age: 1
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: FRESH CLASHES DRIVE 60, 000 SOMALIS FROM THEIR HOMES,　　　 REPORTS
　　　 UN AGENCY


FRESH CLASHES DRIVE 60,000 SOMALIS FROM THEIR HOMES, REPORTS UN AGENCY
New York, Oct 26 2010　 3:10PM
The United Nations refugee agency today reported that fierce clashes in the Somali town of Beled Hawo on the Kenyan border have driven some 60,000 people from their homes over the past week.

In addition, at least 10 people have been killed in the clashes between Al-Shabaab and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa, a militia group allied to Somalia?s Transitional Federal Government, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told reporters in Geneva.

Andrej Mahecic said most of the displaced have fled to nearby villages and some have crossed into Kenya.

?Of the estimated 40,000 people displaced within Somalia, most are living under trees without shelter, water, food or any sanitation,? he stated. ?To make matters worse, it has been raining for days, increasing the risk of an outbreak of disease.?

The agency has already begun registering the new arrivals and is coordinating the humanitarian response. Kenyan authorities and aid agencies are working together with UNHCR to deliver basic services and provide food, water, shelter, medicine and sanitation to the newly displaced.

Mr. Mahecic said that of those who have fled across the border to the northern Kenyan town of Mandera, many are renting houses or being hosted by the local community while waiting for fighting to die down before making a decision on whether to return home.

UNHCR is particularly concerned about the worsening health and security conditions of some 5,000 Somali refugees ? predominantly women, children and the elderly ? who have been camping out in the open at a makeshift site known as Border Point One since 17 October.

?Our staff in Mandera says the health conditions at the site, which has no shelter or lavatories, are quickly deteriorating. The situation of the refugees is deplorable,? said Mr. Mahecic.

?We are urging the Kenyan authorities to speed up relocation of new arrivals so that people can be moved away from the border and into a reception centre where UNHCR and its partners can attend to their protection and assistance needs,? he added.

There are some 1.46 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia, with an additional 614,000 Somalis living as refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries.
Oct 26 2010　 3:10PM


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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: DONOR SUPPORT HELPS AVERT FOOD CRISIS IN NIGER BUT MORE
　　　 REQUIRED ? UN OFFICIAL


DONOR SUPPORT HELPS AVERT FOOD CRISIS IN NIGER BUT MORE REQUIRED ? UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 26 2010　 4:10PM
A food crisis in Niger has been averted as a result of generous donor response, intervention by the United Nations, the Government?s facilitation of the humanitarian effort and good rainfall, but the situation remains fragile, the top UN humanitarian official said today.

Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told reporters in New York that some five million people have benefited from food aid, but malnutrition rates remained high and many communities around the country require continued assistance.

More than 250,000 have been admitted to nutrition centres since the beginning of this year, she said.

Health also remained a concern with an outbreak of cholera and malaria cases on the rise with the onset of the rainy season. More than 1,100 cases of cholera have been reported and the incidence of malaria had spiked from around one million cases last year to over two million cases this year, Ms. Amos added.

?In the immediate and medium term there is a need to continue responding to the existing acute vulnerability, particularly in the areas of food, nutrition and health,? Ms. Amos said.

The UN humanitarian chief, who visited Niger earlier this month, stressed the ?critical? need to support Niger?s recovery activities by addressing the country?s structural problems, including high population growth and low capacity to achieve the poverty reduction and social improvement targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Supporting Niger?s efforts to provide education and programmes aimed at raising gender equality would help the country reduce social vulnerabilities, Ms. Amos said, adding that the country was also in need of help to adapt to the effects of climate change, which has made it and its neighbours in West Africa?s Sahel region prone to recurring droughts.

?Niger is by all indicators one of the poorest countries in the world, if not the poorest. Until the longer-term development needs are addressed, we will continue to see issues around food insecurity not just in Niger but in the wider Sahel region,? Ms. Amos said.

Niger has faced periodic food crises in the past three decades, with the last occurring in 2005, when more than 3 million people were threatened by severe hunger.
Oct 26 2010　 4:10PM


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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: IRAQ: LEAKED FILES POINT TO SERIOUS BREACHES OF HUMAN RIGHTS
　　　 LAW ? UN RIGHTS CHIEF


IRAQ: LEAKED FILES POINT TO SERIOUS BREACHES OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAW ? UN RIGHTS CHIEF
New York, Oct 26 2010　 4:10PM
Leaked classified United States documents on the war in Iraq point to serious breaches of international human rights law, including summary executions of a large number of civilians, as well as torture and ill-treatment of detainees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today.

The files, according to a statement by Navi Pillay?s office, indicate that the US knew about the widespread use of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by Iraqi forces, but proceeded with transferring thousands who had been detained by US forces into Iraqi custody between early 2009 and July 2010.

They also allegedly include information on many undisclosed instances in which US forces killed civilians at checkpoints and during operations.

US and Iraqi authorities, Ms. Pillay said, should take necessary measures to investigate all allegations made in these reports and to bring those behind unlawful killings, summary executions, torture and other serious rights abuses to justice in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICCPR), to which both nations are parties, and other obligations.

She called on Iraq to ratify the Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol, which gives a UN committee the right to visit all places of detention and examine the treatment of detainees.

The official also urged the Iraqi Government to facilitate visits of human rights teams with the UN mission in the country, known as UNAMI, to monitor the rights situation in detention facilities so that advice and assistance can be given to Iraqi authorities.
Oct 26 2010　 4:10PM


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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: MORE THAN 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
　　　 AFFECTED BY FLOODS ? UN


MORE THAN 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA AFFECTED BY FLOODS ? UN
New York, Oct 26 2010　 5:10PM
Over 1.8 million people have been affected by floods in Central and West Africa, which have also killed nearly 400 people, the United Nations humanitarian arm reported today, adding that Benin remains the country hardest hit by the disaster.

Elisabeth Byrs, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters in Geneva that greater financial resources are needed to respond to the situation in West Africa, where over 1.6 million people have been affected and 307 have lost their lives.

Benin remained the country hardest hit by the floods, with over 700,000 persons affected, she noted, adding that OCHA will probably launch an appeal for the country at the end of this week.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to reach 385,000 people and 13,000 host families with food aid over a two- month period. Distributions have started in some areas, with 200,000 people, including 27,000 children, receiving food baskets consisting of corn, oil, salt, and beans.

Children are also receiving a supplementary ration of milk and therapeutic Plumpy'nut, a ready-to-eat peanut paste that is rich in protein.

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which provides resources rapidly to assist people affected by natural disasters and conflicts, will also contribute $4 million to assist flood victims, Ms. Byrs said.

Meanwhile, nearly 230,000 have been affected in Central Africa, where 90 people have lost their lives.

In addition to the floods, over 52,000 cases of cholera have been reported in Central and West Africa since June, according to figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The CERF has allotted over $650,000 to Cameroon in order to help the country fight cholera, an acute intestinal infection caused by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated.
Oct 26 2010　 5:10PM


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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: UN-BACKED TRAINING PROJECT AIMS TO PREVENT CONFLICTS OVER
　　　 NATURAL　　　 RESOURCES


UN-BACKED TRAINING PROJECT AIMS TO PREVENT CONFLICTS OVER NATURAL RESOURCES
New York, Oct 26 2010　 5:10PM
Disputes over the use of natural resources are responsible for 40 per cent of the world?s internal conflicts, according research by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which has announced the launch of a training programme to help war-torn countries and those vulnerable to such frictions prevent strife.

The programme, which is supported by the European Union (EU), is designed to help build peace through improved management of natural resources such as timber, minerals, fertile land and water. It is intended for national and local governments, as well as UN and European Commission (EC) field staff.

Launched this week in Brussels, the training materials include a series of guidance notes, manuals and an online learning tool covering four themes ? land, extractive industries, environmental scarcity, and capacity building for managing land and natural resources.

The partnership is one of the outcomes of last year?s UNEP report, entitled ?From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment,? which called for the links between conflict and the environment to be addressed in a more coherent and systematic way by the UN, Member States, peacekeeping forces and relief agencies.

The training programme will be rolled out in four countries in the coming year ? Timor-Leste, Liberia, Peru and Guinea.

It was developed by the EU and a consortium of six UN agencies ? UNEP, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the UN Department for Political Affairs　 (DPA), the Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO).

?We all need to tackle this issue as a priority before natural resource disputes blow up and prevent populations from accessing the peace they deserve,? said Jordan Ryan, the Director of UNDP?s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery.

Christophe Bouvier, UNEP?s Regional Director for Europe, warned: ?As the global population continues to rise, and the demand for resources continues to grow, there is significant potential for conflicts over natural resources to intensify in the coming decades.?

Recognising the importance of linkage between the exploitation of natural resources and conflict, Richard Wright, Director of the EC?s Crisis Platform, pointed out that ?well-managed resources can play a clear role in post-conflict peacebuilding.?
Oct 26 2010　 5:10PM


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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: PUNITIVE DRUG CONTROL MEASURES DISCRIMINATORY AND HAVE
　　　 FAILED,　　　 SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT


PUNITIVE DRUG CONTROL MEASURES DISCRIMINATORY AND HAVE FAILED, SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT
New York, Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM
Punitive measures to combat the use of illicit drugs have failed to address the problem and are associated with the abuse of human rights and violations of the right to health, a United Nations independent expert has said.

?Both from the perspective of public health and human rights, the cost of excessive criminalization and excessive law enforcement are far too high,? Anand Grover, the UN Special Rapporteur on the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, told the General Assembly yesterday.

?Mounting evidence suggests the failure of this approach, precisely because it disregards the realities of drug use and dependence. Human rights and the right to health approach must be brought to the centre of international drug control policy to balance the human costs of our current system and bring into focus the need to address drug-related problems in an evidence-based manner,? Mr. Grover said.

The independent expert cited the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which has stated that a person?s individual use of drugs cannot constitute grounds for the denial of rights. However, he said, people who use drugs are often prevented from accessing services through the use of the threat of criminal punishment or may be denied access to health care.

?In this case, criminalization results in a severe from of discrimination against people who use drugs,? Mr. Grover said when presenting his latest report to the Assembly.

He also faulted the current international drug control measures, which he said unnecessarily limited access to essential medicines which are considered controlled substances, resulting in violations of the right to health.

In his report, Mr. Grover suggests alternatives to narcotics control measures that focus more attention on reducing the harmful effects of drug use. ?Decriminalization in certain laws governing drug control would demonstrably improve the health and welfare of people who use drugs and the general population,? he said.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York today, Mr. Grover said one of his recommendations is ?a new paradigm akin to the framework convention on tobacco control,? which included health awareness of the consequences of drug use, as opposed to the current ?overtly punitive? measures which drives users of narcotics underground.
Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM


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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject:
　　　 =?Windows-1252?Q?WITH=20WORLD=92S=20CORAL=20REEFS=20UNDER=20THREAT,
　　　 =20UN=20REPORT=20URGES=20COORDINATED=20PROTECTION=20MEASURES?=


WITH WORLD?S CORAL REEFS UNDER THREAT, UN REPORT URGES COORDINATED PROTECTION MEASURES
New York, Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM
A new United Nations report urges a global partnership, backed by commitment and resources, to tackle the threats posed to coral reefs by climate change, including damage from increasingly severe tropical cyclones and ocean acidification.

About 20 per cent of the original area of coral reefs has been lost, with a further 25 per cent threatened in the next century, according to the report ?Climate, Carbon and Coral Reefs? by the World Meteorological Organization WMO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity CBD).

Tropical coral reefs cover about 0.2 per cent of the world?s ocean, contain about 25 per cent of marine species and are worth an estimated $30 billion annually to the global economy in terms of coastline protection, tourism and food.

For the past 20 years, they have been ?under siege? from a growing global threat: increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the two UN bodies said in a joint press release.

?High CO₂ emissions lead to ?double trouble? for coral reefs,? states the report, which was launched at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (COP-10), which is currently taking place in the Japanese city of Nagoya.

?First, the trapping of heat in the atmosphere leads to ocean warming which can cause extensive coral bleaching events and mass mortalities. The global devastation of coral reefs from record warming of the sea surface in 1997/1998 was the first example of what is likely to occur in the future under a warming climate.

?Second, high CO₂ levels lead to ocean acidification which reduces the ability of the coral reefs to grow and maintain their structure and function.?

The report calls for more financial and technical development assistance for the protection of coral reef ecosystems, and makes a number of recommendations for future action, such as the need for meteorologists to be well informed about the potential impacts of weather and climate events on coastal and coral reef ecology.

It also recommends that concise summary reports on the global carbon threats, together with the ongoing regional and local disturbances to the world?s coral reefs, be presented to policy makers and governments, and that further research and investment are needed to improve the ability to assess and predict the impacts on coral reef systems of climate change and associated extreme events.
Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM


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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: UN RIGHTS EXPERT SAYS SECURITY COUNCIL?S COUNTER-TERRORISM
　　　 MEASURES LACK LEGAL BASIS


UN RIGHTS EXPERT SAYS SECURITY COUNCIL?S COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES LACK LEGAL BASIS
New York, Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM
An independent United Nations human rights expert said today that the regime created by the Security Council to counter terrorism is outside the scope of its powers, and called on the 15-member body to systematize its counter-terrorism measures and reporting duties of States under one framework rather than several resolutions.

Martin Scheinin, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, said that obligations in countering terrorism imposed on Member States by Security Council resolution 1373, adopted in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, ?amount to a quasi-legislative measure that is unlimited in time and space.?

In his yearly report, which he presented to the General Assembly yesterday, Mr. Scheinin stated that whatever justification the Council may have had in September 2001 for adopting the resolution, ?its continued application nine years later cannot be seen as a proper response to a specific threat to international peace and security.

Resolution 1373 (2001) goes beyond the powers conferred upon the Security Council and continues to pose risks to the protection of a number of international human rights standards,? he wrote.

Mr. Scheinin, a Finnish professor with extensive knowledge and practice in public international law and human rights law who was appointed as Special Rapporteur in July 2005, argued that it is problematic to impose binding permanent obligations for acts of terrorism which have not yet taken place because there is no universally accepted and precise definition of terrorism.

He also cited problems with the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime initiated by Council resolution 1267 of 1999, which he told reporters at a news conference in New York were introduced 11 years ago as ?a form of smart sanctions against a defined group of persons, and limited in time and space.

?They were justified with reference to a concrete threat to peace from the side of the de facto regime in Afghanistan, and the concrete aim of compelling the Taliban to hand over terrorist leader Osama bin Laden,? he said.

?While resolution 1267 (1999) could be seen as a temporary emergency measure by the Security Council,? he added, ?using its Chapter VII powers to maintain a permanent list of terrorist individuals and entities anywhere in the world and to impose its application upon all Member States as a legally binding Charter obligation goes beyond the powers of the Security Council.?

While welcoming steps taken by the Council to reform the terrorist listing and de-listing procedures, including the establishment of the Office of the delisting Ombudsperson in 2009, Mr. Scheinin noted that rights of due process remain at stake.

?It is essential that listed individuals and entities have access to domestic courts to challenge any measure implementing the sanctions that are the result of political decisions taken by diplomats,? he stated.　

The Special Rapporteur, who wraps up his duties next July, called on the Council to seize the opportunity of the approaching tenth anniversary of resolution 1373 to replace that resolution and 1267 with a single resolution ? not adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter ? to systematize the counter-terrorism measures and reporting duties of States under one framework.

Such a resolution should include explicit human rights provisions and reaffirm the obligation on the UN to comply with international human rights law, he added.

?Instead of itself listing terrorists the UN would provide advice and assistance, including in collecting evidence, for States so that they could do it properly,? he told the Assembly.

Mr. Scheinin noted that, as reaffirmed in the UN Global Counter-terrorism Strategy adopted by the Assembly, effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are not conflicting goals, but complementary and mutually reinforcing.

?The defence of human rights renders counter-terrorism efforts by States even more effective. Violations of human rights by States are only conducive to providing breading grounds for more terrorism,? he said.

Mr. Scheinin reports to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in an independent and unpaid capacity.
Oct 26 2010　 7:10PM

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF BRAZILIAN CRIME
　　　 REPORTER


UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF BRAZILIAN CRIME REPORTER
New York, Oct 26 2010 10:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with upholding pres freedom today condemned the killing of a respected Brazilian crime reporter who exposed vote rigging, drug trafficking and other illegal activities, calling on authorities to fully investigate his murder.

Francisco Gomes de Medeiros, 46, was killed on 18 October around 9 p.m. outside his home in the Para?ba neighbourhood of Caic?, in the state of Rio Grande de Norte. He was shot five times by one of two men on a motorcycle, and died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Known as F. Gomes, he headed the news division of Radio Caic? FM, where he hosted the daily programme Comando Geral, or ?General Command.?

?He was killed because he was carrying out his duty as a journalist to report on crime,? said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO).

?He died for defending the basic right of freedom of expression, a cornerstone of democratic society.?

According to the International Press Institute, a non-governmental organization, 18 journalists have been killed in Brazil because of their work in the past decade.
Oct 26 2010 10:10AM


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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: UN-BACKED POLIO CAMPAIGN TO REACH 72 MILLION AFRICAN CHILDREN

UN-BACKED POLIO CAMPAIGN TO REACH 72 MILLION AFRICAN CHILDREN
New York, Oct 26 2010 11:10AM
Nearly 300,000 health workers are fanning out across Africa this week to reach 72 million children as part of a United Nations-backed bid to drive polio out of the continent.

Vaccinators will go door-to-door in 15 countries to deliver two drops of oral polio vaccine to every child under the age of five in areas considered to be at highest risk of polio, a highly infectious and sometimes fatal disease that spreads from person to person.

The virus could infect virtually everyone who is not yet immune through vaccination, and there is no cure.

African leaders have demonstrated unprecedented cooperation and commitment to carry out synchronized immunization activities following the spread of polio from Nigeria to 24 countries in West and Central Africa, as well as in the Horn of Africa.

Thanks to these interventions, outbreaks of the virus have slowed to a trickle, with only Liberia and Mali recording any cases in the past five months. Nigeria, the only country on the continent never to have stopped polio transmission, has slashed the virus by 98 per cent in the past year.

However, eradication of polio is not complete in Africa, as evidenced by recent residual transmissions in Liberia, a less common type being imported into Mali, and a case in Uganda, which had been polio-free for more than one year.

?In Africa, we are seeing the essential government support that can make the difference between success and failure,? said Luis G. Sambo, African Regional Director for the UN World Health Organization ?But much more remains to be done to fill the gaps if we are to protect the stunning gains made this year.?

Together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the US Agency for International Development Rotary International and the Governments of Japan and Germany, the UN Children?s Fund is helping to fund the $43 million synchronized activities.

According to Gianfranco Rotigliano, UNICEF?s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, the continent is on the cusp of an exciting possibility.

?Political leaders across Africa answered the challenge posed by this dreadful disease and the results are before us,? he said. ?We need to continue efforts to vaccinate and put the needs of children in Africa first.?

The anti-polio drive kicked off in C?te d?Ivoire today, with similar campaigns being launched on Thursday in Benin, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Immunization activities will begin in Angola and Chad on 29 October, and in Sudan on 1 November.

Nigeria immunized nearly 30 million children in 20 high-risk states in the country?s north last week.
Oct 26 2010 11:10AM


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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: ASIA-PACIFIC MOST PRONE TO NATURAL DISASTERS BUT LACKS
　　　 PREPAREDNESS ? UN REPORT

Content-Type: text/plain;　　　 charset="Windows-1252"

ASIA-PACIFIC MOST PRONE TO NATURAL DISASTERS BUT LACKS PREPAREDNESS ? UN REPORT
New York, Oct 26 2010 11:10AM
Countries in Asia and the Pacific are more prone to natural disasters than those in other parts of the world, with people in the region four times more likely to be affected by natural catastrophe than those in Africa and 25 times more vulnerable than Europeans or North Americans, a United Nations report released today shows.

Future disaster risk reduction strategies in the region should be considered within broader development frameworks and multisectoral budgetary processes that address economic inequities and social and environmental imbalances, according to the study, which was unveiled at the 4th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

The first of its kind, the Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2010 ? prepared by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (<? notes that natural disasters had disproportionate impacts on human development in the region.

The region lacked comprehensive natural disasters assessment capacity, the reports notes, adding that while it generated one quarter of the world?s gross domestic product (GDP), it accounted for 85 per cent of deaths and 42 per cent of global economic losses due to natural disasters.

The report considers the socio-economic impact of disasters, and suggests ways of reducing vulnerability to disasters to protect development gains. It emphasizes that disaster losses are linked to and exacerbated by poverty, and that the vulnerability of the poor stems from multifaceted socio-economic and environmental imbalances.

?Unless these imbalances are addressed, people who are constantly exposed to disaster risk are more likely to remain poor and more vulnerable to disasters, perpetuating a vicious cycle from which it is extremely difficult to break free,? said Noeleen Heyzer, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, in a joint statement with Margareta Wahlstr?m, the UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction.

During the conference, ESCAP will also organize a technical session on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

The conference follows the one-day pre-conference event on 24 October which looked into introducing innovative tools for reducing the impact of typhoon-related disasters in the region.
Oct 26 2010 11:10AM


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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: CONSERVING PLANT GENETIC DIVERSITY CRUCIAL FOR FUTURE FOOD
　　　 SECURITY ? UN

Content-Type: text/plain;　　　 charset="Windows-1252"

CONSERVING PLANT GENETIC DIVERSITY CRUCIAL FOR FUTURE FOOD SECURITY ? UN
New York, Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM
The world?s food security could be threatened by the failure to conserve the wild plant species that are genetically related to the crops grown by mankind for food, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a new report released today.

In the 350-page report, FAO warns that the loss of biodiversity will have a major impact on the ability of humankind to feed itself in the future, with inhabitants of poorest regions of the world experiencing more shortages.

The report ? ?State of the World?s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture? ? covers topics ranging from gene bank collections to the effects of climate change on crop diversity, and is intended to highlight what is being done to protect biodiversity in food crops.

Genetic information held in certain crop varieties is crucial to the development of heat, drought, salinity, pests and diseases-resistant, fast-growing, high-yielding new varieties, necessary to reduce food insecurity in the face of climate change.

?Increasing the sustainable use of plant diversity could be the main key for addressing risks to genetic resources for agriculture,? said Jacques Diouf, the FAO Director-General.

?There are thousands of crop wild relatives that still need to be collected, studied and documented because they hold genetic secrets that enable them to resist heat, droughts, salinity, floods and pests,? he added.

According to the report, 50 per cent of the increase in crop yields in recent years has come from new seed varieties. Irrigation and fertilizer account for the other 50 per cent. A recent example is the fast-maturing New Rice for Africa that has transformed local economies in several parts of Africa.

The study calls for action, especially generating farmers? interest, and building capacities to conserve and use the genetic biodiversity that still exists.

It does not attempt to quantify biodiversity loss, but points out that empirical evidence shows continued extinction of crop biodiversity, reducing the diversity of traditional food crops that survived the past century.

FAO estimates that 75 per cent of crop diversity was lost between 1900 and 2000. A recent study predicts that as much as 22 per cent of the wild relatives of important food crops of peanut, potato and beans will disappear by 2055 because of a changing climate.

On a more positive note, the report states that over the past 12 years, there has been an increase in awareness of the importance of protecting and utilizing the genetic diversity of food crops.　 Gene banks have increased in both size and the number.

There are now some 1,750 gene banks worldwide, with about 130 of them each holding more than 10,000 plant genes. In 2008, the ultimate back-up of global crop diversity, the Svalbald Global Seed Vault, was opened in Norway.
Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM


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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews <
Subject:
　　　 =?Windows-1252?Q?SECURITY=20COUNCIL=20CALLS=20FOR=20ENSURING=20WOMEN=92S=20PARTICIPATION=20IN=20BUILDING,　　　
　　　 =20SUSTAINING=20PEACE?=

Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain;　　　 charset="Windows-1252"

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR ENSURING WOMEN?S PARTICIPATION IN BUILDING, SUSTAINING PEACE
New York, Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM
The Security Council today marked the tenth anniversary of the landmark resolution on women and peace and security by calling for the full and effective participation of women at all stages of peace processes, and for ending the abuse of women and girls in armed conflict.

Adopted on 31 October 2000, (2000)">resolution 1325 marked the culmination of years of concerted appeals and efforts, especially by civil society and women?s organizations, to draw attention to and seek action to reverse the egregious and inhumane treatment of women and girls, the denial of their human rights and their exclusion from decision-making in situations of armed conflict.

In a presidential statement adopted at the start of today?s meeting, which was slated to hear from nearly 90 speakers, the Council noted ?with grave concern? that women?s participation at all stages of peace processes and in the implementation of peace accords remains too low, despite their vital role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in rebuilding their societies.

?The Council recognizes the need to facilitate the full and effective participation of women in these areas,? it stated, adding that such participation is very important for sustainability of peace processes.

It also reiterated its demand to all parties to armed conflict to immediately and completely cease all forms of violence against women and girls, including acts of sexual violence.

?Resolution 1325 will never be implemented successfully until we end sexual violence in conflict,? Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is currently on an official visit to South-East Asia, said in a video message to the Council meeting. ?We must hold those responsible to account, whether the crimes are committed by State or non-State parties.?

In his latest report on women and peace and security, Mr. Ban noted that the conditions that women and girls face in situations of armed conflict continue to be ?abhorrent? and that effective methods for monitoring their impact are lacking.

The rape in July of more than 200 women and girls by rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is only one example of the severity of abuse of the human rights of women and girls, he added.

Mr. Ban also noted that despite an apparent firm foundation and promise, 10 years after the adoption of resolution 1325, significant achievements are difficult to identify or quantify.

Presenting the Secretary-General?s report to the Council, Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women UN Women), said that there are a number of ?sobering? messages in the report that call for concerted and urgent action.

?Although activities to implement resolution 1325 have been carried out with increasing intensity over the years, these activities have lacked a clear direction or time-bound goals and targets that could accelerate implementation and ensure accountability,? she said.

?While these discrete activities have indeed contributed to improvements in efforts to address the needs of women and girls in the context of armed conflict, evidence of their cumulative impact is inadequate.?

The report, she pointed out, recommends a comprehensive framework consisting of an agreed set of goals, targets and indicators concerning how the resolution will be implemented over the next decade.

She added that the Council could convene a review or summit at the ministerial level every five years to assess progress towards these goals and targets and to address the obstacles in implementation.

The Secretary-General?s report also stated that although a System-wide Action Plan was developed to bring greater coherence to the UN?s work on women and peace and security, the performance of that Action Plan has ?fallen short of expectations.?

Among the other UN officials addressing the meeting was Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, who emphasized several elements in moving forward. These included ensuring the necessary financing to support the implementation of resolution 1325, a greater focus on building capacities of women to build and sustain peace in their own countries, and investing more in facilitating women?s participation in political processes and in newly restructured security sector bodies.

?Our greatest indicator of success must remain however, the extent to which our collective energies contribute to building a sustainable, nationally-owned platform from which local women, working with men, can themselves define, shape and influence the course of peace in their countries,? he stated.
Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM


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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:10:03 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject:
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?NOT TOO LATE? FOR MYANMAR TO MAKE UPCOMING POLLS MORE INCLUSIVE, BAN SAYS
New York, Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM
With just under two weeks left until Myanmar holds its first elections in two decades, it is ?not too late? for the South-East Asian nation to make the polls more participatory by releasing political detainees, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is among the political prisoners who continue to be detained.

?We are really expecting that this election will be a fair one and a credible one and an inclusive one,? Mr. Ban told reporters following a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in Bangkok.

What is also key, he stressed, is how inclusive of a Government is formed after the 7 November polls, only the third multi-party elections in the 60 years since independence.

?That will be a test of the Myanmar Government ? how they will be able to meet the expectations of the international community,? the Secretary-General said.

?The more they signal through concrete actions that it is a departure from business as usual or the status quo towards more openness, the better it will be for the credibility of their country in the democratization process.?

Although Myanmar has signalled that it does not want outside help for its elections, the United Nations is committed to long-term engagement with the country, underlined Mr. Ban, who will meet with Prime Minister Thein Sein on the sidelines of the joint UN-Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting shortly in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Last week, an independent UN human rights expert characterized the upcoming polls as ?deeply flawed,? noting that ?conditions for the general elections are limited under the current circumstances? and that the potential for the polls to bring meaningful change remain uncertain.

Tom?s Ojea Quintana, the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Myanmar, told reporters in New York that ?the Myanmar Government needs to send a strong signal to the international community about its commitment to hold genuine elections, and the unconditional and immediate release of prisoners of conscience would be such a signal.?

In presenting his report on the polls to the General Assembly, he said that the freedoms of expression and assembly have been further restricted through the implementation of election laws, while party registration requirements and the high cost of registering candidates have hampered parties not backed by the Government.

?It is clear that the process has not been inclusive,? Mr. Quintana stressed.

Among other topics discussed between the Secretary-General and the Thai Prime Minister today was the current situation in Thailand, which was rocked by deadly political violence earlier this year between anti-Government protesters and security forces, as well as the national reconciliation efforts under way.

?Many of the issues that led to the recent violence and tragic loss of life can best be resolved through committed and genuine national dialogue conducted in good faith,? said Mr. Ban, who encouraged Mr. Vejjajiva to press ahead with these efforts through an inclusive, broad-based process.

Thailand ?has many important lessons to offer the world,? he said, pointing out that the country is on track to meeting most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline, and is also deeply engaged in South-South cooperation.

Thailand is the first stop on the Secretary-General?s four-nation Asia visit. He has arrived in Cambodia for the second leg of his tour, and will also travel to Viet Nam and China.
Oct 26 2010　 1:10PM


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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:10:10 -0400
From: UNNews
Subject: IN ANNUAL VOTE,　　　 GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR LIFTING UNITED
　　　 STATES EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA

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IN ANNUAL VOTE, GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR LIFTING UNITED STATES EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA
New York, Oct 26 2010　 2:10PM
For the 19th straight year, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution calling for the lifting of the decades-old economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba in the aftermath of the Cold War.

The 192-member United Nations body voiced concern about the ?adverse effects? of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries in the non-binding resolution.

The text received 187 votes in favour to 2 against (United States and Israel), with 3 abstentions (Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau).

It reiterated previous calls on countries ?to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures? that do not conform to their obligations to reaffirm freedom of trade and navigation.
In addition, the resolution urged States to repeal or invalidate any such laws as soon as possible.
Oct 26 2010　 2:10PM

ECO-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES RECOGNIZED WITH UN-BACKED AWARD
New York, Nov 10 2009 12:10PM
A range of eco-friendly start-up initiatives in Bangladesh, Colombia, India, Niger, Southern Africa and Zimbabwe have won a notable sustainable development award, the United Nations Environment Programme announced today.

The Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (SEED) Award recognizes promising new locally-driven enterprises that work to improve livelihoods, tackle poverty and manage the sustainable development of natural resources in developing countries.

“The SEED Gold Winners show us that a low-carbon, resource-efficient green economy is as much a developing country and rural community issue as it is a developed country one,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.　

“These genuinely inspiring initiatives are generating multiple economic, social and environmental benefits and being achieved often against enormous odds. The challenge now is to scale them up,” noted Mr. Steiner.

The five Gold Winners of the 2009 SEED Award include an association of small-scale women farmers in Zimbabwe striving to reverse severe land degradation through organic farming; a Bangladeshi non-governmental organization (NGO) developing a low-cost solar lantern made from recycled parts of kerosene lanterns; a group in Colombia setting environmental standards for local miners; civil society organizations in Southern Africa and India developing bio-cultural procedures to help indigenous communities share the benefit of local resources; and institutions in Niger establishing sustainable solid waste management systems to keep cities clean.

The SEED Award consists of individually-tailored business support services worth $35,000 for up to one year to help establish each scheme and increase its impact over the long-term. The services include access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying sources of finance.

The SEED Initiative, founded in 2002 by UNEP, is a partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Nov 10 2009 12:10PM

BERLIN WALL ANNIVERSARY IS NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY, SAYS NEW CHIEF OF UNESCO
New York, Nov　 9 2009 12:10PM
World leaders cannot afford to be complacent in the quest for freedom, human rights and diversity, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the incoming head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned today.

Irina Bokova, Director-General-elect of UNESCO, used the anniversary of the Wall’s fall to stress that the battle for universal values has not yet been won.

“Today we live in a globalized world, but too many walls remain,” said Ms. Bokova in a press release issued in Paris, where the agency is headquartered. “UNESCO’s task is to break through these walls, wherever they may be and whatever form they take.”

Ms. Bokova, who succeeds Koïchiro Matsuura as UNESCO chief on 15 November, served as foreign minister of Bulgaria during the 1990s.

She described the fall of the Berlin Wall as “an event of immense historical importance for world peace and the advance of democracy. It was the start of a new era, giving rise to hopes, not just in Eastern Europe but around the world, for a better life. A page has been turned.”

But she also noted that while globalization could be “a liberating force, it also carries the risk of creating a more uniform world, eroding the incredible diversity that is the real source of human creativity, economic and social development, and opening the way for new forms of repression, exclusion and poverty.”
Nov　 9 2009 12:10PM

ALL ABOARD THE UN KYOTO-COPENHAGEN EXPRESS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Oct 28 2009　 1:10PM
A one-time train link between Kyoto and Copenhagen opens up next week – a United Nations-sponsored one-month, 9,000-kilometre journey symbolically joining the site of the last global warming pact with what is hoped to be the birthplace of the next major, and stricter, treaty to combat climate change.

Launched by the UN Environment Programme ), the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the global conservation organization WWF, the Train to Copenhagen – in fact a carriage – will role across the globe through the vast wilds of Russian Siberia and into Europe as part of the UN Seal the Deal! campaign to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in December.

Train operators from around the world will participate in the Train to Copenhagen, raising awareness of the impact of the transport sector, which already accounts for over one fifth of global CO2 greenhouse emissions. These emissions are projected to double within only 40 years and railways are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing sustainable transport systems.

“We are on the road to nowhere if existing policies and economic models prevail with their over-emphasis on private cars and on shifting shipments of goods to the roads,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said. “The Train to Copenhagen project is a showcase of sustainable transport solutions that will be part and parcel of a resource-efficient, low-carbon Green Economy of the 21st Century.

“By Sealing the Deal on an ambitious climate agreement in Copenhagen, governments will get into gear to propel the world to a low-carbon future so that societies may also finally embark on a journey to more sustainable transport.”

During the journey, environmental experts and climate change campaigners will send eye-witness accounts of global warming signs under way. Siberia is a global climate change hotspot, where thawing permafrost and melting peat bogs could slowly release billions of tons of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over coming years.

The Train will roll out of Kyoto station on 5 November – leaving behind the Japanese city where the Kyoto Protocol that sets binding greenhouse gas reduction targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European Union (EU) was adopted on 11 December 1997 – and make its way by ferry to Daejeon, Republic of Korea (ROK).

There it will board another ferry for Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East for that vast transcontinental journey to drum up support for a new compact with much stronger cuts to replace the Protocol on the expiration of the first commitment period at the end of 2012.

Rumbling across Siberia, it will be hauled along the famous Trans-Siberian Railway and go by ferry across Lake Baikal, the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, and stop in Moscow, the Polish city of Poznan and then Berlin before arriving on 5 December in Brussels, where it will join the Climate Express, which will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.

This Express will take on board more than 400 climate change negotiators, campaigners and other high-profile personalities going to Copenhagen, for a 12-hour on-track conference focusing on how to solve the challenges posed by the transport sector with regard to global warming.

On arrival, the Climate Express will remain at Copenhagen Central Station throughout the two-week conference, serving as a mobile exhibition open to the public about low-carbon transport solutions.

“It is clear that business as usual is not an option if we want to reverse current trends and prevent catastrophic climate change,” UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said. “If we can really integrate the costs of pollution into the price of transportation, rail will be a big winner.”
Oct 28 2009　 1:10PM

UN NUCLEAR INSPECTORS ARRIVE IN IRAN TO VISIT NEWLY-DISCLOSED FACILITY
New York, Oct 25 2009 12:10PM
Inspectors from the United Nations atomic watchdog have arrived in Iran to visit a recently-disclosed uranium enrichment facility.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency was informed late last month by Iran about the construction of the plant, which is located in the city of Qom.

The visit was announced following talks between IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei and Iranian authorities in Tehran on 4 October, during which they discussed arrangements for the agency's access to the plant.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said the facility violates Security Council resolutions because of the delay in its disclosure, and has repeated his call for Iran to implement Council resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA on resolving outstanding concerns regarding its nuclear programme.

Iran has stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful p
urposes, but some other countries contend it is driven by military ambitions. The issue has been of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The visit comes as the Government is considering a draft agreement on fuel for its civilian nuclear research facility in Tehran, while the other three parties to the deal -- France, Russia and the United States --have signaled their approval.

Iran informed Mr. ElBaradei that it is considering the proposal "in depth and in a favourable light," but it needs a few more days to provide a response.

The Director General has voiced hope that if approved, the agreement will "open the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the international community."

Oct 25 2009 12:10PM

WITH CONCERTS, FILMS AND CEREMONIES, UN MARKS ITS 64TH BIRTHDAY
New York, Oct 23 2009　 7:10PM
The United Nations marked its 64th birthday today with ceremonies around the world, a concert at its New York Headquarters paying tribute to its blue helmet peacekeepers, and a call from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stand up for the vulnerable, powerless and defenceless.

UN Day in fact falls on 24 October, the anniversary of the day in 1945 that the UN Charter entered into force, but as the date this year falls on a Saturday, many of the ceremonies were held on Friday.

“On this UN Day, let us resolve to redouble our efforts on behalf of the vulnerable, the powerless, the defenceless. Let us stand more united than ever – united in purpose and united in action to make the world a safer, better place,” Mr. Ban said in a video message released ahead of the Day.

“The United Nations is doing its utmost to respond – to address the big issues, to look at the big picture. We are forging a new multilateralism that can deliver real results for all people, especially those most in need.”

At UN Headquarters a concert was being held on Friday evening in the General Assembly Hall with, for the first time since its inception, a theme: “A Tribute to Peacekeeping.”

Organized by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), in partnership with the Culture Project, a New York based non-profit organization dedicated to artistic work focusing on social justice and civic engagement, it used different art forms to focus on the achievements and importance of UN peacekeeping.

Musical performances by artists from a broad array of countries, oral presentations by public figures, and documentary film clips highlighting the faces and stories of the people in the field, paid homage to the blue helmets.

Among the performers were John McLaughlin (United Kingdom) with the band Remember Shakti (India), Emmanual Jal (Sudan), Sister Fa (Senegal), Salman Ahmad (Pakistan), Harry Belafonte (United States), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Lang Lang (China) and the Colombian band Aterciopelados.

The concert also featured segments from a new documentary film on UN peacekeeping, >, directed by Fisher Stevens and giving insight into the formidable challenges facing peacekeepers and the committed individuals who serve some of the most victimized and vulnerable populations on Earth.

The event aimed to create greater public awareness of the important mission performed by peacekeeping operations around the globe. The recent tragedy in the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti when 11 peacekeepers died in a helicopter crash, has made the concert theme even more poignant, as the UN pays tribute to lives lost.

At the UN’s Asia hub in Bangkok, a joint four-day exhibition by 19 UN entities opened on 22 October in CentralWorld, the city’s biggest shopping complex, with the theme “60 years of the UN in Thailand,” because the organization moved to Bangkok from Shanghai, China, in 1949.

The official UN Day ceremony itself will take place on 26 October, when the King’s daughter Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are expected to attend.

The UN’s European hub in Geneva celebrated the day today with a conference on “Comprehensive Human Security – from Theory to Practice,” while in Vienna the publication was launched on 20 October, containing a set of German-language teaching materials on the UN, 4,000 copies of which are to be distributed to secondary schools around Austria.　

In South America, meanwhile, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean held a ceremony at its headquarters in Santiago, Chile, today.
Oct 23 2009　 7:10PM

CLIMATE CHANGE TO ACCELERATE DISPLACEMENT IN AFRICA, TOP UN OFFICIAL WARNS
New York, Oct 22 2009　 6:10PM
Climate change will lead to ever greater numbers of people being uprooted in Africa, the top United Nations humanitarian official said today, calling for enhanced and swift actions to reduce disaster risk and step up mitigation.

“Too often, the humanitarian implications of climate change and the need for adaptation to the new, more dangerous reality of more frequent and intense natural disasters are forgotten as the world focuses on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said at the African Union (AU) Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kampala, Uganda.

Addressing a panel on “Natural Disasters, Climate Change and Food Security,” he noted that displacement is prompted by natural disasters and climate change, with the resulting food and water shortages promising to be “one of the greatest – if not the greatest – challenge many countries will face in the years ahead.”

Many African countries, Mr. Holmes pointed out, have already experienced the effects of more frequent and intense natural hazard events, including floods and storms, brought on by climate change.

Last year, there were 104 globally reported natural disaster, 99 per cent of them climate related, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs The number of people impacted in Africa has doubled in the past two decades, up from 9 million in 1989 to nearly 17 million in 2008.

Those most vulnerable to climate change will be hardest hit, Mr. Holmes pointed out, calling for intensive water retention measures in drought-prone areas and other actions to be taken.

The AU gathering, which began today, is expected to adopt the Convention on Protection and Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, which would be the first legally-binding regional treaty recognizing the multiple causes of internal displacement and that natural disasters and conflict are drivers of this phenomenon.

During his five-day visit to Uganda, Mr. Holmes will also tour areas of the north of the Great Lakes nation where nearly 2 million people have been driven from their homes by over two decades of fighting between the Government and the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Oct 22 2009　 6:10PM

SEAL THE DEAL: CLIMATE CHANGE COULD STEM GLOBAL TOURISM, UN CAUTIONS
New York, Oct 21 2009　 4:10PM
Rising sea levels could inundate coastal holiday spots while melting snow caps could spell an end to ski resorts, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has warned, as climate change threatens tourism, a lucrative industry for the world’s poorest nations.

Tourism is what “fuels the economy and drives people” in poor countries, Geoffrey Lipman, Assistant Secretary-General of the UNWTO, told the UN News Centre.

Nearly one third of the $735 billion generated by tourism in 2006 went to developing nations, with the industry serving as one of the major export sectors for poor countries.

From 2000-2007, international tourism, the main source of foreign exchange in nearly all of the States classed as least developed countries (LDCs), recorded 110 per cent growth in these nations.

Although many people look at tourism as a “sort of flippant activity,” they often do not realize that the industry constitutes 5 per cent of economies, having a catalytic effect on a further 5 per cent, Mr. Lipman noted.

As a result, “anything which affects the industry has a big spin-off effect on the economy,” he said, pointing to the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom where the “biggest hit came from the reduction in tourism revenues.”

Developing countries, Mr. Lipman underscored, are often “unspoiled and undeveloped,” pointing the way towards a new form of ‘green’ tourism.

The industry accounts for 5 per cent of global annual greenhouse gas emissions, most of which can be pinned on air, car, rail and other forms of transportation.

Air transport, in particular, has been targeted for its emissions, but, like other sectors, it has the potential to become more sustainable through implementation of more efficient engines and experimenting with biofuels, among others, Mr. Lipman said.

“You can’t walk to the Maldives,” he said. “We want more planes flying, not less.”

The solution, Mr. Lipman stressed, does not lie in curtailing long-haul flights which could hurt the economies of developing nations which rely heavily on tourism for income.

The UNWTO official recommends that people travel responsibly. “You can choose what you do and how you do it,” he said, calling on travellers to opt to stay in resorts that are identifiably trying to reduce their carbon footprints and to offset their flights by buying carbon credits.

For their part, governments must not consider taxes on travelling as a “cash cow” and must also not “cynically impose heavy taxes just so they can detract people from flying,” he said.

Climate-induced environmental changes – including water availability, biodiversity, and coastal erosion – will have an impact on tourism, according to a report produced last year by UNWTO, along with the UN World Meteorological Organization ) and the UN Environment Programme

For example, changes in agricultural production could hurt wine tourism, while increases in temperature are forecasted to hurt ski resorts in the European Alps, Eastern and Western North America, Australia and Japan.

As a result, adaptation to climate change is vital tourism, according to Mr. Lipman. Poorer nations must be provided with the necessary technology and financing “to create jobs, not just helping foreign tourists have a good time.”

Nations are expected to ‘seal the deal’ on a new climate change agreement – intended to go into effect after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 – this December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Along with emissions reductions targets by industrialized nations, helping developing countries adapt to global warming’s effects is also a large component of the pact set to be reached in the Danish capital.

Tourism has reached a crossroads, but Mr. Lipman voiced optimism that the industry will rise to the climate challenge. In the face of the oil crisis and hijackings of previous decades, tourism “found ways to respond and overcome it. There is no reason why it can’t adopt now.”
Oct 21 2009　 4:10PM

SPORTS CAN HELP REHABILITATE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 14 2009　 6:10PM
Sports can play a significant role in helping victims of human trafficking overcome their trauma, a senior United Nations official said today.

“Physical activity and play, if taught and conducted properly, can serve as a very valuable method for rehabilitation and social reintegration into society,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke said in Abuja, Nigeria, where he is attending the 3rd African Union (AU) sports ministers conference.

“Sports can also help traumatized children to forget the misery they went through as victims of ruthless traffickers,” Mr. Lemke said on a visit with UN Office on Drugs and Crime representative Dagmar Thomas to the housing and shelter facilities of Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Mr. Lemke welcomed the joint efforts of NAPTIP and the international community to combat human trafficking in Nigeria.

He also underlined the dangers of exploitation of young athletes in regions throughout the world and expressed support for “the valuable work” of governments and organizations that combat such exploitation, citing the Association Culture Foot Solidaire that aims to protect young footballers from trafficking and exploitation.
Oct 14 2009　 6:10PM

FOOD SHORTFALLS HEAD LIST OF MOUNTING HUMANITARIAN CRISES IN KENYA, UN WARNS
New York, Oct 13 2009　 2:10PM
Severe food shortages continue to affect millions of hungry people in Kenya while refugees pour in from neighbouring countries and United Nations agencies brace the population for expected floods, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

Food insecurity, largely due to prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa region, has led to the World Food Programme putting some 3.8 million people in Kenya on emergency food aid assistance, and another 1.5 million children on a school feeding programme.

The availability of food over the next three months is expected to remain uncertain despite the forecast of heavy rains related to El Niño weather patterns, according to OCHA.

Between 28 September and 1 October, World Health Organization conducted health sector emergency preparedness training in the eastern Garissa district in anticipation of flooding resulting from the forecasted rain. Some neighbouring districts have already developed similar emergency preparedness plans.

In addition, OCHA is supporting coordination and fund-raising efforts to address a reported re-emergence of a cholera outbreak in Turkana district in the north, which has claimed six lives and put 73 people in hospital.

With over 80,000 refugees streaming across borders into Kenya since the beginning of the year, the UN High Commission for Refugees reported that the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Kenya stands at over 380,000.

According to UNHCR, some 288,000 – the majority from Somalia – are sheltering three makeshift camps in the Dadaab area of Garissa district, almost 50,000 have settled in camps in Kakuma in the north and another 42,000 in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Oct 13 2009　 2:10PM

EX-PRESIDENT CLINTON TO LEAD UN-BACKED TRADE MISSION TO HAITI
New York, Aug 10 2009　 5:10PM
Former United States president Bill Clinton plans to lead a trade mission to Haiti in October on his second visit since being appointed United Nations Special Envoy for the impoverished Caribbean nation.

“We have a unique opportunity to act now to reclaim Haiti’s proud past while shaping a better future,” Mr. Clinton told the Second Annual Congress of the Haitian Diaspora in Miami yesterday, citing the leadership shown by the Haitian Government and Parliament, expanded US duty-free treatment for Haitian apparel exports, the recent $1.2 billion in debt relief from the international community, and the strong resolve of the Haitian people.

But, he warned: “Every single day a child is hungry; a parent comes home without a job, a mother dies in childbirth, a community is uprooted by a storm, the window of opportunity we have today closes a little more.”

Mr. Clinton, who first visited Haiti in his new capacity in July to assess how to support Government efforts to brace the country for hurricanes, generate new jobs and boost the delivery of basic social services, also cited a series of other measures to help the country.

These included the Haiti Invest Project, an equity-investment programme launched by the Soros Economic Development Fund with an initial commitment of up to $25 million.

Haiti Invest already has approached potential partners in an effort to expand this initial capitalization six-fold to as much as $150 million, and is considering investments in garment manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism, energy, and housing.　　　
Aug 10 2009　 5:10PM

ONE OF MOST POLLUTED SITES IN US TO BECOME UN-BACKED ‘GREEN’ COMPLEX
New York, Aug 10 2009　 1:10PM
A 140-year-old shipyard that became one of the United States’ most polluted sites, a wasteland contaminated by heavy metals and radiation, is to be reborn as a green technology complex housing a climate change think tank, under a United Nations-backed project scheduled for completion in 2012.　　　

Since the early 1990s, the Hunters Point Shipyard on San Francisco Bay, once the US military’s largest facility for applied nuclear research, has been given a $500-million clean-up in a projected headed by the UN Global Compact group and the US Environmental Protection Agency.　　　

“California, in general, and San Francisco, in particular, have been at the forefront of environmental sustainability for many years and all the right ingredients are here,” said Gavin Power, Deputy Director of the UN Global Compact, which seeks to encourage businesses to be better stewards of the environment.　　　

“This would also have poignant significance given that San Francisco is the birthplace of the United Nations (in 1946).”　 　

When it is completed in 2012, the complex will house a climate change think tank called the UN Global Compact Sustainability Center, which will work to find green solutions to the environmental challenges facing the world, a conference centre and UN offices, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a news release today.　 　

The Global Compact, launched in 2000, is supported by six UN agencies, including the UNEP.　　　

“We are excited to partner with the City of San Francisco to work towards securing a sustainability centre for the UN Global Compact,” Gavin Power, Deputy Director of the UN Global Compact, said.　　　

Established as a commercial shipyard in 1870, Hunters Point was appropriated by the US Navy at the beginning of World War II and became one of the Navy's major shipyards. After the war, it was home to the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory.　 　

UNEP noted that in addition to doing major clean-ups and cracking down on its own greenhouse gas emissions, California has just announced the country's first nationwide plan to adapt to climate change and its impact.　 　

Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has also announced a second global conference for local government leaders to discuss climate change and local solutions from 30 September to 2 October.　 　
Aug 10 2009　 1:10PM

TOP UN ENVOY CONDEMNS 'ABHORRENT' BOMBINGS IN BAGHDAD AND MOSUL
New York, Aug　 9 2009 10:10AM
A top United Nations official has strongly condemned the recent bombings that targeted worshipers in two of Iraq's major cities, leaving dozens of innocent civilians dead or injured.

At least 36 people were reportedly killed or wounded as a result of the car bomb that exploded on Friday outside a mosque in the northern city of Mosul as well as several explosions that struck the capital, Baghdad.

Ad Melkert, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Iraq, described the bombings as "an abhorrent crime targeting worshipers while they prayed and others as they embarked on their mid-Shaaban pilgrimage."

The mission said UN agencies are working with local officials and the Iraq Red Crescent Organization to deliver humanitarian relief to families affected by the bombings. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHC
R) has provided basic household supplies to some 50 families whose homes were badly damaged.

Mr. Melkert, who heads the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq urged local authorities to ensure access for the ongoing humanitarian effort.

The attacks come just over a week after bombings at five Shi'a mosques across Baghdad which drew strong condemnation from the Secretary-General.

"Attacks against places of worship cannot be justified by any political or religious cause," Mr. Ban said in a statement following the 31 July attacks. "These attacks appear to be aimed at provoking sectarian strife and undermining stability in Iraq."

UN FOOD AGENCY ANXIOUS OVER POSSIBLE VIOLENT REPRISALS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
New York, Aug　 7 2009　 5:10PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today expressed fears of a wave of deadly retaliatory attacks on the heels of the massacre of more than 100 people in southern Sudan earlier over the weekend.　 　　　

“WFP and its partners have called on the Government to put an end to inter-tribal fighting, which is endangering the delivery of humanitarian aid,” UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.　 　　　

Yesterday, the Security Council condemned the “grave attacks” in Akobo in Jonglei state that killed at least 185 people, including over 100 women and children. At least 60 people from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) were also reported dead as a result of the attacks, which took place on Sunday.　 　　　

Ambassador John Sawers of the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said the attacks were especially concerning given that they seemed to target women and children and involved the use of sophisticated weaponry.　 　　　

In a statement issued earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern at the latest “heinous” surge in violence in southern Sudan, the scene of one of Africa’s longest and bloodiest civil wars.　 　　　

At least 2 million people were killed, 4 million others uprooted and 600,000 more fled across the borders until a peace agreement in 2005 ended the 20 years of fighting between southern separatists and the national Government in the north.　 　 　

A referendum on independence for the south is expected to be held in 2011, following national elections next year.　 　　　

More recently, violence has flared periodically from various quarters, with some 700 people have been killed since March in the region while another 19,000 have been uprooted, Ms. Okabe said today.　 　　　

The Secretary-General warned last month that escalating inter-tribal fighting was jeopardizing the stability of the entire country and putting at risk key milestones in implementing the 2005 pact, known as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).　 　　　

Attacks by the notorious Ugandan rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), have also wrought havoc in border regions in the south.　 　　　
Aug　 7 2009　 5:10PM

VOLATILE CLIMATE, POLITICS LEAVE ACCESS TO FOOD PRECARIOUS IN MADAGASCAR – UN
New York, Aug　 6 2009　 5:10PM
Access to food for the people of Madagascar remains unreliable because of the impact of natural disasters, which routinely strike the island State, and continuing political tensions, a United Nations report warned today.

The joint Food and Agricultural Organization ) and World Food Programme mission tasked with assessing crop and food security in Madagascar underscored the effect a run of cyclones on the east coast in 2008-2009 and several years of drought in the south has had on the country’s crops.

In addition, the political crisis – involving the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana in early March, amid a dispute with the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, who now leads the country – combined with the global economic recession has had repercussions for public finances, exports, tourism, unemployment and the national currency, and a knock-on effect on the agricultural sector, according to the FAO-WFP report.

The report noted that food production varies widely across the Indian Ocean nation with good rainfall benefiting the 2008-2009 harvest in the centre, north and west of the country, as well as favouring rice-growing areas with an estimated 8 per cent increase in paddy production to over 4 million tons of rice.

However, the drought devastated the south, home to some of the country’s poorest communities, has caused national maize, sweet potato and cassava production to slump.

The production of maize in the province of Taliara in the south, which contributes 30 per cent of the national total, is expected to halve next year, and its sweet potato harvest, around 20 per cent of the national total, will slump by around 20 per cent, according to the report. In addition, cassava production in the area will fall by 15 per cent.

The report stressed that the amount of cereal required by the country, including cassava and sweet potato, will exceed total cereals availability by about 206,000 tons. Although commercial wheat and rice imports would normally cover the shortfall, a Government announcement of its intention to import 150,000 tons of rice to be sold at moderate prices could unsettle free-market trade.

Commercial interests are likely to “wait-and-see” how market prices react to Government imports, which could lead to delays or breakdowns in stocks, causing a price explosion during the lean season – beginning in September-October – reminiscent of the timing of events that led to the 2004-2005 food crisis.
Aug　 6 2009　 5:10PM

EVIDENCE OF CLANDESTINE DRUGS MANUFACTURING IN GUINEA CONCERNS UN
New York, Aug　 5 2009　 5:10PM
The United Nations voiced concern today over evidence recently uncovered in Guinea suggesting that undercover narcotics operations are producing illicit drugs on a large scale in the small West African country.

A fact-finding mission to Guinea, conducted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and Interpol, investigating a haul of chemicals seized by Government forces in mid-July revealed quantities far in excess of the legitimate demands of the country, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today in New York.

“Among the evidence – the best found by the UN in West Africa to date – were tools for making counterfeit antibiotics, substances used to produce ecstasy, and solvents commonly used in cocaine and heroin processing,” said Ms. Montas.

“The UN is concerned that clandestine drug production may be widespread in Guinea,” she added.

High pressure reaction vessels and sassafras oil, commonly used in the manufacture of ecstasy (MDMA), were found in at least two locations, and one of the sites visited by the group of experts contained a laboratory for the production of counterfeit antibiotics, according to a news release issued by UNODC.

To combat organized crime and drug trafficking in West Africa, UNODC launched an initiative last month to tackle the scourge in the region, which sees $1 billion worth of cocaine pass through its borders annually.

According to a UNODC report released on 7 July, organized crime – including trafficking in human beings, counterfeit drugs, toxic wastes and even natural resources – is arresting development in the region while lining the pockets of a select few.

In some cases, the value of trafficked goods exceeds the gross domestic product (GDP) of West African nations, which are among the world’s poorest.

“We’ll be focusing on post-conflict situations,” UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa told reporters at UN Headquarters after the launch of the report in July, noting that Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone will be the focus of the Initiative.

He added that if democratic elections can be held soon in Guinea, it, too, will be added to the list of nations.
Aug　 5 2009　 5:10PM

UNICEF UNVEILS NEARLY $2 MILLION SCHEME TO FIGHT MALNUTRITION IN NIGERIA
New York, Aug　 3 2009　 4:10PM
The head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today pledged nearly $2 million to shore up nutrition in Nigeria to stem child mortality in the African nation.

The $1.85 million scheme, which will augment UNICEF nutrition programmes already in place, will support community-based feeding stations where families can bring children to receive preventative and curative assistance.

“Lack of essential health services, malnutrition, inadequate access to clean water and basic sanitation contribute to high rates of child mortality,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman in the Nigerian city of Abuja, launching the project.

“Through close cooperation among the Government of Nigeria and religious and traditional leaders, there is hope,” added Ms. Veneman, who recently wrapped up a visit to the northern states of Kebbi and Sokoto.

In Kebbi, she took part in the launch on 31 July of Nigeria’s first-ever National Child Health Week, during which some 30 million youngsters were expected to be immunized against preventable diseases such as polio, which is contracted through contaminated food, water and faeces and mainly affects children under the age of five. Nigeria is one of only four polio-endemic countries in the world and the only endemic country in Africa.

During her four-day visit to Nigeria, one of only four polio-endemic countries in the world and the only endemic country in Africa, she also announced UNICEF’s allocation of more than $5 million to efforts to eradicate the disease.

Insecticide-treated bednets are also being handed out to curb the spread of malaria, the number one killer of under-five children in Nigeria.

“Knowledge is key,” Ms. Veneman stressed, underscoring that if communities understand the importance of basic hygiene, “child deaths can be reduced and girls and boys can be given a healthier start in life.”

National Child Health Weeks will be held twice a year in Nigeria – Africa’s most populous country with nearly 150 million people, most of whom live in poverty – in close cooperation with the Government.
Aug　 3 2009　 4:10PM

UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL WELL-SITUATED TO ENHANCE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAYS OFFICIAL
New York, Jul 31 2009　 3:10PM
The United Nations Economic and Social Council is uniquely placed to address the world’s most pressing development issues, including public health, a top official with the world body said today, as the 54-member group wrapped up its annual month-long substantive session.

“Whether it is reducing maternal mortality, combating neglected tropical diseases or attaching high priority to non-communicable diseases, the Council can nurture a level of engagement which will usher change,” Sha Zukang, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs said in his closing remarks to the gathering in Geneva.

ECOSOC plays a crucial role in bringing governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others to effectively implement development strategies, he added.

During this year’s gathering in Geneva, Mr. Sha said the body discussed the current global recession and “also sent a message that unless we take an integrated view of the climate change crisis, the goal of achieving sustainable development, including health goals, would remain elusive.”

The high-level segment of the meeting wrapped up on 9 July with a call for global cooperation to tackle interrelated food, economic and climate crises, which are stalling efforts to reach development targets.

In the Ministerial Declaration adopted by consensus at the end of the four-day High Level Segment, participants stressed that “urgent and collective efforts” are crucial to improve public health, especially as the food crisis has affected the nutrition levels of people in poorer countries.
The financial and economic crises are “undermining and slowing or reversing the development gains of developing countries” as they try to meet the Millennium Development Goals eight anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline, the Declaration said.
Mr. Sha, in his address today, emphasized that ECOSOC is also well-positioned to help nations emerging from conflict.

“It can look at the breadth of issues that such countries have to deal with in pursuing their development goals and building a sustainable foundation for peace,” the official said, stressing the need for ECOSOC to boost ties with the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which was set up in 2005 to help countries coming out of war determine the priority areas for rebuilding out of the vast array of challenges they face.

ECOSOC, whose 54 members are elected by the General Assembly, is a UN body which meets yearly to further economic and social cooperation and development. Although its 2009 session was suspended today, it can choose to reconvene at any time during the year.
Jul 31 2009　 3:10PM

BUDGET SHORTFALL THREATENS UN’S ABILITY TO FEED MILLIONS WORLDWIDE
New York, Jul 30 2009 12:10PM
Millions of hungry people around the world will not receive food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme due to a “dangerous and unprecedented” $3 billion budget shortfall this year, the head of the agency has warned.

WFP is hoping to reach 108 million people in 74 countries this year with food aid, but it expects to receive only $3.7 billion of the $6.7 billion needed for 2009.

“We are actively cutting $3 billion of our programme – which means a reduction in rations and programmes throughout the world, including those to the world’s most vulnerable people,” WFP Executive Director Josette Sheerantold reporters yesterday in Washington, ahead of meetings at the White House.

In Bangladesh, for example, the agency sought to feed 5 million people this year, but must now cut back to reaching only 1.4 million, with a school feeding programme only feeding 70,000 children out of the original target of 300,000.

Ms. Sheeran welcomed the recent $20 billion pledge to boost global food security made by the so-called Group of Eight (G8) nations, which shows the industrialized world “takes the food security issue seriously.”

But she cautioned that “we must also keep pace with growing emergency needs. The problem is not all about agricultural yields; the challenge is people cannot get access to food – whether because of poor infrastructure or because they can’t afford it.”

The food crisis is still raging in the developing world, where high food prices are exacerbated by the impact of the current financial crisis, WFP said.

Data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that in most developing countries, food prices are higher today than they were one year ago, at the height of the food crisis.

The WFP head was in the United States capital to urge policy-makers to keep urgent hunger needs as a high priority as they find long-term solutions to food security.

She also called for the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) gathering in Pittsburgh, United States, to “take action not only on the financial crisis, but on hunger.”
Jul 30 2009 12:10PM

SUDAN: UN-BACKED DRIVE TO BOOST BIRTH REGISTRATION KICKS OFF
New York, Jul 29 2009 12:10PM
A United Nations-backed campaign to boost birth registration was launched today in Sudan, where less than one-third of children have a birth certificate, leaving the unregistered vulnerable to abuse and at risk of being denied an education and other social services.

“Birth registration itself protects many other human rights that contribute in turn to a child’s successful development and protection,” said Per Engebak, acting Representative to Sudan of the UN Children’s Fund ahead of the unveiling of the new programme in the capital, Khartoum, by UN agencies, the Government of National Unity and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“Without documented proof of age, a child is exposed to the risk of under-age recruitment, to exploitative child labour and to the evil of trafficking,” he said. “Without that simple piece of paper in their hands, children who are separated from their families in times of crisis may be unable to provide critical information that would help with their reunification.”

Data on births is also crucial for identifying resource needs and budgeting for social services.

The two-day workshop that began today, with the support of the UN, will help to find how to bring down the barriers to increasing registrations across Sudan.
Jul 29 2009 12:10PM

INFLUENZA A(H1N1): UN PUBLIC HEALTH ARM TO DETERMINE MOST VULNERABLE AGE GROUPS
New York, Jul 28 2009　 6:10PM
The focus of the United Nations health agency’s efforts in easing the impact of influenza A(H1N1) has shifted to identifying age groups most at risk from contracting the virus, a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said today.

The majority of people who have contracted the new flu strain, now topping 120,000 laboratory confirmed cases, are children between the ages of 12 and 17 years-old, WHO spokesperson, Aphaluck Bhatiasevi, told reporters at a news conference in Geneva.

Ms. Bhatiasevi said that as the pandemic spreads, other age groups are becoming increasingly affected, and the top WHO priority is to determine which age groups face the highest threat, so it can take measures to protect them.

Ms. Bhatiasevi noted that a special regional meeting of health ministers from 22 countries of the WHO Eastern-Mediterranean region last week recommended that people from high-risk population groups, including pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions, should reconsider travelling to the upcoming annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in November.

She added that WHO was also consulting governments and experts on other kinds of mass gatherings, such as concerts and the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa.

Although the agency last month raised the alert level for A(H1N1) to Phase 6, the highest on its pandemic alert scale, it stressed that the level refers to the spread of the virus and not its severity, with the majority of cases showing only mild symptoms.

The upgrade to Phase 6 means that sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus has spread beyond North America, where it was initially concentrated.
Jul 28 2009　 6:10PM

CLIMATE CHANGE TOPS BAN’S TALKS WITH FRENCH LEADER
New York, Jul 17 2009　 6:10PM
The urgent need to forge consensus on a new climate change pact aimed at curbing harmful greenhouse gases dominated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s talks today with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Following a working lunch with the French leader, Mr. Ban told reporters in New York that he is “very grateful” for Mr. Sarkozy’s “full commitment to work together to ‘seal the deal’ in Copenhagen on a globally acceptable climate change deal.”

In December in the Danish capital, countries are expected to wrap up negotiations on an ambitious successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

The Secretary-General praised the “great leadership” of Mr. Sarkozy last year, as President of the European Union, in agreeing to the bloc’s energy and climate package, under which its 27 member countries agreed on a target to slash carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.

Earlier this month, Mr. Ban warned that the cuts in emissions by 2050, proposed by the leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations at their summit in L’Aquila, Italy, “while welcome, are not sufficient.”

Today, he voiced his appreciation of the “great partnership” between the UN and France, especially in the area of peacekeeping. “I’m happy to have such strong support from the French President,” he said.

Among the other topics discussed were international governance and the situations in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, Somalia, Iran and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Jul 17 2009　 6:10PM

ECONOMIC CRISIS ROLLING BACK ASIA’S DEVELOPMENT GAINS – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jul 15 2009　 2:10PM
The economic crisis is rolling back the significant progress made to date in Asia and the Pacific in meeting the Millennium Development Goals – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – according to a senior United Nations official.

Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific , said her organization has responded to the crisis by encouraging policies that include social programmes such as health coverage, pensions, education and agricultural extension services, as well as investment in small and medium scale enterprises.

“The huge scale of government spending in the pipeline in many countries offers an unprecedented opportunity to design development policies that will bring about more inclusive and sustainable development,” Ms. Heyzer said during the course of the substantive session of the UN Economic and Social Council, which is currently taking place in Geneva.

“Pro-poor policies aimed at strengthening social protection systems not only create the social foundations for more inclusive societies, they free up spending of consumers. In other words social protection systems also make good economic sense.”

She added that financial stimulus packages and reforms could help create a more integrated and coordinated Asia and the Pacific that builds upon collective regional strengths and resources.

In addition, she highlighted the need for appropriate investments in infrastructure to create economic corridors that link less developed countries to economic centres in the region, thereby increasing intra-regional trade.

As a result, the recovery of larger economies like China, India and the Republic of Korea will have “greater reciprocal positive spin offs” for their smaller neighbours.

Ms. Heyzer noted that ESCAP has sought to provide its member States with the necessary strategic analysis, policy options and technical assistance.

“Our flagship publication, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2009, provides a compelling analytical basis for the policy reforms that the region will need to collectively implement in response to the economic crisis,” she said.

The report predicts that developing nations in the region will see their growth drop from 5.8 per cent last year to 3 per cent this year, with as many as 23 million people – particularly women in the manufacturing sector – potentially losing their jobs.

For its part, the Asian Development Bank estimates that the number of poor people in Asia and the Pacific could climb by 60 million in 2009 and approach 100 million by 2010, thwarting the region’s achievement of the MDGs.
Jul 15 2009　 2:10PM

BAN WARNS OF UNTOLD DAMAGE INFLICTED ON SEAS, MARKING FIRST WORLD OCEANS DAY
New York, Jun　 8 2009　 9:10AM
Human activities are exacting a "terrible toll" on the world's oceans and seas, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today in a message marking the first United Nations World Oceans Day.

"Vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as corals, and important fisheries are being damaged by over-exploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing practices, invasive alien species and marine pollution, especially from land-based sources," said Mr. Ban in his message.

He added that oceans are also affected by piracy and armed robbery, threatening the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping, which transports about 90 per cent of the world's goods.

"Smuggling of illegal drugs and the trafficking of persons by sea are further examples of how criminal activities threaten lives and the peace and security of the oceans," he said.

The Secretary-Gener
al also said that increased sea temperatures, sea-level rise and ocean acidification caused by climate change pose a further threat to marine life, coastal and island communities and national economies.

Although World Oceans Day has been celebrated by many countries since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the General Assembly decided last year to make it an officially recognized UN annual observance on 8 June.

The Day provides the world body with an opportunity to raise global awareness of the threats to the oceans which cover about two-thirds of the Earth's surface, generating most of its oxygen, absorbing carbon dioxide emissions, providing food and nutrients, regulating climate, and supplying fishing and other marine resources for income.

The theme of World Oceans Day -- 'Our oceans, our responsibility' -- underscores "our individual and collective duty to protect the marine environment and carefully manage its resources," said Mr. Ban.
Jun　 8 2009　 9:10AM

DPR KOREA’S NUCLEAR TEST THREATENS GLOBAL DISARMAMENT EFFORTS, BAN WARNS
New York, May 27 2009　 2:10PM
The recent nuclear and missile tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) jeopardize continuing global efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned.

Addressing Finland’s Parliament in the capital, Helsinki, yesterday, Mr. Ban said that the DPRK’s nuclear test on Monday, its second ever, and its subsequent launch of short-range missiles not only “create tension in the region,” but “will also pose serious implications to peace and security on the regional and global level.”

Speaking to reporters following his speech, the Secretary-General said that the Security Council, which condemned Monday’s nuclear test in a press statement, can “start to take further measures corresponding to the gravity of this situation.”

Joining the chorus of world leaders in speaking out against the test, he said it is in “flagrant violation” of the Council’s resolution 1718 from 2006, which demanded that the country “not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile,” following its claims to have conducted a nuclear test in October of that year.

Mr. Ban reiterated his appeal to DPRK’s leaders to “refrain from taking any further measures, which will deteriorate the situation, which will create tensions in the region, which will pose negative implications for the ongoing international community’s efforts to curb nuclear non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, as well as nuclear disarmament talks which are now going on between the United States and the Russian Federation.”

DPRK authorities should abide by all commitments made to the international community as a member of the United Nations, he added.

As a former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and in light of the other roles he was involved in regarding the denuclearization process on the Korean peninsula, the Secretary-General said that he feels a greater “sense of responsibility about the situation” in the area.

“All these experiences, and my direct involvement, made me feel much more frustrated by the lack of control as to the denuclearization process, as had been agreed in the Six-Party joint statement,” he said, referring to the September 2005 agreement – involving China, DPRK, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States – in which the DPRK committed itself to abandon nuclear weapons and rejoin the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The DPRK’s only “viable option,” Mr. Ban pointed out, is for it to return to the table for talks.

In his address to the Finnish Parliament, the Secretary-General also touched on climate change, calling for the Nordic nation’s support in wrapping up negotiations on an ambitious new pact to slash greenhouse gas emissions at this December’s UN conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

He also announced that the world body will shortly be launching a Global Vulnerability Alert, with information being collected in real-time and shared with Member States to monitor the social effects of the current global economic crisis.

Before heading back to New York today, Mr. Ban met with former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, as well as Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development and a group of Finnish non-governmental organizations.
May 27 2009　 2:10PM

UN OFFICIALS CALL FOR COORDINATED GLOBAL RESPONSE TO HELP POOR OUT OF CRISIS
New York, May 18 2009　 6:10PM
Senior United Nations officials today demanded a greater global response to the plight of poor countries and people suffering from a financial and economic crisis that was not of their making.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development inaugural public symposium on “The global economic crisis and development – the way forward” opened its two-day gathering in Geneva among calls for reforms to prevent a future recurrence of the crisis.

In his opening remarks to the meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang said that his department, known as DESA, and UNCTAD had warned of the risks posed by the increasingly unsustainable imbalances in the global economy.

“We expected a crisis,” said Mr. Sha, pointing to UNCTAD’s “Trade and Development Report” and DESA’s “World Economic Situation and Prospects,” while adding that “no one anticipated the severity of the economic crisis that engulfs the world today.”

The global financial crisis has resulted in developing countries facing falling per capita income, rising unemployment and severe balance-of-payment deficits, on top of a pre-existing food crisis, he warned.

He told participants that forecasts predicting a mild recovery for 2010 are optimistic and dependent on the major economies’ fiscal stimulus packages gaining traction, the global credit crunch easing significantly and commodity prices stabilizing.

“From the UN’s perspective, with our focus especially on developing countries and the global development agenda, this leads to a need for policy measures in two key areas,” said Mr. Sha.

The Under-Secretary-General said a greater “fiscal stimulus and closer international coordination of the stimulus packages are needed” to help poorer countries survive the current economic turmoil.

He also underscored the need for a “Global New Deal” focusing on environmentally sustainable growth, job security and social protection to avoid unfair trading practices and to provide more long-term development lending.

Calling on donors to accelerate their overseas aid commitment, Mr. Sha also stressed that deep reform of the international financial system was necessary, including “systemic revisions of financial regulation, tax cooperation, international debt restructuring mechanisms and a new global reserve system.”

UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi repeated earlier calls for an “exit strategy” from the crisis for the world as a whole. “If things start moving in the Western economies, the rest of the world will not be cured.”

Mr. Supachai warned that it would be a mistake to “go back to the same old cycle of boom and bust. We cannot make cosmetic changes. We need to think about real reforms.”

Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Office said his agency is pressing for a “global jobs pact” to halt the climbing unemployment figures and to work in concert with economic stimulus packages.

Jobs are where ordinary people interact with the global economy, he said, noting that unemployment worldwide grew by 14 million in 2008 and by now has probably grown by 50 million.
May 18 2009　 6:10PM

UN DRIVE TURNS TO INTERNET TO REACH GOAL OF 7 BILLION NEW TREES
New York, May 12 2009　 2:10PM
Ahead of World Environment Day, celebrated globally on 5 June, the United Nations today announced an ambitious tree-planting target in a bid to push governments into reaching agreement on a climate change pact in Copenhagen this December.

The UN Environment Programme has appealed to the world to help its effort to plant seven billion trees by the end of the year, coinciding with the UN Climate Change Conference which aims to draw up a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

To date, some 3.1 billion trees have been planted in 166 countries, and “whether you choose to plant one tree or thousands,” UNEP would like you to register your tree planting pledge on its Billion Tree Campaign website, it said a news release.

In addition, the agency has pledged to plant a tree for each person who joins its campaign on the internet-based social networking site “Twitter” between now and 5 June. UNEP hopes to attract 100,000 people on Twitter by World Environment Day and in turn plant the same number of trees for its Billion Tree Campaign.

“If we are to reach the goal of seven billion trees planted by the crucial UN climate convention meeting in December, UNEP needs your support from schools and associations to governments, businesses and individual citizens,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.　

If half the world planted just one sapling between now and World Environment Day, it would send “a powerful statement too to world leaders and the need to seal the climate deal in less than 200 days time,” added Mr. Steiner

The World Environment Day global tree-planting drive is the first in a series of mass participation events planned as part of the UN-led “Seal the Deal!” campaign in the lead-up the UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen.
May 12 2009　 2:10PM

BAN URGES GLOBAL SOLIDARITY TO TACKLE INFLUENZA A(H1N1) OUTBREAK
New York, May　 5 2009　 1:10PM
The current influenza A(H1N1) outbreak is yet another reminder of just how much countries are interconnected, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized today, urging global solidarity to tackle the virus.

“A threat to one country is a threat to all, requiring a collective global response,” Mr. Ban told reporters in New York during his monthly press conference.

The World Health Organization has kept its pandemic alert at Phase 5 – on a six-level warning scale – meaning that sustained human to human transmission of the flu had been confirmed, with widespread community outbreaks in at least two regions.

As of 06:00 GMT today, 21 countries have officially reported 1,124 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection, with Mexico reporting 590 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths.

The Secretary-General noted that the UN has no plans to raise the alert level to Phase 6 at present, but stressed the need for vigilance and preparedness as there is still much that is unknown about the virus.

“We must therefore be prepared,” he stated. “Whatever trajectory the current outbreak may take, and so far we have been fortunate that its consequences have been relatively mild, we have learned valuable lessons.

“Our watchword in potential health crises, now and in the future, must be solidarity — a global solidarity,” he stressed.

In this spirit, Mr. Ban said he will in the coming weeks be asking governments to reach agreement on sharing of samples of viral and other materials, as well as data on outbreaks, as well as agree to establish coordinated long-term financing mechanisms for supporting poorer countries so that they are able to build their defenses against global health threats.

In addition, States will be asked to ensure that WHO “has all the resources it needs, when it needs them,” and to reverse restrictions on trade and travel unless there is clear scientific evidence that it is necessary.

Mr. Ban, who will travel to Geneva later this month for the World Health Assembly, will also meet with donors, technical partners and the private sector, including pharmaceutical companies, to explore how all can contribute.
May　 5 2009　 1:10PM

MIGIRO URGES SUSTAINABLE AFRICAN GREEN REVOLUTION TO TACKLE FOOD CRISIS
New York, May　 4 2009　 7:10PM
Pointing to Africa as the epicentre of the global food crisis, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General today called for an African Green Revolution, urging the international community to double food yields across the continent through sustainable agriculture.

“In contrast to the original Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, which largely bypassed Africa, this must be a sustainable green revolution,” Asha-Rose Migiro said in remarks to the opening of the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

She emphasized the development of agricultural practices that respect diverse cropping systems and ecological conditions to preserve biodiversity. She also stressed the need to guarantee African farmers equitable access to markets for their products.

“An African Green Revolution must empower farmers, particularly smallholders, both women and men,” Ms. Migiro said.

She called for global agricultural markets to favour agricultural development in poor countries, saying “trade distortions that discourage agricultural investment in developing countries need to be phased out.”

Sustainable agricultural development also required careful management of resources to balance food security with energy needs, she added.

“Food security must not suffer as a result of the growing demand for bio-fuels or as a result of long-term food export supply contracts,” Ms. Migiro said.

The 53-member Commission will discuss and ultimately adopt a series of policy recommendations to guide agricultural development along with measures to address drought, desertification, land use, rural development and sustainable development in Africa during its two-week session.
May　 4 2009　 7:10PM

UN SWINE FLU PANDEMIC ALERT REMAINS AT PHASE 4 AMID RISING INFECTIONS
New York, Apr 28 2009　 2:10PM
The international influenza pandemic alert remains at phase four, on a six-level warning scale, the United Nations health agency said today, as the count of swine flu infections continues to rise.

The World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_20090427/en/index.html">WHO) reported that at present there are 79 cases – up from yesterday’s tally of 73 – worldwide of the strain of the new H1N1 influenza, otherwise known as swine flu because the strain is thought to have originated from pigs.

The virus has infected 40 people across the United States, 26 in Mexico and 6 in Canada, according to WHO, which also noted that there are verified reports of 2 cases in Spain, 2 in the United Kingdom and 3 in New Zealand.

“There have been seven deaths among this total number of cases, all of which are reported in Mexico,” WHO Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda told reporters in Geneva.

Mr. Fukuda pointed out that the number of swine flu infections WHO reports are only of laboratory confirmed cases specific to the virus and not the suspected numbers of H1N1 human contaminations presented in the media.

Although WHO has determined that the disease has spread to a number of different countries, it is only in Mexico that swine flu has reached sustained levels of person-to-person infections, which warrants a phase 4 alert.

Mr. Fukuda highlighted that the phase 4 alert recognises the increased risk of a pandemic, but does not mean the virus will necessarily spread to different countries and be transmitted to large numbers of people.

“It is too early to say that pandemic is inevitable but it is a possibility,” he said, adding that it is also too early to determine the origins of this new strain of the influenza virus.
He noted there is still no good explanation as to why cases of the infection in Mexico have appeared more severe than in other countries.

Although the evolution of the outbreak into a pandemic is not certain, Mr. Fukuda underscored the importance for countries to prepare themselves for the possibility of the global spread of the disease.

“We are beginning to focus on the anticipated needs of developing countries if the pandemic should develop,” he said. “We know from the analysis of past pandemics and we also know from many infectious diseases and health problems that the poor and the developing countries are the ones that really get hit the hardest.”

Developing countries also have the least resources to deal with a health emergency, warned Mr. Fukuda, while calling on the international community to help meet the demands a crisis may place on the poor.

WHO is working to facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against the swine flu virus, which the agency noted could take around 4 to 6 months. In addition, several more months would be needed to produce a suitably large amount of the vaccine.
Apr 28 2009　 2:10PM

UN CONSIDERING RAISING GLOBAL PANDEMIC ALERT LEVEL DUE TO SWINE FLU SPREAD
New York, Apr 27 2009 12:10PM
With swine flu infections now confirmed in four different countries, the United Nations health agency may raise the international pandemic alert today to phase 4 or 5 – out of six – for the first time since the current warning system was introduced in 2005 for the avian influenza crisis.

The emergency committee, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to advise on the recent outbreak of the deadly new strand of the flu virus, is currently meeting to determine the status of the pandemic alert level.

WHO reported that there are confirmed cases in Canada, Mexico, Spain and the United States, and there are rumours of the infection spreading to others.

“We now have 40 reported cases in the United States and approximately 26 in Mexico, others in Canada and we now have a verified case in Spain,” a WHO spokesperson told reporters in Geneva.

Phase 5 of the WHO pandemic alert levels is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.

“The declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short,” says the agency’s website.

The geographic spread and the increasing number of human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) has brought forward the second meeting of the WHO emergency committee to today.　

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also expressed concern over the virus, noting that under WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, “the UN system is actively working with all concerned Governments, especially those of Mexico and the United States, to rapidly scale up support in controlling the outbreak.”
Apr 27 2009 12:10PM

SWINE FLU OUTBREAK HAS PANDEMIC POTENTIAL, WARNS UN HEALTH AGENCY
New York, Apr 25 2009　 9:10PM
The head of the United Nations health agency today warned that the recent outbreak of a deadly new strain of the flu virus, known as swine flu, reported in parts of Mexico and the United States, has the potential to become a pandemic.

According to media reports, the new infection is suspected to have killed more than 60 people in three Mexican cities and sickened at least eight people in the border states of California and Texas in the US. The virus may have also spread to New York and Kansas.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan noted that the situation is evolving quickly. "We do not yet have a complete picture of the epidemiology or the risk, including possible spread beyond the currently affected areas."

Although WHO can not predict whether the recent outbreak will become pandemic on the basis of current evidence, the agency said the swine flu cases in Me
xico and the US are of the same genetic animal strain of the H1N1 virus. The animal virus has begun infecting people, giving it pandemic potential.

WHO epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists operating in offices around the world reported no indication of similar outbreaks in other regions at present, noted Ms. Chan.

She told reporters in Geneva, however, that "this is a serious situation which must be watched very closely."

All of the eight people reported to have contracted the virus in the US have recovered and the cases have been mild, but in Mexico "we are seeing a range of severity from mild to severe and some deaths."

The Director-General urged health officials within countries to be alert to outbreaks of influenza like illness or pneumonia, especially if they occur outside the normal flu season, and to note excess cases of severe or fatal flu like illness in groups other than young children and the elderly, who are usually at highest risk.

Both Mexico and the U
S are working closely with WHO to address the newly emerging infection, and a meeting was convened today of an emergency committee to evaluate the evidence and advise Ms. Chan on an appropriate course of action.

"The committee will also advise me on whether WHO needs to introduce any temporary measures in the interest of protecting international health," said Ms. Chan.
Based on immediate advice from the committee, the Director-General has determined that the outbreak constitutes a phase 3, of six phases, public health emergency of international concern.
Apr 25 2009　 9:10PM

TRANSPORT OF ENERGY ACROSS BORDERS REQUIRES COLLECTIVE EFFORT – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Apr 24 2009　 6:10PM
International cooperation is crucial for a reliable supply of energy across national borders, whether through gas and oil pipelines or other means, a top United Nations development official said today.

“Overcoming the barriers to reliable and stable energy transit requires a collective response that is practical, takes into account the needs of all affected countries, and draws on our collective expertise,” Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, said at a conference on the issue in Turkmenistan.

International cooperation is crucial for a reliable supply of energy across national borders, whether through gas and oil pipelines or other means, a top United Nations development official said today.

“Overcoming the barriers to reliable and stable energy transit requires a collective response that is practical, takes into account the needs of all affected countries, and draws on our collective expertise,” Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, said at a conference on the issue in Turkmenistan.

Mr. Sha is representing the Secretary-General at the conference, which follows up on a General Assembly resolution on “Reliable and Stable Transit of Energy and its Role in Ensuring Sustainable Development and International Cooperation.”

Stable means of energy transport is of mutual benefit to many countries, he said.

Importing countries, he said, need to feel secure that their access to energy will not be disrupted abruptly. Similarly, exporting countries want to feel secure that there will be no abrupt disruptions in their incomes.

However, for developing countries, reliable energy transit requires investment in infrastructure, and attracting adequate capital requires proper governance, appropriate policies and creation of efficient markets.

In addition, he said, it is important to keep in mind that the ultimate goal of energy transit, whether for trade or consumption, is to ensure continued progress towards sustainable development.

“Effective energy sector governance can help stimulate investment not only in energy transit infrastructure, but also in energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner energy technologies,” Mr. Sha stressed.

The establishment of common and transparent rules in operation of energy markets can play an important role in this regard, he said.


Stable means of energy transport is of mutual benefit to many countries, he said.

Importing countries, he said, need to feel secure that their access to energy will not be disrupted abruptly. Similarly, exporting countries want to feel secure that there will be no abrupt disruptions in their incomes.

However, for developing countries, reliable energy transit requires investment in infrastructure, and attracting adequate capital requires proper governance, appropriate policies and creation of efficient markets.

In addition, he said, it is important to keep in mind that the ultimate goal of energy transit, whether for trade or consumption, is to ensure continued progress towards sustainable development.

“Effective energy sector governance can help stimulate investment not only in energy transit infrastructure, but also in energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner energy technologies,” Mr. Sha stressed.

The establishment of common and transparent rules in operation of energy markets can play an important role in this regard, he said.
Apr 24 2009　 6:10PM

UN ANTI-RACISM CONFERENCE WINDS DOWN AMID NGO EXPULSIONS FOR BAD BEHAVIOUR
New York, Apr 23 2009　 4:10PM
The ongoing United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva concluded its general debate today after hearing statements on new forms of racist discrimination and expelling three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for disruptive behaviour.

A number of the UN agencies spoke at the five-day <"http://www.un.org/durbanreview2009/coverage/press/pr_23-04-09_sg.shtml">Durban Review Conference, which comes to a close tomorrow, including the International Labour Organization (<"http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm">ILO), which warned that saying no to racism in the work is key to promoting respect, tolerance and inclusiveness.

For its part, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) highlighted its own role in countering pseudo-scientific theories of racial superiority.

In a related development, the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, in her capacity as Secretary-General of the conference, took steps to banish three NGOs as a result of unacceptable behaviour inside UN premises “in clear violation of the rules laid down regarding the conduct of NGOs during the conference,” according to a press release.

The ousted Union des Etudiants Juifs de France (UEJF) participants were “extremely prominent” during disruptions that took place on the opening day of the Conference.

“There has, in the view of the organizers of the Conference, been a clearly orchestrated effort by members of this NGO, possibly in league with others, to disrupt the conference,” the release sad.

Two delegates from the Neda Institute for Political and Scientific Research were intercepted with inciting materials, possibly in coordination with other organizations, and the distribution of any materials, especially offensive ones, outside designated areas is clearly prohibited.

The third group to be kicked out of the conference was COEXIST for similar behaviour as UEJF, during several of the same incidents.

On the Conference’s opening day, delegates of several nations walked out of the room during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s address, which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said were intended to “accuse, divide and even incite” and are a roadblock to tackling the scourge of racism.

On Tuesday, the conference unanimously adopted an outcome document, emphasizing the need to address all manifestations of intolerance with greater resolve, calling on States to take effective, tangible and comprehensive measures to prevent, combat and eradicate all forms of racism, and urging countries which have not yet done so to create and implement national plans to combat intolerance, among other steps.
Apr 23 2009　 4:10PM

ISRAELI BAN ON IMPORTS INTO GAZA PUTS ECONOMIC RECOVERY ON HOLD, UN REPORTS
New York, Apr 22 2009　 7:10PM
Economic recovery in the Gaza Strip is at a standstill due to the ongoing blockade of materials and spare parts that would spur reconstruction following the Israel’s devastating three-week military offensive, the United Nations said today.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that the ban on importing construction supplies has also stalled major repairs on Gaza’s schools after the operation launched last December, which Israel said was aimed at ending Hamas rocket attacks.

The sweeping Israeli prohibitions and restrictions on the entry of cash has delayed work on almost all of the 200 projects planned under the $615 million UN Flash Appeal for the combat-battered area and its 1.4 million Palestinians residents, <"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA added.

Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA) warned that number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea among children under the age of three have topped the alert threshold for the second time this year.

The agency added that test results released last month showed contamination in 14 per cent of water samples, and there are concerns that water could be further tainted by the residue of toxic munitions.

For its part, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) noted that unemployment in Gaza has risen from 36 per cent before the military operations to 43 per cent since unilateral ceasefires ended them on 28 January.

Poverty among the unemployed has also increased from 56 per cent to 66 per cent during the same time period, UNDP said.

Meanwhile, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry deplored the demolition of a home in East Jerusalem while on a visit to sites where Palestinian homes have either been destroyed or are being targeted for demolition.

Mr. Serry called on Israel to stop such actions and to abide by its commitments under the Road Map, stressing that they harm ordinary Palestinians, heighten tensions in the city and undermine efforts to build trust.
Apr 22 2009　 7:10PM

UN AGENCY TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN GAZA
New York, Apr 21 2009　 4:10PM
Increased discharge of raw sewage and other environmental effects of the recent combat in Gaza will be focus of an assessment announced today by the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/environmentalgovernance/News/PressRelease/tabid/427/language/en-US/Default.aspx?DocumentID=579&ArticleID=6132&Lang=en">UNEP).

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, currently on a visit to the Gaza Strip, said he requested the agency’s Post Conflict and Disaster Management Branch to deploy a team of experts to the devastated territory by mid-May to carry out the survey.

“I look forward to receiving rapid and clear recommendations emanating from the May assessment.　 This will inform local planning and assist the planned reconstruction by the international community,” Mr. Steiner said.　

“The UNEP team’s findings will be based on systematic field work, independent laboratory analysis and scientific rigour,” he added.

The experts chosen have extensive experience in assessing the environmental impact of conflict in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Sudan and the Middle East, and in making recommendations for action, according to the agency.

They also have expertise in water and waste water management, asbestos and hazardous wastes monitoring, and coastal and marine issues, it added.

At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed and some 5,300 were injured in the offensive launched by Israel in late 2008 with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups. The heavy bombardment and fighting also reduced buildings and other infrastructure to rubble.

During his visit, Mr. Steiner has been meeting with senior Palestinian officials and UN staff to hear first hand their concerns and learn of key environmental challenges and priorities for rehabilitation.

He emphasized that the infrastructure damage that led to increased discharge of raw sewage into ground water supplies and the Mediterranean Sea posed a challenge to authorities and threatened public health in Gaza and potentially in Israel.

Initial assessments by UNEP as part of an early-recovery initiative by the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and other such studies have also flagged building demolition waste and contaminated land as issues of environmental concern, among others.

Once the extent of the physical damage is determined and the measures required for their rehabilitation are identified, the cost of the damage resulting from the latest conflict will be calculated by the team, UNEP said.

Laboratory results from the 10-day assessment mission in May are expected by early June with a report and recommendations anticipated in early July, the agency added.

The assessment was formally requested by a decision of UNEP’s Governing Council and a gathering of the world’s environment ministers at the organization’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya in February, Mr. Steiner said.
Apr 21 2009　 4:10PM

WITH WOODS THREATENED BY CRISES, FOREST MANAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL, UN SAYS
New York, Apr 20 2009　 7:10PM
Sustainable forest management policy is crucial at a time when climate change, the financial crisis and unsustainable development are posing severe risks to this invaluable global resource, United Nations officials said today.

“Forests are not just timber and they are not just carbon sticks,” said Jan McAlpine, Director of the Secretariat of the <"http://www.un.org/esa/forests/session.html">UN Forum on Forests, the only global body for comprehensive deliberation on forest policy, which starts its annual meeting today at the Organization’s Headquarters in New York.　

“At this session of the Forum, member States need to step forward and finally reach agreement on the ways and means to finance sustainable forest management, Mr. McAlpine said.　 This is a 17-year discussion, and it is time to stop talking and take action.”

Globally, forest covers about 30 per cent of the world’s land area, amounting to just under 4 billion hectares, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO).　

The <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank estimates that more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, and that international trade in global forest products amounts to $270 billion a year.

At the same time, the FAO said, 13 million hectares of forest are lost each year due to deforestation, accounting for up to 20 per cent of global greenhouse gasses, which contribute to global warming.

In 2007, at the last Forum, countries agreed to create a historic mechanism for international cooperation in forest management, which Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, called a “milestone.”

The meeting of the UN Forum on Forests continues through 1 May, 2009.
Apr 20 2009　 7:10PM

OLUTIONS TO INTERRELATED GLOBAL CHALLENGES SPUR SUSTAINABILITY, SAYS BAN
New York, Apr 19 2009　 1:10PM
The interlinked challenges the world faces today can be addressed in a manner that will propel growth, inclusivity and sustainability, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.

In his <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp">remarks yesterday to the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Ban emphasized the need to "safeguard people from hardship, not only the poorest and most vulnerable, but also the emerging middle class."

Today's interrelated food, energy, climate and economic crises could spiral into social unrest, weakened governments and angry people losing faith in both their leaders and their futures, he stressed.

"If we are smart about it, if we work at their inter-connections, solutions to each can be solutions to all," the Secretary-General said. "We can get more value for our collective dollar, peso and real."

Leaders
at the Group of 20 (G-20) summit earlier this month in London made strides towards a 'green' new deal, vowing to reach agreement on a new climate change pact at this December's United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Americas have been ravaged by climate change, with glaciers shrinking in Antarctica and the Andes, deforestation affecting the Brazilian Amazon, and sea level rises threatening the existence of some Caribbean nations, Mr. Ban said.

"Bold, visionary leadership is needed to seal a deal in Copenhagen," he said. "It must be ambitious, effective and fair. It must offer rich nations a way to cut emissions."

Equally importantly, poorer countries must receive support to adapt to climate change, he added, calling for the creation of green jobs to promote green growth.

"Ultimately, solidarity and common cause must be our greatest strength," Mr. Ban said, calling for a new form of multilateralism to serve as the foundation for a new and sustaina
ble prosperity for all people, a vision he laid out on Friday in an <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3793">address at Princeton University.

Apr 19 2009　 1:10PM

US, RUSSIAN ARMS TALKS COULD BREAK THROUGH DISARMAMENT IMPASSE – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Apr 16 2009　 5:10PM
New nuclear arms negotiations between the United States and the Russian Federation could break the current impasse in arms control, but only if they fed into multilateral efforts, a top United Nations official said today.

“Bilateral initiatives must support and feed into the multilateral mechanisms to make the process sustainable and lasting,” Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) told a conference on “Overcoming Nuclear Dangers” in Rome.　

“The different tracks must be mutually reinforcing,” he added.

Recent statements by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama have already helped create a more positive international atmosphere, Mr. Ordzhonikidze said.

As a result, a proposal has been tabled at the Conference on Disarmament which envisages the establishment of a Working Group to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons (FMCT), he noted.

He explained that the proposal differs from previous ones in that it supplements the mandate for negotiation of an FMCT with provisions for “international and effective verification,” a major compromise on the part of the US.

He expressed optimism about the prospects of the proposal, but stressed again that all the members of the Conference on Disarmament must be involved for maximum impact on non-proliferation and disarmament.　

“The increasingly favourable international climate represents an opportunity – and an added responsibility – for the Conference, and I hope that our Member States will seize that opportunity,” he said.　

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has repeatedly appealed to the members of the Conference – the world's only multilateral disarmament negotiating forum – to break their deadlock and move to the negotiations phase on a treaty banning the production of fissile material and other matters.

The Conference has not been able to agree on a programme of work for 10 years.　 For that reason, Mr. Ban called Russian and US leaders' support for the negotiations “most welcome.”

The meeting on “Overcoming Nuclear Dangers” at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs through tomorrow, 17 April.
Apr 16 2009　 5:10PM

CLIMATE CHANGE POSES CHALLENGES, OFFERS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, SAYS BAN
New York, Apr 15 2009　 7:10PM
The twin financial and climate catastrophes have been cause for nervousness worldwide, but Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed that the challenges also open the door for new economic opportunities in the face of the global recession.

“The good news is that we can tackle both at once, as solutions to the climate crisis can catalyze the green growth that is the foundation of long-term economic prosperity,” Mr. Ban, who has deemed 2009 the “year of climate change,” <"http://www.un.org/sg/articleFull.asp?TID=101&Type=Op-Ed">wrote in the <I>Korean Herald</I>.

If countries must implement green stimulus packages to pull themselves out of economic turmoil and nations reach agreement on a new global climate change agreement at this December’s UN conference in Copenhagen, “the world has its best chance in decades to make serious progress on both the climate and economic fronts,” he added.

According to scientists, the pace of global warming is accelerating, with the window for action on climate change closing ever faster, the Secretary-General pointed out. Experts have noted that high rates of greenhouse gas emissions are resulting in the world reaching the high end of case scenarios delineated in the 2007 report by the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<"http://www.google.com/search?q=IPCC&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8">IPCC), the definitive standard for climate science.

“Unfortunately, time is not on our side,” he cautioned. “The clock is ticking and cannot be turned back.”

In his piece, Mr. Ban pressed nations to do their utmost to ensure that the upcoming climate talks in Denmark, which he said will be a “watershed moment in history,” are given top priority so that negotiations on a success pact to the <"http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php">Kyoto Protocol, whose commitment period ends in 2012, can be concluded.

The agreement reached “must be ambitious, fair and effective in reducing emissions while assisting countries as they adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change,” he said.

The first round of negotiations for 2009 wrapped up last week in Bonn, Germany.

To ensure that all nations are on board, the Secretary-General said that five key political issues must first be resolved: industrialized nations must set ambitious emissions reduction targets; major developing countries must identify what mitigation steps they plan to pursue in the future; solving the issue of finance; an accountable means to distribute these funds must be set up; and vulnerable countries must be supported in protecting lives and livelihoods.

“By sealing a deal, we can power green growth today and protect our planet for our children and their children to come,” he said.

Mr. Ban said he disagreed with the view held by some that the global economic downturn is a reason to curtail efforts to tackle climate change.

“To the contrary, it represents an unprecedented opportunity to redirect government stimulus packages into green energy options and to fundamentally retool our global economy so that long-run, sustainable growth is accessible for all,” he stated.

His native Republic of Korea (ROK) has blazed a trail to a greener, lower-carbon future, he said, with investments in mass transit, energy conservation, forest restoration and water resource management, among others.

The country is also an example for others on actions necessary to reduce emissions, the Secretary-General said. “As a power emerging economy, the Republic of Korea can serve as a bridge between industrialized and developing countries by setting ambitious emission reduction goals for itself.”
Apr 15 2009　 7:10PM

OMAHA TO PLAY HOST TO 2009 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY IN NORTH AMERICA – UN AGENCY
New York, Apr 13 2009　 5:10PM
North American celebrations for World Environment Day, observed annually on 5 June, will centre on Omaha, Nebraska, the United Nations Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) announced today.

Businesses, organizations and individuals in the host city, Omaha, will work with the UNEP Regional Office for North America (RONA) to schedule a series of events for the Day, as well as activities for the six weeks between Earth Day on 22 April and World Environment Day.

“While UNEP thinks globally, we must act locally by engaging partners from all sectors of society, including cities, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, youth, and the media,” said Amy Fraenkel, Director of RONA.　　　

“It is important to bring this message to all parts of the United States, and we are proud to be partnering with the City of Omaha on World Environment Day 2009,” she added.

Each year more than 100 countries commemorate World Environment Day, a major vehicle through which the UN seeks to raise global awareness of the environment and boost political action, with thousands of events in UNEP’s six global regions: North America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and West Asia.

Events in Omaha and at venues around the world will highlight resources, initiatives and methods that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption, among others.

Bayer Corporation, UNEP’s World Environment Day partner in North America, will sponsor the youth programme for the Day, which includes the opening of a special exhibition of the International Children’s Painting Competition (ICPC), an awards ceremony for ICPC North American winners and an interactive environmental workshop for Omaha students led by Mae C. Jemison, a scientist and the first African-American female astronaut.　

Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, will serve as the international host city for this year’s World Environment Day, whose theme is “Your Planet Needs You – UNite to Combat Climate Change,” and which seeks to propel nations to reach agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen in December.
Apr 13 2009　 5:10PM

UN PROBE INTO GAZA INCIDENTS BEGINS WORK
New York, Feb 12 2009　 8:10PM
A United Nations investigation into events incidents involving death and damage at the world body’s premises in Gaza during Israel’s recent three-week offensive kicked off today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

The four-member Board of Inquiry, led by Ian Martin of the United Kingdom, began its work in New York today and is expected to travel to the region shortly, according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

The body will review and investigate several incidents in the Gaza Strip between 27 December 2008 and 19 January 2009 and “in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to, United Nations premises or in the course of United Nations operations,” it noted.

The Secretary-General said that he expects that all parties will fully cooperate with the Board, which also comprises Larry Johnson of the United States, Sinha Basnayake of Sri Lanka and Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Eichenberger of Switzerland.

Upon completing its investigation, the Board will report to Mr. Ban, who will then, upon reviewing the findings, decide what steps to take.
Feb 12 2009　 8:10PM

FORMER KOSOVO OFFICIAL HELD ON CONTEMPT GRANTED PROVISIONAL RELEASE BY UN TRIBUNAL
New York, Feb 10 2009　 6:10PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s has ordered the provisional release of a former Kosovo official who has completed a three-month sentence for contempt of court for witness tampering during the trial of former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj.

Bajrush Morina was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia which is based in The Hague, for attempting to persuade a protected witness, with the codename PW, not to testify against the former leader.

Mr. Haradinaj, who was also a prominent commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the conflict with Serb forces in 1998-99, was acquitted in April last year by the ICTY of a series of charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture, abduction, cruel treatment, imprisonment and the forced deportation of Serbian and Kosovar Roma civilians.

When they announced the verdict, the judges said the Tribunal had encountered many difficulties in securing testimony from witnesses during the trials of Mr. Haradinaj and his two co-accused. Prosecutors later filed an appeal, describing what they called the “prevailing circumstances of intimidation and fear.”

Mr. Morina, who had been adviser to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Youth and Sport of Kosovo and a newspaper editor, was convicted on 17 December 2008 along with co-accused Astrit Haraqija, the government minister of the same department.

The former adviser spent a total of three months in the Tribunal’s Detention Unit, where he was held for a few weeks during his initial appearance in court and again at the time of his trial.

Both the Prosecution and the Defence have appealed the ICTY’s judgement to release Mr. Morina, whose freedom is now dependent on the outcome of the Appeals judgement.
Feb 10 2009　 6:10PM

PRESERVATION OF SUNKEN BRITISH WARSHIP URGED BY UN CULTURAL AGENCY
New York, Feb　 5 2009 12:10PM
The head of the United Nations cultural agency today called for the preservation of a British man o’war sent to the bottom of the English Channel by a storm in 1744 with all hands and, it is said, a sizeable gold treasure.

The discovery of the wreck of the HMS Victory was announced on 2 February by the explorers who found it off the Channel Islands, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ).

“I am delighted that such an exceptional example of underwater heritage has been located. The cultural and scientific value of this artefact is considerable,” said Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO’s Director-General.

He said that its preservation was particularly important in light of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which entered into force last month after it was ratified by 22 States.

“In the spirit of the Convention adopted by UNESCO in 2001, I trust that all parties concerned will take the necessary measures to ensure this important vestige of British naval history is safeguarded and given appropriate attention, not used for commercial gain,” he said.

The United Kingdom has not joined the States Parties of the Convention to date, but it has expressed its willingness to comply with its Annex, which establishes ethical and scientific rules, widely recognized by archaeologists, for activities directed at underwater sites.

When it sank, the massive Royal Navy vessel took around 1,000 men down with it, and, besides human remains, the ship is thought to contain a number of bronze cannons, historical artefacts and a sizeable shipment of gold.

The rules of the Convention on underwater heritage state that commercial exploitation of underwater cultural heritage for trade or speculation is fundamentally incompatible with its protection and proper management, UNESCO said.

They do allow, however, for work by professional archaeological services in conformity with recognized ethical and scientific rules and subject to the authorization of competent national authorities.

Beside shipwrecks, the Convention aims to protect such sunken historical sites as the ruins of the Alexandria lighthouse and Cleopatra’s palace in Egypt, part of ancient Carthage in Tunisia, and Jamaica’s Port Royal, destroyed by an earthquake in 1692, as well as entire landscapes and rock art caves now at the bottom of the sea.
Feb　 5 2009 12:10PM

RENOVATION PLAN WILL RESULT IN MAJOR ‘GREENING’ OF UN COMPLEX, SAYS OFFICIAL
New York, Feb　 2 2009　 6:10PM
The renovation project designed to make United Nations Headquarters in New York more modern, safe and sustainable will result in a significant “greening” of the landmark complex that will reduce energy consumption and operating costs, as well as lower the world body’s carbon footprint, the official in charge of the overhaul said today.

“The environmental performance of the Headquarters complex will be significantly improved upon completion of the Capital Master Plan,” Michael Adlerstein, Executive Director of the five-year, $1.9 billion project, told a news conference in New York.

“We’ll reduce energy consumption by a projected 44 per cent as compared to existing conditions,” he noted. “This is an improvement over the 40 per cent figure reported last year.”

The reduction in energy consumption will be achieved through design initiatives in two key areas, Mr. Adlerstein reported. The first involves improving the building “envelope,” including by replacing the existing single glazed curtain wall on the exterior of the Secretariat building with a new, high performance double glazed curtain wall.

This also involves installing automated interior shades and blinds to control heat gain and maximize the use of natural light. In addition, new insulation and other energy-conserving measures will be installed on roofs and exterior walls to reduce the heat transfer in both summer and winter. As a result, “our building envelope will leak less energy,” he stated.

The second area of energy efficiency incorporates significant efforts to improve the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, as well as installing a sophisticated building management system which will automate the central controls of the building’s “antique” thermostat system.

“The combination of a more secure building envelope and a higher technology heating and air conditioning system will save operating costs and lower our carbon footprint for decades,” said Mr. Adlerstein.

The sustainability measures also include “dramatically” more efficient lighting systems, as well as a daylight harvesting system which will automatically control artificial light levels in response to natural light levels.

Mr. Adlerstein stressed that the project is on schedule and will be completed as planned in 2013, adding that he is confident the project will be finished within the approved budget.

“We’re making great progress on the temporary North Lawn building, the fit-out of our other swing spaces and the procurement tasks in support of the project,” he noted.

It is expected that by the conclusion of the next general debate of the General Assembly in September, the temporary building will be completed and the Secretary-General, his staff and the functions of the conference building will move into it.

Meanwhile, the floors in all three leased swing space locations, two in Manhattan and one in Long Island City, are being fitted out while some last minute designs are being finalized.

While a small number of staff have already moved out of the complex, the bulk of the moves are slated to peak from June to August of this year, when it is least disruptive to the work of the Organization.
Feb　 2 2009　 6:10PM

FOOD CRISIS, CORRUPTION COULD REVERSE PROGRESS IN WEST AFRICA, SAYS UN ENVOY
New York, Jan 21 2009　 8:10PM
Challenges – including youth unemployment, corruption and the food crisis – threaten to roll back positive gains made in West Africa, the Secretary-General’s envoy to the 15-nation region told the Security Council today.

“Many of the root causes of conflict in a number of West African countries have yet to be addressed in an effective and durable manner,” Special Representative Said Djinnit said, briefing the 15-member body on the latest report by the Secretary-General on the region.

West Africa has been heavily affected by soaring food prices and food insecurity, and coupled with the threat of a global recession, many of its nations might not achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline, he noted.

“It is expected that food insecurity will remain a special challenge to the region over the next few years,” Mr. Djinnit, who heads the United Nations Office for West Africa said.

Cross-border organized crime, especially drug trafficking, is also cause for concern, the Representative told the 15-member Council.

“Taking advantage of porous borders and weak state and security institutions, criminal networks are increasing using West Africa as a transit route for narcotics bound for Europe from Latin America,” he said. Unlike groups operating with low-level authorities in the past, today they are “infiltrating state institutions, fuelling corruption and destabilizing the political and social fabric of nations.”

In spite of progress made in consolidating democratic governance, military coups in Mauritania and Guinea have served as setbacks, Mr. Djinnit stated. Although these takeovers were bloodless, not addressing the resurgence of coups decisively could have a domino effect across West Africa.

UNOWA has made efforts to foster constructive dialogue while also engaging countries of the region in preventive diplomacy together with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), he said.

While nations such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana have held recent peaceful and transparent polls, “democratization processes, if not properly managed, could trigger political violence, economic disruption and social strife in fragile societies in the region,” the envoy noted. With critical elections slated for this year several countries, it is essential to continue the partnership among the UN, the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS to ensure free and fair polls, he said.

In December 2007, the Council extended the mandate of UNOWA – based in Dakar, Senegal – until 21 December 2010.
Jan 21 2009　 8:10PM

BAN CALLS FOR STEPPED UP EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE WORLD
New York, Jan 20 2009　 4:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on nations to build on the momentum generated by recent progress made towards disarmament to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

“From conventional weapons and small arms to weapons of mass destruction, the risks are clear,” Mr. Ban said in a message to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

He stressed the need to revitalize the international disarmament agenda and boost the United Nations’ effectiveness in the field. “I remain committed to using every opportunity, in my meetings with government leaders and my outreach to civil society, to forge partnerships and mobilize action.”

Given the current global financial turmoil, “advancing the disarmament agenda could produce a tangible peace dividend when the world needs it most,” the Secretary-General said in an address delivered by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director General of the UN Office at Geneva and the Secretary-General of the Conference.

He pointed to “promising signs” in the past few months, including initiatives by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, the European Union, non-aligned countries and other governments.

“The United Nations and the Conference on Disarmament should seize this moment and be in the vanguard of efforts towards a world free of nuclear weapons,” Mr. Ban stated.

Established in 1979 as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community, the Conference currently has over 60 Member States.
Jan 20 2009　 4:10PM

HUMANS IN APE SUITS SKATE TO SAVE GORILLA COUSINS UNDER UN PLAN
New York, Jan 15 2009　 6:10PM
A United Nations campaign to halt the slide towards extinction of one of human-kind’s closest relatives gained moment today with troupe of skaters in ape disguise taking to the rink at London’s Natural History Museum, highlighting the them ‘Gorillas on Thin Ice.’

The event is part of the launch of the UN Environment Programme's international Year of the Gorilla (YoG) in the United Kingdom, a project aimed at raising awareness and boosting protection of the great ape and its habitat by increasing the livelihoods and incomes of local people from managing their conservation. Many experts warn that without urgent action gorillas will become extinct in the wild within the next few decades.

“The world is currently going through a sixth wave of extinctions, so it not just gorillas that are skating on thin ice - you could put a whole menagerie out there today on the Natural History Museum rink from Iberian Lynx and Cuban crocodile to the La Palma Giant Lizard and the Rameshwaram Parachute Spider,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said.

“Thus in supporting the Year of the Gorilla countries, companies and citizens will not only be acting to save important high-profile species, but also a rich array of forest biodiversity upon which many people depend; biodiversity too that may hold the clue to breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals and improved crops to new kinds of smart materials and processes that will be urgently needed for a sustainable 21st century.”

Projects being drawn up by the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) – all in need of government and corporate support – aim at boosting the prospects for the Cross River Gorilla which is Africa's rarest ape.

“Gorillas play a crucial role in maintaining the tropical rainforests in Africa, which are one of the key pillars of a world climate in balance,” CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth said. “The future of these forests depends on gorillas who plant the seeds for the next generation of trees. The Year of the Gorilla is a unique opportunity to secure government, corporate and civil support for the survival of our closest relatives.”　

Numbering less than 300 remaining individuals, the Cross River Gorilla prowls an area of 12,000 square kilometres along the Nigerian-Cameroon border. While most of the forest sites fall within the boundaries of Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries or Forest Reserves, affording them some level of protection, community-based protection is being promoted in the remaining sites. Therefore, a community Wildlife Sanctuary is currently being establishment in Nigeria and a gorilla guardian network is being implemented in Cameroon.

A broad-based outreach program envisages the development of local radio programs, thematic conservation films and a trans-boundary education campaign targeted at local hunters. These media will target major conservation challenges such as river poisoning, over-hunting, lack of understanding of wildlife laws and bush burning.
Jan 15 2009　 6:10PM

UN OFFICIAL IN DRC URGES MILITIA GROUP TO END DEADLY FIGHTING IN THE EASTERN REGION
New York, Jan 14 2009　 6:10PM
A senior United Nations official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) called on one of the major militia forces engaging in deadly violence in the eastern region of the country to put down its arms and work towards a lasting peace.

The Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for the DRC Ross Mountain made his remarks after visiting a camp in South Kivu province set up to help combatants of the Mai Mai militia join the process of Demobilization and Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR).

“The Mai Mai must understand that it is the moment to bring peace to the country and prosperity to their families,” said Mr. Mountain, adding that he was “pleasantly surprised” by the installations of the camp which can already accommodate up to 400 ex-fighters.

He was also encouraged by the work of the Amani programme in managing the DDR of Mai Mai groups in South Kivu.

The Amani programme was created to implement the January 2008 peace accord between the Government and rebels in the eastern Kivu provinces, apply the process of disengagement and affect the Nairobi communiqué, the November 2007 agreement under which the DRC and Rwanda have agreed to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, on-going talks between the DRC Government and the mainly Tutsi rebel militia Congrès national pour la Défense du people (CNDP) in Nairobi are aimed at ending the ongoing conflict centred in the east of the country, which has uprooted an estimated 250,000 people since late August, on top of the 800,000 already displaced mostly in North Kivu province.

Other armed groups, including the Mai Mai, had been involved in the deadly violence – threatening a humanitarian crisis that could spiral out of control – some of which have been along ethnic lines.
Jan 14 2009　 6:10PM

MORE ROCKETS FIRED INTO ISRAEL FROM LEBANON DESPITE UN CALLS FOR RESTRAINT
New York, Jan 14 2009　 2:10PM
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that several rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanese territory today, with Israeli forces returning fire, despite calls for restraint from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others after a similar incident last week.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the rockets fired from Lebanon, according to UNIFIL.

There were also no reports of damage or injuries from the firing or from the two rounds of artillery Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) fired in return, the Force said.

UNIFIL, in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, is currently investigating on the ground close to the northern boundary of its Area of Operations in the Eastern Sector, to locate the launching site of the rocket fire.

The incident comes as the IDF continues the military operation it launched in Gaza on 27 December, with the stated aim of ending rocket and other attacks by militants in the Strip.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned last week’s incident and reminded the parties of their obligation to fully adhere to Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbollah, and to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement.

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Claudio Graziano today once again urged maximum restraint, and is working with both parties to maintain the cessation of hostilities.

A joint UNIFIL-Lebanese patrol, during a search operation in the general area of El Hebbariye after today’s rocket fire, discovered three live rockets prepared for launch and deactivated them on the spot. The two groups are continuing intensive patrolling and search throughout the area.

BAN WELCOME’S IRAQ’S ACCESSION TO TREATY OUTLAWING CHEMICAL WEAPONS
New York, Jan 13 2009　 6:10PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed Iraq’s accession today to the international treaty banning chemical weapons, a step bringing the total number of ratifications to 186 States Parties.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC) is the first multilateral treaty to ban, with international verification, an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.

“The Secretary-General in his capacity as Depositary of the Convention congratulates the Republic of Iraq on its decision as it demonstrates its commitment to disarmament and non-proliferation,” a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said.

“The Secretary-General firmly believes that reaching universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention will significantly promote international peace and security and urges the remaining States not party to take the necessary measures to accede to the Convention as early as possible.”

The use of chemical weapons against Iraq’s Kurds in 1988 was one of the major charges brought against ousted president Saddam Hussein.
Jan 13 2009　 6:10PM

ISRAEL SHOULD ALLOW MEDIA INTO GAZA TO REPORT ON WAR, UN AGENCY SAYS
New York, Jan 12 2009 12:10PM
The United Nations agency entrusted with defending the freedom of the press, condemning the fatal wounding of a journalist on the first day of the Israeli offensive against Gaza, today called on Israel to allow local and international media professionals to report on events in the area.

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura cited UN resolutions forbidding attacks on journalists and media installations and calling on Member States to reaffirm their commitment to the principles of freedom of the press and freedom of information.

He deployed the killing of Basel Faraj, a cameraman for the Algerian TV network ENTV and for the Palestine Broadcast Production Company, who died on 6 January from wounds sustained during an Israeli air strike on 27 December.

“Basel Faraj has paid for his dedication to his profession with his life,” he said in a statement, highlighting the importance of respecting the right of journalists to exercise their professional duties and keep the world informed about what is taking place in Gaza.

Last week UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka called on Israel to ensure immediate access for international media into Gaza, stressing the need for “full and independent” coverage of events there.

“Access to objective and factual information is of vital importance at all times, and plays a particularly important role in emergency situations,” he said in a letter to Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev.
Jan 12 2009 12:10PM

GREEN’ STIMULUS PLANS BY JAPAN AND REPUBLIC OF KOREA HAILED BY UN ENVIRONMENT CHIEF
New York, Jan　 9 2009　 3:10PM
The announcement that Japan and the Republic of Korea will invest billions of dollars in environmentally smart projects to create jobs and spur economic growth is the latest sign that the Green New Deal advocated by the United Nations is gaining momentum, the head of the UN Environment Programme said today.

“UNEP’s Global Green New Deal and Green Economy initiative are clearly two ideas whose time has come, as evidenced by the Republic of Korea and Japan’s stimulus package announcements alongside those of other key economies and leaders from China to the President-elect of the United States,” Executive Director Achim Steiner said.

UNEP launched the Global Green New Deal and Green Economy Initiative as an antidote to current economic woes and as a springboard to a low-carbon, low-impact, high-job and better-managed global economy.

Japan has announced that it aims to expand the ‘green business’ market and create up to one million new jobs, through measures that include zero-interest rate loans for environmentally-friendly companies.

The Republic of Korea, meanwhile, will invest $38 billion over the next four years in a series of eco-friendly projects to create 960,000 new jobs and lay the groundwork for future economic growth.

The 36 projects include the creation of green transport networks, the provision of two million energy-saving homes and the clean-up of the country’s four main rivers.

“Investments in clean-tech and renewable energy; infrastructure such as railways and cycle tracks and nature-based services like river systems and forests, can not only counter recession and unemployment but can also set the stage for more sustainable economic recovery and growth in the 21st century,” Mr. Steiner said.

In other news, UNEP announced today that Prince Albert II of Monaco has begun a month-long expedition to Antarctica to asses the impact of global warming on the South Pole.

The Prince, who is a UNEP Champion of the Earth and a patron of the Billion Tree Campaign, will visit scientific outposts and meet with climate change experts from 18 countries to get an overview of the latest research.

UNEP hopes that the trip will also raise worldwide public awareness of the effect of global warming and other environmental change on the Poles.

“The growing environmental efforts of prominent state leaders, like that of Prince Albert II, are very important in raising the understanding in society and among politicians, of the huge risks we are facing with climate change,” said Christian Nellemann, senior officer for UNEP’s GLOBIO Programme to map human effects on the environment.

UNEP’s Polar Programme, based at the Grid-Arendal research centre in Norway, works on early warning assessment of the polar environment and focuses on communicating the key role of the polar regions for the global climate.
Jan　 9 2009　 3:10PM

UN AGENCIES DELIVERING LIFE-SAVING SUPPLIES TO GAZANS AMID ONGOING TURMOIL
New York, Jan　 8 2009 11:10AM
Despite the violence in Gaza, where a military operation Israel says it launched in response to Hamas rocket attacks has been ongoing for two weeks, United Nations agencies are delivering vital supplies to civilians caught up in the deadly conflict.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) delivered wheat flour to 30 Gaza bakeries, enabling them to bake bread for civilians who are finding it increasingly difficult to access food. Amid the recent hostilities, only 12 out of 47 bakeries were functioning earlier this week.

WFP-contracted bakeries can now produce 5,000 3-kilogramme bread parcels per day, but it is difficult to get the bread from the bakeries to the people who need it most, the agency noted in a news release.

The violence that began on 27 December has killed an estimated 680 people so far and wounded over 3,000, according to UN officials, who have repeatedly stressed the need for an immediate halt to the fighting and humanitarian access to assist those affected.

WFP has reached more than 50,000 people from its regular caseload of 265,000 non-refugee Palestinians in Gaza. It stressed that while it has food stocks in Gaza, it is vital to ensure that all crossing points into Gaza are re-opened to ensure food assistance over the coming months.

Essential humanitarian supplies were already in short supply in Gaza before the military operation began because Israel kept border crossings into the area closed, citing rocket and other attacks by Gaza militants.

Some 150 trucks carrying about 4,500 tons of WFP food have been waiting for several days to deliver into Gaza at the southern Kerem Shalom crossing point, which is currently the only available crossing point from Israel into Gaza.

The agency welcomed the Israeli announcement on Wednesday of a three-hour daily ceasefire from 7 January, as a first step towards creating the necessary “breathing space” to resume full-scale distributions.

Yesterday’s three-hour ceasefire provided a small window of opportunity for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to release essential pre-positioned supplies for delivery to families in Gaza, including 560 family water kits and 5 health kits.

“The ceasefire is a first small step in addressing the urgent needs of children caught in the conflict, but a great deal more needs to be done to protect the vulnerable, including children, and an immediate and durable cease-fire by all parties is the only means by which their urgent needs can be met,” the agency said in a news release.

UNICEF noted that many Gazans have fled their homes, seeking shelter with friends, relatives or in schools, while others are sleeping in the cold. Parents say children have had very little sleep and they show the common signs of trauma including severe anxiety, bed wetting, loss of appetite and general malaise.

The agency is working with child protection partners to produce and broadcast radio and television messages designed to help parents keep their children as safe as possible and to enable them to identify and manage symptoms of distress.

In addition, five UNICEF-supported psychosocial teams, each composed of 20-30 social workers, psychologists, lawyers and volunteers, are on standby to conduct emergency home and hospital visits, and provide psychosocial and socio-legal assistance as soon as access is possible and security permits.

According to information received by UNICEF, over a million Gazans – approximately 75 per cent of the total population – do not have electricity. In addition, hospitals are struggling to function, with the availability of fuel – needed to keep generators running – at precariously low levels. Gaza’s water and sewage system is also on the verge of collapse due to the lack of fuel and power.

UNICEF is working closely with partners to stockpile drugs and supplies to meet needs in coming months and to move them to the affected area. Supplies ranging from family hygiene kits, water purification tablets and emergency education material are already on route from UNICEF country offices in the region.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported that three mobile clinics were damaged amid the fighting on Monday, during which new specialized medical equipment was destroyed. The ongoing violence has also meant that many health workers have not been able to reach their workplaces. In addition, the capacity of emergency rooms and intensive care units to treat the injured is quickly being overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, the International Labour Office (ILO) has voiced its deep concern about the impact of the violence on workers and their families, “who have lived through the hardships of long months of closures and are now exposed to the devastation of a war situation.”

Even before the recent turmoil, Gaza had the highest unemployment rate in the world, the agency noted in a news release. It joined calls for an immediate ceasefire and the need to permit access to emergency humanitarian supplies and assistance.

“Of special urgency are essential food, water and medical supplies, fuel for electricity generation and cash for the payment of civil servants. These have to be promptly followed by emergency social protection and employment measures,” the agency stated.
Jan　 8 2009 11:10AM

ISRAEL’S DAILY 3-HOUR TRUCES IN GAZA GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, UN WARNS
New York, Jan　 7 2009　 4:10PM
The daily three-hour pause that Israel began today on the 12th day of its Gaza offensive against Hamas was a good first step but totally insufficient for the United Nations to aid the 1.5 million civilians living in “increasingly appalling” conditions amid credible reports of 680 people killed so far and over 3,000 wounded, senior UN officials warned.　

They also said that the outline of a way out of the crisis, which started on 27 December with Israeli air strikes against Gaza with the stated aim of stopping Hamas rocket attacks into Israel, was emerging with moves in the Security Council, ceasefire plans proposed by Egypt and France, and continuing diplomatic efforts by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“This [the pause] is potentially a positive step but because we did not have enough warning and because there was a lack of clarity about what this was going to mean, it was very hard for us to make significant use of it, certainly today,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told a news conference in New York, noting that it was still necessary to move through checkpoints.

“I hope we will be able to use such pauses more in the future if it’s clear that they’re going to be at a fixed time, if it’s clear they’re going to be respected and Gaza-wide… [But] three hours a day is simply totally insufficient for us to be able to do that [get food and supplies to all who need it] which is why it cannot be any kind of substitute for a full end to the hostilities which would allow us to really gear up our humanitarian operation,” he said.

“The single biggest problem we have at the moment, apart from getting goods in, is moving around Gaza both for ourselves and the population. The International Red Cross has said and they’re not prone to exaggeration that people are dying because ambulances cannot get to them in time, people cannot get to hospitals.”

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry also called the lull a good step but not nearly enough, while UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Director of Operations in Gaza John Ging, speaking by video link, gave an eyewitness account of the civilian population’s reaction to the pause.

“I just want to convey to you the phenomenal feeling, the relief of psychological pressure for those couple of hours, it was palpable,” he said of the people going out to get water, food and other essential items. “They still continue to believe in the United Nations… [and are asking], why only three hours, if they can do it for three hours, why not 24 hours,” he added.

“That was a precious three hours and sadly now we have 21 more hours to go before they have another three hours of safety, and God knows how many will be killed and injured in the coming period.”

Mr. Ging said he visited the UNRWA school that was the scene of Israeli shelling yesterday that killed 43 people and injured 100 others, and all staff there insisted there were no Hamas militants inside the compound itself. Israel says it was returning fire against mortars coming from the area of the school and some media reports have quoted residents corroborating this.

Mr. Ging said the three Israeli shells impacted right up against the boundary of the school and both he and Mr. Holmes said the conflicting reports underscored why an independent investigation of the incident was so necessary.　 　

Mr. Holmes also cited “other dreadful incidents that are coming to our notice,” such as a house in Zaitoun, south of Gaza City, where 30 people may have been killed in a strike, with many still under the rubble.

“The apparent level of civilian casualties continued to rise and to be particularly distressing,” he said, also stressing the need for more fuel, food and medical supplies to be allowed in. Israel has opened the border crossings to scores of supply lorries a day but much more is needed, he added. Meanwhile, there was an alarming build-up of a sewage lake due to the lack of power, with the danger of a potentially health-threatening flood.

On the political front, Mr. Serry said it seamed that the outline of a way out of the crisis was rapidly emerging “but more work needs to be done quickly to flesh out a package and secure the buy-in of crucial players.” Mr. Ban will be travelling to the Middle East next week, looking to lock in the elements of an international consensus.

“A return to the status quo ante, the previous situation, cannot be an option,” Mr. Serry said, enumerating the essential elements to a settlement: an immediate and permanent ceasefire, immediate relief for the civilian population of Gaza including open crossings, and a viable system to ensure that borders are properly functioning and that the issue of smuggling is addressed. Israel cited ending rocket and other arms smuggling by Hamas from Egypt as one of the goals of its offensive.

Mr. Serry added that third parties would need to provide assistance on the ground and in diplomatic support to safeguard all the elements of the ceasefire, including a possible international monitoring force.

“There will need also, and this is very important, to be a massive humanitarian reconstruction and economic revival effort for Gaza and the United Nations intends to be in the forefront of responding to that enormous challenge,” he declared. “There can be no more band-aid solutions for Gaza.”

He also stressed that Gaza, where Hamas seized control from the rival Fatah movement in 2007, must be united with the West Bank, governed by Palestinian President and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, whom he called the “umbrella” under which these efforts should be advanced. “Only negotiations and a political solution can empower those who want to live side by side with Israel in peace and stem the appeal of violence and radicalism,” he said.

President Abbas and Fatah embrace the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine living side by side while Hamas rejects Israel’s right to exist.

In other developments, the Security Council today continued its high-level meeting on the crisis, with several foreign ministers in attendance, while the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva will hold a special session on Friday, at the request of Egypt, Pakistan and Cuba, to address “the grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the recent aggression in the occupied Gaza Strip.”

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura and Mr. Ban’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy today expressed grave concern over the attacks against UNRWA schools and associated facilities set up by the UN as places of refuge for civilians fleeing the fighting in Gaza.
Jan　 7 2009　 4:10PM

DARFUR: BAN WELCOMES US PLEDGE TO AIRLIFT CRITICAL SUPPLIES TO UN-AFRICAN UNION FORCE
New York, Jan　 7 2009　 2:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has thanked United States President George W. Bush for his country’s recent commitment to airlift supplies urgently needed by the joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in the strife-torn Darfur region of Sudan.

“The expedited arrival to Darfur of this material, which includes trucks and other essential equipment, will strengthen the ability of the United Nations to protect civilians and carry out other aspects of its mandate,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

The hybrid force, known as UNAMID, was set up by the Security Council to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.

The US initiative “sets a constructive precedent for broad international support to expeditiously deploy UNAMID,” the statement noted, adding that the Secretary-General calls on other Member States to consider similar efforts to speed up the deployment of the mission.

At full strength, UNAMID, which marked its first anniversary last week, is slated to become the world body’s largest peacekeeping operation with some 26,000 military and police personnel.

One year on from transferring the task of suppressing the violence to UNAMID from the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), some 12,374 blue helmets are now in place across Darfur, which is 63 per cent of the 19,555 military personnel authorized by the Security Council.
Jan　 7 2009　 2:10PM

GUNMEN KILL UN FOOD AID WORKER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA
New York, Jan　 6 2009　 1:10PM
The United Nations World Food Programme has urged all parties to the ongoing conflict in Somalia to ensure the safety of humanitarian aid workers after one of the agency’s staff members was gunned down while monitoring a school feeding programme in the southern part of the war-torn nation.

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran condemned the killing of 44-year-old Somali national Ibrahim Hussein Duale, calling it a “shocking attack on one of our staff while he was doing his job.”

Mr. Duale was shot by three masked gunmen while he was monitoring school feeding in a WFP-supported school in Yubsan village, six kilometres from the Gedo region capital of Garbahare in southern Somalia. Witnesses say the gunmen approached him while he was seated, ordered him to stand up and then shot him.

Mr. Duale, who joined WFP in 2006, leaves behind a wife and five children. He is the third WFP staff member killed since August 2008 in Somalia, one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers. Five WFP-contracted transport staff were killed in Somalia in 2008.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning national government since 1991, has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian suffering for decades. Continuing instability, coupled with drought, high food prices and the collapse of the local currency have only worsened the dire humanitarian situation in recent months.

The UN estimates that some 3.2 million people, or 40 per cent of the population, are in need of assistance.

“We call on all parties to allow us to do our job – providing food to feed the hungry at this critical time,” said Ms. Sheeran. “We are an impartial international organization and we need a minimum of security to serve the Somali people.”

Despite the precarious security situation, WFP has been feeding more than 1.5 million people every month in Somalia. Some 90 percent of the agency’s food aid for Somalia arrives by sea on ships currently escorted by European Union naval vessels to protect them from piracy.
Jan　 6 2009　 1:10PM

DOZENS KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES ON UN SCHOOLS IN GAZA
New York, Jan　 6 2009 12:10PM
More than 30 people have been killed in two separate Israeli strikes on clearly-marked United Nations schools where civilians were seeking refuge from the ongoing violence in Gaza, an official with the world body said today.

John Ging, Director of Operations in Gaza of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said that 30 people died and 55 others were injured when three Israeli artillery shells landed at the perimeter of a UN school in the Jabaliya refugee camp.

UNRWA’s education programme has been suspended since the start of Israeli air attacks on Gaza, which the Jewish State says it launched in response to rocket attacks by Hamas militants, on 27 December.

“Those who were in the school were all families seeking refuge,” Mr. Ging said of the school that was hit in Jabaliya, which usually serves as a girls’ preparatory school.

Another artillery shell struck an empty boys’ school in Jabaliya, he said.

In a separate attack last night, three Palestinians, who had sought refuge in a small co-educational UN school in Gaza City, died when an Israeli missile hit the building’s toilet facilities.

The three men who were killed were “Gazans who had fled their home earlier that day,” the UNRWA official said, adding that they thought “they would be safe in a UN school in Gaza City.”

He underscored that all UN schools in Gaza are clearly marked, flying the UN flag, and that the Organization has provided the GPS coordinates of all of its installations in the area to Israel.

These attacks reinforce the urgent need for a ceasefire to end the mounting casualties, Mr. Ging said. “I sincerely hope that for the sake of those that have died, that it would not have been in vain.”

Demanding an independent investigation into the attacks on the UN schools, he stressed that “there has been too little accountability for actions on all sides” and that “we must uphold the rule of law even during times of conflict.”
Jan　 6 2009 12:10PM

BAN MEETS WITH ARAB MINISTERS IN BID TO SECURE ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE
New York, Jan　 5 2009　 6:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intensified his diplomatic drive to secure a Gaza ceasefire today, calling on Arab foreign ministers to help ensure that Israel end its “clearly excessive” military assault and Hamas stop its “terribly counter-productive” and “completely unacceptable” rocket attacks.

“As leaders I believe we must do more,” he told Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other Arab representatives in a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York in which he called for an immediate and durable ceasefire that is fully respected by all.

“Our task is to find fast and real solutions. It is regrettable that the call by the Security Council has not been heeded by the parties concerned. I believe that the Security Council should live up to its responsibilities under the UN charter and bring this crisis to an end and establish a durable, permanent peace in the region,” he said.

After Israel launched a ground offensive into Gaza on Saturday in addition to its then week-old air attacks, the Council held a closed meeting but reached no formal agreement, although Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the Council Presidency this month, said there were “strong convergences” to express concern at the stepped up violence and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“We must work together, urgently and practically, so that the Council can act quickly and decisively. As Secretary-General, I want to help facilitate a speedy and effective international consensus to end this violence,” Mr. Ban told the Arab leaders, adding that the UN is doing all it can to “feed and help the men, women and children of Gaza and ease their suffering in the midst of this frightening and dangerous ordeal.

“I am trying hard to use the moral authority of my office to bring an end to this trauma,” he said, voicing deep concern at “the terrible crisis unfolding before us.”

Mr. Ban added, “We must insist that Israel end its military assault, which is clearly excessive. We must insist that Hamas end immediately its rocket attacks, which are so terribly counter-productive, in addition to being completely unacceptable. There must be an immediate ceasefire, durable and fully respected by all.”

Gaza’s civilian population is “being subjected to a massive trauma that is not of their own making… I am also deeply worried about what the further escalation of this conflict could mean for stability in the region,” he said.

The foreign ministers present were Salaheddine al-Bashir of Jordan, Fawzi Salloukh of Lebanon, Abdel-Rahman Shalgam of Libya, Fassi Fihri of Morocco and Mhamad Husayen al-Shali of UAE. The UN permanent representatives of Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria and the Palestinian representative also participated.
Jan　 5 2009　 6:10PM

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS EMERGENCY MEETING AS ISRAELI FORCES ENTER GAZA
New York, Jan　 3 2009　 5:10PM
The Security Council will hold an emergency meeting this evening, hours after Israel launched a ground invasion into Gaza.

On the eighth day of Israeli bombing raids on Gaza, Israeli troops have entered the area, according to media reports.

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza against Israeli civilians as the reason for its military offensive and closing crossings into Gaza for much of the previous two months.

During another emergency Council meeting earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the impact of the violence has been "nothing short of terrifying" for the 1.5 million residents of Gaza, and stressed the need for an urgent halt to the violence and for crucial humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

"I urge all members of the int
ernational community, in particular those in the region, to exert what influence they have on the parties to end this violence now," Mr. Ban told the meeting, which was convened at the request of Libya and Egypt on behalf of the Arab Group.

"I welcome the efforts underway, including by Arab and European leaders but I must repeat: not enough has been done, and more is urgently required," he said, stressing the urgent need for an end to the fighting.

Jan　 3 2009　 5:10PM

BANGLADESH’S NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD REACH OUT TO OPPOSITION – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jan　 2 2009　 2:10PM
A senior United Nations electoral official today urged Bangladesh’s newly elected Government to extend a hand of friendship to the opposition, saying there should not be “a feeling of winners and losers.”

The head of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's High-Level Panel to assess and report on the parliamentary elections, Francesc Vendrell, told a news conference in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, that he felt complaints by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) might not much change the outcome of the election, won by Sheikh Hasina’s Grand Alliance, even if many of them turned out to be valid.

“I have to say I have been encouraged by the public statement and also from the private conversation with Sheikh Hasina,” he said. “I think I have found that she has the right kind of spirit in reaching out to the opposition. I think that she has stressed that there is a role for the opposition in parliament.”

The new government should now make the strengthening of democratic institutions a priority and ensure the independence of bodies that have been created over the past two years, such as the anti-corruption commission, he added.

He paid tribute to the professionalism of the Election Commission, noting that both domestic and international observers attested to the “credibility and fairness” with which it managed the process.

The three-member Panel – which also includes Bhojraj Pokharel, Nepal's Chief Election Commissioner, and Aracelly Santana, the former deputy director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division – will report back to Mr. Ban next week on the conduct of the elections.
Jan　 2 2009　 2:10PM

BAN DENOUNCES ‘APPALLING ATROCITIES’ BY UGANDAN REBELS IN DR CONGO
New York, Dec 30 2008　 4:10PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the “appalling atrocities” reportedly committed by the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and southern Sudan, and demanded that they respect all rules of international humanitarian law.

The UN Mission in the DRC, known by its French acronym MONUC, said an increasingly high number of civilians had been killed by LRA rebels fleeing a joint military operation by the DRC, Uganda and Southern Sudan in the far north-east of the DRC, although it was not possible to give an exact figure due to the remoteness and lack of communications in the region.

But local and humanitarian officials said nearly 200 people had been killed during the Christmas period alone. The rebels, who have been fighting Ugandan forces since the 1980s and have since spilled over into Sudan and DRC, are notorious for human rights abuses including the killing and maiming of civilians, and the abduction and recruitment of children as soldiers and sex slaves.　

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban called on the Ugandan, DRC and southern Sudanese forces on the ground to coordinate with the humanitarian community and UN missions in the region to ensure the effective delivery of aid to those affected by the LRA attacks.　

As it did last week, MONUC stressed that it would do all in its power to ensure the protection of civilians, especially by providing essential support to the Government army. The Mission has already flown in more than 260 Government troop reinforcements and will provide logistical support for them, including food, water, medicines, fuel and medical evacuation.

Mr. Ban’s Deputy Special Representative for the DRC Leila Zerrougui today met with the country’s National Security Council to discuss the Government’s needs. “She informed them of MONUC’s willingness to do everything in its power to support the Government’s efforts to face the situation,” the Mission said in a statement.

MONUC is also supplying logistical support, including trucks, to UN humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations to distribute aid to the Haut Uélé region where the LRA carried out simultaneous attacks in several localities, including Faradje, Doruma and Gurba.

A report from humanitarian workers in Dungu indicated that several officials were killed in Faradje, including the chief doctor two priests, a school inspector and a pharmacist, 20 children were abducted, and 120 houses torched. The assailants looted several shops and houses, including a hospital. Faradje’s 30,000 residents were forced to flee, and the majority took refuge in Tadu, 37 kilometres away, and Kpodo, 11kilometres away.

According to the same source, the LRA have occupied seven villages in the surrounding territory of Doruma: Batande, Manzagala, Mabando, Bagbugu, Nakatilikpa, Nagengwa and Natulugbu.
Dec 30 2008　 4:10PM

NEW UN-BACKED BLOG SITE ENCOURAGES IRAQIS TO TAKE PART IN UPCOMING POLLS
New York, Dec 30 2008 10:10AM
A new United Nations-supported blog site just launched in Baghdad is the latest initiative to engage voters in the nascent democracy and motivate them to go to the polls on 31 January 2009 during the country’s provincial elections.

The blog, called “Vote for Iraq” can be found on and was launched with the support of the UN-led International Election Assistance Team (IEAT).

The site encourages users to use several formats – including photos – to express their views and enables links with other websites and online forums.

“The IEAT has supported the development of this blog in recognition of the tremendous importance and potential of cyberspace to open up political discussion to everyone,” said the Chief Technical Advisor of the IEAT, Sandra Mitchell.

“If you look at elections around the world you’ll realise that websites and blogs are critical spaces for engaging constructively with the ‘spin’ of official campaigns,” she added.

The site has an editorial policy and is not moderated by any official institution or the UN, according to an elections update issued by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The UN-led IEAT is working with Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to ensure that electoral events are managed according to international best practices of transparency and accountability.

The UN is assisting the IHEC, which is responsible for preparing and conducting elections – beginning with the provincial polls slated for 31 January and culminating with parliamentary elections in 2009-2010.

Other election-related projects organized by the IEAT include a nationwide Election Coverage Network launched in October that aims to provide citizens with timely, fair and balanced information and reporting on the provincial elections.
Dec 30 2008 10:10AM

UN ENVOY LAUDS ‘COURAGEOUS’ DECISION OF SOMALI PRESIDENT TO STEP DOWN
New York, Dec 29 2008 10:10AM
The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today called for unity and solidarity among all the people of the strife-torn nation in the wake of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed’s resignation from office, which he called a “patriotic and courageous” decision.

“It is my understanding that this is the first time in Somalia’s modern history that a President has decided to leave office peacefully,” stated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah. “It is a patriotic and courageous decision.”

The President formally announced his resignation, effective today, in a statement before the Parliament and cabinet members present in Baidoa.

“Indeed President Yusuf has taken his courageous decision on his own and in total independence. I have no doubt that members of his family, his friends and allies support this decision,” Mr. Ould-Abdallah said.　

Stressing that “a new page of Somali history is now open,” the Special Representative called on the Somali people to support the President in these “historic” times and urged unity and solidarity.

He added that now is the time for Somalia’s friends to help the country “and for the spoilers to stop their destructive behaviour.”

The upsurge in fighting this year in Somalia, which has not had a functioning central government since 1991, has led to massive humanitarian suffering and widespread displacement.

The violence continues despite the signing in June of a UN-facilitated peace accord, known as the Djibouti Agreement, by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), by which both sides agreed to end their conflict and called on the UN to deploy an international stabilization force to the troubled nation.

While noting the progress made in the Djibouti peace process, Mr. Ban has stated in recent weeks that conditions are not yet right for a UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia.

Instead, he recommends strengthening – through financing, logistical support, necessary training, equipment and other reinforcements facilitated by the UN and Member States – the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Dec 29 2008 10:10AM

BAN CALLS FOR END TO ROCKET ATTACKS FROM GAZA ON ISRAEL, URGES CONTINUED CALM
New York, Dec 19 2008　 5:10PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for an immediate end to rocket attacks against Israel from Gaza and all other violence, and a continuation of the Egyptian-brokered calm in the area.

“The Secretary-General is extremely concerned at statements calling into question the continuation of the Egyptian-brokered calm in and around Gaza,” spokesperson Marie Okabe told a news briefing in New York.

According to media reports, Hamas, which seized control of Gaza from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority in 2006 and does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, has announced the end of the so-called calm with Israel that began in June.　　　

“A major escalation of violence would have grave consequences for the protection of civilians in Israel and Gaza, the welfare of the Gazan civilian population, and the sustainability of political efforts,” Ms. Okabe said.

“We reiterate the appeal made yesterday by Special Coordinator Robert Serry, on behalf of the Secretary-General, that the calm should be respected and extended, rocket attacks against Israel must be immediately halted, and all acts of violence must cease,” she said, referring to Mr. Serry’s report to the Security Council in which he noted that 30 rocket attacks had been launched within two days on Israeli towns.

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza as the reason for closing border crossings into Gaza for almost two months now. Mr. Ban has repeatedly called on Israel to urgently permit the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza’s 1.5 million civilians, who are suffering from severe shortages of many basic commodities, while at the same time condemning the rocket attacks.
Dec 19 2008　 5:10PM

ACTOR BEN AFFLECK AND ROLLING STONE MICK JAGGER JOIN FORCES TO HELP UN REFUGEE AGENCY
New York, Dec 17 2008　 9:10AM
Actor-director Ben Affleck and Rolling Stone singer Mick Jagger today released a short film to help raise $23 million for United Nations efforts to pay for clean water and emergency aid kits for 250,000 people driven from their homes by renewed fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The film – “Gimme Shelter” – set to the Rolling Stones’ song of the same name, was shot last month in North Kivu province, epicentre of the latest surge in fighting.

“We made the film in order to focus attention on the humanitarian crisis in the DRC at a time when too much of the world is indifferent or looking the other way,” Mr. Affleck said at the launching at UN Headquarters in New York. “The suffering and loss we’ve all seen first-hand is staggering – it is beyond belief.”

Gimme Shelter, which aims to raise funds for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), captures the unseen suffering of Congolese families who fled the fighting with next to nothing and are now forced to find refuge in makeshift huts with little to live on. Some 30,000 others have fled to neighbouring Uganda and are also receiving help from UNHCR.

“The Rolling Stones are very happy to contribute to ‘Gimme Shelter’ in support of Ben’s efforts to raise the profile of the conflict in the Congo,” Mr. Jagger said of the film, which will be distributed worldwide via Internet, television, mobile phones, cinemas and hotel chains. “We all need to stand up and support the work of organizations like UNHCR who are on the ground offering protection and working hard to ensure the rights and wellbeing of refugees.”

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres thanked all those involved in the campaign for their compassion, concern and commitment. “Their contribution will have a direct impact on the lives of uprooted people not only in the DRC but around the world,” he said.

In a related development, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow, who has just returned from a three-day visit to the DRC, urged all armed groups in North Kivu to allow aid organizations to provide life-saving assistance to women and children.

“Aid workers themselves are not safe, yet they are doing heroic work under a very difficult situation,” the actress told a news conference in Geneva. “They are deeply concerned about those they cannot reach, particularly the most vulnerable: the women and children. All armed groups must give aid workers immediate and complete humanitarian access…

“What is unfolding in DRC is one of the worst situations I have ever encountered. In their own homes, people are raped, tortured, mutilated and abducted. All ordinary ways of life have been disrupted. People can’t farm, don’t have access to their land, there is no way to get food, children can’t go to school for fear of being raped or abducted. It’s a dire situation.”
Dec 17 2008　 9:10AM

HEALTHY MEDIA CRUCIAL FOR BUILDING LASTING PEACE IN POST-CONFLICT STATES – UN OFFICIALS
New York, Dec 12 2008　 6:10PM
A strong press and robust broadcasting institutions are critical for achieving a sustainable peace and credible governance in post-conflict countries, senior United Nations officials told delegates attending a conference on peacebuilding today.

The need to recognize the role of media and communications as an essential part of peacebuilding efforts was the focus of a one-day conference organized by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), in collaboration with the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), at UN Headquarters in New York.

Delegates heard that media and communications operations are critical in supporting the UN Peacebuilding Commission in its efforts to provide post-conflict countries with the international support they need to get back on their feet.

The Commission, which was set up at the end of 2005, is tasked with helping struggling States avoid the slide back into war or chaos and currently has four countries on its agenda – Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Central African Republic (CAR).

The conference brought together ministers from two of the States assisted by the Commission, Burundi and Sierra Leone, with media from the countries undergoing peacebuilding efforts, representatives of the UN system, and other international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Ambassador Yukio Takasu, Chairperson of the Peacebuilding Commission, told the meeting that the Commission needed the media as a partner at the local, national and international level to generate attention and mobilize support towards countries emerging from conflict.

Mr. Takasu added that the media was vital for promoting credible and transparent governance, saying that “a media environment conducive to independent and accessible media can build public will and hold governments accountable to their citizens.”

Delegates focused discussions on how the media has promoted and strengthened governance and democracy in countries coming out of conflict, reviewing past efforts as well as examining current initiatives and exploring possibilities for future action.

Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Kiyo Akasaka, underscored the success UN radio broadcasters have had in reaching audiences in post-conflict nations.

“UNTAC radio, for example, in Cambodia in 1992, helped to change that country’s political mood and mobilized an enormous voter turnout with its constant refrain ‘your vote is secret,’” said Mr. Akasaka.

Assistant-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Jane Holl Lute echoed the sentiment by stressing the media’s outreach role in informing, motivating and mobilizing populations emerging from conflict.
Dec 12 2008　 6:10PM

UNESCO DEPLORES KILLINGS OF JOURNALISTS IN INDIA, MEXICO AND PAKISTAN
New York, Dec　 1 2008　 6:10PM
The United Nations agency entrusted with defending press freedom has called on India, Mexico and Pakistan to take greater steps to protect reporters from an increasing number of attacks after the murders of four journalists in the three countries over the past month.

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura issued separate statements today to condemn the killings of Jagajit Saikia in Assam state, India, Mexican crime reporter Armando Rodriguez in the city of Ciudad Juárez and Pakistani journalists Abdul Razzak Johra and Qari Mohammad Shoaib, all of which occurred in November.

Mr. Saikia, a correspondent for the Assamese-language daily <i>Amar Asom</i>, was shot by armed men while riding home on his motorcycle in the town of Kokrajhar – an area prey to recent unrest – on 22 November.

Mr. Saikia was the second journalist to be murdered in north-eastern India last month, and at least 16 media workers have been killed in Assam alone since 1991, UNESCO said, citing figures from the International Federation of Journalists.

In his statement today Mr. Matsuura stressed that the civilian status of journalists working in conflict areas must be respected.

“The fundamental human right of freedom of expression and the public’s right to be informed about the situation in troubled areas are essential for democracy and rule of law,” he said.

Mr. Rodriguez, 40, who worked for the local paper was shot dead by unidentified men on the morning of 13 November as he sat in his car in his garage. His daughter, who was with him at the time, was unhurt.

Ciudad Juárez has been struck by a wave of drug-related violence this year that has claimed at least 1,000 lives this year. Across Mexico, 24 journalists have been murdered since 2000 and seven others have disappeared in the past three years.

Mr. Matsuura urged Mexican authorities to make improvements in the safety of journalists operating in the country.

“The cold-blooded slaying… highlights the long-recognized link between freedom of expression and rule of law,” he said. “The ruthless criminal campaign being waged against the media in Mexico must be brought to an end.”

In Pakistan, Mr. Johra, a 45-year-old reporter for the Royal TV network, was dragged from his home by six armed men on 3 November and killed. Local drug dealers are believed responsible for the killing.

Mr. Shoaib, who worked for newspapers, was shot dead on 8 November by security forces operating in the north-western Swat valley, allegedly because he failed to stop his vehicle when signalled to do so. UNESCO quoted the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists as saying security forces had admitted the killing was a mistake.

Several other attacks on journalists took place last month in Pakistan, where at least seven media workers have been slain this year. On 14 November the bureau chief of the Tokyo daily and a correspondent for the United States magazineboth suffered serious injuries as they escaped a kidnapping attempt in Peshawar.

Khadija Abdul Qahar, a Canadian journalist who publishes a web-based magazine, is also missing after being kidnapped with her interpreter and guide in the North Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan on 11 November.

Mr. Matsuura said he was gravely concerned by the spike in attacks and kidnappings of both domestic and foreign journalists in Pakistan.

“I trust that the authorities will spare no effort in supporting the media’s right to carry out their professional duties at the service of society as a whole.”
Dec　 1 2008　 6:10PM

PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS REMAINS KEY ISSUE IN SUDAN, STRESSES UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF
New York, Nov 30 2008　 6:10PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today stressed the need to ensure the protection of civilians and the safety of aid workers in Sudan, particularly in the strife-torn Darfur region, where the world body and its partners are aiding some 4.7 million people.

"The key issue remains protection on all levels protection of civilians, particularly women and children, safety and security for aid workers and respect for the fundamental principles of humanitarianism to enable us to continue assisting those affected by conflict and natural disaster," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said, as he wrapped up a six-day visit to Sudan.

Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, highlighted the precarious security environment in Darfur, where 11 aid workers have been killed so far this year, as well as over 260 vehicles hijacked, nea
rly 190 staff abducted and 35 convoys ambushed.

"Our ability to continue to assist people is hampered if humanitarians also become the victims of attacks. It is unacceptable that we have double the attacks on aid workers than we had this time last year," stated Mr. Holmes.

He added that the Government of Sudan has a responsibility to protect humanitarian workers, but it is the rebel movements and those linked to them who appear to be responsible for most of these attacks.　 "I call on them to stop this kind of banditry and criminality once and for all."

The UN aid chief also pointed to the need for improved cooperation with the Sudanese Government in facilitating humanitarian assistance in Darfur and other parts of the vast nation, and said he looked forward to practical steps such as easier visa procedures for non-governmental organization (NGO) workers.

"What we need above all in Darfur is a comprehensive ceasefire followed by a rapid peace settlement. But as long as we don't h
ave peace so that people can return home, the humanitarian response will be needed," Mr. Holmes said.

During his visit, the Under-Secretary-General met with representatives of the Government, UN agencies, international and national NGOs and donors. He visited all three states in Darfur, which remains the largest humanitarian operation in the world.

More than 300,000 people are estimated to have been killed in Darfur, an impoverished and relatively arid region on Sudan's western flank, since rebels began fighting Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen in 2003. Another 2.7 million civilians have had to flee their homes.

Mr. Holmes also visited Abyei, the disputed, oil-rich town in central Sudan, as well as Juba, where he met with officials of the Government of Southern Sudan and discussed the need to step up efforts to basic services such as education and health care.

IRAN: GOVERNMENT TAKES HARD LINE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS SUPPORTERS - UN EXPERTS
New York, Nov 27 2008　 4:10PM
Two independent United Nations experts on human rights issues today voiced deep concern over the Iranian Governments increasingly severe crack down on women's rights advocates in recent years.

Defenders of women's rights are facing a progressively difficult situation, including harassment and intimidation in the course of their non-violent activities, the two UN Special Rapporteurs said in a joint statement.

"Peaceful demonstrators have been arrested, detained and persecuted with prison sentences having been imposed on many of them," said Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and Yakin Ertürk, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.

Men and women involved in the One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws campaign have been particularly targeted, according to the two experts.

The
campaigners aim to collect one million signatures from Iranians demanding the revision and reform of current laws which discriminate against women, such as those regulating marriage practices, divorce, criminal acts, and inheritance rights.

"To date, 18 communications have been sent to the Iranian authorities concerning violations committed against over 70 human rights defenders involved in the campaign, and on 5 April 2007 a press release was issued on the situation," said Ms. Sekaggya and Ms. Ertürk.

"Until now, we have received only three responses from the Government," they added.

In their joint statement, the Rapporteurs urged the Government "to abide by its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, and respect the rights of women's rights activists to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and to freedom of opinion and expression".

BENAZIR BHUTTO NAMED AMONG WINNERS OF 2008 UN HUMAN RIGHTS PRIZE
New York, Nov 26 2008　 2:10PM
The slain Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto and a nun murdered in Brazil three years ago were among the recipients of a United Nations prize, awarded for outstanding work in the field of human rights, the General Assembly President announced today.

Previous recipients of the UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights have included Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter and Amnesty International in recognition of their contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

This year’s winners are Louise Arbour, Ramsey Clark, Carolyn Gomes, Denis Mukwege, and Human Rights Watch, as well as Benazir Bhutto and Dorothy Stang, who are being honoured posthumously.

“As we mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we acknowledge the tireless work and invaluable contribution of these individuals and organizations that have fought to see the rights and freedoms embodied in this historic document become a reality for people in all corners of the world,” said Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto.

Sr. Stang of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur defended the human rights of the poor, landless and indigenous populations of the Anapu region of Brazil for nearly 40 years, despite numerous death threats. She worked with farmers to help rebuild their livelihoods, cultivate their land and defend their rights from loggers and ranchers, becoming a symbol of the fight to preserve the rainforest before being murdered in 2005.

“These awardees constitute symbols of persistence, valour and tenacity in their resistance to public and private authorities that violate human rights. They constitute a moral force to put an end to systematic human rights violations,” Mr. D’Escoto said in a press release issued today.

The human rights prize was first awarded on 10 December 1968 on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is awarded every five years to coincide with the date. This year’s award winners will receive their prize at a plenary meeting of the General Assembly 60 years after the landmark document was signed.
Nov 26 2008　 2:10PM

CONTINUED TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINIANS ENCOURAGING, UN POLITICAL CHIEF SAYS
New York, Nov 25 2008　 5:10PM
The top United Nations political official today voiced regret that Israel and the Palestinians will probably not reach an agreement by the end of this year under the negotiating track launched last in the United States city of Annapolis, but noted that ongoing direct talks between the two sides are a positive sign.

“The parties stated that negotiations would continue uninterrupted, and that their goals remain a comprehensive peace agreement addressing all their issues, without exception,” Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council in an open meeting.

But he cautioned that domestic politics in both Israel and among the Palestinians could thwart the peace process. The inability of Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni to form a coalition government has prompted polls, which will be held next February, while the Palestinians “remain divided,” he said.

“Unfortunately, recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel underscore that the gap between the political tracks and the situation on the ground remain large, posing considerable obstacles to the path that lies ahead,” Mr. Pascoe said.

During the reporting period, 16 Palestinians were killed and 122 others, mainly civilians, were injured, with one Israeli being killed and 25 soldiers and civilians suffering injuries.

For much of this month, Israeli authorities restricted humanitarian access, as well as the entry of commercial and relief supplies, into Gaza. This resulted in UN agencies suspending the distribution of much-needed food aid for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Fuel shortages also forced power cuts and rolling blackouts.

Crossings into Gaza remain closed today, and the lack of cooking gas has prevented nearly half of the area’s 71 bakeries from operating. Water-rationing is also impacting over half a million people, the official said.

In today’s briefing to the Council, Mr. Pascoe expressed concern over reports of human rights abuses committed in Gaza under the “de facto Hamas regime.”

He noted that in spite of the Palestinian Authority’s security efforts in the West Bank, there has been no major reduction in Israeli military incursions or easing of closures there.

“It is deeply regrettable that settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is ongoing in the vast majority of settlements,” the Under-Secretary-General said, but added that in a positive development, the Israeli Government announced on 2 November that it immediately intends to cease funding for illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank.

“There is a need for tangible improvements in the living conditions and security of civilians to give them faith in the political process,” he told the 15-member body, underscoring the need for the Middle East diplomatic Quartet – comprising Russia, the United States, the European Union and the UN – to keep up the momentum.
Nov 25 2008　 5:10PM

GAZA’S DESPERATE POPULATION RECEIVES RESTRICTED AMOUNT OF AID TODAY – UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 24 2008　 5:10PM
Israel reopened crossings into the Gaza Strip today, allowing limited supplies to reach the 1.5 million inhabitants largely dependent on humanitarian aid, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process reported today.

UNSCO said that today’s supplies into Gaza included nine truckloads of goods for the UN World Food Programme and eight trucks containing powdered milk and rice for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Some 440,000 litres of industrial gas were also pumped through to Gaza’s power plant, temporarily reducing the number of blackouts threatening Gaza City.

UNRWA stressed that it needed to bring almost double the number of trucks into Gaza to be able to continue running its operation at an acceptable level, and requested that 12 trucks of food and three trucks of medicine have access tomorrow.

Israel had closed crossing points into Gaza this month following Palestinian rocket attacks, leaving the Strip without access to fuel, humanitarian supplies or commercial commodities and forcibly confining the population to the territory.
Nov 24 2008　 5:10PM

DISPLACED CHRISTIANS IN NORTHERN IRAQ BEGIN TO RETURN HOME - UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 11 2008 12:10PM
The United Nations refugee agency reported today that some of the Christian families forced to flee their homes in northern Iraq last month are beginning to return to Mosul as the security situation in the city shows signs of improvement.

Early October saw a dramatic increase in violence against Christian communities in and around Iraq’s second largest city, which led to some 2,200 families, or over 9,000 people, escaping the area for fear of threats and intimidation.

Iraqi security forces have recently strengthened their presence in the area, with up to 35,000 army and police personnel in Mosul city alone, resulting in a decline in the number of explosions and arbitrary killings.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) noted that Christian families began to return about a week ago with assurances from their Arab neighbours that security had improved in the city.

About a third of the 1,000 displaced families in the Hamdaniya district had returned to their homes in Mosul, out of concern for their job security or for educational reasons, according to a UNHCR press release issued today. Many also seem to be commuting to Mosul from villages up to 40 kilometres away.

Christians and other minorities – such as the Shebeks and Yezidis, who have also been uprooted in recent years – remain displaced, saying that they fear the uncertainty and political instability in the region, and have serious concerns over the general lack of law and order.

Although the Government has offered the displaced a cash grant of up to $800 as an incentive to return home, many do not register for the funding for fear of exposure to hostility.

UNHCR and their partners have provided assistance in the form of blankets, mattresses, kerosene stoves, kitchen sets as well as clothing and hygiene kits to over 1,800 of the displaced families, many of whom have found refuge in churches and private homes and have been cared for by the local community.

TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING New York, Feb 16 2008 1:00PM The head of the United Nations anti-crime agency has urged governments, businesses and civil society to boost their efforts to combat human trafficking, including by increasing awareness of the problem and providing greater resources to tackle it. "Let us build on the momentum generated here to ensure that people's lives will not be for sale," Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said yesterday at the end of the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking. The three-day gathering brought together 1,400 experts, legislators, law enforcement teams, business leaders, non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives and trafficking victims from 116 countries. The conference also drew the participation of celebrities and public figures such as Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, Academy Award-winning British actress Emma Thompson, and international pop star Ricky Martin, who joined the outcry against the global scourge. Calling the Forum "just the beginning of a process," Mr. Costa called for practical measures to prevent trafficking, such as self-certification by businesses to take slave-made products off the shelves and developing new technology to monitor human trafficking routes. He also proposed the tracking and blocking of credit card payments for internet human trafficking transactions and codes of conduct to curb sex tourism. Stressing the need to strengthen partnerships among governments, businesses and civil society in the fight against trafficking, the Executive Director hailed the launch during the Forum of the Women Leaders' Council. The group brings together political figures, diplomats, trade union representatives, business leaders and entertainers from around the world to work together to tackle the problem and help the victims. The Forum was convened by the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), an initiative launched by UNODC and several UN partners last year to bring governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media together to combat a practice that is viewed as modern-day slavery. 2008-02-16 00:00:00.000

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST MILITIA GROUPS IN DR CONGO New York, Feb 15 2008 6:00PM The Security Council today extended its arms embargo and other sanctions against militias operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) until the end of March, underlining that it remains deeply concerned about the presence of unauthorized armed groups, especially in the east of the vast and impoverished country. Council members voted unanimously this morning to maintain the sanctions – consisting of the arms embargo, a travel ban and an assets freeze on those who violate the embargo – until at least 31 March. The 15-member Council expressed serious concern about the situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu and in the Ituri district, close to the border with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The presence of so many active armed groups there “perpetuates a climate of insecurity in the whole region,” the resolution said, referring to the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Council members reserved the right to adjust the sanctions as appropriate depending on the security situation in the DRC, which has suffered from decades of war and misrule but in 2006 held its first free elections since in more than 45 years. They stressed the need for progress in security sector reform, including integration of the armed forces and reform of the national police, as well as the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration of members of both Congolese and foreign armed groups. The embargo was first imposed in 2003 amid concerns that the growth and trafficking of arms was serving to fuel and exacerbate conflicts across the Great Lakes region. The Council also noted the link between the illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources in the DRC and the proliferation of arms. The embargo does not apply to arms and related materiel intended for the use of units of the national army or police as long as those units meet certain criteria. 2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

KENYA: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ADVANCES IN POLITICAL TALKS New York, Feb 15 2008 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has lauded the progress made towards ending the political crisis that has gripped Kenya since contested elections were held in the East African nation last December. The parties to the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation process, which includes the planned creation of an independent review of the electoral process, announced today that their talks are advancing. In a statement, Mr. Ban said that he “hopes these understandings will contribute immediately to reduced levels of violence in the country,” where some 1,000 people have lost their lives and more than 310,000 others displaced since the December elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga. The Secretary-General expressed his concern for the safety of civilians, urging the full respect of human rights in the country and applauding “all those Kenyans who in these trying times have reached out to their neighbours irrespective of ethnic differences.” To heal the country’s rifts, he said it was essential for its leaders to be open to compromise and reconciliation. Mr. Ban also expressed his full and ongoing support for the mediation efforts of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities led by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan. 2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

IN WASHINGTON, BAN KI-MOON URGES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS New York, Feb 15 2008 5:00PM Following talks today in Washington with United States President George W. Bush, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of reaching global anti-poverty targets and said a strong partnership between the world body and its host country is key to achieving shared goals. Speaking to reporters following their 90-minute meeting, Mr. Ban said he has been working to make the UN “a more trusty, transparent, accountable and more effective organization” and pledged to continue that effort. He also said regional hotspots such as Darfur, Lebanon, Myanmar and Kenya are high on the agenda. “There are so many problems that challenge us at this time; I'm committed to address these issues.” At the same time, Mr. Ban pointed to his efforts to meet global challenges such as climate change. “And I need your strong support as we are going through this year, a midpoint year, to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015,” he said, citing in particular the needs of Africa. Toward that end, he said President Bush’s upcoming visit to the continent “will be very important and historic,” voicing hope that he would “discuss with African leaders on how to achieve these Millennium Development Goals, how to help people overcome abject poverty, and sanitation [problems] and [gain] access to educational opportunities. “ Mr. Ban wished the US President success, calling his trip “a very great opportunity.” He emphasized the need to sustain the momentum established in December last year at the UN Conference on Climate Change, pledging to work for a globally accepted framework to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which contains legally binding targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions but will expire in 2012. “The United States is the country with the most ability for technology and financing capacities. I count on your leadership and active participation,” said Mr. Ban. “All in all, I need your strong support, because I believe a strong partnership between the United Nations and United States is the crucial element in carrying out my duty as Secretary-General, and also in making the United Nations a stronger organization in carrying out the common challenges we share together.” According to a UN spokesperson, during their meeting, the two leaders discussed UN reform, “with the Secretary-General briefing President Bush on his efforts to promote transparency and accountability at the UN.” They also discussed climate change, the MDGs in an African context, Darfur, Kenya Myanmar, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. 2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

UNESCO CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDERS OF IRAQI AND PAKISTANI JOURNALISTS New York, Feb 15 2008 3:00PM The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend press freedom today condemned the recent killings of journalists in Iraq and Pakistan. Hisham Mijawet Hamdan, 27, was kidnapped on 10 February while shopping for office supplies in a Baghdad market and was tortured before being executed. His body was discovered by police on 12 February. The murder of Mr. Hamdan, who worked for the fortnightly Internet publication demonstrates “once again the dangers that journalists face every day when working in Iraq,” Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said in a statement. “While these professional men and women deserve to be praised for their bravery, further measures also need to be taken to ensure their safety.” The Association of Young Journalists, which counted Mr. Hamdan as a member, said he had of late been active in the group’s campaign aiding families of journalists killed in the violence-ridden country and may have become a target after appearing on television regarding his work assisting survivors. Meanwhile, Pakistani journalist Abdus Samad Chishti Mujahid was gunned down in Quetta, which is close to the South Asian nation’s border with Afghanistan and is the capital of Baluchistan province, on 9 February. “The intimidation and murder of journalists constitutes a crime not only against the individuals targeted, but also against the whole society,” Mr. Matsuura noted in a separate statement. The slain journalist, 55, was a photographer and columnist for the Urdu-language weekly <i>Akhbar-e-Jehan</i>. After being shot by an unknown assailant while coming out of his home with his wife, he died at the hospital. Mr. Matsuura appealed to Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of “this despicable attack on the fundamental human right of freedom of expression” to justice. The Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist organization, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder, which has been condemned by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the Baluchistan Union of Journalists. 2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

UN CHIEF HAILS CREATION OF NEW CENTRE ON ‘RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT’ New York, Feb 14 2008 4:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the establishment in New York of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, 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. “The birth of this new initiative holds great promise in supporting the endeavours of the international community to take the principle of the responsibility to protect from concept to actuality, from word to deed,” said Mr. Ban in a statement delivered by Vijay Nambiar, the Secretary-General’s Chief of Staff. “You will help ensure that the responsibility to protect is known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere,” he said, pointing out that those who most need their rights protected often also need to be informed that the obligation exists for them. The new Centre is housed at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Affairs of the CUNY Graduate Center named for the late UN Under-Secretary-General and 1950 Nobel Peace Laureate. The Secretary-General called the responsibility to protect, sometimes known as ‘R2P,’ “a solemn commitment by the international community” and a “profound moral imperative in today’s world.” Working together, he said that “we can deliver on the promise of the responsibility to protect, and we can transform this idea from an abstract obligation into what it truly is: one of humanity’s highest calling.” 2008-02-14 00:00:00.000

UN TO LAUNCH DRIVE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING AT UPCOMING GLOBAL FORUM New York, Feb 12 2008 5:00PM The United Nations this week will convene the first global forum against human trafficking in Vienna, where some 1,200 experts, legislators, law enforcement teams, business leaders, non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives and trafficking victims are expected to launch an international campaign to combat the crime. “The blood, sweat and tears of trafficking victims are on the hands of consumers all over the world,” said the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime , Antonio Maria Costa, ahead of the 13-15 February forum, explaining that the problem is so widespread within the global economic system that all share complicity. Because of the lack of information about human trafficking, Mr. Costa called it “a monster whose shape, size and ferocity we can only guess.” But experts agree that the scourge accompanies other unlawful activities, like illegal migration, forced labour, paedophilia, child exploitation, civil conflicts and organized prostitution. “It’s time for the world to open its eyes to this form of modern slavery,” the UNODC chief declared. However, he cautioned against empty platitudes. “Moral outrage is not going to stop the traffickers; we need high impact law enforcement measures to make human trafficking a riskier business.” Forum participants will discuss practical measures to increase the effectiveness of preventing human trafficking and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Measures under consideration include tracking and blocking Internet payments for human trafficking transactions; innovative technology to pinpoint frequently used trafficking routes; help-lines to report suspected child prostitution or sex slavery; codes of conduct to curb sex tourism; improved controls on supply chain management; and efforts to stop the forced removal and trade of human organs. Mr. Costa pointed out that global campaigns have been waged against the trade in blood diamonds, fur, and illegal timber, while efforts to stop the trade in people “lag behind.” In addition to experts and other officials, the forum has attracted the participation of celebrities and public figures, including Suzanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt; Emma Thompson, the Oscar-winning British actress; and Ricky Martin, the Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican pop star. 2008-02-12 00:00:00.000

UN RIGHTS EXPERT HAILS REPUBLIC OF KOREA’S PROTECTION FOR DPR KOREA NATIONALS New York, Jan 25 2008 2:00PM An independent United Nations human rights expert today welcomed the participation of the Republic of Korea in efforts to help people from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) living in its territory while urging more measures to help the most vulnerable. In a statement released in Geneva following a 19-24 January visit to the Republic of Korea, Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN Special Rapporteur on the DPRK human rights situation, called for continued attention to the aftermath of the Korean war, such as the issue of prisoners of war, missing persons and separated families. He also urged greater focus on humanitarian aid to the DPRK “with effective monitoring to ensure that it reaches the target groups” as well as greater assistance to those who seek refuge from the DPRK. The Special Rapporteur praised support by the Republic of Korea for over 10,000 nationals from the DPRK it has accepted for settlement while inviting “longer-term facilities to help them adapt to their new lives, and social, educational, employment and psychological back-up, with family and community based networks; more family reunion possibilities; more protection to be afforded to those who do not receive the protection of other countries; and a more active information campaign using success stories of those who have settled in the Republic of Korea to ensure a positive image and nurture a sense of empathy for those who exit from the DPRK in search of refuge elsewhere.” The expert praised increased support for these persons, such as through longer term protection periods, the provision of pensions, and employment and other opportunities. He also hailed a new law allowing DPRK nationals to file for divorce from a spouse in their home country if the location of that person cannot be identified. In addition to meeting Government officials, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others, the Special Rapporteur interviewed a number of DPRK nationals, ranging from new arrivals to others who had settled for a period of time in the Republic of Korea. Mr. Muntarbhorn said he was “encouraged by educational and training programmes for the young generation from the DPRK, complemented by caring neighbours who help them adapt to society.” At the same time, he pointed to the need for longer-term care for torture victims from the DPRK as well as members of the older generation “given that they may find it difficult to adapt to the new society.” He also called for more attention to the “heartbreaking” situation facing children of mixed marriages produced when a DPRK national has a child with another national en route to the Republic of Korea and the child is left behind in the second country. There are parallel family reunion challenges in regard to the family members left behind in the DPRK, he added. In addition, he praised the work of the Republic of Korea’s National Human Rights Commission while stressing the need to ensure its independence. 2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

WAR CRIMES TRIAL OF FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT RESUMES IN UN-BACKED COURT New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM After a delay of more than four months, the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor resumed today at the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone Mr. Taylor is facing 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law – including mass murder, mutilations, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers – for his role in the decade-long civil war that engulfed Sierra Leone, which borders Liberia. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. The trial began in The Hague last June, but was postponed in August to give defence lawyers more time to evaluate some 40,000 pages of evidence disclosed by prosecutors. In 2006, the Security Council authorized the staging of Mr. Taylor’s trial at The Hague, citing reasons of security and expediency. Although the trial will be held at the premises of the International Criminal Court ), it will remain under the exclusive jurisdiction of the SCSL. The Special Court, established in January 2002 by an agreement between the Sierra Leonean Government and the UN, is mandated to try “those who bear greatest responsibility” for war crimes and crimes against community committed in the country after 30 November 1996. Last July, it reached an agreement with the British Government whereby Mr. Taylor will serve out his sentence in the United Kingdom if he is convicted. 2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

UN WARNS OF WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN POST-ELECTION KENYA New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM United Nations officials warned today that the humanitarian situation in Kenya, where post-election violence has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people, is getting worse with water, sanitation and shelter among the most pressing needs. The UN estimates that some 250,000 Kenyans have been displaced and 350 reportedly killed by the violence which erupted after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner in the recent election. The UN Country Team in Kenya is working with the Kenya Red Cross Society and a number of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as faith-based groups, to provide immediate humanitarian assistance. As tensions in the capital and elsewhere have eased, UN agencies and their partners have stepped up their efforts to deliver much-needed supplies, including food, water, mosquito nets, blankets, shelter material and medicine, to those in need. At the same time, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned today that the crisis is getting worse, based on an inter-agency assessment carried out on Sunday in the most-affected areas. “Although the overall security situation in the country may have improved over the past couple of days, the humanitarian crisis is deepening,” OCHA’s Jens Laerke told reporters in Nairobi. According to OCHA, people are still on the move in and around Eldoret and Kericho, and several convoys with internally displaced persons were seen leaving Eldoret yesterday and heading for Nakuru. The UN Children’s Fund is working with its partners to provide emergency water and sanitation to some 22,000 internally displaced persons in two camps located in Eldoret. “In both camps, shelter, water and sanitation and protection are the most pressing needs,” said UNICEF’s Pamela Sittoni. “People are sleeping in the open and the toilets are inadequate.” She also highlighted the plight of women and children who are “bearing the brunt of the violence,” noting that a number of children have been separated from their families during the events of recent days, as well as reports of sexual violence. Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme said a convoy of trucks carrying supplies for displaced people in the Northern Rift Valley left Nairobi today, and more of the agency’s food left the town of Eldoret for thousands of desperately hungry people in the western town of Kisumu. Twenty trucks loaded with 670 metric tons of food – enough to feed at least 70,000 people for two weeks – arrived in Nairobi from the port of Mombasa on Sunday. Nine of the trucks unloaded their food in Nairobi and the remaining 11 headed on to Eldoret today. In addition to those displaced within the country, over 3,000 Kenyans have crossed over into neighbouring Uganda, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees which is assisting the Ugandan Government and Uganda Red Cross in providing assistance. An emergency response team that arrived from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva will be providing items such as blankets, plastic sheets and kitchen sets to the Kenya Red Cross to distribute to the displaced in the Rift Valley and in other areas around Nairobi. 2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

FINDING DECENT WORK AMONG MAJOR OBSTACLES FACED BY TODAY’S YOUTH – UN REPORT New York, Dec 18 2007 1:00PM While today’s youth are the best educated generation in history, they face a number of obstacles in an increasingly globalized world – foremost among them finding decent work – which affect their transition to adulthood, according to a new United Nations report released today. The “World Youth Report 2007 – Young People’s Transition to Adulthood: Progress and Challenges” draws attention to the challenges faced by youth in seven geographical or economic groupings of countries – Asia, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, small island developing States, economies in transition and the developed market economies. The report, which comes more than 10 years after the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth, emphasizes that much progress has been made by governments, and especially by young people themselves, to promote the well-being of youth. “All regions have made impressive achievements in raising school enrolment and more and more girls are going to school,” stated Johan Scholvink, Director of the Division of Social Policy and Development at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Launching the report at UN Headquarters, he said “the report argues that the 1.2 billion young people in the world today are determined to engage in the social, political and economic fabric of society and have much to contribute to the global debate on major development and policy issues.” This is evident in their efforts to constantly improve their education, upgrade their skills and find employment through their use of information and communication technology and their participation in volunteer activities, he added. However, the report notes that there are also major constraints to youth development that are prevalent in all regions – the primary one being the difficulty in finding decent employment in the formal sector. “This is often related to the fact that the education they have received is of low quality and does not prepare them specifically for the needs of a global job market,” Mr. Scholvink stated. “The educational gains that girls have made, in particular, have not translated into increased employment opportunities.” As a result, the report states that many young people with high levels of education are forced to seek work in the informal economy, often at the expense of benefits or job security. “It is clear that while globalization has offered many opportunities around the world, young people continue to face obstacles in accessing its benefits,” noted Mr. Scholvink. The focal point for youth in the DESA agreed that what is happening to youth in terms of unemployment relates to globalization, to the contraction of labour markets and to difficulty in the “school-to-work” transition across the world, in both developed and developing countries. “There seems to be some mismatch between the skills that young people gain in school and the skills that the labour market is demanding,” said Patience Stephens. In addition, the skills needed in today’s globalized job market are changing constantly. The report calls on countries to address the obstacles that continue to limit youth participation in the development of their societies, and provide them with an environment in which they can access not only quality education but also decent work opportunities. 2007-12-18 00:00:00.000

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS NEW AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORLD’S FORESTS New York, Dec 17 2007 7:00PM Fifteen years after discussions began on a global approach to protect the world’s forests, which are disappearing at an alarming rate, the General Assembly today adopted a new landmark international agreement to safeguard this critical natural resource. The agreement, entitled the “Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests,” was negotiated in April within the UN Forum on Forests and transmitted to the Assembly following its approval by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Hailing today’s action by the Assembly, the Director of the Forum’s Secretariat, Pekka Patosaari, said it “significantly advances efforts to monitor the state of the world’s forests and secure long-term political commitment to sustainable forest management.” While not legally binding, the agreement sets a standard in forest management that is expected to have a major impact on efforts to reverse the loss of forest cover, reduce deforestation, prevent forest degradation, promote sustainable livelihoods and reduce poverty for people dependent on forests for their survival. “There is much more to this instrument than just protecting trees,” Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said at a special event following the adoption of the Instrument, emphasizing the growing recognition of the role of forests in stabilizing climate change, and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems. “And let us not forget that today, over 1.6 billion people depend on forests for fuel, food, medicine and income. So protecting forests really means fostering sustainable development,” he said. Forests needed to be protected because they were disappearing at an alarming rate, he added, noting that over the past 15 years, more than 3 per cent of the planet’s forests had vanished. “The instrument we have just adopted thus expresses our will to respond to this alarming trend,” he said. The Assembly today also strongly condemned all threats and acts of violence against UN and associated humanitarian personnel. In a resolution adopted soon after a system-wide minute of silence for the 17 UN staff that perished in the terrorist attack on the world body’s offices in Algiers last week, the Assembly expressed its “deep concern” at the dangers faced by such personnel, who operate in increasingly complex situations. In other actions, the Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2010 the Year of Rapprochement of Cultures, and recommended that, during the course of that Year, appropriate events be organized on interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Also adopted today were texts on the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010); strengthening UN humanitarian and emergency assistance; assistance to the Palestinian people; and assistance to survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. In addition, the Assembly adopted a number of resolutions recommended by its Special Political and Decolonization Committee – also known as the Fourth Committee. 2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

UN PEACEBUILDING FUND TO SPEND $15 MILLION ON LIBERIAN PROJECTS New York, Dec 17 2007 5:00PM The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, set up to help countries emerging from conflict avoid slipping back into war or chaos, has agreed to provide Liberia with $15 million over the next two years to fund projects in the West African nation. Reducing poverty, promoting national reconciliation and providing employment and other opportunities for ex-combatants and young people are expected to be the focus of many of the approved projects. Senior UN peacebuilding officials have provisionally approved Liberia’s initial submission on priority issues for funding, according to a joint announcement today by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. This follows Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s decision two months ago to declare Liberia eligible for financing from the Fund. A steering committee, to be co-chaired by Jordan Ryan, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative in Liberia for Recovery and Governance, will be established, bringing together representatives of the UN, the national Government, the World Bank, donors and civil society. The committee will be tasked with overseeing the selection of projects and the allocation of funding, and next month the first meetings will be held with prospective partners – including Government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups – to share application criteria and guidelines. Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, said the Liberian Government intends to focus on three areas outlined in its poverty reduction strategy: “promoting national reconciliation and managing conflict; addressing the needs of affected youth and former combatants; and bolstering the State’s capacity for peace consolidation.” Set up last year by the UN Secretary-General, the Peacebuilding Fund is designed to serve as a bridge between the phases of conflict and recovery, a period when other forms of financing are often not available to struggling nations. So far more than $222 million has been committed. 2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

SOMALIA: TOP UN ENVOY CALLS FOR ROAD MAP TO ADDRESS WORSENING CRISIS New York, Dec 17 2007 3:00PM The top United Nations envoy to Somalia has urged the international community to draw up a road map towards lasting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa nation that has not had a functioning national government since 1991, warning that continuing with “business as usual” would have dire consequences for the country and the region. “The situation in Somalia is dangerous and becoming more so each day,” Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah told the Security Council today. His ">briefing follows recent meetings with President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, the recently-appointed Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Nur Hassan Hussein, and members of Somalia’s opposition. Despite 14 peace agreements over the last 17 years, the complexity of the conflict continues to increase and innocent civilians continue to die, Mr. Ould-Abdallah said. A recent upsurge in violence has forced the internal displacement of about one million Somalis and caused some three million to flee the country as refugees. The Special Representative noted there is little reason to believe the situation will change if the international community continues with its current course of action, stating that there are “serious consequences for Somalia, the region and probably the world if the conflict is not addressed and a definitive, lasting solution agreed on.” He put forward three possible approaches for the Council’s consideration, the first of which is continuing with the status quo, or “business as usual.” In that context, he pointed out that efforts exerted over the past 17 years have failed to restore stability and that national reconciliation remains elusive. “The international community’s ‘wait and see’ attitude would only postpone the day of reckoning and would not provide meaningful progress towards lasting peace,” Mr. Ould-Abdallah cautioned. The second option would be an organized withdrawal of the international community from Somalia, “in effect accepting its inability to protect the population or to bring about a lasting peace,” he said, noting that a withdrawal would provide “an alternative to the costly, continued engagement in Somalia” that has yet to bear fruit. “However, the country would be crippled still further by the withdrawal as more groups or clans would appear and the resulting fighting could create a humanitarian catastrophe,” Mr. Ould-Abdallah warned, adding that the withdrawal could create “an even more serious power vacuum.” The Special Representative said a third possible solution would be immediate and effective action on the political and security fronts, with the objective of forming a government that can support itself and administer the country effectively. “This is not a magic recipe for peace but could help Somalia to move in the right direction.” On the political front, he suggested the TFG take steps to strengthen its ranks and to reach out to the opposition. He also cited the need for meetings between the TFG and the opposition to prepare the ground for further and higher level meetings, emphasizing that “the opposition should be part of the political process and assume its responsibilities.” Along with the political action, Mr. Ould-Abdallah called for strengthening the African Union Mission (AMISOM) deployed in the country, including the deployment of “an extra capacity” to stabilize the East African nation. He stressed that the time has come for the international community to commit itself to a clear course of action, noting that if the current situation continues, the consequences will be “catastrophic” for peace in the region, for the credibility of the UN and, most of all, for the Somalis themselves. Expressing his support for the third – and what he believed to be the only – option, Somalia’s representative urged the Council quickly devise a plan to move ahead in the political and security spheres, noting that many Somalis have wondered why it is so easy for the 15-member body to move speedily in other parts of the world where there is conflict. “It will not be in the interest of the UN system to find ways and means to delay real action in Somalia,” Ahmed Dhakkar stated, also appealing for boosting the existing AU force. 2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

FRESH OUTBREAK OF BIRD FLU CLAIMS TWO LIVES IN PAKISTAN, SAYS UN AGENCY New York, Dec 17 2007 1:00PM At least two Pakistanis have died in a fresh outbreak of avian influenza close to the country’s “poultry belt,” the United Nations World Health Organization has reported. Pakistani health officials informed WHO of eight suspected human cases of infection with the H5N1 virus – the virus responsible for outbreaks of bird flu around the world in recent years – in the area around the city of Peshawar. In an update issued at the weekend, WHO said two people have died in the outbreak and one person has now recovered. The outbreak in humans was detected after a series of culling operations in the area in response to an outbreak of the virus in local poultry. Samples taken by health officials have tested positive in the national laboratory and are now being referred to a WHO laboratory for further analysis. The agency is helping Pakistani health officials conduct epidemiological investigations and assess the current surveillance, prevention and control measures in place to see whether they need tightening or adjusting. Pakistan has been hit by multiple outbreaks of bird flu in its domestic poultry population since last year, while this year there has also been outbreaks in wild birds. WHO officials are also assisting local health authorities in Myanmar and Indonesia in response to outbreaks in those countries. In Myanmar, a seven-year-old girl from Shan State (East) has recovered after developing symptoms of fevers and headaches last month. Samples from the case have tested positive for the H5N1 virus. Indonesian officials have confirmed that a 47-year-old man from the country’s Banten Province has bird flu and has been hospitalized since 9 December. So far, 115 human cases have been confirmed in Indonesia, and 92 have been fatal. 2007-12-17 00:00:00.000

WRAPPING UP SESSION, UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TO SEND EXPERT TO MYANMAR New York, Dec 14 2007 6:00PM The United Nations Human Rights Council concluded its sixth session today in Geneva, adopting 13 resolutions and decisions, including a request that the independent expert on Myanmar return to the South-East Asian nation for further assessments. The 47-member body adopted a resolution by consensus asking Special Rapporteur Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro to conduct a follow-up mission to look into the ongoing human rights violations resulting from the violent repression of recent peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar before the Council’s next session in March 2008. “Several reports of killings indicate that the figure provided by the authorities may greatly underestimate the reality,” he wrote in a report presented to the Council earlier this week, with at least 31 people having died during the crackdown by the Government on protesters a few months ago – 16 more than had been acknowledged by the authorities. Regarding Sudan, the Council adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the African nation by one year. In a separate resolution, the body voiced concern that the country had not implemented the many recommendations of the Group of Experts, comprising seven independent rights experts. In particular, the Council said it was worried about the fact that perpetrators of past and ongoing human rights violations and international humanitarian law in the war-ravaged Darfur region have not been brought to justice. More than 200,000 people have been killed in the area and at least 2.2 million others displaced since rebels began fighting Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed in 2003. 2007-12-14 00:00:00.000

UN TO LEAD TEAM ASSESSING WORST OIL SPILL IN HISTORY OF REPUBLIC OF KOREA New York, Dec 14 2007 3:00PM The United Nations will lead an eight-person team of marine pollution and civil protection experts being deployed today to assess the 7 December oil spill in the Republic of Korea, the worst in the Asian nation’s history. The team will comprise staff from the UN Environment Programme the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs the European Commission’s Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) and the European Maritime Safety Agency. It will offer advice on how to manage the emergency, remove the remaining oil and limit its spread. Over 10,000 tons of crude oil were spilled when a barge slammed into a tanker, and they later hit beaches 100 kilometres south of Seoul on 8 December. That region is a crucial habitat for migrating birds and is home to an important fishing industry. The UN-EC team will complement the Korean authorities’ efforts, and also suggest measures towards long-term recovery for the ecosystem of the area impacted by the spill. 2007-12-14 00:00:00.000

BAN KI-MOON VOICES PROFOUND SADNESS AS UN DEATH TOLL IN ALGIERS REACHES 17 New York, Dec 14 2007 2:00PM As the United Nations today confirmed that 17 of its staff have perished in the terror attacks in Algiers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his great sorrow at the toll this “unspeakable crime” has taken. “I have learned with profound sadness that the death toll on the bombing in Algiers last Tuesday is even higher than we feared,” Mr. Ban said in a statement, after the Organization announced that 17 UN staff members are now confirmed dead following the car bombing in the Algerian capital. “Words cannot begin to do justice to the grief I feel. “I send my prayers to the loved ones of those who perished, to those who are wounded, and to those who are grappling with trauma after this terrible event,” stated Mr. Ban. “I send my thoughts to all their colleagues who work every day, in difficult and dangerous circumstances, for peace and security, development and human rights around the world.” He added that “those who target innocent civilians in this way commit an unspeakable crime. Our colleagues there were working with no other mission than to support the people of Algeria in building a better future.” UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that efforts on the ground to clear away the rubble have led to the discovery and identification of more bodies. Mr. Ban has sent several of his top aids to Algiers to determine how best to aid those injured in the attack and the families of the victims. Kemal Dervis, the head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), has met with the families of the victims as well as those who were injured in Algiers. “It was sad to see the impact of the attack on his colleagues, he said, adding that “the victims are not soldiers who signed up for battle, but people, mostly Algerians, who are working for peace, development and to alleviate human suffering.” The Algiers bombing is not the first time the UN has been attacked by terrorists. A bomb destroyed the world body’s Baghdad headquarters in August 2003, killing 22 people, including top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. 2007-12-14 00:00:00.000

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN FORCE IN GOLAN HEIGHTS FOR FURTHER SIX MONTHS New York, Dec 14 2007 1:00PM The Security Council today extended for a further six months the United Nations force that has monitored the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights for over 30 years. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body renewed the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force UNDOF) until 30 June 2008. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had recommended the extension of the Force in a recent report, noting that while the situation in the Golan Heights has been “generally quiet” recently, the overall region remains tense. Mr. Ban’s report also drew attention to the growing financial shortfall faced by UNDOF, which supervises the disengagement accord between Syrian and Israeli forces after the 1973 war. As of the end of August, some $24 million is owed to the countries that contribute troops to the Force: Austria, Canada, India, Japan, Poland and Slovakia. 2007-12-14 00:00:00.000

UN REFUGEE AGENCY MOURNS STAFF KILLED IN ALGIERS BOMB ATTACK New York, Dec 14 2007 11:00AM Staff members of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are mourning the loss of two colleagues, both Algerian nationals, killed in the deadly terror attack that struck the world body’s offices in Algiers on Tuesday. Drivers Karim Bentebal and Nabil Slimani, both Algerian nationals, were killed when a car bomb ripped the façade off the UNHCR office, the agency’s spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva today, adding that one staff member was seriously wounded, while others sustained minor injuries. A support team from Geneva, where the agency is based, was urgently dispatched to the Algerian capital on Wednesday to assist staff and families of those killed in the attack, which also claimed the lives of at least nine other UN staff members. UNHCR has about 40 staff working in Algeria, 14 of whom were in Algiers at the time of the blast, Ms. Pagonis said. Most of the agency’s staff work in the Tindouf area some 2,000 kilometres south-west of the capital, assisting Sahrawi refugees from Western Sahara living in five refugee camps. The agency lost another staff member last week when driver Mahamat Mahamadou, a Chadian national, was shot dead in his vehicle in the southern part of the country. “It has been a particularly black time for UNHCR, with three drivers killed in the line of humanitarian duty in the space of a week,” said Ms. Pagonis. “UNHCR drivers are a vital part of our frontline humanitarian staff and widely recognised as crucial to our operations and understanding of the countries we work in. It is very troubling that three drivers have lost their lives in such violent circumstances within a week.” 2007-12-14 00:00:00.000

COUNTRIES PLEDGE TO REALIZE RIGHTS OF EVERY CHILD AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY GATHERING New York, Dec 13 2007 7:00PM Recognizing the many challenges that remain to improve the lives of the world’s children, participants in the General Assembly’s special meeting on children today renewed their commitments to promote and protect the rights and well-being of every child. “We will pursue our common vision of ensuring the well-being of all children in all societies, with a collective sense of urgency,” States pledged in a declaration adopted at the end of the three-day gathering at United Nations Headquarters, reaffirming their commitment to realizing the goals set in 2002 to improve the well-being of children. In “A World Fit for Children” – the plan of action agreed five years ago – governments committed to a set of time-bound and specific goals in four priority areas concerning children: promoting healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting against abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS. States participating in the Assembly’s high-level meeting, known as “A World Fit for Children+5,” were encouraged by the progress achieved since 2002 but highlighted many persisting challenges, including “unacceptably high” number of children under five who continue to die every year and the toll that malnutrition and diseases continue to take on their lives. Over 140 speakers participated in the event, including 20 children selected from around the world. In addition, more than 55 Member States included a child in their official delegation. “The best advocates for children are children themselves,” General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim stated, expressing his appreciation to all the children that were involved in the preparations for the event and the event itself. Calling for scaled-up efforts to improve the lives of young people, he added, “we must assure the children that the future they truly deserve and will inherit can be realized through our actions now.” 2007-12-13 00:00:00.000

KOSOVO STATUS TALKS FAILED TO PRODUCE AGREEMENT, SAYS REPORT TO SECURITY COUNCIL New York, Dec 13 2007 7:00PM Belgrade and Pristina have been unable to reach agreement on the final status of Kosovo, the Serbian province administered by the United Nations since 1999, despite four months of intense and high-level negotiations, according to a report just submitted to the Security Council. “Neither party was willing to cede its position on the fundamental question of sovereignty,” concluded the report of the troika, comprising the European Union, Russia and the United States, that was set up to lead the recent negotiations. The troika was itself created by the so-called Contact Group of countries – the US, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia – which conveyed this report to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who then transmitted it to the Council this week. The troika was established after a stalemate emerged over a proposal by Mr. Ban’s Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, for a phased process of independence for the province, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one. Kosovo’s Albanian leadership supports independence but Serbia is opposed. Mr. Ahtisaari declared talks on the future status of the province deadlocked in mid-March, a little more than a month after unveiling his proposals, which aimed to address the demands of a multi-ethnic society. The plan called for a constitution enshrining principles to protect the rights of all communities, including culture, language, education and symbols, as well as granting specific representation for non-Albanians in key public institutions and requiring that certain laws may only be enacted if a majority of the Kosovo non-Albanian legislative members agree. It also called for wide-ranging decentralization, focusing in particular on the specific needs and concerns of the Serb community, which would have a high degree of control over its own affairs such as secondary health care, higher education and financial matters, including accepting transparent funding from Serbia. Six new or significantly expanded Kosovo Serb majority municipalities would be set up. The troika’s report expressed regret over the failure to reach a negotiated settlement, saying it was in the best interests of both sides to do so. But it added that the negotiations process had still been useful. “Under our auspices, the parties engaged in the most sustained and intense high-level direct dialogue since hostilities ended in Kosovo in 1999. Through this process, the parties discovered areas where their interests aligned. The parties also agreed on the need to promote and protect multi-ethnic societies and address difficult issues holding back reconciliation, particularly the fate of missing persons and the return of displaced persons. “Perhaps most important, Belgrade and Pristina reaffirmed the centrality of their European perspective to their future relations, with both sides restating their desire to seek a future under the common roof of the European Union.” The troika also noted that it had extracted important commitments from the two sides, including a pledge that they would not use violence and refrain from any actions that might jeopardize the security situation in Kosovo and elsewhere. “We note that Kosovo and Serbia will continue to be tied together due to the special nature of their relationship, especially in its historical, human, geographical, economical and cultural dimensions.” The report also concluded that the settlement of Kosovo’s status was critical to the stability and security of both the Western Balkans region and Europe as a whole. 2007-12-13 00:00:00.000

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