CLIMATE CHANGE HEADS TALKS BETWEEN ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT AND AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL

CLIMATE CHANGE HEADS TALKS BETWEEN ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT AND AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL
New York, Jan 25 2008 7:00PM
Climate change, globally agreed anti-poverty targets and financing for development topped the agenda during talks today between General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim and Australia's Foreign Minister.

Mr. Kerim and Stephen Smith reviewed the priority issues of the current session of the General Assembly, including climate change, which will be the subject of a special thematic debate in the Assembly next month, according to a statement issued by Mr. Kerim's spokesperson following the meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The debate is being held to consider how best the UN system, working in collaboration with Member States, the private sector and civil society, can collectively tackle climate change, from adaptation and mitigation to technology and financing.

Participants in the two-day event will include Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the heads of the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC), the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP), the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) and the World Meteorological Organization (<"http://www.wmo.ch/pages/index_en.html">WMO), as well as high-level representatives of government, businesses and the non-governmental organization (NGO) sector.

During today's meeting between Mr. Kerim and Mr. Smith, progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of social and economic targets which world leaders agreed in 2000 to try to work towards by 2015, was also discussed.

"The President stressed the need for a new culture of international relations that is based on the principles of the respect for human rights, human security, responsibility to protect and sustainable development," the statement noted.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UNICEF WARNS OF ABUSES AGAINST CHILDREN IN KENYA

UNICEF WARNS OF ABUSES AGAINST CHILDREN IN KENYA
New York, Jan 25 2008 6:00PM
Children and women have borne the worst of the violence in Kenya and have the most to gain from peace, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today, drawing attention to rising sexual violence and seeking resources to combat it.

With the two leaders in the disputed election, President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, set to meet through the mediation of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and other eminent African leaders, the agency said the political turmoil has increased incidents of sexual abuse against children, teens and women.

Preliminary reports collected by an inter-agency group, led by the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/">UNFPA) with support from <"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF and the UN Development Fund for Women (<"http://www.unifem.org/">UNIFEM), indicate "the tragedy of girls and women in the informal camps who trade sex for biscuits, protection, transportation, or are raped while trying to get to a latrine during the night."

The Gender Violence Recovery Center in Mombasa reported that cases of sexual violence had doubled since the disputed elections and there have been an increase in sexual assaults by strangers and gang rapes; most of them girls under the age of 18, but also including some boys, UNICEF said in a news release.

On the overall violence, UNICEF said brutal attacks have continued in several areas in the Rift Valley. Inter-ethnic violence also erupted in some places that had so far stayed out of the conflict, including Nakuru, which is now playing host to the largest population of displaced families in the country.

The agency has dispatched more than $1.2 million in emergency supplies and has had teams working on the ground in the major hotspots since the crisis began. But it said it needs more funds to protect children from violence and abuse, and to assist those who have been worst affected.

UNICEF also stressed that the importance of getting Kenyan children back to school. An estimated 1,700 displaced children have been admitted to schools in the Nakuru area alone, including hundreds in classes held in tents provided by UNICEF.

Working with partners UNICEF is also setting up "safe play areas" in Nakuru that will enable children from the camp to enjoy games and play. Parents can be assured that their children are safe while they go to seek work or fuel, collect water and food, or look for a place to live.

UNICEF is urgently seeking $3 million for emergency programmes that can "protect and help children today and build a safer Kenya tomorrow."
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

MISREPRESENTATIONS FANNING FEARS IN GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ DISPUTE, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

MISREPRESENTATIONS FANNING FEARS IN GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ DISPUTE, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jan 25 2008 6:00PM
Disinformation and misrepresentations is generating tensions between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides in their dispute and the communities on both sides of the ceasefire line should exercise restraint, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report to the Security Council.

While there has been no incident between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides in the past few months, there have been "a string of allegations concerning either the deployment of forces on both sides of the ceasefire line or incidents involving the Abkhaz forces or the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] peacekeeping force," he writes in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/38">report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia.

He voices concern about the "disconnect" between realities on the ground and media or official statements. As it is, an "image of the enemy" is already pervasive among communities on both sides of the ceasefire line, he writes, warning that "Fanning fear and hostility through misrepresentation will only entrench it further."

Reliable observers on both sides commented that the relationship between the two sides was last year at its lowest point since the widespread violence of 1998, according to the report.

"The two electoral campaigns that took place in 2007, for the Georgian presidency and the de facto Abkhaz parliament, illustrated once again the deep rift between the political aspirations of the sides and their constituencies, with reunification and independence seen as top, non-negotiable priorities in Tbilisi and Sukhumi, respectively, and promoted with an equal sense of urgency."

Mr. Ban calls for confidence-building measures to be introduced, on areas including security dialogue, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees and economic rehabilitation, so that momentum can be established towards a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict.

He notes that the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unomig/index.html">UNOMIG) is working towards this goal and is also hoping to improve its monitoring abilities in the Kodori Valley, where the difficult terrain and security risks make unmanned aerial vehicles the best option.

UNOMIG is developing standard operating procedures for the use of such vehicles so that there can be no possible misuse outside the mandate of the mission – an issue that has been raised, particularly by the Abkhaz side.

As of 1 January, UNOMIG had 133 military observers from 32 countries in place to verify the ceasefire agreement between the Georgian Government and the Abkhaz authorities.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

ERITREAN FUEL RESTRICTIONS THREATEN VIABILITY OF UN MISSION, WARNS ENVOY

ERITREAN FUEL RESTRICTIONS THREATEN VIABILITY OF UN MISSION, WARNS ENVOY
New York, Jan 25 2008 6:00PM
Eritrea's fuel restrictions imposed on the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) is paralyzing the work of the mission and could force it to withdraw from that side of the disputed border between the two countries, a UN official warned today.

Azouz Ennifar, UNMEE's acting head, told journalists after briefing the Security Council that the mission has not been able to obtain fresh supplies of fuel in Eritrea since 1 December last year.

"These restrictions are paralyzing the mission and its movements and making the living conditions of our civilian and military staff on the ground extremely difficult," he said.

UNMEE is relying on "certain quantities" of fuel stocks it has, but is having to use them sparingly so as to stretch them as long as possible. The number of patrols carried out by mission staff have had to be reduced as a result.

In his most recent report on the situation, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended to the Council that the mission's mandate have a one-month technical rollover to assess the situation.

Mr. Ennifar said that unless the mission is allowed access to fuel supplies, then a decision will have to be made before the end of next month on whether it is worth continuing to operate on the Eritrean side of the border with Ethiopia, which was the subject of a deadly two-year war that ended in 2000.

He stressed that the UN had pursued many diplomatic avenues to try to convince the Eritrean Government to change its decision.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES TO MOBILIZE ACTION TO REACH MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES TO MOBILIZE ACTION TO REACH MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
New York, Jan 25 2008 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today pledged to mobilize national leaders in a drive to reach the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) – a set of anti-poverty targets for the year 2015 – when they come to United Nations Headquarters in New York for the General Assembly's annual high-level debate in September.

"We are at the mid-point of a great campaign to end world poverty, set forth in the Millennium Development Goals. Too many nations have fallen behind. We need fresh ideas and fresh ideas and fresh approaches," Mr. Ban told a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1122">news conference in Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum.

The Secretary-General repeated his recent calls for attention to the poorest of the world's poor, known as the 'bottom billion.'

"They are the forgotten ones, the nearly 1 billion left behind by global growth," he said.

Mr. Ban illustrated the urgent need for action with stark statistics showing that one child dies of hunger every five seconds; for two thirds of the world a glass of ordinary drinking water is a luxury; and 1 million people die from malaria every year.

"That is why I am launching, together with global leaders, a new initiative," he said. "This September, the UN will host a high-level meeting on the MDGs, with a special focus on Africa."

The aim, he said, is to "bring together world leaders and, together, demand action."

Last year, Mr. Ban used a similar forum to spur action on climate change. "This year, we will do the same for the bottom billion," he pledged.

"This is a sacred cause. The fight against global poverty and human suffering is a moral imperative."
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

HAITI: UN ORGANIZES WORKSHOP FOR POLICE TO ADDRESS PROBLEM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

HAITI: UN ORGANIZES WORKSHOP FOR POLICE TO ADDRESS PROBLEM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
New York, Jan 25 2008 5:00PM
United Nations police have trained their Haitian counterparts serving in Jacmel on dealing with sexual crimes as part of a broader campaign to tackle the problem.

At a recent workshop, some 20 Haitian police stationed in Jacmel were sensitized about how to help the victims of crimes of sexual violence as well as how to deal with the suspects.

Participants discussed the different categories of sexual crimes, including rape and aggression, as well as procedural techniques for investigating them.

The workshop is part of a broader awareness-raising campaign being conducted by UN Police not only in Jacmel but also Marbial, Marigot, Cayes-Jacmel, Dekouze, La Vallée and Bainet.

In a news release, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said the workshop would help the Haitian National Police to better serve the victims of sexual violence.

In another development, <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH also announced the holding of a workshop on child protection earlier this week aimed at helping police and judicial officials to protect minors.

Held at the initiative of the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), the seminar attracted the participation of 60 police and two judges. Participants discussed Haitian laws as well as international treaties relating to the rights of the children.

"We want children to live better and blossom in Haiti," said Gaston Sananes of UNICEF.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

FOOD RATIONS REDUCED AS A RESULT OF CLOSURE OF GAZA CROSSINGS - UN AGENCY

FOOD RATIONS REDUCED AS A RESULT OF CLOSURE OF GAZA CROSSINGS – UN AGENCY
New York, Jan 25 2008 5:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) will be unable to provide a full ration to 10,000 Palestinians on Sunday after all three crossings for goods from Israel into the Gaza Strip were closed today, UN aid officials reported.

Fuel reserves are also expected to run out on Sunday, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA), which has been warning all week about the deteriorating situation inside Gaza because of the closed border crossings and the restrictions on the supply of fuel, food, medicine and other essential items.

The situation now being faced by Gaza's estimated 1.4 million inhabitants has also sparked concern from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and other senior UN officials, with calls for Israel to immediately ease the restrictions.

OCHA said 300,000 litres of industrial fuel made it into Gaza today, but the area's power plant has reduced its power output because of limited reserves, causing power cuts of up to eight hours a day.

About half of Gazan households have access to running water for only one or two hours a day, and the area's waste water system is only partially functioning, resulting in the dumping of 30 million litres of untreated sewage into the Mediterranean Sea each day.

WFP – which has described the situation as a "serious food crisis" – has already been forced to reduce food rations to some of its recipients this week, while tensions have been rising at distribution points because of the limited availability of food.

In New York, the Security Council continued closed-door consultations on a draft presidential statement on the situation in Gaza.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN EXPERT URGES ACTION TO HELP WOMEN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN DR CONGO

UN EXPERT URGES ACTION TO HELP WOMEN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN DR CONGO
New York, Jan 25 2008 4:00PM
An independent United Nations expert today called for international action to help women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who have been victimized by violence, including sexual abuse and rape, perpetrated by both militia and Government troops and fostered by a culture of impunity.

Yakin Ertürk, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, described the gruesome atrocities she witnessed when visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year. "I have seen little girls, women whose hands were chopped off, who were abducted, sexually enslaved, forced to eat the flesh of dead relatives, etcetera, etcetera," she said. "Things are quite dire."

Eastern Congo in particular has received greater attention because of the presence there of foreign groups which she said were the "main perpetrators of violence against women as well as the civilian population in general."

But she cautioned that the problems are not limited to eastern Congo; in Equator Province "the army and national police are among the main perpetrators." Ms. Ertürk cited a mass rape by soldiers in April, which led to seven soldiers being sentenced to life imprisonment before they later "escaped or walked out of the military prison."

She decried the fact that in the peace process, efforts to demobilize the militia do not include a justice component. "These militants are demobilized and reintegrated either into civilian life or into the army and they continue the kinds of violent acts they were responsible for during the armed conflict, as civilians or as soldiers in the national army."

The focus on disarmament and reintegration of ex-combatants in the peace process "does not take into consideration the sufferings of women or the needs of women," she said. "Those are missing links in the peace process."

The expert, who serves in an unpaid, independent capacity, urged international help for women who have been victimized. "Many of these women who have survived are today human rights defenders who are working diligently on the ground to respond to the gap created by the State in terms of providing medical as well as other care services to women who are continually being raped," she said.

"There is an urgent need to mobilize support for these women who are working both under security threats as well as severe resource" problems, she added. "We must support these grass-roots initiatives because that's how the country is going to be rebuilt."

Countless victims are in inaccessible areas with little or no form of redress. "The justice system, the penitentiary system, is in deplorable conditions," she said. Often victims must pay for access to the courts in what she called a "major obstacle to justice."

She called for urgent measures to address security and justice simultaneously and stressed that women need more than compensation – they need empowerment.

Ms. Ertürk's report will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in March.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN RIGHTS EXPERT HAILS REPUBLIC OF KOREA'S PROTECTION FOR DPR KOREA NATIONALS

UN RIGHTS EXPERT HAILS REPUBLIC OF KOREA'S PROTECTION FOR DPR KOREA NATIONALS
New York, Jan 25 2008 2:00PM
An independent United Nations human rights expert today welcomed the participation of the Republic of Korea in efforts to help people from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) living in its territory while urging more measures to help the most vulnerable.

In a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/1E1DC99D0903F3F9C12573DB0055CD97?opendocument">statement released in Geneva following a 19-24 January visit to the Republic of Korea, Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN Special Rapporteur on the DPRK human rights situation, called for continued attention to the aftermath of the Korean war, such as the issue of prisoners of war, missing persons and separated families.

He also urged greater focus on humanitarian aid to the DPRK "with effective monitoring to ensure that it reaches the target groups" as well as greater assistance to those who seek refuge from the DPRK.

The Special Rapporteur praised support by the Republic of Korea for over 10,000 nationals from the DPRK it has accepted for settlement while inviting "longer-term facilities to help them adapt to their new lives, and social, educational, employment and psychological back-up, with family and community based networks; more family reunion possibilities; more protection to be afforded to those who do not receive the protection of other countries; and a more active information campaign using success stories of those who have settled in the Republic of Korea to ensure a positive image and nurture a sense of empathy for those who exit from the DPRK in search of refuge elsewhere."

The expert praised increased support for these persons, such as through longer term protection periods, the provision of pensions, and employment and other opportunities. He also hailed a new law allowing DPRK nationals to file for divorce from a spouse in their home country if the location of that person cannot be identified.

In addition to meeting Government officials, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others, the Special Rapporteur interviewed a number of DPRK nationals, ranging from new arrivals to others who had settled for a period of time in the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Muntarbhorn said he was "encouraged by educational and training programmes for the young generation from the DPRK, complemented by caring neighbours who help them adapt to society."

At the same time, he pointed to the need for longer-term care for torture victims from the DPRK as well as members of the older generation "given that they may find it difficult to adapt to the new society."

He also called for more attention to the "heartbreaking" situation facing children of mixed marriages produced when a DPRK national has a child with another national en route to the Republic of Korea and the child is left behind in the second country. There are parallel family reunion challenges in regard to the family members left behind in the DPRK, he added.

In addition, he praised the work of the Republic of Korea's National Human Rights Commission while stressing the need to ensure its independence.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

MYANMAR: UN ENVOY HEADS TO BRUSSELS FOR FURTHER CONSULTATIONS

MYANMAR: UN ENVOY HEADS TO BRUSSELS FOR FURTHER CONSULTATIONS
New York, Jan 25 2008 2:00PM
The United Nations special envoy on Myanmar arrived today in Brussels for talks with senior European Union officials as part of efforts to help promote democratization and national reconciliation in the troubled South-East Asian country.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari, is due to hold consultations with EU High Representative Javier Solana as well as with the Office of the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and the EU Presidency, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.

Next week Mr. Gambari will head to New Delhi for three days of talks with Indian officials, while in February he is also expected to visit Beijing for consultations with the Chinese Government.

The meetings are a continuation of Mr. Gambari's high-level consultations with key Member States about the implementation of the Secretary-General's good offices mandate in Myanmar. He has visited the country twice since the Government used force to crack down on peaceful protesters in the summer of 2007.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES LATEST DEADLY ATTACK IN LEBANON

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES LATEST DEADLY ATTACK IN LEBANON
New York, Jan 25 2008 1:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned today's bombing in Lebanon that reportedly killed an officer of the country's internal security forces and left five others dead, saying those responsible for this and previous attacks must be brought to justice.

"This latest act of terror should not be allowed to undermine the security, stability and sovereignty of Lebanon," Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2968">statement issued by his spokesperson on the bombing, which reportedly injured 20 people.

The Secretary-General reiterated his call on the people of Lebanon to "continue exercising restraint and for those behind this and previous attacks to be brought to justice."

Mr. Ban also extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Lebanese Government.

Media reports say the bomb exploded near a major highway in eastern Beirut, the Lebanese capital, as the convoy of the internal security forces officer passed by.

Today's attack is the latest in a series of bombings and assassinations in the country in recent years. On 15 January, an explosion in Beirut killed three people and wounded at least 20 others.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

BOSNIAN SERB CONVICTED BY UN TRIBUNAL TO SERVE JAIL TERM IN NORWAY

BOSNIAN SERB CONVICTED BY UN TRIBUNAL TO SERVE JAIL TERM IN NORWAY
New York, Jan 25 2008 1:00PM
A former Bosnian Serb army commander convicted by the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia over his role in the notorious Srebrenica massacre in 1995 was transferred today to Norway to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.

Vidoje Blagojevic is serving a 15-year jail term after being convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY) of aiding and abetting the persecution, forcible transfer and murder of Bosnian Muslims living in the Srebrenica enclave.

In January 2005, the Tribunal also convicted Mr. Blagojevic of complicity to commit genocide, but this was overturned on appeal in May last year, and the 57-year-old's jail sentence was therefore reduced from 18 years.

More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were murdered in Srebrenica in July 1995 after Bosnian Serb forces overran what was supposed to be a UN-protected enclave, or safe haven, and the ICTY has found that the events there constituted genocide.
Mr. Blagojevic served as commander of the Bosnian Serb army's Bratunac brigade that operated in the Srebrenica area in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Troops that he led fired on the enclave, attacked a group of men and boys attempting to flee and blocked humanitarian convoys bound for the safe haven.
Norway is one 13 European countries that have signed an agreement with the ICTY to enforce sentences imposed by the Tribunal on individuals convicted over crimes committed during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES ACTION ON WATER RESOURCES

AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, BAN KI-MOON PLEDGES ACTION ON WATER RESOURCES
New York, Jan 24 2008 6:00PM
Cautioning that a shortage of water resources could spell increased conflicts in the future, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11388.doc.htm">told participants at the <"http://www.weforum.org/en/index.htm">World Economic Forum in Davos today that the United Nations will take action to address the problem in the context of reaching global anti-poverty targets.

"Our experiences tell us that environmental stress, due to lack of water, may lead to conflict, and would be greater in poor nations," Mr. Ban told leaders from governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, industry, academia and the arts attending the annual meeting in Davos.

"Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change. As the global economy grows, so will its thirst. Many more conflicts lie just over the horizon," he warned.

The Secretary-General cited a recent report by International Alert identifying 46 countries, home to 2.7 billion people, where climate change and water-related crises create a high risk of violent conflict. A further 56 countries, representing another 1.2 billion people, are at high risk of political instability, according to the study.

"This is not an issue of rich or poor, north or south," he said, pointing to examples of water problems in China, the United States, Spain, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea. "All regions are experiencing the problem."

The Secretary-General emphasized that water resources must be protected. "There is still enough water for all of us – but only so long as we keep it clean, use it more wisely, and share it fairly," he said.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which call for halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015, are key to this effort, he said.

Mr. Ban announced that he would gather world leaders at the UN this September "for a critical high-level meeting on the MDGs, focusing in particular on Africa."

While emphasizing that "governments must engage and lead," he said the private sector also has a role to play in this effort.

The United Nations Global Compact – an initiative aimed at making globalization more equitable by promoting human rights, labour and environmental standards – last July launched its "CEO Water Mandate" to galvanize businesses in this effort.

"Only about 20 companies have joined the CEO Water Mandate. A drop in the bucket, perhaps, but I like to think it is a small wave that will gather force and spread across the globe," said Mr. Ban.

Before addressing the Forum, the Secretary-General met in Davos with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. They discussed the implications of the Annapolis process and the developments in Gaza and the West Bank, according to a UN spokesperson, who said the reiterated his call on Israel to refrain from actions that will harm the well-being of the general civilian population in Gaza.

Later, Mr. Ban and Quartet envoy Tony Blair discussed Palestinian capacity-building, the Paris donors' conference and the importance of accelerating projects that donors had promised at Paris, and the situation in Gaza, the spokesperson said.

The Secretary-General also met with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, and talked with him about the democratic process in Pakistan and Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan.

During Mr. Ban's subsequent meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the two discussed UN-Afghanistan cooperation.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

CYCLONE-HIT PARTS OF BANGLADESH NEED MORE FOOD AID, UN AGENCY SAYS

CYCLONE-HIT PARTS OF BANGLADESH NEED MORE FOOD AID, UN AGENCY SAYS
New York, Jan 25 2008 8:00AM
Higher food prices in cyclone-hit parts of Bangladesh are threatening food security among the very poor, including children suffering from high rates of malnutrition, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today, appealing for funds to continue its operations there.

WFP is providing food rations consisting of rice, lentils, edible oil, blended food, salt and high energy biscuits, all delivered in collaboration with the Government and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners.

But the agency urgently needs $22 million to continue its emergency assistance up to mid-May for more than 2 million of the worst-affected people, the poorest and most vulnerable to food insecurity in the wake of Cyclone Sidr, which killed more than 3,000 people there when it hit coastal Bangladesh late last year.

"Food insecurity, coupled with rising food prices and high malnutrition rates, all point to the need for a continuing and strong relief response," said WFP Bangladesh Country Director Douglas Broderick, citing a new assessment.

"We need immediate funding from international donors to continue the emergency food assistance that the survivors of Cyclone Sidr depend on.

"More food is needed for the poorest among the survivors who are trying to rebuild their homes and replant their fields for the next harvest," said Mr. Broderick.

He said the high malnutrition rates also indicated the need for longer emergency feeding, at least through May when the next harvest comes and can be expected to assist the poorest in regaining some of their livelihoods and improving access to food.

Ongoing relief assistance will help to secure the food needs of many of the worst affected and most food insecure families and as such can prevent suffering associated with hunger, malnutrition, and the further deterioration of livelihoods, WFP said.

2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS OF NUMEROUS SENIOR UN OFFICIALS MADE PUBLIC

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS OF NUMEROUS SENIOR UN OFFICIALS MADE PUBLIC
New York, Jan 24 2008 6:00PM
Following the lead of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, numerous senior United Nations officials have made their financial disclosure statements public, it was announced today.

Mr. Ban sees public disclosure as "an important voluntary initiative as it demonstrates that UN staff members understand the importance of both the general public and the Member States of the United Nations being assured that, in the discharge of their official duties and responsibilities, UN staff members will not be influenced by any consideration associated with his/her private interests," according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11387.doc.htm">statement issued by his spokesperson.

Both Mr. Ban and Ms. Migiro had already made their financial disclosure statements public in 2007, following their confidential review by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the firm hired by the UN to examine such documents.

Although not required, the Secretary General had encouraged senior officers – at the ranks of Under-Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General – to follow his lead on an entirely voluntary basis.

The "Ethical Standards" section of Mr. Ban's website contains a current list of senior UN officials who have chosen to provide a public summary of their disclosure, including links to their statements. As other staff members indicate their consent to the Ethics Office, these names and disclosures will be added.

Each official's statement must be reviewed by PwC before a public summary is made available, with the 2007 review cycle by the firm having ended on 31 December 2007.

Shortly after taking office last January, Mr. Ban said he was making his statement public "to set an early example" of his goal as Secretary-General to promote "the highest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour" at the world body.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN ENVOY MEETS WITH FACILITATOR OF IVORIAN PEACE PROCESS

UN ENVOY MEETS WITH FACILITATOR OF IVORIAN PEACE PROCESS
New York, Jan 24 2008 5:00PM
The peace process underway in Côte d'Ivoire, where elections are planned for later this year, dominated talks between the top United Nations official to the West African country and the President of neighbouring Burkina Faso.

During their meeting yesterday in the Burkinabé capital of Ouagadougou, the Secretary-General's Special Representative Y. J. Choi and President Blaise Compaoré discussed ways of accelerating the end of the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been divided between the rebel-held north and Government-controlled south since 2002.

Mr. Compaoré helped facilitate the Ouagadougou peace agreement, signed in January 2003 by the Ivorian parties, which sets out a series of measures to deal with the political divide, including creating a new transitional Government and organizing free and fair presidential elections.

Discussions focused on the electoral process, in particular the financing and certification of the elections. The two also talked about the disarmament of ex-combatants and the dismantling of the militias, as well as tasks related to the implementation of the November 2007 Supplementary Agreements to the Ouagadougou accord.

In a recent report, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that while security and political conditions in Côte d'Ivoire have improved in recent months, these are fragile gains given the slow progress in achieving key benchmarks of last year's agreement, including dismantling militias.

Last week, the Security Council approved an extension through July of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI) – headed by Mr. Choi – and French forces supporting it so the world body can continue to help the country carry out its peace accords, particularly the holding of free, open, fair and transparent elections.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA MUST DE-ESCALATE BORDER ROW, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA MUST DE-ESCALATE BORDER ROW, SAYS BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jan 24 2008 7:00PM
Warning that the continuing military build-up by Ethiopia and Eritrea in their border areas, where the two countries fought a deadly two-year war that ended in 2000, creates the risk of reigniting hostilities, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the neighbouring States to urgently de-escalate the situation.

Ethiopia and Eritrea should end their exchange of hostile statements, return to December 2004 levels of deployment in the border areas and provide the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) with the necessary assistance, support and protection so that it can fulfil its mandate, Mr. Ban says in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/40">report to the Security Council on the work of the mission.

He writes that Eritrea must also immediately withdraw all troops and heavy military equipment from the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and reverse all restrictions on the movement and operations of UNMEE, including fuel supplies, which were stopped at the start of last month.

"I am seriously concerned that, if not resolved immediately, the stoppage of fuel supplies since 1 December 2007 will completely immobilize the Mission operations in the coming few weeks," the Secretary-General says, noting that UNMEE would have to relocate staff and equipment.

The restrictions have become so crippling that Mr. Ban says they require a Council decision on UNMEE's future, and he recommends that the mission's mandate have a one-month technical rollover while the latest developments are monitored and assessed.

He encourages the two nations to resume the meetings of the Military Coordination Commission – there has been no such gathering since mid-2006 – as a way of developing confidence-building measures, such as mine clearance and ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

AVIAN FLU REMAINS GLOBAL THREAT, CAUTIONS UN

AVIAN FLU REMAINS GLOBAL THREAT, CAUTIONS UN
New York, Jan 24 2008 12:00PM
Despite advances in controlling the virus, recent avian influenza outbreaks in more than one dozen countries reveal that it is still a global threat, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<" http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000775/index.html">FAO) warned today.

"Globally, much progress has been achieved in keeping the H5N1 avian influenza virus under control," said Joseph Domenech, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer, noting that great strides have been made in the past three years.

Surveillance, early detection and immediate response efforts have been bolstered and many countries have been able to eliminate avian flu from poultry, he said.

However, since last month, 15 countries – Bangladesh, Benin, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Myanmar, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Viet Nam – have confirmed new outbreaks in poultry, mostly in domestic stocks.

"The H5N1 avian influenza crisis is far from over and remains particularly worrying in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt, where the virus has become deeply entrenched despite major control efforts," Dr. Domenech said.

He also cautioned that while H5N1 has not become more contagious to humans, "it could still trigger a human influenza pandemic."

In Indonesia, one of the countries hit hardest by avian flu, 31 of 33 provinces have been infected since 2004, many of them heavily. More investigations and better poultry vaccines are needed to fully protect poultry from the virus, FAO said, and the agency is working with the Government to implement a programme to monitor H5N1.

In Bangladesh, nearly one-third of the districts have been infected, and the disease appears to be endemic. FAO said it is strengthening its presence to help the country bring avian flu under control.

Dr. Domenech said that reporting of new outbreaks, disinfection, culling, movement control and farm bio-security must be stepped up in Egypt.

He also observed that a potential change of virus strains needs to be investigated further, and FAO is supporting the Government's detection, control and communication measures.

With the help of FAO, over 50 countries have been able to bring avian flu under control and eliminate it from poultry.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

MALAWI: UN BACKS SCHEME TO HELP RURAL POOR PARTICIPATE IN LIBERALIZED MARKET

MALAWI: UN BACKS SCHEME TO HELP RURAL POOR PARTICIPATE IN LIBERALIZED MARKET
New York, Jan 24 2008 3:00PM
Small-scale crop, livestock and fish producers and processors in Malawi will gain knowledge on benefiting from increased market competition under a new programme supported by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2008/05.htm">IFAD).

The nearly $20 million Rural Livelihoods and Economic Enhancement Programme will receive an $8.4 million loan and an $8.3 million grant for a three-year pilot period and then will be expanded to handle up to six commodities, the agency said in a news release.

Initially, the Programme will focus on groundnuts and Irish potatoes. To ease the transition from subsistence to small-scale commercial farming, participants will improve the yields and quality of their produce, learn better processing and marketing methods, and improve access to financial and technical support.

"Involving the private sector to drive agricultural commercialization is a new approach in Malawi," said Miriam Okongo, IFAD's country programme manager for the country, which is undergoing a period of economic liberalization.

"However, the rural population is not yet prepared for the realities of a market-led world," she added. "The aim of this programme is to help make them make production decisions based on market needs rather than taking the traditional production-oriented approach."
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

NO EVIDENCE OF RISK AT TRESPASSED SOUTH AFRICA NUCLEAR PLANT - IAEA

NO EVIDENCE OF RISK AT TRESPASSED SOUTH AFRICA NUCLEAR PLANT – IAEA
New York, Jan 25 2008 11:00AM
A team of experts from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (<" http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/2008/prn200802.html">IAEA) has found "no evidence" of threats to sensitive nuclear areas at a South African nuclear facility which was trespassed late last year.

The experts reached their conclusion following a visit to the Pelindaba nuclear facility, where armed men broke in on 8 November 2007.

Following the visit, conducted at the invitation of the South African authorities, the team concluded that "there was no evidence that sensitive nuclear areas were under any threat at any time during the incident," the Agency said in a news release today.

The experts recommended specific proposals for security training and equipment to the South African authorities.

They also determined that a security upgrade plan at Pelindaba which has been in progress since 2006 provides an "appropriate basis" for ensuring physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities at the site.
2008-01-25 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CALLS FOR END TO ISRAELI RESTRICTIONS ON GAZA STRIP

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CALLS FOR END TO ISRAELI RESTRICTIONS ON GAZA STRIP
New York, Jan 24 2008 6:00PM
The United Nations Human Rights Council today called for immediate international action to force Israel to allow fuel, food, medicine and other essential items to be sent to the Gaza Strip, to reopen the border crossings and to end its "grave violations" in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The statement passed by a roll-call vote of 30 in favour with Canada voting against it and 15 countries abstaining, following a special <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/00B5915AB2AB9099C12573DA004E5A6A?opendocument">session that began yesterday. In it, the Council expressed its deep concern about "the series of incessant and repeated Israeli military attacks and incursions," which it said had killed and injured many Palestinian civilians.

The resolution demanded "that the occupying Power, Israel, lift immediately the siege it has imposed on the occupied Gaza Strip, restore continued supply of fuel, food and medicine and reopen the border crossings."

It called for the immediate protection of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory in line with human rights law and international humanitarian law, and urged all parties to refrain from violence against civilians.

The text, which was introduced by Syria in the name of the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, also called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx">OHCHR), Louise Arbour, to report to the Council at its next session on the progress made towards implementing the resolution.

Ms. Arbour told the Council's special session yesterday that the situation for both Palestinians and Israelis will continue to deteriorate unless both parties to the conflict and the international community take broader steps to action.

"All parties concerned should put an end to the vicious spiral of violence before it becomes unstoppable," she said. "To this end, they must ensure accountability for breaches of international humanitarian law and violations of international human rights law through credible, independent, and transparent investigations."

Ms. Arbour added that the Israeli practice of collective punishment, disproportionate use of force and targeted killings continued, as did the Palestinian militants' practice of indiscriminate firing of mortars and rockets into Israel.

The Council held the special session this week amid mounting concern at the UN, including from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, about the humanitarian situation facing Gaza's 1.4 million residents as a result of the closure of the border crossings and the restrictions on the supply of food, fuel, medicine and other items.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) and the UN Special Coordinator's Office (<"http://www.unsco.org/">UNSCO) in Jerusalem reported that about 315,000 litres of industrial gas, 20,000 litres of benzene, 250,000 litres of diesel and 200 tons of cooking gas went from Israel into Gaza today.

A UN spokesperson told reporters in New York that while all of Gaza's hospitals were still operating, only three received fuel supplies today.

UN staff say a shortage remains of benzene for hospital workers' vehicles, with the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) able to access some from the local commercial market but unsure of whether there is enough to last beyond the middle of next week.

No UN trucks were allowed to enter Gaza today and the area's power plant has been rationing its remaining supplies to avoid a crisis this weekend.

WFP has called the situation "a serious food crisis," with the access restrictions causing them to run out of food, which meant that the sick and elderly received only partial rations yesterday. Tensions rose at a distribution point after supplies of chickpeas, sugar and salt ran out.

The agency reported that the new security checks are causing a cost increase of nearly $50,000 per month to its operations in Gaza.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN AGENCY RELOCATES KENYAN REFUGEES IN UGANDA

UN AGENCY RELOCATES KENYAN REFUGEES IN UGANDA
New York, Jan 24 2008 9:00AM
As security conditions deteriorate in Kenya, the United Nations refugee agency is in the process of relocating an estimated 6,500 refugees who fled across the border to Uganda to a transit centre farther inland.

Hundreds of refugees have already been transported by bus from the border towns of Busia and Malaba to a centre at Mulanda, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said, as part of a five-day relocation operation.

Many of the Kenyan refugees â??carried plastic bags containing the meagre possessions they were able to salvage before being chased from their homes in post-election violence across the border in Kenya,â? the agency said.

By Wednesday, some 200 tents provided by UNHCR had been erected at the transit centre in readiness for the refugees, with another 300 being prepared. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) installed water tanks at the site.

Registered refugees will receive ration cards which entitle them to food, basic household commodities and other services at the transit centre.

Many of the refugees had been living at schools, with women and children quartered in classrooms and men sleeping in tents.

But others who are staying with relatives and friends â??may not move to Mulanda because they prefer to stay close to the border where they can closely follow developments taking place on the other side,â? said a UNHCR official who travelled. She added that they were anxious to return home, put their children back in school and rebuild their lives.

In contrast, many of those moving to Mulanda on Wednesday were expecting to be there for some time. â??I have nowhere else to go. We plan to stay here for some months as we decide what to do next,â? said Rahab Wanjiru, a dealer in electronic goods in Busia, which straddles the border.

Her shop was set ablaze by drunken youths as they hunted down people from Wanjiru's ethnic group after the results of the 30 December presidential poll were announced, sparking violence that has left hundreds dead.

Security conditions in Kenya are deteriorating, according to UN officials who reported on Wednesday that more than a dozen civilians have been killed in political violence, and 70 houses burned, just in the prior 24 hours.

Uganda currently hosts more than 216,000 refugees, mostly from neighbouring Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, as well as 850,000 internally displaced persons according to UNHCR.

2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

OVER 120,000 DISPLACED BY FLOODING IN SOUTHERN AFRICA - UN

OVER 120,000 DISPLACED BY FLOODING IN SOUTHERN AFRICA – UN
New York, Jan 24 2008 4:00PM
The number of people displaced by recent flooding in southern Africa has nearly doubled in less than a week from 70,000 to more than 120,000, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) said today.

Unusually early torrential rains in the Zambezi river basin led to widespread flooding in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe in recent weeks.

UN agencies and their partners are continuing to assist flood victims in the affected areas. In anticipation of this year's rainy season, emergency supplies, including shelter and non-food items, had already been pre-positioned in several strategic locations in flood-prone areas.

The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP) is continuing to deliver food via helicopter to a resettlement centre in Mozambique that houses roughly 13,000 people. The agency has also provided Mozambican authorities with three boats to assist in rescue and evacuation operations and some people are stranded in areas that cannot be reached by road. Some parts of three provinces – Tete, Sofala and Manica – are now inaccessible by land.

This is the second time in a year that central Mozambique has been hit hard by floods. Since January last year, when the Zambezi valley was inundated, WFP has provided relief assistance to about 190,000 people.

Meanwhile, WFP is also providing food assistance to 7,000 affected families in Bolivia, where heavy rains since November have caused severe flooding and resulted in more than 20 deaths. The Government, which has declared a state of emergency, estimates that around 20,000 families have been affected in several areas of the country.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN LAUNCHES GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO MAKE HOSPITALS SAFE FROM DISASTERS

UN LAUNCHES GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO MAKE HOSPITALS SAFE FROM DISASTERS
New York, Jan 24 2008 1:00PM
With hundreds of hospitals and heath facilities destroyed or damaged every year by disasters, the United Nations is launching a global campaign to ensure that millions of people are not left without the vital care they need in the midst of an emergency.

Natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes and floods can within minutes wreak havoc on communities, destroying basic infrastructures and services and dealing a cruel blow to local populations. Millions of people are left without emergency care during and after disasters when hospitals and health facilities fail to function.

To protect health facilities from such hazards, the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (<"http://www.unisdr.org/eng/public_aware/world_camp/2008-2009/wdrc-2008-2009.html">UN/ISDR) is launching the "Hospitals Safe from Disasters" campaign tomorrow in Davos, Switzerland, along with the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and the <"http://www.worldbank.org">World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.

"The price we pay for the failure of hospitals when disasters happen is too high. In comparison, the cost of making hospitals safe is tiny," says Salvano Briceño, Director of the ISDR secretariat. "The most expensive hospital is the one that fails."

Recent examples highlight the tremendous impact that disasters can have on local health systems. On 5 August 2007, in just two minutes, the Peruvian city of Pisco lost 97 per cent of its hospital beds to an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. In addition, the October 2005 earthquake that struck Pakistan completely destroyed half of the heath facilities in the affected areas, and the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami wiped out 61 per cent of the health facilities in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

In addition to denying access to primary health care for those affected, damage to facilities and health systems could disrupt essential services such as routine immunization or maternal and child health care for months after a tragedy.

Among the objectives of the new campaign is to reinforce the structural resilience of health facilities, and to ensure that they continue to function after a disaster has struck. It will also train health workers on preparedness plans that will keep health systems operational in the wake of disasters.
"With current knowledge and strong political commitment it is possible to protect health facilities from disasters, even with the limited resources available in developing countries," says Dr. Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General for Heath Action in Crises at WHO.

The agency is providing technical support to countries to help them mitigate the effects of disasters on existing and new health facilities, which will help protect the health of the population in areas affected by disaster.

The Hyogo Framework for Action – adopted by 168 countries in Kobe, Japan, in January 2005 – called on Governments to do more to ensure that new hospitals are built to remain functional in the midst of disasters.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

UN, AFGHANISTAN APPEAL FOR OVER $80 MILLION TO COMBAT RISING WHEAT PRICES

UN, AFGHANISTAN APPEAL FOR OVER $80 MILLION TO COMBAT RISING WHEAT PRICES
New York, Jan 24 2008 1:00PM
The United Nations and the Government of Afghanistan joined forces today to launch an appeal for more than $80 million to help over 2.5 million people in the country facing food shortages due to the soaring price of wheat.

Bread is a staple food for the majority of Afghanistan's population, while wheat is the most important food crop domestically. In the past year, the price of wheat flour in the country has surged 58 per cent, or even up to 80 per cent in some areas.

There is a crucial need for targeted food assistance to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, according to the Government, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2750">WFP), the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF).

"This joint appeal is on behalf of 425,000 extremely poor Afghan families, who otherwise will be unable to meet their most basic need – that of food – especially during the current harsh winter months, until the next harvest season," said Bo Asplund, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

He urged donors to contribute generously "to ensure that these families can feed themselves, and so that the most vulnerable, who are predominantly children and women, do not succumb to malnutrition."

The funds generated will also supply nutritional supplements to those who are most at risk and people already suffering from severe malnutrition.

Also in Afghanistan, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html">UNODC) has handed over a new Female Prison/Detention Center in the capital Kabul to the Ministry of Justice.

Located in the Tahia-e-Maskan area, the facility, which was constructed by UNODC with funding from the Italian Government, will host 96 female prisoners.

"The Female Prison/Detention Center will respond in a new dynamic way to the needs of women offenders sentenced to imprisonment by Courts and will provide a more individual treatment, such as rehabilitation and re-education programmes as required by international standards and laid out in the Afghan national legislation," said Matteo Pasquali, UNODC International Project Coordinator.

The project is part of a larger effort to reform Afghanistan's penitentiary system, and supports the passing of new laws to bring national measures in line with international norms.
2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

AFGHANISTAN: UN URGES REVIEW OF DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST JOURNALIST

AFGHANISTAN: UN URGES REVIEW OF DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST JOURNALIST
New York, Jan 24 2008 9:00AM
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today urged the countryâ??s authorities to review the death sentence imposed against Sayed Parwez Kambaksh, a journalist who this week was sentenced to capital punishment for blasphemy.

â??The pressures for punishment, warnings to journalists, as well as the holding of this case in closed session without Mr. Kamabaksh having legal representation point to possible misuse of the judicial process,â? said the mission in a statement. â??This would not serve the cause of justice.â?

The statement issued by a UNAMA spokesperson pointed out that Afghanistan's Constitution commits the country to upholding Islamic and universal human rights values, â??which are clearly compatible.â?

The mission urged a â??proper and complete reviewâ? of the case against Mr. Kamabaksh as it goes through the appeals process.

â??Cases involving religion and freedom of expression occur in many countries and require care and sensitivity in their handling,â? the mission said.

2008-01-24 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

TOP UN ENVOY TO NEPAL OPTIMISTIC THAT DELAYED ELECTIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL

TOP UN ENVOY TO NEPAL OPTIMISTIC THAT DELAYED ELECTIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL New York, Jan 23 2008 7:00PM The top United Nations envoy to Nepal says he is optimistic that twice-delayed Constituent Assembly polls will be staged successfully on 10 April, given the desire of ordinary Nepalese for peace and democracy and the political leaders' demonstrated capacity for dialogue.

<"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2008/080123_Martin.doc.htm">Briefing the press at UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to Nepal, Ian Martin, also commended the members of the seven-party Government alliance for reaching consensus after several months of crisis and striking a 23-point agreement last month on cooperation regarding the elections.

But he said the inclusion of Nepal's traditionally marginalized groups in the electoral process is central to ensuring that the polls are staged successfully.

Mr. Martin said that "a significant section" of the Madhesi, Janajati and Dalit communities felt left out of last month's agreement, although he noted the alliance had indicated its willingness to hold dialogue with the leaders of those communities and with armed groups operating in the country's eastern and central Terai regions.

"It ought to be possible to reach a basis of agreement for the participation of all groups in the Constituent Assembly election because there is a common desire that such an election should be held," Mr. Martin said. "But to achieve that, the dialogue needs to be urgent, it needs to be real and there needs to be a commitment to implement agreements reached with those groups."

The elections for the Assembly – which is supposed to draft a new constitution for Nepal in the wake of the end of its armed conflict – were originally scheduled to be held in June last year but had to be postponed because of continuing mistrust between the Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

The eastern and central Terai has also been the focus of increased violence, including the killing or abduction of local officials, journalists and others, in recent months.

The Security Council voted unanimously today to <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9233.doc.htm">extend the mandate of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) by six months through 23 July and reiterated its support for the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the decade-long civil conflict between the Government and the Maoists in which an estimated 13,000 people were killed.

Mr. Martin, who is also head of <"http://www.unmin.org.np/">UNMIN, added that for the mission to complete its tasks in the next six months, it was important that more durable and long-term arrangements are established, particularly regarding arms monitoring, so that its activities can be phased out.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

CONDITIONS WORSEN IN KENYA WITH MORE THAN 1 DOZEN KILLED IN PAST DAY - UN

CONDITIONS WORSEN IN KENYA WITH MORE THAN 1 DOZEN KILLED IN PAST DAY – UN
New York, Jan 23 2008 6:00PM
Security conditions in Kenya are deteriorating rapidly, according to United Nations officials who report that more than a dozen civilians have been killed in political violence, and 70 houses burned, in the past 24 hours.

The Government estimates that 685 people have been killed in the violence, which first erupted in the East African nation a few weeks ago after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga in December elections. The crisis has also forced some 255,000 to flee their homes.

According to UN security officials, seven people were killed in Kipkelion and 70 houses burned in the Aldai area of Rift Valley province. In addition, five people were shot dead and 30 shops burned in Trans Nzioa, while four people were killed in Korogocho, Huruma and Mathare slums.

Meanwhile, UN agencies have completed an assessment tour of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the town of Molo, where they found an urgent need for shelter, blankets, water and sanitation.

The UN Human Settlements Programme (<"http://www.unhabitat.org/">UN-HABITAT) sent teams out to several towns, including Nairobi and Eldoret, to assess damaged homes, and verify the number of persons and conditions in IDP camps, as well as review water and sanitation needs.

There is reportedly a scarcity of cooking fuel in several IDP camps, according to the UN Country Team, which noted that IDPs in Eldoret have begun burning construction material for cooking.

Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) has continued its immunization campaign against measles and polio in all the IDP camps. And, working with Kenyan authorities, the World Food Programme (WFP) has finalized a new distribution plan to assist some 67,000 people affected and displaced by the crisis in the Rift Valley.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

FURTHER UN SUPPORT CRUCIAL AS TIMOR-LESTE TACKLES 'MANIFOLD' CHALLENGES - BAN

FURTHER UN SUPPORT CRUCIAL AS TIMOR-LESTE TACKLES 'MANIFOLD' CHALLENGES – BAN
New York, Jan 23 2008 5:00PM
Despite an improvement in the overall security situation throughout Timor-Leste, the country the United Nations helped shepherd to freedom in 2002 continues to face enormous challenges that will require long-term support, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/26">report issued today.

Mr. Ban notes that Timor-Leste is building on the gains of last year's peaceful election and working to restore normalcy following the crisis that engulfed the fledgling nation in 2006, when fighting, attributed to differences between the eastern and western regions, led to the deaths of at least 37 people and the displacement of about 155,000 others – or 15 per cent of the population.

"However, the first year of the new Government and Parliament remains a delicate time for the country," the Secretary-General writes in his latest report to the Security Council on the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), covering the period from 21 August 2007 to 7 January 2008.

"The population has high expectations for tangible improvements in the quality of their daily lives, still marked by widespread poverty and unemployment," he adds.

The Security Council mission that visited the country last year highlighted several challenges that remain, including rebuilding the population's confidence in State institutions, addressing the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs), security sector reform, economic development, restoring stability, strengthening democratic structures and improving governance and the rule of law.

Mr. Ban says that the national police service is one of the most critical institutions warranting sustained assistance, "given the continuing fragile environment in Timor-Leste and the level of confidence among the Timorese population in their security institutions."

He adds that daily public disturbances highlight the need for a continued UN police presence to carry out law enforcement duties until the national police is fully reconstituted, and that progress in the phased handover of policing responsibility will be one of the key elements in making any future adjustments to UNMIT's police strength.

Along with strengthening national police, Mr. Ban cites the "vital need" for sustained support to bolster the justice sector. While the UN and other key partners have contributed to strengthening judicial institutions and addressing gender and juvenile justice issues, the capacities of the national judicial and corrections institutions "are still insufficient to meet the country's needs," he points out.

The Secretary-General recommends a 12-month extension of UNMIT's mandate, stressing that its continuation "is crucial not only to ensure that the gains of the past year are not jeopardized, but also to support Timorese-owned solutions and self-reliance in addressing the many challenges ahead."

Bolstered following the 2006 crisis, UNMIT currently has a strength of 341 international staff, 806 national staff, 1,480 police officers and 33 military liaison and staff officers.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

BAN KI-MOON HAILS AGREEMENT TO END VIOLENCE IN EASTERN DR CONGO

BAN KI-MOON HAILS AGREEMENT TO END VIOLENCE IN EASTERN DR CONGO New York, Jan 23 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed the agreement reached today between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and armed groups in the country's war-torn east as an "important step," pledging the United Nations' continuing support to end the suffering of the population there.

Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2965">statement issued by his spokesperson that he "is very encouraged by the commitment of the armed groups of North and South Kivu to end all hostilities" reflected in the 'Actes d'engagement' signed by these groups and the Government.

In recent months, fighting has escalated between Government troops and rebels allied with dissident General Laurent Nkunda, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

The UN refugee agency estimates that over the last year, a mix of conflict, military build-up and spiralling lawlessness has displaced 400,000 people in North Kivu – the worst displacement since the end of the DRC's civil war in 2003. In total, there are an estimated 800,000 displaced people in the province, including those uprooted by previous conflicts.

Today's deal is "an important step towards restoring lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region," the statement said.

Mr. Ban said the new pact complements the Joint Nairobi Communiqué from last November, in which the DRC and Rwanda agreed to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region.

He congratulated the Government and participants for the successful conclusion of the UN-backed Conference on Peace, Security and Development, which wrapped up yesterday in Goma, North Kivu.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative also hailed the 'Actes d'engagement,' saying the people of the Kivus – especially the region's women and the children – can contemplate "a better future, free from all violence."

Alan Doss, who also serves as head of the UN peacekeeping mission known as <"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">MONUC which operates in the vast Central African nation, called for efforts to ensure that this goal becomes a reality.

In a related development, the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org">UNDP) and the Government of the DRC will soon sign an agreement worth $390 million for a good governance project.

The initiative, to run from this year until 2012, is a UNDP-led effort to promote stable and legitimate governance, as well as economic, judicial and security sector reform.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

PURCHASING FOOD FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES A 'WIN-WIN' SITUATION - UN

PURCHASING FOOD FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES A 'WIN-WIN' SITUATION – UN
New York, Jan 23 2008 3:00PM
The United Nations World Food Programme is purchasing most of its food from developing countries in a 'win-win' situation for both parties, according to the chief of the agency, which last year paid cash to poorer nations for a record 80 per cent of its food.

The world's largest humanitarian organization, <"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2748">WFP bought 2.1 million metric tons valued at over $760 million from 69 developing countries in 2007, with Uganda as the largest supplier.

The agency has a policy of buying food locally when and where there is an abundance, but it avoids these markets at times of scarcity in order to avoid distorting prices.

"Local purchases create win-win situations to hunger," said Josette Sheeran, WFP's Executive Director. "In an era of soaring food prices – which hit hardest those already hungry – such solutions are more critical than ever."

To offset a surge in prices, the agency buys food in local markets in developing countries where prices can be lower and which are located close to where WFP distributes supplies.

Rising fuel and commodity costs have impacted WFP's ability to supply food to the hungry, but transport costs are minimized through the agency's delivery of food purchased in developing countries either locally or regionally.

"Buying 'local' helps provide more income for small-scale farmers, while saving money for WFP," said Ms. Sheeran, who is currently in Davos, Switzerland, to speak about local food procurement and other issues at the World Economic Forum to be held later this week.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

SURGE OF BANDIT ATTACKS JEOPARDIZES FOOD RATIONS TO DARFUR - UN AGENCY

SURGE OF BANDIT ATTACKS JEOPARDIZES FOOD RATIONS TO DARFUR – UN AGENCY
New York, Jan 23 2008 2:00PM
Food rations to more than 2 million people in Darfur may have to be cut within weeks after a surge of bandit attacks this month against trucks carrying relief supplies to the war-wracked Sudanese region, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today.

Bandits have stolen 23 WFP-contracted trucks and abducted their drivers since the start of the month, the agency said in a statement issued in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. Nineteen drivers remain missing.

The latest attack occurred late yesterday, in a rural area of North Darfur near the Chadian border. The driver of the empty truck was attacked as he returned to El Fasher, the state capital, after making the day's deliveries.

Even before the spike in attacks this year, bandits have been targeting trucks carrying aid, with 13 such incidents – including three in which the drivers were killed – between September and December last year.

WFP's representative in Sudan, Kenro Oshidari, said there were grave concerns about both the impact of the rash of attacks on the civilian population of Darfur, already suffering from years of conflict, and the fate of the missing drivers.

"Our main trucking companies now refuse to send in more vehicles because of this upsurge in banditry and therefore we have no one to deliver about half our monthly food relief requirement," Mr. Oshidari said.

"If the situation continues, we'll be forced to cut rations in parts of Darfur by mid-February."

The contracted trucks normally deliver between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of food aid every month, about half of the total needed to support Darfur's most vulnerable inhabitants. The monthly food ration includes cereals, high-nutrition corn-soya blend, pulses, vegetable oil, sugar and salt and provides a person with 2,100 kilocalories per day.

Mr. Oshidari urged Sudanese authorities to ensure the safety of the major routes in Darfur, a vast, arid region in the far west of the country.

"Without these deliveries, WFP faces a rapid depletion of stocks and the inability to pre-position food ahead of the rainy season, which is due to start in May."

In a related development, a UN-Sudanese Government committee agreed today to extend the moratorium on restrictions on humanitarian operations until January 2009.

"The Government gave assurances that the NGO [non-governmental organizations] community would be able to continue their work without interruption and would facilitate resources at state level for the extension of visas," the High Level Committee of Sudanese Government and UN officials established by the Joint Communiqué on the facilitation of humanitarian activities in Darfur said in a statement.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also welcomed the news, noting that the NGOs implement numerous UN projects in Darfur, where rebels have clashed with Government forces and allied militia groups since 2003.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and at least 2.2 million others displaced because of the violence, and a joint UN-African Union mission known as UNAMID is being deployed to quell the fighting and instability.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who is currently visiting Sudan, today met with UNAMID staff in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. He also conferred with the state's deputy governor and with representatives of civil society.

Yesterday Mr. Guéhenno was in El Fasher for a meeting with the deputy governor of North Darfur. He also visited the nearby Zam Zam camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

NEW UN INITIATIVE AIMS TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA

NEW UN INITIATIVE AIMS TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA
New York, Jan 23 2008 2:00PM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched projects in five West African countries, considered to be among the world's poorest, to help increase agricultural output and create new markets for products.

Launched as part of the <"http://www.fao.org/">FAO Trust Fund for Food Security, the projects are taking place in Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone, thanks to a $10 million contribution from the Italian Government.

All five countries suffer from "alarming" levels of poverty and malnutrition, FAO noted in a news release, adding that that in some cases, up to 70 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line.

The projects focus on agriculture as a primary vehicle for reducing poverty and increasing food security, while recognizing the need for a dual approach – boosting output and improving market access for products.

Key elements of the projects include promoting crop diversification to avoid over-reliance on a single commodity, as well as teaching farmers how to store and conserve products so that they are not forced to sell all their crops straight after harvest.

"In countries where between 40 and 50 per cent of the adult population has never been to school, farmers will learn more efficient agricultural practices, but also how to set up a small enterprise, how to make the most of the few resources they have available and how to produce value-added agricultural products for the market," said Kevin Gallagher, a senior FAO expert for programme development.

The new initiative in West Africa follows a number of other FAO/Italy projects already under way in Central and East Africa (Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda) and in Southern Africa (Malawi and Zambia).
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

SECRETARY-GENERAL RENEWS CALL ON STATES TO END DISARMAMENT STALEMATE

SECRETARY-GENERAL RENEWS CALL ON STATES TO END DISARMAMENT STALEMATE
New York, Jan 23 2008 1:00PM
Deeply troubled by the impasse in the work of the world's only multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today renewed his call to countries to move forward in a spirit of compromise to improve the global security climate.

"The Conference on Disarmament has accomplished a great deal – but its successes are distant memories," Mr. Ban <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2962">stated at the opening of the 2008 session of the Geneva-based body, which has not been able to agree on a programme of work for 10 years.

He noted that even with widespread agreement on the gravity of threats to international peace and security, the Conference has still not been able to find common cause to address them.

"This body has not lost its relevance – but it is in danger of losing its way," Mr. Ban said, highlighting the need to make progress in disarmament.

Progress is crucial since concerted disarmament will forestall arms races, he pointed out. This, in turn, will free up resources – which would have been diverted to armaments – that can be used to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight global targets to eliminate poverty and other ills by 2015.

But failing to advance disarmament breaks this chain, and a disarmament stalemate can also jeopardize other key UN goals, he warned, stressing the importance of the Conference's current session as well as the UN's overall efforts to improve the global security climate.

Mr. Ban recalled that last year, the Conference "had been poised to resume its role as the world's pre-eminent disarmament negotiating body," with the six Presidents having crafted a proposal for negotiations to begin on a treaty to ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices – and to focus on other core issues.

"When you were at the verge of reaching a decision on this draft presidential decision last June, I called on you to move forward in a spirit of compromise to seize that historic opportunity," Mr. Ban told delegates. "You did not."

The Secretary-General renewed his call to the Conference, stressing that it had "great potential" to move forward this year.

"I call on foreign ministers and other political leaders to come to the Conference on Disarmament and encourage a return to productive work. Top-level political leadership and cooperation can forge a fresh consensus on future projects," he stated.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

BAN KI-MOON URGES EARLY FUNDING FOR $3.8 BILLION UN HUMANITARIAN APPEAL

BAN KI-MOON URGES EARLY FUNDING FOR $3.8 BILLION UN HUMANITARIAN APPEAL
New York, Jan 23 2008 12:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on donors to respond quickly and generously to a $3.8 billion United Nations humanitarian appeal, stressing that for the poorest of the poor, early funding means the difference between life and death.

Six weeks ago, the UN launched its Humanitarian Appeal 2008 – ten consolidated appeals for specific emergencies – seeking $3.8 billion to assist 25 million people in two dozen countries. To date, only one per cent of the funds requested has been raised.

"We are here today on behalf of people the world has all too often forgotten: the weak, the disadvantaged, those suffering the effects of climate change, violence, disaster and disease," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2963">told those gathered in Geneva for the "programme kick-off" for the Appeal.

"The people we seek to help are among the world's 'bottom billion' trying to survive on less than a dollar a day, amid chaos and wrenching inequality," the Secretary-General noted, adding that for them, humanitarian funds "mark the difference between life and death."

Urging donors to "act now," Mr. Ban pointed out that early funding enables agencies to start programmes on schedule so that assistance arrives quickly and continues as needed.

Funding delays, on the other hand, only add to costs in the long run as conditions spiral downwards. "And these costs include precious lives lost – a price too terrible to pay," he stressed.

The Appeal, launched on 10 December by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes, seeks funding for crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Cote D'Ivoire, Uganda, West Africa, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and the occupied Palestinian territory.

Some 188 organizations – including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other international organizations – come together through the Appeal to meet the world's major humanitarian challenges in a strategic, coordinated, effective and prioritized way.

"Humanitarian aid is everyone's responsibility," Mr. Holmes stressed today. "I hope that 2008 will see a much greater embrace of humanitarian assistance by the world community, including from developing and middle income countries."
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

SECRETARY-GENERAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN COLLEAGUES KILLED IN ALGIERS

SECRETARY-GENERAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN COLLEAGUES KILLED IN ALGIERS
New York, Jan 23 2008 12:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2964">honoured the 17 United Nations staff members who lost their lives in last month's terrorist attack in Algeria, telling a memorial ceremony in Geneva that their deaths were a "savage loss."

Speaking at the ceremony, held at the UN Office in Geneva, Mr. Ban said that he was "humbled by their courage, dedication and sacrifice."

The UN staff members were killed when a car bomb destroyed the offices of the UN Development Programme (<" http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and damaged those of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) in Algiers, the Algerian capital. A second car bomb exploded near a court building.

Following a minute of silence at the ceremony, the Secretary-General – who visited the bombing site shortly after the incident – said that the recent tragedy highlights the "acts of unbelievable courage and sacrifice performed in the face of evil and death," stressing that the fallen staff members leave behind grieving children, parents and spouses.

"It is the people of Algeria and of the entire Arab and Muslim world, just as much as the United Nations, who have lost men and women in this brutal and despicable deed," Mr. Ban noted.

During the emotional event, the Secretary-General unveiled the tattered flag that had flown outside the UN offices in Algiers at the time of the attack, saying that it "stands for the sacrifice of our colleagues" and "for our determination to persevere."

He told those gathered at the ceremony that several important lessons can be drawn from the Algiers attack.

"We must do even better in explaining, to the public and the media wherever we have a presence, what we stand for and what we don't, why we are there and who we are," Mr. Ban stated.

In addition, he underscored the importance of bolstering security for UN staff around the world. To this end, he has appointed an independent panel of experts to assess the safety and security of UN personnel worldwide, and said today that he hopes the composition of this team will be decided shortly.
2008-01-23 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml

ACTOR, ADVOCATE GEORGE CLOONEY NAMED UN MESSENGER OF PEACE

ACTOR, ADVOCATE GEORGE CLOONEY NAMED UN MESSENGER OF PEACE New York, Jan 18 2008 1:00PM United States actor, filmmaker and human rights advocate George Clooney has been designated by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, to raise awareness of the world body's peacekeeping efforts.

Mr. Clooney, who will join eight other internationally renowned individuals as Messengers to advocate on behalf of the UN and focus global attention on its efforts to improve the lives of billions of people, has been recognized for his commitment to ending the crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur, among other issues.

"You have seen first-hand the pain experienced by the victims of war and made it your personal mission to help end violence and human suffering," Mr. Ban said, lauding Mr. Clooney's "dedication to raising awareness and mobilizing action on Darfur."

Mr. Clooney has been active in his endeavors to bring an end to the emergency in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and another 2.2 million forced to flee their homes since fighting began in 2003 between Government forces and rebel groups. A joint UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping force was recently deployed in a bid to stem the violence in the region.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this appointment," Mr. Clooney said. "I look forward to working with the United Nations in order to build public support for its critically important work in some of the most difficult, dangerous and dire places in the world."

In 2006, he visited Darfur with his father, and has also visited China and Egypt. That same year, along with Messenger of Peace, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Mr. Clooney spoke to Security Council members at an "Arria formula" meeting, whereby non-governmental actors can address the Council outside official sessions.

Mr. Clooney served as executive producer and narrator of a documentary last year entitled "Sand and Sorrow," which follows activists as they stop in refugee camps along Sudan's border with Chad and interviews experts on the crisis.

In April 2007, "Not on Our Watch," a non-profit organization in which influential people in the arts highlight mass atrocities worldwide, was co-founded by Mr. Clooney and several other US film industry leaders.

He will receive his designation and meet with countries contributing to UN peacekeeping efforts at the Organization's Headquarters in New York on 31 January.

Current <"http://www.un.org/sg/mop/">Messengers of Peace and their areas of focus are Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan (Millennium Development Goals and hunger); conductor Daniel Barenboim (peace and tolerance); author Paulo Coelho (intercultural dialogue); actor Michael Douglas (disarmament and peace and security); primatologist Jane Goodall (the environment); violinist Midori Goto (Millennium Development Goals and youth); cellist Yo-Yo Ma (youth); and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel (human rights and the Holocaust).
2008-01-18 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml