AT MODEL UN IN CHICAGO, BAN KI-MOON HAILS YOUTH FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

AT MODEL UN IN CHICAGO, BAN KI-MOON HAILS YOUTH FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE New York, Feb 9 2008 8:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised high school students in Chicago for debating the problem of global warming at a Model UN, emphasizing their potential to effect change in the future.

"I am here because you are the leaders of tomorrow," Mr. Ban told an auditorium filled with students attending Walter Payton High School, where he was joined Friday by Mayor Richard Daley on a stage that also accommodated a set of youth representing various countries from around the world.

"Standing in this hall, my thoughts go way back to 1962 when I was a freshman in college and participated in this type of mock-UN debate," said Mr. Ban, drawing laughter when he recalled that that at the time, there was no color TV; only black-and white.

"My advice is that you be as close as possible to real politics," he said. "By doing that you will be able to act as real delegates of the countries you are representing. By doing that you will improve and learn about real politics and the real world."

He said the UN "needs the support of global citizens like you."

The Secretary-General, who has given priority galvanizing international action on climate change, said the issue requires immediate attention. "People say that we should have taken action yesterday, but if we take action today, it may not be too late. We have capacity, technology, resources, finances - all we are lacking now is the will.

"This is not a question of whether or not; this is not a question of when, this is a question of we must win and this is a question of we must act now."

As the debate began, the delegate from the United States urged a common approach to the problem, but Washington was criticized by other participating countries for not having ratified the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding pact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

One student talked about the impact of the problem on a country's GDP. "For example, India is a developing country so... global warming," he began.

"I'm sorry, India, you're time has expired," said Elizabeth Sabol-Jones, the young woman playing the role of Secretary-General who chaired the meeting with strict adherence to parliamentary procedure.

Despite the bureaucratic constraints, the students did achieve a consensus; a resolution entitled '1A' and reprinted in the event's programme noted that "without a conscious efforts by Americans, little can be done to stop climate change," while referring to "the power of students to impact change."

The Secretary-General's visit was well-received by students who had previously found him to be a remote figure. "He sounded human and he made some good points," 15-year old Jeffrey Callen told the UN News Service after the debate. "And he even opened up about his past, talking about when he was in college, and that helps me to connect more to him."

Naomi Sharpe, 15, agreed. "We hear big names all the time but we never really know what they're doing and what they feel, and it did make [him] seem human and open our eyes to see what we need to do right now," she said.

Mr. Ban welcomed the students' attentiveness to the problem of climate change. "I am very much impressed and encouraged by what I have just seen with the students debating [the] global warming issue," he told a press conference held in a music room adjacent to the auditorium.

"I could see the bright future from our future leaders - leaders of tomorrow."

2008-02-09 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 SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RECENT ATTACKS IN WEST DARFUR

SECRETARY-GENERAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RECENT ATTACKS IN WEST DARFUR New York, Feb 9 2008 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned reported Janjaweed militia attacks supported by Sudanese forces on three towns in West Darfur resulting in the deaths of some 200 people.

Abu Suruj, Sirba and Seleia, town north of West Darfur's capital, were the scene of violence on 8 February. Abu Suruj, where thousands of civilians make their home, was burnt to the ground, while the assault on Seleia reportedly included air strikes by the Government.

Mr. Ban "stresses that all parties must adhere to international humanitarian law, which prohibits military attacks against civilians," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

"All parties must urgently cease hostilities, and commit to the political process being led by the Special Envoys of the United Nations and the African Union," he said.

In a related development, the UN-African Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping operation and the Sudanese Government today signed an agreement today which provides the legal framework to allow blue helmets to operate.

Rodolph Adada, the UN-AU Joint Special Representative for Darfur, and Deng Alor, Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister, signed the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in the capital Khartoum.

SOFA covers the activities of the military, police and civilian personnel of the mission, known as UNAMID, which seeks to stem the violence in the war-ravaged Darfur region, where over 200,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes since fighting began in 2003 among Government forces, rebel groups and allies militia groups known as the Janjaweed.

Today's agreement also extends to UNAMID funds, property and communications facilities, as well as the mission's personnel, their safety and security, privileges and immunities, and entry into and exit from Sudan.

It also noted that the Joint Special Representative, UNAMID Force Commander and Government representatives "shall take appropriate measures to ensure close and reciprocal liaison at every level."

SOFA is an "important milestone" in the deployment of UNAMID, Mr. Adada said, pledging to work with the Government towards putting it into practice and ensure the success of the peacekeeping force.

The Sudanese Foreign Minister characterized the agreement as the beginning of efforts by both parties to help the people of Darfur, and that by signing SOFA, the Government is committing to its implementation. "As a government, we have the responsibility to protect our people," Mr. Alors observed.

In the Security Council yesterday, top UN officials underscored that recent clashes in Chad and the ongoing violence in Darfur are impeding progress towards peace and will negatively affect UNAMID, which is under-resourced.

"Over the last few months, the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur and the region has dramatically deteriorated, most recently through events related to Chad," Jan Eliasson, UN Special Envoy for Darfur, told the Council.

Also addressing the Council, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno underscored the impact of the violence on the humanitarian situation.

"In addition to prolonging the suffering of millions of civilians in the region and complicating the peace process, continued hostilities will have negative consequences for the deployment of UNAMID, and will distract the mission from implementing its mandate," he said.

Mr. Guehenno, who recently visited Sudan, emphasized that UNAMID operation is "severely under-resourced for the tasks which it was mandated to perform" since it lacks the necessary troops, police and equipment, including military aircraft and ground transportation, to provide protection to Darfurians.
2008-02-09 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

DAMAGE, DISPLACEMENT IN WESTERN KENYA A 'TRAGEDY,' SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL

DAMAGE, DISPLACEMENT IN WESTERN KENYA A 'TRAGEDY,' SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL New York, Feb 9 2008 4:00PM Traveling to western Kenya's Northern Rift Valley to survey the humanitarian toll taken by post-election violence, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today voiced concern over the plight of those forced to flee their homes.

"It is a tragedy that people have been pushed out of the homes by brutal violence," Mr. Holmes, who also serves as UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said while touring camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

"For many, their homes and crops have been burned and they have been left with nothing. Now they want to go back, but their security is not ensured."

The Coordinator also stopped in the Central Rift Valley town of Nakuru, Kenya's fourth largest, where gangs armed with machetes attacked residents, razed homes and looted and burned businesses, forcing many to seek refuge in camps.

While in the town, he visited displacement sites at Afraha Stadium and Nakuru Show Ground, where he spoke with some of the 11,000 people from the area are seeking shelter.

Mr. Holmes, who arrived in Kenya yesterday, expressed his appreciation for the cooperation among the communities, the Kenyan Red Cross, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide assistance to IDPs.

"What we now need to consider are the next steps for helping them in the medium term," he noted.

In Molo, one of the most volatile of the Rift Valley's district and the site of 50 displacement camps, the Under-Secretary-General stopped at two IDP settlements and met with inhabitants.

He stressed that no community should be favored over another given the ethnic dimension of the violence. "There is a realization that everybody loses in the end if this continues. Finding a solution is a long-term process but not impossible. It can be done," he noted.

Some 1,000 people have lost their lives and more than 310,000 displaced since last December's elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga. In addition, some 12,000 Kenyans have fled to neighbouring Uganda.

The Rift Valley, Nyanza, western provinces and slum areas of the capital Nairobi have been hardest hit by the unrest.

Mr. Holmes will wrap up his mission tomorrow, when he will visit Tigoni and Karathimo, two displacements camps near Nairobi, and meet with senior UN humanitarian officials.
2008-02-09 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

DARFUR: ONGOING VIOLENCE THWARTING PEACE PROSPECTS, SAY TOP UN OFFICIALS

DARFUR: ONGOING VIOLENCE THWARTING PEACE PROSPECTS, SAY TOP UN OFFICIALS New York, Feb 8 2008 8:00PM Recent violence in Chad and the ongoing violence in the war-ravaged Sudanese region of Darfur are impeding progress towards peace and will negatively affect the under-resourced hybrid peacekeeping operation known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID, top United Nations officials said in New York today.

"Over the last few months, the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur and the region has dramatically deteriorated, most recently through events related to Chad," Jan Eliasson, UN Special Envoy for Darfur, told the Security Council in an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9243.doc.htm">open meeting.

Clashes between the Sudanese Government and JEM/Khalil Ibrahim forces in West Darfur, in particular, are leading to a deteriorating security situation, which has been exacerbated by the recent violence in Chad, he added.

"These problems have been compounded by the slow deployment of UNAMID, undermining the chances to demonstrate to the people of Darfur that the international community is bringing security to them," the Envoy observed.

Despite the fact that some progress has been made towards bringing rebel groups to the negotiating table for peace talks, convening a preparatory meeting soon would be premature, he noted.

The "resolution of the Darfur crisis requires an environment conducive to peace," Mr. Eliasson stated, urging the cessation of hostilities in the region, where fighting has claimed 200,000 lives and forced 2.2 million others to flee their homes since 2003.

Also addressing the Council, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno underscored the impact of the violence on the humanitarian situation.

"In addition to prolonging the suffering of millions of civilians in the region and complicating the peace process, continued hostilities will have negative consequences for the deployment of UNAMID, and will distract the mission from implementing its mandate," he said.

Mr. Guéhenno, who recently visited Sudan, emphasized that UNAMID, a hybrid UN-African Union (AU) operation, is "severely under-resourced for the tasks which it was mandated to perform."

It lacks the necessary troops, police and equipment, including military aircraft and ground transportation, to provide the necessary protection to Darfurians, he stressed.

Although UNAMID has been assessing ways to become effective given its limited resources, "the Mission will not be able to meet the high expectations of Darfur's civilians," the Under-Secretary-General pointed out. "This is particularly worrying since we risk losing their confidence if we are not able to make a positive difference in their lives."

Meanwhile, UNAMID Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai, today voiced his strong concern over reported Government attacks against villages north of Al Geneina in Western Darfur, with initial information indicating that many houses have been burned and lives lost. There have also been reports of aerial bombings in Silea village.

General Agwai, who also serves as Chairman of the Darfur Ceasefire Commission, called for the attacks to end immediately. "In addition to the loss of life and damage to property, there is the potential for displacement of large numbers of villagers, compounding an already critical humanitarian situation," he said.
2008-02-08 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

CONGOLESE OFFICIALS RECEIVE UN-BACKED TRAINING ON SEX CRIME INVESTIGATION

CONGOLESE OFFICIALS RECEIVE UN-BACKED TRAINING ON SEX CRIME INVESTIGATION New York, Feb 8 2008 7:00PM More than 40 military and justice officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have benefited from a United Nations-sponsored training workshop on investigating sex crimes, which are rampant in the vast African nation.

The four-day programme for military investigators, prosecutors and magistrates, which began on 30 January in Kisangani in DRC's Orientale Province, was organized by the Rule of Law Division of the UN peacekeeping operation in the country – known as MONUC – along with the American Defence Institute of International Legal Studies.

"This training will not only help reduce the sexual violence scourge in the DRC, but also enhance the quality and capacity building of the magistrates who will then help bring offenders to book," said Ivan Timnev, who heads MONUC's Kisangani office told those gathered.

"The military will show and lead the way in following the law, therefore reducing sexual violence significantly and I hope the military justice will be credible for DRC justice to uphold the rule of law," he added.

MONUC-Kisangani Correction Officer David Macharia expressed satisfaction regarding the training, noting that "many of the participants have not undergone any form of further training since leaving school and in their deployment as judicial officers, in spite of the many changes that have taken place in the respective field of application, hence the tremendous appreciation of this conference."

Last month, Yakin Ertürk, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, called for international action to help women in the DRC who are victims of sexual violence.

Following a visit to the country, she noted that 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, adding that often victims must pay for access to the courts in what she called a "major obstacle to justice."

Eastern DRC 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." However, she noted that the problems are not limited to that part of the country, pointing to similar abuses in Equator Province, where "the army and national police are among the main perpetrators."
2008-02-08 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

KENYA: TOP UN EMERGENCY RELIEF OFFICIAL ARRIVES TO ASSESS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

KENYA: TOP UN EMERGENCY RELIEF OFFICIAL ARRIVES TO ASSESS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS New York, Feb 8 2008 7:00PM The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator arrived in Kenya today to assess the humanitarian crisis resulting from the recent post-election violence that has claimed some 1,000 lives and forced over 300,000 people to flee their homes.

"I want to see for myself the humanitarian situation on the ground and to understand where we need to take our aid efforts in the future so that we reach people in need in all parts of Kenya," John Holmes said at the start of his three-day visit.

Mr. Holmes, who is also Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stressed that the political crisis sparked by last December's disputed elections must be solved through negotiation, and voiced his support to the mediation efforts led by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The two men met today in Nairobi to discuss how humanitarian assistance can contribute to ending the current political crisis.

The Coordinator also met with UN staff, as well as Kenyan officials dealing with the relief operations, and with the head of the Kenya Red Cross Society – a key humanitarian partner of the UN.

He will travel tomorrow to the cities of Kakuru and Molo in the west, where he will meet those who have been affected by the recent violence.

More than 310,000 people have become internally displaced in the six weeks since the elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga. In addition, some 12,000 Kenyans have fled to neighbouring Uganda.

The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) has distributed food to 212,000 people in Kenya's Rift Valley and the west, as well as 160,000 people in Nairobi. Food rations are being distributed in all the main sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

WFP, the Kenya Red Cross Society and other partners are also setting up transition shelters in Kisumu to offer essential services, including a one-week food ration, to displaced people in transit.

Meanwhile, a fact-finding mission deployed by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour is continuing its investigation into allegations of grave rights violations in the post-election period.

In addition, staff from the office of the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide are on the ground to examine the ethnic dimension of the conflict, as well as the extent to which this ethnic violence was organized.

"They're going out into the field where violence has taken place to see exactly what is going on or has gone on and to give us a picture of whether there has been incitement, by whom and where responsibility lies," Special Adviser Francis Deng told the UN News Service.

The team, which is expected to conclude their visit in a few days, will also look at "the extent to which there can be said to be responsibility in terms of incitement, as well as crimes committed for which people should be held accountable, both domestically and internationally," Mr. Deng said.
2008-02-08 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

GUINEA-BISSAU AT A 'TURNING POINT,' SAYS UN PEACEBUILDING OFFICIAL

GUINEA-BISSAU AT A 'TURNING POINT,' SAYS UN PEACEBUILDING OFFICIAL New York, Feb 8 2008 6:00PM The engagement of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in Guinea-Bissau comes at a "turning point" for the West African nation that is trying to consolidate peace after a brutal civil war in which thousands were killed, wounded or forced from their homes.

Reporting on her recent two-day visit to the country, Maria Luiza R. Viotti – chair of the PBC's country-specific configuration on Guinea-Bissau and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN – said that improvements are necessary in several areas, including security, fiscal management, combating drug trafficking, youth vocational training and election assistance.

There is a "clear window of opportunity" for the Commission, an advisory body which seeks to assist countries emerging from conflict from sliding back to war, in Guinea-Bissau, she noted as she briefed PBC members in New York.

While in the country, Ms. Viotti met with Government authorities, civil society groups and representatives from the private sector and international organizations to determine the PBC's next steps.

Last December, Guinea-Bissau became the third country on the Commission's agenda, joining Burundi and Sierra Leone, after the Security Council backed a request from the country, which has been beset by problems stemming from drug trafficking and organized crime.
2008-02-08 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

LIBERIA: UN ENVOY WELCOMES NEW BATCH OF FEMALE INDIAN POLICE OFFICERS

LIBERIA: UN ENVOY WELCOMES NEW BATCH OF FEMALE INDIAN POLICE OFFICERS New York, Feb 8 2008 5:00PM United Nations envoy Ellen Margrethe Løj has welcomed a new group of female Indian police officers to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia, highlighting the impact of their presence on the women of the West African nation which is seeking to rebuild after a devastating 14-year civil war.

The newly-arrived team replaces the first all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) from India, which returned home last month after serving for one year with the mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmil/index.html">UNMIL.

The presence of the all-female police unit in the country has inspired many women to join the Liberian National Police (LNP), observed Ms. Løj, who took up her post as the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNMIL in January.

"If anyone questioned the ability of women to do tough jobs, then those doubters have been [proven] wrong by the superb professional performance of the first batch of female Indian police peacekeepers in Liberia," she noted.

The new group's duties will include patrols, rapid response assignment, crowd and riot control support for the LNP and the protection of UNMIL staff and properties, among others.

The Special Representative also pointed out that FPUs are essential to help Liberia deal with possible civil unrest, such as violent demonstrations and communal tensions.

India is the third largest troop contributing country to the UN, with police and military peacekeepers deployed worldwide under the blue flag. UNMIL currently has nearly 15,000 uniformed personnel, including over 1,100 police officers.
2008-02-08 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

AUSTRIAN DIPLOMAT APPOINTED TO SENIOR UN ECONOMIC AFFAIRS POST

AUSTRIAN DIPLOMAT APPOINTED TO SENIOR UN ECONOMIC AFFAIRS POST New York, Feb 8 2008 5:00PM An Austrian diplomat has been appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to a senior post in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), it was announced today.

Thomas Stelzer, 53, will replace Patrizio Civili as the new Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs.

Since 2001, Mr. Stelzer has been his country's Permanent Representative in Vienna to the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/">IAEA), UN Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/">UNIDO) and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization.

During his career, he has held other international and diplomatic posts, including Minister-Counsellor at Austria's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as well as President of UNIDO's Industrial Development Board.
2008-02-08 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 RUSHES AID FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CHADIAN REFUGEES IN CAMEROON

UN RUSHES AID FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CHADIAN REFUGEES IN CAMEROON New York, Feb 8 2008 3:00PM United Nations agencies and their partners are rushing emergency food, medicine and other relief items to assist some 30,000 people who have fled the fighting in Chad and are seeking refuge in neighbouring Cameroon.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that after fighting erupted in the capital, N'Djamena, last Saturday between rebel forces and the army, 20,000 to 30,000 Chadians streamed over the Chari River to Kousseri, a remote town in north-eastern Cameroon.

According to <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47ac8e012.html">UNHCR, some Chadians started trickling back home Wednesday morning after an uneasy calm returned to N'Djamena. Some were returning just for the day and planning to go back to Cameroon overnight, while others have returned to their homes in the Chadian capital but left their families behind in Kousseri, which is more than 1,500 kilometres from Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé.

"Our teams in Kousseri have observed that there have been a lot of back-and-forth movements in the past two days, but it is too early to say if people are going back to their homes in Chad permanently," UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47ac3f9c2.html">told reporters in Geneva.

The agency has started an emergency airlift to bring aid to the refugees in Cameroon. By Sunday, two flights carrying 90 tonnes of supplies, including plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans and cooking sets, will have arrived in Kousseri.

The UN World Food Programme is transferring food, including rice, vegetables and oil, from its stocks in the Cameroonian town of Maroua to Kousseri. The agency will also be transporting by plane high-energy biscuits from Accra in Ghana to Kousseri.

Concerned about the risk of epidemics, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) has ordered 25,000 doses of both meningitis and measles vaccines.

UN agencies and their partners are preparing to respond to an influx of up to 50,000 people from Chad into Cameroon.

"The situation is difficult, and not yet under control. We are concerned about the fate of the most vulnerable," said Sophie de Caen, UN Resident Coordinator for Cameroon. "However, food, non-food items and medical supplies have already been ordered, and the first shipments have already reached the refugees."

Meanwhile, UNHCR reports that the situation in N'Djamena was calm today but the streets remained empty and very few shops were open. "UNHCR local staff who remained in N'Djamena are starting to collect UNHCR tents which were looted from our warehouse and later abandoned by looters in the streets," said Ms. Pagonis, adding that the agency's office in the capital was not touched.

In eastern Chad, UNHCR and its partners are continuing to provide protection and assistance to 240,000 Sudanese refugees in 12 camps and 180,000 internally displaced Chadians.
2008-02-08 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 REFUGEE AGENCY HAILS CLOSURE OF AUSTRALIA'S PACIFIC OFFSHORE DETENTION CENTRE

UN REFUGEE AGENCY HAILS CLOSURE OF AUSTRALIA'S PACIFIC OFFSHORE DETENTION CENTRE New York, Feb 8 2008 2:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news">UNHCR) has welcomed the closure of an offshore detention centre on the tiny island nation of Nauru and the transfer of the remaining refugees to Australia, marking the end of the latter's so-called "Pacific Solution" for asylum-seekers.

The 21 Sri Lankan refugees that left Nauru today bound for Brisbane were among 83 asylum-seekers intercepted on their way to Australia in February 2007. They were taken first to the Australian territory of Christmas Island and then transferred to Nauru in March to have their refugee claims assessed. All were determined to be refugees.

"Today's closure of the centre on Nauru signals the end of a difficult chapter in Australia's treatment of refugees and asylum-seekers," UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva, lauding the decision by the new Government.

The agency had strong concerns about the policy, which diverted more than 1,600 asylum-seekers to Nauru or Papua New Guinea, denying them access to Australian territory to lodge asylum claims.

"Many bona fide refugees caught by the policy spent long periods of isolation, mental hardship and uncertainty – and prolonged separation from their families," noted Ms. Pagonis.

The policy was instituted in 2001 after the Norwegian vessel, the MV Tampa, was refused permission to allow 433 mainly Afghan asylum-seekers it had rescued at sea to diembark. Those on board were eventually transferred to a new offshore processing centre on Nauru, after New Zealand had accepted 131 of them as refugees directly from the boat.

Ms. Pagonis said that any continuation of offshore processing on the Australian territory of Christmas Island must reflect the letter and the spirit of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

"We hope that asylum procedures on Christmas Island will mirror those that apply to people who have gained access to Australia's onshore protection system," she stated.

This includes appropriate reception arrangements that avoid detention if possible, refugee status determination that includes independent appeal rights and timely solutions in Australia for those found to be refugees.
2008-02-08 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

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN DISMANTLING OBSERVATION POSTS IN FORMER ZONE OF CONFIDENCE

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN DISMANTLING OBSERVATION POSTS IN FORMER ZONE OF CONFIDENCE New York, Feb 8 2008 2:00PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire, known as UNOCI, is dismantling its observation posts in the former zone of confidence in the West African nation divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north.

Four posts are currently being taken apart and, security conditions permitting, the next dismantling will take place at the end of March, UNOCI Military Spokesperson Colonel Mustapha Dafir announced yesterday in Abidjan.

Under the Ouagadougou Agreement reached between the two sides last March, the zone is to be replaced with a green line monitored by UNOCI.

That pact also calls for creating a new transitional government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; and dismantling the militias and disarming ex-combatants.

Two supplementary agreements were signed last November to help resolve issues related to the implementation of the 2007 accord.

UNOCI has also announced that the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Y. J. Choi, met this week with Ivorian leaders, including President Laurent Gbagbo and the head of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire, Henri Konan Bédié. These talks have mainly centred on the financing and certification of elections, as well as the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process.

Similar topics were discussed in previous talks between Mr. Choi and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro and Alassane Dramane Ouattara, leader of the Rally of Republicans party.

Last month, the Security Council extended by six months the mandate of UNOCI, which has over 9,000 uniformed personnel, including nearly 8,000 troops and more than 1,000 police, as of last November.
2008-02-08 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 DARFUR ENVOY HONOURED BY SPAIN FOR DIPLOMATIC AND HUMANITARIAN WORK

UN DARFUR ENVOY HONOURED BY SPAIN FOR DIPLOMATIC AND HUMANITARIAN WORK New York, Feb 8 2008 1:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy to Darfur has received one of the Spanish Government's highest honours for his diplomatic and humanitarian work.

In a ceremony held yesterday in New York, Jan Eliasson received the Order of Queen Isabel the Catholic from Ambassador Juan Antonio Yánez-Barnuevo of Spain.

Also present at the event were General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim, Ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias of Panama, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, and high-level staff from the European Union and the UN.

Expressing his gratitude to Spanish King Juan Carlos and the Government, Mr. Eliasson stressed that the award is a recognition of the collaborative work of UN Member States, not an acknowledgment of his personal efforts.

Spain highlighted the Envoy's mediation efforts and his successes – including the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), pledges by world leaders to eradicate social ills by 2015, and reaching agreement on a UN counter-terrorism strategy – during his tenure as President of the 60th session of the General Assembly.

Mr. Eliasson was also the UN's first-ever Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

As a Swedish diplomat, he served as his country's Ambassador to the United States, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the UN.

Currently, with his African Union (AU) counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, Mr. Eliasson is urging parties to the conflict in Darfur – where at least 200,000 people have been killed since 2003 – to come to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis.

The Order of Queen Isabel the Catholic, which dates back to 1815, is bestowed to Spanish citizens or foreigners for their work benefiting Spain or its relations with the international community.
2008-02-08 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

'ISLAM VS. WEST' A FALSE DIVIDE, SAYS BAN KI-MOON

'ISLAM VS. WEST' A FALSE DIVIDE, SAYS BAN KI-MOON New York, Feb 8 2008 12:00PM Continuing an official visit to Chicago in the United States today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for action to correct the prevailing misperception that the West is in engaged in a confrontation with the Muslim world.

"People should really try to understand more the cultures and traditions of others," Mr. Ban told an informal meeting with members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board in Chicago. "There is a perception that the West is on one side and the Muslim world is on the other. We must try to cut off this misperceived linkage."

He also stressed the importance of the Alliance of Civilizations Forum held last month in Madrid. The two-day meeting in the Spanish capital brought together political leaders, the media, corporate and film industry executives, and grassroots and civil society leaders to promote the global campaign launched by the UN in 2005 to help overcome prejudices among nations, cultures and religions.

Among the initiatives announced at the Forum was a $100 million investment by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser-el-Missned in a global youth employment initiative that brings together Governments and major multinational corporations.

The Forum also saw the launch of a multi-million dollar Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund, which will support the production and distribution of films that not only entertain but also combat stereotypes and promote understanding.

In addition, an Alliance of Civilizations clearinghouse related to media literacy education was created and a Youth Solidarity Fund aimed established to provide grants to support youth-led programmes in the areas of intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

"This is an important initiative as an effort to bring all communities together so we can really prevent the spread of extremism in society," said Mr. Ban today.

"We should really nurture this initiative," he stressed.

2008-02-08 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

POLIO ERADICATION WITHIN REACH - BAN KI-MOON

POLIO ERADICATION WITHIN REACH – BAN KI-MOON New York, Feb 8 2008 11:00AM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today anticipated the total eradication of poverty before the end of 2008, hailing the efforts of Chicago-based Rotary International and other United Nations partners in this effort.

"Rotary International has led a $600 million worldwide campaign to wipe out polio. Sometime this year, their work will be done. Polio will be history, like smallpox," said Mr. Ban in an address to the Economic Club of Chicago.

The global polio partnership is spearheaded by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Over the past 20 years, the number of cases has fallen by over 99 per cent. In 2007, more than 400 million children were immunized against the disease, which remains only in northern India, northern Nigeria and the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Prior to the meeting with the Economic Club, Mr. Ban received the Rotary International Award of Honor from the organization's President, Wilfrid J. Wilkinson.

The award recognizes leaders in the international community "for their significant contributions in promoting humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards and advancing the goals of world peace and cross-cultural understanding," according to officials from Rotary International.

Previous recipients include Kofi Annan, Margaret Thatcher, F.W. DeKlerk four US presidents.
2008-02-08 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 US BUSINESS LEADERS TO SUPPORT 'GREEN' ECONOMICS

BAN KI-MOON URGES US BUSINESS LEADERS TO SUPPORT 'GREEN' ECONOMICS New York, Feb 8 2008 10:00AM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged hundreds of business leaders gathered in Chicago to help usher in a new era of 'green economics,' where addressing the problem of climate change becomes not a cost but an opportunity for growth.

"As businesspeople, you will appreciate the power of markets and innovation to change the world. In this, the UN is your partner," said Mr. Ban in an address Thursday evening to the Economic Club of Chicago.

He stressed that any solution to climate change should involve shaping the world's economic future. "We have experienced several great economic transformations: the industrial revolution, the technology revolution, our modern era of globalization. We're now on the threshold of another – the age of green economics."

The Secretary-General cited a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimating that global investment in zero-greenhouse energy will reach $1.9 trillion by 2020. This can serve as "seed money for a wholesale reconfiguration of global industry," he said.

"With the right financial incentives and a global framework, we can steer economic growth in a low-carbon direction. This is the bottom-line. Done right, our war against climate change is an economic opportunity, not a cost," Mr. Ban.
2008-02-08 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

CONGOLESE REBEL LEADER TRANSFERRED TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

CONGOLESE REBEL LEADER TRANSFERRED TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT New York, Feb 7 2008 7:00PM Congolese national Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, an alleged former leader of the rebel National Integrationist Front (FNI), has been arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Mr. Ngudjolo, currently a Colonel in the national armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arrived at the Court's Detention Centre in The Hague earlier today, according to a <"http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/329.html">statement issued by the <"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC.

As the highest ranking FNI commander, Mr. Ngudjolo is alleged to have played a key role in designing and carrying out a murderous attack on the village of Bogoro, in the north-eastern Congolese province of Ituri, in February 2003.

He is facing three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes, including sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers.

"With the arrest of Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, we have completed the first phase of our DRC investigation focusing on the horrific crimes committed by leaders of armed groups active in Ituri since July 2002," said the Court's Deputy Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda.

Mr. Ngudjolo's initial Court appearance is scheduled for 11 February, and a trial date will be determined later. He is the third Congolese national in the custody of the ICC, after Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and Germain Katanga.

ICC Registrar Bruno Cathala thanked the Government for its help, highlighting the fact that this is the first time that the Congolese authorities, upon the request of the Court, physically arrested someone.

"His arrest and surrender were made possible through the cooperation of the Congolese authorities," he <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2008/080207_ICC.doc.htm">told reporters in New York.

The situation in the DRC is one of four situations currently under investigation by the Prosecutor of the ICC. The others are Uganda, Darfur and the Central African Republic (CAR).

The ICC is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
2008-02-07 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

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC MUST END IMPUNITY FOR EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS - UN EXPERT

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC MUST END IMPUNITY FOR EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS – UN EXPERT New York, Feb 7 2008 7:00PM An independent United Nations human rights expert has urged that extrajudicial killings in the Central African Republic (CAR) be investigated and those responsible be held to account in order to eliminate impunity for such abuses.

"To ensure that the near future does not reprise the nightmare of the recent past, the Government must take the steps to both extend and institutionalize its efforts to respect human rights and to eliminate impunity," UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/A404FACC842F5E02C12573E80061CEC0?opendocument">said at the conclusion of his visit to the CAR.

Government troops and rebel forces in the CAR continue to clash – mostly in the country's northern areas – despite ongoing talks of a peace agreement. The ongoing insecurity has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, forcing an estimated 200,000 people to become internally displaced and thousands of others to flee to Chad or Cameroon as refugees.

In a statement issued in the capital Bangui, Mr. Alston noted that while President François Bozizé has shown that he has the power to prevent the military from committing human rights abuses, "it is still too early to conclude that the Government has definitively turned a new page."

While he reported that the number of extrajudicial executions carried out by the armed forces in the north has fallen "dramatically" over the past six months, owing to a decrease in the fighting, "this is not to say that all executions have ceased."

Mr. Alston noted that although there has been a dramatic decline in executions related to armed conflicts in the north, individual soldiers have not been prosecuted. "It is unsurprising, then, that this impunity has allowed soldiers to continue to use lethal violence for a range of personal and corrupt ends," he stated.

In addition, he received credible reports that torture and extrajudicial executions occur on a regular basis while suspects are in police custody or detention facilities.

The Special Rapporteur acknowledged that there are officials trying to put an end to abuses and ensure that the current mechanisms in place are effective, and their efforts need to be strengthened and supported.

He cited the need for officials to acknowledge the killings that have taken place and respond to allegations of abuses. "While the President has taken some important steps and even issued a limited apology, the Government as a whole has generally been in denial about killings by security forces," he noted.

In addition, the Government must start prosecuting those who bear individual criminal responsibility for killings, and it is also crucial to reform the security sector and regain the trust of the population.

Among his recommendations, Mr. Alston stressed that soldiers should be instructed to obey international human rights and humanitarian law. The Government, for its part, should effectively investigate the range of serious allegations of human rights abuses made against the security forces and provide a detailed public response.

Noting that the current arrangement for international human rights monitoring and assistance is unsatisfactory, the Special Rapporteur recommends that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should open an office in the CAR. In addition, the Government should establish a national human rights commission that is independent and fully complies with all relevant international standards.
2008-02-07 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

'TWIN CHALLENGES' TO PEACEKEEPING MUST BE ADDRESSED, SAYS SENIOR UN OFFICIAL

'TWIN CHALLENGES' TO PEACEKEEPING MUST BE ADDRESSED, SAYS SENIOR UN OFFICIAL New York, Feb 7 2008 7:00PM A senior United Nations official today emphasized the importance of tackling the "twin challenges" peacekeeping faces regarding planning and speed.

Assistant Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute, acting head of the new Department of Field Support (DFS), told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York that "there is a premium placed on planning" and that the need for flexibility must be balanced with politically dynamic and unstable circumstances.

Given the complexity of missions, it is essential to prepare in great detail, yet "we don't want our plans to set us on a course of action which might restrict in any way the political flexibility of decision-making that needs to be taken," she observed.

Another issue facing peacekeeping is the need to consider both the need to move rapidly in the field and to ensure that there is proper deliberation, Ms. Holl Lute noted.

"Rapid start-up while continuing to subject ourselves to the appropriate level of controls" is crucial, she said.

The Assistant Secretary-General – who recently visited existing or nascent UN missions in Sudan, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the key troop-contributing country India – pointed out that in recent years peacekeeping has grown tremendously in size, complexity and budget.

The mission in Chad and Central African Republic, known as MINURCAT, is the 15th mission in the last four years, while five new missions have been created in the last 18 months alone.

In a related development, the UN-African Union (AU) Joint Special Representative for Darfur, Rodolphe Adada, met yesterday with the Minister of Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Bert Koenders.

Mr. Adada, who was joined by General Martin Luther Agwai, Force Commander of the hybrid UN-AU Darfur peacekeeping mission (UNAMID), expressed his gratitude to the Government of the Netherlands for its political, financial and material support.

Tomorrow, Jan Eliasson, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Darfur, will brief the Security Council on the peace process in the war-torn Sudanese region, where at least 200,000 people have been killed since 2003.
2008-02-07 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

UNITED STATES: BAN KI-MOON HAILS CHICAGO'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

UNITED STATES: BAN KI-MOON HAILS CHICAGO'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT New York, Feb 7 2008 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed the efforts of Chicago, one of the largest cities in the United States, to achieve environmental sustainability.

The UN and Chicago "share one common goal and vision – that is addressing climate change, to make this planet earth more hospitable and environmentally sustainable for generations to come," Mr. Ban said at a luncheon hosted by Mayor Richard Daley.

"We know you as the home of important partners of the United Nations," said the Secretary-General, citing Rotary International and the MacArthur Foundation, both of which work with the world body in a range of areas.

Mayor Daley voiced his city's backing for the Organization's work. "We actively support the UN's mission of promoting peace and stability in the world, through cooperation and understanding," he said.

He thanked the UN for its "great commitment to improving cities all over the world."

Later, Mr. Ban visited the MacArthur Foundation, discussing his priorities with some two dozen officials there. "We have shared goals and objectives, and what you are doing is greatly appreciated by me and by the international community as a whole," he said.

The MacArthur Foundation has provided grants to support numerous UN activities, including the work of the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/">UNFPA), the Department of Disarmament Affairs and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR).

"I was inspired by his priorities and by his commitment to putting peace and security at the heart of his agenda, I give him a lot of credit for taking on the climate change issue, using the pulpit of his office to raise awareness, and I am extremely pleased that he wants to reinvigorate disarmament," Foundation President Jonathan Fanton said in an interview with the UN News Service.
2008-02-07 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

KENYA: UN REPORTS IMPROVED SECURITY, STEPS UP AID TO DISPLACED

KENYA: UN REPORTS IMPROVED SECURITY, STEPS UP AID TO DISPLACED New York, Feb 7 2008 5:00PM The United Nations said today that security has improved slightly in Kenya, where the unrest sparked by December's disputed elections has uprooted over 300,000 people from their homes and agencies are increasing efforts to aid those affected.

At the same time, the UN Country Team reported sporadic violence in Kericho, Eldoret, Kisumu and the capital, Nairobi, and called the humanitarian situation "precarious."

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, there are now some 325,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said that UN teams will step up the delivery of aid to more than 39,000 IDPs spread out in 15 camps in the North Rift Valley. Medicine, food and water are the most pressing needs for the IDPs.

On Tuesday, the World Food Programme (<"www.wfp.org">WFP) handed out some 80 tons of food at 11 IDP camps. Around 2,000 displaced children under the age of 5 also received supplementary food items to prevent malnutrition. The agency also noted that enrolment in UN-assisted schools in Nairobi slums is some 28 per cent lower than before the outbreak of violence.

Meanwhile, the Government of Uganda now estimates there are 12,000 Kenyan refugees on its soil, based on a joint tally with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR).

On the political front, the mediation team led by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recently reported progress in negotiations between the Government and the opposition.

While welcoming that development, the Security Council yesterday expressed its strong concern at the continuing dire humanitarian situation in the country. In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sc9242.doc.htm">presidential statement, the 15-member body also requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report on how the UN can further support the mediation efforts in Kenya, as well as on the impact of the crisis on the wider sub-region and UN operations in that area.

Mr. Ban has dispatched UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes to Kenya, and he is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi tomorrow for a three-day mission to assess the humanitarian situation in the country.
2008-02-07 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 VOICES CONCERN OVER FATE OF NEARLY 500,000 PEOPLE IN EASTERN CHAD

UN VOICES CONCERN OVER FATE OF NEARLY 500,000 PEOPLE IN EASTERN CHAD New York, Feb 7 2008 6:00PM Although eastern Chad is currently calm, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) today expressed its concern over the fate of up to 500,000 vulnerable people – mostly Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) – in the region.

"I am extremely concerned about the impact of the recent violence on our ability to deliver life-saving assistance to almost a half million people, most of whom are heavily reliant on humanitarian aid for their survival," said John Holmes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

There are more than 240,000 Sudanese refugees and over 180,000 IDPs residing in eastern Chad, with the recent fighting – which affected the region to a limited extent – possibly uprooting even more people.

Non-essential UN staff were evacuated from eastern Chad last week, and in addition, many aid workers from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have also left the region.

The head of OCHA's Chad office noted that in the country's east, very few refugees and IDPs are self-sufficient, and that food, medicine and water will only last between two to four weeks in most locations.

"We must ensure that before that time, we are able to provide at least minimal assistance, which will enable people to survive," said Eliane Duthoit, who is part of the UN 'skeleton team' which stayed in N'Djamena.

She hoped that when normality is restored, humanitarian workers will resume their work.

The fighting affecting the capital, N'Djamena, and other parts of the country has also driven at least 30,000 Chadians to neighbouring Cameroon.
2008-02-07 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-BACKED TRIBUNAL PROCESSING OVER 500 KHMER ROUGE VICTIMS' COMPLAINTS

UN-BACKED TRIBUNAL PROCESSING OVER 500 KHMER ROUGE VICTIMS' COMPLAINTS New York, Feb 7 2008 5:00PM The United Nations-backed tribunal trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes is currently processing and responding to more than 500 complaints submitted by Cambodians on crimes which took place three decades ago.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), which has been operational since July 2006, received most of these complaints since last October.

Most of them come from people who have been aware of their right to take part in the Court's process through the efforts of civil society organizations.

"Information received from victims is crucial to our success," said Robert Petit, one of the ECCC's co-prosecutors. "The Court is lucky that so many people have come forward and submitted complaints, because it gives us a lot of information to work with."

The complaints have all been scanned, processed and analyzed, and will be sent to the Co-Investigating Judges for use in their current investigations.

Co-Prosecutors will determine whether the complaints warrant new investigations.

Where information is missing in the complaints, the Court will contact those who submitted them to fill in the gaps. Currently, one-fifth of the more than 500 complaints are lacking some key information.

"The ECCC is the first court in the history of international criminal law to offer victims full participation in the proceedings, and everyone at the Court is working hard to ensure that this participation is meaningful for them," said Gabriela Gonzalez Rivas, the Deputy Head of the Victims Unit.

She added that it is crucial that the ECCC give each complaint the "careful, individual attention it deserves."

Under an agreement signed by the UN and Cambodia, the ECCC was set up as an independent court using a mixture of Cambodian staff and judges and foreign personnel. It is designated to try those deemed most responsible for crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international law between 17 April 1975 and 6 January 1979.
2008-02-07 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

MORE AID TRUCKS ENTER GAZA FROM ISRAEL BUT SUPPLIES NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH - UN

MORE AID TRUCKS ENTER GAZA FROM ISRAEL BUT SUPPLIES NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH – UN New York, Feb 7 2008 5:00PM Some 37 trucks carrying supplies made it into Gaza from Israel today, but the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (<"http://www.unsco.org/">UNSCO) noted that while that is an improvement, it is far from what is required to meet current needs.

The trucks were carrying paper for schoolbooks, from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA), as well as sugar and wheat flour from the World Food Programme (<"www.wfp.org">WFP). Commercial imports of dairy products and frozen meat also made it through.

Earlier this week, 31 truckloads of aid and commercial goods arrived into Gaza through the Sufa and Karni crossings.

UN agencies' stocks of essential goods in Gaza have been dwindling for several weeks, ever since Israeli authorities imposed tight restrictions on entry to and exit from the area where an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians live.

Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said that because of continued fuel reductions from Israel, the majority of Gazan households are still dealing with power cuts lasting eight hours a day.
2008-02-07 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

BUILDING ON MOMENTUM, GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE

BUILDING ON MOMENTUM, GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE New York, Feb 7 2008 2:00PM In a bid to build on the momentum generated by last December's landmark United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, the General Assembly will host a two-day debate on the crucial issue next week in New York.

Assembly President Srgjan Kerim – who has made global warming a top priority – underscored that the UN cannot combat the problem on its own.

"What is needed is a common vision, a global consensus, a global alliance for action," he <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/note6126.doc.htm">observed. "Only then will we have a chance to tackle this enormous challenge to our lives."

The Bali conference ended with 187 countries agreeing to launch a two-year process of formal negotiations on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, on greenhouse gas emissions.

"Our aim is to support that process," Mr. Kerim noted. "We need to keep the momentum created by the Bali Roadmap."

The debate, taking place on 11 and 12 February, will feature speakers such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and will include panels with participants from the private sector, media, Government representatives and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Nearly two dozen Government ministers are expected to take part in the Assembly debate.

In a related development, a convention backed by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has joined forces with a European Community initiative to improve efforts to halt illegal trafficking of hazardous and other wastes.

The UNEP-administered Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal has 170 Parties, and seeks to protect humans and the environment from the adverse impacts of hazardous wastes.

Created in 1992, the European Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL) aims to ensure that environmental legislation is effectively implemented and enforced within the European Community.
2008-02-07 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

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CITES 'COMPELLING' NEED FOR CHANGE WITHIN UN

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CITES 'COMPELLING' NEED FOR CHANGE WITHIN UN New York, Feb 7 2008 2:00PM While the United Nations has a leading role in advancing global issues such as development and poverty eradication, the world body must be strengthened to respond more effectively to today's challenges, the President of the General Assembly said today.

"The need for change is compelling," Srgjan Kerim <"http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/meetingswc70208.shtml">told an informal meeting of the Assembly on system-wide coherence, adding that now is the time for the 192-member body to "deliver as one."

Mr. Kerim pointed out that despite its unique legitimacy, the UN's status as a central actor in development is undermined by "a lack of focus" on results.

"It is clear that without ambitious and far-reaching reforms the United Nations will be unable to deliver on its promises and maintain its position at the heart of the multilateral system," he told delegates.

Change is "inevitable," he stressed, if the UN is play its vital role in advancing global issues, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the pledges made by world leaders to slash poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy by 2015.

"The United Nations – more than any other body – is uniquely placed to take a leading role in achieving the MDGs. But in order to do so, and like any other organization, it must renew and retool itself to respond to emerging challenges."

Reform and continuous improvement are an intrinsic part of any successful organisation, and the UN is no exception, Mr. Kerim pointed out, adding that the world body will only continue to attract resources if it can demonstrate its effectiveness and deliver results.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has endorsed a set of recommendations put forward in 2006 in the report of the High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence as "an ambitious yet achievable vision of a harmonized and accountable UN system."

The report, entitled Delivering as One, recommended a country-level consolidation of UN agencies, the strengthening of leadership on humanitarian and environmental activities, and the creation of both a new funding system and a new women's organization.

So far eight pilot countries are testing the 'One UN' approach, and Mr. Kerim noted that the results of these pilots will be important for future discussions on achieving greater coherence and effectiveness across the system.
2008-02-07 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 REITERATES SUPPORT FOR CYPRUS SETTLEMENT

TOP UN ENVOY REITERATES SUPPORT FOR CYPRUS SETTLEMENT New York, Feb 7 2008 2:00PM The top United Nations official in Cyprus today voiced the world body's support for a settlement on the Mediterranean island.

Speaking at a medal parade for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html">UNFICYP), the Secretary-General's Special Envoy Michael Møller said that "rather than launching a new initiative on its own, the UN will support good faith efforts on the part of both sides to restart talks and work for a solution."

It has been 44 years since the mission was established, and he said that it is often legitimately asked what more UNFICYP can do after operating for decades in Cyprus and whether the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities have the political will necessary to reach a solution.

Ultimately, the "key to a settlement" lies not with the UN, but with the Cypriots themselves, stressed Mr. Møller, who also serves as head of UNFICYP.

"This year may indeed prove crucial for a solution, but we have seen expectations raised many times before," he noted. "The time has come for serious negotiations. The window of opportunity we have this year will not remain open forever."

The Special Representative paid tribute to the blue helmets in Cyprus, lauding the "impartiality, tolerance, patience, tact and diplomacy that you consistently demonstrate as you work in what are often trying and difficult circumstances."

Last December, the Security Council voted unanimously to extend UNFICYP's mandate for six months, emphasizing that "time is not on the side of a settlement, and that negotiations to reunify the island have been at an impasse for too long."

Expressing its full support for the July 2006 agreement – which set out the necessary framework for a political process designed to lead to the resumption of full-fledged negotiations – the Council voiced deep concern over the "lack of any progress."
2008-02-07 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 POLICE, RULE OF LAW OFFICIALS MEET IN ITALY TO DISCUSS GLOBAL POLICING

TOP UN POLICE, RULE OF LAW OFFICIALS MEET IN ITALY TO DISCUSS GLOBAL POLICING New York, Feb 7 2008 12:00PM Improving the way United Nations Police help reform, restructure and rebuild national police forces in countries emerging from conflict is among the key topics at a two-day conference starting today in Italy, bringing together top officials from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

UN Police Commissioners and Senior Police Advisers from 18 peacekeeping missions will attend the event, which will also focus on changes made in DPKO last year as part of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's wider reform of the world body's peacekeeping operations. A key feature of this reform was the setting up of the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI), which includes the UN Police Division.

"Policing plays an increasingly important role in UN peacekeeping and this looks set to grow in the years ahead, especially as the international community seeks to develop the rule of law and reform security institutions in States recovering from conflict. Providing local populations with well-trained, well-equipped, accountable and community-oriented police is key," said Assistant Secretary-General Dmitry Titov, who heads OROLSI.

UN Police Adviser Andrew Hughes will chair the conference and update participants on what the new OROLSI framework means for global policing, while also focusing on the challenges ahead as the Police Division deals with unprecedented demand for officers. There are currently over 11,000 deployed worldwide, and this could increase to more than 16,000 officers by next year.

As well as the Police Division, OROLSI groups together DPKO's judicial, legal and correctional units; mine action; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and security sector reform functions.

"Our key role as UN Police officers is increasingly helping to reform, restructure and rebuild national forces and we need the resources and full support from Member States to do this," said Mr. Hughes. "The number of police officers deployed has increased by around 65 per cent over the past three years and this growth is set to continue. Darfur, Chad, Timor-Leste and other missions all have major police components."

Encouraging more female officers into UN policing, as well as security sector reform, criminal law, judicial, and other issues will also be discussed during the conference.

The increasing role of Formed Police Units (FPUs) – fully mobile, rapid reaction police units made up of up to 140 officers entirely from one contingent – in UN peacekeeping operations will also be highlighted. The first all-female FPU, made up of Indian officers, joined the UN operation in Liberia a year ago.
2008-02-07 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

COUNTRIES NOT TAKING ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO PREVENT SMOKING DEATHS - UN

COUNTRIES NOT TAKING ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO PREVENT SMOKING DEATHS – UN New York, Feb 7 2008 12:00PM No country has carried out all of the anti-smoking measures necessary to forestall illness, the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr04/en/index.html">WHO) said in a new <"http://www.who.int/entity/tobacco/mpower/mpower_report_full_2008.pdf">report released today, suggesting a half dozen plans of attack to avert tens of millions of premature deaths in the coming decades.

"While efforts to combat tobacco are gaining momentum, virtually every country needs to do more," said Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.

The agency found that only 5 per cent of the world's population reside in countries fully protecting residents with any one of the crucial measures to reduce smoking rates.

The report noted that governments collect 500 times more money in tobacco taxes annually than they spend on anti-tobacco initiatives.

In nearly all countries, WHO said that tobacco taxes could be raised, the most effective strategy in combating tobacco, and the additional funds can be used to kick-start new strategies called MPOWER.

"These strategies are within the reach of every country, rich or poor and, when combined as a package, they offer us the best chance of reversing this growing epidemic," Dr. Chan said.

MPOWER urges nations to: "Monitor" tobacco use and prevention policies; "Protect" people from tobacco smoke; "Offer" help to quite tobacco use; "Warn" about the dangers of tobacco; "Enforce" bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and "Raise" taxes on tobacco.

"This package will create an enabling environment to help current tobacco users quit, protect people from second-hand smoke and prevent young people from taking up the habit," said Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative.

Today's report also highlighted the epidemic's impact on the developing world, where, by 2030, 80 per cent of the eight million tobacco-related deaths yearly are expected to occur.

Currently, lower-income countries receive 9,000 times the amount of money from tobacco taxes than they spend on tobacco control.

The study, partly funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, also found that 40 per cent of countries still allow smoking in hospitals and schools, and services to treat dependence on tobacco are only fully available in nine countries, or 5 per cent of the global population.

In August 2006, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he was contributing $125 million over two years to a worldwide anti-smoking initiative, a donation which is many times larger than any prior donation for global tobacco control.
2008-02-07 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 CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO COMBAT HUNGER AMONG MILLIONS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN

NEW UN CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO COMBAT HUNGER AMONG MILLIONS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN New York, Feb 7 2008 11:00AM The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2756">WFP) today unveiled a new global fundraising and awareness campaign to benefit the nearly 60 million children around the world who go to school hungry.

Health and education interventions are less effective when given to people who lack basic nourishment, the agency noted.

The new initiative – "Fill the Cup" – aims, literally, to fill a cup with food for hungry schoolchildren, increasing their chances for health, education and a better future.

According to WFP, it will take about $3 billion per year to feed all 59 million children who go to school hungry worldwide, while $1.2 billion can provide meals for the 23 million children in 45 of the neediest African countries. Just $0.25 can give one child one cup of porridge, rice or beans and provide girls with a monthly ration to take home.

"The need is great, but so is the ability to help – a single Euro (or $1.50) feeds a school child for a week," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran, adding that feeding children in school helps promote not only education, but also healthy and strong communities.

"We are often asked by people, young and old - school children, truck drivers, dentists and teachers – how they can help," Sheeran said. "This is how."

WFP is a major provider of school meals in developing countries. From Afghanistan to Somalia, some 20 million children benefit from WFP school meals at the cost of only $0.25 a day.

Partnering with WFP in the campaign is FIFA World Player of the Year, Kaka, who is also the agency's Ambassador against Hunger. "I come from a country where I've seen first-hand how hunger can rob a child's potential," said Kaka, a native of Brazil. "So I'm very proud to call on soccer fans and others to help Fill the Cup and lay a foundation for our future."

Also participating in the campaign are the President of Ghana, and head of the African Union, John Agyekum Kufuor, and the Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti.

WFP – the world's largest humanitarian agency – will feed more than 70 million people this year in some 80 countries around the world.
2008-02-07 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

CLIMATE CHANGE TO FIGURE IN BAN KI-MOON'S CHICAGO MEETINGS -- OFFICIALS

CLIMATE CHANGE TO FIGURE IN BAN KI-MOON'S CHICAGO MEETINGS -- OFFICIALS New York, Feb 7 2008 1:00AM Climate change will feature on the agenda of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's meetings in Chicago with local leaders, business executives, United Nations partners and high school students, officials said on the eve of his trip to the US city.

Ambassador Bill Luers, President of the UN Association of the United States, said the issue is likely to be discussed when Mr. Ban meets with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who has made environmental sustainability a key goal.

The Secretary-General has worked to galvanize international action on global warming, Mr. Luers noted, adding that "Mayor Daley places climate change as his top priority, so they will have a lot to talk about."

Also while in Chicago, Mr. Ban is scheduled to visit a high school where he will participate in a Model UN. "Unlike the standard situation where the Mayor and the Secretary-General stand together to talk, this will be an active event where they will see kids talking about climate change," said Ambassador Luers.

Mr. Ban will also meet with officials at the MacArthur Foundation, a philanthropic organization which has been supporting UN activities in the fields of peace and security, development and human rights.

"The MacArthur Foundation mission is to build a just, sustainable and peaceful world, and those three words intersect remarkably with the Secretary-General's statement of priorities," said its President, Jonathan F. Fanton, in an interview with the UN News Service.

Mr. Fanton said the meetings in Chicago, particularly with participants in the Model UN, would generate understanding all around. "Mr. Ban has a message which will be well-received and I believe he will feel better about our country and the prospects of supporting his work when he talks to these young people."

2008-02-06 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

KENYA: SECURITY COUNCIL VOICES CONCERN OVER CONTINUED POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

KENYA: SECURITY COUNCIL VOICES CONCERN OVER CONTINUED POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE New York, Feb 6 2008 7:00PM Despite the announcement of progress in negotiations between the Government and the opposition, the Security Council today expressed its concern over the continued violence in Kenya which first broke out after last December's contested polls.

"The Council deplores the widespread violence following the elections, which has resulted in extensive loss of life and serious humanitarian consequences," the 15-member body said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9242.doc.htm">presidential statement read out by Ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias of Panama, which holds the rotating presidency this month.

It also noted that "civilians continue to be killed, subjected to sexual and gender-based violence and displaced from their homes."

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, more than 1,000 people have lost their lives and over 300,000 have been displaced since the 27 December 2007 elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Today's statement underlined the need for "dialogue, negotiation and compromise" as the only avenue by which to resolve the current crisis. It also urged the East African nation's leaders to promote reconciliation.

Welcoming the 1 February announcement of advances – such as the adoption of a road map and an agenda – towards finding a solution, the Council expressed its full support for the Panel of Eminent African Personalities, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The body called for all parties to "meet their responsibility" to resolve the crisis, as well as taking immediate measures to curb the violence, which includes ethnically-motivated attacks, and to restore human rights.

Regarding Kenya's "dire" humanitarian situation, the Council called for the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as aid workers and UN personnel.

Also today, a fact-finding mission deployed by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour arrived in Kenya, and during the next three weeks the team will investigate allegations of grave rights violations in the post-election period.

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he was dispatching his top humanitarian official to the violence-wracked nation.

John Holmes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, is scheduled to arrive in the capital Nairobi on Friday, 8 February, for a three-day mission to assess the humanitarian situation in the country.

He intends to meet with Government authorities, opposition leaders, UN staff, aid agencies, donors and diplomats.

Mr. Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will travel to the Rift Valley, where most of the recent fighting took place, to speak with IDPs and others who have been impacted by the violence.

In a related development, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) has supplied enough food for one month for close to 4,500 IDPs in the eastern town of Turbo.

Also, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) reported that there are more than 7,000 displaced people at the Nakuru camp in the Rift Valley, while there are some 12,000 IDPs residing in more than two dozen camps in Nairobi.
2008-02-06 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

JOINT UN APPEAL FOR MUMPS VACCINES AS EPIDEMIC STRIKES MOLDOVA

JOINT UN APPEAL FOR MUMPS VACCINES AS EPIDEMIC STRIKES MOLDOVA New York, Feb 6 2008 6:00PM The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO) have launched an appeal for $1.9 million to buy mumps vaccines for hundreds of thousands of Moldovans as an epidemic of the viral disease sweeps the small Eastern European country.

As many as 400,000 children and young people born between 1989 and 1994 are deemed to be at risk as they did not complete their full course of mumps vaccines at the time.

Already 4,500 Moldovans are infected, with 80 per cent of new cases among people aged between 15 and 24. The epidemic is worst in the capital, Chisinau, and is now spreading to other districts.

"We must take action now when the epidemic can still be contained," said Svetlana Stefanet, a UNICEF official in Moldova. "Each week the number of infections almost doubles."

Mumps is notorious for its complications, the most severe of which is male sterility. Males currently comprise two-thirds of the infected cases. Symptoms can also include painful swellings of the glands and a rash.

The only way to stop the epidemic is to re-vaccinate the population at risk, according to experts from WHO. Moldovan health authorities estimate they need about 600,000 doses of vaccine, syringes and safety boxes.
2008-02-06 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

CENTRAL AFRICAN REFUGEES MAY SUFFER AGAIN BECAUSE OF CHAD'S CRISIS - UN OFFICIAL

CENTRAL AFRICAN REFUGEES MAY SUFFER AGAIN BECAUSE OF CHAD'S CRISIS – UN OFFICIAL New York, Feb 6 2008 6:00PM The top United Nations humanitarian official voiced grave concern today that about 50,000 Central African refugees who have been living in Chad will be uprooted again because of the widespread violence in the impoverished African nation.

Nearly 6,000 people have fled the Central African Republic (CAR) for southern Chad in the past two months alone, escaping violent clashes between Government forces and armed opposition groups and brutal attacks by bandits in the north of their homeland.

"These are people who have lost everything," said John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "The current crisis in Chad means that they risk being uprooted and displaced again."

Fighting between Government forces and armed opposition groups in Chad has engulfed the landlocked country in the past week, reaching the capital, N'Djamena, and forcing as many as 30,000 civilians to flee into Cameroon.

Toby Lanzer, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator in the CAR, said the aid community that is based in that country stood ready to help all civilians.

"The crisis currently touching the Chad-CAR-Sudan nexus is regional, and – as usual – civilians will bear the brunt of violence," he said.

Up to 197,000 Central Africans live as internally displaced persons (IDPs), while some 98,000 others are refugees in either Cameroon, Chad or Sudan. UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need $92.6 million this year to carry out their work.

Following the violence in Chad, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/chad_42761.html">UNICEF) reported that an inter-agency team dispatched to northern Cameroon has begun assessing how much food, water, medicine and shelter the new refugees will need to have basic living conditions.

UNICEF is also readying blankets and school supplies for about 10,000 children and preparing to give out vitamins and re-hydration salts and immunize the Chadians against potential outbreaks of measles and meningitis.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour have all expressed deep concern about the deteriorating situation in Chad over the past week.

Meanwhile, the UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=1097">UNFPA) has warned that pregnant women and their children are particularly at risk during the current crisis as their access to maternal health-care facilities becomes sharply reduced.

"We know that in any refugee crisis, one in five women of child-bearing age may be pregnant," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director.

The agency is supplying clean delivery kits, which include plastic sheeting, razor blades and soap, to ensure safe delivery to displaced Chadians.
2008-02-06 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 WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO HOLD SECOND HEARING IN SARAJEVO

UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO HOLD SECOND HEARING IN SARAJEVO New York, Feb 6 2008 5:00PM The United Nations tribunal set up to try those responsible for the worst war crimes committed in the Balkans in the 1990s will travel to Sarajevo – a city synonymous with the conflict – on Friday for a four-day hearing in the trial of the former head of the Bosnian Muslim forces during the Balkan wars.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.un.org/icty/">ICTY), which is based in The Hague, has <"http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2008/pr1214e.htm">scheduled an evidentiary hearing in the trial of Rasim Deli&#263; after a request from prosecutors.

It is only the second time that the Tribunal has conducted a hearing away from its seat in the Netherlands; the other occasion occurred in September last year during the same case.

The hearing, which will be held in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will involve testimony from Aiman Awad, the final prosecution witness in the Deli&#263; trial.

Mr. Deli&#263;, 59, is charged with murder, cruel treatment and rape of captured Croat and Serb soldiers and civilians on the basis of his responsibility as Commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina from June 1993.

The indictment against him states that he failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent his subordinates committing torture, beatings, rapes and murders – including a decapitation – at Kamenica camp, a detention centre for captured Bosnian Serb soldiers and local civilians in central Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the most notorious murder, carried out on 24 July 1995, a Bosnian Serb army prisoner was decapitated at Kamenica and all the other prisoners were forced to kiss the severed head, which was later placed on a hook on the wall of the room where the prisoners were being held.

Mr. Deli&#263; also stands accused of failing to take necessary and reasonable measures to punish those soldiers who executed captured Bosnian Croat civilians and soldiers in two villages in Travnik municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2008-02-06 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

DECENT WORK KEY TO POVERTY REDUCTION, SOCIAL INTEGRATION - MIGIRO

DECENT WORK KEY TO POVERTY REDUCTION, SOCIAL INTEGRATION – MIGIRO New York, Feb 6 2008 5:00PM United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today underscored the vital role that employment and decent work play in promoting development.

"Decent work is not just an end in itself," she said in her opening <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/dsgsm374.doc.htm">address to the Commission for Social Development (CSD) at UN Headquarters. "It is crucial for poverty eradication and social integration, the two other planks of social development."

The Deputy Secretary-General also advocated for workplace security and social protection for workers and their families.

In its 46th <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/soc4737.doc.htm">session which ends on 15 February, the CSD – whose 46 members are elected by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – will focus on employment, ageing and disability.

Ms. Migiro voiced hope that the Commission will come up with recommendations for how best to further the cause of decent work in national strategies and development plans, in particular through macroeconomic policies.

"Special priority should be given to the design of policies resolving the problem of long-term unemployment and underemployment of youth, women, persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups," she stressed.

A "coherent approach" to further the cause of decent work within the broader development agenda which brings together the UN family, civil society and the private sector is essential, the Deputy Secretary-General noted.
2008-02-06 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 MARKS INTERNATIONAL DAY WITH CALL FOR ENDING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

UN AGENCY MARKS INTERNATIONAL DAY WITH CALL FOR ENDING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION New York, Feb 6 2008 4:00PM The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today called for greater efforts to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation and protect the rights of women and girls worldwide.

"Intensified efforts are urgently needed to stop the practice in all its forms," UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid stated in a message marking the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation.

Each year between two and three million women and girls are subjected to FGM, the partial or total removal of external female genital organs for cultural or other non-medical reasons.

More than 100 million women and girls worldwide have undergone the practice, which leaves lasting physical and psychological scars and increases the risks of problems during childbirth. "Many women and girls are traumatized by the experience and suffer in silence, afraid of being excluded from their communities," Ms. Obaid noted.

She pledged UNFPA's increased support for efforts to end FGM, and called on governments to develop effective policies to combat the practice and to support the development of prevention and education programmes.

Last August, UNFPA and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched a $44 million programme to reduce the harmful practice by 40 per cent by 2015 and to end it within a generation.

In partnership with governments, religious leaders, reproductive health providers, media and civil society, the initiative encourages communities in 16 African countries with high prevalence to abandon the practice.

In addition to Africa, various forms of FGM have also been reported in parts of some Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It is also practised in immigrant communities around the world.
2008-02-06 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