government for 17 years, had become more effective in its composition as well as its return to the country's capital, Mogadishu, in January.

He said that among the security possibilities now being studied, a strong multinational presence should be seriously considered, and more should be done to protect ships carrying humanitarian assistance.

He added that, for UN work to be truly credible, it needs to deploy many more international staff in the country, and make sure that there is no impunity for "warlords, extremists and spoilers" who have carried out war crimes against humanity.

Most importantly, Somali must be released from being a "prisoner of the past," because of the violent actions carried out against the international community in the 1990s, and its long-suffering people must have the protection they need.

Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet also briefed the Council, discussing the work of a fact-finding mission that visited Somalia in January.

He said that the security situation in many parts of Somalia, and particularly Mogadishu, remains complex, volatile and unpredictable, describing four possible scenarios that could lead to the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force.

In recent months, Somalia has been wracked by violence which has displaced around one million people and has caused some three million others to flee the country as refugees.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) says there are up to two million vulnerable people in need of humanitarian aid within Somalia. In addition, aid workers face difficulties and the transport and delivery of crucial items such as food is being impeded by roadblocks, taxes and banditry.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS COUNTER-TERRORISM OFFICES MANDATE UNTIL END OF 2010

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS COUNTER-TERRORISM OFFICES MANDATE UNTIL END OF 2010 New York, Mar 20 2008 4:00PM The Security Council today unanimously voted to <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9280.doc.htm">extend the mandate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), which is tasked with monitoring the efforts of countries to combat the global scourge of terrorism, until the end of 2010.

Established as a special political mission in 2004, the CTED assists the Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee in monitoring the implementation of <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1373(2001)">resolution 1373, which was adopted in the wake of the September 2001 attacks on the United States and calls on countries to adopt a number of measures to enhance their ability to counter terrorist activities nationally, regionally and globally.

In the resolution passed today, the Council reaffirmed that "terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," and emphasized the "central role" that the UN plays in the fight against the global scourge.

CTED Executive Director Mike Smith told the Council in an open meeting yesterday that considerable progress has been made worldwide in the fight against terrorism, including the endorsement of important treaties and the sharing of information between law enforcement agencies.

Although resolution 1373 is as relevant today as it was when it was adopted nearly seven years ago, "most countries in the world have now criminalized terrorism," he said, noting that since the adoption of the landmark resolution, there have been hundreds of new ratifications of the key counter-terrorism pacts.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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UNCLEAN WATER THREATENS HEALTH OF ONE MILLION CENTRAL AFRICANS, UN WARNS

UNCLEAN WATER THREATENS HEALTH OF ONE MILLION CENTRAL AFRICANS, UN WARNS New York, Mar 20 2008 4:00PM Up to one million Central Africans do not have access to clean water and therefore are highly vulnerable to threat of deadly waterborne diseases because of the conflict threatening their country, United Nations relief agencies reported today.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the situation was worst in the northeast of the Central African Republic (CAR), where fighting between Government forces and rebels and attacks by local bandits have forced thousands of people out of their villages to seek shelter in the nearby bush.

The insecurity is so widespread across the north of the country that many Central Africans there are too afraid to return to their villages, instead resorting to stagnant pools or rivers in the bush areas for their water supplies. Those that have remained in their villages often face wells that are not working.

<"http://ochaonline.un.org/News/tabid/1080/Default.aspx">OCHA said that in Haute-Kotto prefecture, which borders Sudan, only 1 per cent of the entire population has regular access to potable water.

Toby Lanzer, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the CAR, said that "people are dying for want of clean water. If our water projects get the support we have asked for on time, the coordination mechanisms that we have put in place will allow us to provide safe water to over 250,000 people in 2008."

So far, only three out of 10 projects designed by UN agencies or by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to improve access to clean water and sanitation across the northern CAR this year have received any funding. The situation is particularly acute because the dry season normally ends in April, and thus the window of opportunity for projects to be implemented.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) is leading a "water alliance" of 14 aid organizations that are trying to coordinate their efforts in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WATSAN) sector in the CAR, one of the world's poorest nations. Organizations in the partnership work together to repair and drill wells and boreholes and to provide water pumps.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, welcomed the formation of the alliance.

"Having a clear leader of the water, sanitation and hygiene team, responsible for coordinating the other organizations involved and providing relief when nobody else is able to, allows us to save many more lives," he said.

Overall, the UN and NGOs have appealed for $96.2 million to help with their humanitarian efforts in the CAR this year. This figure includes $5.6 million dedicated to water and sanitation projects.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF SENDS 'SCHOOLS-IN-A-BOX' TO ZAMBIA'S FLOOD-HIT REGIONS

UNICEF SENDS 'SCHOOLS-IN-A-BOX' TO ZAMBIA'S FLOOD-HIT REGIONS New York, Mar 20 2008 3:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_43305.html">UNICEF) has dispatched 58 "schools-in-a-box" to flood-hit areas of Zambia to help pupils whose families have had to flee their homes because of rising waters or whose school buildings have been damaged or destroyed.

Each school-in-a-box, which contains enough supplies for 100 children, will be distributed to community and Government schools in Southern, Lusaka and Western provinces, among the regions hardest hit by the recent flooding. They have been sent from the agency's supply division in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Pawan Kucita, chief of UNICEF Zambia's education section, said "the kits are designed to provide support for teachers and children and to ensure a sense of normalcy remains despite the difficult circumstances that tragedies such as floods can bring."

The kits, designed for students in grade one to nine, contain exercise books, student slates, an inflatable globe, a student register, crayons, pencils, pencil sharpeners, ballpoint pens, felt-tip pens, erasers, chalkboards, chalk and chalk duster, scissors, tape, a clock, flipchart markers, a compass, coloured wooden cubes, educational posters, book bags, rulers and a metal box for transport and storage.

UNICEF Zambia is already providing $139,000 in emergency supplies to the country's Ministry of Education, and they include 36 large tents and 40 recreation kits, which contain volleyballs, netballs, footballs, nets and whistles.

About 400,000 people are estimated to have been affected by this season's flooding in Zambia, while up to 36,000 have been displaced and almost 3,500 homes and 44 schools have collapsed because of the prolonged heavy rainfall.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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INDIA TOPS LIST OF HIGHEST MIGRANT REMITTANCES, SAYS WORLD BANK

INDIA TOPS LIST OF HIGHEST MIGRANT REMITTANCES, SAYS WORLD BANK New York, Mar 20 2008 3:00PM India tops the list of recipient countries of migrant remittances at $27 billion last year, followed by China, Mexico, the Philippines and France, the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21692926~menuPK:51062075~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank says in a new report released today.

"In many developing countries, remittances provide a lifeline for the poor," said Dilip Ratha, senior economist and co-author of the "<"http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTDECPROSPECTS/0,,contentMDK:21352016~menuPK:3145470~pagePK:64165401~piPK:64165026~theSitePK:476883,00.html">Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008."
He added that "they are often an essential source of foreign exchange and a stabilizing force for the economy in turbulent times."

Tajikistan, Moldova and Tonga were the top remittance-receiving countries as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

In 2005, the United States was the top immigration country, with 38.4 million immigrants, followed by Russia with 12.1 million and Germany with 10.1 million. As a percentage of the population, Qatar (78 per cent), Andorra (78 per cent) and the United Arab Emirates (71 per cent) were the top countries.

"Migration is sometimes used as a political pawn, and policies are too often based on anecdotes or misconceptions," said Uri Dadush, Director of the World Bank's Development Prospects Group and International Trade Department. "By presenting the numbers and facts behind these stereotypes, this publication aims to paint a more objective picture of a crucial aspect of development."

International migrants are mostly people who move voluntarily, but the World Bank noted that in 2005, there were some 13.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, comprising 7 per cent of global migrants.

The Factbook also found that the volume of South-South migration is almost the same as South-North migration.

It pointed out that smaller countries are more likely to have higher rates of skilled emigrations. For example, nearly all of the physicians trained in Grenada and Dominica have emigrated.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON RECOMMENDS UN TRANSFER $100 MILLION TO IRAQ DEVELOPMENT FUND

BAN KI-MOON RECOMMENDS UN TRANSFER $100 MILLION TO IRAQ DEVELOPMENT FUND New York, Mar 20 2008 3:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended the Security Council transfer $100 million from United Nations Iraq Account, made up of funds related to the expired oil-for-food programme, to an account for the country's development, a UN spokesperson said today.

The <"http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/">oil-for-food programme, under which a sanctions-bound Iraq was allowed to use monitored oil sales revenue for humanitarian purchases, was phased out in 2003 under a Council resolution lifting sanctions on the country.

The Development Fund of Iraq (DFI), which will received the funds, was set up that same year to administer proceeds from export sales of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas.

In a <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/175">letter to the Security Council, the Secretary-General also provides an update on the Iraq Account and the processing of outstanding letters of credit.

As of 29 February, Mr. Ban says, the Iraq Account contained somewhat over $1 billion in total funds, out of which $225 million was being held in the account pending resolution of various issues.

He recommended that $187 million continue to be held as a financial reserve.
2008-03-20 00:00:00.000

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