BEIRUT SELECTED BY UN CULTURAL AGENCY AS 2009 WORLD BOOK CAPITAL

BEIRUT SELECTED BY UN CULTURAL AGENCY AS 2009 WORLD BOOK CAPITAL
New York, Jul 6 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced today that Beirut has been chosen as the <" http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=32227&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">2009 World Book Capital as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to promote books and reading.

The Lebanese capital was nominated "in the light of its focus on cultural diversity, dialogue and tolerance," the selection committee said after meeting this week at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris.

The committee brings together representatives of UNESCO and some of the main professional associations in the book industry – the International Publishers Association, the International Booksellers Federation and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura hailed the fact that "the city of Beirut, which is facing great challenges in terms of peace and peaceful coexistence, is recognized for its commitment to dialogue, which is necessary more than ever in the region, and that the book is able to contribute actively towards this goal."
Beirut becomes the ninth city to be designated as World Book Capital, after Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogotá (2007) and Amsterdam (2008). The winning city begins its reign as World Book Capital on World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, each year.
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR TREATY AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM

UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR TREATY AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM
New York, Jul 6 2007 1:00PM
On the eve of the entry into force of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) <" http://www.unodc.org/unodc/press_release_2007_07_06_2.html">pledged support for the pact.

Antonio Maria Costa said UNODC stood ready to help countries become parties to and implement the Convention. "Indeed, we are the only UN body mandated, empowered and equipped to provide on-the-ground counter terrorism assistance on legal issues to Member States," he said in a statement released in Vienna, where the Office is based.

The treaty comes into effect tomorrow – 30 days after Bangladesh became the 22nd State to deposit its instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General. It outlaws specific acts of nuclear terrorism and aims to protect against attacks involving a broad range of possible targets, including nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors, bring perpetrators to justice and promote cooperation among countries.

UNODC assists Member States in ratifying and implementing the 13 international conventions and protocols related to terrorism. Since January 2003, it has supported some 137 countries. UNODC increasingly provides support for the incorporation of their provisions into national legislation and for strengthening the capacity of national criminal justice systems to carry them out.

Under the <" http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/RES/59/290">Convention, alleged offenders must be extradited or prosecuted. States are encouraged to cooperate in assisting each other in connection with criminal investigations and extradition proceedings. The treaty also obliges them to make every effort to adopt appropriate measures to ensure the protection of radioactive material.
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY APPEALS FOR URGENT AID TO SUPPORT COUNTRIES HOSTING IRAQI REFUGEES

UN AGENCY APPEALS FOR URGENT AID TO SUPPORT COUNTRIES HOSTING IRAQI REFUGEES
New York, Jul 6 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today urged States to step up and assist the two countries caring for the biggest proportion of Iraqi refugees – Syria and Jordan – which have still received "next to nothing," despite the pledges of support made during an international conference on the issue in April.

"It is unconscionable that generous host countries be left on their own to deal with such a huge crisis," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468e114f4.html">told reporters in Geneva. "We strongly urge governments to step forward now to support them in dealing with this situation and renew our call for international solidarity and burden sharing."

Syria and Jordan, with an estimated 2 million Iraqi refugees between them, are "struggling to cope," Mr. Redmond said. Syria continues to receive about 2,000 Iraqis a day and about 30,000 a month end up staying.

At the UNHCR-sponsored Iraq displacement <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/events?id=45e44a562">conference held in Geneva, some 450 delegates agreed on the urgent need to stem the outflow of people while assisting those in need, including by providing support to Iraq's neighbours which are sheltering refugees.

"The growing refugee population and the communities that host them are facing enormous hardships that will only get worse if the international community doesn't put its money where its mouth is," Mr. Redmond said.

As UNHCR emphasized in April, its $60 million programme for Iraqi refugees and displaced – soon to be raised to more than $100 million – is "just a drop in the ocean" compared to the huge needs in the region, he added.

While contributions to UNHCR have been "generous," totaling some $70 million with another $10 million pledged or in the pipeline, Mr. Redmond stressed that the agency "cannot do everything alone."

He urged donors to provide direct bilateral support to these host countries whose schools, hospitals, public services and infrastructure are seriously overstretched because of the presence of millions of Iraqis they have welcomed.

"Every week, we're seeing sick and maimed Iraqis, including many burn and trauma victims, arriving in Syria for medical help," Mr. Redmond said, pointing out that UNHCR is doing its best with the Syrian health care facilities, but added, "You can imagine the needs."

He also called attention to the plight of the youngest Iraqis, warning that "A whole generation of Iraqi children is in danger of missing out on an education" despite the best efforts of educational officials in host countries.

Meanwhile, UNHCR continued its appeal for the urgent medical evacuation of a dozen Palestinian children from Baghdad and from the makeshift Al-Waleed camp on the Iraq side of the Syrian border who suffer from serious and life-threatening medical problems.

"If these children are not evacuated soon, some may die or be handicapped for life," Mr. Redmond stated, adding that while there has been interest in the children from various European countries and from some individuals, "so far we have nothing concrete."
2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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TIMOR-LESTE: UN ENVOY CONGRATULATES POLITICAL PARTIES FOLLOWING ELECTION

TIMOR-LESTE: UN ENVOY CONGRATULATES POLITICAL PARTIES FOLLOWING ELECTION
New York, Jul 6 2007 9:00AM
The head of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) today congratulated the country's political parties for their democratic conduct following the parliamentary election held at the end of last month.

"UNMIT will continue to assist in many areas, with a priority towards security sector reform, the strengthening of justice sector, the development of institutions of state and social and economic development," Atul Khare pledged at a meeting with the parties at the UN's headquarters in Dili this morning. Election results are still pending.

He called for their continued support. "We can't do that without the ongoing cooperation and the will of the leaders both within government and those in opposition."

During the meeting, the parties agreed that the most important challenge facing them was to form a government and opposition that would represent the citizens of Timor-Leste, UNMIT said in a news releases.

Mr. Khare said that interpretations of the various articles in the Constitution on the Government formation would be a matter for them to decide. He stressed the importance of moving forward in a legal manner that contributes to the continuing political stabilization of Timor-Leste, which the UN shepherded to independence in 2002.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED OPERATION RESETTLES ERITREANS IN UNITED STATES

UN-BACKED OPERATION RESETTLES ERITREANS IN UNITED STATES
New York, Jul 6 2007 8:00AM
Some 700 ethnic Kunama refugees from Eritrea are getting a new start in the United States thanks to a United Nations-backed operation that is flying them there after years of exile in northern Ethiopia.

The Eritreans were displaced by the 1998-2000 border war between their native country and Ethiopia. The operation being assisted by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is due to last until September.

The refugees left Shimelba camp earlier this week and flew out from the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday evening after a pre-departure briefing by staff of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is handling the logistics of the resettlement operation, UNHCR said.

The Kunamas, who will be flown to several US cities, including Atlanta, Orlando, Seattle and Las Vegas, are members of a largely rural ethnic group of about 100,000 people who reside on the disputed Ethiopia-Eritrea border. They crossed into Ethiopia complaining of alleged persecution and harassment by the Eritrean government.

Nagasi Gorado Becho was headed to Atlanta with his family of five, including a seven-year-old daughter born in Shimelba camp. "I opted to go further afield not because I do not like my country, but because I cannot return at this point," said the 45-year-old before boarding the first flight.

His wife, Tokko Masso Anduku, was looking forward to their new life across the Atlantic. "Friends who were resettled some time back are very much appreciative of life in America and I look forward to having better working and learning opportunities there."

UNHCR has determined that the 700 Kunamas cannot return home in safety and dignity and resettlement is the most suitable solution. The people who left on Wednesday and those to follow will all take part in extensive orientation programmes to help them adapt to a new and very different culture.

Today, almost 1,300 Kunama refugees are in Ethiopia, but not all of them want to be r

Several hundred withdrew their applications for resettlement, apparently due to their strong sense of kinship and a desire to remain close to their ancestral lands, according to UNHCR, which said they hope that one day a lasting political solution will be found and they will be able to return home.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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BUSINESS LEADERS AT UN SUMMIT ADOPT DECLARATION ON RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES

BUSINESS LEADERS AT UN SUMMIT ADOPT DECLARATION ON RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES
New York, Jul 6 2007 8:00AM
Hundreds of business leaders attending a United Nations meeting in Geneva today pledged to comply with labour, human rights, environmental and anti-corruption standards in a wide-ranging declaration on making globalization more beneficial to the world's people.

At the second UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, top executives of corporations such as Coca-Cola, Petrobras, Fuji Xerox, China Ocean Shipping Group, Tata Steel, L M Ericsson and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria adopted the 21-point Geneva Declaration, which spells out concrete actions for business, governments and UN Global Compact participants.

Some 4,000 organizations from 116 countries -- among them trade unions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some 3,100 businesses -- have so far subscribed to the Global Compact, pledging to observe ten universal principles related to human rights, labour rights, the environment and the struggle against corruption.

The Geneva Declaration calls for urgent action. "Poverty, income inequality, protectionism and the absence of decent work opportunities pose serious threats to world peace and markets," it says.

"Business, as a key agent of globalization, can be an enormous force for good," participants declared, adding that companies, by committing themselves to corporate citizenship, can create and deliver value in the widest possible terms. Globalization can thus act as an accelerator for spreading universal principles, creating a values-oriented competition for a "race to the top."

Summing up the outcome of the meeting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants that their reports showed how market leadership and sustainability leadership go hand-in-hand. "This will help us build the supportive measures needed to create more sustainable markets. And it will ultimately help improve the lives of many people around the world," he said.

Mr. Ban called on business leaders to convene board meetings to
developments at the Summit, and ensure that the Global Compact is fully carried out within their companies and through their suppliers and partners.

Civil society and labour leaders should "remain vigilant and engaged and continue to hold businesses accountable for their commitments," said the Secretary-General. He called on governments to support the Global Compact as a unique public-private partnership initiative. And he called on the UN to integrate the Global Compact principles throughout the Organization.

"Together, through the Geneva Declaration, we have deepened our collective commitment to embedding universal values in economies and markets," Mr. Ban said. "Let us each do our share to give practical meaning to the Declaration."

Anglo American Chairman Sir Mark Moody-Stuart saw progress at the meeting. "At the first summit three years ago, many companies subscribed to the Global Compact principles because it sounded like the right thing to do, but did not really know how to put them into practice," he said. "We are now moving forward towards implementation."

Today, a Ministerial Roundtable chaired by General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed al Khalifa discussed the role of governments in promoting responsible corporate citizenship. Six parallel sessions focused on human rights, labour, climate change and the environment, UN-business partnerships, corruption and responsible investment.

Global as well as local initiatives were launched at the Summit. Through the "Caring for Climate" platform, Chief executive officers (CEOs) of 150 companies from around the world, including 30 from the Fortune Global 500, pledged to speed up action on climate change and called on governments to agree as soon as possible on Kyoto follow-up measures to secure workable and inclusive climate market mechanisms.

The CEOs of six corporations -- The Coca-Cola Company, Levi Strauss & Co., Läckeby Water Group, Nestlé S.A., SABMiller and Suez -- urged their business peers everywhere to take immediate action to addres
global water crisis. They launched the "CEO Water Mandate," a project designed to help companies to better manage water use in their operations and throughout their supply chains.

Also launched at the Summit, the "Principles for Responsible Investment" seek to disseminate the tenets of corporate citizenship among capital markets. The "Principles for Responsible Management Education" aim to take the case for universal values and business into business schools around the world.

Over 1,000 people registered for the Summit -- most from companies, but also from government entities, international organizations, international business organizations, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, foundations and international labour organizations.

The first Global Compact Leaders Summit took place in New York in 2004, and the next is planned for 2010.

2007-07-06 00:00:00.000

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KOSOVO'S PROGRESS COULD FALTER UNLESS FUTURE STATUS FINALIZED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

KOSOVO'S PROGRESS COULD FALTER UNLESS FUTURE STATUS FINALIZED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 5 2007 6:00PM
Kosovo's overall progress towards building a functioning economy and establishing democratic institutions of self-government has been encouraging, but those advances could soon unravel unless the Serbian province's future status is determined, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

In his latest progress <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/395">report on the work of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK), Mr. Ban writes that the progress being made under UN administration is threatened by the continuing tensions between the province's ethnic communities.

"Sustaining and consolidating progress made by Kosovo will require concrete prospects for the conclusion of the future status process and the active and constructive cooperation of all involved," he says, adding that the determination of Kosovo's final status should as such remain a priority of the Security Council and the broader international community.

In March, a report by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the future status process Martti Ahtisaari found that the only viable option for Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one, was a phased process of independence. Kosovo's Albanian leadership support independence but Serbia is opposed.

Mr. Ban notes in his report that Kosovo's so-called Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) have made "concrete progress" towards meeting the standards, a set of eight overall targets that include building democratic institutions, enforcing minority rights, creating a functioning economy and setting up an impartial legal system.

"The Provisional Institutions have laid the basis for a peaceful and normal life for all of the people of Kosovo," Mr. Ban writes, while observing that much remains to be done in achieving some of the targets.

UNMIK has run Kosovo since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.

The Secretary-General stresses that reintegrating and reconciling the communities of Kosovo "remains an uphill challenge." Kosovo Serbs in particular feel that the PISG do not represent them, and a large majority boycott the institutions and rely instead on parallel structures supported by authorities in Belgrade.

"At the same time, returns of Kosovo Serbs remain disappointingly low due to uncertain economic prospects and continuing security-related concerns."

Mr. Ban's report, released ahead of Security Council consultations on Kosovo scheduled for next Monday, contains a technical assessment of the progress towards the standards by Joachim Rücker, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in the province.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN OFFICIAL, DUCHESS OF YORK DEDICATE NEW SCHOOL IN LIBERIA

UN OFFICIAL, DUCHESS OF YORK DEDICATE NEW SCHOOL IN LIBERIA
New York, Jul 5 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations today dedicated a newly constructed school in Liberia at a ceremony attended by Sarah, the Duchess of York, who called for continued attention to the country as it solidifies stability after years of conflict.

She told participants at the event in Perry Town, Montserrado County, that Liberia is now at peace and "should not be forgotten" because of the present preoccupation with ongoing conflicts elsewhere.

The Duchess of York noted that the Liberian Government is "determined to make a difference and get the country back to its former condition through training and educating its children and young people."

The Duchess, who has been in Liberia for two days discussing ways of providing humanitarian assistance to the country, held meetings with officials from the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the Government as well as representatives of civil society organizations.

At the ceremony, UNMIL's Officer-in-Charge Jordan Ryan advocated "a nationwide campaign so that everyone in Liberia would be able to read and write."

Mr. Ryan emphasized the importance of education for women and girls. "Every woman who voted with a thumb in the last election should be able to sign her name in the next," he said.

The Sean Devereux Community School was built through an initiative by UNMIL's "Quick Impact Projects" to accommodate more than 300 children and to provide skills training for men and women of the community, the mission said in a news release.

It was established in memory of Mr. Devereux, a former missionary and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) staff member who lost his life in the service of peace in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. He had previously worked in Liberia for more than four years.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO URGES COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TACKLE 'FEMINIZATION OF AIDS'

MIGIRO URGES COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TACKLE 'FEMINIZATION OF AIDS'
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for a more broad-based effort to tackle the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls.

"The factors that drive the feminization of AIDS cannot be addressed piecemeal. But to be honest, despite our best intentions, many of our activities remain rooted at project level: we have still to make the leap from project to programme, to achieve truly systemic change," she <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/dsgsm328.doc.htm">told the International Women's Summit meeting in Nairobi.

"We know what that change should look like: real, positive change that will give more power and confidence to women and girls," she added, calling for steps to bolster education, carry out legal and social reforms, and promote awareness-raising among men.

Ms. Migiro advocated that "change that will free boys and men from cultural stereotypes and expectations, such as the belief that manhood comes from showing 'who's boss' or from frequenting sex workers."

This process, she emphasized, must include providing anti-retrovirals to prevent parent to child transmission, and microbicides, as they become available.

To have real impact, efforts must be guided by two key principles: accountability and a drive to achieve measurable results, she said, calling on participants to "set clear aims, and be prepared to be held accountable."

Also <"http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/20070705_nairobi/en/index.html">addressing the Summit, Margaret Chan, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), reviewed progress in combating AIDS, noting that last year the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa receiving life-saving drugs passed the 1 million mark. "That is proof of principle. It can be done," she said.

She urged all concerned to work to ensure universal access to prevention, treatment, care, and support for all who need it by 2010.

At the same time, Dr. Chan pointed to the gravity of the spread of the disease. "We have seen considerable progress, but we are still running behind this devastating, unforgiving epidemic," she said, pointing out that for every person starting treatment, another six people will become newly infected within a year.

To combat this trend, she called for pressing for universal access to treatment and care while working for prevention. "This is the only way to catch up."

Organized by the World YWCA and the International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS, the Summit will run for three days and is being attended by 1,800 participants from all over the world.

In a separate development, the Deputy Secretary-General today visited the UN headquarters in Nairobi, where she attended a town hall meeting with UN staff. During the meeting, she highlighted the importance of feedback to headquarters from the field to improve the UN's accountability and progress on the reform agenda.

She also paid a brief courtesy visit to Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and planted a tree at the headquarters complex before holding meetings with the senior management of the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (<"http://www.unhabitat.org/">UN-HABITAT).
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN'S DARFUR ENVOY ARRIVES IN SUDAN TO HELP SPUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

UN'S DARFUR ENVOY ARRIVES IN SUDAN TO HELP SPUR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations envoy tasked with re-energizing the peace process in the violence-wracked Darfur region has arrived in Sudan for fresh talks on how to kick-start political negotiations between the parties to the conflict.

Jan Eliasson, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Darfur, met the African Union-UN Joint Mediation Support Team (JMST) in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to discuss preparations for the joint international meeting in Libya on the Darfur political process.

That meeting, to be held in Tripoli on 15-16 July, has been convened to assess the progress over the past months towards holding peace talks in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2 million others displaced from their homes amid brutal fighting since 2003.

The meeting will focus on the roadmap, the joint plan of the UN and the AU – whose Darfur envoy, Salim Ahmed Salim, is also expected to arrive in Khartoum this weekend – to solve the conflict between the Government, allied Janjaweed militias and Darfur's many rebel groups. Peace negotiations between the warring parties mark the third phase of the roadmap.

Mr. Eliasson left Khartoum today for the West Darfur provincial capital of El Geneina for talks with political parties, civil society groups, representatives of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local authorities involved in the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation process.

In a related development, the new AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur was scheduled to travel to Khartoum today to begin his new assignment. Rodolphe Adada will serve as head of the existing AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) until the planned hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force takes over. He will then head that operation.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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SOARING BIOFUEL DEMAND DRIVING UP AGRICULTURAL PRICES, SAYS UN-BACKED REPORT

SOARING BIOFUEL DEMAND DRIVING UP AGRICULTURAL PRICES, SAYS UN-BACKED REPORT
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
Increased demand for biofuels is leading to changes in agricultural markets that could drive up global prices for many farm products, according to a new United Nations-backed report.

The Agricultural Outlook 2007-2016, published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000620/index.html">FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), blames the recent hikes in farm commodity prices on factors such as droughts in wheat-growing regions and low stocks.

Biofuels are currently made from such materials as sugar cane, palm oil and maize and, given they can substitute for fossil fuels, hold the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The growing use of these materials is underpinning crop prices and, indirectly through higher animal feed costs, the prices for livestock products, stated FAO.

The report notes that "most biofuel policies are new and it is not clear which measures are most effective in achieving the mix of objectives such as lower fossil fuel dependence or less greenhouse gas emissions."

According to the report, annual maize-based ethanol output is expected to double between 2006 and 2016 in the United States, and in Brazil, annual ethanol production is projected to reach some 44 billion litres by 2016 from around 21 billion today.

In the European Union the amount of oilseeds used for biofuels is set to grow from just over 10 million tons to 21 million tons over the same period.

The report pointed out that higher commodity prices are a particular concern for States classified as net food importing countries, as well as the urban poor.

Trade patterns are also changing, the report noted. Production and consumption of agricultural products will generally grow faster in the developing countries than in the developed economies - especially for beef, pork, butter, skim milk powder and sugar.

Trade in beef, pork and whole milk powder is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent over the next 10 years, coarse grains trade by 13 per cent and wheat by 17 per cent. Trade in vegetable oils is projected to increase by nearly 70 per cent.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA CONCERNED ABOUT ESCAPEE IN BOSNIA

UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA CONCERNED ABOUT ESCAPEE IN BOSNIA
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has expressed concern to authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina about the circumstances surrounding the recent escape from a local jail of a man serving a 20-year sentence for the rape and sexual assault of Muslim women and girls during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

Radovan Stankovi&#263;, 38, escaped in late May from Foca prison, where he had been sentenced by the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) referred its case against him in 2005 – then the first time ever that the Tribunal had sent a case to a national jurisdiction.

Mr. Stankovi&#263;, a former member of a Serb paramilitary unit, had been convicted last year of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the rape and enslavement, for his actions in Foca after Serb forces overran the Bosnian town in 1992.

ICTY President Judge Fausto Pocar sent a letter on Tuesday to the Justice Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barisa Colak, to voice concern at the failure of Bosnian authorities to report to the Tribunal on the circumstances of Mr. Stankovi&#263;'s escape and the measures taken to secure his custody.

On 31 May, shortly after Mr. Stankovi&#263; escaped, Judge Pocar had requested this information in a letter to Mr. Colak, but received no reply.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION ENDORSES CALL FOR INQUIRY INTO ROCKET ATTACK

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION ENDORSES CALL FOR INQUIRY INTO ROCKET ATTACK
New York, Jul 5 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire has announced its support for any international inquiry into last week's deadly rocket attack on a plane carrying the country's Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro.

Abou Moussa, the Officer-in-Charge of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI), issued a statement on Tuesday backing Mr. Soro's earlier call for a probe into the attack, the Mission said in a press release.

Mr. Moussa said the country's Justice Minister has already prepared the terms of reference for an international investigation and would soon send the information to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Four people were killed and several others injured when unidentified attackers fired rockets at the plane transporting Mr. Soro as it landed at the airport in Bouaké, situated in the north of the divided West African country.

Mr. Moussa had earlier headed an international delegation – which included representatives of France, the United States, Germany, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – that offered condolences to Mr. Soro and the families of the four victims.

The delegation stressed that the international community remains committed to the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, an accord signed in March by Mr. Soro and President Laurent Gbagbo to try to heal the divide in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been split between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

The Ouagadougou agreement calls, among other steps, for: creating a new transitional Government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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NEWLY ESTABLISHED FORUM VITAL FOR ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT - BAN KI-MOON

NEWLY ESTABLISHED FORUM VITAL FOR ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 5 2007 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to governments, United Nations organizations, civil society, parliaments, the private sector and academia to make the most of a newly established forum to advance the world's shared anti-poverty goals, including by scaling up funds to ensure they are achieved on time.

The <"http://www.un.org/ecosoc/newfunct/develop.shtml">Development Cooperation Forum, launched today in Geneva, is "a decisive step forward in the implementation of the global partnership for development," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2656">told participants at the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

As an initiative supported by the heads of State at the <"http://www.un.org/summit2005">2005 UN World Summit, the Forum will be held every other year as part of the high-level segment of the Council's annual session. The first meeting will take place in New York in 2008.

Among its tasks, the Forum will focus on finding effective ways to support the achievement of the set of internationally agreed poverty reduction targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs).

Mr. Ban noted that in recent years, donors have committed to substantial increases in ODA and debt relief, and until recently, the long-term decline in development assistance was reversed.

The Secretary-General urged donors to commit to timelines for scaling up aid to reach development targets, stressing that "fresh funding is required if we are to overcome the financing gap" and reach the Goals on time.

A mid-point update on the MDGs issued last week stated that "the Goals are still achievable in most countries – if we act now," he stressed.

Mr. Ban also highlighted the importance of a body like the Forum in addressing the challenges surrounding international development assistance, which he said appeared "unnecessarily fragmented and complicated."

Donor aid flows tend to be concentrated in a few countries, while other low-income countries suffer from under-funding, he noted. In addition, the number of donors is increasing, and countries are burdened with responding to different demands by various players.

In ensuring that "all voices are heard," the Forum can foster an inclusive approach in dealing with these and other challenges, Mr. Ban stated.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCY WARNS OF POSSIBLE LOCUST INFESTATION IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

UN AGENCY WARNS OF POSSIBLE LOCUST INFESTATION IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
New York, Jul 5 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000619/index.html">FAO) has warned that swarms of desert locusts from East Africa are expected to cross the Indian Ocean and could reach India and Pakistan within days, creating a potentially dangerous situation for a region already suffering from the impact of last week's deadly storms.

Two recent tropical cyclones have caused heavy rainfall in Pakistan and western India that will create "unusually favourable breeding conditions for locusts" until October along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border and, for the first time in many years, in coastal areas of western Pakistan, FAO said in a press release.

Both Governments are mobilizing field teams, equipment and resources in the Indian States of Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as in adjacent areas of Cholistan and Tharparkar deserts in Pakistan.

"Locusts can stay in the air for long periods of time," said FAO locust expert Keith Cressman, adding that desert locusts usually fly with the wind and can travel up to 150 kilometres a day.

Crossing the Indian Ocean on monsoon winds is part of the natural migration cycle of desert locusts and has already occurred in the past.

Meanwhile, FAO said the migratory grasshoppers have infested large areas of Yemen, which is facing the worst locust outbreak in nearly 15 years.

The agency is organizing an emergency $5 million aerial control campaign in Yemen that will start later this month and is expected to last 30 days.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Governments of Japan and Yemen are providing the funds, which will support two helicopters, pesticide, equipment, vehicles, and locust control and logistics experts.

If the campaign is not successful, there is a risk of numerous swarms forming and invading countries along both sides of the Red Sea during the autumn, FAO warned.
2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON GLOBAL COMPACT LEADERS SUMMIT TO CHART FUTURE COURSE

BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON GLOBAL COMPACT LEADERS SUMMIT TO CHART FUTURE COURSE
New York, Jul 5 2007 8:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged action on climate change and other shared international concerns in an address to the Global Compact Leaders Summit -- a gathering in Geneva of business leaders, government ministers, and heads of civil society groups committed to United Nations principles.

"This Summit is an important opportunity to take our partnership forward -- in learning as well as action," Mr. Ban told those assembled from over 90 countries. "Over these two days, we must make an honest appraisal of what the Global Compact has achieved, renew our commitments, and chart a courageous course for the next three years."

The Secretary-General stressed the importance of joint actions to address climate change and announced the planned launch of a Business Leadership Platform on "Caring for Climate" -- a joint project with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Mr. Ban recalled that since the Global Compact was launched in 2000 with 47 companies, it had grown to "what is today the world's largest corporate citizenship initiative, counting 4,000 stakeholders in 116 countries."

The Global Compact "has lived up to its promise -- bringing business together with other stakeholders, and infusing markets and economies with universal values," he said.

Participants, who are split almost evenly between developed and developing economies, "have taken thousands of actions in support of the Global Compact's ten principles" which relate to the environment and anti-corruption as well as human and labour rights.

The conference offers the opportunity "to assess the sea change that is taking place in the relationship between business and communities," he said, pointing out that in today's interdependent world, "business leadership cannot be sustained without showing leadership on environmental, social and governance issues."

Mr. Ban acknowledged that pro
principles is still uneven. "We need to apply policies more deeply and specifically across the board," he said. In areas that would benefit most from a robust global economy, business is still too often linked with "exploitative practices, corruption, income equality and other barriers" that discourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Ban called on representatives from business, trade unions, academia and governments to do their part to ensure the Compact's success, and pledged his full support in this endeavour "so that we fulfil the Global Compact's aspirations and vision."

Also addressing the Summit was Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, called on those present to "combine the universal authority of the UN, the global reach of international business and the mobilizing power of civil society to confront" global challenges together.

The Global Compact seeks to promote responsible corporate citizenship by partnering the private sector with other social players to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

It is not a regulatory instrument but relies instead on what it terms "public accountability, transparency and the enlightened self-interest of companies, labour and civil society to initiate and share substantive action in pursuing the principles upon which the Global Compact is based."

2007-07-05 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONCERNED AT ACQUITTALS IN MILITARY TRIAL

DR CONGO: UN'S TOP RIGHTS OFFICIAL CONCERNED AT ACQUITTALS IN MILITARY TRIAL
New York, Jul 4 2007 11:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today voiced concern at the recent decision by a military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to acquit all defendants of killings, torture and other abuses that occurred during an operation by the country's armed forces.

"I am concerned at the court's conclusions that the events in Kilwa were the accidental results of fighting, despite the presence at the trial of substantial eye-witness testimony and material evidence pointing to the commission of serious and deliberate human rights violations," said Louise Arbour of the verdict reached in late June in the DRC's Katanga Province.

"I am pleased that an appellate instance will have the opportunity to revisit these findings," she said, urging the appeals court to "fully and fairly weigh all the evidence before it reaches the appropriate conclusions that justice and the rights of the victims demand."

The High Commissioner also encouraged all competent authorities in the DRC to use all available legal means to bring justice to the victims of Kilwa.

In 2004, members of the country's armed forces (FARDC) regained control of Kilwa from a rebel group which had briefly occupied it.

In investigating the events, human rights officers of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) documented incidents of summary executions, torture, illegal detention and looting by the FARDC forces and concluded that little and sporadic fighting took place. Human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have also investigated the events and reached similar conclusions.

In a statement released in Geneva, the High Commissioner criticized the military court's assumption of jurisdiction over civilians in this case. "It is inappropriate and contrary to the DRC's international obligations for military courts to try civilians. While military personnel can in principle be charged by court martial, ci
not -- they should be tried before fair and independent civilian courts."

The High Commissioner called on the Congolese Parliament to adopt as a matter of priority the bill implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which would provide the civilian courts with clear jurisdiction for international crimes.

She recalled that during her visit to the country in May, the authorities had provided assurances of their commitment to the fight against impunity. "The victims of serious human rights violations demand concrete signs of such commitment, in the form of truth and justice," she declared. "That is only their right."

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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NEW IAEA REPORT OUTLINES PLANS FOR MONITORING NUCLEAR FACILITY IN DPR KOREA

NEW IAEA REPORT OUTLINES PLANS FOR MONITORING NUCLEAR FACILITY IN DPR KOREA
New York, Jul 4 2007 10:00PM
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which recently sent a team of experts to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has released a report on its future activities in the country, which has been under United Nations sanctions since last year when it claimed to have conducted a nuclear test.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's report, circulated Monday, is restricted, but the Agency said in a news release that it "outlines agreed arrangements for monitoring and verification by the IAEA of the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility and the reactor under construction in Taechon, that were reached between the IAEA team and the DPRK during their visit last week."

The team, led by Olli Heinonen, Deputy Director General for Safeguards, was in the country from 26 to 29 June.

DPRK ordered IAEA inspectors out at the end of 2003 and formally withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- including the pact's inspections and other safeguards against fuel diversion from energy generation to weapons production.

Mr. ElBaradei visited DRPK in March to discuss plans for the country to get rid of nuclear weapons in what he called "the first step in a long process" toward normalizing relations with the country.

The IAEA's 35-member Board will consider the report at its next meeting on 9 July in Vienna, according to the news release.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES URGE ACTION TO PREVENT RISING DEATH TOLL AT SEA

UN AGENCIES URGE ACTION TO PREVENT RISING DEATH TOLL AT SEA
New York, Jul 4 2007 10:00PM
The United Nations refugee agency and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are joining forces to call for more action to prevent deaths among boatpeople making dangerous voyages across the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Aden and other stretches of water.

"There's a very mixed flow of people -- refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution, as well as migrants seeking a better life -- risking their lives on unseaworthy vessels often operated by ruthless smuggling rings who care nothing for human life," said Erika Feller, top protection official with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The call from the two agencies follows a meeting they held recently in London on the latest trends in irregular maritime migration, the risk to lives and search and rescue obligations.

Ms. Feller, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, was in Yemen recently, where refugees told her about the horrific voyages they had made crossing the Gulf of Aden from strife-ridden Somalia.

UNHCR has reported cases of people crossing from Somalia being brutally beaten and thrown overboard to the sharks, coupled with other abuses. Since the start of this year, more than 5,600 people have landed on the Yemeni coast and at least 200 have died while many remain missing.

With Europe now in summer, people are travelling in small craft -- from or through Africa -- across the Mediterranean or stretches of the Atlantic and running into trouble, requiring search and rescue operations to be launched, according to UNHCR. Dozens have died and more are missing.

"Finding people clinging to fishing pens, having been dumped in the water by unknown boats at midnight is not a one-off occurrence nor, unfortunately, is the refusal by coast states to allow their disemarkation after rescue," Ms. Feller said.

Shipmasters often face difficulties when arriving in the nearest port and trying to disembark people they have resc
are refugees, asylum seekers or undocumented migrants.

The UN refugee agency and the IMO said they intend to work more closely together and will hold a high level inter-agency meeting to forge closer co-operation with all agencies involved to find ways to help alleviate this humanitarian problem.

IMO -- the International Maritime Organization -- is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON 'PROFOUNDLY RELIEVED' AT RELEASE OF BBC'S ALAN JOHNSTON

BAN KI-MOON 'PROFOUNDLY RELIEVED' AT RELEASE OF BBC'S ALAN JOHNSTON
New York, Jul 4 2007 1:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced relief at the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston following 16 weeks of captivity in Gaza, and called for other kidnap victims to be freed.

"The Secretary-General is profoundly relieved at the release," a spokesman for Mr. Ban said in a statement released in Turin, Italy, calling for the earliest release without conditions of kidnap victims detained in similar circumstances.

"He pays tribute to Mr. Johnston's dignity and resilience in captivity, and equally, to the professional reporting of the BBC worldwide, in which Mr. Johnston has long been a gifted and reliable voice," the spokesman said.

The Secretary-General also acknowledged the work of all parties involved in the release, which he called "a crucial reminder of the need to protect not only the freedom, but the security and safety, of the media around the world."

In Paris, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) also expressed relief at Mr. Johnston's liberation.

"I am relieved and delighted that Alan Johnston has finally been freed, safe and sound," said Koïchiro Matsuura. "He and his family have displayed remarkable courage during this terrible ordeal."

Stressing that journalists must be able to operate without fear for their security, he congratulated all those who advocated for Mr. Johnston's release.

"Alan Johnston was held captive longer than any other journalist abducted in Gaza . It is now up to Palestinian authorities to see that those responsible are located and swiftly brought to justice," said the Director-General.

2007-07-04 00:00:00.000

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GUATEMALA SHOULD ACT ON PROPOSED BODY TO PROBE ARMED GROUPS - BAN KI-MOON

GUATEMALA SHOULD ACT ON PROPOSED BODY TO PROBE ARMED GROUPS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
With talks underway in Guatemala's Congress on a proposed independent body to investigate illegal armed groups, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced hope that the country will take "this important opportunity" to fight impunity.

Under a December 2006 agreement between the Government and the UN, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (to be known as CICIG, its Spanish acronym) will have an initial mandate of two years, pending approval by the Congress.

Mr. Ban hopes that Guatemala "will seize this important opportunity to use international assistance to strengthen its national judicial institutions in the fight against impunity in a way that is fully respectful of Guatemalan sovereignty," said his spokesperson in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2650">statement.

"The Secretary-General wishes to emphasize that safeguarding public security and solidifying the rule of law are not challenges unique to Guatemala, but shared by many other countries emerging from conflict," the statement added.

The Commission will be able to conduct its own investigations and also help local institutions, particularly the Office of the Public Prosecutor. While it will be an independent, non-UN body, its commissioner will be appointed by the Secretary-General and report periodically to him.

One of its tasks is to recommend public policies and any legal or institutional measures for eradicating the illegal armed groups and preventing their re-emergence. The costs are expected to be borne by voluntary contributions from the international community.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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LACK OF FUNDS FORCES UN REFUGEE AGENCY TO HALT TIMOR-LESTE OPERATION

LACK OF FUNDS FORCES UN REFUGEE AGENCY TO HALT TIMOR-LESTE OPERATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The UN refugee agency has ended its emergency operation in Timor-Leste owing to a lack of funds, bringing to a close nearly 14 months of vital assistance to some 150,000 people displaced following the outbreak of factional violence last year.

The last international staff of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468a532c4.html">UNHCR) have now left the young nation, which the UN helped shepherd to independence in 2002, leaving behind only a small core of national staff to help rebuild the skills of civil servants and to look after a handful of refugees from Asia and West Africa, the agency said in a press release issued today.

"We accomplished a lot," said Robert Ashe, UNHCR's Jakarta-based regional representative. In the first three months following the April-May 2006 violence, the agency helped thousands of people in makeshift camps that had been set up in and around Dili.

UNHCR, along with Australian peacekeepers, worked to ensure that the airport in the capital, Dili, resumed functioning in the early days after the looting and fighting, which left at least 25 people dead and 150,000 displaced.

After Dili Airport was taken over by internally displaced people seeking shelter, UNHCR set up a nearby tent city which allowed the facility to return to its intended function.

Last September, UNHCR provided more than 1,500 lightweight family tents, plastic sheeting and other relief items to the Government, which estimated that some 1,500 houses were destroyed or badly damaged in Dili alone.

The agency says the situation remains grim for many of those still displaced, which the Government says could be as many as 100,000 people, with at least 25,000 of those in the capital.

Mr. Ashe added that last Saturday's peaceful parliamentary election, for which the votes are still being counted, offered hope for a brighter future if the new Government could focus on the issues of internally displaced people, poverty and employment.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN AGENCIES DEPLOY EMERGENCY TEAM TO FLOOD-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN

UN AGENCIES DEPLOY EMERGENCY TEAM TO FLOOD-HIT PARTS OF PAKISTAN
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
A five member United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team is being deployed to Pakistan in the wake of the severe flooding and cyclone Yemyin that have affected the country in recent days.

"The Government of Pakistan is doing everything possible to provide aid under extremely challenging circumstances," said John Homes, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. "The United Nations is ready to supplement their efforts as required, as are non-governmental organizations (NGOs)."

In addition to sending the UNDAC team, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline3.un.org/">OCHA), through its regional office in Bangkok, will deploy two more staff on 5 July to support the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Pakistan.

OCHA also released an emergency cash grant of $100,000 for local procurement of emergency relief.

Some 12 helicopters are being mobilized in the areas of Balochistan and Sindh, where flooding has already driven some 250,000 from their homes and affected more than 1.5 million people overall, after the authorities requested additional helicopters to distribute highest priority supplies – shelter and potable water – to affected areas.

In response to calls for other emergency medicines and supplies in order to prevent an epidemic outbreak, several UN relief agencies, including the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) are gearing up their activities in parallel to NGO mobilizations, providing tents, blankets, emergency medicine kits, and water purification tablets. A convoy of relief items from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR) with 270 tents and 100 quilts left Quetta, the capital of the Balochistan, on 30 June.

UNHCR is also rushing 15 tons of emergency supplies to thousands of Afghan refugees and surrounding communities in south-western Balochistan.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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SUDANESE OFFICIALS AND UNICEF TEAM UP TO FIND FAMILIES FOR ABANDONED CHILDREN

SUDANESE OFFICIALS AND UNICEF TEAM UP TO FIND FAMILIES FOR ABANDONED CHILDREN
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40173.html">UNICEF) and Sudanese authorities have launched a campaign to prevent people from abandoning infants and to find temporary families to avoid placing the children in institutions.

A joint assessment carried out in 2003 by the Government and UNICEF found that an estimated 100 newborns were being abandoned on the streets of the capital Khartoum every month. "Half of these were dying on the streets, the others left with no alternative but institutional care," the agency stated in a press release issued yesterday.

These "alarming statistics" led the Ministry of Social Affairs for Khartoum State and UNICEF to develop a pilot programme to move away from institutional care towards the placement of children with alternative families.

Evidence shows that children's development is improved when placed within alternative families, including dramatic changes in motor, language and social development, the agency noted.

Based on the Islamic system of kaffala, which requires communities and families to support the welfare of vulnerable children, some 500 emergency alternative families that are willing to provide temporary care for abandoned babies have been identified.

This period of temporary care will allow social workers to trace the children's own families and attempt reunification. Permanent alternative families have also been identified to provide longer-term care for children who cannot be reunited with their parents.

The new initiative also focuses on prevention by collaborating with midwives, community leaders and families to reduce the risk of abandonment of children whose families face difficulties in caring for them.

The launch of the initiative coincides with the planned closure of Khartoum's largest orphanage, Maygoma, which in 2004 received nearly 700 new referrals despite concerns over the quality of care being provided to abandoned children. In the last three years, as the pilot family care programme was developed and non-governmental organizations assisted in the management of the orphanage, more than 2,500 children were moved to the family care system.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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AFRICAN CRISES SET TO TOP SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA THIS MONTH

AFRICAN CRISES SET TO TOP SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA THIS MONTH
New York, Jul 3 2007 6:00PM
The crises and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East are expected to dominate the agenda at the Security Council this month, its President for July, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, said today.

Briefing journalists on the Council's programme of work, Mr. Wang noted that more than 50 per cent of the items on the provisional agenda related to Africa, from Sudan's Darfur region and Somalia in the east to Guinea-Bissau and Côte d'Ivoire in the west to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the central south.

The report of last month's Council mission to Africa is also scheduled to be formally debated late next week.

In response to questions from reporters, Mr. Wang said some Council members were working on drafting an enabling resolution to authorize the establishment of the proposed hybrid African Union-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003.

The Sudanese Government indicated last month, after earlier reservations, that it unconditionally accepted the deployment of the hybrid force to take over from the existing but under-resourced AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

Turning to the Middle East, the Council will hold briefings and consultations on the situation in Lebanon and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The discussions will cover the report of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team, which has been tasked with monitoring the border with Syria for possible illegal movements of arms.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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EX-MILITIA MEMBERS IN DR CONGO'S ITURI DISTRICT TO BEGIN DEMOBILIZING - UN

EX-MILITIA MEMBERS IN DR CONGO'S ITURI DISTRICT TO BEGIN DEMOBILIZING – UN
New York, Jul 3 2007 5:00PM
The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme for former members of three militia groups in the volatile Ituri district of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will start next week, the United Nations peacekeeping mission to the country (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/monuc/index.html">MONUC) has announced.

Under the scheme, to be run by the UN Development Programme (<"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/">UNDP), about 4,500 ex-combatants from the militias will be registered, asked to hand over their arms and then given assistance to reintegrate into either civilian life or the national armed forces.

UNDP expects that about 70 per cent of the combatants – from the militias Mouvement Revolutionnaire Congolais (MRC), the Front de Résistance Patriotique de l'Ituri (FRPI) and the Front des Nationalistes et Intégrationnistes (FNI) – will choose civilian life, while 30 per cent will retrain for the new integrated brigades of the armed forces.

Two transit sites will be opened before the end of this month in the cities of Bunia and Kpandroma to handle the demobilization process, and they will operate for six weeks before closing so that community reconstruction service programmes can then begin for the reintegrating ex-combatants.

The entire $2.5 million programme, which is being funded by UNDP along with Sweden, Ireland, Japan, Norway and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will run for just over three months in Ituri, located in the far northeast of the DRC.

Combatants rejoining civilian life will receive $110 to help with transport costs and an entry card into the community reconstruction service, which will allow them to work on manual labour projects such as the rehabilitation of roads, schools and sanitary systems for $2 a day for up to 90 days. If they want to set up their own business, they will be given access to microfinance through local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Former militia members wanting to enter the integrated armed forces will be transported to the city of Kisangani for training before they can enter the brigades.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN OUTLAWS USE OF RUBBER BULLETS IN KOSOVO AND CONSULTS ON POSSIBLE WIDER BAN

UN OUTLAWS USE OF RUBBER BULLETS IN KOSOVO AND CONSULTS ON POSSIBLE WIDER BAN
New York, Jul 3 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations Police chief in Kosovo has banned the use of rubber bullets by any police unit in the UN-run province, he said today, adding that Member States who contribute officers are also being consulted about outlawing their use in all other peacekeeping operations.

Police Commissioner Richard Monk's remarks follow the deaths in February of two protesters who were killed when members of a Romanian Formed Police Unit (FPU) fired rubber bullets. His comments also come a day after a UN official investigating the deaths called for a "thorough review" of the use of rubber bullets.

"As regards the rubber bullets themselves, shortly after my arrival, I sent to UN Headquarters in New York a request that rubber bullets be withdrawn from the armoury of any state supplying Formed Police Units (FPU) to Kosovo," Mr. Monk told a <"http://www.unmikonline.org/DPI/Transcripts.nsf/0/084A83C8371E7FEBC125730D002A45E5/$FILE/Transcript%20of%20press%20briefing%20by%20Special%20Prosecutor%20Robert%20Dean%20-%2002%20July%202007.pdf">press conference organized by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK).

"And I received notification from New York that all police contributing nations are being consulted with a view to banning their use in peacekeeping missions. I also directed that all out-of-date rubber bullets be returned to their respective state or destroyed and I have prohibited the carriage or use of rubber bullets by any police unit in Kosovo for whatever purpose."

Mr. Monk took over in Kosovo in early March after his predecessor was asked to resign following the deaths, and he told reporters today that after his arrival he instituted a "bottom to top review" of UN and Kosovo Police Services (KPS) policies, procedures and tactics for dealing with crowd and riot control.
In his press conference yesterday, UNMIK's Acting Director of Justice Robert Dean told journalists that the experience of the UN Police during the demonstration on 10 February this year showed a "thorough review" was warranted. In addition, Mr. Dean's just-completed second report into the deaths includes six other conclusions and recommendations.
Mr. Monk said he accepted all the findings related to the February events, adding that most of the recommendations have already been implemented and emphasizing that "police should use only the minimum level of force necessary to overcome the threat or use of force against them or the person they are defending."

"I accept without qualification the recommendations of the Special Prosecutor and I am grateful for the findings of the all the other pieces of work. I am pleased to say that most of the recommendations have already been implemented into Kosovo Police Service Operations Planning and applied in the last three public protest marches," he said.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES OPPOSING CENTRAL AFRICAN GROUPS TO HOLD DIALOGUE

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES OPPOSING CENTRAL AFRICAN GROUPS TO HOLD DIALOGUE
New York, Jul 3 2007 4:00PM
The Security Council today called on authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) to hold a dialogue with the country's opposition forces and civil society groups amid mounting concern at the continuing violence and instability in the impoverished country.

Council members, who heard a briefing from Lamine Cissé, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative and the head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the country (BONUCA), also said they remain willing to consider deploying a multi-dimensional UN mission to the northeast of the CAR and to neighbouring Chad.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9069.doc.htm">statement to the press, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, which holds the Council's rotating presidency this month, said the 15-member panel was encouraging dialogue between the Government and others to try to consolidate peace and stability in the country.

"They encouraged the Government to continue its discussions with rebel groups in order to restore security to the whole territory, and called on these groups to act in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework by giving up any armed activity," he said.

The security situation has been worst in recent months in the northwest and northeast, where fighting has forced an estimated 200,000 people to become internally displaced and thousands of others to flee to Chad or Cameroon as refugees.

In his most recent report on the work of BONUCA, the Secretary-General called the situation in the country extremely precarious, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions, repeated violations of human rights, a culture of impunity, a lack of dialogue and tolerance between opposing groups, and persistent poverty and corruption.

Today's statement called on Central African authorities to tackle impunity and expressed serious concern at the human rights situation and reports that Government forces have used disproportionate force in their fight against rebels.

The statement condemned the human rights and international humanitarian law violations by both sides in the conflict, and noted the continuing activities of armed bandits as well.

But it voiced appreciation for the efforts of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, which has deployed a multinational force in the CAR, as well as to the African Union and the European Union for maintaining their political and financial support.

The CAR is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the Council statement said the Government and its international partners must intensify their efforts to fight poverty and promote sustainable economic development.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UN, AFRICAN UNION OFFICIALS MEET WITH NON-SIGNATORIES TO DARFUR PEACE ACCORD

UN, AFRICAN UNION OFFICIALS MEET WITH NON-SIGNATORIES TO DARFUR PEACE ACCORD
New York, Jul 3 2007 3:00PM
Senior officials from the United Nations and the African Union (AU) have met with the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) to discuss next steps in the political process aimed at ending hostilities in the strife-torn region of Sudan, the UN Mission in the country said today.

Over the past week, the UN-AU Joint Mediation Support Team, led by the UN's Pekka Haavisto and the AU's Sam Ibok, has held talks with groups based in North Darfur and in Asmara, according to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

The DPA, which covers security, wealth-sharing and power-sharing, was signed in May 2006 between the Sudanese Government and part of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) with the aim of ending the fierce fighting in Darfur.

The team met with Eritrean officials in Asmara to discuss the next steps of the political process as outlined in the road map presented by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's envoy, Jan Eliasson, which calls on all parties to cease hostilities and prepare for forthcoming negotiations.

Together with Eritrean officials, the team also met with First Vice President Salva Kiir in Juba in southern Sudan on 2 July to discuss the role of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the political process.

Mr. Ban has said there are four main tracks in which the UN is addressing the Darfur crisis: humanitarian, political, peacekeeping and development.
At a press conference in Geneva yesterday, he called for stepping up the political process, which includes implementing existing agreements.

On the planned UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation, he said, "the people in Darfur have suffered too much and the international community has waited too long. It is now high time for us to take necessary action and I hope that the Sudanese Government will implement faithfully the commitment they have made."

Meanwhile in Accra, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said on Monday that attention must be paid not only to fighters but also civic players in Darfur. "Apart from the factions, there is also a need to be more inclusive," she told reporters. "There are women's groups and there are other civil society organizations and these have to be part" of the solution.

"This is a process that will take a bit of time but the two envoys have clearly set up a road map which we think is going fine and the United Nations is very much part of the support," she said.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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BRAZIL OFFERS RESETTLEMENT FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FROM IRAQ - UN AGENCY

BRAZIL OFFERS RESETTLEMENT FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FROM IRAQ – UN AGENCY
New York, Jul 3 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR) today welcomed an offer by Brazil to resettle an estimated 100 Palestinians formerly living in Iraq starting in mid-September.

The agency is "grateful for a generous offer by the Government of Brazil" to help roughly 22 Palestinian families settle in Sao Paulo state and 18 families in the Rio Grande do Sul, spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468a3e3d4.html">press briefing in Geneva.

Apart from Canada and New Zealand, in recent years Brazil has been the only country to offer resettlement to Palestinian refugees from Iraq, according to UNHCR, which has been spotlighting their plight.

Since 2003, most of the Palestinian refugees have been living 60 kilometres from the Iraq border in Ruwayshed, Jordan. "There, they have faced extremely harsh conditions in a dusty and scorpion-infested desert camp with nowhere to go," Ms. Pagonis said.

More than 1,450 Palestinians from Iraq remain stranded along the Iraq-Syria border in "deplorable conditions," with another estimated 13,000 Palestinians affected by violence and harassment in Iraq, she noted.

As part of the resettlement, Brazil is also focusing on successfully integrating the Palestinians into Brazilian society. Prior to departing, each group of roughly 30 people will be extensively briefed, culturally sensitized and given Portuguese languages lessons by Brazilian UNCHR staff presently working in Jordan that will continue for up to 12 months upon arrival in Brazil.

Bilingual (Arabic-Portuguese) UNHCR staff in Brazil will be trained in Palestinian cultures and traditions to facilitate the process.

All of the refugees will receive accommodations, furniture and material assistance for up to 24 months, with unaccompanied elderly refugees being settled in homes where medical treatment will be provided, according to UNHCR.

Last week, the agency appealed for the medical evacuation of at least 12 Palestinians – mostly young children – with serious medical problems from the Iraqi-Syria border and from Baghdad. Today, Ms. Pagonis reported that two European countries had provided "positive indications" in response, and voiced hope "that they will speed up their decision in order to save their lives before it is too late."
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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AFGHANISTAN'S 'LONG NIGHT OF INJUSTICE' NEARING ITS END - BAN KI-MOON

AFGHANISTAN'S 'LONG NIGHT OF INJUSTICE' NEARING ITS END – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jul 3 2007 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged Afghanistan's partners to join hands with the fledgling democracy as it attempts to establish the foundations of law and order following decades of conflict, declaring that the country's "long night of injustice is nearing its end."

"Now we must herald the rule of law, and the era of the Afghan citizen," Mr. Ban stated in his <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2649">address to an international conference on justice and rule of law in Afghanistan taking place in Rome.

Recalling his surprise visit to Afghanistan last Friday, during which he met with the country's top officials, Mr. Ban said he was "heartened and moved" by their commitment and courage, but also shared their profound concern over the challenges still confronting the war-torn nation.

Decades of conflict had left a devastating mark, Mr. Ban noted. "Institutions were destroyed, authority was divorced from legitimacy, and rule of law flowed from little more than the barrel of a gun."

Mr. Ban hoped the conference would result in the establishment of an Afghan-led monitoring and evaluation system for the justice sector.

"Much rests on the success of this conference," he added, noting that the ability of the nascent State to define laws covering domestic, criminal, land, tax, contract and commercial issues will determine the shape of Afghan society for decades to come. "These codes will be the source of justice in a land that has for too long suffered from its absence."

Key to heralding a new era in the Afghan justice system, he said, are aligning the efforts of Afghanistan's partners with those of the country's own vision and national traditions. Also crucial were credible Afghan institutions for fostering the rule of law and political will on the part of the nation's leaders.

Mr. Ban also hailed the work of one of Afghanistan's youngest national institutions, the Independent Human Rights Commission, which had rapidly become the nation's "voice of conscience."

"Its documentation of human rights abuses ensures that past crimes will not be forgotten. Its promotion of human rights norms brings us ever closer to a day when the law is Afghanistan's one and only authority," he stated.

The Commission has also documented instances of civilian casualties resulting from the operation of international forces. Mr. Ban stressed that in countering the anti-Government insurgency that has been plaguing the country for some time, Afghan and international forces must act strictly in accordance with international humanitarian law.

"However difficult this may prove against a shadowy and unscrupulous adversary, we simply cannot hide from the reality that civilian casualties, no matter how accidental, strengthen our enemies and undermine our efforts."

Mr. Ban highlighted the need to "do better by Afghanistan's women," who suffer disproportionately from a failing justice system, declaring that "justice denied to Afghanistan's women is justice denied to all Afghans."

In recent weeks, Afghanistan has witnessed a string of attacks which constitute some of the worst violence since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, including shootings outside a girls' school and the murder of prominent female Afghan journalists.

"Those who kill or debase women simply because they dare speak their mind, or demand their rights, must find no quarter in a just and free Afghanistan."

Noting that Afghanistan faces real challenges with no immediate solutions, Mr. Ban urged patience as the country emerges from the "shadows of despair" following decades of conflict and travels down the difficult road to peace and prosperity.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF HAILS MOVES BY EGYPT TO ELIMINATE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

UNICEF HAILS MOVES BY EGYPT TO ELIMINATE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
New York, Jul 3 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed a series of moves in the past week in Egypt to stamp out the traditional yet gruesome practices of female genital mutilation (FGM) and cutting after a 12-year-old girl died following the procedure.

Egypt's Health and Population Minister has issued a decree fully criminalizing FGM and closing a previous loophole involving health professionals conducting the practice, UNICEF said in a <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40168.html">news release issued yesterday in Cairo.

The country's highest Muslim authority, Al-Azhar Supreme Council of Islamic Research, issued a statement saying that FGM and cutting are harmful, have no basis in core Islamic law and should not be practiced.

Egypt's first lady, Suzanne Mubarak, has also launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the practice and to accelerate efforts to ensure it is eliminated, including by amending existing child laws.

UNICEF Egypt Representative Erma Manoncourt said the amendments could allow people to report on violators who continue to conduct FGM, which in Egypt has largely been performed by trained medical personnel.

"UNICEF will fully support the National Council of Childhood and Motherhood, the Ministry of Health and Population, and all partners to help fully implement the strengthened law and educate people on its meaning," Dr. Manoncourt said.

The changes in Egypt follow the death of the pre-teen girl in Upper Egypt last week. UNICEF estimates that 3 million girls and women are subject to FGM and cutting every year in Africa.
2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

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ASIA SEES DROP IN POVERTY BUT RISING INEQUALITY -- UN REPORT

ASIA SEES DROP IN POVERTY BUT RISING INEQUALITY -- UN REPORT
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
Rapid economic growth has spurred progress in the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in Asia, where the proportion of people living on a dollar a day has been cut by half, but inequality is also growing in parts of the region, <"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/jul/g27.asp">says a United Nations report released today in Bangkok.

The Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs) Report 2007 comes at the midpoint of a 15-year effort to reach those key development objectives that world leaders set at a 2000 UN summit.

Eastern Asia, where the proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell from 33 per cent in 1990 to 9.9 per cent in 2004, saw the greatest gain, according to the report. In South-Eastern Asia, where extreme poverty was already down to 20.8 per cent in 1990, the percentage had dropped to 6.8 per cent by 2004.

The report said the figures put the region "comfortably on track" to achieve the first MDG, which calls for halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

Buta's unprecedented poverty reduction was uneven, said the report, which noted that in Southern Asia, nearly one third of the population is still living on the equivalent of a dollar a day. Inequality is also rising within countries, such as in Eastern Asia, where the lowest fifth on the economic ladder is consuming less: from 7.3 per cent in 1990 to 4.5 per cent in 2004.

At the same time, the statistics show that Asia's path to the MDGs may be blocked by challenges in other areas such as health, environmental sustainability and gender equality. The report blames factors like deforestation, unplanned urbanization, and the fast rate of HIV/AIDS infections in some parts of the region.

Progress in improving child nutrition is still "unacceptably slow" compared to other regions, the report notes, warning that if current trends continue Asia will fall short of reaching the MDG target of halving the proportion o
of slow progress in Southern and South-Eastern Asia.

The annual statistical survey of global and regional progress toward the Goals represents the most comprehensive assessment of the MDGs, using the latest data gathered by a large number of international organizations both within and outside the UN, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in a news release.

2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF DONATES ANTI-MALARIA DRUGS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA

UNICEF DONATES ANTI-MALARIA DRUGS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA
New York, Jul 3 2007 9:00AM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and France have <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40160.html">donated nearly $400,000 worth of anti-malaria drugs to Liberia in a move immediately welcomed by the Government.

"This is truly a remarkable gesture for the people of Liberia, especially the children and pregnant women who suffer the most," said Minister of Health Dr. Walter Gwenigale.

He underscored the seriousness of malaria in Liberia today. "We are dealing with a situation where when 50 patients enter a clinic, 25 of them are malaria-infected."

The shipment, representing more than 678,800 treatments worth $389,000, will be joined by a second donation to Burundi later this year.

The drugs are being paid for by the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) and <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2006/s15/en/index.html">UNITAID, an international drug purchase facility. UNICEF has contributed $500,000 to support in distribution and other related activities.

Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases in Africa today. The disease kills over a million people a year or about 3,000 people per day, according to UNICEF, while at least 300 million suffer from acute malaria each year. Children under five, pregnant women and their unborn children, and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
2007-07-02 00:00:00.000

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