BAN KI-MOON URGES CLIMATE CHANGE BREAKTHROUGH IN BALI AFTER DIRE REPORT RELEASED

BAN KI-MOON URGES CLIMATE CHANGE BREAKTHROUGH IN BALI AFTER DIRE REPORT RELEASED
New York, Nov 17 2007 8:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has challenged the world's policymakers to start devising a comprehensive deal for tackling climate change at next month's summit in Bali, Indonesia, after a United Nations report released today found that global warming is unequivocal and could cause irreversible damage to the planet.

Launching the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which brings together hundreds of scientific experts, Mr. Ban said that slowing and even reversing the effects of climate change "is the defining challenge of our age."

He also stressed the report makes clear that "concerted and sustained action now can still avoid some of the most catastrophic scenarios" in the IPCC forecasts.

"We can transform a necessity into virtue," he said. "We can pursue new and improved ways to produce, consume and discard. We can promote environmentally friendly industries that spur development and job creation even as they reduce emissions. We can usher in a new era of global partnership, one that helps lift all boats on the rising tide of climate-friendly development."

For this to happen, the Secretary-General said the world's industrialized countries must form a "grand bargain" with developing nations, which are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

The report details how reduced rainfall in much of Africa is likely to aggravate existing water shortages and slash crop yields, rising sea levels are set to inundate small island States and melting glaciers could trigger major floods in South Asia and South America.

More heat waves and periods of heavy rainfall are deemed very likely to occur, tropical cyclones are predicted to become more intense and a dramatic decrease in the polar ice caps is also expected as air and ocean temperatures keep rising. In the worst case scenario, nearly a third of all of plant and animal species could be at risk of exti

It also explains that industry, agriculture and infrastructure can become far more energy-efficient, water can be more effectively conserved and used and countries can become less dependent on fossil fuels and other non-renewable sources of energy.

IPCC Chairman Rajendra Pachauri said governments have "a wide variety of policies and instruments" available to create incentives to mitigate behaviour -- especially in the area of carbon emissions.

"We need a new ethic by which every human being realizes the importance of the challenge we are facing and starts to take action through changes in lifestyle and attitude."

The report, released in Valencia, Spain, is the synthesis of three IPCC reports issued earlier this year that examined the scientific basis of climate change, the impact it is having and ways to mitigate and adapt to the phenomenon.

It is expected to form the basis of discussions in Bali next month when world leaders gather under the auspices of the UN to try to agree to a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, which is due to expire by 2012.

Mr. Ban told reporters after today's launch that "the breakthrough needed in Bali is an agreement to launch for negotiations for a comprehensive climate change deal that all nations can embrace -- developed and developing countries alike. Scientists have now done their work and I call on political leaders to do theirs and agree not only to launch these negotiations but also to conclude them by 2009."

The report states that "neither adaptation nor mitigation alone can avoid all climate change impacts. However, they can complement each other and together can significantly reduce the risks of climate change."

The Secretary-General, who is in Valencia at the end of an international trip that has taken him to both Antarctica and the Amazon rainforest, said he had witnessed first-hand the perils posed by climate change.

"I can tell you with assurance that global, sweeping, concerted action is needed now. There is no time to waste."

UN
"we now have the compelling blueprint for action and in many ways the price tag for failure -- from increasing acidification of the oceans to the likely extinctions of economically important biodiversity."

Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called for more detailed and continuing observation of the impact of climate change to help individuals, businesses and civil society make informed decisions about how best to adapt to meet their own circumstances.

2007-11-17 00:00:00.000

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TESTS CONTINUING AFTER MYSTERY DISEASE OUTBREAK IN ANGOLA -- UN HEALTH AGENCY

TESTS CONTINUING AFTER MYSTERY DISEASE OUTBREAK IN ANGOLA -- UN HEALTH AGENCY
New York, Nov 17 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) says it is still investigating the possible origin of an outbreak of a mystery illness that has forced at least 370 people to seek hospital treatment in Angola.

The symptoms include extreme drowsiness and loss of muscle control, WHO said in a statement issued yesterday, and although most patients recover slowly over a number of days many are still unable to walk without assistance. Children suffer the most extreme symptoms.

WHO said that while a toxicological cause is suspected, a series of tests on patients for 300 organic solvents and 800 compounds have proven negative and tests for cadmium, lead, manganese and mercury have shown levels within the normal range.

Health officials are still awaiting the results of environmental samples and tests of food and drinking water in Cacuaco municipality in the suburbs of the capital, Luanda, where the outbreak was first reported on 2 October.

WHO said it fears that the number of people affected by the disease may be more than reporter as some patients prefer to receive treatment from traditional healers or remain at home rather than visit a hospital.

2007-11-17 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UN INQUIRY OPENS INTO SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PEACEKEEPER

DR CONGO: UN INQUIRY OPENS INTO SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PEACEKEEPER
New York, Nov 17 2007 4:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced today that an independent investigation has begun into allegations of violent sexual abuse by a soldier serving with the force in the troubled northeast of the country.

Investigators from the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) are already on the ground in Bunia, the capital of Ituri district, to conduct the probe, according to a press release issued by the mission (known as MONUC).

A MONUC peacekeeper based in Bunia is accused of violence and sexual exploitation and abuse against a woman on the night of 13-14 November.

"All allegations of this nature are taken very seriously by the mission," the press statement said, stressing that OIOS investigators would receive the complete cooperation of MONUC in conducting their inquiries.

The UN has imposed a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse and exploitation by its peacekeepers, and senior officials have reiterated in recent years that this means there is no impunity for blue helmets who engage in such practices.

MONUC, which was established in late 1999, is one of the largest UN peacekeeping missions in the world. As of the end of last month, it had 18,382 serving personnel, including more than 16,000 troops.

2007-11-17 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN PEACEKEEPING OFFICIAL HEADS TO CHINA TO PUSH FOR GREATER CONTRIBUTION

TOP UN PEACEKEEPING OFFICIAL HEADS TO CHINA TO PUSH FOR GREATER CONTRIBUTION
New York, Nov 16 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping chief is heading to China for a regional seminar and meetings with Government officials to encourage the world's most populous country to contribute more to UN operations.

Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters in New York today that China's level of involvement in UN missions has surged dramatically in the past five years. The Asian nation is now the thirteenth largest contributor of uniformed personnel.

But he said that China, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, can increase its contribution even more, particularly in the areas of so-called "force enablers," where it has already provided medical and engineering units.

Mr. Guéhenno said he hoped to see a Chinese infantry battalion one day and air transport units as well.

"We have lots of capacities in short supply" and China, like the other permanent Council members, has a status that would bring greater authority to the blue helmets if it expanded its contribution, he said.

After arriving in Beijing on Sunday night, the Under-Secretary-General is scheduled to attend a peacekeeping seminar involving China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and he is also due to hold talks with officials from the Chinese Government's foreign affairs, defence and interior ministries.

The UN and the African Union are about to deploy a hybrid peacekeeping force (known as UNAMID) to Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, but Mr. Guéhenno noted earlier this week that the Sudanese Government was yet to signal its approval of the presence of several non-African units in the operation.

Asked today whether he would raise the issue during his talks with the Chinese Government, Mr. Guéhenno said he thought it was "important that all members of the [Security] Council impress upon Sudan" that UNAMID is being deployed to help the people of Darfur.

He stressed that it was vital that UNAMID have all the units it needs to be able to implement a robust mandate in Darfur, where fighting since 2003 has left 200,000 people dead and forced 2.2 million others from their homes.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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IRAN: UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG CHIEF CIRCULATES LATEST REPORT

IRAN: UN NUCLEAR WATCHDOG CHIEF CIRCULATES LATEST REPORT
New York, Nov 16 2007 7:00PM
The head of the United Nations atomic watchdog has circulated his latest report regarding the nuclear programme of Iran to the agency's Board of Governors.

The report covers developments since International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2007/iranreport1107.html">IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei issued his last report on 30 August.

The 35-member Board of Governors of the IAEA will consider the report at its next meeting, which is scheduled to take place at its Vienna headquarters next Thursday.

Last month Mr. ElBaradei told a General Assembly plenary meeting that Iran's "active cooperation and transparency" are key to resolving the outstanding issues on the country's nuclear ambitions.

"If the Agency were able to provide credible assurance about the peaceful nature of Iran's past and currently nuclear programme, this would go a long way towards building confidence, and could create the conditions for a comprehensive and durable solution," he said.

"Such a solution would assure the international community about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme, while enabling Iran to make full use of nuclear technology for economic and social development."

Iran's nuclear programme has been a matter of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that it had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Last December, the Security Council adopted a resolution banning 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. It tightened the measures in March, banning arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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WHEN WOMEN ARE EMPOWERED, ALL OF SOCIETY BENEFITS - MIGIRO

WHEN WOMEN ARE EMPOWERED, ALL OF SOCIETY BENEFITS – MIGIRO
New York, Nov 16 2007 7:00PM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today highlighted the importance of empowering women to build healthier, better educated, more peaceful and more prosperous societies.

"Study after study has shown us that when women are fully empowered and engaged, all of society benefits," Ms. Migiro <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/dsgsm353.doc.htm">told the International Women Leaders Global Security Summit in New York.

"Only in this way can we successfully take on the enormous challenges confronting our world – from conflict resolution and peacebuilding to fighting AIDS and reaching all the other Millennium Development Goals," she stated, referring to the ambitious set of anti-poverty targets the world has pledged to achieve by 2015.

She recalled that at the 2005 World Summit, leaders declared that gender equality and human rights for all are essential to advancing development, peace and security. Five years before that, the Security Council adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

But while global goals and commitments on women's empowerment are in place, "we still have far to go in implementing them fully – from school enrolment to women's economic independence and representation in decision-making bodies," she stated.

The Deputy Secretary-General noted that in almost all countries, women continue to be under-represented in decision-making positions; their work continues to be undervalued; and violence against women and girls continues unabated worldwide.

"Changing all this requires all of us – women and men – to work for enduring change in values and attitudes," she said. "It means working in partnership – Governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector. It means men assuming their responsibility. It means ensuring that women and girls enjoy their full rights, and take up their rightful place in society."

With regard to tackling violence against women in particular, she recalled that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had earlier this year urged the Security Council to establish a mechanism to monitor that scourge, within the framework of resolution 1325. He had also encouraged Member States to consider proposals to strengthen the UN's "gender architecture."

"The Secretary-General and I believe we could significantly advance our cause by replacing several current structures with one dynamic UN entity," she stated. "Such a new body should be able to call on all of the UN system's resources in the work to empower women and realize gender equality worldwide."
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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ILLEGAL TRADE IN IRAQI CULTURAL HERITAGE MUST END, SAYS UN EXPERT COMMITTEE

ILLEGAL TRADE IN IRAQI CULTURAL HERITAGE MUST END, SAYS UN EXPERT COMMITTEE
New York, Nov 16 2007 7:00PM
An international committee set up by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) is appealing to the international community to help stop the illicit excavation, pillaging and trafficking of Iraqi cultural property.

The 20-member International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of Iraqi Cultural Heritage, which met for two days this week at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, has called for a series of measures to discourage the widespread trade in Iraqi artefacts.

The committee recommended the introduction of a formal global prohibition on the trade in or transfer of ancient Iraqi cultural property, and measures to encourage all countries to keep any recovered items in safe havens with a view to returning them to Iraq when the adequate conditions for their protection are met.

The committee also called for an awareness campaign to alert the world, especially participants in the art market such as antique deals and auction houses and museum staff, of their responsibilities towards Iraqi cultural property.

In addition, it said Iraqi professionals in the art, archaeological and history fields need longer and more sustainable training programmes so they can take better care of their country's cultural heritage.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura told the meeting that "the preservation of one of the world's richest and most ancient heritages is at stake. The rehabilitation of Iraqi cultural heritage is vital to restoring stability in the country – to rebuilding dialogue, social cohesion and, ultimately, peace."

The committee, which brings together experts on Iraqi cultural heritage, was jointly founded by UNESCO and the Iraqi Government and held its first meeting in 2004.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION WELCOMES SIGNING OF ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN MISSION WELCOMES SIGNING OF ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT
New York, Nov 16 2007 7:00PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI) today welcomed the adoption by the country's major political parties of a code of good conduct for upcoming general elections.

The code will help with efforts to ensure that the elections are "free, transparent, democratic and conforming with international norms," UNOCI said in a press statement issued from Abidjan, the commercial capital in the West African nation.

Côte d'Ivoire had been divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002, but a peace accord signed by the leaders of the two sides in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, earlier this year is designed to end the deadlock and lead to elections by next year. Polls had been planned for October but were delayed.

The accord outlines a series of measures, including: the creation of a new transitional government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; the merging of the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; the dismantling of militias and disarming of ex-combatants; and the replacement of the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by UNOCI.

The mission said the code was a "significant advance" towards the implementation of the Ouagadougou agreement, but it warned the major political groupings that they must now ensure they apply the code as soon as possible.

The code was drawn up under the auspices of Côte d'Ivoire's Independent Electoral Commission.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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WORLD MUST KEEP SPOTLIGHT ON MYANMAR, URGES UN RIGHTS EXPERT

WORLD MUST KEEP SPOTLIGHT ON MYANMAR, URGES UN RIGHTS EXPERT
New York, Nov 16 2007 6:00PM
The independent United Nations human rights expert on Myanmar today urged the international community to maintain its focus on the South-East Asian nation, where the Government used force in responding to peaceful demonstrations earlier this year.

"The international community is supposed to do this to honour these young people, those women, students, the monks that assumed an enormous risk in going to the street to fight for the freedom of assembly, the freedom of opinion," Paulo Sergio Pinheiro told reporters in Bangkok following his five-day visit to Myanmar.

"The Human Rights Council must continue to follow with attention and interest the situation in Myanmar," he said.

Mr. Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, arrived in Yangon on Saturday – at the invitation of the Government – to verify allegations of abuses during the recent Government crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, determine the numbers and whereabouts of those detained or killed, and collect testimony about what happened.

The Special Rapporteur, who last visited Myanmar in 2003, held meetings, both in Yangon and the new capital Nay Pyi Taw, with Myanmar officials, the UN Country Team, monks, detainees and representatives of ethnic groups.

Even though he was not able to meet with detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during his trip, Mr. Pinheiro drew attention today to the importance of the access he has had to some of the other detainees, as well as his ability to interview the law enforcement authorities.

In addition, he said his conversations with several monks had been "revealing in terms of the risks or the threats that the monks had to confront."

The expert, who works in an unpaid capacity, said he now has "a clear picture of the involvement of the monks, the events, the confrontation between the monks and law enforcement agencies."

Mr. Pinheiro said he has requested a number of crucial details from the authorities regarding, detentions, conditions of detention, numbers of released people, whereabouts of those detained, causes of death and other issues. The Government has provided the Special Rapporteur with a number of detailed records that responded partially to his requests.

As to the number of people killed during the crackdown, Mr. Pinheiro told journalists he was not in a position to confirm the Government's figure of 15 casualties. He said he was continuing to compile information and in his report he would "try to come up with an accurate number."

Similarly, he said that while the Government has said it has released around 3,000 detainees, the actual total is still to be determined. "What is clear is that the number of detainees is very high," stated Mr. Pinheiro.

He added that his trip cannot be considered a full fledged fact-finding mission, stating that the conditions for an independent and confidential investigation mission would require a different framework.

The Special Rapporteur will present his report to the Human Rights Council on 11 December.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES LEBANESE LEADERS TO WORK FOR NATIONAL INTEREST

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES LEBANESE LEADERS TO WORK FOR NATIONAL INTEREST
New York, Nov 16 2007 6:00PM
Lebanon's leaders must place the national interest above their personal and sectarian interests as the country prepares to elect a new president before a constitutional deadline later this month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today as he wrapped up a two-day visit to the country.

Mr. Ban told reporters in Beirut that the whole world was watching Lebanon, adding that it was imperative that the Parliament be convened to elect a president.

He also reiterated that the election, which is supposed to take place by 24 November, must be held on time, in accordance with the constitution and without any foreign interference.

Earlier today the Secretary-General held talks with Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir at the residence of the Maronite Church leader. UN spokesperson Michele Montas said the two men discussed the current situation in Lebanon and Mr. Ban commended the Patriarch's efforts to seek a solution to the political crisis.

Mr. Ban also held discussions with Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano, the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), on recent press reports concerning the mission's continuing presence in the country.

The Secretary-General emphasized that UNIFIL will stay in Lebanon as long as is necessary and that the international community remained fully behind the mission and its mandate.

In addition to those meetings, Mr. Ban also held talks with other Lebanese leaders, including representatives of the so-called 14 March coalition, Walid Jumblatt, the former president Amine Gemayel, Suleiman Franjieh, Samir Geagea and Mohammad Fneish.

Lebanon is the latest stop on an international trip that has recently taken the Secretary-General to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Antarctica, Spain and Tunisia. He now returns to Spain to participate in tomorrow's launch of the fourth and final report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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SOUTH AFRICAN CHOSEN TO HEAD POLICE COMPONENT OF HYBRID UN-AU FORCE IN DARFUR

SOUTH AFRICAN CHOSEN TO HEAD POLICE COMPONENT OF HYBRID UN-AU FORCE IN DARFUR
New York, Nov 16 2007 5:00PM
An assistant police commissioner from South Africa has been appointed to head the police component of the hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) being deployed to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan early next year.

Michael J. Fryer was selected by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, in consultation with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to become UNAMID's Police Commissioner, the AU said today in a press release issued in Addis Ababa.

Commissioner Fryer will have responsibility for implementing all police aspects of the mandate of UNAMID, which is aiming to quell the violence and humanitarian suffering that has engulfed Darfur since 2003.

Before this appointment, he headed the South African police force's Specialized Operation Division since September 2004 and, prior to that he was Commander of the South African Special Task Force.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes because of continued fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed.

When fully deployed UNAMID is expected to have nearly 20,000 military personnel and more than 6,000 police officers and will become the largest UN peacekeeping operation.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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DETAINED UN RIGHTS EXPERT RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST IN PAKISTAN - UN

DETAINED UN RIGHTS EXPERT RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST IN PAKISTAN – UN
New York, Nov 16 2007 4:00PM
A United Nations human rights official tasked with monitoring religious freedom worldwide has been released from house arrest in Pakistan, a spokesperson for the world body announced today.

José-Luis Diaz of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) told reporters in Geneva that Asma Jahangir's release was confirmed by colleagues who had spoken with her.

Ms. Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion, was detained over a week ago in the wake of the declaration of a state of emergency in Pakistan when she refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Provisional Constitutional Order.

Mr. Diaz said he hoped other human rights defenders who had been detained in the wake of Pakistan's state of emergency, as well as others who have been imprisoned or detained for peaceful expression of their beliefs or for exercising their activities, will also be released immediately.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY BOOSTS COOPERATION WITH CENTRAL ASIAN NATIONS

UN REFUGEE AGENCY BOOSTS COOPERATION WITH CENTRAL ASIAN NATIONS
New York, Nov 16 2007 3:00PM
During a just-concluded visit to Central Asia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has strengthened his agency's cooperation with the Governments of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to assist thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers in the two countries.

António Guterres wrapped up a five-day visit to the two countries on Thursday, after agreeing to boost refugee assistance in Kyrgyzstan and signing a cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan to play a greater role in addressing global asylum-migration issues, the agency (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/473d85b64.html">UNHCR) said in a press release.

While in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, the High Commissioner met with President Kurmanbek Bakiev, as well as the prosecutor general, the minister of foreign affairs and the chairperson of the State Committee on Migration and Employment, which deals with asylum and refugee issues.

Mr. Guterres expressed his appreciation to the Government for respecting refugee rights in a difficult political environment, and for naturalizing some 9,000 refugees from Tajikistan. He also pledged to reduce statelessness in the country, believed to affect more than 10,000 people.

Also in Bishkek, the High Commissioner opened the region's first reception centre for asylum seekers, offering temporary shelter as well as interview, medical and information facilities to refugees and asylum seekers.

Kyrgyzstan hosts several hundred refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

During his stay in Astana, Mr. Guterres met Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other high-ranking officials, including the ombudsman and the chairman of the Human Rights Commission.

UNHCR is assisting Kazakhstan in drafting a national refugee law. Mr. Guterres was assured that the law would serve as a model for legislation in the region as it seeks to strike a balance between Kazakhstan's national concerns and international refugee and human rights obligation, the agency said.

According to the agency, Kazakhstan is host to some 3,700 Chechens from the Russian Federation, as well as several hundred people from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and China.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES LIFTING OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN GEORGIA

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES LIFTING OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN GEORGIA
New York, Nov 16 2007 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the lifting of the state of emergency imposed nine days ago in Georgia and stressed the need for a credible election process ahead of presidential polls scheduled to take place 5 January next year.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11282.doc.htm">statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban "emphasizes the importance of the full restoration of freedom of expression and association" in the lead-up to the election.

"In particular, the Secretary-General looks forward for all media to fully resume normal operations in order to offer all relevant actors equal access in the electoral campaign."
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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FORMER RWANDAN MAYOR RECEIVES 11-YEAR JAIL TERM FROM UN TRIBUNAL

FORMER RWANDAN MAYOR RECEIVES 11-YEAR JAIL TERM FROM UN TRIBUNAL
New York, Nov 16 2007 2:00PM
The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up after the Rwandan genocide today sentenced a former mayor to 11 years in jail for his role in the mass killings that engulfed the small African nation in 1994.

Juvénal Rugambarara, who was mayor of Bicumbi commune in Kigali-Rural Prefecture in Rwanda from September 1993 to late April 1994, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of extermination as a crime against humanity after prosecutors agreed to withdraw eight other charges.

The amended indictment stated that he had failed as mayor to investigate the killings committed in Bicumbi commune during his term in office and had also failed to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of those crimes.

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 <"http://69.94.11.53/ENGLISH/PRESSREL/2007/537.htm">ICTR to deal with the worst cases.

Announcing the sentencing today, a three-judge panel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said they had taken into account both aggravating and mitigating factors before reaching their decision.

Judges Asoka da Silva (presiding), Taghrid Hikmet and Seon Ki noted the magnitude of the deaths of Tutsi civilians in Bicumbi, but they also took into account Mr. Rugambarara's public expression of regret and testimony from five witnesses that he had also helped some Tutsi refugees.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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TOLERANCE POWERFUL TOOL IN FIGHTING TODAY'S GLOBAL THREATS - BAN KI-MOON

TOLERANCE POWERFUL TOOL IN FIGHTING TODAY'S GLOBAL THREATS – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 16 2007 2:00PM
Tolerance is an important tool in tackling the growing threats facing humanity from conflicts to racism, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.

"Our world today is confronted with war, terrorism, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, discrimination against minorities and migrants, and a multitude of other abuses against human beings," Mr. Ban notes in his message marking the <"http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/tolerance/">International Day for Tolerance.

Even globalization, "while knitting our world together, can also lead to greater fear and turning inward," he adds.

At the same time, he notes that the world has at is disposal the tools necessary to tackle growing threats to intolerance. "We know that our best tools are cultural diversity, the work for sustainable development, and education for tolerance and peace. We know that our most powerful safeguards are a vigorous civil society, attentive to human rights, and a free and responsible media."

He voiced hope the International Day will serve as a reminder of the need to adhere to the fundamental principle of tolerance in today's world. "The imperative to tolerance is very clear to all of us, but the will must be stronger," he stated.

In 1996, the General Assembly invited Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November. This came in the wake of the UN Year for Tolerance which was marked in 1995.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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UN FORUM AIMS TO SPUR INVESTMENT IN ASIAN HIGHWAY NETWORK

UN FORUM AIMS TO SPUR INVESTMENT IN ASIAN HIGHWAY NETWORK
New York, Nov 16 2007 2:00PM
Representatives of more than 30 countries are today attending a United Nations investment forum in Bangkok to drum up financing to complete the Asian Highway Network, the ambitious plan to crisscross the continent with 141,000 kilometres of high-quality roads.

About $26 billion has already been committed to upgrading the network, according to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (<"http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/nov/n60.asp">UNESCAP), but a shortfall estimated at $18 billion remains to upgrade another 12,000 kilometres of roads to meet the necessary standards.

Twenty-eight countries signed a pact, developed in 2005 with UNESCAP's help, undertaking to make every possible effort to comply with the minimum desirable standards both in constructing new routes and in upgrading and modernizing existing ones.

When the highway upgrading is completed, the 32-country network – which will link cities as far apart as St. Petersburg and Singapore, and Seoul and Istanbul – will facilitate trade and tourism as well as access to landlocked countries.

In the two years since the treaty came into force, over 10,000 kilometres of roads have been upgraded, mainly in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. So far, all sections of the network in only 13 countries meet the treaty's minimum standards.

Today's forum is also being attended by representatives of 10 international organizations and many members of the private sector.
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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UN DRUG CHIEF URGES STEPPED-UP ACTION TO TACKLE SURGE IN AFGHAN OPIUM

UN DRUG CHIEF URGES STEPPED-UP ACTION TO TACKLE SURGE IN AFGHAN OPIUM
New York, Nov 16 2007 1:00PM
The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/afghan-opium-report.html">UNODC) has called on the international community to step up its efforts to reign in Afghanistan's booming opium production, which not only accounts for over half the country's gross domestic product but is also funding insurgents in the strife-torn nation.

Presenting UNODC's final report on opium production in Afghanistan, the world's leading drug producer, Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa told a gathering in Brussels that the total export value of opium and heroin being trafficked to neighbouring countries this year is $4 billion, an increase of 29 per cent over 2006.

That means that opium now accounts for more than half – 53 per cent – of the country's licit GDP, according to one of the findings of the <I><"http://www.unodc.org/documents/crop-monitoring/Afghanistan-Opium-Survey-2007.pdf">Afghan Opium Survey 2007</I>, a provisional version of which was presented in August.

Approximately one quarter of this amount, or $1 billion, is earned by opium farmers, while the rest is made by drug traffickers, the report noted. Since the drug increases in value with ever border it crosses, by the time it hits the streets of major Western countries, it could be worth 50 to 100 times as much as in Kabul.

As a result, while opium is profitable to some Afghan farmers, these sums – though significant in relation to the local economy – are only a fraction of the major profits that are being made world-wide by criminals, insurgents and terrorists.

Mr. Costa urged Afghanistan's international partners, including NATO and the UN Security Council, to boost their counter-narcotics efforts, especially if they wanted to address the insurgency that is threatening the fledgling democracy. He also stressed the need for greater development assistance, noting that the drug problem cannot be tackled solely by counter-narcotics measures.

In addition, he urged greater cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours, as well as the countries of Central Asia, emphasizing that drug trafficking is not a threat that States can address solely on their own.

"The threat is real and growing, despite a foreign military presence in the tens of thousands, billions of dollars spent on reconstruction, and the huge political capital invested in stabilizing a country that has been in turmoil for a third of a century," Mr. Costa wrote in the foreword to the report.

"The Afghan opium situation looks grim, but it is not yet hopeless," he added. "It will take time, money and determination – worthwhile investments to spare Afghanistan and the rest of the world more tragedies."
2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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DR CONGO: UNICEF AND ITS PARTNER HELP FREE OVER 230 CHILDREN FROM MILITIA

DR CONGO: UNICEF AND ITS PARTNER HELP FREE OVER 230 CHILDREN FROM MILITIA
New York, Nov 16 2007 8:00AM
Two hundred and thirty two children have been freed from Mayi Mayi forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with help from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partner, Save the Children -- but the UN agency warned that more must be done to end the use of underage conscripts in fighting in the country's troubled Kivu provinces.

The group was freed from Mayi Mayi forces in North and South Kivu over the last few days with support from the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) and following "an intensive media and outreach campaign on the non-recruitment and non-use of children by armed groups," UNICEF said in a news release

The children had been recruited recently in the wake of increased conflict in North Kivu, where fighting between opposing groups has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.

"The majority of the 232 children are currently in transitory care facilities and awaiting family reunification. Once reunified, they will receive assistance to go back to school, undertake vocational training, or start small income generating activities," UNICEF said.

While lauding this positive development, the agency said it remains concerned about the hundreds of children who remain in armed groups and forces in the DRC.

The agency called on all armed groups and forces to release these children immediately into the care of child protection agencies as part of the National Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) Programme.

2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY SENDS RELIEF TO CYCLONE-HIT PARTS OF BANGLADESH

UN FOOD AGENCY SENDS RELIEF TO CYCLONE-HIT PARTS OF BANGLADESH
New York, Nov 16 2007 8:00AM
Responding to the arrival of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced the distribution of enough high-energy biscuits, considered vital in the early days of an emergency when cooking is impossible, to feed 400,000 people in the affected areas over the next three days.

"We have to move as quickly as possible to get food to the most vulnerable," said WFP Bangladesh Representative Douglas Broderick, pointing out that the biscuits are critical "when there is a scarcity of clean water for drinking and cooking."

Citing preliminary field reports, WFP said Cyclone Sidr caused hundreds of fatalities, damaged thousands of homes and forced thousands of residents to evacuate.

Within hours of the disaster, the agency started supplying the biscuits to affected people in areas that suffered the worst damage in what WFP said was the first phase of its assistance.

The agency said it is able to respond quickly to disasters and humanitarian crises in Bangladesh because it has ongoing operations there to support some 5 million people affected by chronic food insecurity and malnutrition.

2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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UN MARITIME AGENCY TO INTENSIFY WORK ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

UN MARITIME AGENCY TO INTENSIFY WORK ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
New York, Nov 16 2007 8:00AM
The head of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) today called for accelerating the agency's work on greenhouse gas emissions from ships.

Speaking to the IMO Council, Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos said he would present a plan to accelerate work to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) when it meets in March of next year.

Mr. Mitropoulos spoke of the increasing importance and urgency given by the international community to the control of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and "of the globally expressed wish to act, and act now," the agency said in a news release.

He said that IMO and the international maritime community needed to demonstrate their determination to be in the front line of the global campaign to tackle this threat to the global climate without delay.

The acceleration involves measures to update of the 2000 IMO Study on emissions from ships, including development of a CO2 Emission Indexing Scheme, a CO2 emission baseline and technical, operational and market-based methods to achieve a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, all of which are currently planned to be finalized by July 2009.

Secretary-General Mitropoulos's call for an acceleration of the work plan has been endorsed by the MEPC Chairman, Mr. Andreas Chrysostomou of Cyprus.

The IMO is the UN's specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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OIL-PRODUCING STATES NEED NOT FEAR CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

OIL-PRODUCING STATES NEED NOT FEAR CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Nov 15 2007 8:00PM
The international battle against the effects of global warming represents a war against emissions rather than oil, the top United Nations climate change official today <"http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/statements/application/pdf/20071115_statement_riyadh_opec_update.pdf">told a gathering of the world's oil producers.

Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC), told a high-level seminar hosted by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that the fight offered economic opportunities for the group's members.

"International action on climate change is a war against emissions, not a war against oil," he said. "Oil will continue to play a pivotal role in the global energy mix for decades to come, not least due to growing global energy demand. But oil will have to be de-carbonized with adequate technologies. OPEC can deliver a big part of the solution to climate change."

Mr. de Boer said the implementation of stringent targets for emission reduction by industrialized countries will help to significantly spur the development and deployment of such technologies.

"In this way, oil-exporting countries need not fear that a shift to a low-carbon world economy would hurt their economies and can play a pivotal role in ensuring that international negotiations on a post-2012 climate change are launched this year."

Next month in Bali, Indonesia, the world's nations will gather under the auspices of the UN for talks to try to map out a new international accord to succeed the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol, the current mechanism for encouraging emission reduction and which is due to end in 2012.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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TRIPLE THREAT LOOMS OVER AFRICA'S RURAL POOR, WARNS UN AGENCY CHIEF

TRIPLE THREAT LOOMS OVER AFRICA'S RURAL POOR, WARNS UN AGENCY CHIEF
New York, Nov 15 2007 8:00PM
Africa's rural poor are facing a "perfect storm" of rising food prices, climate change and population growth, the head of the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2689">WFP) warned today, urging the international community to take more concerted action to help the continent's most vulnerable people.

Wrapping up a four-day visit to Senegal and Mali, WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran told reporters in Dakar that time was running out to build resilience among the millions of rural Africans who often have to go hungry.

WFP operations in West Africa planned from last month to June next year remain under-funded by as much as $168 million overall.

"I have seen in West Africa what havoc could be caused by the triple threat of climate change, rising food prices and population growth," she said.

"But I have also seen that there are solutions to help people adapt before it is too late. We must help people to protect themselves and their families. It's a large order, but with the help of the international community we can do it – we must do it."

The WFP chief said West Africa faces a particularly difficult challenge against the elements as the Sahara Desert creeps further and further south each year, consuming what was once arable land or pastures.

Global commodity prices are also soaring, driven in part by the rising cost of fuels, which means the prices of food staples have surged in poor African countries this year, placing them out of reach of many consumers.

In one example, Mauritania, Ms. Sheeran said the impact of the higher international prices has led to tensions this month and could turn into a food crisis next year unless more funds are pledged by donors.

"High world prices for grains have made our operations more challenging than ever. The overall cost of WFP reaching a hungry person has gone up by 50 per cent in the last five years."

An estimated 1.5 million children under the age of five in the Sahel region are now classified as acutely malnourished, the highest proportion of any region worldwide. This 'silent emergency' kills more than 300,000 children every year and stunts the growth of those who survive.

Ms. Sheeran noted that WFP is working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help local communities adapt to climate change, such as by constructing small dams, completing irrigation projects and contribution to schemes that reduce soil erosion or promote reforestation.

But she also observed that continued population growth, combined with low school enrolment rates, is adding to the squeeze on the rural poor across Africa.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TO REFLECT KEY PRINCIPLES

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TO REFLECT KEY PRINCIPLES
New York, Nov 15 2007 8:00PM
A new culture of international relations based on the principles of full respect for human rights, human security, the responsibility to protect and the promotion of sustainable development is necessary, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said today.

<"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2007/071115_Kerim.doc.htm">Speaking to reporters about the work so far of the sixty-second session of the 192-member Assembly, Mr. Kerim said those principles should drive discussions about all the key issues faced by the international community.

"The world needs more software than hardware in dealing with each other," Mr. Kerim said, stressing the importance of the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

"This new culture of international relations should be based on full respect of human rights, human security, the responsibility to protect and sustainable development. All this issues are intertwined, interrelated."

The priority issues for the Assembly this session remain climate change, financing for development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), counter-terrorism and UN reform, he said.

Since it began in September the session had been generally conducted in "a spirit of good cooperation, good faith and constructive dialogue."

Next month's UN-led negotiations in Bali, Indonesia, on devising a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on emissions reduction will be decisive in determining further progress on the issue, the President stressed, adding that the Assembly was planning to hold a series of follow-up meetings and activities in a bid to spur more progress.

Mr. Kerim also highlighted a series of events taking place during this session, including: a joint event next week with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on reinforcing the rule of law in international relations; a high-level meeting next month on children; and a separate high-level meeting on the HIV/AIDS pandemic and its impact on the attainment of the MDGs, the ambitious set of goals for reducing poverty and other social ills, all by 2015.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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CAMEROON: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES RESPONSE TO KILLINGS IN BAKASSI PENINSULA

CAMEROON: BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES RESPONSE TO KILLINGS IN BAKASSI PENINSULA
New York, Nov 15 2007 7:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he was encouraged by the "prompt and statesmanlike" response of both Cameroon and Nigeria to Monday's attack by armed gunmen on a Cameroonian military installation in the once-disputed Bakassi Peninsula that left at least 20 soldiers dead.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2867">statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban offered his "sincere condolences to the Government and people of Cameroon and in particular to the families of those killed and wounded during the tragic incident."

The statement added that the Secretary-General reiterates the readiness of the UN to support the efforts of the neighbouring countries, "notably within the framework of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, to strengthen border cooperation and bilateral relations overall."

Nigeria formally withdrew from the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula and transferred authority to Cameroon in August last year, in line with the Greentree Agreement signed by the two nations two months earlier. That accord was itself the result of a negotiation process conducted by the Mixed Commission, which had been set up by the then Secretary-General Kofi Annan to help the nations peacefully resolve the Bakassi border dispute.

Under the agreement, Nigeria recognized Cameroonian sovereignty over the region, in accordance with a ruling by the International Court of Justice (<"http://www.icj-cij.org/homepage/index.php?lang=en">ICJ) in 2002. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, the Bakassi had been the subject of intense and sometimes violent disputes between the two countries for decades.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE BACKS GLOBAL MORATORIUM AGAINST DEATH PENALTY

GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE BACKS GLOBAL MORATORIUM AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
New York, Nov 15 2007 7:00PM
A committee of the United Nations General Assembly voted today to back a <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/c.3/62/l.29">resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions with a view to eventually abolishing the death penalty entirely.

The Assembly's third committee, which deals with human rights issues, voted 99 to 52, with 33 abstentions, in favour of the resolution, which states "that there is no conclusive evidence of the death penalty's deterrent value and that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the death penalty's implementation is irreversible and irreparable."

The resolution will now go before the full 192-member Assembly for a vote next month. All Assembly resolutions are non-binding.

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

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

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

In the past two days, before the resolution was put to a vote by the third committee, more than a dozen proposed amendments to the text were rejected by committee members.

The third committee also passed a resolution today, this time by consensus without a vote, calling for the elimination of rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, including in conflict and related situations.

The text urges States to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence; to end impunity for perpetrators of such crimes; to provide victims with greater access to health care, including trauma counselling; to promote human rights education and conduct public awareness campaigns; and to consider ratifying or acceding to all human rights treaties on the issue, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF BRAZILIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

UN RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF BRAZILIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
New York, Nov 15 2007 6:00PM
Brazil's police engage frequently in extrajudicial executions and many moonlight in death squads or militias involved in racketeering, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today, calling for wholesale reform of the country's culture of policing.

Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said in a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/7F0F08340A31AC6FC1257394003B5D47?opendocument">statement detailing his preliminary observations after conducting an 11-day visit to Brazil that its prisons are also severely overcrowded, leading to riots and numerous killings by both guards and inmates.

While Brazil's authorities, especially in its biggest cities, face enormous pressure in protecting citizens from the threats of gang violence, drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime, he said the criminal justice system must be overhauled to stop the routine abuse of human rights.

"The people of Brazil did not struggle valiantly against 20 years of dictatorship, nor did they adopt a federal constitution dedicated to restoring respect for human rights, only in order to make Brazil free for police officers to kill with impunity in the name of security," Mr. Alston concluded.

The criminal justice system is not "hopelessly broken," he said, with many competent personnel working in its various institutions, but there remain too many "disaster areas" in which lawlessness and criminality prevail.

"It is imperative that the federal and state governments implement sustained reforms in the directions I have indicated in order to enhance the security of ordinary citizens and promote respect for human rights."

Homicide is the leading cause of death for Brazilians aged between 15 and 44, and the victims are overwhelmingly likely to be young, male, black and poor, Mr. Alston said. Yet in the country's largest cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, only about 10 per cent of these crimes are tried in courts.

Mr. Alston noted that in Rio de Janeiro this year the police have recorded 694 "acts of resistance followed by death," which he labelled "very often a euphemism for extrajudicial executions by the police" involving disproportionate or unnecessary force. "It is a category which virtually ensures that impunity will follow," he added.

The Special Rapporteur also observed that in one of the states he visited "a reliable estimate is that 70 per cent of all homicides are committed by death squads, and many of those death squads are made up of policemen and former policemen."

These death squads or related militias often violently enforce their own protection rackets against local shopkeepers, transport operators and others and kill anyone they suspect of corroborating with gangs.

"For residents of these communities, control by a 'militia' is nearly indistinguishable from control by gangs and traffickers," Mr. Alston said.

Prisons, meanwhile, are so overcrowded that they have three times the number of inmates than they are designed to hold, promoting an atmosphere in riots are commonplace and weapons are easily brought into the jails.

"Wardens are insufficiently trained and supervised. Low levels of education and work opportunities also contribute to unrest, as does the failure to ensure that inmates are transferred from closed to open prisons when they are entitled to do so."

Some states, such as Rio de Janeiro, force new prisoners to choose a gang faction when arriving in jail – a system which Mr. Alston said is "cruel and needlessly swells the size of the gangs."

The Special Rapporteur offered a series of preliminary recommendations ahead of the release of his final report on the visit, which he expects to complete by March next year.

They include: more effective investigations of every police killing to determine if they are justified or should be tried as homicides; higher police salaries to reduce the desire of officers to moonlight in militias and death squads or take part in corruption; greater protection for witnesses to extrajudicial killings by the police and organized crime; increased independence and resources for police ombudsmen and prison monitors; and ensuring that prisons are controlled by the wardens and not by inmates.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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UN FORUM EXAMINES INTERNET RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

UN FORUM EXAMINES INTERNET RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES
New York, Nov 15 2007 6:00PM
The dangers and opportunities of the World Wide Web dominated discussions on the final day of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro, at which many of the nearly 1,400 participants, ranging from sceptics to supporters, provided a glimpse of what might lie in the future.

The British writer Andrew Keen warned "the future is not good." Despite much talk about the profound democratic transformations wrought by the Internet, he said there were also "unintended consequences" and the technologies of what is often described as "Web 2.0" – the second generation of web-based communities and hosted services – would bring less, not more, democracy.

User-generated sites like Facebook, Wikipedia and YouTube were the future of the media, Mr. Keen said. But the explosion of user-generated content was not benefiting the talented. Profit was not going to the creators of content, but to a tiny corporate minority.

The Internet was also trivializing politics by helping to create a "cacophony of opinions, where one cannot sort out the truth." The remedy was to teach young people not technology, but media literacy and a healthy scepticism.

Robert Pepper of Cisco Systems pointed out the continuing trend to lower cost. For instance, local and regional Internet Exchange Points (IEPs) allowed traffic to be routed within a region, lowering global Internet costs.

Information technologies could also be used to address issues of energy and the environment, Mr. Pepper said. Technologies could not only improve the supply of energy where it was not easily available, but at the same time help to address climate change.

Vinton Cerf, sometimes described as one of the "fathers of the Internet," said there was increasing understanding of the need for Web responsibility.

"Global Internet law" would have to be developed at some point, Mr. Cerf said. "We will have to arrive at global agreements about what people can and cannot do," as well as ways to enforce laws globally when people did infringe the law.

"This will be very complicated, something like the Law of the Sea, but perhaps we will need such a matrix to sort things out."

Fatimata Seye Sylla, a leader of Senegal's civil society, said that for Africa access remained paramount, but "you cannot govern something that almost does not exist." Africa was still at the bottom of the list in terms of infrastructure, capacity and content. Work was ongoing across the continent to build capacity and create local content, she said. There was a need to develop public-private partnerships and a regional regulatory and policy framework conducive to investment in information technology.

"But until projects are fully implemented by Africans, there will be no sense of ownership," she said, calling for more involvement by civil society and for stronger political commitment by national leaders.

A total of 1,376 people from 109 countries attended the four-day Forum. The largest participation (380) was from civil society, followed by government (302), the private sector (168), the media (104) and intergovernmental organizations (67).

Eighty-four events held in parallel with the main sessions included 19 events on the issue of security, 11 on openness and freedom of expression, 12 on development and capacity-building, 10 on critical Internet resources, nine on access and six on diversity.

The Forum's third meeting will take place in New Delhi in December 2008.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST AND SWITZERLAND

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST AND SWITZERLAND
New York, Nov 15 2007 5:00PM
Asha-Rose Migiro is set to depart tomorrow for a trip that will take the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory and Switzerland.

Ms. Migiro will be the guest of honour at an international conference in Jerusalem with the theme of "Women's Leadership for Sustainable Development," UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.

While there, she will also meet Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and UN staff. In addition, she is scheduled to visit Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

On 19 November, Ms. Migiro will travel to the occupied Palestinian territory, where she will meet the Palestinian Foreign Minister and the Minister of Women's Affairs, as well as visit a UN project.

Following that, the Deputy Secretary-General will travel to Geneva to deliver an address to the 16th Session of the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In Geneva she will also be meeting with local Government officials and heads of UN agencies and staff, the spokesperson stated.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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EUROPE'S 'APPETITE' FOR COCAINE ENDANGERING AFRICA, WARNS UN ANTI-DRUGS CHIEF

EUROPE'S 'APPETITE' FOR COCAINE ENDANGERING AFRICA, WARNS UN ANTI-DRUGS CHIEF
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) <" http://www.unodc.org/unodc/speech_2007_15_11.html">warned today that security in West Africa is being threatened by criminals who are using the region as a hub for trafficking drugs, particularly cocaine, from South America to Europe.

"A sniff here and a sniff there in Europe are causing another disaster in Africa, to add to its poverty, unemployment and pandemics," Antonio Maria Costa said at a conference on cocaine taking place in Madrid.

"The problem will persist until Europeans curb their appetite for cocaine," UNODC's Executive Director added, urging Europe's cocaine users to take greater responsibility for the consequences of their addiction.

He said that since traditional cocaine trafficking routes from the Andean countries to North America are heavily patrolled, and trafficking into Europe has become more difficult, smugglers have found an alternative route through West Africa in order to keep up with the high demand for cocaine in Europe.

West Africa has become a desirable alternative route for two reasons, namely its location and its vulnerability, he noted. "Governments of the region are poor, weak and vulnerable – they cannot patrol their waters, cannot control their territory, cannot administer justice, and are plagued by corruption.

"Africa is under attack and cannot defend itself," he stated, adding that the international community is reacting, but not as forcefully as needed.

Mr. Costa noted that more than 4 tons of cocaine were seized in West Africa this year, a 35 per cent increase over the entire haul for 2006. "But this is probably only the tip of a cocaine iceberg," he said, noting that the drugs trade in Guinea-Bissau may be as high as the country's national income. "Africa faces a crisis of epic proportions, by and large fuelled by Europe's cocaine users."

He said UNODC is helping West Africa, and especially Guinea-Bissau, improve its justice system and law enforcement capacity, just as it had done in Cape Verde in the past. The issue is also on the agenda of the Security Council since the implications for the stability of the whole region are serious, he added.

In order to help curb Europe's cocaine use, Mr. Costa called on celebrities, in particular, to accept a greater sense of responsibility for their words and deeds, and speak out about the dangers of cocaine use "to make it a public enemy rather than socially acceptable." He also urged the media to refrain from the "reckless" practice of glamorizing the lifestyles of "stars turned junkies."

In addition, he called for greater investment into drug prevention and treatment, warning that "Europe stands almost naked in the face of the cocaine threat."
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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SUDANESE OUTBREAK OF RIFT VALLEY FEVER CONTINUES TO GROW - UN HEALTH AGENCY

SUDANESE OUTBREAK OF RIFT VALLEY FEVER CONTINUES TO GROW – UN HEALTH AGENCY
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The number of confirmed cases and deaths from the outbreak in Sudan of the viral haemorrhagic disease known as Rift Valley Fever (RVF) continues to rise, the United Nations World Health Organization reports, but authorities are stepping up measures to try to contain its spread.

At least 329 cases of RVF have been confirmed as of yesterday in three states in eastern Sudan, WHO said in its latest <"http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_11_14/en/index.html">update, up from 228 cases reported a week ago. Some 96 people have now died, an increase of 12 in the past seven days.

The outbreak has so far been confined largely to White Nile, Sinnar and Gezira states, and WHO said the cases that have been reported in Khartoum state, which surrounds the Sudanese capital, are not indigenous but were imported from one of the three affected states.

Gezira is witnessing the greatest increase in human cases, according to WHO, with most being reported in an area close to irrigation canals that is home to livestock and mosquitoes.
Transmitted by mosquitoes, <"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs207/en/index.html">RVF is a dangerous disease that affects both livestock – including sheep, goats, cattle and camels – and humans, but is usually well-established in animal populations by the time the first human cases are observed.
Humans become infected through mosquito bites or direct contact with infected material and liquids such as animal blood during slaughtering, while the uncooked milk of infected animals can also pose a risk. No cases of human-to-human transmission have ever been reported.
While some infected people experience no detectable symptoms, others develop flu-like fever, muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, vomiting, loss of appetite and sensitivity to light. In more severe cases patients can also experience lesions in their eyes, neurological problems, liver impairment and haemorrhagic fever symptoms including widespread bleeding.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org">FAO) has deployed a senior animal health expert to Sudan to assist local veterinary services with prevention and control measures in animals, while the WHO Country Office and the Sudanese Health Ministry have presented a joint response plan to international donors in Khartoum.
WHO said it is also anticipating that the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries will now implement an integrated control programme to try to limit the spread of RVF. This programme will include social mobilization activities to raise awareness among the local population about the health risks of the disease.
But the agency called for greater measures to be introduced, taking advantage of all media, including television and radio, and the support of community and religious leaders, to ensure that at-risk communities are more aware.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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KHMER ROUGE COUPLE DETAINED AHEAD OF TRIAL BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN CAMBODIA

KHMER ROUGE COUPLE DETAINED AHEAD OF TRIAL BY UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL IN CAMBODIA
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
Judges at the United Nations-backed tribunal in Cambodia trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes three decades ago have decided to place a former foreign minister of the South-East Asian country and his wife in provisional detention for a year while they await trial.

Ieng Sary, who was foreign minister under the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s, and his wife Ieng Thirith, who served as social affairs minister under the same regime, had been arrested earlier this week. Mr. Ieng faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes while Madame Ieng Thirith is charged with crimes against humanity.

In a press statement issued today, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (<" http://www.eccc.gov.kh/english/default.aspx">ECCC) said the tribunal's co-investigating judges agreed to provisionally detain the couple after holding consecutive hearings on the issue yesterday.
The husband and wife are the third and fourth people to be charged by the ECCC's co-investigating judges, joining Nuon Chea (aka Brother Number Two) and Kaing Guek Eav (aka Duch).
Under an agreement signed by the UN and Cambodia, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international law between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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DARFUR: UN, AU ENVOYS STEP UP EFFORTS TO FIND COMMON GROUND AMONG REBELS

DARFUR: UN, AU ENVOYS STEP UP EFFORTS TO FIND COMMON GROUND AMONG REBELS
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The United Nations and African Union Special Envoys tasked with spearheading the peace process in Darfur say they are stepping up efforts to press some of the larger groups of the war-torn region's splintering rebel movements to find common ground ahead of scheduled direct peace talks with the Sudanese Government next month.

The UN's Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim of the AU, speaking last night at Khartoum airport after returning from a visit to Asmara, the capital of neighbouring Eritrea, said they hoped that more rebels will attend the upcoming talks in Sirte, Libya.

Many of Darfur's rebel groups, which have fragmented recently from three major groups into 16 or more separate factions, did not attend the opening round last month in Sirte that was designed to be the first step of a three-phase process to end the conflict.

Discussing the progress of the peace talks so far, Mr. Eliasson said that the envoys had wanted to start in greater glory with a lot more people present. But he added that there is now the beginning of a process, which has led to the series of consultations this month inside and outside Sudan with rebels to encourage them to participate.

Mr. Eliasson also stressed that he hoped the rebel movements realized the level of expectation among the people of Darfur and Sudan and from the international community that they must agree soon a common team and negotiating position for next month's talks in Sirte.

In Asmara, the two envoys met with representatives of countries in the region – including Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki – to help in the peace process, and they said later that they were encouraged by those talks.

More than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003 and another 2.2 million have been made homeless because of the fighting in Darfur between rebels, Government forces and allied militia known as the Janjaweed. A hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping mission known as UNAMID is slated to deploy at the start of next year to try to quell the widespread violence and humanitarian suffering.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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'ERA OF HOPE' FOR SIERRA LEONE AS NEW PRESIDENT IS INAUGURATED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

'ERA OF HOPE' FOR SIERRA LEONE AS NEW PRESIDENT IS INAUGURATED, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
Declaring that "Sierra Leone faces an era of hope," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated Ernest Bai Koroma on his inauguration as the West African country's President but warned that the transition to peace, stability and lasting economic growth after years of civil strife will be difficult.

The United Nations remains committed to supporting Sierra Leone as it rebuilds its society, especially through the work of the Peacebuilding Commission, Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11279.doc.htm">message delivered by Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, in Freetown, the national capital.

Sierra Leone is one of two countries – the other is Burundi – which is currently under consideration by the Commission, which was established a year ago to help countries emerging from conflict avoid sliding back into war or chaos.

Mr. Ban noted that "a peaceful and transparent election process" had led to Mr. Koroma becoming President in September after he won a run-off race. It was the first presidential election since UN peacekeepers left Sierra Leone in 2005. Since then the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) has been engaged in helping the fledgling democracy.

"With the elections successfully concluded, Sierra Leone faces an era of hope. The people are waiting to see tangible improvements in their lives. They are looking to their new Government to remain steadfastly committed to consolidating peace, ensuring sustained economic growth and healing ethnic and national wounds. The road ahead will not be easy."

Mr. Ban commended Mr. Koroma for his efforts so far to develop an inclusive Government, tackle corruption and expedite the delivery of basic services to the population. But he said this can only be the start of a long process.

"The Government will need to focus on strengthening governance, rule of law and the protection of human rights, stimulating economic growth, building the capacity of critical State institutions, delivering basic services, fostering national reconciliation and addressing the root causes of the country's conflict."
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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UN RIGHTS EXPERT MEETS WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS ON FINAL DAY OF MYANMAR VISIT

UN RIGHTS EXPERT MEETS WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS ON FINAL DAY OF MYANMAR VISIT
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The United Nations human rights official investigating alleged abuses by the Myanmar Government during a recent crackdown on demonstrators met with a group of political prisoners today before concluding his five-day visit to the South-East Asian nation.

Before departing Yangon today, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar, told reporters that, among his stops, he visited the Insein Jail twice, with the second visit taking place this afternoon, when he met some political prisoners.

Recapping his visit, Mr. Pinheiro – an independent expert who reports directly to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council – also provided details of his meetings, both in Yangon and the new capital Nay Pyi Taw, with Myanmar officials, the UN Country Team, monks, detainees and representatives of ethnic groups over the past five days.

The Special Rapporteur, whose last mission to Myanmar was in 2003, arrived in the country on Saturday, at the invitation of the Government, on a mission to investigate allegations of abuses by the authorities in response to peaceful demonstrations, determine the numbers and whereabouts of those detained or killed, and collect testimony about what happened.

Mr. Pinheiro's trip follows that of the Secretary-General's Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari, who recently met senior officials in the country on speeding up the process of democratization and national reconciliation in Myanmar.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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INCENTIVES COULD ENCOURAGE FARMERS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT, SAYS UN AGENCY

INCENTIVES COULD ENCOURAGE FARMERS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT, SAYS UN AGENCY
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000698/index.html">FAO) has proposed offering cash payments as an incentive to encourage farmers to use eco-friendly practices, in a bid to protect the environment and address concerns associated with climate change.

In its annual publication, <i><"http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1200e/a1200e00.htm">The State of Food and Agriculture 2007</i>, FAO notes that hundreds of payment programmes for environmental services are currently being implemented around the world, mainly as part of forest conservation initiatives. "But relatively few programmes for environmental services have targeted farmers and agricultural lands in developing countries," it adds.

"Agriculture employs more people and uses more land and water than any other human activity," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf says in the foreword to the report.

"It has the potential to degrade the Earth's land, water, atmosphere and biological resources – or to enhance them – depending on the decisions made by the more than two billion people whose livelihoods depend directly on crops, livestock, fisheries or forests. Ensuring appropriate incentives for these people is essential."

Payments can take different forms as voluntary transactions involving farmers, communities, taxpayers, consumers, corporations and governments, according to FAO. They could be direct payments by governments to producers or indirect transfers, such as consumers paying extra for a cup of shade-grown coffee beans.

The agency notes that population growth, rapid economic development, increasing demand for biofuels and climate change are putting environmental resources under pressure throughout the world.

One of the important reasons for environmental degradation is the perception that many of nature's services are free – no one owns them or is rewarded for them and farmers have little incentive to protect them, states FAO.

Payments for environmental services represent one way of increasing incentives to adopt improved agricultural practices – and even to offset pollution generated in other sectors.

FAO adds that while such measures can ensure that farmers consider the impact of their production decisions on the environment, they are not the best solution in all situations.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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TOP UN ENVOY IN KOSOVO SAYS CLARITY ON STATUS IS VITAL FOR FUTURE STABILITY

TOP UN ENVOY IN KOSOVO SAYS CLARITY ON STATUS IS VITAL FOR FUTURE STABILITY
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
The Secretary-General's Special Representative in Kosovo said today that clarity on the future status of the United Nations-administered province is critical for its ethnic communities and to ensuring stability across the wider region in South-East Europe.

<"http://www.unmikonline.org/dpi/pressrelease.nsf/0/3F21C43345BF9134C1257394004A3D46/$FILE/pr1710.pdf">Speaking in Vienna to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council, Joachim Rücker said he continued to have faith in the so-called Troika-led negotiation process, which brings together the European Union, Russia and the United States to try to devise a solution to the ongoing dispute about Kosovo's future status.

"An agreed solution would be the optimal outcome, and the easiest to implement," he said. "Still, even if no agreement is reached, clarity on Kosovo's future, key to ensuring stability in the region, will have to be forthcoming."

Earlier this year Belgrade and Pristina held direct negotiations on the future status of Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and other minorities by about nine to one. This followed a report from the UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari in which he proposed a phased process of independence for Kosovo.

Municipal, assembly and mayoral elections in Kosovo are scheduled to take place on Saturday and Mr. Rücker stressed that preparations remain on track. The UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), with the help of the OSCE mission in the province, is ready to deploy mobile polling stations in case voters in some areas are refused access to public buildings to cast their votes.

Last month both the envoy and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Kosovo's ethnic Serb community to take part in the polls.

UNMIK, which Mr. Rücker heads, has administered Kosovo since 1999, when Western forces drove Yugoslav troops out of the province amid inter-ethnic fighting.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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FREE AND FAIR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE 'MILESTONE' FOR LEBANON - BAN KI-MOON

FREE AND FAIR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE 'MILESTONE' FOR LEBANON – BAN KI-MOON
New York, Nov 15 2007 4:21PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid a visit today to Lebanon, where he has once again stressed that the holding of a free and fair presidential election later this month, without any foreign interference, would constitute a milestone for a country whose political situation he described as "complex and difficult."

Mr. Ban's visit comes as Lebanon prepares to elect a new president before the constitutional deadline of 24 November. If successful, it would mark the first time that the Lebanese people have had the opportunity to conduct free and fair presidential elections since the end of the country's brutal civil war in 1990.

"The country now stands at an important crossroads in its modern history," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1098">told reporters upon arriving in Beirut. "A free and fair election of a new president according to constitutional rules without foreign interference is a milestone in the development of Lebanon as a vibrant democracy.

"It constitutes a pillar in its aspirations to recover its full political independence and sovereignty; and to secure its territorial integrity," he added, while stressing that the election should take place on time and in accordance with Lebanese constitutional rules.

While in Lebanon, the Secretary-General is scheduled to meet separately with Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri and leader of the 14 March movement Saad Hariri, before having a working dinner with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

Beirut is the latest stop on an international trip that has already taken the Secretary-General to South America, Antarctica, Spain and Tunisia.

Earlier today in Tunis, Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11280.doc.htm">addressed the international conference on counter-terrorism taking place in the Tunisian capital, stating that the UN's 192 Member States made history just over one year ago when they adopted the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a visionary yet practical guide for international activities to counter terrorism.

"Yet our work together is just beginning," he told participants. "Now we must implement the Strategy in all its dimensions. By next September, when the General Assembly meets to review implementation of the strategy, we must all have concrete progress to show – Member States, the UN system, and our key partners in regional and other organizations."

Before leaving Tunisia, the Secretary-General met with that country's President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as well as the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1097">Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the President, Mr. Ban said the two discussed, among other topics, Tunisia's sustained economic growth and its progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the set of ambitious targets the world has set itself for slashing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and other social ills by 2015, as well as how to counter terrorism.
2007-11-15 00:00:00.000

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