SCHOOLS LEAVE OUT 14 MILLION CHILDREN IN EX-SOVIET UNION, EASTERN EUROPE EACH YEAR - UN

SCHOOLS LEAVE OUT 14 MILLION CHILDREN IN EX-SOVIET UNION, EASTERN EUROPE EACH YEAR - UN
New York, Sep 21 2007 1:00PM
The education systems in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States comprising the now-independent former Soviet republics are excluding more than 14 million children each year in a region formerly known for its high-quality education, <" http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40929.html">according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"This situation will lead to intergenerational cycles of poverty, and undermine the capacity of governments to develop globally competitive economies based on skilled labour rather than cheap labour," UNICEF's regional director Maria Calivis warned at this week's release of a new report – <" http://www.unicef.org/media/files/Regional_Education_Study_-.pdf">Education for Some, more than Others.

In spite of the economic recovery and increased public expenditure on education in many countries over the past decade, most national education systems are struggling to provide universal education, the study concludes. A key indicator was that there are an estimated 2.4 million 'missing children' of primary-school age and almost 12 million missing secondary-school children who should be in school but are not.

Ms. Calivis said that meant more than 14 million children entered adult life every year without any kind of formal education or school diploma and this in a region largely known for its former high levels of access, quality and equality in education.

The report found that public expenditure on education reinforced rather than counteracted social, ethnic and economic inequalities in access to and completion of basic education. Family background, mainly parents' income but also education, had increasingly become a determinant in enrolment and attendance, particularly at pre-school level.

Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, countries with low economic indicators, had the lowest attendance rates, less than 50 per cent for upper high school, and in some instances less than 30 per cent for pre-school.

The situation of the Roma children and gender inequality were also major issues in some countries. In three with the largest Roma communities – Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania – only a tiny proportion of Roma have any schooling beyond primary, compared to non-Roma. Roma educational attainment ranges from 10 per cent to 35 per cent in secondary school while only 1 per cent of Roma across the region attended higher education.

The report also shows that no country was achieving equal representation of girls in basic education but the numbers were close, 95 girls to 100 boys on average. The most striking aspect of the figures was the feminization of higher education throughout the region. Girls outnumbered boys, in most cases significantly, in all countries except Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Only Turkey and Tajikistan were in trouble to meet the Millennium Development Goal (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDG) of eliminating gender disparity at all levels of education by 2015.

The report calls for governments to substantially increase spending on education to at least 6 per cent of their gross domestic product as against a regional average of 3 to 4 per cent, and move from a distribution of public expenditure that reinforces inequality to one that counteracts inequality.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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SUDDEN EXPULSION OF IRANIAN REFUGEES FROM TURKEY ALARMS UN AGENCY

SUDDEN EXPULSION OF IRANIAN REFUGEES FROM TURKEY ALARMS UN AGENCY
New York, Sep 21 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today that it has raised serious concerns with the Turkish Government about its expulsion last month of five Iranians to northern Iraq.

UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46f3b3452.html">told reporters in Geneva that the agency had received confirmation that the five people were expelled on 22 August – even though they were recognized in Turkey by UNHCR under its mandate.

The Iranians were sent to the Iraqi city of Erbil, where they spent almost a month in detention. The refugees have just been released.

"UNHCR is concerned that no due process of law was followed prior to the expulsion and that UNHCR was not given any prior information of the authorities' intention to expel these persons or of the expulsion itself," Mr. Redmond said.

"To forcibly send persons to Iraq's northern governorates if they do not originate from there is contrary to UNHCR's guidelines. The security situation in northern Iraq, although relatively calm compared to the rest of Iraq, is still tense and unpredictable."

Mr. Redmond added that unless sufficient safeguards are taken, the expulsion of refugees under the mandate of UNHCR may breach the principle of non-refoulement, which is enshrined in the 1951 <"http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3c0762ea4.html">UN Refugee Convention. Non-refoulement refers to the right of a refugee or asylum-seeker whose case has not yet been fully assessed to not be sent to a country where his or her life or liberty could be at risk.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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FIGHTING IN COLOMBIA DISPLACES MORE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, UN REPORTS

FIGHTING IN COLOMBIA DISPLACES MORE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, UN REPORTS
New York, Sep 21 2007 1:00PM
More than 1,000 indigenous Colombians have taken refuge in a school to escape fighting between the army and an irregular armed group, the latest victims of more than 40 years of conflict which has uprooted 3 million people and has recently had a disproportionate effect on the country's original inhabitants, the United Nations reported today.

"Armed combat, presence of irregular groups, targeted killings and landmines all contribute to the rising trend of forced displacement," UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond said of the latest incident involving 1,018 Awá in southern Colombia, almost half of them children under16.

The local authorities have delivered food for the past three days, a doctor is on site and UNHCR has offered to meet the needs in water, sanitation and accommodation, Mr. Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46f3b2ea2.html">told a news briefing in Geneva.

The area is part of the department of Nariño, which in recent years has suffered some of the worst violence in Colombia. Since the start of 2007, there have been 18 cases of mass displacement involving more than 50 people moving at one time within Nariño, forcing more than 10,000 people out of their homes.

The four decades of conflict between Government forces, leftist guerrillas, rightist paramilitaries and criminal gangs has not only affected the south of the Andean country. Over the past year the violence has also uprooted indigenous communities in north-western Chocó region near the border with Panama.

UNHCR has repeatedly warned that some indigenous communities, displaced from land to which they are tied by their culture and traditions, are in danger of disappearing altogether.

Under the UN<" http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/7/b/principles.htm">Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, the State has a special duty to prevent the forced displacement of indigenous people and others with a special relation to the land and Colombia's Constitutional Court is holding a hearing today to seek more information from the Government on measures to protect indigenous people.

Indigenous representatives from all over Colombia, including the Awás, are to present the situation in each community, and at the Court's invitation UNHCR will take part.

Last year, the Court found that there were "persistent gaps" in specific attention to the rights of indigenous people, which could put at risk the cultural survival of displaced communities.

There are 87 different indigenous groups in Colombia, making up 3 per cent of the population of 42 million. They comprise one of the richest and most varied indigenous heritages in the world.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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UN HEALTH AGENCY STRESSES NEED TO ENSURE SAFETY OF CHILDREN'S MEDICINES

UN HEALTH AGENCY STRESSES NEED TO ENSURE SAFETY OF CHILDREN'S MEDICINES
New York, Sep 21 2007 12:00PM
The lack of thorough and reliable clinical data on the way medicines affect children, particularly side effects, requires strengthened safety monitoring and vigilance of medicinal products, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) <" http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr51/en/index.html">warned today.

"We need to learn more about the way children's bodies react to medicines so we can improve global child health," WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Technology and Pharmaceuticals Howard Zucker said as the Agency released a new report – <"http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/Promotion_safe_med_childrens.pdf">Promoting Safety of Medicines for Children.

"That's why it's extremely important to keep track of potential side effects in child populations. Ultimately, this will save lives and build up a knowledge base for the future," he added of the study, which is intended for policy-makers, manufacturers, medicines control bodies and researchers.

It gives an overview of the problem and offers solutions on how best to address side effects from medicines in children through improved reporting systems and collaboration between governments, regulatory authorities, research institutions and the pharmaceutical industry, and is part of a broad effort WHO is initiating to expand children's access to quality-assured, safe and effective medicines.

A large proportion of side effects or adverse reactions to medicines in the adult population are due to irrational use or human error and are therefore preventable. In the case of children, even more factors come into play. The main challenge is the lack of clinical data, resulting in fewer medicines being developed, produced and marketed specifically for children. Often, children are given medicines that have only been tested in adults and are not officially approved for use in child populations.

Non-availability of appropriate paediatric formulations forces health care providers to resort to administering portions of crushed or dissolved tablets or the powder contained inside a capsule without any specific indication of the required dosage. For that reason, according to the report, potentially harmful medication errors may be three times more common in children than in adults.

An appropriate format or structure for a child's medicine is also important. Small children sometimes choke or asphyxiate while trying to swallow big tablets. For instance, earlier this year four children under 36 months died from choking on albendazole tablets during a de-worming campaign in Ethiopia.

In another example, side effects associated with antiretroviral medicines have been reported to occur in up to 30 per cent of HIV-infected children. Most of those side effects could be reversed by modifying the dosage or changing to an alternative medicine.

The study proposes that all countries establish national and regional monitoring systems for the detection of serious adverse reactions and medical errors in children. When such reporting systems exist, it is crucial that manufacturers follow up on adverse reactions to their products once they are on the market.

In addition, regulatory authorities need to make an effort to refine the science of clinical trials in children, create an active post-marketing surveillance programme and develop public databases of up to date information about efficacy and safety in paediatric medicines.

To assist countries, WHO will publish an official List of Essential Medicines for Children, continue to create awareness in countries and in the research community on the urgent need to monitor use of medicines in children, identify research gaps in children's medicines, and create protocols to monitor adverse effects for child-specific medicine.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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FROM BELL RINGING IN NEW YORK TO BATTLE SCARRED AFGHANISTAN, UN MARKS PEACE DAY

FROM BELL RINGING IN NEW YORK TO BATTLE SCARRED AFGHANISTAN, UN MARKS PEACE DAY
New York, Sep 21 2007 12:00PM
From the ritual ringing of a bell at its stately Headquarters in New York to the furthest flung trenches of warfare across the world, where a record number of more than 100,000 peacekeepers are struggling to restore stability, the United Nations system today marked the annual International Day of Peace with fervent appeals for an end to violence.

"Peace is the highest calling of the United Nations - and for me personally," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2745">declared on the lawn in front of the towering UN Headquarters as he stood facing the Peace Bell, a gift from Japan cast from the pennies donated by children from 60 nations, before driving the ringing beam into it three times.

"Peace defines our mission. It drives our discourse. And it draws together all of our world wide work, from peacekeeping and preventive diplomacy to promoting human rights and development," he added.

The <"http://www.un.org/events/peaceday/2007/index.shtml">International Day of Peace was first established by the UN General Assembly in 1981 as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. The General Assembly called for people around the world to use the Day as an opportunity to promote the resolution of conflict and to observe a cessation of hostilities during it. UN staff throughout the world are observing a minute of silence in the name of peace.

Three UN Messengers of Peace stood at Mr. Ban's side at the ceremony – Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas, wildlife researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall and holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.

A half a world away in Afghanistan, which has seen an upsurge in violence, thousands of people rallied behind the country's biggest-ever peace effort, even as fighting continued in the south. From Kandahar to Kunduz, from Herat to Jalalabad, peace events were taking place, and on a scale never seen before in the country, the UN Assistance Mission in Afganistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA) said.

"You can't hear about all that's happening and not feel moved by it," UNAMA Deputy Special Representative Bo Asplund said. "Today is an achievement for all people of this country. The demand for peace is overwhelming."

Although Peace Day is marked each year on 21 September, this year in Afghanistan it has been the special focus of a two-month campaign in which UNAMA teamed up with Jeremy Gilley, founder of Peace One Day, actor Jude Law, and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) to promote it. Scores of groups have joined in, including businesses, civil society, government, international donors, UN agencies, politicians, Afghan celebrities and performers, schools, municipal and regional authorities, and individual citizens.

Even warring factions promised to honour the Day by putting down their weapons so that 1.3 million children can be vaccinated against polio, with more than 10,000 vaccinators visiting areas in southern and eastern regions as part of the National Immunization Days organized by UNICEF, the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) and the Health Ministry.

In his speech, Mr. Ban referred to Afghanistan and other global crises. "In countless communities across the world, peace remains an elusive goal," he said. "From the displaced person camps of Chad and Darfur [Sudan] to the byways of Baghdad, the quest for peace is strewn with setbacks and suffering.

"Over the next few days [during the General Assembly annual General Debate], I will be convening high-level meetings on Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, to seek to advance our quest for peace in those troubled lands. And I will be convening a high-level event on climate change. If we are to build enduring peace around the world, we need to protect the one and only planet we all share," he added.

Today was the first time Mr. Ban has presided over the International Day of Peace and ever since he took office on 1 January this year he has made mitigating and reversing the impact of global warming a priority of his stewardship as the world's top diplomat.

Following his speech and a minute of silence, the Japanese choir Tarumi Violinists performed and the UN Singers sang a "Song of Peace."

Mr. Ban then attended the annual Student Observance at UN Headquarters, where 700 middle and high school students, including refugees from Peru and Sudan, exchanged views on the theme "Peace: A Climate of Change" via video conference with young people at the UN missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon and Sudan.

"Around me, I can see the next generation of scientists, business leaders, politicians, journalists, artists and civil society activists – perhaps even a future Secretary-General of the United Nations," he told the youngsters. "In all of you, I can see the future of the United Nations, and of our world. Your energy and idealism make that future look bright.

"By participating in this International Day of Peace, you are demonstrating that you already know better that to repeat the mistakes of the past. You will choose to talk rather than fight. You will listen rather than shout. You will cooperate rather than condemn. You will protect our environment rather than over-exploit it."
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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UN REPORTS NEARLY 50 PER CENT INCREASE IN IRAQI ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD

UN REPORTS NEARLY 50 PER CENT INCREASE IN IRAQI ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD
New York, Sep 21 2007 11:00AM
Almost 20,000 Iraqis applied for asylum in industrialized countries in the first half of this year, up 45 per cent on the previous six months, reflecting the unrelenting violence in the strife-torn country, according to provisional statistics released by the United Nations refugee agency today.

If current trends are maintained, by the end of the year the number of Iraqi asylum seekers might reach the levels witnessed between 2000 and 2002, when an average of 40,000 to 50,000 Iraqis sought asylum each year in the 36 industrialized countries included in UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46f3908b4.html">UNHCR) statistics.

An estimated 2.2 million Iraqis are currently outside their home country, primarily in neighbouring countries such as Syria and Jordan, which are not included in the industrialized country statistics.

UNHCR, using information provided by governments, said about 19,800 asylum claims were lodged in the 36 industrialized countries during the review period, compared to 13,600 in the second half of 2006. The 2007 figures are more than double those for the first six months of last year, when a total of 8,500 asylum applications were submitted.

Some 9,300 applications, or almost half of all requests, were submitted in Sweden. The large Iraqi community there and its strong social network might account for the high number. Greece registered some 3,500 asylum claims, compared to 1,400 during the whole of 2006, while Spain and Germany recorded 1,500 and 820 applications respectively.

When all nationalities are taken into account, the United States was by far the largest recipient of new asylum claims during the first six months of 2007 with an estimated 26,800, some 1,200 more than during the second semester of 2006. Sweden remained the second largest with a total of 17,700, a 14 per cent increase over the second half of last year.

Over the past few years, the overall number of asylum claims in the industrialized countries has decreased continuously, but the trend was reversed in the second half of last year when numbers started to rise. Assuming current patterns remain unchanged, it can be expected that asylum claims lodged in industrialized countries in 2007 might be between 290,000 and 320,000, the first annual increase since 2001.

The main countries of origin in the first six months of this year were Iraq (19,800), China (8,600), Pakistan (7,300), Serbia and Montenegro (7,200) and the Russia (6,500). Separate statistics for Serbia and the recently independent Montenegro are not available.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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FROM BELL RINGING IN NEW YORK TO BATTLE SCARRED AFGHANISTAN, UN MARKS PEACE DAY

FROM BELL RINGING IN NEW YORK TO BATTLE SCARRED AFGHANISTAN, UN MARKS PEACE DAY
New York, Sep 21 2007 10:00AM
From the ritual ringing of a bell at its stately Headquarters in New York to the furthest flung trenches of warfare across the world, where a record number of more than 100,000 peacekeepers are struggling to restore stability, the United Nations system today marked the annual International Day of Peace with fervent appeals for an end to violence.

"Peace is the United Nations' highest calling," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on the lawn in front of the towering UN Headquarters as he stood facing the Peace Bell, a gift from Japan cast from the pennies donated by children from 60 nations, before driving the ringing beam into it three times.

"It defines our mission. It drives our discourse. And it draws together all of our world wide work, from peacekeeping and preventive diplomacy to promoting human rights and development," he added.

The International Day of Peace was first established by the UN General Assembly in 1981 as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. The General Assembly called for people around the world to use the Day as an opportunity to promote the resolution of conflict and to observe a cessation of hostilities during it. UN staff throughout the world are observing a minute of silence in the name of peace.

Three UN Messengers of Peace stood at Mr. Ban's side at the ceremony – Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas, wildlife researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall and holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.

A half a world away in Afghanistan, which has seen an upsurge in violence, thousands of people rallied behind the country's biggest-ever peace effort, even as fighting continued in the south. From Kandahar to Kunduz, from Herat to Jalalabad, peace events were taking place, and on a scale never seen before in the country, the UN Assistance Mission in Afganistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/Index.htm">UNAMA) said.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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MORE UN OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERN AT ISRAEL'S DECLARATION OF GAZA AS 'HOSTILE TERRITORY'

MORE UN OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERN AT ISRAEL'S DECLARATION OF GAZA AS 'HOSTILE TERRITORY'
New York, Sep 21 2007 10:00AM
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has voiced grave concern over Israel's decision to declare the Gaza Strip a "hostile territory" and to announce military action, additional restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from the area, and reductions in the supply of fuel and electricity.

"The implementation of such measures would impose an unbearable burden on the civilian population of Gaza, which has already paid a heavy price from daily violence, isolation and deprivation," Ms. Arbour <a href=" http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/8A389CD6C26F617EC125735C0077BB43?opendocument">said in a statement released last night.

She condemned once again the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel and urged Israel to exercise restraint, recalling that it has the obligation under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect its population without employing disproportionate means. She also recalled that international law prohibits reprisals and collective punishment.

Ms. Arbour's statement was the latest expression of concern by UN officials. On Wednesday, when the Israel decision was announced, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the 1.4 million people in Gaza, including the old, the young and the sick, who are already suffering from the impact of prolonged closure, should not be punished for the unacceptable actions of militants and extremists.

Yesterday, the Bureau of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People voiced "great alarm" and called on Israel to reverse the move.

"We consider this decision to be a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and yet another form of collective punishment of the Palestinian people, which, if implemented, is bound to substantially worsen the already deplorable living conditions of the civilian population in the occupied Gaza Strip," it <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/gapal1064.doc.htm">said in a statement.

It reiterated its position condemning "the killing of innocent civilians by both sides, including Israeli military operations and the firing of rockets and mortar rounds by Palestinian groups. Such attacks by both sides must be stopped immediately, and those responsible must be brought to justice," it added.

It warned that the decision "may considerably complicate current efforts of the international community to revitalize the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and prevent the Palestinian Authority from promoting and marshalling public support for dialogue towards peace. Nobody, including the Israeli people, will benefit from such a scenario," it added.
2007-09-21 00:00:00.000

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UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION CALLS ON BURUNDIAN REBELS TO RE-ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENT

UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION CALLS ON BURUNDIAN REBELS TO RE-ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENT
New York, Sep 20 2007 11:00AM
The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission has <" http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/pbc21.doc.htm">called on the last major rebel hold-out group in Burundi to "resume promptly without condition" its participation in efforts to finally close the chapter on years of ethnic violence in the small Central African country.

In July the Palipehutu-FNL, which has not signed peace accords reached with other rebel groups, withdrew from the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM) set up to monitor a ceasefire it signed with the Government last year, and UN officials have since called on both sides to refrain from any actions that might lead to a resumption of hostilities.

The <" http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/index.html">Commission, set up last year as part of major UN reforms to help prevent countries emerging from conflict from slipping back into violence through technical and other support, including financial aid from the UN <" http://www.unpbf.org">Peacebuilding Fund, yesterday urged the rebel group to constructively re-engage with the Government to resolve their differences.

At a meeting in New York, it also called on the Government to investigate "fully and immediately" recent governance issues and take steps to strengthen Government controls over its expenditures to stem misuse of public funds.

The Commission also asked the African Union to continue supporting regional peace initiatives and uphold its timetable for completing implementation of the ceasefire agreement by the end of the year.

Burundi, which was torn apart by 13 years of armed conflict between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority, became the first focus of the Commission, along with Sierra Leone. Beyond the issue of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the country also faces challenges to peace stemming from regional developments, a fragile budgetary situation and a parliamentary deadlock preventing the passage of crucial legislation.

Burundian representative Joseph Ntakirutimana said the Government would make every effort to comply with the Commission's requests, but he voiced concern that the International Monetary Fund (<" http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm ">IMF) had not heard the Government's "cries of alarm" by recommending an increase in oil prices even while Burundi struggled with its finances.

Schools had been unable to open for the academic year even though education was a priority and a strike by magistrates was also threatened he said, adding that perhaps the IMF was not working hand-in-hand with the Commission.

He asked the Commission to do its utmost to ensure that the promised budgetary support reach the country by "tomorrow" as failure to receive such support could result in further serious difficulties for the country.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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FORMER UN PEACE MESSENGER ANNA CATALDI JOINS CAMPAIGN TO CURB TB

FORMER UN PEACE MESSENGER ANNA CATALDI JOINS CAMPAIGN TO CURB TB
New York, Sep 20 2007 11:00AM
Italian author and journalist Anna Cataldi, a former United Nations Messenger of Peace, was today <" http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr50/en/index.html">appointed as an Ambassador of the Stop TB Partnership to raise awareness worldwide about the unfair burden of tuberculosis on refugees, migrants, people living in poverty and other disadvantaged groups.

In 2005 alone, the disease is estimated to have killed 1.6 million people.

The <"http://www.stoptb.org">Stop TB Partnership, whose secretariat is hosted by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), is a network of more than 500 international organizations, countries, donors from the public and private sectors, TB patients and nongovernmental and governmental organizations. Its goal is to eliminate TB as a public health problem worldwide.

"Anna Cataldi has an extraordinary track record of galvanizing people to confront issues that cause human suffering," Partnership Executive Secretary Marcos Espinal said. "She will be a strong voice calling for access to TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment as a human right."

Ms. Cataldi said she was "grateful to the Stop TB Partnership for giving me this opportunity to advocate on behalf of those suffering from this disease."

Welcoming the appointement, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised Ms. Cataldi for her tireless efforts and devotion. "She was an active, compassionate and productive Messenger," he said. "She travelled to difficult places, such as Afghanistan and Somalia, to bring support, encouragement and hope to the desperate and voiceless. I am delighted she will now devote her energies to the Stop TB campaign."

The Partnership's Global Plan to Stop TB (2006-2015) seeks to treat 50 million people for TB between now and 2015 and save about 14 million lives. It aims to halve TB prevalence and deaths compared with 1990 levels by 2015.

"Ms. Cataldi is sure to advance the global fight against TB. We welcome her appointment enthusiastically," said Mario Raviglione, Director of the Stop TB Department at WHO.

Ms. Cataldi is the author of Letters from Sarajevo, which chronicled the impact of war on Bosnia's children. In 1998, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she initiated a project to create and distribute a passport-sized pamphlet version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for children. This March, she conceived and helped organize a photo exhibit focussing on TB at the UN's New York Headquarters that was viewed by more than 100,000 people.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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UN TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDAN GENOCIDE URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM MEMBER STATES

UN TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDAN GENOCIDE URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM MEMBER STATES
New York, Sep 20 2007 3:00PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the 1994 Rwandan genocide says it will not succeed in meeting the Security Council-imposed timetable for completing its work unless UN Member States help to arrest suspects still at large, accept the transfer of cases and provide enough funds for it to conduct the remaining trials.

In its annual report, covering July 2006 to June this year, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) says it is committed to doing all it can to meet the "completion strategy," the Council plan under which all trials, excluding appeals, are supposed to be finished by the end of next year.

But the strategy's success "will continue to depend on the assistance and cooperation of States."

The Tribunal states it has intensified its prosecutorial and judicial work, with 27 cases involving 33 accused people having so far completed the trial stage, while the trials of 22 accused in nine different cases remain in progress and eight other detainees await trial. One case was transferred to the Netherlands during the year, while 30 others were handed over to prosecutors in Rwanda's judicial system.

The annual report, released today, says the ICTR – which is based in Arusha in neighbouring Tanzania – will continue to try to improve the Rwandan judicial system and strengthen its capacity so that it can handle transferred cases.

"In the process of achieving its mandate, the Tribunal also contributes to bring justice to victims of the massive crimes that were committed, and is continuously establishing a record of facts that will aid reconciliation in Rwanda," the report notes in its conclusions.

"The Tribunal will leave a legacy of international jurisprudence that can guide future courts and deter the future commission of these grave crimes, and prevent impunity by potential perpetrators."

Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered, mostly by machete or club, across Rwanda in less than 100 days starting in early April 1994. Later that year the Security Council established the ICTR to deal with the worst cases.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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AFGHAN CHILDREN FLY KITES FOR PEACE AS PART OF UN-BACKED CAMPAIGN

AFGHAN CHILDREN FLY KITES FOR PEACE AS PART OF UN-BACKED CAMPAIGN
New York, Sep 20 2007 4:00PM
On the eve of the International Day of Peace, some 100 Afghan street children flew kites adorned with doves and olive branches atop a hill overlooking Kabul today, marking the closing stages of a United Nations-backed campaign to halt violence in the war-torn nation.

Today's event, on Nader Khan hill, was one of many around the country in the final days of a two-month campaign launched by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the global campaign group Peace One Day. Kite flying was banned under the brutal Taliban regime which was ousted in 2001.

The initiative has grown to encompass scores of organizations, businesses, and institutions, as well as politicians and individual citizens – all urging a halting of violence in Afghanistan on and around 21 September, which is observed annually as the International Day of Peace.

Since the Taliban was ousted, kite flying has re-emerged as a popular past-time, particularly for Afghan children.

Those taking part in today's event belong to Kabul's Aschiana Foundation, a non-governmental group that looks after street children. Expressing the hopes of many of the children, 11-year-old Sweeta said, "We want our peace kites to fly as high as possible, so everybody can see how much we want peace."

Bo Asplund, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative in Afghanistan, shared the hope of the children who wished for peace. "Far too many Afghans continue to live in the shadow of fear and insecurity. Let us today pledge to do more to remove the scourge of fear and insecurity from the lives of people across the country."

Earlier this week children from Aschiana travelled around Kabul visiting television stations to appeal by song for support. Kabul municipality joined in by opening the fabled gardens of Babur to a photo exhibition for peace. A city cleanup and advertising campaign has been launched, and telecoms companies Roshan and AWCC have issued thousands of bulk SMS messages for peace – a first in Afghanistan.

In addition, peace marches are planned in the cities of Herat and Jalalabad, and in the southern and southeastern provinces – areas directly affected by the insurgency – UNICEF and the UN World Health Organization, along with Afghan health authorities, have launched a polio vaccination campaign to coincide with Peace Day.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: TEAMS ON GROUND TO ALLOW FOR QUICKER DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASE - UN

DR CONGO: TEAMS ON GROUND TO ALLOW FOR QUICKER DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASE – UN
New York, Sep 20 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) and its partners now have substantial teams in the field in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where nine cases of the deadly Ebola virus has been confirmed, it was announced today.

"There will soon be two fully-functioning labs on the ground, which will allow for quicker diagnosis of disease," UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.

Of some 400 cases of illness and 170 deaths reported since April in the western Kasai Province, nine cases of the haemorrhagic Ebola virus, which causes death in 50 to 90 per cent of cases, have been confirmed.

The Ebola virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons or animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys and antelopes, and it has an incubation period of two to 21 days.

Additionally, five cases of typhoid and one case of Shigella dysentery have been verified, Ms. Montas said. Results from the tests of 45 other samples are still pending.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 12 MONTHS

SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 12 MONTHS
New York, Sep 20 2007 5:00PM
Voicing its concern about increased violence and terrorism in Afghanistan, the Security Council has approved the extension of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the country for another year, with the Russian Federation abstaining on the vote.

The other 14 Council members voted in favour of extending the mandate of the Force, which was established after United States-led forces ousted the Taliban regime in late 2001 to help Afghanistan's then-interim authorities maintain security across the impoverished nation.

In doing so, the 15-member body also called on Member States to contribute personnel, equipment and funding to strengthen the NATO-led Force and make it more effective.

The Council also stressed the importance of improving Afghan security services in order to provide long-term solutions to security in the country, and encouraged ISAF and other partners to sustain their efforts to train and empower the National Police and other Afghan forces.

Speaking before the vote, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin explained that while his delegation had traditionally supported ISAF and the continuation of its mandate, it could not support the current text because the new issue of maritime interception had yet to be clarified.

"I should like to note that during the agreement of the draft resolution no clarity was made about the proposed new wording about the maritime interception component of the coalition Force which did not appear in all of the previous resolutions of the Security Council on Afghanistan," he stated.

"The maritime component is necessary exclusively to combat terrorism in Afghanistan and should not be used for other purposes," he added.

He also noted that there had been plenty of time to clarify his delegation's concerns since the mandate of the Force did not expire until next month. "The unity of the Security Council has been sacrificed to undue haste."
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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WORKING GROUP MEETS AT UN TO PUT TEETH INTO PLAN TO BOOST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT

WORKING GROUP MEETS AT UN TO PUT TEETH INTO PLAN TO BOOST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT
New York, Sep 20 2007 5:00PM
Senior international development leaders met at United Nations Headquarters in New York today to forge an operational work agenda to boost Africa's as yet failing efforts to meet the ambitious goals the world has set itself to slash poverty, hunger, maternal and infant mortality, and other social ills, all by 2015.

The closed-door session, chaired by Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, was the first meeting of the Working Group of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) Africa Steering Group launched by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last Friday.

Participants included leading economists from the African Union, African Development Bank, European Union, Islamic Development Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Economic Commission for Africa and the World Bank, as well as the Secretary-General Special Adviser on the MDGs, Jeffrey Sachs.

Today's meeting was called to carry out the Steering Group's recommendations in three areas: to identify effective mechanisms to implement commitments in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, agriculture and food security, and statistical systems; to improve aid predictability so that African governments can plan years ahead for additional hospitals, schools and train doctors, teachers and nurses; and to strengthen joint efforts at the country level.

Launching the initiative on Friday, Mr. Ban voiced concern that many African countries are off course for meeting the MDGs, particularly in sub-Saharan regions. "That is the only region in the world where not even a single country is on the track. We must help those countries so that they can join on the track," he said.

The areas for action the Steering Group identified comprise five of the eight MDGs: cutting by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and suffering from hunger; ensuring that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling; slashing the mortality rate among children under five by two thirds; reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters; and halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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UN CALLS FOR MORE OFFERS OF TROOPS, SPECIALIST UNITS FOR HYBRID FORCE IN DARFUR

UN CALLS FOR MORE OFFERS OF TROOPS, SPECIALIST UNITS FOR HYBRID FORCE IN DARFUR
New York, Sep 20 2007 5:00PM
The United Nations said today that it has still not received any offers for some essential units of the hybrid peacekeeping force it plans to deploy with the African Union in the war-wracked Sudanese region of Darfur.

Following a meeting with potential contributors yesterday, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) said that there have been no offers so far for the medium utility helicopter units or the medium heavy transportation companies in the force, which will be known as UNAMID.

Some of the countries that have pledged to contribute troops to UNAMID have also acknowledged that their contributions would not meet UN peacekeeping standards, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

"For these reasons, DPKO says it welcomes pledges for all units included in the UNAMID military component," said Ms. Montas.

When fully operational, UNAMID will become the largest peacekeeping force in the world, with almost 26,000 troops and police officers and nearly 5,000 civilian staff. It will have an initial mandate of 12 months and will incorporate the existing AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

The Security Council authorized the operation in late July amid mounting international concern at the situation inside Darfur, where fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia groups has led to the deaths of over 200,000 people and the displacement of at least 2.2 million others.

Ms. Montas said DPKO has received 19 firm offers for the 19 formed police units planned for UNAMID, and pledges of more than 2,500 police officers for the 3,772 individual positions.

The headquarters of UNAMID will be in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, with a series of sector headquarters and other deployment locations spread across the three states of Darfur, an arid and impoverished region nearly as large as France.

On Friday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and AU Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konaré will co-chair a high-level meeting on Darfur at UN Headquarters that is designed to map out the strategy for the peace talks between the Government and rebels that is scheduled to take place in Libya next month.

Ahead of that meeting, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo told journalists in New York today that justice must be a priority for Darfur.

"We must break the silence," he said, adding later that "there can be no political solution, no security solution and no humanitarian solution as long as the alleged war criminals remain free in the Sudan."

Two suspects, Ahmad Muhammad Harun and Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (also known as Ali Kushayb), are wanted to stand trial in the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity over attacks against four villages in West Darfur between August 2003 and March 2004, but they have not yet been arrested by Sudan.

Mr. Harun is currently Sudan's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, with responsibility for Darfur's camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and last month Mr. Moreno-Ocampo told the UN News Centre that it was "totally unacceptable" that he held that post.

"Ahmad Harun is not protecting the camps; he is controlling them," the Prosecutor said today. "He forced millions into those camps, and he still controls them. He must be stopped. He must be arrested. This is my goal. This is the Court's goal. This must be our shared goal."
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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'CALCULATED RISKS' CRUCIAL IN PUSHING MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS FORWARD - UN OFFICIAL

'CALCULATED RISKS' CRUCIAL IN PUSHING MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS FORWARD – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Sep 20 2007 5:00PM
The situation on the ground in the Middle East is volatile and "calculated risks" are necessary to achieve peace, the top United Nations political official told the Security Council today, ahead of a series of high-level meetings to be held this weekend.

On Sunday, 23 September, the Middle East Quartet – the diplomatic grouping that comprises the UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States – will meet in New York, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will state his concerns for the welfare of Gaza's Palestinian population to his colleagues.

An "iftar" will be held afterwards with several Arab League members, which provides "an opportunity for the Quartet to convey its determination to work closely with its Arab Partners in an effort to realize the potential of the Arab Peace Initiative and to advance the cause of a comprehensive regional peace," B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, said.

"These meetings will only be as useful as the agreements and steps of implementation they help bring about, and the changes on the ground they help to catalyze," he said, noting that much is at stake in the coming months.

"There will be difficult and unpopular choices ahead. Calculated risks are required for peace," he added. "The risks of inaction or timidity are incomparably greater than the risks of action."

The Under-Secretary-General told the Council that the search for peace in the Middle East has reached a crucial juncture. "A new push for peace is being made, and holds genuine promise. However the situation on the ground remains of deep concern," he said.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9124.doc.htm">Briefing the 15-member body on the latest events in the region, he voiced his worries at reports of increasing human rights abuses in Gaza – including the violent dispersal of demonstrations and the illegal detention of other Palestinians – perpetrated by paramilitary Hamas forces.

Mr. Pascoe also cited the continued closure of Gaza as another source of concern. The Karni and Rafah crossings have been sealed since Hamas took over in June, and although relief supplies are reaching the population, "this has caused severe personal and economic hardship," he said.

UN and <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank programmes worth $200 million are at a standstill in Gaza, while one third of students have kicked off the school year without textbooks. In addition, food inflows are decreasing, and the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) said that only 60 per cent of food needs are being met by current imports.

"The continued division of the occupied Palestinian territory is a matter of deep political, security and socio-economic concern," the Under-Secretary-General said. "Obviously, the longer it continues, the harder it will be to overcome."

He also noted that no actions have been taken to remove obstacles to freedom of movement in the West Bank, and that the construction of settlements is continuing on both sides of the barrier in the majority of settlements.

Regarding Lebanon, Mr. Pascoe said that political tensions remain high in the lead-up to presidential elections, which must be held in accordance with the timeframe and procedures laid out in the Lebanese Constitution.

"This requires an open and genuine dialogue among the parties with a view to electing a President who enjoys the broadest support of the Lebanese people," he told the Council, adding that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been in contact with the country's leaders to encourage them to endeavour to agree on a President.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST LEBANESE LAWMAKER

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST LEBANESE LAWMAKER
New York, Sep 20 2007 7:00PM
The Security Council today strongly condemned yesterday's terrorist attack in the Lebanese capital Beirut that killed at least seven people, including the parliamentarian Antoine Ghanem.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9125.doc.htm">presidential statement read out by Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the rotating presidency this month, the Council expressed its deepest sympathies to the victims' families, as well as to the people and Government of Lebanon.

The 15-member body reiterated its condemnation of all targeted assassinations of the country's leaders that have taken place, including those since October 2004, and appealed for an end to the use of intimidation and violence against representatives of the Lebanese people and institutions.

Any attempt to destabilize the country, such as through these targeted attacks, must not be allowed to impede or subvert Lebanon's constitutional process, Mr. Ripert said.

He said Council members called for the holding of free and fair presidential elections "in conformity with Lebanese constitutional norms and schedules and without any foreign interference."

The statement also commended "the determination and the commitment of the Government of Lebanon to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this and other assassinations."

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11167.doc.htm">statement that he was "shocked by the brutal assassination" of Mr. Ghanem.

"Such acts of terrorism aim at undermining Lebanon's stability and are unacceptable," his statement said. "Lebanon has suffered far too many such attempts."

Mr. Ban urged all Lebanese to show "calm and restraint at this very critical time and to allow judicial procedures to take their course" and stressed the need for continued dialogue within the country.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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COUNTRIES CAN DO MORE TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

COUNTRIES CAN DO MORE TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Sep 20 2007 7:00PM
More than 40 countries have now indicated they plan to sign, ratify or accede to at least one international treaty over the next two weeks as part of the annual campaign to promote such conventions during the opening of the General Assembly session, a United Nations official said today.

Annebeth Rosenboom, Chief of the Treaty Section in the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), told reporters that although those figures are impressive, countries should and can do more to ensure they are putting into place all the provisions of the treaties and pacts under which they are now bound.

"While significant achievements have been made in the development of the multilateral treaty framework, domestic implementation still needs to be improved," she said, noting that this year's theme stressed both participation and implementation.

This year's treaty event, the ninth in the series, will be held on the sidelines of the General Assembly's General Debate at UN Headquarters in New York on 25-27 September and 1-2 October. The focus will be on 43 treaties that deal with peace, development and human rights.

Ms. Rosenboom said "an impressive total of 1,278 treaty actions have been undertaken" during the annual event since it was initiated in 2000, but she added that none of the treaties being featured this year yet enjoyed the participation of all States.

One of the featured treaties is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is designed to protect the rights of the estimated 650 million people worldwide who have disabilities.

Although it has already garnered 102 signatories since March, the Convention will only take effect 30 days after the 20th country agrees to ratification. So far, five nations – Jamaica, Hungary, Croatia, Panama and Cuba – have ratified.

UN official Thomas Schindlmayr, from the Convention's Secretariat, told reporters that he was confident that the next 15 ratifications would be obtained soon and the treaty will be able to enter into force.

He stressed the importance of the Convention given that people with disabilities are often among the most marginalized groups in the world.

Several featured treaties this year focus on the need for nations to act decisively to prevent and mitigate violence against women.

Christine Brautigam, Chief of the Women's Rights Section of the Division for the Advancement of Women, warned that when States fail to hold the perpetrators of violence accountable, impunity persists and inequality and discrimination are reinforced.

She called for the universal ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. Some 185 States are party to the Convention, but Iran, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Tonga, Somalia, Sudan and the United States are not.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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REVISION PLANNED FOR UN-BACKED SYSTEM TO INFORM PUBLIC OF SEVERITY OF NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS

REVISION PLANNED FOR UN-BACKED SYSTEM TO INFORM PUBLIC OF SEVERITY OF NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS
New York, Sep 20 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations-sponsored system to enhance international safety by promptly communicating to the public the significance of nuclear and radiological accidents and incidents is being <" http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2007/ines.html">upgraded to make it even more versatile and informative.

Originally developed in the 1990s by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) aims to consistently communicate the severity of reported nuclear and radiological events, with a scale ranging for 1 (anomaly) to 7 (major accident).

"We've brought INES into the world of nuclear and radiological events surfacing in the 21st century," IAEA Incident Reporting Coordinator and INES officer Rejane Spiegelberg-Planer said. "Our aim is to consolidate the old INES manual and the additional guidance documents and clarifications that had been issued over the past 15 or more years."

Under the INES scale, the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union (now in Ukraine) had widespread environmental and human health effects and was classified as Level 7, while the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in the United States, with very limited off-site radioactivity although the reactor core was severely damaged, was rated as Level 5, based on the on-site impact.

The improvements are designed to better address areas such as the transportation of radioactive material, or human exposure to sources of radiation. The underlying methodology has not changed, but previous procedures were not detailed enough to consistently rate events related to radiation sources and transport. Terminology has also been standardized.

The criteria for rating radioactive sources and transport have been consolidated according to additional guidance which was in pilot use for almost two years and then approved by IAEA Member States in 2006.

The revision of INES is the culmination of a lengthy and complex process. Since the early 1990s, several additions have been made to the methodology originally developed for nuclear power plants, while the last complete INES manual was published in 2001.

The process has engaged IAEA experts, as well as the INES Advisory Committee and consultants in nuclear safety and radiological protection. Once reviewed by INES members, the target date for officially issuing the new and improved scale is the end of 2008.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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BUSINESSES MUST SUPPORT EMISSIONS REDUCTION, TOP UN OFFICIAL SAYS

BUSINESSES MUST SUPPORT EMISSIONS REDUCTION, TOP UN OFFICIAL SAYS
New York, Sep 20 2007 2:00PM
The private sector must support industrialized countries' serious emission reduction commitments to curb climate change and maintain the momentum of the system of exchanging emissions on the 'carbon market,' the top United Nations climate change official said today.

"Without binding commitments and the resulting downward pressure on greenhouse gas emissions, there is no carbon market. What's worse, we might fail in our battle against climate change, and that would result in costs that are much higher than the cost of action now," UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer <"http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/070919_pressrel_chicago.pdf">said at this year's Carbon Finance World conference in Chicago.

Last year, the international carbon market – spawned by the 1997 UN-backed Kyoto Protocol – was worth more than $30 billion, triple its size in 2005, and is expected to grow significantly this year.

The carbon market "can help us achieve the necessary shifts to green investment and contribute to the additional hundreds of billions of dollars that are estimated to be needed to address this problem," Mr. de Boer noted.

Emissions trading and other Kyoto-inspired and market-based systems, such as the clean development mechanism (CDM), which allows projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries to earn certified emission reduction credits, engage the business world and create low-cost opportunities to cut back emissions.

The CDM has grown considerably, with nearly 800 projects in 48 developing countries. It has "provided developed countries with a degree of flexibility in how they meet their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol," the Executive Secretary said. "For the CDM to be truly effective, however, it must be scaled up substantially. This also applies to the carbon market as a whole, and for any other market mechanism Parties might choose to create as part of a post-2012 agreement."

In a related development, the head of the UN World Meteorological Organization (<"http://www.wmo.ch/pages/index_en.html">WMO) today said that the debate on combating climate change must not only focus on mitigation, but also on adaptation.

Speaking in advance of the high-level informal dialogue to be convened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 24 September, WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said that all socio-economic sectors – influenced in some way by weather and the climate – will be impacted by the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as droughts and floods brought on by global warming.

Mr. Jarraud also called on the international community to step up support for countries without the necessary technology or resources to allow them to make the most optimal decisions on infrastructure building possible given the most current and accurate weather information.

Next week's high-level meeting will set the stage for a major December summit in Bali, Indonesia, which will seek to determine future action on mitigation, adaptation, the global carbon market and financing responses to climate change for the period after the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO ADDS 23 NEW SITES TO GLOBAL NETWORK OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES

UNESCO ADDS 23 NEW SITES TO GLOBAL NETWORK OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES
New York, Sep 20 2007 3:00PM
Remote cloud forests in Viet Nam, hundreds of atolls in Micronesia and mangroves in El Salvador are featured in the 23 ecosystems which were added today to a United Nations network set up to fight biodiversity loss and promote sustainable development that helps local communities.

The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now has 529 sites in 105 countries after the 23 sites were added by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=39480&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) following a three-day meeting this week at its Paris headquarters.

At each reserve, local communities try to enhance their socio-economic development while promoting biodiversity conservation on a scientific basis. Community members contribute to governance, management, research, education, training and monitoring at the sites.

The sites approved today include habitats in three countries which until now have not had a reserve in the Network – El Salvador, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

In El Salvador, Xiriualtique Jiquitizco is the country's largest extension of mangroves, and home to communities that have been able to harvest crops, raise livestock and establish a tourist industry based on sustainable development. Apaneca-Llamatepec, consisting mainly of mountain vegetation over lava fields in the west of the country, is also used by local inhabitants to produce shade-grown coffee.

The Marawah biosphere reserve in the United Arab Emirates, which includes sea grass beds, coral reefs and mangroves, is home to the world's second largest population of dugongs. At Qatar's Al-Reem site, which includes limestone formations under which lies an oil field, locals have opened breeding centres to reintroduce native fauna – such as the Arabian oryx and desert gazelle – alongside modern oil and gas pumping stations.

The other approved sites include Viet Nam's Western Nghe An, which comprises lowland monsoonal evergreen forests and elfin cloud forests at high altitudes and is home to numerous ethnic minorities and the Federated States of Micronesia's And Atoll, where 607 islands and reefs spread over an area half the size of the United States to provide habitat for more than 1,000 species of fish, 350 species of coral and thousands of species of sponges.

Eight of the other new sites lie in either North, Central or South America: Manicouagan Uapishka (Canada), Fundy (Canada), Sierra de Alamos – Río Cuchujaqui (Mexico), Andino Norpatagonica (Argentina), Pereyra Iraola (Argentina), Bosques Templados Lluviosos de los Andes Australes (Chile), Agua y Paz (Costa Rica) and Podocarpus – El Condor (Ecuador).

The other new sites are: Cape Winelands (South Africa), Noosa (Australia), Jabal Al Rihane (Lebanon), Mongol Daguur (Mongolia), Chebaling (China), Xingkai Lake (China), Corvo Island (Portugal), Graciosa Island (Portugal) and Rio Eo, Oscos y Terras de Buron (Spain).

The Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, which selected the new sites, also approved changes to two existing biosphere reserves.

The boundaries of Frontenac Arch in Canada (formerly known as Canadian Thousand Islands - Frontenac Arch) and the Great Volzhsko-Kamsky in Russia have been extended. Germany, meanwhile, has withdrawn the Bavarian Forest biosphere reserve from the Network because it no longer meets the criteria.
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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FLOODING HAMPERS UN HUMANITARIAN AID EFFORTS FOR REFUGEES IN CHAD

FLOODING HAMPERS UN HUMANITARIAN AID EFFORTS FOR REFUGEES IN CHAD
New York, Sep 20 2007 10:00AM
Heavy rainy season downpours have left areas of eastern Chad flooded and seriously <" http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46f128d34.html">hampered efforts by United Nations and other aid agencies to help tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (<" http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs).

Although food is not a major problem because supplies were stockpiled in camps in April and May, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is having difficulty supplying needed goods such as new tents, while the agency and others have delayed or cancelled missions in the region.

Aid can only be transported to some outposts by air and even then the rain often makes airstrips unusable, UNHCR said in its latest update from Abeche in eastern Chad. Earlier this month, two flights to Goz Beida were cancelled for two days in a row because the airstrip could not be used.

"We haven't seen such flooding in the past two years. There was so much rain that the roads and wadis became almost impassable," UNHCR driver Khalil Ousmane said. Taking detours to avoid flooded areas meant that journeys took up to three times as long as normal, he added. Drivers always took bedding with them in case they had to sleep en route.

The rains have eased over the past week but flooding continues to cut land access to the Koukou Angarana region in the southeast and has forced locals and IDPs to head for higher ground. Goz Amir, one of 12 UNHCR-run camps housing some 230,000 Sudanese refugees fleeing the conflict in Darfur, is in the flooded area. There are also 170,000 Chadian IDPs in the area.

"UNHCR and its partners are helping several hundred displaced families and host communities who have been affected by the rains and sought shelter on higher ground," said Bryan Hunter, UNHCR protection officer in Goz Beida. UNHCR staff have been forced to rent carts from locals so that they can help those uprooted by the floods, he added.

Since the rains began in mid-June, flooded wadis have made it almost impossible to drive between the UNHCR logistics hub at Abeche, the main town in eastern Chad, and Farchana, the gateway to several refugee camps near the border with Sudan's Darfur region, with the floods cutting off some of the camps.

Exposure to the elements is causing physical discomfort and putting added logistical and financial pressure on aid agencies. "With most shelters in camps being in a poor state, the number of people asking for new tents grows during and after the rainy season," said Julien Sangtam, a UNHCR community services assistant in the town of Bahai. "Their concerns are real and justified, but we can't satisfy them because of logistical problems."
2007-09-20 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS LATEST MURDER OF LEBANESE LAWMAKER

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS LATEST MURDER OF LEBANESE LAWMAKER
New York, Sep 19 2007 8:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned today's assassination of a Lebanese lawmaker, who was killed along with at least eight others after an apparent car bomb attack in the capital, Beirut.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11167.doc.htm">statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said he was "shocked by the brutal assassination" of Antoine Ghanem and offered his condolences to the families of all the people killed.

"Such acts of terrorism aim at undermining Lebanon's stability and are unacceptable," the statement said. "Lebanon has suffered far too many such attempts."

Mr. Ban urged all Lebanese to show "calm and restraint at this very critical time and to allow judicial procedures to take their course" and stressed the need for continued dialogue within the country.

The assassination took place the same day that the Security Council received a briefing from UN Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel on the progress being made towards establishing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is being set up to prosecute those responsible for the February 2005 assassination – also during a car bomb attack – of the country's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9119.doc.htm">statement to the press after the closed-door briefing, Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said members welcomed the progress achieved so far and encouraged Mr. Ban to continue to undertake the steps and measures necessary to formally establish the Special Tribunal.

Once it is established, it will be up to the judges to determine whether other political killings in Lebanon between October 2004 and December 2005 were connected to Mr. Hariri's assassination and could therefore be dealt with by the Special Tribunal.

Any political killings that have occurred since December 2005 could also be dealt with, but only with the consent of the Security Council, Mr. Michel later told reporters.

He said the UN was making good progress towards appointing the judges and prosecutors who will serve on the Special Tribunal, adding that this is extremely important as they will be "the public face" of the court.

According to the Tribunal's statute, the chambers will consist of one international pre-trial judge; three judges to serve in the trial chamber (one Lebanese and two international); five judges to serve in the appeals chamber (two Lebanese and three international); and two alternate judges (one Lebanese and one international).

The judges of the trial chamber and those of the appeals chamber will then each elect a presiding judge to conduct the proceedings in their chamber, with the presiding judge of the appeals chamber serving as president of the Tribunal.

Mr. Michel also said it was a priority to find a successor to Serge Brammertz, the head of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), which is probing the Hariri assassination and other political killings after a UN mission found Lebanon's earlier investigations flawed.

Mr. Brammertz has indicated he does not plan to stay on beyond the end of the year, Mr. Michel noted, underscoring the need to assure continuity by appointing someone as commissioner who could then become the prosecutor of the Special Tribunal once it starts operations.

The Tribunal is forecast to cost $35 million to run in its first 12 months, followed by $45 million in its second year and $40 million in its third year. Some 51 per cent will be met by UN Member States, and the remaining 49 per cent from the Lebanese Government.

Mr. Michel said the UN has already received indications from several governments that they are ready and willing to contribute to the costs of operating the court. He also noted that the UN and the Netherlands, which has agreed to host the Tribunal, are examining several potential sites.

Asked whether the IIIC would investigate today's assassination, Mr. Michel said it was up to the Lebanese Prime Minister to send a request to Mr. Ban, who can then forward it to the Security Council, which determines whether the killing or attack should be included in the work of the Commission.
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT TO POST-ELECTION SIERRA LEONE

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT TO POST-ELECTION SIERRA LEONE
New York, Sep 19 2007 7:00PM
The Security Council today commended Sierra Leone on the recent holding of presidential elections and called for continued international support as the West African nation proceeds on its path to peace and security.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9121.doc.htm">statement read out by Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the 15-member body "congratulated the people and institutions of Sierra Leone – particularly the National Electoral Commission and the Sierra Leone Police – on their conduct over the election period and the commitment that they demonstrated to the democratic process."

Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress Party was declared the winner of the run-off elections held on 8 September, after polls held on 11 August failed to produce an outright winner.

The presidential elections were the first since UN peacekeepers left in 2005 after helping to bring peace and stability to the country which was torn apart by a brutal 10-year civil war. Since then the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) has been engaged in assisting the fledgling democracy.

Echoing the Council's comments, the top UN envoy to Sierra Leone today expressed appreciation for the restraint demonstrated by the people since the announcement of the results on Monday.

The Secretary-General's Executive Representative Victor Angelo called on everyone to "remain within the rule of law, and to respect public order and private property" in a statement issued in the capital, Freetown.

Stressing that "constructive dialogue at this time in the history of Sierra Leone is crucial," he reaffirmed that the UN remains actively engaged to support national efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and development.
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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BETTER IT CONNECTIVITY CAN UNLEASH AFRICA'S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL, UN OFFICIALS SAY

BETTER IT CONNECTIVITY CAN UNLEASH AFRICA'S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL, UN OFFICIALS SAY
New York, Sep 19 2007 6:00PM
Better information technology links can help Africa to unleash its economic potential, United Nations and business leaders said today in New York.

African countries have registered the world's highest mobile phone growth, ranging from 50 to 400 per cent in the last three years, Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/net/home/index.aspx">ITU), told a press briefing.

Africa's goal should be to replicate that success in broadband capability, also achieving "Internet access in every village, every school, every university, every hospital."

Lack of Internet access is holding back growth, according to ITU figures. Less than 4 per cent of Africans have Internet access, broadband penetration is below 1 per cent and 70 per cent of all continental traffic goes outside Africa, driving up costs for consumers. The cost of Internet connectivity in Africa, says the World Bank, is the highest in the world – some $250-300 per month.

Africa needs a competitive information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, Mr. Touré said. "By bringing optical fibres in some of the networks, by just closing the loops, you will avoid excessive Internet transit costs, bringing down the cost by two thirds," he said.

China and India have increased both public and private investment in ICT in Africa, and other countries could do the same, he said. "Once the infrastructure is there, once you have the proper capacity building, you can have real growth, with exponential figures," he said.

Mobile telephone use in Africa will undoubtedly follow the general trends of other developing regions, said Craig Barrett, Chairman of the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development and Chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation. In China, India and Latin America, "the private sector has gone in, and with spectrum allocation and with competition, has been able to bring inexpensive communications to all of the people. We expect to see that in Africa," he said.

Mr. Barrett said connectivity poses a challenge. The average monthly cost for a 256 kilobyte per second connection was more than the total hardware and software costs. Broadband connectivity costs should ideally fall by more than two-thirds by 2009, he said, adding that the gate to Africa's development would be "providing inexpensive connectivity over broad stretches of territory."

The success of Africa's telecom industry, said Mohsen Khalil, Director of Global ICT at the World Bank Group, had shown investors that in Africa they could "contribute to development and still make money." About $25 billion in foreign direct investment had been invested in African telecoms in the last 10 years, he said.

Two factors, he said, have contributed to the success of the telecom industry: technological innovation in the mobile area and the adoption of liberal policies. What was now needed for broadband expansion were regulations ensuring an even playing field, and public-private partnerships.

"When you give access to a human being, you unleash the power of human innovation and entrepreneurship," he said. "It is really so powerful – all they need is access."

A "Connect Africa" summit in October in Kigali, Rwanda, will focus on making ICT capabilities available for economic development and connectivity. "We will try to push as hard as we can to get the public and private sectors together to achieve this," Mr. Barrett said.

Walter Fust, Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, voiced support for the Kigali summit to keep ICT for development high on the political agenda, to broaden the discussion to innovative financing mechanisms and local content, and to support "the mobilizing of the doers, not only of the talkers."
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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UN REPORTS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN ETHIOPIA'S SOMALI REGION

UN REPORTS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN ETHIOPIA'S SOMALI REGION
New York, Sep 19 2007 6:00PM
The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia's Somali regional state – one of the country's poorest areas and home to some 4.5 million people – has deteriorated substantially over the past several months due to ongoing security operations, according to a United Nations assessment team that recently visited the region.

Fighting between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has led to the doubling of food prices, inadequate access to clean drinking water and shortages of drugs and other medical supplies, according to a press release from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The team observed that household food reserves are nearly exhausted among the communities it visited and food aid operations in the areas affected by fighting have been "seriously delayed." In addition, Government restrictions on commercial and livestock trade have aggravated an already fragile food security and livelihood situation.

"Given the clear suffering of the families in these zones, and the probable deterioration in their lot, I hope that the Government of Ethiopia and the ONLF will do everything in their power to ensure immediate, safe and full access for humanitarian organizations into the region," UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said.

In its report, the team urged that emergency food aid be provided immediately for some 600,000 people for three months. It also called for the creation of conditions to allow a substantial increase in commercial food deliveries throughout the region as well as increased livestock trade. Drugs for health facilities and support to establish mobile health teams were also needed.

The team recommended that reports of a "worrying human rights and protection situation for the civilian population" be investigated and action taken to protect civilians, including women and children.

The report has been shared with the Ethiopian authorities and the UN stands ready to assist the Government in increasing the delivery of humanitarian assistance and in following up on the team's recommendations.

The inter-agency team included staff from <"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO), World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP), World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO), the UN Department of Safety and Security and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/english/">OHCHR).
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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CUTTING OFF ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO GAZA BREACHES ISRAELI OBLIGATIONS - BAN KI-MOON

CUTTING OFF ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO GAZA BREACHES ISRAELI OBLIGATIONS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Sep 19 2007 6:00PM
Israel's decision to interrupt the provision of essential services, such as electricity and fuel, to the Gaza Strip contravenes its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights towards the territory's civilian population, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, voicing concern at the move.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11165.doc.htm">statement Mr. Ban called on the Israeli Government to reconsider its decision, which also includes a declaration that the Gaza Strip is an "enemy entity."

"There are 1.4 million people in Gaza, including the old, the young and the sick, who are already suffering from the impact of prolonged closure," he said. "They should not be punished for the unacceptable actions of militants and extremists."

The statement noted that the United Nations has broad humanitarian responsibilities and is mandated to provide assistance to and meet the humanitarian needs of civilians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Mr. Ban added that "the continued indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Israel is unacceptable and I deplore it. I call for it to stop immediately. I understand Israel's security concerns over this matter."

UN officials have expressed concern repeatedly in recent months that the closure of border crossings and other restrictions in Gaza have cut exports and forced factories to shut, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians in the territory without jobs or income.
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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SCORES OF COUNTRIES REPORTING ON IRAN SANCTIONS, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD

SCORES OF COUNTRIES REPORTING ON IRAN SANCTIONS, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD
New York, Sep 19 2007 6:00PM
Over 80 countries have reported to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against Iran, the chairman of that panel said today.

Since June, the committee has received 19 documents from Member States – 15 reported that they already have legislation in place regarding the sanctions while the remaining four gave details on measures that have been or will be taken to put the necessary legal framework into place, said Belgian Ambassador Johan C. Verbeke, the committee's chairman.

"This brings the total number of reports under resolution 1737 to 81 and the total number of reports under resolution 1747 to 67," he told the Council in an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9118.doc.htm">open meeting.

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

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

Iranian authorities have stated that their nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but other countries contend that it is driven by military ambitions.

Earlier this week, the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that Tehran has not suspended enrichment related activities as called for by the Security Council, although it has agreed on a work plan with the Agency for resolving all outstanding verification issues.

"Naturally, Iran's active cooperation and transparency is the key to full and timely implementation of the work plan," stressed IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei.
2007-09-19 00:00:00.000

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